1088: What a competent teammate 1088: What a competent teammate “Do you have a way to get their services?” Yang Qing asked after so thought.
For Fan i to suggest using them implied she likely had a thod to get them on board.
“Yes, I do.
One of their vice leaders owes a favor,” Fan i replied, confirming Yang Qing’s suspicions.
“A favor, huh?” Yang Qing said aningfully, flashing a teasing smile.
“Not what you’re thinking.” Fan i snorted before letting out a sigh.
She continued, “I’ve done a few appraisals for them at a discount and referred them for a fair number of commissions, among other things.
So yes, they owe a favor.” “And if you dare throw in another snarky comnt, I might just raise the payout—or limit how much I’m willing to do on the trade-offs…” Fan i said slowly, flashing a nacing smile.
“You wouldn’t do that, would you?” Yang Qing asked warily.
“You’d be losing out on the commission yourself too,” he added, narrowing his eyes to see if Fan i might be bluffing.
“I would.
But I don’t care,” Fan i said with a carefree shrug.
“As you saw earlier, I’m already worn out.
A break or two wouldn’t be bad for my health,” she added, leaning back in her seat and adopting a more relaxed posture, a smug grin tugging at her lips.
Yang Qing studied her for a few seconds before finally raising his hands in defeat.
“Fine, you win,” he said at last, letting out a sigh.
Even though he suspected Fan i might be bluffing, the miser in him wasn’t willing to test it out.
Forty million high-grade spirit stones looked like a hefty sum, but every stone that left his coffers was one less in his reserves.
If he could spend less, there was no need to risk spending more—all for a little fun and petty vengeance.
At least not for now.
Maybe closer to the end of the year, when the next annual disbursent rolled in, he could afford to make an attempt.
But for now, Fan i had the upper hand—and she knew it.
“I wonder how much she earns from these commissions each month,” Yang Qing mused as he observed Fan i’s calm but triumphant smile, her shoulders lazily flexing with self-assurance.
The commission he was preparing to send out carried a payout of 60,000 high-grade spirit stones.
However, spirit stones weren’t the sole currency for these transactions.
The paynt could either be the quoted amount in spirit stones or sothing of equivalent value.
For instance, if the Silver Frost Eagles accepted the commission, their payout would amount to 20,000 high-grade spirit stones or an item of equal worth.
At that value, the reward could range from a low-tier monarch-grade artifact to rare herbs, natural treasures, or even a dozen top-tier orange-grade cultivation techniques.
The possibilities were broad.
Recipients could also exchange the spirit stones for rit points and acquire sothing else entirely from the Order—perhaps access to specialized facilities like a cultivation chamber or a library.
Alternatively, they could request a service trade in lieu of direct paynt.
Take, for example, an appraisal service.
In such a case, there were two potential approaches.
The first involved completing the commission, converting the spirit stone paynt into rit points, and redeeming those points for an appraisal.
The second approach was simpler: if the commissioner happened to be an appraiser, they could handle the appraisal personally.
This way, they could keep the spirit stones as their own paynt while performing the service directly.
Those undertaking the commission often preferred the second option.
With rit points, the appraisal’s quality was tied strictly to the points redeed, ranging from a broad overview to an in-depth analysis based on the rit points available.
In contrast, when dealing directly with an appraiser, the level of detail provided could be more flexible.
A decent working relationship with the commissioner could an a more thorough appraisal, offering far greater leeway than the rigid structure of the rit point system.
Fan i had already revealed herself to be an appraiser, which explained Yang Qing’s curiosity about her earnings.
From this commission alone, if the Silver Frost Eagles opted for an appraisal instead of spirit stones, the 20,000 high-grade spirit stones would go straight into her pockets.
And just like roaming inquisitors, external logistics handlers weren’t bound to a single judge.
Who knew how many other appraisal jobs Fan i had lined up from commissions with other judges?
Yang Qing couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy as he imagined the numbers she was likely raking in—and that was just from side earnings.
A faint sense of dejection crept over him as he compared it to his own modest inco.
But the feeling was fleeting, quickly replaced by the sobering realization of what it took to beco an appraiser.
Nothing in the world was ever easy, but being an appraiser was undoubtedly among the most demanding professions.
When he was younger, in his more impressionable years, there were monts when he dread of becoming an appraiser.
