Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Yang Ling came up with a basic plan after a moment’s thought.

He first needed the respect and approval of many adventurers if he wanted to build a Hunter Association under his control, and get the adventurers to work directly or indirectly for him through providing generous incentives. The best way to go about doing things was to recruit the able adventurers in his territory in the name of urgently needing Beast Tamers.

A hunter who was perpetually dealing with Magical Beasts year round would have some experience in dealing with Magical Beasts, even if they were not Beast Tamers or Summoners. As long as he gave them generous rewards, a superior status, and the promise that they could obtain the ability to train Magical Beasts, Yang Ling believed that many hunters would not be able to resist this temptation.

Even though he had always tamed the Magical Beast directly using his abilities and had never truly observed the habits of the Magical Beasts or given them extra training, this was not a holdup to Yang Ling’s plans. The Sumeer people in the Wilderness of Siberia were the best Beast Tamers around. Yang Ling would be able to build a team of Beast Tamers immediately if he got a few experienced Sumeer people to come to his territory to help.

In other words, recruiting able adventurers, building a Beast Taming Ground, monopolizing the sale of Magical Beast Essence Crystals, Magical Beast Eggs and young Magical Beasts were the premise for the successful creation of the Hunter Association!

“All of you, put your weapons down. Anybody who fights in my territory will be subject to severe punishment!” Yang Ling stepped up to mediate as he saw the fury in the eyes of both parties grow more intense, and that a battle was about to break out.

The crowd only realized that the leader was behind them when they heard Yang Ling speak, and they cleared a path in surprise. The few blood-covered adventurers quickly lowered their sharp swords, and the bloodthirsty guards by the merchant’s side were no exception.

Even though they had never witnessed Yang Ling’s abilities, they had often heard of Yang Ling’s reputation. No one was willing to end in the same fate as the Wind Troops!

Even though the merchant, who was as plump as a Sharo Boar, looked to be dazed on the surface, his reactions were faster than everyone present. He quickly walked toward Yang Ling and greeted him. “Sir, how are you? I am the person in charge of the Boulange Merchant Association, Curtis. We met once at the banquet of His Majesty. To think that we would meet again just after I have arrived in your territory!”

Yang Ling could not recall meeting this elder, no matter how hard he tried. But he should not be angry at a smiling person. Furthermore, he was a merchant that had come to the territory to do business.

“Oh, so it’s Sir Curtis, I did not expect to meet you so soon.”

Yang Ling smiled and glanced at the hunters not far away, intentionally knitting his brows. As expected, the merchant Curtis understood his intentions, and told him about what had happened. He spoke with the conviction that he was in the right, his words logical and structured, living up to his reputation as a shrewd businessman.

“Sir, to tell you the truth, I don’t even know how many of these young wolves I can transport back to Montson now that they have been suffocated to this extent. If not for the fact that the other party did indeed suffer heavy casualties, I don’t even think that there is a need to buy these with money. I am suffering a loss of a few thousand Purple Crystal Coins if I buy the wolves for a hundred Purple Crystal Coins each!” The merchant Curtis spoke as he shook his head, sighing as if he was in an even poorer state than the hunters who had risked their lives.

Seeing Curtis intentionally sighing in front of Yang Ling, the blood-covered hunters fumed, clenching tightly on the handles of their swords as they trembled with fury, forcefully suppressing the murder in their hearts.

They had been elated as they thought that they could seek justice when Yang Ling had intervened. But their hearts became colder when they saw the relationship the merchant Curtis had with Yang Ling.

“Brothers, let’s go!” The tall hunter that seemed to be the leader picked up a giant bag and glared fiercely at Curtis the merchant, prepared to leave with his partners. In his fury, he would rather release the young wolves back into the Terras Forest than sell them to the detestable Curtis at such a low price.

“Wait, brave warrior Viola, a hundred Purple Crystal Coins might not be much, but are you going to give up on the money to compensate your fallen partners?” The merchant Curtis became anxious when he saw the hunters about to leave with the young wolves, and continued. “Seeing how we have cooperated in the past, we can discuss things if you feel that the compensation is not enough!”

Even though the young wolves have nearly been suffocated to death, most of them could still recover if he took care of them properly. Him saying that it was not worth it had merely been an attempt to drive the price down.

Even though he was fuming, Viola had to stop in his tracks when he heard Curtis speak and recalled the widows and parents of his fallen partners. He said coldly, “Five hundred Purple Crystal Coins, not one coin less!”

