Chapter 283: Snake Meets Poison Dragon

Esmeralda allowed the laughter to fade before smoothly straightening in her seat. "Alright, that’s enough reminiscing for now."

Her gaze shifted toward Damian, becoming slightly more businesslike. "You came here to sell quite a large amount of valuable merchandise, didn’t you?"

Damian nodded.

Esmeralda lightly folded her hands together. "Then let’s make this simple. Tell me what you want in exchange."

Damian let out an amused laugh. "Hahaha... as expected of you."

He leaned back comfortably. "A real businesswoman. Straight to the fucking point."

Esmeralda’s lips curved faintly.

"I prefer not to waste time when spirit stones are involved."

Damian immediately raised one finger. "Fair enough."

He thought briefly before continuing, "Just give me a portion in spirit stones."

Esmeralda nodded. "And?"

Damian rubbed his chin. "For the rest, I want some Low-Rank Royal Grade pills."

Esmeralda’s eyes shifted slightly.

Damian continued, "Nothing too specialized. Stuff that’s easy to use."

He began counting casually on his fingers. "Cultivation pills, recovery pills, healing pills, maybe something useful for restoring Qi or stabilizing injuries."

Damian looked toward her. "That should be possible, right?"

Esmeralda answered without hesitation. "Of course."

She glanced toward the door. "You’ve sold enough high-quality Noble Grade pills and talismans that exchanging part of the value for several Low-Rank Royal Grade pills is hardly unreasonable."

Her expression remained composed. "I’ve already instructed my people to begin evaluating everything."

Damian nodded happily. "Perfect."

Esmeralda studied him for another moment before her businesslike air gradually softened. "Now that we’ve settled that..."

Her smile returned. "Perhaps we can discuss something more interesting."

Damian raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Esmeralda leaned slightly back. "For example, what exactly have you been doing for the past six months?"

Damian’s lips slowly curled upward. "Funny."

He pointed toward her. "I was about to ask you the same fucking thing."

Esmeralda gave him an amused look.

Damian continued, "Seriously, how the hell did you suddenly end up managing a branch here?"

He gestured around the elegant room. "This place is obviously way more important than that small-town branch where we first met."

Esmeralda’s eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. "Oh?"

She rested her cheek lightly against one hand. "That, Sir Damian... is somewhat of a secret."

Damian stared at her.

Esmeralda’s smile became more calculating. "However, perhaps I could be persuaded to tell you."

She paused deliberately. "After you tell me your story first."

Damian immediately understood what she was trying to do, but it didn’t matter much to him.

He leaned back in his seat and grinned. "Hehehe... sure thing. Then let’s trade secrets."

Esmeralda did not immediately ask about Damian’s past.

Instead, her gaze shifted toward the woman who had been standing quietly behind him the entire time.

She studied Cynthia for several seconds before asking calmly, "First of all... who exactly is the woman behind you?"

Damian glanced back and immediately understood what she meant. She was talking about Cynthia.

Esmeralda grinned slightly, resting a hand beneath her chin as she tilted her head in thought. "Let me guess... is she your bodyguard, girlfriend, disciple, or maybe even your wife?"

Damian grinned back at her. "None of those."

He paused for a moment before adding casually, "She’s part of my harem."

Silence.

Esmeralda blinked once.

Cynthia’s expression remained perfectly calm.

Damian continued shamelessly, "And just so we’re clear, when I say harem, I basically mean wife, girlfriend, partner, companion... all of that mixed together."

Esmeralda stared at him for a moment. "I see..."

Her voice remained polite, but the amusement in her eyes became much more obvious.

Meanwhile, Cynthia said nothing. She simply kept her eyes fixed on Esmeralda, watching her quietly and carefully as if she were a potential enemy.

Esmeralda naturally noticed the intense stare, and her smile grew even more playful. "My, my. That’s quite the look you’re giving me, isn’t it?"

Cynthia answered without hesitation. "Of course."

Esmeralda raised an eyebrow.

Cynthia calmly continued, "I’ve met plenty of snakes like you."

The room became quiet.

Damian nearly choked.

Cynthia’s expression did not change. "So naturally, I need to make sure Master Damian doesn’t get bitten."

Esmeralda stared at her for half a breath before suddenly laughing. "Interesting."

She folded her hands elegantly. "Don’t worry too much. I have no intention of doing anything harmful to your young master."

Damian immediately rubbed his forehead. "Cynthia, please calm down for a moment, will you?"

Cynthia turned and glanced toward him.

Damian patted the seat beside him. "Just relax and sit here. She’s not an enemy."

Cynthia remained silent for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine."

She walked over and sat beside Damian.

Esmeralda calmly poured another cup of tea and pushed it toward her. "Here."

Cynthia accepted the cup and drank the tea without the slightest hesitation.

Esmeralda paused. "You’re not worried it might be poisoned? From the way you’ve been looking at me, I thought you considered me an enemy."

Cynthia looked at her calmly and gave a faint sneer. "Not really. After all, I cultivate poison qi."

Esmeralda looked slightly surprised by the answer, but before she could respond, Cynthia simply continued sipping her tea.

"So unless your poison is something extraordinary, it probably won’t affect me much."

Cynthia glanced at her. "And judging by your reaction, I doubt you used anything particularly strong... if you even dared to poison it in the first place."

Hearing that, Esmeralda couldn’t help but laugh. "You really are interesting, Cynthia."

Her gaze dropped toward the tea. "Still, the tea is quite good, isn’t it?"

Cynthia took another sip before giving a small nod. "Yes, it tastes quite good."

She studied the faint spiritual aroma rising from the cup. "At least Noble-Grade tea leaves, right?"

Esmeralda’s eyebrows lifted slightly before she laughed a moment later. "Heheh... you really are quite perceptive and knowledgeable."

Cynthia answered simply, "Of course. After all, I’m part of Master Damian’s harem. I need to be one of top girls."

Damian finally raised both hands. "Alright, alright. Please stop fighting, you two."

He turned toward Cynthia. "Cynthia, just calm down for a bit while I reminisce with Esmeralda."

Cynthia glanced toward Esmeralda one final time before leaning back slightly. "Fine."

Esmeralda smiled.

Damian sighed in relief.

"Good. At least nobody has tried to poison, dissect, or kill me yet."