695: Chapter 695: Another Way

“Forgive my bluntness, but 9th-order Cultivators are everywhere now; I’m afraid your individual strength won’t make much of a difference, will it?” Gu Qingyi spoke very tactfully.

“Numbers don’t mean everything,” Xue Fu said.

“What are your suggestions?”

“If you don’t want to be manipulated, you need to have strength. So the first step, of course, is to improve your strength.”

“Improve strength? Are you saying recruit Cultivators?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m afraid it’s too late now. Most Cultivators at the 2nd to 3rd Order have already been absorbed by Hongmeng Academy and the Nine Dragons Association.”

“Good food is worth waiting for. Although it’s a bit late now, you have your advantages.”

“Are you referring to using the Huatong Chamber of Commerce as an endorsement?”

Gu Qingyi understood immediately.

“Exactly.”

“But the Huatong Chamber of Commerce is just an empty shell now; I’ve already been sidelined.”

“As long as the Ulan Neutral Zone doesn’t fall, the Huatong Chamber of Commerce cannot possibly fall.”

Gu Qingyi nodded.

She agreed with that point.

Everyone knew that the Huatong Chamber of Commerce and the Ulan Neutral Zone had deep ties, and most of the Cultivators in the country had grown stronger largely thanks to the elixirs they provided.

So, out of respect, no one would cause trouble for the Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s impossible for it to fall, but it might not be able to rise again,” Gu Qingyi said.

“Not falling means you are already in an unbeatable position. You just need to boldly raise the stakes now.”

“But I don’t have any stakes.”

“Of course you do. Aren’t the Chamber of Commerce branches in each base operating independently right now? You can consolidate them first, as a tentacle reaching outwards.”

“How?”

“Find agents. Release the authority for each region and bring back a group of 9th-order Cultivators.”

This was equivalent to giving everyone a gilded identity.

Was this identity useful?

It was useful and not useful at the same time. It was a matter of perspective.

If they had this identity, they would be a member of the Huatong Chamber of Commerce, and then others would have to think twice before causing trouble.

But on the other hand, if they were attacked, the Ulan Neutral Zone certainly wouldn’t step in.

But Gu Qingyi could.

By recruiting agents, she could recruit a large number of 9th-order Cultivators. If one party was in trouble, all sides would come to their aid. This would spontaneously gather a considerable force.

This idea was very similar to crowdfunding.

Gu Qingyi was essentially putting up a signboard and then inviting everyone to join the game.

Starting April 8th, Gu Qingyi sent people to various bases to convey the message.

Unexpectedly, the effect was even better than anticipated.

Whether it was veteran Cultivators or newly ascended ones, they all felt extremely insecure.

The Huatong Chamber of Commerce’s recruitment announcement just happened to cater to this psychological need.

Due to inconvenient communication, everyone could only quickly go to the Binjiang Chamber of Commerce headquarters to register in person.

On April 12th alone, over 23,000 9th-order Cultivators came to register.

“Mr. Xue, you truly are a brilliant strategist!” Gu Qingyi’s gloom from previous days vanished after seeing this result.

“What do you plan to do next?” Xue Fu asked.

“Of course, I plan to seize the opportunity to establish a Cultivator organization similar to the Nine Dragons Association to unify them. Only then will I have the capital to contend with them.”

“No, no, no, that won’t work,” Xue Fu shook his head.

“Why not?” Gu Qingyi didn’t understand.

“Everyone hasn’t received your favor, so how will they obey your management? And even if you establish it, it would just be a copy of the Nine Dragons Association. The starting point is too low, the upward potential is limited, and it will be difficult to become a significant force,” Xue Fu analyzed.

“That makes sense. Then, according to your suggestion…”

“Forge a new path and establish a Cultivator Association. This can be a loose organization that anyone can join. By doing this, you can extend your tentacles into others’ bowls.”

“With this foundation, you can then recruit core members from within to build your own team.”

“That makes sense!”

“Of course, these are all superficial efforts. It goes back to what I said, people aren’t everything. The most crucial thing is what you need to do with these people? What tangible benefits do you gain?”

“I want to rebuild the Moni Sect,” Gu Qingyi immediately stated her idea.

“No, no, no. You don’t want to,” Xue Fu again gave three consecutive rejections.

“I don’t understand.”

“The Moni Sect is now like a rat crossing the street. Even a small child knows that the Moni Sect is a cult. And you still want to go against the current? No wonder you can’t succeed.”

“The old sect leader was kind to me; I cannot stand idly by.”

“Hahaha~” Xue Fu’s laugh was eerie and sinister.

“Do you even believe that yourself? Isn’t it just that by combining the cultivation methods of the Five Divisions, you can open a channel to communicate with the heavens? Don’t worry, I’m not interested in the secrets of your sect.” Xue Fu directly exposed the topic.

“You know that too?” Gu Qingyi was astonished.