Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Young Master!”

”Brother Ding!”

Gong Caiyu, Chen Xi, upon seeing Jiang Ding leave, hastily cried out in alarm, only to see the other party not stopping at all, disappearing into the distance after just a few breaths.

The two women exchanged glances, and almost simultaneously, by instinct, they detected the deep malice in each other’s eyes.

”Your Highness...”

After a brief exchange of looks, Gong Caiyu suddenly remembered the other’s status, her face turned pale, and she shrank back behind her mother.

”Sister Caiyu, it’s good to see you.”

Chen Xi revealed a reserved smile, ”Congratulations on rescuing your mother, Sister Caiyu. How about celebrating at Qinghe Palace today to welcome her and cleanse her of the travel dust?”

’Ten Flower Sword Fairy’ Wan Qianyu was looking for an opportunity to assassinate, she did not dare to stay here too long, and after a brief conversation, she hurriedly left with Gong Caiyu and the others.

The main reason she had dared to come out was because ’Dream Eating Sword Demon’ Jiang Ding, who had once defeated Wan Qianyu, was present. Now that he had left, she naturally needed to quickly return to the heavily protected royal palace.

...

Sihai Courtyard.

The place covered more than ten acres, decorated with tranquil simplicity and understated elegance. Every three steps held a scene, every five steps a garden, with rugged rocks and quaint ponds visible everywhere, devoid of aristocratic opulence yet possessing a unique style that was refreshing and pleasing to the soul.

This was the main office of the Sihai Business Association in the capital city, not open to ordinary customers, receiving only guests with silver cards or higher. Ordinary business was conducted elsewhere, thoroughly considering the privacy of the valued customers.

”President, this year’s ledgers have been tallied.”

Long Qiliang, who had been called back from Chizhong Mansion, reported, ”Compared to last year, Chizhong Mansion has lost forty-five percent, Chiling Mansion thirty percent, Dongling City gained 140 percent, Yuejing lost twenty-one percent, the south fared better, Wuling Mansion profited thirty-one percent...”

Reading through the list, most of the north was losing money, with occasional profits being few and far between, not forming any substantial gains. The south was somewhat better, but the overall loss was still a massive number.

”What are the reasons?”

The president of the Sihai Trading Company, Long Xingshang, was a white-haired old man with an aged appearance, every strand of his hair meticulously groomed, and a seemingly ordinary cane placed by his hand.

His brows deeply furrowed, he asked.

Although last year was said to be profitable, considering the expenses of the whole family above and below, there wasn’t much left, and this year it had turned into a total loss.

It’s true that the trading company had savings, but they couldn’t withstand such continued depletion.

”The managers below have also reported the reasons, mainly being wars and chaos. Our great Yue appears to be entering the end of a dynasty, without a shred of doubt.”

Long Qiliang naturally uttered what would seem to outsiders as rebellious and heinous, but Long Xingshang and several core managers of the Sihai Trading Company were all calm in their reaction.

”When war comes, order becomes chaos.”

”Often bandits and robbers would attack our caravans, and we don’t have that many warriors to guard them. The hired warriors from the outside are not only more costly, but with chaos everywhere, they easily become greedy at the sight of wealth and may even collude with bandits willingly. After a successful heist, they flee elsewhere, and we have no way to track them.”

”The trading company’s costs of doing business have skyrocketed. Although the prices and profits have been raised accordingly, it’s still not enough to cover the losses.”

”Other reasons include corruption among the lower managers, the rise of ambitious figures in various localities who are unwilling to give the trading company face, and the important reasons of blood battles between the righteous and demonic paths.”

”Furthermore...”

Long Qiliang and the other managers exchanged glances, hesitating to speak.

”Speak,” Long Xingshang commanded.

Long Xingshang rubbed his eyebrows, ”We are all family of the Long’s here; let’s not do that outside-world formal stuff.”

