"Shopkeeper Ma, name your price."

Perhaps fearing that Ma Ning would continue to feign ignorance, Yang Bolin decisively added:

"This old man wishes to purchase your telecommunication array."

Upon saying this, he sighed deeply in his heart:

With those words, the initiative is no longer in my hands from here on...

Within the Fire Camp, seeing the Chief Shopkeeper of the Purple Treasure Pavilion with a resigned expression, Lin Li, beside Ma Ning, was smiling broadly.

Indeed.

Earlier, whether it was Yang Bolin's attempt to end the conversation or Ma Ning interrupting him twice, it was actually both sides engaged in anticipating each other's moves and strategizing!

Or to put it differently:

This game of chess began when Gu Junming took out that Huawei phone—what Yang Bolin saw as a telecommunication array.

During this time, although their conversations were genuine, it was merely the first act of the play, the first round of a candid exchange:

I showed you the communication array, and you told me information about the demon realm and the Damo Realm, which was a standard equivalent exchange.

So both parties were quite pleased or rather calm during the first half, because the real trump card was yet to appear!

After all, seeing the functionality of the telecommunication array, Yang Bolin could not help but be tempted—because the cost of long-distance communication in the Damo Realm is just too exorbitant, requiring over a thousand Spirit Stones for a transmission that lasts several tens of seconds across a distance of thousands of miles.

Without grave matters of life and death or a profit in the five figures of Spirit Stones, no one in the Damo Realm would use a Sound Transmission Talisman casually.

However, the methods of the Taoshu Commerce Association clearly do not require such high costs, as evident from the little girl who once sold him a hemorrhoid ointment.

Thus, acquiring the telecommunication array was a must.

On the other hand, it is quite crucial whether the first step of a trade is proposed by the buyer or the seller, as it determines who holds the initiative during the negotiation.

In Yang Bolin's view, the rabbits' proposal of the array was not just to exchange information, but also implied a desire to make this deal.

Therefore, he was certain the rabbits had other desires, waiting for them to speak up so he could secure this 'array.'

On the other hand, the rabbits were sure Yang Bolin would take the initiative to express his intention first.

Yang Bolin had anticipated this when he first closed the video, and the rabbits anticipated his anticipation.

Thus, Ma Ning made a feint, proposing the matter of the stinky tofu package.

Yang Bolin's expectancy dropped by 10.

Afterward, Yang Bolin made another anticipation, and the rabbits anticipated his anticipation again, talking about the demon beast Lanxi.

Yang Bolin's expectancy further dropped by 10.

When Yang Bolin closed the video for the last time, the rabbits did nothing, cleanly cut off the signal, directly making the old man lose his composure.

I anticipated your anticipation of my anticipation.JPG

No choice, as the rabbits are all 'Neptunes'… cough, cough, all seasoned anglers.

As for understanding all the secrets of the Damo Realm, possibly all the rabbits combined might not match up to Yang Bolin alone.

But when it comes to commercial anticipation, which international negotiation hasn't been more thrilling than this?

Opening one's mouth a half-second earlier might count for several billion.

However, little did Yang Bolin know he encountered a national-level schemer, at this moment he only felt the pure little rabbit seemed a bit darker.

Bringing back the sight to the negotiation table.

Seeing Yang Bolin with a straight face, Ma Ning stopped playing games and directly followed up:

"Shopkeeper Yang, to tell you the truth, this array was crafted by the ancestors of the Taoshu Commerce Association and there aren't many within the entire association.

But since Shopkeeper Yang has voiced this, it's not like we can't discuss...

How about I first introduce the features of this array to you?"

Yang Bolin nodded, even if Ma Ning didn't offer, he would have asked, as it relates to the pricing:

"I'm all ears."

"This array is a combined type of Magical Artifact, with its core divided into an antenna array and base station array, while what you and I communicate with is the handheld 'transmission device.'

The entire set does not consume Spirit Stones but requires another type of energy called 'electricity,' the specific principles of which I won't introduce to you. In short, a small array can transmit across seven to eight hundred miles in the Damo Realm, while a medium-sized can reach between fifteen hundred to two thousand miles…"

The more Yang Bolin listened, the more surprised he became, finally unable to resist asking:

"Shopkeeper Ma, is this true?"

Ma Ning revealed a sincere and kind smile:

"Shopkeeper Yang, rest assured, we can arrange this transaction with delivery before payment, and if any issues arise, you can return it!

