Chapter 9

After negotiating for a while, we arrived at a deal that we all liked. I would create 5 Mortal-Grade Talisman and Formations each month for both Sect Elder Chen And Patriarch Feng. So every month they could choose what Talisman and formation, and then I would create them. And each month I would be paid about 120K spirit stones by both of them. Which sounds and also is a lot, but I still need to pay for my own resources which would leave me with about 10k profit from each of them per month.

Besides that, they couldn't disclose my identity to anyone without my permission. I needed to be the one in control of how much people knew about me. And the moment a few people knew, it could turn to a thousand the next day. I had also asked Governor Feng to no disclose my information to anyone.

The deal was good and would make me a lot of extra money monthly. But it would also bring certain risks. So when our deal was still going on, I asked if there was a way for me to learn some techniques from them. Because while each sect would have core techniques on which the sect is built, they would have of course also have other techniques they could teach to outsiders.

And in the end, both agreed to give me 2 Mortal-Grade Techniques for 4 Talismans or Formations of Mortal-Grade. While it would definitely affect my bank account, it was a good deal because I had also asked them to not give me the same techniques. So Sect Elder Chen would focus on an attack and escape technique while Patriarch Feng would give me a defense and meditation technique.

In the end, we all shook hands happy about the future. They were happy they would have another steady income off Talisman and Formations of the Mortal Grade. Because even if they had a Mortal-Grade Formation maker in their clan/sect, the amount he could make was limited. Besides that, the price they were paying was quite cheap. Even large organizations couldn't pay much lower.

And for me of course, I was happy not only having another source of income, but also a connection to 2 powerhouses of the QingFeng prefecture. And the only way I was able to offer such low prices was because I bought in very large stocks.

I bought every 3 months, the materials I would need for them. The place I bought was called Adventure Trade and was a place where you could buy all kinds of materials. It was a very big corporation. And because I was their biggest customer and bought a VIP+ rank by them, I would receive a 10% and some other benefits.

So for me, who would spend several 10Ks of spirit stones on only materials each month, having a 10% discount was a lot. Because of this, I could offer such prices. And also because I didn't ask for a lot as my own pay. For a Mortal-Grade Talisman maker who was making 10 Mortal-Grade Talismans each month, they could ask for a pay of around 20K. Now double that because of the Formations, I was truly not asking for much.

Both Patriarch Feng and Sect Elder Chen left, leaving me with Governor Feng with whom I wanted to talk.

"I assume you have done what I asked for". It was currently the day after we had stricken a deal, so I assumed it should be almost fully taken care of.

"Of course, don't you trust my competence? I made sure that each Mayor would destroy the alliance but also investigate each shop owner for tax evasion. It isn't uncommon for people like them to slip a few spirit stones under the bank". Governor Feng talked with a lot of confidence. And I knew he was a competent man. He had become the heir of the Feng clan despite needing to fight against 3 brothers and a sister while coming from the second wife.

"Good, Mayor Feng has already started using the money I gave him to not only start building into the Demonic Forest but also eradicate all Golden Core Demonic Beasts". I looked outside the window like I was hard in thought. "But I don't think 50k is enough, and I have been thinking of giving another 30K".

"That would be appreciated, but I assume you don't wanna give it for nothing. What do you want". Governor Feng was direct and knew I wanted something for the 30K. I already knew from the start that 50K wouldn't be enough, which was great for me.

"Low Tide City. I want to break into that city. And while I assume Mayor Ling there would support me. I need more than that. I want that when I go inside the city when their Talisman, Formation, and alchemy market is destroyed". My tone was dead serious. Low Tide City was one of the 3 Second-Grade cities inside Blossoming Sword County.

But the big problem was that the 3 markets I was interested in were already occupied. There existed a shop called Talisman Diamond, which was a shop owned by a High-Grade Talisman drawer. He had 40% of the market. But he was the least of my problems. Then there came Formation Protection and Alchemy Medicine.

2 big companies that had a branch inside Low Tide Cities. They occupied 65% and 70% of their respective market inside Low Tide City.

"And you want me to force Governor Ling to impose high sanctions on those 3 markets to destroy them". Governor Feng was truly smart, knowing what I wanted. "Low Tide City is a city controlled by the Feng clan, we would destroy it if we did that. Countless jobs would be lost and its market could never recover".

Governor Feng didn't seem happy with what I proposed visible from his angry tone. "I know that Low Tide City is an important part of the Feng Clan. And that is why I propose to make it a First-grade city".

"In exchange for those 30K to Slow Sword City, I will give Mayor Ling 50K spirit stones to use. And when I entered the city, I will create 500 new jobs". I talked with high confidence, which I also had to back up. For a city to become truly strong, it needed more than only a strong economy but also a strong and attractive workforce. Only in this way can a city grow among mortals and cultivators alike. And when that happens, they can become a First-Grade city.

