Celene wasted no time, darting away swiftly to fetch another cushion for her esteemed guest.

  After admiring the two items for a sufficient time, she turned her ever-present smile toward Nathan and spoke.

  "Would you mind waiting a moment? These matters require higher authority to resolve."

  Nathan nodded, showing his understanding.

  Tier 2 items weren't particularly rare for trading organizations like The Amber Path. The rarity lay in the Lunar Shadow itself. This monster didn't belong to the Caelindor kingdom's territory, leading to its scarcity. And Tier 4 practitioners didn't have time to hunt and bring them back. Most importantly, Lunar Shadows, like other wolves, exhibited pack behavior. Attacking and hunting them was no simple task. This further proved that Darkan wasn't exaggerating when he claimed to be stronger than the Sect Leader.

  Celene whispered something through PsiLink, and just a minute later, the door Nathan had entered through swung open. The newcomer's gaze swept quickly over the two items placed on the table before settling on the young man in red uniform.

  Like a gust of wind, in an instant, he stood before Nathan, offering a friendly smile while his orange-yellow robe still fluttered.

  "May I know your esteemed name, young man?"

  "Nathan," he replied calmly. "And you are?"

  "Thomas. Very pleased to make your acquaintance."

  "Please, sit. It's rather difficult to converse while standing."

  Thomas cheerfully complied, finding this guest more approachable than the young masters of Maelivar.

  "So you wish to auction the monster core and tail of the Lunar Shadow?"

  "That's correct," Nathan nodded. "I imagine it would suit some cultivators with corresponding aspects, wouldn't it?"

  "Most certainly," Thomas replied cheerfully. "Not just for cultivation, monster cores of this type are also crucial for the city's Artificers. You know how they have such peculiar interests."

  This high-level manager didn't hide anything. Doing so would only create negative impressions from customers. In this age of open information, surely one must have done thorough research before approaching The Amber Path Coalition.

  Nathan merely tilted his head to absorb the information. Initially, he had planned to take it to Crystalton for auction. That place was remote but maintained a network wide enough to ensure him an acceptable profit margin. However, the opportunity to come to Maelivar proved even more suitable. Not only was it populous, but it also gathered wealthy cultivators.

  "Let's discuss the percentage split then," Nathan cut to the chase. He had other matters to attend to and couldn't stay here for idle chat.

  "65/35, how does that sound?"

  Sounds like a loss, can I say that? Nathan silently clicked his tongue.

  Such a distribution ratio was truly beyond his tolerance. He could use the experience of watching his mother haggle on Earth for Universal Root, but facing large business entities was somewhat insufficient. The knowledge gained from his internship on Earth only gave him a vague direction. The issue was that he wanted to follow that direction. First, he needed to make concessions.

  Seeing Nathan's prolonged silence, Thomas felt slightly uneasy. Of course, he had his own profit-seeking intentions. If he could achieve a more favorable distribution agreement for The Amber Path, he would receive better rewards.

  Just as he was about to speak, Nathan spoke first.

  "That's fine, it's not impossible."

  Thomas's beard quivered with inexpressible excitement. His black eyes widened like a lost child who had found their parents.

  "You truly are a forthright young man, Mr. Nathan."

  With a wave of his hand, he summoned a gold-plated bottle of wine set in never-melting ice cubes. With a snap of his fingers, the stopper flew out. Then he poured the clear wine into glasses that Celene brought from the room's wall cabinet.

  Nathan accepted the glass, clinking it in a gesture of goodwill.

  The taste of wine lingering in his throat made him grimace, clearly showing his displeasure before the two Amber Path Coalition staff members.

  "What's wrong, sir?" Thomas hastily inquired, showing concern, though more out of fear. The contract wasn't signed yet, so the young man before him could leave at any time if dissatisfied.

  "Force of habit," Nathan smacked his lips to wash away the wine's taste. "This is truly poor quality."

