Qian Duoduo could imagine Jin Buque's smug expression, his poisonous tongue wagging, on the other end of the Jade Slip.
But how did this task of managing a spiritual money shop suddenly fall to him?
Qian Duoduo was unwilling, thinking that Jin Buque might be faking the order.
“An order from above. May I ask where 'above' is?” Qian Duoduo asked the Jade Slip, very politely.
After a moment, Jin Buque replied, “The Elder of this hall gave the order, and it’s said that the Sect Leader personally named you. Don’t tell me my Junior Brother isn’t impressive; his good name can actually be remembered by the Sect Leader. If you don’t believe me, Junior Brother, you can ask the Elder of this hall, or you can ask the Sect Leader. Oh, and your Zhangzuo Dajiu is Tang Zhangzuo; asking Tang Zhangzuo would also work. However, Tang Zhangzuo seems to have gone out. What a coincidence, what a coincidence.”
Qian Duoduo suppressed the urge to smash the Jade Slip and, puffing out his cheeks, told Liu Boli, “My major discovery wasn’t discovered at all; instead, a major mission came.”
“Congratulations, congratulations.”
Liu Boli’s reply made Qian Duoduo’s vision go dark, and he almost spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
“Your major discovery wasn’t taken seriously, which means you’re temporarily safe. Isn’t that worth congratulating? And for the Sect Leader to personally name you to go to Kongfang City, you should indeed be congratulated.”
Qian Duoduo’s chest heaved for a long time before he could speak, “Liu Bo, can you stop annoying me? What if Jin Buque is framing me?”
“Transmission Jade Slips have a recording function; Jin Buque wouldn’t dare play tricks with it. Whether it’s true or not, you can still inquire about it.”
After discussing with Liu Boli, Qian Duoduo decided that since he was going to accept this mission, he would return the way he came, first send Brother Tiger back to Fengtou Mountain, then bring him back to the manor when he had a chance, and then go to the Zhu Family castle to inquire about the news. If the news was confirmed, he would go directly to Kongfang City.
After returning Brother Tiger and arriving back at the Zhu Family, Qian Duoduo received an even warmer welcome.
Zhu Pingdao didn’t ask a single question about the situation in the Phoenix Mountains, showing neither curiosity nor ambition regarding it.
Zhu Anshun was utterly curious and impressed by how Qian Duoduo, a Qi Condensation Level Five Cultivator, completed the mission. He called him Senior Brother so affectionately that Qian Duoduo eventually stopped blushing.
Qian Duoduo wasn’t that shallow; he simply talked about the Spiritual Wolf, took out the wolf fangs and wolf claws as proof. To show that the Spiritual Wolf wasn’t a spiritual cat, he even let Zhu Anshun see the holes bitten by the Spiritual Wolf on the Golden Claw Armor…
Once the banquet atmosphere was set, Qian Duoduo subtly inquired about news within the sect to find out how the mission to Kongfang City came about.
Zhu Anquan quickly replied: The order to send Qian Duoduo to manage the spiritual money shop truly came from the Sect Leader. The reason was that the sect’s shop was poorly managed, not only losing money year after year but also consistently losing to Ba Ling Sect and Shengling Sect in competitions. When discussing how to revitalize the sect’s shop, the Sect Leader remembered Qian Duoduo’s unique money-lending business and believed he had a talent for business, so he personally selected Qian Duoduo.
During the personal selection, several Palace Lords still had objections. Originally, an Elder was in charge of the shop, and now sending an Outer Sect Disciple might not be able to control the situation.
However, the Sect Leader used the saying, “Ambition does not depend on age; heroes often emerge from youth,” to dismiss all objections.
However, Zhu Anquan did not find out the source of the statement about tripling assets in three years, nor did he ascertain if it was true.
After a night’s rest, the next day, Qian Duoduo, accompanied by Zhu Anshun, traveled by carriage for several days to Kongfang City.
Before parting, Zhu Anshun gave Qian Duoduo another Storage Pouch, which, besides the Zhu Family’s specialties, contained two hundred thousand gold coins. He specifically explained that these gold coins were not a bribe but an investment.
He said that he was deeply inspired by Qian Duoduo’s theory that all things have spirit, and he firmly believed that the gold coins given to Qian Duoduo would definitely generate more money.
Giving money in such a well-reasoned and reasonable manner made it difficult to refuse.
Qian Duoduo remembered this favor, this investment, and the previous one hundred thousand gold coins.
Making money from money, he would achieve it.
…
Kongfang City, round on the outside and square on the inside, had city gates and walls much taller than those of Refining Spirit Sect.
