328: Chapter 328 Face is something that can only be exchanged for benefits.

He had thought about it before: why don't the talented Disciples of the Danding Sect go down the mountain and open their own shops to do Medicinal Pill business?

One: The Spirit Stone income from small-time business is not as good as earning contribution points by honestly refining pills in the Sect.

Two: Once the business grows large and strong, it touches the interests of the Golden Core Families and even Nascent Soul Families, and these old-established forces that have been deeply rooted in the Prefecture City for thousands of years will unite to strangle it.

They might not necessarily take direct action, but they can cut off your supply of Spirit Medicine, raise the prices of your raw Materials, or join forces to lower the selling price of your Medicinal Pills—there are always ways to drive you out.

As for why the three great Nascent Soul families don't move? That's because it's unnecessary.

They have always taken the lion's share of the cake in the tens of thousands of miles of territory around the Prefecture City, with the Golden Core Families taking the rest; this pattern has remained unchanged for a thousand years.

Whoever comes must follow these rules; those who cannot follow them are either driven away or swallowed up.

In the past, there were indeed newly promoted Golden Core Forces that tried to take root in the Prefecture City, but without exception, they were eventually squeezed down to the lower Prefecture Cities or even to outer provinces.

For the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to gain a foothold in the Prefecture City, it is by no means something that can be accomplished with just a few supreme grade Medicinal Pills.

Su Cheng leaned back against the chair. Fortunately, he had the reputation of the Danding Sect, and now he had the Chief of the Alchemy Hall covering for him, so these families should not dare to use overt underhanded tactics.

As for playing dirty in the shadows, that depends on whether it is worth it; normal people will choose to wait and see before things happen.

"I will handle the matter of these Golden Core Families seeking pills," Su Cheng said.

Li Shi and Zhao Shan both looked over.

"Tomorrow, spread the news that I have arrived in the Prefecture City."

Li Shi was stunned: "Spread the news?"

"Yes. Just say that the Danding Sect Personal Disciple, Su Cheng, has arrived in the Prefecture City and is staying at the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce."

Zhao Shan was also a bit uncertain: "Young Master Su, are you trying to..."

"I want to let those who should come, come, and those who should leave, leave," Su Cheng put down his teacup. "Refusals cannot come from your mouths; that would be equivalent to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce doing the refusing, offending a whole circle of people and ending up with a reputation for being unable to get things done. But it is different when it comes from my mouth."

"The nine-aperture golden spirit pill is currently managed by the Sect's Alchemy Hall, and I, Su Cheng, am merely following orders. Whoever wants to seek pills, go to the Alchemy Hall and wait in line; I cannot make any decisions on this. This is the truth, and it is also the best shield. Who would dare run to the Danding Sect to scold Chief Xu?"

Li Shi savored the ins and outs of this, and his brows slowly relaxed.

Su Cheng took the matter upon himself, using the rules of the Alchemy Hall as a shield, so their Chamber of Commerce didn't have to take the blame—anyway, they hadn't promised these forces anything to begin with.

As for whether those Golden Core Families would give Su Cheng a cold shoulder because of this, to put it bluntly, they wouldn't have given a Foundation Establishment Mid-stage Disciple much Face to begin with; it would be nothing more than changing from polite to cold.

"Understood, this subordinate will arrange it tomorrow morning," Li Shi replied.

Su Cheng looked at Zhao Shan again: "What is the movement on President Fang's side?"

Zhao Shan shook his head: "He has been in seclusion until now, and there hasn't been a sound from the secret chamber, though the fluctuations of Qi are becoming stronger; he should be at a critical moment."

Su Cheng nodded and stopped asking. Fang Zhenhai's seclusion was of the utmost importance.

If he succeeds, the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce will have the foundation to stand firm in the Prefecture City.

If he fails, then everything will have to be pushed back.

That night, Su Cheng stayed in the back courtyard of the Chamber of Commerce, sitting on the bed and sorting through the affairs of the Prefecture City, already having a plan in mind.

Early the next morning, the news spread, and soon forces began sending people over.

The Zhao Family came the earliest, with a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator arriving, bringing two jars of fine spirit wine and a box of Medium Grade Spirit Stones.

After entering, he exchanged pleasantries for half a cup of tea, praised Su Cheng's feat in the Alchemy Hall Competition, and talked about the connection between the Zhao Family and the Danding Sect, before finally getting to the point, smiling and asking if Su Cheng could help the Zhao Family get eight or ten supreme grade nine-aperture golden spirit pills, saying the price was negotiable.

