As soon as his voice fell, Elder Lv of the Qinghe Sect excitedly slammed his hand on the table and declared:
Our Qinghe Sect will take it all!
Five hundred Calming Talismans a month. Even if one person only made five a day, it would only take four people to over-fulfill the quota. For the confident Qinghe Sect, wouldn't it be incredibly easy to spare that little manpower?
Moreover, there was no need to worry about a shortage of talisman-crafting materials now.
On the cargo list Li Zhouxuan had brought out earlier, all the basic materials for crafting these talismans were listed, and the prices were extremely cheap. Buying those materials, using them to draw Calming Talismans, and then selling the finished products back—this single cycle could earn over a thousand spirit stones!
An income of over a thousand spirit stones a month made this business deal highly lucrative!
After Elder Lv quickly reached this conclusion in his mind, he made the decision immediately.
Good opportunities wait for no one. At this point, there was no time to go back and slowly discuss it with the sect.
This highlighted the advantage of Elder Lv's high authority. For example, although the representatives of the other sects were anxious in their hearts right now, they did not dare to directly make a final decision on behalf of their sects like he did.
On the other side, the representative of the Yunyan Cult immediately spoke up:
Elder Lv, everyone present should get a share of such a good opportunity. It isn't right for your Qinghe Sect to monopolize it, is it?
Elder Lv looked at him and replied:
First come, first served. What's the problem? If you have the guts, make a final decision right now! Then I can yield a quota of a hundred talismans to you.
The Yunyan Cult representative snorted:
Our Yunyan Cult isn't as unruly as your Qinghe Sect. Such a major matter must be discussed in a meeting before a decision can be made.
Oh, then take your time waiting.
After saying that, Elder Lv directly turned his head away, ignoring him, and spoke to Li Zhouxuan again:
Our Qinghe Sect will take all five hundred portions. Shall we sign the contract now or what? I'll call our sect master over to stamp his seal in a bit.
Li Zhouxuan smiled at him:
Elder Lv, do not be hasty. Think it through carefully. Although the Calming Talisman isn't a very difficult talisman to draw, my purchases still have quality requirements. Any talismans that fail the inspection will not count and will not be accepted.
Hearing this, Elder Lv waved his large hand and said:
While I dare not claim the talisman masters of our Qinghe Sect are incredibly formidable, you can rest completely assured when it comes to their meticulousness and diligence. I am absolutely certain about this order; we will take it all.
Seeing him so straightforward, Li Zhouxuan did not waste words and nodded immediately:
Alright, we will sign the contract once Sect Master Han of your esteemed sect arrives.
Saying so, he turned his head to the anxious and regretful representatives of the Yunyan Cult and Shangyang Sect, as well as Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe, who mirrored the representatives' expressions, and said:
Please rest assured, everyone. This business deal will definitely not be the only one. In the future, we will have plenty of opportunities for cooperation. I hope we can continue to support each other and advance hand in hand.
Hearing him say this, the representatives of the Yunyan Cult and Shangyang Sect felt a surge of joy in their hearts.
Didn't this mean that there would likely be continuous purchasing deals like this in the future?
With this thought, they were no longer as jealous of the Qinghe Sect, and their faces quickly filled with bright smiles as they said:
Then we shall quietly await the good news from the imperial court.
Please do not make us wait too long.
Next time there is such a good thing, you absolutely must not forget our Lingxian Sect!
...
Thus, all these matters were fully discussed, and in the blink of an eye, it was already noon.
After the imperial ministers and Emperor Li Zhouxuan invited the various leaders to have lunch together, Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe took their leave.
However, the people from the three great sects did not.
Next, they still needed to discuss in detail the matter of the crusade against the Huanyou Kingdom.
Because of the previously provided list of goods with highly favorable prices, the three great sects now had much more confidence regarding the crusade against the Huanyou Kingdom.
Although purchasing items in large quantities would definitely cost a lot, with the Calming Talisman trade as a precedent, they all figured that they would earn back these spirit stones sooner or later. Thus, they did not feel as much heartache over the expense.
On the way back, Liu Yunan felt quite excited.
But since they were still outside, he did not dare show it, only turning his head from time to time to stare at Qin Jianghe beside him with shining eyes.
This made Qin Jianghe wish he could find a needle to sew his eyes shut.
It was not until the two returned to their residence and carefully set up isolation restrictions around them that Liu Yunan finally plopped down at the tea table, poured himself a full cup of tea, gulped it down like an ox, and let out a long breath of satisfaction, exclaiming:
"Today was truly too interesting!"
Seeing him like this, Qin Jianghe shook his head and smiled, sitting opposite him and also pouring himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat.
"Doing business with cultivators for the first time is indeed quite interesting."
Even though they had not stepped forward themselves.
Liu Yunan looked at him and said:
"Tell me, why did Brother Xiao do this? Not only did he offer them prices comparable to the market rates in the cultivation world, but he also gave them the drawing method for the Calming Talisman for free, bought them back at normal acquisition prices, and even gave the middleman position to the royal family."
Qin Jianghe smiled and asked:
"Do you think we suffered a loss?"
Liu Yunan shook his head:
"Not exactly, we definitely made a profit."
It was just a matter of how much profit they made.
Based on the channels they currently held, they were in an absolute monopoly position over these sects in the mortal world, so the pricing was entirely up to them.
As long as they set the prices lower than the sects' own channels, they certainly would not have to worry about not being able to sell their goods or lacking business.
Seeing his expression, Qin Jianghe knew what he was thinking, so he asked:
"Why do you think Brother Xiao wanted us to do this?"
Hearing this, Liu Yunan thought for a moment, frowned slightly, and said:
"For mutual benefit and a win-win situation?"
Qin Jianghe nodded and said:
"Brother Xiao said that we and the other sects of the mortal world have never been in a competitive relationship, but rather a companionship. Of course, this relationship does not require the acknowledgment of the other sects; we just need to have the right mindset ourselves."
"Not only that, given our sect's current situation, it is not suitable for us to stand in front of the public. That is why we yielded the rights of the middleman to the royal family, and moreover..."
"Brother Xiao previously said something to me."
"What did he say?" Liu Yunan quickly leaned in and asked.
Qin Jianghe seemed to recall something. After a moment of silence, he looked at him intently and said:
"He said that we were born in the mortal world and grew up in the mortal world. Now that we have the capability, he does not want to rely on his power to become an exploiter. What he wants is for the mortal world to become a second cultivation world, or even a cultivation world better than the current one."
Looking at Liu Yunan, a different kind of light flickered in Qin Jianghe's eyes.
"Brother Xiao said that whether we earn a few more spirit stones or a few less, it is all a profit for us. We are not losing out at all. What he wants is something far more long-term."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
