13: We cannot let the Xu mother and daughter monopolize the limelight.

Han Qing sat in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the three city lords below, each with different expressions.

The timing was just right.

"Since you are all willing to submit, this Seat is not one to be stingy or ungrateful."

"Fuyan City, located on the frontier, though prosperous for a time with this Seat's presence, requires long-term resource integration and mutual exchange to truly establish and grow."

"This Seat wishes to unite the strength of the three families to establish a merchant guild, to coordinate and manage resources in the surrounding areas for mutual benefit. Externally, it can also display our strength and deter petty villains."

Uniting the three families to establish a merchant guild?

Ying Rushi, Xu Shixiong, Song Tian, and Tie Xinshu were all startled, then vehemently agreed!

This was absolutely a farsighted move!

Now, Fuyan City's popularity had skyrocketed due to the Master's presence, creating infinite business opportunities.

However, the Xu Family's individual strength was ultimately limited, making it difficult to fully capitalize on this sudden windfall.

And while the Song Family and Tie Family had deep Foundations, their influence in their respective territories was far less significant than the immense power they would gain by uniting and relying on Han Qing, this towering tree!

If the three families united, with Fuyan City as the center, radiating to the Song Family's Tianyun City and the Tie Family's Qingteng City, forming a stable iron triangle, and using the Master's title as a "Golden Core Great Power" as their golden signboard, why would they not be able to carve out a territory in the eastern Tianhuang Domain, or even the entire Tianhuang Domain!

"Master is wise!"

Song Tian was the first to react, quickly flattering, "This move is a great blessing for our three families and for the entire eastern region! This Subordinate will do his utmost to share Master's burdens!"

"This Subordinate seconds that!"

Tie Xinshu also quickly stated, "A united merchant guild will benefit generations! My Tie Family is willing to commit everything to support the guild's development!"

Ying Rushi and Xu Shixiong naturally had no objections; they already looked to Han Qing as their leader. Especially Ying Rushi, whose heart was surging with emotion, her gaze towards Han Qing filled with admiration and reliance.

Not only was the Master's cultivation unfathomable, but his vision was also exceptional!

Once this merchant guild was established, Fuyan City would truly become the eastern hub, and her Xu Family's status would also rise.

After the Song and Tie Family Patriarchs expressed their stance, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Ying Rushi seized this opening, gracefully stepping forward from her seat to the center of the hall, bowing deeply to Han Qing.

Today, she wore a long, watery blue dress that accentuated her mature and voluptuous curves, exuding an elegant demeanor.

Her head slightly lowered, revealing a section of her fair and delicate neck, her voice soft and melodious, carrying a perfectly measured hint of reverence and anticipation:

"Master's farsightedness in establishing the Four Seas Merchant Guild is truly a great blessing for us all, with long-term benefits. As the City Lord of Fuyan City, I am deeply honored to have received Master's favor and to have been among the first to pledge allegiance. I most clearly understand Master's profound intention to integrate resources and achieve mutual benefit."

She paused, her beautiful eyes shimmering, boldly meeting Han Qing's gaze, revealing a sincere desire to share his burdens:

"However, the merchant guild is newly established, with a myriad of intricate affairs, involving coordination among the three families, resource allocation, rule-making, interest distribution, and other complex matters. Although Patriarch Song and Patriarch Tie are brilliant strategists, they each have their own Foundations to manage, and their territories are separated."

"This Rushi dares to humbly request Master's permission."

She bowed deeply again, her skirt fanning out like water ripples: "Allow Rushi to serve as the Steward of this 'Four Seas Merchant Guild.'"

Rushi and her daughter Feiyan have both received Master's grace of rebirth, and have long tied all their honor and disgrace to Master.

Rushi is willing to be permanently stationed in Fuyan City, working day and night, coordinating all parties, personally handling every single detail to ensure the merchant guild is managed in perfect order. I will never fail Master's high expectations, share Master's burdens, and also prevent Patriarch Song and Patriarch Tie from being distracted by such mundane affairs."

These words were incredibly clever.

She highlighted her "seniority" as the earliest to pledge allegiance, pointed out her advantage of being centrally located, and also brought in her daughter Xu Feiyan, hinting at a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Master.

More importantly, she positioned herself as someone handling mundane affairs, adopting a very humble posture, appearing to serve the Master and alleviate the burden on the Song and Tie families, rather than simply vying for power and profit.

Amidst her mature and charming allure, there was now an added earnestness that made one feel pity.

