21: Chapter 21 Hidden in plain sight, Qianlong Manor

Three months later.

The once gloomy and dangerous Black Wind Valley had already changed its appearance.

The crude illusion array at the valley entrance had been completely dismantled, replaced by a second-tier Spirit Gathering Array that Su Yu had personally set up.

The array was not used for killing, but rather to tightly lock the faint spiritual energy emitted by the first-tier low-grade spiritual vein within the valley, preventing even a trace from leaking out.

Viewed from the outside, this was merely an ordinary villa for recluses.

Several newly completed grey-brick courtyards were built against the mountain, and on the vermilion wooden plaque, the four large characters "Hidden Dragon Manor" were carved.

Inside the main hall of the villa.

Su Tie held a thick ledger in his hands, respectfully reporting to Su Yu, who sat in the main seat.

Over these three months, those recruited rogue cultivators had been extremely obedient; not only had they re-tilled the abandoned spiritual fields and planted spiritual rice, but they had also repaired the houses for the Su Family.

"Manager, the supplies brought out from Qingmu Market, as well as the collection of that demonic cultivator, have all been inventoried and stored."

Su Tie opened the ledger, but his brow furrowed slightly.

"There are nearly five thousand spirit stones, enough for the villa to operate for several years."

"However... those medicinal pills, magical artifacts, and a few incomplete cultivation techniques have become a hot potato."

The Qingmu Su Clan had been exterminated, and the surrounding immortal cultivation families and rogue cultivators were undoubtedly searching everywhere for the escaped remnants, attempting to cut weeds and eliminate the roots.

Most of the items Su Yu brought out bore the hidden marks of the Spirit Herb Pavilion of Qingmu.

And the spoils of war from that demonic cultivator were even more stained with the karma of being hunted by a sect.

If these resources were left unused, they would be equivalent to a pile of scrap metal.

If they were to be liquidated in exchange for the array materials and cultivation pills needed by the villa, once they flowed into the surrounding immortal cultivation markets, it would be extremely easy to invite disaster upon themselves.

"Manager, how about I take a few brothers to disguise ourselves and go to some distant underground black markets in batches?" Su Tie tentatively suggested.

"That will not do; the divine sense of immortal cultivators is the most acute."

Su Yu picked up his teacup, gently skimmed off the foam, and spoke in a calm tone.

"A few unfamiliar faces at the early Qi Refining stage, carrying a large batch of spiritual items of unknown origin to the black market, is like a three-year-old child carrying gold through the market; before you even sell the items, you would be swallowed whole by others, skin and bone alike."

Upon hearing this, Su Tie's face showed difficulty.

"Then, are these things just going to stay in the warehouse and gather mold?"

Su Yu set down the teacup, his gaze passing over Su Tie and falling outside the hall.

His eighteen-year-old Su Cheng was shirtless in the courtyard, lifting heavy stone locks to temper his blood and qi.

Although he was a mortal without spiritual roots, his muscles were knotted, and with every breath, there was a faint sound of wind and thunder.

The vigor of his blood and qi was enough to make ordinary early-stage Qi Refining cultivators feel suppressed.

"Things from the immortal cultivation world naturally cannot be laundered using the methods of the immortal cultivation world."

Su Yu withdrew his gaze and spoke indifferently.

"Let Su Cheng handle it."

As soon as these words were spoken, Su Tie was stunned.

"The young master? But he... he is a mortal!"

In the habitual thinking of immortal cultivators, Mortal are like ants.

How could a mortal without any spiritual power fluctuations be allowed to intervene in handling the resources of the immortal cultivation world?

"It is precisely because he is a mortal that he is the safest."

Su Yu looked at Su Tie, his deep eyes revealing a coldness that saw through human nature.

"Cultivators guard against other cultivators as they would against jackals and wolves, but when cultivators look at Mortal, it is only like looking at weeds by the roadside. Would you care about what food an ant is carrying?"

Su Tie was speechless.

"Go and call Su Cheng in." Su Yu said no more.

A moment later, Su Cheng wiped away his sweat, put on his clothes, and walked respectfully into the main hall.

"Father."

Su Yu nodded slightly, signaling him to sit down.

"In these few days, pack your belongings and take a dozen or so mortal servants down the mountain to 'Dingzhou City', a mortal city a hundred miles away."

"After you arrive, use the worldly gold and silver I have given you to take over a fairly large security firm and trading firm."

Su Cheng's expression was calm; he did not ask for the reason, but simply lowered his head and replied, "Your son obeys. I just don't know what the trading firm should primarily deal in?"

"On the surface, deal in worldly textiles, medicinal herbs, and ironware. The bigger, the better; it would be best if you could monopolize the surrounding mortal trade routes."

Su Yu's fingers tapped lightly on the table.

"In secret, I will mix the unspeakable immortal cultivation resources from the warehouse into the mortal supplies and have your caravan transport them."

"In the secular world, there are many fallen rogue cultivators or those of the unorthodox paths who are hiding their identities."

"You only need to use the secret lines of the trading firm to distribute these spiritual items to those low-level rogue cultivators who are in urgent need of resources, at a price twenty percent lower than the black market."

Hearing this, a flash of realization crossed Su Cheng's bright eyes.

Low-level rogue cultivators were the most lacking in resources, and most did not dare to go to formal markets.

A mortal trading firm occasionally leaking a few low-level magical artifacts or pills...

In the eyes of those high-level cultivators, it would only be regarded as some junk that a mortal merchant had struck luck and stripped from a dead body.

They would never associate it with the annihilated immortal cultivation family.

Using the mire of Mortal to cover up the karma of immortal cultivators.

This was an extremely clever and seamless stealthy maneuver.

"Your son understands."

Su Cheng nodded solemnly, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely operate this security firm and trading firm flawlessly."

Looking at his eldest son, whose demeanor was becoming increasingly steady, a flash of gratification crossed Su Yu's eyes.

What if he has no spiritual roots?

In this world, talent determines how high you can fly.

But wrist and strategy determine how long you can live.

"Dingzhou City is a mix of dragons and snakes; the mortal world of martial arts also has its own flashes of swords and shadows."

"Although you have no spiritual power, the breathing technique and martial arts I taught you are enough to make you hard to find an opponent in the secular martial world."

Su Yu stood up, walked to Su Cheng, and hung a flawless jade pendant carved with the two characters "Qianlong" on his waist.

"If you encounter blind mortal thieves, just kill them. If you encounter immortal cultivators you cannot handle, do not resist; abandon the property to save your life, and send a message back to the villa."

"Go on; the public face of Hidden Dragon Manor is now handed over to you."

Su Cheng knelt on both knees and kowtowed heavily.

"Your son will never disgrace Father's teachings."

Early the next morning.

A caravan composed of mortal carriages quietly drove out of Black Wind Valley in the morning mist.

Watching the carriages disappear at the end of the mountain road, Su Yu turned and walked back to the villa's underground secret chamber.

Next, as long as the trading firm's secret lines were spread out, he would be able to completely and securely hibernate in this place.