The fox listened quietly, thoughtful now.
Her gaze drifted across the terrace, watching the flow of beings below.
Through the mind-link, her voice brushed lightly against the lizard's thoughts.
*So that's why there are so many humanoid beasts.*
A faint pause.
*They've been trading for Essence Condensing Pills.*
*Not the best quality… but enough.*
Enough to stabilize cultivation.
Enough to push evolution forward.
Enough to change the balance between instinct and reason.
Interesting.
That meant the Hollow wasn't just a market.
It was a bridge.
Between raw savagery and structured civilization.
Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps.
Attendants returned.
Food followed.
Spirit fish glazed in herb oil.
Flame-seared beast meat still steaming.
Marrow broth infused with moonroot essence.
Crystalline fruit glowing faintly with stored energy.
The striped-tailed beast's eyes widened in disbelief.
The fox's lips curved faintly at his reaction.
Then she looked to the attendant.
Calm.
Certain.
"And bring me twenty jars of your finest wine."
The striped-tailed beast nearly choked.
"Tw-twenty?!"
The attendant didn't even react.
"As the Lady wishes."
He turned immediately and left.
The fox's voice slipped once more into the mind-link.
*White.*
A faint smile touched her lips.
*Looks like your payment's finally coming.*
The fox's lips curved faintly as the attendants moved away.
Satisfied.
Then—
the lizard's voice slipped through the mind-link.
*Twenty won't be enough.*
The fox blinked.
Her ear twitched once.
*What?*
A beat.
*What the hell are you talking about?*
Outwardly, her expression remained perfectly composed.
But inwardly, her disbelief was immediate.
*Twenty jars is more than enough.*
The lizard's reply came without hesitation.
*No.*
The fox's steps paused for the briefest moment beneath the table.
Puzzled now.
*Then how many would be enough?*
The answer came instantly.
Flat.
Certain.
*A hundred.*
The fox nearly turned her head on instinct.
She caught herself just in time.
But inwardly, her voice rose sharply.
*Like hell a hundred.*
*A hundred jars?*
*Do you think I'm some walking treasury?*
*I'm not buying you a hundred jars of wine.*
*What would you even do with that much?*
A faint pause.
Then—
*The most I can give you is twenty-five.*
The lizard's response was immediate.
*No.*
*One hundred.*
The fox's tail flicked sharply beneath the table.
Her patience thinned.
*I said no.*
*I'm not buying you a hundred jars.*
*I don't even know what a single one costs yet.*
A beat.
Then, through carefully restrained patience—
*Fine. Thirty.*
*That's my limit.*
The lizard did not budge.
*Ninety-five.*
The fox's eye twitched.
She kept her expression smooth as she sat across from the striped-tailed beast, who was too busy admiring the food to notice anything unusual.
But inwardly—
she was dangerously close to snapping.
*No.*
*I'm not buying you that much.*
*Do you think spirit stones grow on trees?*
The lizard's reply came calmly.
*You have enough.*
A pause.
*And you owe me.*
That made her freeze for half a breath.
The dragon blood.
Right.
The fox exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay composed.
Her mental voice returned, tighter but controlled.
*Okay.*
*Okay… forty.*
*A generous forty.*
*And we leave it there.*
The lizard's answer was maddeningly calm.
*Ninety.*
The fox's ears flattened for the first time that night.
Her jaw tightened.
Outwardly, her smile remained flawless—
but only barely.
Inside—
something snapped.
*You greedy little bastard.*
The fox exhaled once.
Then again.
Slowly forcing the irritation back down.
Her ears relaxed.
Her tail stilled.
Fine.
If outright refusal wasn't working—
then negotiation it would be.
Her voice returned through the link, now calmer, more measured.
*Okay.*
*A deal.*
The lizard did not respond immediately.
He was listening.
The fox continued.
*I'll get you fifty jars now.*
A pause.
*And after this is over…*
*After you break through…*
*We come back here.*
*I'll buy you the remaining fifty.*
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
*But in exchange…*
A faint, sharp smile touched her lips.
*Once you break through, you give me a full bundle of your spirit silk.*
*Do we have a deal?*
Silence.
The fox waited.
Half-expecting another ridiculous counteroffer.
Then—
his answer came.
*Sixty.*
For a moment, the fox went completely still.
Something in her expression cracked.
Her head jerked slightly before she caught herself.
And before she could stop it—
"You little greedy ba—"
The words slipped out aloud, sharp and immediate.
The striped-tailed beast across from her nearly jolted out of his seat.
"L-Lady?"
The fox blinked once.
She composed herself instantly.
Her expression smoothed over so quickly it was almost unsettling.
She straightened.
Calm again.
"Nothing."
A small, sweet smile appeared.
"Order fifty more jars of wine."
The beast stared at her in shock.
"…F-fifty?"
The fox's smile did not change.
"Did I stutter?"
The striped-tailed beast nearly fell out of his chair in panic.
"N-no, Lady! Right away!"
He scrambled up so quickly he almost tripped over himself, rushing off toward the attendants.
The fox watched him go.
Only then did her voice return through the link.
Low.
Flat.
*There.*
A beat.
*You win.*
Another pause.
*Happy now?*
She leaned forward slightly, placing both front paws lightly on the table's edge.
Then lowered her head and began to eat.
She took a piece of flame-seared spirit meat first.
Tender.
Rich with dense spiritual essence.
A quiet hum of approval left her.
Not bad.
She moved on to the marrow broth, sipping slowly, letting the warmth settle through her body.
For the first time in a long while—
she allowed herself to enjoy something.
Not cultivation.
Not killing.
Just food.
Through the link, her voice brushed against the lizard again.
*It's a deal.*
A pause.
*I've ordered sixty jars.*
She took another bite.
Chewed.
Swallowed.
*Satisfied now?*
Silence.
No reply.
The lizard remained still atop her head, invisible as ever.
Calm.
Unreadable.
The fox's ear twitched faintly.
But she said nothing more.
She simply continued eating.
Another piece of meat.
Another sip of broth.
And then—
slowly—
a faint, knowing smile returned to the corner of her mouth.
Dangerous.
Quiet.
Because deep down—
she was already certain.
It didn't matter how many jars he drank.
Sixty.
A hundred.
What did it change?
Once he broke through to Golden Core—
his spirit silk alone would be worth far more than all of this combined.
Her turquoise eyes narrowed slightly beneath lowered lashes.
Yes.
That was the real bargain.
The fox lowered her head again, eating with quiet satisfaction.
For now—
she would let him think he had won.