Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World

Chapter 554: Chapter 293: Commerce Association Procurement

Three hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the study of his personal space on the third floor of the marketplace hut, Cheng Zongyang gazed at the contents written on seven or eight simulated blackboards, his heart still thrumming with excitement.

He had spent several hours comprehensively analyzing the Ring Spirit’s latest functional update, integrating its new features with his own ideas to formulate a brand-new, massive development plan.

If successful, both he and the Ring Spirit would reap immense benefits and experience rapid growth.

But all of this hinged on a massive amount of Points, silver, and Gold. Furthermore, the Immortal City’s development needed to stabilize.

’It won’t be long!’

Cheng Zongyang looked at the grand plan laid out on the blackboards. Though it wasn’t fully detailed yet, he knew he could flesh out the specifics and establish the various rules over time.

Leaving his personal space, Cheng Zongyang found Luo Dingran and handed him a booklet in which he had copied down the details of the update. He then summoned his interface to glance at his Point balance before speaking.

"Later, I need you to compile a catalog of all the goods from the Martial Arts Realm that we can currently trade for Points. It’s also about time for me to head back to Jade Peak Immortal City. And one more thing, we still have quite a few Points. Exchange them for two Foundation Establishment Pills; I’ll need them later."

"Yes, my lord," Luo Dingran replied with a cupped-fist salute.

Cheng Zongyang left the marketplace hut and returned to the outside world.

Looking at the furnishings in his study, Cheng Zongyang fell into thought.

’I have to go back to Jade Peak Immortal City,’ he thought. ’But when I do, I need to arrange for someone to hold down the fort here and help me procure supplies.’

’This person needs to be not only competent but also strong.’

As far as he was concerned, both the Martial Arts Realm and the Ice and Fire Cultivation Immortality Realm were merely tools to strengthen Jade Peak Immortal City. He had no intention of building a power base in the Ice and Fire Cultivation Immortality Realm.

Even in Jade Peak Immortal City, aside from his intelligence network, he had no desire to expand his influence.

His goal was simply to leverage the resources of both worlds for his own use; he didn’t need to build a massive faction.

’As for the candidate...’ Cheng Zongyang mused, considering everyone from his brothers to his elders.

He quickly dismissed the idea of bringing his elders. They could handle interactions with ordinary people, but he feared they lacked the experience to deal with the Martial Artists and Cultivators here. As for his brothers, they were clearly unsuitable as well.

Finally, he thought of a few suitable candidates.

Zhang Chuchu, Li Yihuo, and Li Xuejin.

The competence of these three was beyond question. But among them, Li Xuejin’s personality was a bit of a wild card. ’What if I bring him here, only for him to up and leave on his own?’

He had also considered Li Lu. While Li Lu wasn’t a master strategist, he wasn’t all brawn and no brains, either. His strengths just lay elsewhere, so it was best to let him remain in the Immortal City and continue managing the gang’s affairs.

Zhang Chuchu was steady and experienced, excellent with internal affairs. In business, however, he couldn’t compare to Li Yihuo.

As for Li Yihuo, his business acumen was undeniable. He was currently single-handedly responsible for all the business dealings of both the Cheng Family and the Celestial Break Gang in the Immortal City.

’But if I bring him here, I’ll need someone in the Immortal City who can take his place, just to prevent any mishaps.’

But none of the three had any real power.

Zi’an County was safe, but not absolutely so. If any of these men were targeted by a Cultivator, they would be completely powerless to resist. Their deaths would be in vain.

Cheng Zongyang shook his head slightly, pushing the jumbled thoughts aside for now. He would figure it out after he returned.

Deactivating the Array, he walked out of his room and saw Yu Wenlin and his two companions reading in the courtyard pavilion.

Each of the three men held a book, completely engrossed, with cups of tea sitting on the table before them.

Seeing this, Cheng Zongyang walked over. Yu Wenlin and his companions were so absorbed in their reading that they failed to notice his approach. Only when Cheng Zongyang reached the pavilion did Shentu Li finally look up.

"Young Master Cheng." Shentu Li immediately set down his book, rose with a smile, and offered a cupped-fist salute.

Only then did Yu Wenlin and Ji Lin snap out of their daze, rising to offer their greetings as well.

"Please, Seniors, no need for such formalities." Cheng Zongyang didn’t put on airs, returning their cupped-fist salute with a smile. "What are you all reading that has you so captivated?"

Yu Wenlin gave a wry smile. "These are the Cultivation Immortality Techniques we purchased. Each one cost two to three hundred Spirit Stones. The content is just so profound that we became completely immersed, forgetting everything around us."

An intrigued expression appeared on Cheng Zongyang’s face. He stepped closer to the table and glanced at the cover of Yu Wenlin’s book, which read "Guiyuan Technique."

The name of the Cultivation Technique immediately rang a bell for Cheng Zongyang.

He had bought a copy from a stall vendor in the West District market for two hundred and thirty Spirit Stones. It was the complete Cultivation Technique for the Qi Cultivation Stage.

"For it to hold the attention of you three Seniors so completely, the content must be difficult to grasp. But the path of Cultivation Immortality is an arduous one. The Cultivation Techniques you bought are the original texts, not translated copies, so it’s only natural that they’re hard to comprehend. I’ve heard there’s an Independent Cultivator Hall in the West District. It’s a place where many Loose Cultivators gather to discuss techniques. You can get in by paying a few Spirit Stones, or you can spend Spirit Stones to have someone explain things. If there are parts you truly don’t understand, you might want to check it out."

Yu Wenlin cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for the tip, Young Master Cheng. There are indeed some perplexing parts in this Cultivation Technique. For instance, the pathways and methods for circulating Spiritual Qi are completely different from Martial Arts Techniques, yet they seem open to multiple interpretations. We didn’t know who to consult or discuss this with. We never imagined such a place actually existed."