Chapter 489 – Initial Partnership

Properties of a Level 160 fortress?

Upon reading the deeds Shi Feng shared, Yan Hua wasn’t the only one to react in surprise. Xia Qingying, who was familiar with Shi Feng’s situation, was similarly stunned.

Currently, all of the Greater God’s Domain’s major powers were seeking a way to establish themselves in the Eternal Realm.

However, thus far, even upper-ranking hegemonic powers have only managed to secure a small number of properties in the Eternal Realm. Moreover, every one of these properties belonged to Level 140 towns.

In terms of value, these town properties were vastly inferior to a fortress’s properties. This was because while towns could act as rest and transfer points for merchant caravans, they did not come equipped with an airport.

Due to environmental factors, even Tier 5 players could not fly in the Eternal Realm. Hence, if current players wished to travel great distances quickly, their only option would be to head to the nearest fortress and use the airport there. This, in turn, made fortress properties incredibly valuable. The fact that fortresses existed in small numbers and earning Reputation Points in these fortresses was incredibly challenging and only made their properties even more valuable.

Currently, even the most inconspicuous property in a Level 140 fortress could sell for roughly four or five prime real estates of a Level 140 town. If it was a property situated near the fortress’s airport, its value would automatically double.

As for the properties of a Level 160 fortress… Not even the various pseudo-apex powers had gotten their hands on one thus far. Yet, Shi Feng had brought out four properties belonging to a Level 160 fortress. Moreover, all four properties were situated near the airport…

“Where did you find this person, Vice President Xia?” Invincible Swallow quietly asked Xia Qingying. Shi Feng’s display of strength just now was already plenty astonishing. However, even that achievement would become insignificant compared to the four deeds Shi Feng just brought out.

Although Invincible Swallow wasn’t currently present in the Eternal Realm, he could still tell how valuable the Eternal Realm’s fortress properties were going by the audience’s behavior in this auction. So, he knew that a Level 160 fortress’s properties were definitely outside the reach of someone like him. In fact, even Yan Hua, a member of the Blaze Conglomerate’s Board of Directors, was unlikely to have access to such properties.

Xia Qingying glanced at Invincible Swallow and slowly said, “Would you believe me if I said I found him from the Miniature Ancient World?”

“What do you think?” Invincible Swallow rolled his eyes at Xia Qingying.

The Eternal Realm was a gathering of major powers, many of which surpassed the likes of the Green God Corporation. Meanwhile, the Miniature Ancient World was merely a subsidiary world of the Green God Corporation’s homeworld. How could a big shot like Shi Feng possibly come from there?

“Suit yourself,” Xia Qingying nonchalantly said. She didn’t take their conversation seriously since she never expected Invincible Swallow to believe her to begin with. Only, the gaze she used to look at Shi Feng had subtly changed after this revelation.

While Xia Qingying and Invincible Swallow whispered to each other, Yan Hua took a deep breath and solemnly looked at Shi Feng. He no longer looked at Shi Feng as another one of Xia Qingying’s followers but as an equal instead.

“I admit that you have convinced me, young man,” Yan Hua said with interest. “Tell me, what kind of partnership do you have in mind?”

Yan Hua’s willingness to cooperate did not surprise anyone present.

With those four golden properties, Shi Feng could easily win this auction by himself. There was no need for him to collaborate with others.

“Simple.” After putting away the deeds, Shi Feng calmly said, “I have a way for us to secure enough Eternal Gold after the auction. However, in exchange for sharing my method, after deducting the amount required to pay off the auction, I want 70% of the remaining total profit, while Vice President Xia will take 10%.”

Although Shi Feng could win the bid by selling the Lightless Fortress’s properties, he would also lose access to four money-printing machines. He would be losing out significantly in the long run. After all, the Hundred Eyes Canyon’s value was no less than the Underground Crystal Palace to players.

Yet, he currently lacked the ability to make a large amount of Eternal Coins by himself. To do so, he would need to partner with someone well-connected.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Shi Feng’s words, Xia Qingying couldn’t help but look at the man in surprise. Originally, she thought that she would be fortunate if she could obtain even one of the Underground Palace Emblems. She didn’t expect to also get a share of the business proposal Shi Feng was making. Moreover, her share was half of that of the Blaze Conglomerate’s.

It should be known that the Blaze Conglomerate was leagues above the Green God Corporation. If not for her being acquainted with an Elder in the Eternal Chamber of Commerce, she would have never gotten the opportunity to meet a big shot like Yan Hua.

