435: Chapter 435 Investment

Jiang Nishang, at the Early Stage Nascent Soul Realm, was the Third Elder of the Southern Courtyard of the Beast Taming Sect. She controlled a major power and had countless subordinates.

Liu Xuan had some understanding of the several Nascent Soul big shots of the South Courtyard. Rumor had it that Jiang Nishang was dignified, sacred, and aloof, which completely contradicted the person Liu Xuan was seeing now.

Were the rumors wrong? Or was this her true face?

"Junior Brother Liu has such a sweet tongue!" Jiang Nishang smiled sweetly. "I feel like we're old friends at first sight. Why don't we find a quiet place to chat slowly?"

Just as Liu Xuan was about to speak, he was pulled behind Yun Miao, who gave Jiang Nishang a respectful bow.

"Third Junior Martial Uncle, Liu Xuan is this Junior's brother-in-law. You should just call him 'Martial Nephew.' Please do not disregard the generational hierarchy!"

"What generational hierarchy?" Jiang Nishang laughed. "Only Mortals follow such things. We Cultivators should do as we please."

"Sister Yun Miao, take a word of advice from your Elder sister: that stuff from the Gentlemans Academy is all for show. Don't believe in it too much!"

"This Junior begs to differ with Third Junior Martial Uncle's words. I'm afraid Lady Yaoguang wouldn't agree either!"

"You!" A flash of irritation crossed Jiang Nishang's face, but a moment later, she broke into a smile. "I won't argue with a little girl like you. This seat is here for Liu Xuan. Please step aside."

"Liu Xuan is my brother-in-law. If you have something to say, just tell me!" Yun Miao refused to budge an inch.

"Roar!!"

The chubby Black Bear sensed its master's emotions and let out a roar with its wide-open mouth.

Jiang Nishang covered her nose with her hand and waved it in front of her. "Sister Yun Miao is still so temperamental; it's quite boring!"

"Don't be afraid, Junior Brother Liu. This sister will come find you next time, and we'll have a good, deep exchange."

She threw a wink at Liu Xuan, and with a flash of colorful light, she disappeared.

Fourth Elder Chen Beiming said nothing. He scrutinized Liu Xuan for a moment before flying off in another direction.

After everyone had left, Yun Miao turned back to look at Liu Xuan and warned, "Third Junior Martial Uncle Jiang Nishang may seem upright on the surface, but in reality, she's unscrupulous and profit-driven. Back at the academy, she deceived countless people. Be careful!"

"Deceiving people?"

"No way? She doesn't look like someone who would deceive people!"

Liu Xuan gazed at the spot where Jiang Nishang had left, still feeling a bit lingeringly interested.

Yun Miao's face darkened, and her tone turned cold. "I don't care what you do, but you must not hurt my sister, or I'll never hear the end of it with you!"

Leaving behind those harsh words, she left in a huff. The chubby Black Bear scratched its head with its paw, confused about the situation... A few days later.

Jiang Nishang really did come to find Liu Xuan alone. At the time, Liu Xuan was familiarizing himself with his newly arranged manor, accompanied by Xiao Ran, Xia He, Lu Ping, and the other women who had just arrived from Great Sun City.

Her sudden arrival startled Liu Xuan. When Yun Miao and the chubby Black Bear were around, he didn't care if Jiang Nishang was a deceiver or not, but meeting her alone made him feel a bit uncertain.

It wasn't that he was truly afraid; after all, Jiang Nishang couldn't hurt him. Especially here in the Peach Blossom Sect, he could call the Peach Blossom Demon Lord for help at any time.

But once things reached that point, Liu Xuan's relationship with the Peach Blossom Demon Lord would be exposed, as would his true strength. It would be difficult to hide in the background after that.

Ultimately, Liu Xuan was just afraid of trouble!

"Junior Brother Liu, it's been a few days. You don't look very happy! Is something bothering you?"

Without Yun Miao around, Jiang Nishang seemed even more uninhibited. Every smile and gesture, every movement was inexplicably enchanting, swaying even more than the female spirits around Peach Blossom.