The Lower Three Sects—Refining Spirit Sect, Ba Ling Sect, and Shengling Sect—revolved around Kongfang City.
Or rather, Kongfang City governed the Lower Three Sects.
Qian Duoduo, like a country bumpkin—which he indeed was—walked into Kongfang City, and its prosperity almost made him lose his way.
At the North Gate entrance, there were gate-keeping Cultivators, all in uniform, embroidered with the words “Righteous and Brave.” In the center of the east side of the city, there was a Yilie Camp. These uniformed Cultivators were stationed in the camp.
Entering the city from the North Gate, a tall mountain stood within the city. The mountain was extremely steep, almost vertical. On the mountain was the City Lord’s Mansion, with three courtyards and three layers. The buildings were all red-walled and golden-tiled, magnificent and exquisite.
Qian Duoduo secretly compared his Zhangzuo Dajiu’s Immortal Cave with the City Lord’s Mansion, concluding that the City Lord’s Mansion was far superior.
Passing through the tall mountain was the City Lord’s Mansion Plaza. In the center of the plaza were three objects: a long sword, a long saber, and a copper coin.
Qian Duoduo looked at the copper coin; the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed. Its style was identical to the one embroidered on his blue robe.
Getting closer, he saw the words “Refining Spirit Sect” engraved on the copper coin. The long sword had Ba Ling Sect, and the long saber had Shengling Sect.
Qian Duoduo understood that the copper coin, long sword, and long saber represented the Three Sects respectively.
But why was Refining Spirit Sect’s copper coin pressed at the very bottom?
As he was wondering, several passersby walked by him. One of them “*pah*” spat on the copper coin and cursed, “What Refining Spirit Sect? It’s just a ‘No-Money Sect,’ always at the bottom of the monthly business wars, for a hundred consecutive months. Do they even have the face to stay in Kongfang City?”
Another person laughed, “It’s just a sect that’s about to collapse. Look at the Families in the Lower Road; even the slightly more ambitious ones have larger operating revenues than them.”
“Ultimately, it’s because the sect lacks talent. Their cultivation is poor, their Artifact Refining is poor, and their business management is poor. Of course, they’re rubbed on the ground by Ba Ling Sect and Shengling Sect.”
“What do you mean ‘rubbed’? That’s called enjoyment. Haven’t you seen that masochist, they just love that kind of thing…”
A burst of wild laughter poured into Qian Duoduo’s ears. He was fuming, as if someone had set him on fire from within. “Is our Refining Spirit Sect that unbearable, that weak, that trashy?”
As these passersby walked past Qian Duoduo, they clearly saw the copper coin on his blue robe, yet they spoke without any reservations.
They, of course, knew that the blue robe indicated an Outer Sect Disciple. An Outer Sect Disciple of a “No-Money Sect” didn’t need to be respected, nor was he worthy of respect.
If it weren’t for the slight enjoyment they got from stepping on him, they might not even bother.
“Dong,” a bell rang from the east side of the plaza. There was a tall green building there.
Zhu Anshun had introduced it; that was the Bell Tower, with a golden bell hanging high on its top. The golden bell rang once every two hours.
On the west side of the plaza, there was also a tall white building. A large drum was set on its roof. In the evening, the large drum would strike once every two hours. This bell sound awakened Qian Duoduo from his rage.
Being angry was useless; striving for success was useful.
Loosening his tightly clenched fist finger by finger, Qian Duoduo thought to himself, *Unless I put Refining Spirit Sect’s copper coin on top, I won’t leave this Kongfang City!*
Qian Duoduo quickly walked across the plaza; ahead was a lake. This lake was immeasurably larger than the pond he had dug. Blue brick paths were built along the lake, and even the railings were carved from white spiritual granite.
He glanced at the lake a few times. There were simply too many spiritual plants, Spirit Beasts, and Spirit Birds in this lake, and there was even a white flood Dragon, lazily closing its eyes, floating on the lake to sunbathe. Although it wasn’t an adult, its aura was even stronger than Liu Boli’s.
Comparing oneself to others can be infuriating. Even the pets kept in the lake were Nascent Soul stage beings that Qian Duoduo couldn’t afford to provoke.
Many luxurious buildings were built along the lake. Smelling the aromas wafting from the main gates, he could guess that there was food, drink, entertainment, and singing inside.
The aroma was spicy and stimulating, unlike anything he had ever smelled.
After crossing the lake, he reached the very center of Kongfang City. In the center was a five-sided building, with a gate at one corner, bearing two large characters: “Market.” Qian Duoduo’s mission was to manage Refining Spirit Sect’s sect shop inside.
Entering the market, before he even found the spiritual money shop, he was shocked by an object in the very center of the market.