“These young wolves are already suffocated to this extent, I can give you a hundred and ten Purple Crystal Coins at most!”

“Hmph, four hundred and eighty, we cannot go lower!”

…

To the merchant Curtis, the lower the price the better. He would buy the young wolves for one Purple Crystal Coin each if he could. But to Viola, every lost Purple Crystal Coin pricked at his heart. This compensation was the income stream for the families of his fallen partners in the future.

Just like that, the two parties haggled bit by bit, but no matter what, the merchant Curtis was not willing to pay the previously agreed upon amount. Hunters took risks everywhere they went, roaming the entire continent. But they did not have an association to fall back on like the soldiers did whenever they encountered any problems, and thus Curtis was not afraid of them.

“Curtis, since you don’t seem too interested in these young wolves, then let me buy them!” After a pause, and seeing the crowd watching, and the hunters staring at him, Yang Ling continued. “These few hunters unluckily met with misfortune in my territory, and according to convention, I should lend them a helping hand. A thousand Purple Crystal Coins for a young wolf, and I’ll buy them all!”

The situation was a once in a lifetime opportunity if he wanted to obtain the hunters’ approval, and Yang Ling would not miss it. It was worth it to spend even ten thousand Purple Crystal Coins for the long-term development of his territory, much less one thousand. Furthermore, he would make a profit after he tended to these young wolves and shipped them to Montson!

Hearing Yang Ling say this, even the merchant Curtis and the spectators around him were dumbfounded, much less the hunter and his partners behind him. Curtis and Viola had been fighting over the price for some time. No one would have expected Yang Ling to offer a thousand Purple Crystal Coins at one go, doubling the reward Curtis had originally promised the hunters!

Viola looked at Yang Ling, who was wearing a white robe, before walking quickly toward him. “Sir, are you really offering a thousand Purple Crystal Coins for a young wolf?”

“That’s right, brave warrior Viola, you did not hear me wrong. Please send the young wolves to Wissen Castle. My butler will hand the crystal coins over to you, go!” Yang Ling smiled as he looked at the agitated Viola.

Viola was elated when he received Yang Ling’s affirmation, leading his similarly bloodied partners in placing their palm to their chests, paying their respects to Yang Ling. Then they walked quickly toward Wissen Castle.

“Viola suffered huge losses this time. He was lucky he met the leader, otherwise, he would be even more pitiful!” muttered one spectator.

“That’s right, despite having roamed the continent for these years, this is the first time I’ve seen a leader that is this fair and generous to us hunters!” said another.

Viola and the rest were elated, while the merchant Curtis nearly vomited. Originally, he had thought that he would be able to purchase the young wolves at a discount price. In the end, not only did he not manage to obtain the young wolves, he was being openly criticized by the people around him. He felt even worse than someone who had eaten a dead fly.

But he did not dare be insolent in front of Yang Ling no matter how displeased he was. Thinking about it, he could only put the blame on Viola and the rest, blaming the hunters for not appreciating his actions. He was going to get his guards to teach the hunters a lesson a little bit later.

Yang Ling left quickly after successfully accomplishing his goals. He coincidentally encountered Viola and the rest, who had just gotten the crystal coins, when he returned to the castle gate.

“Sir, thank you for your great kindness!” Viola and his partners bowed respectfully when they saw Yang Ling. Even though they had been roaming outside all year round, they did not have much savings on them. If not for Yang Ling’s help, they did not know how they could face the orphans and widows left behind by their fallen partners.

“You’re welcome. You can come look for me if you have any difficulties in the future!” Yang Ling said. “I am preparing to build a large-scale Beast Taming Ground in the territory and require a large number of experienced hunters. Might I ask if you’re interested in coming to help me?”

Viola and the rest were surprised when they heard Yang Ling say this. Over this period of time, with more and more large merchant associations migrating into Wissen Town, there were busy merchants and adventurers everywhere. Even though they had heard that the Magical Beast Territory would undergo rapid development, they had never heard of plans for a large-scale Beast Taming Ground.

But it was rumored that even the servants sweeping the floors in the Wissen Castle received a generous salary, some of them able to afford piles of supplies for the winter after only working for a few months. There were even some who could build a large house after working for half a year. Now that Yang Ling had personally extended the invitation, they believed they would be treated quite well. It was better than wandering outside all year round!