  Nathan's words left both of them stunned, squinting at the wine bottle adorned with luxurious patterns. For the first time in his life, Thomas had to send his spirit to probe the wine bottle. He didn't have extensive knowledge in this field but was quite certain there was nothing wrong with it.

  "Surely it's just that we haven't tasted anything better," Thomas said placatingly.

  Unexpectedly, Nathan's attitude changed, now taking on the air of a salesman himself.

  "Would you like to try something else?"

  No, I don't have time, Thomas almost said. But reminding himself of the 65/35 ratio, he held his tongue, forcing a smile instead. Celene beside him covered her mouth with a subtle smile, having never seen Thomas so flustered.

  Taking out his Spatial Pouch from his waist, Nathan produced a red oval-shaped wine bottle. He had used some sect points to change the appearance of his wine bottles. He couldn't present bottles crudely made from Burrower Herd shells to people.

  Thomas's first impression was that the bottle looked ordinary, nothing noteworthy, though it was remarkable that this inner disciple used a Spatial Pouch. Clearly, despite wanting to make presentations, there remained a frugal nature to the wine's owner. Suppressing a contemptuous smirk, Thomas accepted the item the young man offered.

  Thomas opened the bottle, and immediately blinked in disbelief. The aroma alone delivered a more appealing taste than the wines currently sold at this Amber Path Coalition branch.

  An urge rose within him, and he poured out a deep blue liquid that rippled with occasional small sparks of electricity.

  Unable to wait any longer, he drank the glass clean in one gulp. An energy explosion occurred from his chest to his stomach. Afterward, warmth spread throughout, his body receiving energy, feeling extremely invigorated. He was about to take another sip when he heard Nathan's dry cough.

  Thomas stopped, regretfully closing the bottle cap.

  "Well?" Nathan smiled at Thomas with an expression of certainty.

  The high-level manager had to acknowledge that Nathan's wine quality surpassed other wines. This was somewhat unavoidable since Maelivar was a city mainly focused on Artificers. Wine and beverages were just items for experience. So taste and aroma only needed to be acceptable. Of course, they could import from other cities. But that was only possible from imperial centers.

  Neighboring countries like Caelindor were only considered middle-tier powers. Their leaders stopped at Tier 4 or Tier 5. Thus, the leaders and authorities had to show face to disciples from sects like Nathan. With such power, using a large sum to buy Tier 2 wine was already quite substantial. Who would have excess breath and money to buy Tier 3 or Tier 4 wine from the Empire? Just transportation costs alone were a major issue.

  Yet Nathan possessed high-quality Tier 2 wine. Thomas could feel the balanced essence in his body. Thus, the wine could also help Cultivators level up like using pills. The most notable point was the intoxicating smell. This feature alone was enough to ensure sales. Wine would no longer just be a beverage serving social events or entertainment, but truly serve its original purpose. Making the mind forget reality.

  "Truly an impressive experience," Thomas concluded.

  Nathan felt like he'd found a kindred spirit in business. Wine was ultimately just wine. The key to selling was the experience. Just that one statement allowed him to guess that Thomas was already developing several business directions for this product.

  "Do you want to auction this as well?" the manager asked with a friendly face.

  "What do you think?"

  "Not a bad choice, but not suitable in the long run."

  "That's why I want The Amber Path Coalition as an exclusive distribution partner."

  Nathan wasn't foolish enough to miss Thomas's implication. Food and drinks, no matter how good, could still be dissected to the smallest detail for replication. Without a power backing protection, distribution, and fighting for benefits, Nathan could forget about making money from this direction.

  Thomas tapped his fingers, appearing thoughtful. Actually, he was discussing with peers at his level through PsiLink. This was both a good business deal and seemingly pointless.

  To push things along, Nathan placed another bottle on the table, with the same container design.

  Curious, Thomas once again opened the bottle, inhaling deeply. Finally unable to resist, seeing Nathan didn't object, he poured himself a glass of the red wine.

