382: Western Regions Merchant Alliance

On the ice table in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Gongsun Ce's revised contract lay spread out, its ink still wet but already emitting a faint golden glow—this was the recognition of the contract by the rules of Heaven and Earth, and any party that violated it would suffer a backlash.

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip brushed over the clause “The pricing power of Profound Iron belongs to Beyond Heaven,” and the water mirror reflected a scene of the Western Regions Merchant Alliance's deliberation.

In the main hall of the Merchant Alliance's headquarters, Hassan, the leader of the Persian merchant caravan, slammed the table and roared, with the Western Regions merchants behind him echoing, “Why can Beyond Heaven raise prices whenever they want? Our costs are becoming unbearable!”

The Merchant Alliance Chairman in the center stroked his beard, a greedy glint in his eyes: “Leader Hassan, rest assured, I have already united with the seven largest iron workshops. As long as we collectively stop purchasing Profound Iron, Jun Xiaoyao will definitely lower the price!”

Before the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao chuckled softly and pushed the contract to Gongsun Ce: “They certainly have their schemes.”

Gongsun Ce picked up the contract, his fingertip pointing at the supplementary clause: “Young Lord, please see, it is stated here that ‘unilateral cessation of purchase is considered a breach of contract,’ requiring three times the damages. If they dare to act, it will be the perfect opportunity for us to reclaim seventy percent of the Merchant Alliance's assets.”

Personal Panel: Gongsun Ce

Status: Deduction

Current Calculation: The Western Regions Merchant Alliance's total assets are approximately five million taels; three times the compensation is fifteen million taels, which is enough to acquire their core industries.

Special Mark: Contract Golden Glow strength increased, backlash for violators doubled.

Three days later, news came from the water mirror: The Western Regions Merchant Alliance indeed collectively stopped purchasing Profound Iron. The craftsmen in the iron workshops stopped working, and rumors spread everywhere that Beyond Heaven was about to compromise. Hassan raised his glass at the celebration banquet: “Once Jun Xiaoyao bows his head, we'll make him give three tenths of the ore veins to the Merchant Alliance!”

Jun Xiaoyao watched this scene and nodded to Zhao Gao: “Have Shen Wansan make his move.”

Shen Wansan had already arrived in the Western Regions with gold coins. Instead of negotiating with the Merchant Alliance, he went directly to the idle iron workshops and loudly proclaimed to the craftsmen: “Beyond Heaven is recruiting blacksmiths, and the wages are double that of the Merchant Alliance. Those willing to join, sign the contract now!”

The craftsmen, whose livelihoods were cut off by the work stoppage, surged forward upon hearing this. In less than half a day, ninety percent of the craftsmen from the seven iron workshops left, leaving behind only empty workshops and dumbfounded workshop masters.

Upon hearing the news, the Merchant Alliance Chairman was so furious he spat blood: “Shen Wansan! How dare you poach our people!”

Shen Wansan's abacus clattered loudly: “Chairman, you jest. A good bird chooses its tree. Besides…” He pulled out the contract drafted by Gongsun Ce, “You breached the contract first, so you should prepare for compensation.”

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Hassan tried to leave the Western Regions with his caravan but was stopped by Li Shimin. The newly promoted Marquis of Pacifying the West sat beneath the city gate, with a strict Formation of spearmen behind him: “Leader Hassan, you wish to leave without paying compensation?”

Personal Panel: Li Shimin

Origin: “Romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties” World

Realm: Peak Land Immortal Realm

Martial Skill: Black Tortoise Sword Art (Transcendent), Emperor's Aura (suppresses the Aura of Martial Artists below the same Realm)

Current Status: Guarding the City Gate

Special Abilities: Accepting Advice (loyalty of subordinates increased by 10%), Command (soldier combat power increased by 20%)

Hassan drew his scimitar, and the merchant caravan guards behind him also drew their blades: “We Persian warriors are not afraid of you!”

Li Shimin remained still, but Huyan Zhuo had already spurred his horse forward, his twin whips forming an iron curtain. In just one exchange, he knocked Hassan's scimitar away and coiled his whip around Hassan's neck: “In the Western Regions, you must abide by Beyond Heaven's rules.”

Seeing that armed resistance was futile, the Merchant Alliance Chairman could only grit his teeth and agree to compensation. However, when tallying their assets, they discovered that most of their industries had already been secretly acquired by Shen Wansan, and what remained was simply not enough to cover the compensation.

“What do we do? We really have no money left!” The Chairman collapsed to the ground.

Gongsun Ce appeared at the opportune moment, holding a new contract: “You can use assets to offset the debt. Mines, workshops, shops… all can be converted.”

