After understanding their strength and pondering momentarily, Yasenia was not afraid to change her previous intentions. "Well, seniors. It seems that I've overestimated the strength of the Nine sects. Thus, I have another offer."
They raised their eyebrows in surprise. 'This is the first time I heard overestimate to describe feelings about our sects.'
Yasenia said calmly. "Since your levels in alchemy and blacksmithing are not that much higher than our Astral Sky Clan levels, I've decided not to sell the pill recipes and weapon designs. Instead, I suggest entering a seller-buyer relationship. Even if our group is not big and probably fails to meet the demand, we want to become a somewhat exclusive shop for high-level cultivators."
They squinted thoughtfully, and Yasenia clarified. "We don't want a piece of the pie. We want to increase the size of the pie. Even though I'm not deeply informed, I can guess the current supply of high-level treasures is very limited. Therefore, our clan entering this sector will only benefit your sects since we can become allies. We can even deny selling it to some groups as long as your explanations are reasonable."
This wasn't Yasenia's original intention. However, after her transformation, she could more directly influence the direction of their clan's development.
When she first arrived at this house, the dragoness wanted to leave the recipes to the large sects and share profits, taking advantage of their large workforce. Nevertheless, since their professional level is not that high, Yasenia thought the profits wouldn't be too different if they did it themselves. Moreover, they will remain independent and have more freedom of operation.
The faces of the elders changed after Yasenia's explanation. Even if it was reasonable, they were not people who would want things to be equal. They had strong powers behind them, so pushing people to gain the upper hand in negotiations was a day-to-day matter.
Moreover, the temptation of the Soul Refining Pill was great, instilling a feeling of greed in them.
Elder Mu said nodded calmly and said. "Junior, you are knowledgeable, and your vision is far and wide. However, you forget one thing."
Yasenia was confused and observed their expression closer.
However, these old foxes were good at hiding their facial expressions when they wanted, so Yasenia didn't feel anything wrong besides her gut feeling. 'Tsk, these old foxes are plotting something again.'
"What might I have forgotten, Elder Mu?"
Elder Mu calmly said. "You told us yesterday that you will do business with us as long as we allow your juniors to complete the ritual. There must be some kind of compensation for it."
Yasenia linked things in her head, but there was a piece lacking. Yasenia was still ignorant of the real value of the Soul Refining Pill for these people.
This factor was what made Yasenia confused. "Elder Mu, I don't understand. Everything I presented is for the benefit of our two powers. Are instant gains as important as the future gains we will have when cooperating? Why focus on the compensation for the insignificant damage we created?"
However, Elder Mu continued to insist, and the others didn't interrupt. "Don't pull our legs, little girl. We were letting you put forward your ideas, not agreeing with them."
Yasenia looked at them calmly for some seconds and asked. "What kind of compensation?"
Elder Mu smiled, thinking that Yasenia was compromising, and said. "We still want to try to learn the Soul Refining Pill. It is an interesting pill, after all."
Tatyana knew where Yasenia was stumbling, but she didn't interrupt. 'Sometimes, you don't know the value of the things you hold. However, a person must be sharp enough to understand when people become too interested in those things you hold lightly. Then, you shall adapt your strategy.'
Meanwhile, Yasenia was thinking. 'The recipe of the Soul Purifying Pill? Didn't we agree that it was extremely problematic to learn? But they still want to try and learn it at the cost of potentially sacrificing their high-level alchemists...'
Yasenia's golden eyes flashed, and the fog in her golden eyes cleared. 'Ho, ho... I see.'
Yasenia put on a complex expression and said. "That... I can't do that."
Elder Mu and the others lost their smiles and squinted at Yasenia. "Junior, you should know when to relent and when to be stubborn."
Yasenia leaned forward and placed an elbow on her knee, supporting her chin with her palm. With a frown, she asked. "Why are you so angry, Elder Mu? I didn't say we won't trade the pill with you, right? However, I don't want one of your powerful alchemists to have an accident."