  After a while, Thomas appeared dazed.

  "Can you produce other types of wine?"

  "Of course," Nathan shrugged. "As long as I have the ingredients."

  "How many types?"

  "How many do you want?" Nathan couldn't help but smirk.

  [Cooking] is the best, he silently cheered.

  Thomas nearly dropped his glass. Celene couldn't believe her eyes as she looked at the young man before her. They were about the same age, but he wasn't just an inner disciple of a major organization, he also possessed knowledge others spent their entire lives acquiring. She could only curse inwardly at the talented people of the world.

  Nathan's answer had changed all calculations, making him an investment worth considering. Why were all powers willing to invest money and capital in Maelivar's Artificers? Not just for first access to technology, but also for diversity. Even if they wanted to copy, it took time, and by then the creator would have a new version, or introduce an invention that changed everything. That was the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary. The Amber Path Coalition conducted these business ventures hoping for just one such person to compensate for all investments.

  Before Thomas stood such a person. Diversity defeats all competitors. Unless someone dedicated time to learn this approach. However, Thomas assessed that possibility as low. The art of brewing wine was lost with society's development, only thriving in the east. And that area banned PsiLink, so knowledge certainly couldn't reach here.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Thomas had just one question left to close the deal.

  "What about Tier 3 wine?"

  "When I reach Tier 2," Nathan confidently replied.

  Thomas snapped his fingers, summoning a paper and a storage ring placed beside it.

  "Inside are one thousand Standard Mana Stones," he solemnly said, pointing to the item on the table. "And this is the contract, protected and enforceable worldwide under The Golden Path Trading Consortium's supervision."

  Nathan wasn't sure how to react to this development. Wine was ultimately just a minor part of life, how could things change so quickly.

  "The Amber Path Coalition is named after The Golden Path," Thomas explained, seeing Nathan's skepticism. "The organization is maintained by Tier 9s, so you can rest assured. As for why we accept this transaction, it's because we assess your future potential."

  "What do you mean?" Nathan probed.

  "You can brew Tier 3 wine which is already precious. Surely you know how expensive level-up medicines for Tier 3 are, right?"

  Nathan didn't know, but chose to nod, as this seemed the most reasonable action at the moment.

  "Your wine aids cultivation," Thomas continued. "Thus it can be compared to medicines. Furthermore, it has quite drinkable and digestible neutralizing properties, with few side effects. That's according to my assessment based on my experience. I hope you maintain such quality in the future."

  Nathan showed understanding. He indeed hadn't emphasized cultivation aspects in his products from the start.

  "That leads us to Tier 4, Tier 5, and beyond to Tier 6 and above. Medicines at this point are already using figures of hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of various mana stones to conceptualize. And if there's wine providing similar effects on the market, then you understand, right?"

  Nathan had an enlightening revelation. He had been limited by his own worldview. But investors would look at the future too.

  He picked up the contract, skimming through it. The initial distribution ratio was quite poor, 7/3, with three parts leaning toward him. This was quite understandable when The Amber Path Coalition had to handle advertising, management, and distribution.

  The ratio would change when he leveled up, reaching 5/5 once he reached Tier 4. Future terms could be renegotiated.

  "You can keep the contract without having to sign right now," Thomas said. "The paper in your hands is a special invention for merchants. After you think it over, just sign and it will take effect immediately without having to appear in person. If you change your mind, just leave it, and the paper will self-destruct when the time comes. Of course, only you can sign, no one can sign on your behalf. We make sure of that."

  Hearing this, Nathan put the contract away. He looked at the storage ring, asking.

  "What about this?"

  "This is considered a relationship fee with you. Rest assured, it's completely unrelated to the upcoming auction. Consider it a deposit for us to have priority access to you in the future."

