The bounty arena had a total of ten reward tiers.
The first tier offered 50,000 Saint Spirit Stones; the second tier, 100,000; the third tier, 200,000; the fourth tier, 300,000. The fifth tier jumped sharply to 500,000. The sixth tier surged to 1,000,000; the seventh reached 2,000,000; the eighth, 5,000,000; the ninth, a flat 10,000,000 Saint Spirit Stones.
As for the tenth tier — those were supreme-level missions, diamond-grade tasks. They only appeared during the final three days. Each one was extraordinarily difficult, reserved as the grand finale.
A tenth-tier mission had a minimum reward of 30,000,000 Saint Spirit Stones. That was merely the floor — the starting price. As for the maximum?
Four words — no upper limit!
This was why the supreme-tier missions were the true spectacle of the bounty arena, the climactic act. Everything during the first twelve days was just a warm-up.
Put bluntly, it was a chance for the main arena masters to earn some pocket money, and more importantly, for the branch arena masters to make a profit.
The main arena masters generally held themselves above the fray and rarely got involved at the start.
After all, every problem solved by a branch arena master still meant splitting the reward with the main arena master. Once you secured a main arena master position, you could simply sit there and collect your share.
Even without completing a single task, you would still receive a handsome sum.
But everyone knew that competing for a main arena master seat was extraordinarily difficult — practically impossible. Moreover, it required a massive security deposit. If you failed to win the seat, ten percent of your deposit would be forfeited.
That was why most people preferred to become branch arena masters.
A branch arena master had to split half their earnings with the main arena master, but there was no risk involved. It was a zero-capital business.
"Yan Yu, head back to your own branch arena. It looks like this bounty arena is even more popular than either of us expected. Business is booming."
Jiang Chen noticed the faint look of regret on Lin Yanyu's face and offered a few words of comfort.
It was Lin Yanyu who had brought these people in, and Jiang Chen understood that Lin Yanyu was reluctant to let such a lucrative deal slip away.
Lin Yanyu glanced once more in the direction the man had left, only to see that the fellow had indeed wandered off to another bounty arena.
"Stop watching. He'll end up right back at our booth," Jiang Chen said with complete confidence.
Sure enough, after making the rounds, the man discovered that none of the other main arena masters could solve his problem either.
Most of them either gave him vague non-answers or quoted outrageous prices. And from the looks in their eyes, he couldn't detect the slightest hope of a solution.
The man grew deeply frustrated. "Do I really have to swallow my pride and go back?"
He had visited every main arena master — alchemy specialists, generalists, all of them. He had even circled back to the Green Phoenix Pill King's arena.
The Green Phoenix Pill King examined his task and ultimately directed him back to Jiang Chen's booth.
This left the fellow feeling like he wanted to cry without tears. The moment he had walked away from Jiang Chen's arena, he had been seething with anger toward the young man.
But now he realized he had no choice but to go back and beg.
It even seemed like the Green Phoenix Pill King himself wasn't confident he could handle it?
The Green Phoenix Pill King wasn't confident? And yet he still recommended this kid's arena? Could it be that even the Green Phoenix Pill King considered himself inferior to this mysterious young arena master?
Honestly, if he had any other option, he would have rather died than go back.
But in the end, he had no choice. This time, he truly had to eat humble pie — there was simply no alternative.
Reluctantly, he made his way back to Jiang Chen's main arena.
Jiang Chen didn't needle him or resort to any sarcasm. He merely offered a mild smile. Whether business got done or not was the customer's call. Jiang Chen neither rushed him nor tried to ingratiate himself.
"Arena Master Shao, are you certain you can solve this problem?" The man's plump face still carried the normal reservations one might expect toward someone of Jiang Chen's age.
"Same as before — the choice is yours. If you don't think it's a good fit, no one's forcing you to make a deal," Jiang Chen replied without offering any further explanation.
The fat on the man's round face quivered slightly. He gritted his teeth as if steeling his resolve. "Fine — you're the one. Eighth-tier mission, five million Saint Spirit Stones, correct?"
Chubby people were generally tightwads, and this one was no exception. But this time, the fellow seemed dead set on getting his problem solved.
He placed five million Saint Spirit Stones on the table, both hands pressing down on them protectively. In a voice that was nearly a growl, he said: "Arena Master Shao, the bounty arena has always been above reproach when it comes to integrity. That's exactly why I racked my brains to come here in the first place. If you take my money and fail to deliver, I will not let you off. Purifying Flame Palace won't let you off either!"
Jiang Chen could see that this fellow wasn't someone who couldn't afford five million Saint Spirit Stones — he was simply one of those people who were born stingy.
Watching the man clutch five million stones as though his life depended on it, Jiang Chen found himself equal parts amused and exasperated.
"Friend, honestly ask yourself — is this task worth only two million? I'm charging you five million, and that's the friendship price. If your attitude gets any worse and my mood sours, the price is only going up." Jiang Chen didn't feel obligated to take this deal, nor did he believe his life would fall apart without it.