Han Qing's gaze fell upon Ying Rushi, and seeing her respectful yet subtly expectant and moving appearance, his heart stirred slightly.

Ying Rushi's capabilities were decent, her emotional intelligence extremely high, and she was the City Lord of Fuyan City. Having her oversee the merchant guild's affairs was indeed the most suitable and easiest to control.

"This is excellent."

Han Qing nodded slightly, agreeing to her request: "The merchant guild's name shall be 'Four Seas.' City Lord Ying, you shall serve as the Steward of this Four Seas Merchant Guild, responsible for overall coordination."

He then looked at Song Tian and Tie Xinshu: "As for how the merchant guild will specifically operate, how personnel will be allocated, and how profits will be distributed, Ying Rushi will preside, and you three will discuss and decide among yourselves. This Seat will not ask about the process, only the result."

"Thank you, Master!"

Ying Rushi was overjoyed, merely bowing respectfully again, her voluptuous figure appearing even more yielding.

With her objective achieved, she knew how to act now to please the Master even more.

Song Tian and Tie Xinshu, seeing that the Master had spoken, naturally had no objections; on the contrary, their hearts felt at ease.

Having Ying Rushi, someone close to the Master, as the Steward was indeed much better than the two of them vying for the position, and it would better reflect the Master's will.

Han Qing's gaze swept over everyone again: "This Seat will soon enter secluded cultivation again to break through to a higher Realm. Do not disappoint this Seat regarding the merchant guild's affairs."

With that, he slowly stood up, no longer looking at the people below, and turned to walk out of the hall.

Xu Feiyan also quickly followed, giving her mother a grateful look before leaving with Han Qing, departing from the City Lord's Mansion together.

Left in the hall were the three Family patriarchs, looking at each other, but all understood the situation and shared burning ambitions.

The Master was completely delegating authority, and it was also a test! Especially for Ying Rushi, the newly appointed Steward!

"Steward Ying."

Song Tian was the first to speak, lowering his posture even further, his address immediately changing: "Congratulations, Steward, on earning the Master's trust! From now on, we are colleagues, and I hope you will guide us more."

"Regarding the establishment of this Four Seas Merchant Guild, my Song Family will definitely go all out, and we await your instructions, Steward!"

Tie Xinshu quickly followed, saying: "Precisely! Steward Ying is exceptionally intelligent, and with you presiding over the merchant guild, we are a hundred percent at ease! My Tie Family is the same! We await Steward Ying's instructions!"

They knew very well that although the Master had told the three of them to discuss, Ying Rushi, having received the title of Steward, being the Master's earliest follower, and the City Lord of Fuyan City, already held a transcendent status.

To do a good job and gain the Master's favor, they first had to manage their relationship with Steward Ying.

Ying Rushi smiled charmingly upon hearing this, now with an added confident allure of wielding authority: "You two Patriarchs are too kind. Since we are all serving the Master, we should naturally be of one mind. For specific matters, we still need to deliberate at length. However..."

Her tone shifted, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in her beautiful eyes: "The Master values practical results above all else in his cultivation. I believe the Master already knows your intentions, Patriarchs. But for this Four Seas Merchant Guild to operate quickly, the initial investment might..."

Song Tian and Tie Xinshu were both shrewd individuals; how could they not understand Ying Rushi's unspoken meaning?

She was reminding them that merely pledging loyalty was useless; they needed to produce tangible results!

The Spirit Medicine offered earlier was an apology; what they needed to discuss now was contributing to the merchant guild, to the Master, and especially to her, the new Steward!

Thoughts raced through Song Tian's mind.

The Xu Family had Xu Feiyan, a peerless beauty, serving the Master day and night, and Ying Rushi herself knew how to seize opportunities, earning the Master's deep trust. This advantage of being close to the source was something they couldn't compare to.

It seemed that besides resources, he also had to find a way to offer a few talented and beautiful women from his clan to share the Master's burdens and not let the Xu mother and daughter monopolize this favor!

But for now, it was best to first satisfy Steward Ying's demands and get the Four Seas Merchant Guild running smoothly.

"Steward Ying, rest assured!"

Song Tian immediately patted his chest and guaranteed: "I will immediately send a message back to my Family to mobilize the first batch of resources! I guarantee they will be delivered to Fuyan City within three days!"

"My Tie Family too!"

Tie Xinshu refused to be outdone.

Years passed swiftly, cultivation knows no time.