Liu Xuan waved his hand, signaling Xiao Ran and the others to withdraw. Then he said respectfully, "Senior Sister Nishang, if you have something to say, just say it. This little brother is quite timid."

"You, timid?" Jiang Nishang leaned in close to Liu Xuan. "A few days ago, you weren't timid at all!"

"Alright! I'll stop teasing you. I really do have serious business with you!"

She found a seat closest to Liu Xuan and said somewhat seriously:

"I've seen the Medicinal Pills refined by your Liu Clan Alchemy Tower in Great Sun City. They are very distinctive and have a great future. Are you interested in letting this Senior Sister buy some shares?"

"Is Senior Sister also an Alchemist?" Liu Xuan asked.

"That's right!" Jiang Nishang gave Liu Xuan an envious look. "I can't compare to your supreme talent, Junior Brother. I've studied for countless years and still haven't been able to break through to become a Fourth-Rank Alchemy Great Master!"

"Senior Sister is too modest. A Top-tier Third-Rank Alchemist is already rare. I just have good luck; I might not even reach your current Realm in the future!"

"However! Although my Liu Clan Alchemy Tower makes some profit, it shouldn't be enough to catch your eye, Senior Sister. Is it worth your personal attention?"

Alchemy and Artifact Refining, except for those professional Sects with long-standing legacies, were mostly small-scale operations that were difficult to scale up.

For the Southern Border region, the largest sources of profit were always fixed industries like Spiritual Veins, mineral veins, and spiritual lands. Alchemy and Artifact Refining were merely side businesses.

Aside from Liu Xuan himself, the other Second-Rank Alchemists in the Liu Clan Alchemy Tower were sent by Yun Xian. How could a dignified Nascent Soul True Lord like Jiang Nishang be interested, let alone want to buy shares?

If she had said she wanted to buy shares in the Liu Family Artifact Refining Workshop, Liu Xuan would have found it more believable. Industrialized Artifact Refining was starting to take shape, and after Zhou Qingwei, a Fourth-Tier Artifact Refining Master, joined to work there, its performance had been booming.

"I don't care much for it now, but I'm optimistic about its prospects, and even more so about you as a person."

"Just say whether you're willing or not!"

"As long as you agree, I can mobilize about five hundred Alchemists. Among them are dozens of Second-Rank and four Third-Rank Alchemists—all of them can work for you!"

Five hundred Alchemists! That was no small number. Alchemists generally had Foundations and backgrounds; mobilizing so many was not easy.

The Liu Clan Alchemy Tower had developed for so many years and had the support of the South Courtyard, yet it still had fewer than two hundred Alchemists.

If Jiang Nishang could mobilize five hundred at once, she likely already had an Alchemy business within her faction.

"It's possible, but once all the Alchemists enter the Liu Clan Alchemy Tower, they must listen to me. You can only share the profits, Senior Sister, and cannot interfere with any decisions. I wonder if you can accept that?" Liu Xuan asked.

"No problem at all!"

Jiang Nishang agreed immediately and said happily, "Not just the Alchemists; our cooperation can go a bit deeper."

"Alchemy Materials, the sale of Medicinal Pills, and even your Liu Family Artifact Refining Workshop—we can cooperate on all of it!"

"The Peach Blossom Demon Lord intervened and took half the territory. To be honest with you, Senior Sister, I'm very short on Spirit Stones right now. You brat better not cheat me!"

Jiang Nishang's tone was sincere, and her words made sense. Liu Xuan had no reason to refuse.

She lacked a stable source of income, and Liu Xuan needed her network of connections. Both sides got what they needed, and they quickly reached a cooperative agreement.

"Junior Brother Liu, now that the serious business is concluded, there's one more thing. I've long heard that your Alchemy talent is peerless and that you're already a Third-Rank Alchemist at such a young age. Could we have a little competition?"

"Since Senior Sister has invited me, this little brother will certainly go all out and won't disappoint you!" Liu Xuan said confidently.

"Quite confident!"

"This Senior Sister wants to see if you really have what it takes!"

Jiang Nishang said excitedly.