The Merchant Alliance members looked at the clauses in the contract, knowing it was a trap but having no choice but to fall into it—Gongsun Ce's calculations were flawless; the value of the assets used to offset the debt was just enough to cover the compensation, yet it left them with nothing.

Before the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched as the Western Regions Merchant Alliance's banner was replaced by Beyond Heaven's cloud-patterned flag, and nodded to Zhao Gao: “Gongsun Ce's brush is more formidable than The Net's blades.”

Zhao Gao handed over a secret report: “Young Lord, the Treasure Gathering Pavilion from the Central Plains has sent someone, offering twenty million taels to buy our Profound Iron's Central Plains agency rights.”

Jun Xiaoyao looked up, and in the water mirror, an old man in brocade robes appeared, cupping his hands to The Net's hidden scout: “Please inform the Young Lord that the Third Prince is behind the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, and he is very sincere.”

The spiritual power of the summoning array, having gained control of the Western Regions trade routes, had risen to 94%. As the runes flowed, a figure holding a whisk emerged.

System Prompt: Detected intervention by a royal faction, triggering a “Strategic Type” summon.

Summonable Character: Liu Bowen

Origin: “Those Things of the Ming Dynasty” and folk legends

Realm: Mid-stage Terrestrial Immortal Realm

Martial Skill: Mystical Arts of Wondrous Gates and Hidden Staves (Transcendent, capable of setting up large trapping and killing Formations), Qi Observation Art (predicting event progression)

Specialty: Strategy (90% success rate in planning), Astrology (predicting fortune and misfortune through celestial phenomena)

Summon Consumption: Spiritual power 93%

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip descended, and the summoning array burst forth with purple-gold radiance. Runes spun like stars, and Liu Bowen's figure, clad in a Daoist robe and holding a whisk, condensed in the light. He bowed to Jun Xiaoyao: “Liu Bowen greets the Young Lord.”

Personal Panel: Liu Bowen

Status: Stargazing

Special Abilities: Qimen (can set up Formations to trap Land Immortals), Deduction (80% accuracy in predicting events within seven days)

Loyalty: 89%

Current Thought: The Third Prince's ambition is not small; approaching us is to pave the way for his succession.

“The Third Prince's olive branch, should we accept it?” Jun Xiaoyao asked.

Liu Bowen lightly swept his whisk: “We can accept it, but we must keep an ace up our sleeve. Gongsun Ce's drafted contract needs to include a clause stating, ‘If there are internal changes within the royal family, the agency rights automatically become void.’ This way, we neither offend the Third Prince nor are we unable to withdraw at any time.”

He paused, then added, “According to the celestial phenomena, there will be great changes in the Central Plains. We need to plan ahead, and it would be best…” He leaned closer to the ice table, circling the words “Luoyang” on the map, “to control this pivotal city.”

Jun Xiaoyao looked at Luoyang's location; it was a crucial transportation hub in the Central Plains and also the headquarters of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. “Have The Net's 'Xuan' group infiltrate Luoyang to gather intelligence.”

“Yes.” As Zhao Gao accepted the order, news came from the water mirror: The Merchant Alliance Chairman and Hassan had signed the debt-offsetting contract.

All seventeen mines and thirty workshops in the Western Regions now belonged to Beyond Heaven. Shen Wansan was busy inventorying and taking them over, grinning from ear to ear.

Li Shimin, meanwhile, was implementing new trade regulations in the Western Regions. Merchants holding Beyond Heaven tokens enjoyed tax exemptions, and merchant caravans came and went endlessly, almost wearing out the city gates of Yang Pass.

The Hanyue Valley Underground Palace returned to silence, with only Liu Bowen's stargazing compass slowly rotating, its needle pointing erratically towards the Ziwei Constellation.

Jun Xiaoyao knew that the chess game in the Central Plains had quietly begun, and Beyond Heaven, as a chess piece, would determine the final outcome.

The sands of the Western Regions still blew, but it was no longer a place of chaotic plunder. Under Gongsun Ce's contracts, Li Shimin's spear Formations, and Shen Wansan's abacus.

This place had become Beyond Heaven's most stable rear, with a continuous stream of Profound Iron and wealth flowing from here to various parts of the continent, supporting the rapid expansion of this hidden power.

Jun Xiaoyao picked up Liu Bowen's deduced astrological chart, which marked the Third Prince's Luck—though strong, it was superficial, clearly indicating an unstable Foundation.

“The Third Prince…” He lightly tapped the chart with his fingertip, “Perhaps he can be a temporary ally.”

The spiritual power of the summoning array steadily recovered, its flickering runes seemingly foretelling the shifting tides in the Central Plains.

Beyond Heaven's territory had quietly extended from Hanyue Valley, Mobei, and the Western Regions, towards that chaotic Central Plains land.