”Xiuyun, my niece, is indeed a significant reason for the losses, and it’s shaking the foundation of the trading company.” At this point, Long Qiliang and the core store managers exchanged glances before saying straight out:

”Niece Xiuyun, ranked eighteenth on the Dragon and Phoenix List and known as ’Bingli,’ established the Bingli Tower to recruit heroines from Jianghu and daughters of leaders from various local powers, cultivating relationships. It also indirectly influences many young talents. This is naturally excellent and enhances the reputation of our Sihai Business Association. It’s worth every silver coin spent.”

”However.”

Long Qiliang paused: ”Competing against Princess Qinghechang directly has cost us nearly half of the royal business. Furthermore, because she has become too close to the young talents, it has invariably led to hostility from both internal and external rivals of these young talents’ families. They no longer see our Sihai Business Association as a neutral power worthy of trust for trade, which has led to another loss in business.”

”Besides, niece Xiuyun is not exactly suited for the world of commerce.”

”A prime example being Young Hero Jiang, who is currently ranked second on the Dragon and Phoenix List for defeating the ’Ten Flower Sword Fairy’ Wan Qianyu, a Xiantian expert. This happened with the manager of the Chizhong Mansion branch that I used to oversee.”

”With his potential, once he steps into the Xiantian level, he will instantly be among the top experts, and it’s very likely he will achieve Master status in the future.”

”Turning away such a person, who came to buy merely a few Centennial Elixirs and, according to past customs, would certainly offer an equivalent or even higher payment, was really...”

”She imagines herself as a royal princess instead of remembering she’s the daughter of a merchant!”

”The food and clothes she wears, the silver coins she lavishly bestows upon her friends—all come from the hard work of uncles and aunts earning every single copper coin out there!”

Long Qiliang and the core store managers distinctly expressed their extreme dissatisfaction.

”A potential young Master who has already cooperated closely with our Sihai Business Association, bringing satisfaction and benefits to both sides, could even eventually become an ally to some extent—a key to the next three centuries of prosperity for our trading company.”

”Just like that, niece Xiuyun ruined everything.”

Long Qiliang’s voice was now filled with anger, ”Association leader, you are of the direct lineage, but the Sihai Business Association is what our ancestors left us. If you are determined to ruin the foundational business of the Sihai Business Association, I think it would be better to divide the family assets right away!”

The other core store managers also looked over, each at the peak of the Internal Qi Realm. Even though they were a bit weaker, they weren’t exactly intimidated.

”Gentlemen, please calm down!”

Long Xingshang could not ignore this formidable force. ”The major powers may seem to be on good terms with us, but in reality, they are strictly blockading items related to the Xiantian. If anyone dares to touch them, they are immediately met with a thunderous response. This kind of thing has happened repeatedly over the past hundred or so years.”

”My daughter has not easily found a crack in this chaotic era to connect with the Qingniugong and have a small opening.”

”No Xiantian from other families, no matter how friendly, can compare to our own family’s Xiantian.”

”My daughter is indeed willful, and I will surely discipline her strictly after I return...”

Long Qiliang and the others reluctantly suppressed their dissatisfaction but had already made up their minds about another course of action.

...

Sword Casting Manor.

A Talisman Sword floated in front of Jiang Ding, smeared with Baiyuan Liquid, activating the Great Sun Spirit Gathering Formation to converge Great Sun Essence and Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi to refine the sword’s body, as if holding a sun with a tinge of blue warmth.

After a long time, Jiang Ding opened his eyes, and the Talisman Sword, with its light diminished, flew into his hand.

”The Talisman Sword, perfected.”

Jiang Ding gently caressed the sword, and the lines lit up then dimmed, every Array Pattern clearly forming in his mind.

Having been nurtured for over a month, the Talisman Sword had reached the limits of Inner Energy refinement and material capacity; next would be the integration of the Spirit Seed, followed by unlocking the ”Great Sun Sword Cultivation Method.”

A wooden sword!