Yasenia said with a sigh. "If the numbers were higher, I wouldn't mind too much about small sacrifices. After all, the pill is worth the sacrifice. However, with your number of high-level alchemists, it would be stupid. Yes, you may be able to learn a powerful pill, but at what cost?"
Yasenia saw they were wavering, so she hit the iron while it was hot. "As long as you don't want to fall from the throne, something I'm not thrilled about, I won't share this pill recipe with any of you. I'm sorry, the most I'm willing now is to trade the pill with all of you."
The speaking was done beautifully, and the elders couldn't find fault in her words.
Yasenia understood when to pull and when to let go, so she leaned back again and articulated. "I don't want to have enmity with all of you, elders. Therefore, think before you act. As long as we leave this place with an agreement, you can buy as many of them as you want and do experiments with them."
Yasenia chuckled and commented. "Moreover, even if you want to force me to give you the recipe, there is one detail you are missing."
The elders felt the pressure in the room increase, and their faces changed.
Yasenia's eyes flashed with a cold and dignified light as she said as a matter of factly. "Why did we enter here so readily, knowing it may escalate into a full-blown conflict? Why am I willing to speak honestly and candidly in your presence? The calmness I portray can't be faked, so you must understand that I have confidence in facing all of you and escaping unscathed. Even if someone stronger than all of you were here, I could still escape."
The Elders became silent and looked gloomily at Yasenia.
Yasenia laughed, unafraid. "Since speaking nicely won't work. Let's talk crudely. I'll give you five pieces of equipment in the Peak Earth Rank and ten [Soul Nourishing pills]. A total of twenty-five peak Earth Rank treasures and fifty [Soul Refining Pills]. The two groups will be allies and treat each other nicely. However, without any special agreements."
Internally, they thought that it was generous. 'Hmm, although this clan seems to have many resources, they are new. We can guarantee benefits if we accept this deal and avoid getting losses or being deceived by her. Moreover, five peak-rank Earth treasures mean five elite disciples will be better equipped. Resources that disciples can gain are a large part of why talented disciples join sects, so they can also motivate future disciples to join.'
In short, there weren't any disadvantages.
Of course, they wouldn't show their willingness and decided to haggle for a while.
Elder Mao snorted. "Do you think such a small offering is enough to get allied with a sect as big as the [Nine Golden Body Sect]? Are you taking us as beggars?"
They all expected to see either surprise, annoyance, anger, or disappointment in Yasenia's expression. However, they saw her lips quirking in a beautiful smile even though her eyes weren't smiling. "Good, good, good. Do you think that I'm easy to bully? That I'm your dog and will chase your skirt with a call of your hand? Hahaha. Ridiculous!"
Yasenia sneered and stood up. The other girls followed suit. "Since you don't like it, I will go to the other powerful clans in the city. I'm sure that there will be forces that will accept our offer."
Their expression changed.
Regardless, Yasenia acted as if she was suddenly blind and continued speaking. "Since we can't become allies, I will give each of you five [Soul Nourishing Pills], and we'll become a neutral party. Five pills of the middle Heaven rank are more than enough to pay for all the damages my juniors caused. Therefore, there won't be any grudges. However, any future cooperation will be made on the grounds of strangers."
Then, Yasenia turned around and swayed her hips toward the entrance.
All the elders were stunned on the spot and almost failed to react.
How could they expect this person to be so delicate that a little bit of haggling would trigger her so much?
What amazed them the most was Yasenia's lack of hesitation when losing a chance to become an ally with a power as influential as the nine sects. Moreover, it wasn't just one of them, but five!
Elder Song from the Pure Melody Sect reacted the first and stood up hastily. "Wait! Yasenia, don't be so hasty. The one who spoke right now is the Golden Body Sect. Our Pure Melody Sect didn't say it didn't want to be allied with you. We are willing to take your first offer."
Yasenia's back was facing them, so they didn't spot the sly smile curling on her lips right after Elder Song spoke.
