"Hello, you must be the Emperor." A man said with a toothy grin as he shook Kaze's hand. Despite being middle-aged, he had a full head of brown hair in a professional-looking haircut.
He wore a dark charcoal grey suit with a red striped tie and had friendly blue eyes.
"You can call me Kaze, Mr. Skye." Kaze replied in his illusionary form, "I'm close to your niece, so I trust you to use my name wisely."
"Your trust is well placed, Kaze." The man replied, releasing his hand. "Likewise, please call me Daniel. Any friend of my niece is a friend to me."
"If you insist." The emperor said with a nod.
"Shall we?" Daniel asked while leading him to the private sky cruiser.
The female attendants worked hard to hide their wry smiles when they made it inside. The last attendants raved about Kaze to no end. As a result, the company sent other women, hoping he'd provide more cultivation techniques. It was a deal that pleased everyone.
Unfortunately, he was with another man. They still tried to capture his attention, knowing they might see him again.
Kaze gave them charming smiles every once in a while but didn't act. He wouldn't cause issues with a business partner, let alone Evalyn's uncle.
"You've been exceptionally helpful to me, Daniel." The emperor said after some small talk, "And I reward those who aid me handsomely."
The man gulped nervously. "It has been my pleasure, Kaze."
Kaze gave him a slight smile and then presented the man with both of his palms.
"I offer you the Twilight Sky cultivation technique in my left hand." He announced, "That's one realm above what I'm giving Mr. Rimer in an hour."
Daniel's eyes widened in shock, and he summoned all the self-control he possessed to remain respectable.
"I offer you the earth-grade Fertility of Growth cultivation technique in my right." Kaze continued, "It also provides cultivation vastly superior to what you have."
The man's eyes filled with confusion.
"The first is excruciating at first, as it will rip open your meridians." The emperor explained, "However, it will give you extraordinary power in the long run."
Daniel blinked twice with a blank expression. His eyes glided to the left, believing he understood what the man was getting at.
"The second will only provide you discomfort and will increase your cultivation far faster, but the returns will diminish in the long run." Kaze continued.
"Both options are equally valuable, as an advanced skycruiser is worthless if you cannot fly it.
You will encounter many techniques along your cultivation journey. Therefore, you needn't become hasty for long-run value when you cannot handle cultivation.
So please choose the one that aids you the best now."
Daniel studied Kaze's sharp smile pensively, trying to discern the man's words.
"Tell me, Kaze. When you say I'll encounter many techniques along my journey, do you mean to imply that I may be able to get both?"
Kaze gave him a mysterious smile. "As I've said, Daniel. I reward those that aid me handsomely."
"What is it that I can do for you, Kaze?" Daniel asked with a discerning smile.
"I'd like you to work for me." The emperor replied casually.
"Work for you?" The man asked with a semi-mocking smile. "Forgive me for being so forward, it's rather bold for an eighteen-year-old to ask a successful businessman to work for him. Don't you think?"
Evalyn didn't know Kaze would be able to change his appearance when she asked her uncle for help. As a result, Daniel knew his appearance was an illusion and that he was eighteen.
Therefore, as a businessman who ran a multinational corporation, he felt the emperor's ask was exceptionally arrogant.
Kaze scoffed in disbelief. "Daniel, you're a businessman, yes?"
The man froze when the emperor scoffed, worried he'd rescind his offers. However, he also had a reputation to uphold.
"Correct. I run a highly successful multinational energy corporation." Daniel replied.
"Yes, that's why I'm speaking to you." The emperor laughed breathlessly, "I wouldn't ask a person without talent and a track record of achievement to work for me."
His arrogance was extremely off-putting, but Daniel listened, curious where his confidence came from.
"You're talented. So why are you not seeing the opportunity before your eyes?" Kaze asked mockingly, "You need only put a price tag on the Twilight Sky technique in my hand to know what type of opportunity I provide."
Daniel's eyes widened in astonishment. Cultivation was the future, but it was an abstract concept. While the emperor was successful, it didn't imply he sought to scale his operation.
"Do you wish to start a cultivation business?" Daniel asked.
"Correct. I need to create and fill a cultivation faction in only two weeks' time. I'd like for you to build and run it." Kaze replied with a sharp smile.
