Divine Emperor of Death

Jade Aurora clenched her fists, but a second later, she forcefully relaxed.

"I know the price here is already cheap since you're buying at the source and want to sell outside where you could make a ridiculous profit, but I wish you wouldn't make an enemy out of us. They are my fellow disciples, and I can't let them suffer a fate worse than death. As a fellow woman, I'm sure you can understand the plight of female slaves."

"In that case, why don't you just forcefully take them from the Azure Radiance Slave Traders instead of buying them back?"

Natalya scoffed, her tone derisive. She had changed her voice when she first spoke so no one could tell recognize that it was her.

Jade Aurora's black eyes narrowed.

She couldn't see through the intent of the woman before her but decided to play along.

"It isn't as though you don't know Azure Radiance Slave Traders maintains the balance in this mini-realm. Hence, no one dares to fight here. Any negotiations, whether to obtain a piece of land or an entire being, are also conducted here with full security and integrity. As much as what they're doing is questionable, it is the only way to maintain stability, so picking a fight with them is only detrimental to not only us but every power."

"…"

Natalya's lips curled in response. Naturally, since she had been here for some time already, she knew what was going on.

The powers here were all more or less engaging in the skirmish for various opportunities, but the main enemies who forced them to retreat here without letting them have a way to go out were none other than the Poison Haven and Northern Sphere Bandits.

If they got caught by the former, it would be most likely death, but if it was the latter, the bandits would sell them to the Azure Radiance Slave Traders to make a profit so the powers could retrieve their disciples using their wealth. They had been presented the opportunity to save their disciples instead of losing them to death or sold outside, so the presence of the Azure Radiance Slave Traders, who were well known for their 'ethics' in multiple ways, was anything but welcomed here.

They gave this chaotic mini-realm a semblance of order.

Jade Aurora took a deep breath and turned to look at the representative.

"I suspect this person is intentionally raising the price. They're also keeping their identity hidden, so this is an attempt to make it difficult to retrieve our disciples."

She complained, causing the representative to cup his hands.

"Respected patron, rest assured. We have a policy that states if a customer is intentionally raising the prices to harm or harass the other buyers, we can ask them to provide proof of the wealth they possess. However, since that is also disrespectful to that customer, they'd be given priority for the sale unless the others can bid twice more their bid."

"Do all of you who want to purchase the new batch of Jade Lotus Valley's disciples agree to force this patron to show their hand?"

Everyone glanced at each other for a few moments before they nodded.

Three times the price? That was already breaking their profit margins for most since most were people who came from outside. They were slave resellers. Except for the top disciples, they might sell the others at a loss, which would incur a net loss overall, which made them want to agree to this forced verification.

The other powers who wanted to gain a card against the Jade Lotus Valley since they owned half of the mini-realm or simply wanted to play with the lovely disciples also looked agreeable.

There was no way they would be willing to pay any more than three times the initial price when prices would actually be moving at percentage points and not three hundred percent unless this kept up for days.

Jade Aurora also firmly nodded.

Cases like this weren't rare, so everyone was rather looking at that black-robed woman with sneers because intentionally raising prices like this would also ban them from this branch, if not the entirety of the Azure Radiance Slave Traders.

They could trust the Azure Radiance Slave Traders when it came to the integrity of their sales. That is what retained many customers.

"Respected patron. I want to remind-"

*Thud~*

Before the representative could even remind Natalya, she threw a thick bag on the floor from her spatial ring.

Instantly, the people present were hit with a shockwave, which caused them to shudder. They weren't offended but thoroughly shocked as they saw the grade of energy coming out of the back belonged to that of High-Level Immortal Crystals!

It was something they would rarely see since almost all of them were poached by Immortal Emperors for their cultivation!

The representative's eyes also went wide in lust as though he saw a naked woman for the first time.

"The initial price was thirty million Mid-Level Immortal Crystals for the batch, if I'm not wrong. There are about fifty thousand High-Level immortal Crystals in this bag, so take it and hand me over the beauties."

Natalya patted the small mountain bag and spoke coldly, "I trust there won't be any interference this time."

"Yes!~"

The representative appeared to have sealed the deal, "SOLD!"

The female disciples who were captured were Early Stage Immortal Kings. There were five of them, and individually, they would only net a million each, but the presence of the top disciple made it so that their initial price was ordained at thirty million Mid-Level Immortal Crystals altogether.

So three times the price would be ninety million Mid-Level Immortal Crystals, which would translate ninety thousand High-Level Immortal Crystals in terms of energy conversion, but this black-robed patron over here just handed over fifty thousand High-Level Immortal Crystals.

It wasn't inadequate, even though it appeared to be a lower payment at a glance.

After all, due to the skewed exchange rate stemming from the fact that High-Level Immortal Crystals were hard to obtain, fifty thousand High-Level Immortal Crystals could very well be exchanged for— two hundred and fifty or three hundred million Mid-Level Immortal Crystals!

"…"

This transaction made no sense as they watched the black-robed woman buy the batch of Jade Lotus Valley's female disciples for nearly ten times the price.

Jade Aurora's gaze was bleak.

What kind of opposition had they encountered?

Those who were after profits wouldn't buy for this much, and those who would want to play were the same. This meant this black-robed woman came from a major power and wanted to entertain some kind of young master who was filthy rich.

Jade Aurora's heart sank.

Her Jade Lotus Valley barely had two Immortal Emperors left, barely because they were near to death and had hidden somewhere unknown outside. The same went for other powers of their caliber. They were already fighting a losing battle because of the Northern Sphere Bandits that were far more powerful than their minor powers, but this new person in front of her was no different than a monster.

As soon as the deal was made, the representative's soul body walked out with five women.

"Senior sister~"

The one at the center cried out in joy and relief as she gazed at Jade Aurora. She was none other than the top disciple.

However, Jade Aurora could only watch them being taken away and presented to the black-robed woman.

When the female disciples also realized this, they went pale. They weren't bought back by their power but by another unknown power.

'Ah… she's not Ivy Aries…'

Natalya inwardly pouted as she saw this top disciple who was being sold to her. She hoped that it was Ivy as she could meet them both at the same time, but she wasn't bothered anymore. She completed the formalities and waved her hand, sending them all straight into her life ring as she met with no resistance whatsoever.

"…!"

Their sudden disappearance garnered a bunch of whispers again.

Possessing a life ring was also a status symbol. Clearly, this black-robed woman was anything but ordinary.

Jade Aurora had her fists clenched, but she could only see the black-robed woman walk out of the store pompously while the representative profusely thanked the woman as she left.

Natalya made no stop.

She left the town without regard for safety, walked straight into the woods, and appeared to be heading towards the mini-realm's exit, but before she could even go halfway through the woods, she was blocked by a plethora of beauties, causing her lips to curl.

"Wait…"

Jade Aurora hovered in front of Natalya, her expression appearing to be reeling with confusion behind her veil.

Clearly, she didn't want to offend the mysteriously rich black-robed woman but had no choice.