The dragoness controlled her expression and turned around, looking coldly at them.
They couldn't help but gulp. They were all perfectly thrown into Yasenia's pace. Yasenia spoke slowly. "I don't want any more humiliation. This is the last chance."
Then, she walked back toward the couch and sat back down.
Yasenia understood that although peak-rank Earth treasures seemed not much for her, it was quite a lot for people on this Continent.
Based on what she had seen until now, she could calculate that items of that level were equally precious to a treasure on the peak level Heaven rank back on the Sky Continent.
Heaven grade was a luxury even for some elders from various sects back in the Sky Continent.
Therefore, these elders should feel similarly about the Peak-level Earth-rank treasures.
Moreover, if they didn't get at least ten [Soul Nourishing Pills] back to the sect, it was questionable whether they would get one for themselves.
With only five, they most likely would be given to the disciples with the best potential or the most influential elders, leaving them with nothing.
Yasenia decided the number on purpose after Elder Mu, from the Herb Refining Sect, and Elder Yu, from the Molten Hammer sect, told their positions and the number of experts inside the sect.
Yasenia expected that if she gave them ten, it would be enough so that they could receive one as a reward.
In short, Yasenia played these elders like a fiddle after understanding the importance of this pill for them. With enough information, this dragoness was ruthless and would slowly erode and take back any advantage she could.
It was something Tatyana had taught and ingrained in her bones since she was little.
Angel and the others would be fangirling if they didn't have to look solemn. They had to restrain their facial muscles!
After Elder Song stepped forward, the other three realized this lifeline existed, so they latched onto it. All of them repeated similar sentences to Yasenia.
Elder Mao's face sank, thinking that they had set him up. Even if their sects formed part of the same group, they weren't perfect allies. There were many problems between the sects, and the relationship was complicated.
However, who was Yasenia? Using the method of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys is good, but you have to evaluate the situation before using it.
Therefore, she would not do something as stupid as creating an enemy. She looked at Elder Mao and said. "Elder Mao, don't worry. As long as you accept the deal, we will do as if I didn't hear your previous words. I know that as a senior, there are times when pride is important, but as I have reiterated repeatedly, I don't want to become enemies with any of you. What do you say?"
Elder Mao was surprised and looked into Yasenia's eyes intensely. After seeing no deceit in them, he nodded and smiled. "Hahaha, juniors these days are reasonable and intelligent. Our Golden Body Sect also doesn't want to become enemies with the Astral Sky Clan. I accept your excellent conditions!"
Kali and the others almost couldn't keep from shouting: "If it was such a good deal, why didn't you accept it before? Shameless person."
Tatyana really liked how Yasenia carried that conversation. A proud smile couldn't help but spread on her lips. 'My little treasure is growing so nicely~. The chance of the elders reacting previously wasn't that high, and she could have used a better method to reach the agreement.'
Of course, Tatyana wasn't stingy with her praise. 'Even then, the way she did it was extremely smooth, and compared to the most sure-fire way, it will leave a lasting impression on these people. Now, as long as they are in charge of negotiations with us, it is guaranteed that the Astral Sky Clan will be treated not as an inferior power but as an equal.'
Yasenia felt Tatyana's hand scratching her in the best places she liked and had to use her long tail to tap Tatyana's back, or she would begin purring!
She coughed to get a hold of herself. Then, the conversation flowed about what kind of Earth-ranked treasures they would want.
Yasenia would turn and ask Andrea each time they asked for something to ensure her darling could forge it.
Knowing that this junior was sincere in her efforts to become an ally with them, they guided them as a senior would and didn't put any more traps. They even advised her about some general matters between the powers in and outside the city.
They also told her which powers were dangerous to get along with and which ones were interesting to make contact with at least once.
Kali was at the side, writing everything down as the conversation flowed seamlessly. She sighed in admiration. 'Thankfully, she regained her human form and can lead us. I'm not confident in carrying myself the way she does it.'
The others heard Kali's thoughts and nodded in agreement.