Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World

Chapter 572: Chapter 300: Arranging Manpower (Part 2)

"Sir, aren’t you worried that collecting these corpses will bring trouble to our doorstep? If an accident occurs, it’s no great loss if something happens to me, but I’m afraid it will delay your important affairs."

Cheng Zongyang smiled faintly, as if he had long expected Ma Yue to ask this. He spoke slowly, "Rest assured, I have a comprehensive plan. I’ll arrange a place for you over there to store the Cultivators’ bodies, something like the coffin home here.

At the same time, you can find some special people to work for you, specifically to look for the unclaimed bodies of Cultivators killed outside the city, or even inside it. The only reason I want Cultivator corpses is that someone has a use for them, and they can be sold for a lot of Spirit Stones. As long as you don’t go out of your way to provoke Cultivators, they generally won’t attack an ordinary Corpse Collector.

Of course, I will establish a dedicated, secret base over there for storing and processing these bodies. This base will have multiple layers of defense and concealment measures to ensure it isn’t easily discovered.

Furthermore, I will provide you with some special Magical Treasures and tools to help you complete your collection task, and also to protect you."

After hearing Cheng Zongyang’s explanation and arrangements, Ma Yue’s doubts gradually faded. He thought for a moment before saying, "Sir, I understand. Since you have such a thorough plan, I will follow your arrangements and get this done right!"

Hearing Ma Yue say this, Cheng Zongyang also smiled. "I remember your aptitude test showed Three Spirit Bones, but No Spirit Root, correct?"

"Yes," Ma Yue said immediately.

"You are now a Sixth Grade Martial Artist, so don’t worry about resources for your Cultivation. I will supply you fully. When you eventually enter the Dao through Martial Arts, I will also give you enough resources to cultivate. For the next six months, focus on your Cultivation and see if you can reach the Fifth Grade."

"Yes! Thank you, Boss!!" Ma Yue said gratefully.

The next morning, while Cheng Zongyang was explaining the details of the Commerce Association to Cheng Zongwen, Chen Kaishan came to visit.

Chen Kaishan’s visit was for several reasons: to explain and apologize for bringing those Chiefs over, to clarify that he had been acting against his will, and to inform Cheng Zongyang that the Chiefs wanted to meet him.

Cheng Zongyang didn’t pay it much mind.

Chen Kaishan was the head of the Commerce Association’s branch, so he had been caught in a difficult position when the people from headquarters arrived. Besides, Cheng Zongyang still needed Chen Kaishan to continue managing the Da Yi Commerce Association here, so he wasn’t going to make a fuss over such a small matter.

"It’s fine," Cheng Zongyang said with a smile. "I understand. But I’m well aware of why they want to see me. Go back and tell them I don’t have time right now. The Cheng Merchant House is about to be established, and I need to oversee these matters.

Tell them I won’t be going to the Cultivation Immortality Realm within the next six months. If they want to go there, give them half a year to prepare items worth ten million taels of silver each. I don’t want silver taels, but it can be Elixirs, Medicinal Materials, Exotic Beast Flesh and Blood, special items, and so on.

As long as it’s something beneficial to Martial Artists, or useful items left behind by Cultivators—anything that I appraise as valuable can be counted toward the total price."

After listening, Chen Kaishan understood Cheng Zongyang’s meaning. And it was true; there was no point in them coming to see him now.

He said at once, "Alright, I’ll go back and inform the Chiefs."

He didn’t stay long, knowing Cheng Zongyang and Cheng Zongwen still had matters to discuss.

After he left, Cheng Zongwen looked at Cheng Zongyang and asked with some concern, "Brother, if we take too many people over, will it arouse suspicion in the Cultivation Immortality Realm?"

Cheng Zongyang nodded. "Not in the short term, as long as they don’t actively court death. There are too many ordinary people in the County Town over there. It’s like tossing a handful of sand into the ocean—who’s going to notice such tiny ripples?"

Cheng Zongwen then asked, "Then in the future, if all the Innate Powerhouses go over, will that be more advantageous for us?"

Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "It’s good that you’ve thought of that. The minimum requirement to go over there is to be an Innate Expert or a Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Third Level or higher. Before that, those people all have to cultivate steadily in the Immortal City, earning money and Spirit Stones. Therefore, the only ones who can go now are the powerful experts from wealthy and influential factions. I’m not taking silver taels, only materials of equivalent value, because I can take those materials over there and exchange them for Spirit Stones in the future."

