Chapter 3744 — Wooing
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
Never mind ordinary folk, who had scarce chance of ever seeing one; even some second-generation cultivators with connections could not obtain such a card if their standing or wealth fell below a certain threshold. Put plainly, across the whole cultivation world, those who could produce a spirit jade card from their sleeve were bound to be either rich or noble.
And that Wei Zhao should obtain this card today was entirely owing to those two top-grade Foundation Establishment Barrier-Breaking Pills. Otherwise, for buying a single chunk of Star Ink Stone, even if he had paid a thousand spirit jades he would never have won the true recognition of the Hong Clan Trading Guild—still less would Hong Zhong have simply handed him a spirit jade card, with four hundred spirit jades already loaded into it!
In doing so, Hong Zhong was plainly casting a long line to hook a big fish.
By his eye, sharpened through years of reading men beyond counting, this young fellow who called himself Lin Er—though plain and unremarkable at first glance—was in truth one who kept his depths well hidden.
To say nothing of the way this one, at the peak of early Foundation Establishment, could face down the threat of a seasoned mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator with perfect composure—the mere fact that he could casually produce two top-grade Foundation Establishment Barrier-Breaking Pills was proof enough that he was no ordinary man.
Wherever those two pills had come from, rare treasures have always belonged to the strong. That this Lin Er could produce them at a moment's notice meant either that he concealed formidable strength, or that he concealed a formidable background. There was no third possibility.
As for the notion of mere dumb luck—Hong Zhong had been branch steward of the Hong Clan Trading Guild for many years, had seen every manner of man and affair, and had long since recognized one truth: in a cultivation world where cunning folk are everywhere and intrigue lurks at every turn, nothing that looks like chance is truly chance. There is no such thing as dumb luck. A treasure like the top-grade Foundation Establishment Barrier-Breaking Pill falls only into the hands of the strong—no exceptions.
And those who believe dumb luck exists in the cultivation world have simply not yet learned how to live. They take others for fools riding on a streak of luck, when in truth it is they themselves who are the fools, blinded by appearances.
Formidable strength or a formidable background—it must be one or the other. So in Hong Zhong's eyes, Wei Zhao was plainly worth cultivating and developing. The gift of the spirit jade card and four hundred spirit jades was no more than a stone cast to sound out the road. Should Wei Zhao prove even more impressive in days to come, greater benefits still would follow.
"I thank you for your generous regard, Steward Hong. Then I shall take my leave," Wei Zhao said, putting away the spirit jade card and the Star Ink Stone and rising to go.
"Take care, Young Hero Lin." Hong Zhong rose to see him off, and just before parting added one more word: "Should you ever have fine goods like the top-grade Foundation Establishment Barrier-Breaking Pill to sell in future, Young Hero Lin, I hope you will favor the Hong Clan Trading Guild's business. If the total value mounts up handsomely by then, this old man can upgrade your spirit jade card to a guest-of-honor spirit jade card, entitling you to a twenty percent discount and a good many other advantages."
As a merchant, Hong Zhong was at this moment more curious than anyone as to how Wei Zhao had come by two top-grade Foundation Establishment Barrier-Breaking Pills—but such a matter, as anyone could tell with half a thought, was bound to touch on private affairs. Had he asked outright, he would not have been Hong Zhong.