Inside the luxurious suite, a lady was hosting a tea ceremony with handsome lad clad in a simple black and white garbs.
The lady poured the steaming hot tea over the cup before the youth and said with a sweet smile, "Dragon Prince, this is the Heavenly Grass Tea! Please have a taste."
"If you insist," William unceremoniously unceremoniously picked up the cup and downed it in one shot. "Nice tea," he complemented while laughing.
The lady kept pouring.
The tea ceremony continued for the next twenty minutes.
William finally spoke after taking a sip of the sweet tea, "Fairy Mu, might I ask why you invite me here?"
Finally to the business.
The lady's eyes turned seriously as she glanced at him.
"Brother William, about that I recently hear an interesting thing." She beamed.
"Oh, please do tell." William continued enjoying the tea.
"It was actually related to you." She continued, "On the day you visited this kingdom of mine, brother William seemed to have a little scuffle in the entrance gate of the city with the renown War General Crimson Spear. Eventually, the general turned in your favor and even gave you his Identity Token to enter the kingdom of Hornbill."
She stopped their and the room turned into a pin drop silence.
"Yes, something like that happen. It turned out the war general was a generous person so he even forgive my offense." William added.
She giggled, "You're more humble than I thought. I grew up among those prominent people of the kingdom and according to the nature of General Crimson Spear, he would hardly give away something belongs to him to simple someone else and nothing sort of that happen even before. To be precise, he was the most vagabond among the five war generals. Only the worthy will earn his attention and respects."
Taking another sip of the steamy tea, William nodded too, "About that, I can't agree more. It's indeed the case, the war general happened to pass me his token. So, miss Mu, we are all adult here. Why don't we come to business already?"
"Fine, I'll stop beating around the bush." She spoke, "I want the Identity Token. No, what I exactly want is to buy the token from you? Whatever the price?!"
Whatever the price?! William mused and thought something undercurrent was happening considering how modest and welcoming she was and playing host when they were just some stranger. So she wanted to take the token. But why the token? Even though the token guarantee fifty percent discount in anything he buy within the Kingdom. Considering Miss Mu's reputation and wealth that benefits was nothing to catch her eyes.
Deep in thought, he asked, "Miss Mu, I can sell you the token but kindly can I ask. Why do you need this very token?"
The lady eye's twitched a bit and thought this prince was wise to catch it too quickly. Anyway from the way he talked he seemed to be sincere.
After a long break, she sighed and spoke, "Fine. I'll tell you the truth. Actually, this information was only preview to three people at most. So, I ask Prince William to please don't leak this matter."
She further added, "Last night, Senior Crimson Spear met two mysterious hermits who was roaming the mountain and gained a harvest to finally make a breakthrough in his cultivation. Crimson Spear is no longer the simple War General but a new powerhouse of the third Cultivation realm— Yuan Foundation realm expert. I want to use this token to become at least in-name disciple of Senior Crimson Spear."
"Oh, he's broken through." William muttered and deep in thought.
The lady began to frown.
"Sister Mu, I can sell you the token. But, it'll not be cheap."
Only after she heard that she began to relax. "Good! Name the price,"
"Firstly I need another simple token so as I can join the competition and stay in this kingdom. Others, give me a few moment, I'll think it throw." William spoke. He then focused his mind into the pendant.
He spotted the large dragon laying lazily as usual. But he was dumbstruck seeing multiple mountains of wealths, cultivation technique scrolls, and many things.
"What the…." He calmed himself and called out, "Master, help me name some items that can be used in my current cultivation of Spirit Ki. Only those hat can be available in this kingdom."
While speaking his eyes wondered towards those mountains of wealths piling behind the dragon.
"You're currently in a barren land of a remote place, so items of your need will be very poor. Hmph! Let me think some.."
After waiting for a few seconds, he added in his archaic tone, "Yin Dew flower, you've already learned about it. This establishment you are currently staying seemed to be rich with this item. Others you can search for Yang Lotus Shoot and perhaps Moon Dew Grass."
William remained unresponsive as his eyes were wondering at those piles of wealth behind him.
The dragon growled, "Little mouse, you can stop drolling. Those treasures belongs to me. You can forget about taking even a single item. You have earned them. Leave!"
William smiled wryly, bowed to the dragon and left his consciousness.
"Have you made your mind?" asked the lady.
William took a napkin from the table and began writing down with an ink feather pen. Then he passed to her.
The lady read, "Yin Dew Flower hundred. Yang Lotus Shoot 100 and Moon Dew Grass 100."
She frowned and began to spoke with a slight anger, "Brother Will, please don't rob me like this. All of this add together, I'll get bankrupt. This is too much. If you really don't want to sell the token. Fine, I'll look around for another angle."
Actually. William was testing the water. May be I went overboard.
Thinking that he added, "Alright, we can still discuss."
"Yin Dew Flower, I can give you 25 at most. Yang Lotus Shoot, 7 at most and lastly, Moon Dew Grass, it is even more scarce and my company only has 5 in the inventory. That's the best deal I can offer." She spoke meticulously.
"I'm very happy with this deal." William spoke . "Let's toss and seal this deal."