Chapter 908 – Trade Negotiations

【Traci: Eliana, it’s precisely because of you that I’m giving the Elf race priority consideration. I’ll be frank with you — the Dragons have also shown strong interest, and we’re already in contact with them. One Permanent Realm-friend Invitation in exchange for one slot — I believe that’s fair. After all, joining this campaign means gaining at least one world’s rescue dividends and a stable share of ongoing returns. That value far exceeds a single Permanent Realm-friend Invitation.】

Eliana’s reply came much faster this time.

【Eliana: Traci, my old friend, you’re really testing my decision-making here… The Dragons’ world invitation token production efficiency isn’t much higher than ours. And as far as I know, they’ve sent far more outstanding younger generation members into the Seran world than we have over the years. The Realm-friend invitations they could actually put up for trade are probably even more scarce than ours — if we can’t produce them, there’s no way they can either!】

Reading this, Mo Lan knew the timing was just about right. She said to Traci, “Senior, tell her that if a Permanent Invitation is truly too difficult, then as a show of our sincerity and to strengthen the friendship between our two races, both sides can make a concession. If they’re willing to purchase two slots at once, we can offer a discount — allowing one of those slots to be exchanged for a time-limited Realm-friend Invitation with a four-hundred-fifty-year validity period. The remaining slot must be a Permanent Realm-friend Invitation! If that doesn’t work, this slot will either go to the Dragons or to whatever other race can afford the price.”

Traci relayed the message in her own words.

【Eliana: Very well, for the sake of our long-standing friendship, and for the sake of this critically important collaboration! The Elf race agrees to exchange one Permanent Realm-friend Invitation for the Seran world, along with the longest-validity time-limited Realm-friend Invitation currently in our possession, for three participation slots.】

The Elf race and the Dragons had some minor ancestral friction between them. No matter what, the Elves had to come away with more than the Dragons.

“Mo Lan, this should be the highest price Eliana can offer.” Traci’s tone carried a hint of emotion. “The more advanced the world, the lower and slower the efficiency of its invitation tokens producing Permanent Realm-friend Invitations. After the Elf race’s civil war ended, quite a few newborns with superior bloodlines were born. Eliana probably can’t spare any more Realm-friend Invitations for trading.”

“No rush!” Mo Lan shook her head, her gaze calm and composed. “If we agree too quickly, she’ll suspect she offered too high a price, which could easily cause complications. Ask her — how much validity do those two time-limited Realm-friend Invitations have left, exactly?”

Traci asked as instructed.

【Eliana: One has four hundred fifty years, the other three hundred fifty years. Among the time-limited invitations preserved by our clan, these two have the longest remaining validity!】

The message arrived tinged with a barely perceptible urgency.

“Can we agree now?” Traci looked to Mo Lan and asked. In her view, these terms already exceeded their expectations.

“Wait a bit longer, Senior,” Mo Lan said. “Please reply that you need to discuss with the other Witches before making a final decision. After all, trading three slots at once but only getting back one Permanent Realm-friend Invitation — that falls somewhat short of our initial expectations.

Then ‘casually’ let slip that Senior Anita is about to set off for Dragon Isle to visit Lady Meridis.”

Traci instantly grasped Mo Lan’s intent.

This wasn’t just applying final pressure — it was cleverly establishing a competitive environment, pushing the Elf race to double down on their current offer to secure their advantage, and possibly squeeze out a little more sincerity at the last moment.

Traci composed a reply following Mo Lan’s instructions — tactfully worded, but with unmistakable intent — and sent it to Eliana.

This time, several minutes passed before Eliana responded.

【Eliana: We are willing to offer two Permanent Realm-friend Invitations and one time-limited Realm-friend Invitation with three hundred fifty years of remaining validity in exchange for three participation slots! The condition is that the contract be signed immediately!】

The chance to secure three precious slots at once and achieve a breakthrough leap in the Elf race’s high-tier fighting strength — especially gaining a greater advantage than the Dragons — was temptation enough for her to dip into their precious reserve of Permanent Invitations. The Witches watching from the sidelines hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise, and the way they looked at Mo Lan was filled with reverence.

“Can we agree this time?” Anita asked curiously. “Or should we wait some more? See if the Dragons can offer a higher price?”

Mo Lan shook her head. “Accept it. Queen Eliana possesses the beautiful qualities of the Elves — she shouldn’t be lying. The Dragons probably can’t offer a higher price, and besides, the Dragons aren’t as united as the Elf race. They may not even be able to reach a consensus.”

“I’ll head to the Elven Woods!”

Traci teleported away shortly after.

Anita tugged at Mo Lan’s sleeve. “Mo Lan, quick, teach me — once I’m done sparring with Meridis and I tell her about the trade, how should I negotiate the price with her?”

Her tone carried a hint of distress. “Fighting I know well, but haggling over prices… What if that old lizard talks circles around me? She’s lived longer than me, she’s craftier than me, and she’s an ultra-mega-supreme miser who only ever hoards treasures in her dragon lair and has never parted with a single one!”

“Now that we have the Elf race’s Realm-friend Invitations, we’re really not in a hurry for the Dragons’ share. Our strategy needs to shift accordingly.

This time, the initiative in the trade can be entirely in our hands.

When the time comes, just tell her straight — there are two slots left, and we’ll only trade for Permanent Realm-friend Invitations.

If they won’t agree, say we’re not trading. You can casually mention how decisive the Elves were in their deal. It’s perfectly fine to hold onto a few slots without trading them away.

For these two slots, the minimum is one Permanent Realm-friend Invitation plus one time-limited Realm-friend Invitation with at least four hundred years of validity. Otherwise, we’d rather not trade at all than let our Elf allies feel they got a bad deal.”

Mo Lan patiently walked her through everything she needed to do.

It wasn’t until the sky hovered between the last darkness and the first light of dawn that Traci returned, carrying the cool morning dew on her person. She solemnly placed three contracts for the Immortal Realm campaign and three Seran world Realm-friend Invitations into Mo Lan’s hands.

Anita had long been waiting with barely contained excitement. The moment she saw Traci return, she immediately leapt to her feet:

“Wonderful! I’m heading to Dragon Isle right now to ‘catch up’ with that Meridis!”

She waved around her Fireworks Wand — which looked formidable even at a glance — her eyes sparkling with eager anticipation.

“I’ll try to blast her with a shot before she fully realizes what’s happening — consider it our unconventional greeting gift!

Once the fight’s over, I’ll negotiate the trade with Meridis. I promise I’ll do exactly as you said, Mo Lan!”