  Nathan finally understood why The Amber Path Coalition was so highly regarded by everyone. He could imagine the awkward situations if he had gone to trading guilds belonging to the great houses. Before him lay an opportunity to expand across the entire empire. The split figure for the auction seemed well spent. However, he wasn't done yet.

  He pushed the ring forward, saying what he had aimed for from the start.

  "I assume slots for The Shifting Trials aren't for sale?"

  Thomas squinted, giving a slight smile, not revealing too much of what he was thinking.

  "Duke Kael won't allow that," he said. "The event participation slots are direct invitations issued from Duke Kael's office. I'm quite certain that trading participation slots is impossible, one way or another."

  Nathan, though having anticipated this, let out a long sigh. In the end, he would still have to take action.

  "I need The Amber Path's assistance in securing a participation slot."

  "You..." Thomas found himself stuttering, "You're not joking?"

  "Not at all."

  "Aren't disciples like you already receiving direct invitations?"

  "For certain reasons, I must make my own way."

  "While there's only over a week left?"

  "That's right."

  Silence enveloped the room's atmosphere. It wasn't until Nathan cleared his throat that Thomas snapped out of it. He blinked questioningly.

  "So what do you plan to do to raise your reputation enough to catch the duke's office's attention?"

  Nathan heard the warning and reminder of difficulty in Thomas's question. He ignored it and pressed on.

  "I want to organize intimate dinner parties, with courses designed by me."

  Another awkward silence fell. Celene and Thomas's inner thoughts simply couldn't believe what they were hearing. There had been Artificers who created breakthrough inventions that made city residents talk. There had been Alchemists who created new chemical mixtures, changing the research process of decades-long projects. There had been Cultivators who fought above their level, Tier 2 battling Tier 3 and winning to build their reputation. Never had anyone proposed cooking to gain reputation.

  Nathan felt himself heat up under the staring gazes of the two people opposite him. He knew what they were thinking. He had considered other options, but this approach was the most feasible. He could barely win against a normal Tier 2, demanding to defeat a genius or Tier 3 without preparation was even more unrealistic.

  "What do you think?" Nathan broke the silence.

  Clearing his throat, Thomas regained his posture, seriously responding.

  "This is something you can't expect the trading guild to help with."

  A 'No', Nathan reasoned in his head. That's good. A 'Yes' isn't always good. That's what I was taught.

  Celene standing nearby also nodded. Being able to brew good wine was one thing, but cooking an entire course was another matter entirely. Moreover, it had to surprise people, leading to widespread discussion.

  "It seems like everyone doesn't feel my skills are sufficient for this unimaginable task. Investing in me earlier was already risky enough, so surely you don't want me to smear mud on my face by doing something uncertain. From there, affecting future wine sales ability once customers learn the wine comes from someone who once made a fool of himself for the entire city to see."

  Thomas's eyes widened at the young man's words. The words just spoken were even more thorough than what he had been thinking. Celene straightened up, her eyes focused intently on the exchange between the two.

  "That is indeed the case," Thomas said regretfully, "we think we've taken enough risks today."

  Nathan wasn't deterred by this, but instead grew even more confident.

  If you know what people are worried about, then address it.

  "How about this," he proposed, "let's not rush to conclusions. Your concern is valid. I am, after all, just a stranger who walked in here hoping to sell some items. There's no trust between us. So I think what we need is to build that foundation for this seemingly impossible venture."

  Thomas crossed his legs, resting his elbow on his knee in thought. After a moment, he said.

  "What you say isn't wrong. If you can prove yourself, then we might be able to provide support."

  Nathan smiled, more than halfway there. He arranged his words carefully before speaking.

  "Then find me a kitchen to rent with all the necessary equipment. Don't worry, I'll cover the costs. If the thousand Standard Mana Stones in the Spatial Ring isn't enough, then use my auction money. Invite a few people who you think would be most suitable to come for a tasting. If my cooking convinces everyone, then we proceed with the plan. How's that?"