In the blink of an eye, two years had quietly slipped by.

In these two years, the eastern region of the Tianhuang Domain underwent earth-shattering changes.

The Four Seas Merchant Guild, a nascent power formed by the alliance of the Xu, Song, and Tie families, backed by a mysterious Golden Core Great Power, shone brightly like the rising sun.

With Han Qing's name, enough to deter petty villains, and the vast resources and network integrated by the Three Great Families.

The Four Seas Merchant Guild developed by leaps and bounds, its business spreading across more than a dozen surrounding cities, and even beginning to penetrate more distant territories.

Its immense influence and abundant wealth were already subtly showing a trend of becoming the number one commercial giant in the eastern Tianhuang Domain.

Countless Loose Cultivators and small families considered it an honor to be associated with the Four Seas Merchant Guild.

Fuyan City, in particular, benefited from this, becoming increasingly prosperous and thriving, subtly emerging as the new center of the eastern region.

Of course, all this prosperity was built upon the formidable reputation of that mysterious Master of Tingyun Pavilion.

Although Han Qing had almost never appeared in public during these two years, the legend of him being a "Late Golden Core Stage Great Power" spread more and more mystically, becoming an object of reverence in the hearts of countless Cultivators.

Meanwhile, the situation in the entire Tianhuang Domain also began to become somewhat delicate.

Some unsettling rumors, like undercurrents beneath the water, were quietly stirring.

The wind howls before the storm.

An invisible tension began to permeate the air of the Tianhuang Domain.

However, all of this had not yet affected Fuyan City, which was tucked away in a corner with Han Qing presiding over it.

Tingyun Pavilion, top-floor quiet room.

Spiritual Qi, so dense it almost materialized, surged violently, gathering frantically around the figure seated cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, forming a massive Spiritual Qi vortex.

At the center of the vortex was Han Qing, who had been in secluded cultivation for two years.

At this moment, his eyes were tightly closed, his expression calm, and his demeanor solemn and dignified.

His robes billowed without wind, rustling loudly!

The surging spiritual power within his body had reached an unprecedented Peak, like a flood about to breach a dam, frantically circulating through his Meridians, impacting that final invisible barrier!

For more than two years, he had been honing his Foundation and accumulating spiritual power, all for this final step—Qi Condensation Realm Perfection!

Only by reaching the Perfection Realm could he truly touch the threshold of Foundation Establishment!

Boom!

It was as if success came naturally, or like a long-dormant volcano finally erupting!

A dull roar erupted within Han Qing's body, and that sturdy barrier shattered in response!

The majestic spiritual power finally found its outlet, instantly flowing through all his Meridians, forming a flawless grand circulation!

A powerful aura, far surpassing the ninth level of qi condensation, burst forth from him!

The violent Spiritual Qi vortex in the quiet room also gradually subsided under the guidance of this aura, eventually transforming into gentle trickles that obediently merged into his body.

After a long while, Han Qing slowly opened his eyes.

As his eyes opened and closed, brilliant light shot out!

"Qi Condensation Realm Perfection!"

Although it was just the Perfection of a minor Realm, for him, it was undoubtedly a huge milestone!

It meant he was one big step closer to the Foundation Establishment Realm!

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully breaking through to Qi Condensation Realm Perfection! New special effect unlock conditions met!]

[Successfully unlocked new special effects!]

[Realm Special Effect: Golden Core Realm Perfection!]

[Temperament Special Effect: Sage!]

[attack special effect: Hand of the Great Wilderness!]

"Sage temperament?"

Han Qing stroked his chin; this special effect was quite interesting.

It didn't seem as overbearing as [hidden world expert], but it was subtle and intelligent, and might have unexpected effects in specific situations.

With a thought, he tried to activate the [Sage] special effect.

Buzz!

An invisible aura instantly enveloped his entire body.

The aura, which had been slightly sharp due to the Breakthrough, quickly receded, replaced by a gentle, jade-like yet unfathomably profound scholarly demeanor.

His entire temperament transformed from that of an overwhelmingly powerful expert to a tireless teacher, a learned Grandmaster!

Han Qing stood quietly in front of the mirror, admiring himself.

Truly amazing!

If a Disciple were present at this moment, they would likely be immediately captivated by this temperament, feeling as if they had met a benevolent teacher!

Satisfied, he deactivated the [Sage] special effect and turned his attention to another newly unlocked attack special effect.

Hand of the Great Wilderness?

This special effect also looked quite formidable!