Chapter 675 - 677: 671: The Purpose of the Goldsmiths
Wayne Goldsmith broke the silence, “However, the God Quenching Bodhi Tree is the Star Moon Commerce Guild’s treasure of the event, snatched by Collins Clark, a mole from the Sacred Soul Sect. I wonder if Mr. Jones could provide any information on Collins Clark’s whereabouts so that our auction can retrieve the finale piece, the Bodhi Tree. The Goldsmith family would be most grateful.”
Upon hearing this, Mr. Jones’s expression did not change significantly.
The underlying message from Wayne Goldsmith was clear; Collins Clark took away treasures like the Firewood Kylin and the God Quenching Bodhi from the Star Moon Auction Event. The Goldsmith family would not quibble over the former but wanted the latter returned by him.
Unlike the hot-potato Firewood Kylin, despite the God Quenching Bodhi Tree being only a Class VII SSS tier resource and not even a Level VIII legendary resource, the value of such a naturally mystic object cannot be simply summarized by tier.
At the auction, a seedling of the God Quenching Bodhi Tree could be exchanged for four legendary arcane implements plus one Agnis Seven-turns Golden Elixir. Such a precious resource was not something the Goldsmiths would willingly forsake, and Mr. Jones had been prepared for this all along.
After all, the God Quenching Bodhi Tree and the Firewood Kylin were the spoils of war he obtained after slaying the Evil Trainer, Collins Clark. Moreover, he had invested considerable resources to cultivate the God Quenching Bodhi into a Seven Rites Bodhi. The idea that the Goldsmiths wanted it back simply by offering a generous reward was far-fetched.
Seeing Mr. Jones’s attitude visibly chilling, Wayne Goldsmith’s fingers moved, and a Star Ring flickered lightly to produce a jade box on the table. He immediately opened it to reveal twenty Time Stones that continuously emanated a dangerous aura.
“This is the Goldsmith family’s compensation for the attack on the auction,” he said. “Please, Mr. Jones, accept our apology.”
Having said this, Wayne Goldsmith looked at Mr. Jones sincerely, “Once the Goldsmith family retrieves the God Quenching Bodhi, there will be an additional ten Cosmos Time Stones as a gift.”
Upon hearing this, Mr. Jones’s brows furrowed slightly.
The Goldsmith family’s strength is formidable, being the current top-grade Beast Control Power, and such a humble posture was indeed suspicious.
“Thanks to the protective treasure bestowed by my senior brother and the protection of a Level VII Overlord, I did engage in a battle with the villain Collins Clark, but ultimately, he escaped,” Mr. Jones admitted, revealing part of the truth with a hint of regret on his face that caught Wayne Goldsmith’s sidelong glances.
What a fellow—even a King-level warrior would shudder at facing an Epic Evil Trainer, yet Mr. Jones, who at the time was not even a King-level Trainer, thought not only of repelling but of slaying Collins Clark, a feat of bravery that commands respect.
“As for that Spirit-Refining Bodhi Tree…” Mr. Jones glanced at the increasingly anxious Wayne Goldsmith, “it was long ago mystified by the residue left by the Evil-eyed Dark Scorpion after its death under Collins Clark’s nefarious gaze.”
A flash of disappointment crossed Wayne Goldsmith’s eyes.
Through the special arcane implement “Eye of Truth” he carried with him, he knew clearly that Mr. Jones spoke no lies, but there were still many uncertainties and questionable aspects to his story.
If Mr. Jones had been a regular King-level Trainer, Wayne could have used the upper-class powers to interrogate him and clarify the doubts, but Mr. Jones was backed by the entire Rosewood College.
Of course, the Goldsmith family of Sky-reach was not one to be trifled with. Even with Rosewood College behind Mr. Jones, Wayne Goldsmith still had many ways to uncover the truth.
But now that the God Quenching Bodhi had been mystified, and considering Mr. Jones was a victim, pursuing the matter further would not only bring no compensation or benefits to the Goldsmith family but would also thoroughly offend Mr. Jones, a once-in-a-millennium genius and the Rosewood Leader, which was not in the best interest of the Goldsmith family of Sky-reach. It would be more worthwhile to chase greater benefits!
In short, Wayne Goldsmith’s trip to Rosewood City had three objectives. First was to participate in the National Crown Competition, second was to investigate the whereabouts of the God Quenching Bodhi, and third was to find out how Mr. Jones used the Time Stone.
Wayne Goldsmith began to shift the topic and discussed the potential cooperation concerning the Time Stones.
For deals only amounting to a few billion Star coins, the young master of the Goldsmith family wouldn’t normally need to make an appearance, but Wayne Goldsmith still came.
And David Jones quickly understood the intentions of the Goldsmith family during the negotiation.
The drawbacks of the Time Stone were too severe, causing pets to fail in their advancement, their levels to remain stagnant forever, or even succumbing to death due to backlash—making it so that no one dared to use them.
The senior leadership of the Goldsmith family were no fools; the very reason they were willing to sell the Time Stones at a low price at auctions was precisely because their family researchers couldn’t find a way to utilize the Time Stones.
Now that he had become the first to want to ‘eat the crab,’ he had long caught the attention of the Goldsmith family.
“If Mr. Jones is willing to provide the patent for the Time Stones or help the Goldsmith family research the evolutionary pathways of Time pets, we are willing to offer Time-based resources free of charge, including Time Stones and even the Infinite Time Stone, which is a tier above the Time Stones,”
“The profits gained after the project’s success will be split fifty-fifty. If you are willing, you can sign the contract right now,” Wayne Goldsmith said, gazing directly at David Jones, offering the sincerity of his family.
The Goldsmith family had considerable wealth and had invested in countless Time Stone-related endeavors. They had visited every renowned research doctor in the industry—another investment in David Jones wouldn’t matter.
As long as one Time-based project succeeded, it could bring immense benefits to the Goldsmith family.
As for why they offered a fifty-fifty split, it was to increase the interest of the research doctors; after all, the Goldsmith family had many ways to change that fifty-fifty split to a ten-ninety share, or even monopolize the profits.
But if David Jones could become a Legendary power in the future, the Goldsmith family could reluctantly accept a fifty-fifty split.
“There really are a lot of smart people in this world!”
David Jones was impressed; without revealing anything, simply by purchasing Time Stones, the Goldsmith family was convinced he must know how to utilize the Time Stones, even bringing up the proposition of collaboration on the evolutionary pathways for Time pets!
Indeed, David Jones knew how to evolve Time pets using the Time Stones, but it involved his Dragon-Wielding Talent, which he truly couldn’t collaborate on.
So David Jones waved his hand and declined tactfully, “Manager Goldsmith perhaps overestimates me. Although I am purchasing Time Stones in bulk to attempt evolving Time pets, I am not a researcher, so how could I possibly come up with a detailed evolutionary pathway!”
“That’s actually the truth?”
Wayne Goldsmith’s eyebrows lifted, and a genial smile appeared on his face, “Well then, if Mr. Jones is unwilling to cooperate, so be it. Here is the purchase contract for the Time Stones.”
David Jones took the contract and glanced at it; the Goldsmith family was willing to sell thirty Time Stones at the price of one hundred million Star coins each.
“Thirty pieces? Can I acquire a larger quantity of Time Stones?” David Jones was somewhat dissatisfied.
To evolve Loona into a Time pet, the more Time Stones, the better. Furthermore, the remaining Time Stones after the evolution could serve as nourishment for Loona’s Strength Level growth.