"I'm making 230 million today on two jobs. I assure you that funds are not an issue and that my rewards are handsome."
Daniel developed a wry smile. His ego overtook his common sense, as with all people.
"What is a cultivation faction?" He asked.
"I glad you're thinking past my age." Kaze smiled, "A faction is a place where people pay to learn cultivation and develop techniques. They're the future, and will be the training ground for the military, government organizations, and private business."
Daniel's eyes lit up, but he took a deep breath to regain his emotions and think rationally.
"Why two weeks?" He asked discerningly.
"I have my reasons." Kaze replied curtly.
"What do you need by then?" The man asked with a sharp glint in his crystal blue eyes.
"I'll need a gated space away from the city with enough space to house three thousand people or more, and I will pay all upfront business costs to mitigate risk." The emperor explained.
"I expect to have billions in cash over the next two weeks, so you can buy out homes and industrial housing above market value."
Daniel's eyes lit up. Wealth is typically held in stocks, bonds, or property. Being able to offer a person $50,000,000 to buy their home with cash is typically unheard of and extremely enticing. So it wasn't inconceivable to pull it off.
"I'll also need three months of food supplies and living necessities, as we'll be in isolated closed cultivation. I'll provide you with a list of general supplies." The emperor continued.
"It must be ready in two weeks, and I'll need transport for those who are chosen to enter. We'll need skycruisers to pick them up worldwide and fly them out immediately upon acceptance."
Daniel's eyes glided to the left in thought. "That's a tall ask. Just renting out space of that caliber in such a short timeline is nothing short of impossible."
"Ah, yes. If I could do it, I would." Kaze chuckled mockingly, "However, I can't, and that's why I'm seeking to hire someone talented enough to pull off the impossible."
The businessman closed his eyes. He didn't like the emperor's arrogance, but he would be a fool not to take the offer.
"Would you consider us business partners?" Daniel asked with narrowed eyes.
"If you call working for me in business a [business partner], then yes." The emperor said with a sharp smile, "I've never once shared authority, and I plan to keep it that way."
Daniel's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"However, so long as you don't imply you own the business, you can call yourself whatever you like." Kaze continued.
"CEO, Head of Cultivation Management, it doesn't matter. The profit will be divided in an equal split across the board."
Daniel looked at Kaze in shock. From a financial point of view, it was a partnership.
"Once again, Daniel Skye. I reward those who aid me handsomely." The emperor said with a dominant smile while representing his palms.
"Establish the faction in two weeks' time, as discussed, and you'll have both techniques." He continued, "If you seek power, follow the source, and you will find it."
The businessman gulped when looking at both palms. If he didn't have a direct connection to Kaze, he'd also be on Yanko offering millions.
"Will you give me the Twilight Sky technique first so that I can make a more informed decision about the rewards?" Daniel asked.
"Of course. I'd never rescinded a reward." Kaze said with a slight smile. He showed the man his right palm and then curled all fingers until only his index remained.
Daniel gulped with a beating heart.
Kaze closed his eyes to recreate the Twilight Sky blueprint and touched the man's forehead.
A tidal wave of profound information followed into the man's head, instantly opening a world of cultivation knowledge. He stared blankly in front of him as he parsed through the information.
It taught him about the cultivation technique and its use cases. Consequently, he understood the vast potential of Qi and cultivation.
"I-I can live for two hundred years if I use this technique." Daniel stuttered.
"You can live for a millennium with the second I'll give you." Kaze said with a knowing smile.
The businessman looked at him in disbelief. "How long can you live with your techniques?"
Kaze chuckled and gave the man a mysterious smile. "Forever."
Daniel took a deep breath. "I'll make it happen."
The emperor accepted a handshake, satisfied he could rely on power to accomplish anything.
"What will the name be?" The businessman asked.
"Immortal Skye." Kaze replied with a slight smile.
—
[A/N: Bonus chapter courtesy of monkyphil. Thank you for your review and for being active in Harem God as well!
Shout out to DeternityDude and GoldenStick69 for the humorous yandere reviews. I'll throw another bonus chapter as well, so keep posted! :)]
Bonus chapter courtesy of monkyphil. Thank you for your review and for being active in Harem God as well! Extra bonus chapters for every review until ch 50. Help me get contracted, and I'll make it rain! :)