As Cheng Zongwen listened, he pondered this and gradually came to understand his cousin’s meaning.

Cheng Zongwen exclaimed in admiration, "I get it now. Cousin, you’re really something else. You’ve factored them into your plans completely."

Cheng Zongyang shook his head slightly. "It’s just standard strategic planning. I control the path, so they either have to follow my rules or try to have a complete falling out with me. Anyway, don’t worry about them. We need to get the Cheng Clan Commerce Association up and running quickly."

Cheng Zongwen nodded. "Yes. We were just talking about the Spirit Rice. Aside from the five thousand pounds you’re leaving for the elders in the village, we have forty-five thousand pounds left. If we put it up for sale, I’m afraid that won’t be nearly enough, right? How should we price it?"

Cheng Zongyang returned to the original topic and continued, "Cultivation Immortality Items will still be sold for Spirit Crystals and Spirit Stones. One pound of Spirit Rice for two Spirit Stones..."

The two continued to discuss the detailed affairs of the Commerce Association, especially the pricing of cultivation-related items.

For some Martial Arts items, they could refer to existing market prices, but everything used by Cultivators had to be priced by him individually.

Although the prices he set were higher than the market rates in the Cultivation Immortality Realm, that was to be expected. If he sold them at the same price, what would be his profit?

Cultivation Immortality Elixirs, Spirit Medicines, and Cultivation Techniques of different Tiers all needed to be priced differently. Furthermore, the Money Shop’s loan contracts, exchange rates, and so on all had to be re-established by him based on the market rates of the Cultivation Immortality Realm.

While the two of them were discussing, Chen Kaishan returned to the Commerce Association.

He went to the rear courtyard immediately.

The various Chiefs from the other Eight Prefectures of Da Liang saw Chen Kaishan return and quickly gathered around him.

"Kaishan, how did it go?" one of the old men asked immediately.

After cupping his fists in salute to the eight of them, Chen Kaishan said, "Everyone, he has given his response. He said he needs to handle matters for the Cheng Clan Commerce Association right now and can’t spare the time.

However, he said he knows what you seniors want, so meeting would be pointless. He said to give you seniors six months, and each of you is to prepare items useful to Martial Artists worth ten million taels. Things like Martial Arts Elixirs, Medicinal Materials over a hundred years old, Exotic Beast Flesh and Blood, items left behind by Cultivators, and so on. As long as he appraises it as useful, it will be accepted."

"He doesn’t want silver taels?" another old man frowned. He had already prepared ten million taels of silver.

Chen Kaishan shook his head. "His real intention is to get Spirit Stones. But obviously, we don’t have any."

"Let’s just go over there and capture him! I refuse to believe he can remain indifferent when facing death!" another, more hot-tempered old man said furiously. "Wait for half a year? Do you know how much we could accomplish over there in half a year!"

Chen Kaishan hurriedly said, "Absolutely not! I know that you are all Innate Great Perfection powerhouses, but it’s like I said before: inside the Immortal City, no one can touch him. Even outside, he can use a Cultivator’s abilities. You wouldn’t be his match, would you?"

"Enough," said the old man who had spoken first. "Then we’ll just wait for half a—"

"I disagree! This old man has less than twenty years left before my time is up! In half a year, I could have already achieved Breaking the Mirror and Transcending the Ordinary and extended my life!" The hot-tempered old man waved his hand dismissively and started walking out. "Who’s with me? I refuse to believe he’ll still be this arrogant when we threaten him with the lives of his family and friends!"

But Chen Kaishan blocked the old man’s path, his expression darkening. He offered a perfunctory salute and said, "Lord Dong, everyone, I was the one who brought you here against Cheng Zongyang’s wishes. He isn’t holding my transgression against me, but that doesn’t mean I can let you run rampant here without restraint. Otherwise, the fault will still be mine.

I’ll say it again: if you are truly unwilling to listen to my advice, then I will go to Cheng Zongyang and make my stance clear. At that point, whatever trouble you cause will have nothing to do with me. Furthermore, Lord Dong, if your actions displease him, your death will be a trivial matter, but I’m afraid the other lords will lose their chance to go over there as well."

"Brat, you’re courting death!!" The old man, Lord Dong, glared at Chen Kaishan and suddenly thrust a palm toward him.

SMACK!

Suddenly, a figure flickered like a phantom, appearing in front of Chen Kaishan in an instant and raising a hand to block Lord Dong’s strike.