9: Chapter 9: The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce! Buy, buy, buy!

It was a fact that Qinghe Town would eventually be targeted.

This day was bound to come.

Shen Yi did not feel surprised.

The Old Village Chief continued,

"How about we continue to post a bounty in Taiping County?"

Posting a bounty in Taiping County meant spending money to entrust the mission to an Immortal Sect or wandering martial artists.

Shen Yi had done this more than once or twice in the past six months.

Once, when clearing a mountain and destroying a temple, Shen Yi was forced to post a bounty to hire a Cultivator from the Ministry of War to intervene.

The cost was immense!

Every time he hired someone, it would consume the equivalent of a year, or even two or three years, of Qinghe Town's total expenses in copper coins.

And that was putting it mildly.

But he couldn't afford not to, as Qinghe Town lacked the ability to protect itself...

However, that might not be the case now!

He had Wang Meng at his disposal, and he had the rakshasa statue.

And his pockets were full of money... what was there to fear?

"Old Village Chief, go back first and have the villagers stay alert."

"Wang Meng and I will go take a look first..."

"Very well... please be careful, Lord Shen."

Without stopping, after wasting about three hours under the scorching sun,

Shen Yi finally stopped at a desolate Gobi desert.

It was covered in yellow sand... a massive pavilion ruin appeared in the sea of sand.

It was emitting a thick Demonic Qi.

"It wasn't here a few days ago... how did a pavilion suddenly appear out of nowhere today?"

Wang Meng rubbed his head.

Shen Yi said indifferently.

"Immortal magic, Demonic Technique, unearthed by the sea of sand... who knows?"

He looked closely, and suddenly, a notification appeared before his eyes!

[Demonic creatures are covetous. You choose to post a mission in Qinghe Town. Return rate (-10%)]

Shen Yi sighed. This was the downside of posting missions: he wouldn't gain political achievements, he would have to consume resources, and the flesh and blood and Demonic Cores of the Yao Beasts would all go to the adventurers.

Wasn't that an extremely low return rate?

Shen Yi continued to look.

[Demonic creatures are covetous. You choose to train the Rakshasa Guard and rush to the monster's lair to slay the First-Rank snake Yao Beast. Return rate (33%)]

"So low... that shouldn't be right, should it?"

Shen Yi frowned and changed his perspective.

[Demonic creatures are covetous. Knowing that you are at a disadvantage on away ground, you choose to return to Qinghe Town. You build city walls, train the Rakshasa Guard, use fire oil for a fierce attack, attack from high ground to low ground, beat the idiots, and take down the group of snake Yao Beasts without the slightest cost. Return rate (88%)]

Shen Yi's eyes lit up, and he immediately had a plan in mind.

"Let's go back."

"Understood!"

Upon returning to the village, seeing the tense and anxious atmosphere, Shen Yi didn't say much.

After telling Pei Lingshu, he drove off toward Taiping County.

As the sunset filled the sky, he met up with Wang Teng.

Inside an upper room... Wang Teng kept glancing at Shen Yi.

"What are you looking at?"

Wang Teng wore a strange grin.

"Lord Shen, did you offend any noble lady?"

Shen Yi slapped Wang Teng on the forehead.

"Is your brain broken..."

Shen Yi couldn't be bothered to waste words with this rascal, so he took out the Storage Pouch from his robes and asked in a deep voice.

"In Taiping County, are there Cultivators from the Pavilion of Craftsmen?"

"Yes, there are."

"How much does it cost to build city walls for our Qinghe Town?"

Seeing this, Wang Teng stroked his chin.

"About a thousand copper coins should be enough."

"That cheap?"

"No... a thousand copper coins will only get you walls made of rammed earth and blue bricks, which can at best resist some unranked Yao Beasts or bandit attacks."

"Above that... for three thousand copper coins, the durability of the walls can withstand First-Rank high-level Cultivators or Yao Beasts."

"Five thousand copper coins can purchase matching siege crossbows... capable of killing First-Rank entities."

"Seven thousand copper coins can hire the Pavilion of Craftsmen to copy a Formation onto it, but our Qinghe Town lacks a Spiritual Vein, so we can only use Spirit Stones... which is another huge expense."

"Ten thousand copper coins can hire a Mountain-Moving Daoist to build cast-stone walls."

Shen Yi was tempted as he listened... but he set his sights on the medium option of five thousand copper coins.

Formations were very precious, but Spirit Stones were too expensive; he couldn't afford them.

As for anything higher... he wasn't that extravagant yet.

Five thousand copper coins was just right; he could purchase the matching siege crossbows, which would provide a guarantee against the snake Yao Beasts.

With the city walls, Qinghe Town's defensive capabilities would be greatly enhanced, which was a huge benefit.

He would no longer need to worry about someone taking his head in the middle of the night!

Shen Yi made the final decision and said in a deep voice.

"How long will the construction take?"

"Three days!"

"That fast!"

"What did you think? These Cultivators from the Pavilion of Craftsmen are all supported by the imperial court... they even have the magic technique of scattering beans to summon soldiers, so how could it not be fast?"

"They make money fast too."

Shen Yi continued.

"I also need some Yao Beast blood..."

Wang Teng realized it only then.

"Something happened in the village?"

Shen Yi explained the ins and outs of the situation.

Wang Teng suddenly realized, and with a look of being moved, he said,

"Lord Shen... this is your personal savings."

"Alright, stop talking nonsense!"

"I also want to train and purchase a few dozen young men..."

"And martial arts Cultivation Technique!"

Wang Teng quickly said.

"Here... the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce has it all!"

"We can go there early tomorrow morning!"

"It's late, get some rest early!"

"Understood!"

...

Early the next morning, the two of them got up early.

After checking out, they soon arrived in front of a rather magnificent three-story pavilion.

This pavilion occupied the most prosperous street in Taiping County, and looking at it, it seemed to stretch on endlessly.

This was the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

The symbol of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce was a picture of ocean waves... It was said that the business of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce not only spread throughout the Jing Kingdom.

But even had outposts in the East Sea.

With connections everywhere, they were incredibly wealthy and powerful.

Wang Teng proved useful at this moment... he took Shen Yi and quickly found someone.

After some polite refusals, the three of them walked toward the backyard.

The manager was a middle-aged man, with a slightly plump figure.

As he walked, he introduced,

"I have long heard of the great name of Scholar Shen... seeing you today, you are truly extraordinary!"

"Back to business!"

"These young men of ours all have records; they are all good citizens!"

"These are difficult times; many towns have been overrun, and officials of the Immortal Dynasty have been dismissed or even executed."

"This has caused many young people and commoners to be displaced."

"In order to seek a way to survive, they voluntarily sold themselves to our Four Seas Chamber of Commerce."

"There is no need to mention the quality of goods from our Four Seas Chamber of Commerce... I guarantee they are all of the finest quality."

"You two can rest assured on this point."

They entered a room... where many young men were standing there with numb expressions.

The air was a bit thick, but fortunately, it didn't stink.

The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce had clearly put in the effort.

The manager took out a piece of jade silk, which was shimmering with spiritual light.

"Lord Shen, you may make your selection."

"They are all good goods... the price is not expensive, and there are discounts for bulk purchases."

"Buy one, get three free."

"We give you one woman and two children."

"Additionally..."

Shen Yi interrupted and asked with confusion.

"What is this red area...?"

The manager said softly.

"Military households."