“Do I only get 20%?” Yan Hua frowned slightly. “Young man, if I’m not mistaken, you’re planning to use Blaze’s connections to make money in the Eternal Realm, right? I’m not trying to boast, but even among the powers here, few are as well-connected as Blaze. Don’t you think 20% is too little?”

Hearing Yan Hua expressing his dissatisfaction, Xia Qingying thought of giving up her own share of the profits. After all, it was a fact that her presence in this transaction was negligible.

However, before Xia Qingying could speak, Shi Feng got ahead of her and said, “You are correct, Mr. Yan. I do need the Blaze Conglomerate’s connections in the Eternal Realm.”

After a slight pause, Shi Feng continued, “But even without the Blaze Conglomerate’s connections, I can still implement the method I mentioned regardless. I might not make as much, but it will still be a sizable sum. The Blaze Conglomerate, on the other hand, would have lost significant profits and an opportunity to establish a foothold in the Crystal City of Secrets ahead of others.”

The Blaze Conglomerate might not be as powerful as the Galaxy Conglomerate in the Greater God’s Domain, but it was superior to the Galaxy Conglomerate when it came to the roots it had spread across the Eternal Realm. Even the Eternal Chamber of Commerce would be amazed if it got to see the full extent of the Blaze Conglomerate’s forces in the Eternal Realm.

It was also why the Blaze Conglomerate managed to establish a powerful foundation for itself during the Eternal Realm’s early stages and grow into a pseudo-apex power during the later stages.

Meanwhile, Shi Feng’s words left Yan Hua speechless for a moment.

“Okay! I accept your offer!” Seeing the increasingly intense bidding for the Underground Palace Emblems, Yan Hua ultimately chose to concede. “But we have to establish the God’s Domain Contract now.”

Yan Hua ended his words with a huff. In the past, he had only ever seen others begging the Blaze Conglomerate for a partnership. Some of these people even included individuals with great renown in the Greater God’s Domain. Yet, when it came to Shi Feng… The young man had left him feeling utterly defeated…

Anyone with a properly working brain could determine the Underground Crystal Palace’s importance. If the Blaze Conglomerate could get its hands on the Underground Palace Emblem, even if it was just one, it would be enough to let the conglomerate secure a stable foothold in the Crystal City of Secrets ahead of the various other powers.

Unfortunately, the Blaze Conglomerate wasn’t in a position to bargain with Shi Feng for more benefits. After all, while Shi Feng had the option of partnering with other powers to win the Underground Palace Emblems, the Blaze Conglomerate’s only had Shi Feng as an option for a partner in this endeavor.

“Naturally.” Shi Feng faintly smiled.

In reality, had Yan Hua insisted on asking for more shares, Shi Feng was already prepared to give the Blaze Conglomerate an additional 10%. After all, the Blaze Conglomerate’s connections in the Eternal Realm were vastly superior to the average conglomerate. If he wanted to get in touch with a power of similar caliber, it would take him a lot of time to do so.

In no time, Shi Feng, Yan Hua, and Xia Qingying signed a three-way God’s Domain Contract. According to the contract’s stipulations, any party that violated the contract’s terms would not only lose all their personal possessions in God’s Domain to the other contract parties, but they would also permanently lose access to God’s Domain. It was an extremely harsh penalty.

Just you wait, you little brat… After signing the contract, Yan Hua secretly smiled. Let’s see how you’ll beg me for help once you get to the Crystal City of Secrets. At that time, I’ll teach you how to respect your elders.

As the Crystal City of Secrets was one of the few NPC Cities currently discovered in the Eternal Realm, many powers sought to establish a foothold in it. After learning of the city’s whereabouts, Yan Hua already knew there would be at least three pseudo-apex powers moving into the city. With these three titans based in the city, even upper-ranking hegemonic powers would have difficulty surviving there, let alone individual players.

…

While Shi Feng was finalizing his partnership details with Yan Hua and Xia Qingying, the bidding in the auction venue continued, and the price kept on climbing to new highs.

“I bid 290 Gold!”

“I bid 300 Gold!”

When the Vice Guild Leader of Flaming Bee shouted his bid of 300 Eternal Gold with bloodshot eyes, the whole auction venue fell silent as this price had already exceeded the budget of most of the powers present. Only a few powers were still busily contacting other powers, hoping to join forces for one last bid.

After waiting a moment and seeing no new bids being made, the beautiful auctioneer raised the gavel in her hand, intending to start the first of the last three calls. However, before her gavel could hit the bell in front of her, a low and plain voice suddenly came from one of the VIP rooms in the venue.

“Five hundred Gold!”