He imagined unraveling the mysteries behind objects, tracing their origins, unearthing the stories buried within them, and bringing those tales to light.
There was a certain romantic allure to it, but those aspirations had been ruthlessly crushed when he ca to understand the imnse effort it required.
Appraising wasn’t so magical process where one rely touched an object, extended their spiritual sense, and instantly gleaned all its secrets.
If it were that simple, appraisers wouldn’t exist.
True appraisers had to be masters of countless crafts, dedicating endless hours to continuous learning.
Their knowledge base had to be vast, constantly expanding, and spanning multiple disciplines.
The amount of information they had to consu seed bottomless, and the most competent appraisers were often jacks of all trades.
Even with all that knowledge, their job was never straightforward.
There was a reason Fan i’s office was steeped in the scent of spirit-calming and spirit-rejuvenation incense.
The aroma didn’t co solely from the four incense sticks burning on her desk—it perated the air from years of constant use.
Her shelves, packed with books, scrolls, and parchnts, weren’t just for decoration or to evoke a scholarly atmosphere; they were necessities of the trade.
Yang Qing knew he couldn’t sustain such a life.
It wasn’t a matter of capability—his love for researching history, uncovering hidden tales, and his natural curiosity would have made him well-suited to the role.
Delving into the world of appraisals would have been a perfect match.
But the demands of the job were unsustainable, especially for soone like him, who also had a deep passion for researching lost and broken cultivation arts, dissecting them, and recreating or inventing new ones.
Both paths required imnse dedication.
Ultimately, for Yang Qing, his love for the stories behind cultivation arts outweighed his fascination with appraising.
So, he chose the cultivation route and left appraising behind.
Still, the allure of appraisal never entirely left him.
If his frequent visits to cultivation markets in search of obscure, forgotten treasures were any indication, that particular bug continued to bite him now and then.
“It seems my luck really did turn for the better once I ca to the palace courts.
My logistics advisor is an appraiser,” mused Yang Qing as his gaze heated up while settling on Fan i.
“What’s with you?” Fan i asked, her brows furrowing slightly.
She felt a sudden prickle of unease under Yang Qing’s intense stare.
“Is he appraising ?” “With her around, I won’t have to worry about paying out commissions through the nose… The groups I’ll have access to because of her connections won’t be small either… hehehe, what a teammate to have…” Yang Qing thought, snickering inwardly.
Then another thought crept up on him, wiping the grin off his face.
“Is this how the Order usually feels when it exploits us?” “Yang Qing?” Fan i called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Sorry,” Yang Qing said, flashing a sheepish grin.
“You said you wanted twelve kettles?
I’ll do you better and make twenty,” he added, standing up with newfound enthusiasm to fulfill his end of the deal.
“What’s with him?” Fan i wondered, her gaze narrowing as she eyed him suspiciously.
This was her first ti working with Yang Qing, and as always, she’d done her howork beforehand.
With what she’d dug up about him, his sudden burst of generosity—and uncharacteristic friendliness—set off warning bells in her head.
Unaware of the storm of doubts he’d stirred in Fan i’s mind, Yang Qing pulled out a kettle of his own.
It held snow ginseng tea and could brew up to 30 liters at a ti.
Humming softly, he began the brewing process, dropping in ten green-flad leaves before infusing the mixture with his universal qi.
“So, who’s the last group you wanted to use?” he asked, focusing on the tea as he stirred it.
Fan i didn’t respond right away.
Instead, she studied him closely, as if trying to peel back the layers and see what lay underneath.
But after a few seconds, she sighed and gave up.
“Forget it.
If he could be easily seen through, he wouldn’t have gotten away with more than half the things he’s done,” she thought, resigning herself to the mystery.
“The last one isn’t a group,” Fan i finally said.
“It’s a person…” “A person?” Yang Qing repeated, pausing mid-motion as his interest was piqued.
He turned his gaze to Fan i, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
“Yes,” Fan i replied with a nod.
“It’s a rogue cultivator.
He’s well-connected within their community, with friends and favors scattered almost everywhere.
I’ve worked with him a few tis before, and he’s reliable—good at digging up things.
Plus, he needs the spirit stones, so he’s sure to put in the effort.” “Needs?” Yang Qing asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
The way she said it suggested there was more to the story.
“He’s on the verge of breaking through to the domain realm,” Fan i explained.
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