35 Partnership

Damian struggled to maintain his poker face for a fleeting moment; the price exceeded his expectations. However, he couldn't deny the allure of owning such a magnificent item in the future.

Moreover, he contemplated disarming and analyzing the item to replicate it, making it more affordable. Though this approach would inevitably lead to conflict with the Markov clan, he wasn't committed to that path yet. Having options was something he enjoyed.

Being from a middle-class background in the past, Damian found spending money in such a manner extravagant, though not entirely unenjoyable.

Violet, an excellent saleswoman, noticed Damian's expression and grew apprehensive about offending him with the price. As the designated person to handle VIPs, her position carried both high rewards and potential dangers. If Damian felt she was trying to swindle him, it could harm her current position or even result in a demotion to a regular clerk. The commissions she earned in her current job were at least three times higher.

Damian noticed the anxiety on Violet's face but chose to ignore it momentarily while he weighed the pros and cons of purchasing the product. For Violet, the minutes seemed to stretch on before Damian finally reached into his storage bag and extracted ten green spirit stones, handing them to Violet. "This is the price, Ms. Violet. It's a pleasure doing business with your Markov auction house," he said.

Violet immediately bowed respectfully and replied, "Thank you for your patronage, esteemed Elder Damian."

Damian returned a small smile before continuing, "Now, seeing your wares wasn't the only reason for my visit, truth be told. I would also like to discuss an agreement to sell some of my own creations."

Violet swiftly responded, "Of course, Elder Damian. Our auction house would be glad to act as an intermediary for your products. May I ask about the nature of the product you intend to sell and your intended price?"

As the clerk in charge of VIPs, Violet had the authority to form sales agreements with them as long as they provided sufficient benefits to the auction house.

Damian took a brief moment to organize his thoughts and then said, "The products I would like to include in our agreement are storage bags with a capacity of twenty-five cubic meters and defensive talismans created using my own techniques. I would initially expect the price to be around one green spirit stone for the storage bags and ten red spirit stones for the defensive talismans."

Violet was amazed. She had heard of the storage bags developed by the Violet Sky clan, and attempts to replicate them had been made, but the most successful attempt had only created a three cubic meter space, and that was attempted by the clan leader herself. If they could sell these bags, their earnings would skyrocket even further, especially if they were able to increase the size. Of course, they wouldn't be foolish enough to try creating bags with the same storage capacity as Damian's, but they could make ones with less space, making them more affordable. This would also benefit Damian as it would make his storage bags luxury items, resulting in higher returns.

Regarding the defensive talismans, Violet could see the underlying meaning behind Damian selling them at such a low price. After all, these were defensive talismans made by a rank 9 Golden Core cultivator. In the wilderness, they would be invaluable for foundation establishment or even early and intermediate golden core cultivators, potentially saving them from perilous situations. Violet understood that these talismans were intended to help the people of the city survive without yielding high returns, but also not be so cheap that the demand overwhelmed Damian.

Unaware of the forging attempts on his storage bags, Damian believed that the blueprint for creating storage bags was relatively common, perhaps a little rare but nothing more. The reason he stated his expected price in green spirit stones was due to the price of the transmission medallion. He was confident that his storage space was of top quality, as his divine inscription technique allowed him to create minute inscriptions and connect them with surgical precision, enabling him to fit more runes into the same space compared to other techniques he encountered while choosing techniques in the Library of Tian Long.

Regarding the talismans, Damian indeed wanted to create something that the talented individuals of the city could use in dangerous situations.

After taking a few moments to process the information Damian had provided, Violet said, "We have, of course, heard of this creation of yours, Elder Damian, and we would gladly accept your offer. As you are an important customer and a potential business partner, we can offer a twenty percent commission per sale. Additionally, we would procure the materials you need to produce them and pay fifty percent of your earnings upfront upon delivery of the goods. If you would like to add different goods to this agreement, we can respect the same conditions."

Damian pondered for a while. The commission wasn't cheap, but the auction house would bear the cost and time of procuring materials. It wasn't a bad deal, but it also wasn't the best. For his profession, he needed a constant supply of materials, which he could more easily obtain through an organization rather than procuring them himself and finding someone to process them.

After a few minutes, Damian added, "It's not a bad deal indeed. I can see the sincerity of the Markov auction house in its dealings. However, I would like to request that it be added to the agreement that I receive at least a five percent discount on any and all purchases my clan makes in this auction house. This could help the prosperity of both clans, don't you think?"

Violet wore a pensive look for a few minutes. What Damian asked was not impossible, but it would impact several purchases in the short and long term, affecting the growth of her clan. However, she also recognized the benefits of the deal with Damian.

Violet then responded, "Very well, we can agree to those terms, as long as the sum of the discounts given to the Violet Sky clan each year does not exceed two green spirit stones. If this limit is reached, no further discounts will be provided for the remainder of the year. Is this acceptable, Elder Damian?"

Now it was Damian's turn to seriously consider the conditions laid before him. After pondering for the time it took an incense stick to burn, Damian finally said, "The terms offered are acceptable. I assume our agreement will be put in writing, right?"

Violet, with a slight smile, as she stood up, replied, "Of course, Elder Damian. Our Markov Auction House always deals in good faith with its customers and suppliers. Please wait a while as we draft the contract. It should be ready shortly. Meanwhile, please enjoy our tea." Violet swiftly left the room to secure the contract.

Meanwhile, Damian waited and engaged in light conversation with Christine and Nathan. During their conversation, he discovered that the spiders they had caught upon their arrival were named Dark Weaver Spiders. Christine's parents had been tending to them, steadily making a small fortune by selling spider silk, which was primarily used to produce high-quality clothing.