  "The costs should be sufficient," Thomas stroked his chin, calculating. "This approach shouldn't cause any problems or issues."

  Nathan knew it was time to seal the deal.

  "Think about the potential of this," he said enthusiastically. "It's a crazy idea, I know. But think about the money the guild could make. I plan to hold dinner parties for three nights, with limited seating. You understand what that means, right?"

  Thomas's eyes lit up, his hunched posture from thinking with his chin on his knee suddenly straightening, his voice excited.

  "Auction the attendance!"

  "Exactly," Nathan followed up. "Once it's truly successful, you can imagine how high the price might go for a single seat. And that's not even considering the fear of missing out effect."

  Thomas drummed his fingers continuously on his knee, his mind racing through necessary calculations. Gradually, the corners of his mouth pulled higher.

  "Not bad, truly not bad," he muttered.

  "I'm willing to accept a 7/3 split, seven parts profit for The Amber Path Coalition. My only requirement is that you prepare the ingredients."

  Thomas didn't hesitate anymore, extending his hand toward Nathan, solemnly saying.

  "This is a reasonable business venture. We're ready to cooperate with you."

  Nathan quickly grasped it, smiling deeply. The first step of the plan was essentially complete. As for how it would progress, he couldn't think too much about that.

  Thomas hastily stood up, glancing toward Celene, saying.

  "Let me call Amer to be your temporary support."

  "Amer is Celene's manager?" Nathan asked.

  "That's right."

  "Could I keep her instead?"

  Thomas squinted as if probing Nathan's intentions. He knew that despite appearing proper, talented young people often had their vices.

  Nathan was unaware of being judged. He just didn't like the manager's attitude.

  "Please let me continue supporting Mr. Nathan, Mr. Thomas."

  Celene bowed her head and spoke. She didn't want to miss this opportunity.

  "Alright," Thomas agreed. "Time is short. Celene can show you around the city while waiting. The auction items will proceed as soon as ready, perhaps tonight or tomorrow night. As for the kitchen and attendees. Hmmmm. Tomorrow morning seems appropriate. That's the immediate schedule, you have no objections?"

  "None," Nathan replied. "Just follow your arrangements."

  "Then let me see you out. We need to have a meeting about your situation."

  Nathan stood up, waving his hand.

  "Go about your business. Celene and I will leave on our own."

  Thomas didn't object, raising his hand in farewell with a smile hanging on his lips.

  When the two went down the stairs, Amer was already waiting, his face somewhat frowning. Upon seeing Nathan, he immediately put on a fawning smile.

  "Are you satisfied with the service at The Amber Path Coalition?" Amer rushed forward to ask.

  Nathan nodded perfunctorily, not wanting to respond.

  The manager still continued to inch closer, repeatedly frowning and raising his eyebrows at Celene. She maintained a straight gaze, pretending not to see as she followed Nathan.

  Amer's face changed from discomfort to pale white when he received a message on PsiLink. He hurriedly went upstairs, even tripping midway.

  Outside, Nathan stretched himself. These financial matters gave him a headache. To think of this approach, he had stayed up all night without rest. Initially being bold with Darkan was just to ease the situation. But carefully contemplating at night made him see all the problems that needed solving. Fortunately, he chose to accept the 65/35 split at first, making the other party more lenient with him. Combined with the potential for wine-making, they were willing to listen to his somewhat crazy idea.

  Anyway, everything was in motion now, he just needed to prepare well for the next phase.

  Nathan followed Celene's guidance, walking down the semi-transparent stairs to the ground below. This was Nathan's first true time standing on the brick-paved streets of Maelivar city. Having been allocated to the areas above, the ground wasn't too crowded. City residents moved about in perfect order, mostly not using transportation, mainly enjoying the bustling scenery.

  He blended into the crowd, wanting to take a walk. At the same time, recording for Jessica. After returning, he had asked Zeryn to connect them, so currently they could communicate with each other. Just that she seemed busy with something so hadn't yet replied to Nathan.