And 10 years ago, the Feng clan tried to do this. They used a lot of resources to bring 3 large companies into Low Tide City to improve the number of jobs available. Which initially seemed to work. The city was growing and the people were happy.

But then, one of the companies failed. Even before the Feng clan had brought them to Low Tide City, they were already operating in the red. They had lied to the Feng clan in to hope that they could rebuild themself. But it didn't work.

And because this one company had become such an important part of the economy, when it failed, a lot of people lost their work, houses, and life. Because of this, the seemingly happy and good Low Tide City had suddenly become a place no one wanted to be in. So its growth halted and it could only become a Second-Grade city.

This had become a dark age for the Feng clan, and they had incurred a lot of losses. And the 2 companies that they had brought in that still remained were Formation Protection and Alchemy Medicine.

Hearing my confidence Governor Feng calmed down. He had realized I was serious, and I could truly create 500 jobs in Low Tide City, even if only for mortals, it might have a chance to grow into a First-Grade city.

"How will you do that".

"I created last year, a caravan company. Its become an important part of my business and I truly value it. It has already reached most parts of Blossoming Sword County and has 103 mortal employees and 47 cultivator ones. But to truly reach every corner of Blossoming Sword County, I would need at least 115 mortal employees and 60 cultivators".

"But I want to reach higher than that. I promise that within 2 years from now, Li caravan will have its reach all in Blossoming Sword County but also High Tide County". High Tide County was another County mostly controlled by the Feng family, and while smaller than Blossoming Sword County, it was quite stable and a neighbor to Blossoming Sword County. But most importantly, Low Tide City was a city on the borders between both Counties.

"And you promise me that you will build your headquarters in Low Tide City while also expanding to High Tide County using Low Tide employees"?

"Yes, and according to my calculations, I will at that point have 200 mortal employees and almost 100 cultivator ones. All people who live in Low Tide City".

"But you must know that this isn't 500". Governor Feng had now realized I didn't come here with nothing and truly had a plan worth listening to.

"I want to start the construction of a Mansion and large building in Low Tide city, using a construction company I created in Low Tide city. In total, I want both of the combined to have 150K m2. With a project this large, I will need a lot of people working for a long time. And who knows, by that time, I might already want to build something new or have renovations in Low Tide City".

What I currently basically saying was "If there are no jobs needed in Low Tide City, Let's just make some". While the production of the Mansion and building were real, I could just use an already existing company. But instead, by creating my own one to only use for myself. I will not affect the construction market while making it exponentially grow. And while all this would cost me an astronomical amount. Much more than 30K, it would be worth it.

"Alright, if you show me that you not only have the resources and capabilities to do this, and sign me a contract stating all the things you just said plus making sure that all people who lost their job because of these sanctions and that these 3 markets will be 70% restored by 2 years, I will do it". That was the answer Governor Feng gave me after thinking for a bit.

5 Months later

Year 201, and month 8 Of The Emperor Wu calendar.

The word of the Sanctions had spread all over Blossoming Sword County and High Tide County, making it so that very few cultivators still came to Low Tide City. This destroyed the Alchemy Medicine and Formation Protections branches in said city. And made the shop owner owning the large Talisman shop also give up. He had already made a fortune, it was time to retire.

This left the market of Alchemy, Talismans, and Formations ruined. And no one wanted to enter the market because the sanctions remained, till suddenly a business that had grown exponentially came in, Li shop. And only a few weeks after he entered, the sanctions had been dropped. And all over the 2 counties word started spreading of the low prices shop Li was offering.

A little trick called word-to-word advertisement. I just used my caravan company, which traveled all over BLossoming Sword County and even sometimes went to High Tide County to spread the word about our prices.

And like this, the economy of these 3 markets was slowly coming back, already back to 20% of its previous one. And I currently held all the shares of these markets.

I had also grown my caravan market, and while it was definitely irritating, spreading the word that there were so many jobs offered at Low Tide City definitely helped it grow.

My new construction company was also doing good I had already built a large building for Li shop. And the mansion was also well on track. And while it was losing a few K spirit stones a month, I was still good.

This came because I currently had a Li shop in all third-Grade Cities of Blossoming Sword County. All of which were making profits and most of them making bank. They were truly making me several thousand spirit stones a month each. I also put more Li shops in villages, with low cost, I could easily spread them. And they were a small but steady source of income which could definitely not be ignored.

So while my spending was exceptionally high these months, my income was definitely not falling behind. Especially since I was making those Mortal-Grade Talismans and Formations each month that were bought by Sect Elder Chen and Patriarch Feng.

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Auhtor-Chan here. Just like always, if you have some ideas, mostly regarding the talent layout or clan guards.

Also, a collection and review would be apriciated.