However, the price..."

Yang Bolin deliberated for a moment, then extended three fingers:

"I am willing to offer three million Spirit Stones for the medium-sized array, with full payment upfront, without any delay."

Three million Spirit Stones, this is not a small—indeed an enormous sum.

The Spirit Stone vein discovered by Wei Siming, entirely all of its stock would barely reach just over four hundred thousand pieces, capable of yielding only about a million Spirit Stones under management not by Fei Qiu.

In other words, Yang Bolin took out three small Spirit Stone veins in exchange!

Meanwhile, the conversion of three million Spirit Stones to Huaxia currency would be over 18 billion.

What kind of concept is it for a city in the Damo Realm to produce over 18 billion Huaxia currency?

This was mentioned earlier.

The basic livelihood in the Damo Realm can be compared to the Qin and Han periods; some cities may be slightly better, while others, like Sheepback City, worse off.

Ziqiong City is clearly one of the exemplary former.

Due to being located in the core of the southern region, with many Core Formation Realm cultivators holding the fort, the living standard of ordinary people is comparative to Chang'an before the Anshi Rebellion.

That is, second only to the bottom-tier living conditions of the Song Dynasty.

During Emperor Xuanzong's time in the Tang Dynasty, the total GDP revenue was approximately 348 billion USD, with Chang'an around 83 billion USD—the above data comes from Angus Maddison.

Including sectors such as alchemy, Magical Artifacts, and spiritual materials under cultivators, not considering the beast tides occurring every few years, Ziqiong City's annual GDP is close to 200 billion USD.

This level of GDP can rank 188th among 348 prefecture-level cities at home in 2021, between Shaoguan and Datong.

Of course, including the beast tide, it's hard to say.

Averaging the beast tide's once-every-five-year frequency, Ziqiong City's ranking could leap to around 120, fluctuating between Guilin and Yongzhou.

Under these circumstances, a commercial association within the city spending 15% of the entire city's annual GDP is genuinely a horrifying number.

After all, GDP and fiscal revenue are not the same.

It represents total output value, not necessarily earning as much.

Even in 2021, few prefecture-level cities would dare to stake nearly 20 billion on investments.

So Yang Bolin showed considerable sincerity, truly wanting to make this deal.

However, surprisingly to him, Ma Ning shook his head:

"Shopkeeper Yang, we do not wish to trade for Spirit Stones."

At present, every four Damo Days, approximately a month of domestic time, the rabbits earn over fifty thousand Spirit Stones from selling joy sticks and Ma Yinglong.

Besides, the Spirit Stone output has inexplicably increased after Fei Qiu's departure, now yielding four thousand Spirit Stones monthly.

Additionally, remnants of demon beasts cleared during the Xiaolianzi Mountain battle can be transformed into Spirit Stones if necessary, so the rabbits don't lack funds in the short term—certainly not like the time at the Ziqiong Market requiring much effort just to break even.

Even if the domestic cultivation plan requires a large amount of Spirit Stones to prepare the L17 cultivation environment through Le Chatelier's principle, the priority of Spirit Stones isn't always highest in some special circumstances.

For instance, now, the rabbits desire other better things.

Ma Ning's response left Yang Bolin somewhat surprised, but he sensed Ma Ning wasn't lying, thus he furrowed his brows:

"Then may I ask Shopkeeper Ma, what is it that you desire? Magical Artifacts, Spirit Pills, or Spirit Medicines?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ning deliberated for a moment, then slowly said:

"Shopkeeper Yang, to be honest, this old man is quite interested in some things indeed…"

"Do feel free to speak, Shopkeeper Ma."

"Didn't you mention before that a fifth-tier array of the demon realm slain four tier-four demon beasts? We wish for some tier-four demon beast flesh—preferably from the brain or heart area, a size of no less than a foot square."

The demand put forth by Ma Ning was somewhat outside Yang Bolin's expectations, yet he quickly reignited his thoughts, pondered for a moment, and finally said:

"Tier-four demon beast flesh... this is not difficult, tier-four demon beasts are sizable, as long as not requesting demon beast crystals everything else is manageable, not boasting, but the Purple Treasure Pavilion's network has some capability.

However, just a few pieces of large demon flesh are valued at tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, surely Shopkeeper Ma has other demands?"

Ma Ning nodded:

"Indeed, in addition... we want the Floating Array Technique on the flying ship of the Purple Treasure Pavilion."

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