Su Cheng shook his head: "Senior, you are overestimating me. The matter of the nine-aperture golden spirit pill is entirely managed by the Chief of our Sect's Alchemy Hall. I only focus on opening the furnace to refine pills; I cannot make any decisions on anything else."

The smile on the Zhao Family member's Face remained as he leaned in closer and lowered his voice: "Young Master Su, we are not outsiders. If you refine a few privately, my Zhao Family will absolutely not leak a single word. We will provide the Spirit Medicine ourselves, and offer an additional five thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones as a reward; Chief Xu will never know about this."

Su Cheng only said two words: "Impossible."

The man wanted to say more, but Su Cheng added: "Senior, the rules of the Alchemy Hall are not just for show. The regulations were set by the Chief himself; how could I, a Disciple, dare to take on private work behind his back? I really cannot help with this favor."

Seeing that Su Cheng was immune to both soft and hard tactics, the smile on the man's Face faded instantly.

He didn't say anything more, stood up, cupped his hands, threw out a "Then I won't disturb Young Master Su any longer, we shall talk another day," and turned to leave.

The Zhao Family had just left, and the Sun Family arrived right after.

Their attitude was more direct, asking straight away if he could refine pills for them, with the conditions up to Su Cheng.

Su Cheng used the same excuse: he couldn't interfere with matters managed by the Alchemy Hall.

The Sun Family Elder frowned: "Young Master Su, let this old man say something unpleasant. Your ability to refine supreme grade Medicinal Pills at the Alchemy Hall Competition was witnessed by the entire Tianlan Province.

But if you can't help with anything, then for my Sun Family, this ability is not much different from having nothing.

The Danding Sect does not only have you as an alchemist; Wu Chen of the Wu Family can also refine High Grade ones, and if we pull strings with the Nascent Soul Families, we might not necessarily fail to get them."

This was not very polite, but Su Cheng just smiled, thinking to himself that that would be truly great.

"What Senior says is true; this Junior is indeed unable to help. Since you have your own connections, that is even better."

The Sun Family Elder snorted, but maintained his etiquette, quickly stood up to bid farewell, and left.

Afterwards, the Qian, Zhou, Lu, and Fang Families arrived one after another, with similar excuses, mostly being "Refine a few privately, we will pay a high price, and it will never be leaked."

Su Cheng refused them all.

Some people wanted to persuade him, but were blocked by Su Cheng's line: "The rules of the Alchemy Hall are above all; this Junior dares not overstep."

Some people simply stopped trying to persuade him, and the warmth on their Faces disappeared faster than turning a page.

In less than two hours, people from six Golden Core Forces came and went quickly, leaving many gifts on the table in the inner hall, which Su Cheng did not bother to have anyone collect.

Zhao Shan stood at the door the whole time and only came in after the last group left, his expression somewhat unsightly.

Su Cheng, however, breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the chair.

Zhao Shan hesitated on the side.

Su Cheng waved his hand to interrupt what he might have been about to say: "Don't worry, even if they are dissatisfied, they won't fall out with me over this matter; I have my own plans for the Chamber of Commerce."

He spoke with a relaxed tone, but he had calculated the accounts in his heart very clearly.

When those Golden Core Families came, their attitudes were warm, but by the time they left, they had changed their Faces.

This meant that in their eyes, Su Cheng's value from the beginning was tied to "whether he could help get Medicinal Pills".

If you can get things done, you are an honored guest; if you can't, then who would bother to maintain relations with a Foundation Establishment Mid-stage Disciple?

The Danding Sect's brand could protect him from being bullied, but it couldn't force others to give him Face.

In the eyes of a Golden Core True Person, how many Spirit Stones is the Face of a Foundation Establishment Mid-stage Cultivator worth?

Face is something that must be exchanged for benefits.

You are good at refining pills, but you can't get things done; the Danding Sect doesn't just have you alone who can refine pills—Wu Chen can also refine High Grade ones, and perhaps in a few years, others will be able to refine supreme grade pills.

If one really wanted to get a few High Grade nine-aperture golden spirit pills, going through the channels of the three great Nascent Soul families is not impossible; it would just take a bit longer.

Su Cheng was not annoyed by this; on the contrary, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It was exactly what he wanted that no one bothered him. What he feared most was a bunch of people surrounding him, this one begging to refine pills and that one trying to cozy up to him—not only was it annoying, but it was also easy to get entangled in all sorts of trouble.

The current situation was just to his liking, but there was one place that was not so quiet.

The Lin Family.