  "Mr. Nathan," Celene's tentative voice rose from beside him, "may I ask a few things?"

  "Go ahead," Nathan replied casually.

  "How were you able to negotiate like that with Senior Manager Thomas?"

  "Huh?" Nathan turned his head to look at Celene, her large eyes making him truly believe she didn't understand. "I thought this was quite common. After all, everyone has this."

  He tapped his temple, where the PsiLink was installed.

  "That's true," Celene said. "But too much information. It takes time to verify what's effective. Some say always seek a yes answer, others say aim for win-win."

  "What do you think?" Nathan asked with interest.

  "You never gave up despite not getting a yes. And in my assessment, it wasn't entirely win-win. It seemed more like win-lose."

  "So it's a win, who loses?"

  "You lose, and The Amber Path Coalition wins," Celene gave her answer after some thought.

  "Are you sure?"

  They stopped at a beverage stall. Nathan bought them both a local fruit drink. The taste wasn't too bad.

  Celene clutched her drink tightly, raising her head to answer.

  "I'm not sure."

  Nathan nearly spat out his drink trying not to laugh.

  "Did you need to be so serious for an answer like that?"

  Celene ducked her head, sipping her drink instead of answering.

  "Actually, it's all win-win," Nathan explained. "My profit ratio is quite poor, right? While doing most of the work. However, when you change your thinking perspective, you'll see The Amber Path has to pay a similar price. They'll have to advertise for me, promote word of mouth for me, as well as risk their organization's reputation. You understand this point?"

  Celene nodded.

  "Actually, I'm just a novice," Nathan shook his head and laughed. "Thomas must be far more cunning than me. He was just testing to see if I had enough reason, but he already knew what I was performing. Not for a moment did I have the upper hand."

  "Then why did he still do something so time-consuming?" Celene wondered.

  "To verify that I truly know what to do and wasn't just talking big. Grand words are one thing, being able to execute is another. And what better way than to probe whether I had prepared for this situation or not?"

  Celene moved her head like a pecking chicken, reasoning everything in her mind.

  "But hadn't Thomas already trusted you with the wine making? Why doubt you in the later part like that?"

  "That's because initially he didn't care whether I actually brewed it or not. Once I signed the contract, I just needed to provide wine. Even if someone else brewed it or I bought it from somewhere else."

  "That's indeed the case," Celene mumbled.

  "So when the information that I was the brewer came out, Thomas hesitated. His silence was to assess me, not truly being as clueless as he showed on the outside."

  "That's indeed the case," Celene seemed to have nothing else to say besides that.

  "These business people are truly frightening," Nathan shuddered.

  He had witnessed negotiations between his boss and partners before. It was much scarier than this. Currently, because information was quite completely public on PsiLink, many things were simplified. But once information was lacking, exploit loopholes would surely occur immediately.

  He didn't know where to throw his drink cup when Celene snatched it, tossing it onto the sidewalk. A hole appeared like a monster from underground, swallowing the trash whole.

  "About the trick I used, it can be summarized in three phrases: 'No', 'That's right!', and 'That's fair!'"

  "Why is that?" Celene followed like a student, asking.

  "That's what I was taught by my old boss. A 'Yes' answer from the other party often carries more of a coping nature than true agreement. Getting a 'No' answer is the signal you need to move forward, not step back. Because that's when things really begin."

  "What about 'That's right!' and 'That's fair!'? I didn't hear those."

  Nathan chuckled, saying happily.

  "It's just a concise way to remember. You can paraphrase it. Like Thomas saying 'not wrong' or 'reasonable'. That's enough."

  Celene stood still, eyes wide as if reviewing the entire process. After a while, she stared intently at the young man waiting in front of her.

  Then she blurted out, startling both herself and the other party.

  "Can I follow you as your subordinate?"