Chapter 41: Thanks for the Business

"This way, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao." One of the staff members had come to escort us to a dinner table. "Master Mu Rong Lao has instructed that we serve you dinner while the auction is taking place."

Yeah, we had no interest in the auction. It was always a cliché event in cultivation stories because cultivation resources conveniently showed up for the protagonists to buy, but neither Mu Rong Shu nor I were in any real need of those resources. Whatever we required, we had already taken from the tombs we explored.

There was no reason for us to bid for anything.

So we enjoyed our dinner at a table that was outside the hall where the event was taking place, patiently waiting for Mu Rong Lao to emerge. It took about an hour or so, but the auction was finally over, evidenced by people streaming out of the place.

Naturally, among them were Tang Zhong Ye and his girlfriend, Liu Ming Yi.

Earlier, during dinner, Mu Rong Shu had continued to elaborate more about her high school life to me.

"I am not very close to Liu Ming Yi, but I did hear rumors that she is a gold digger." She had shrugged. "But you know how girls like gossiping about other girls. I do know she has always been chasing Tang Zhong Ye, though. Whether it's because he's rich, I don't know. I can't say I'm surprised to see that they're now together. Seems like her efforts have finally paid off."

"Indeed," I had remarked with a nod. "So they are going to get married?"

"I suppose. That's what she said. But knowing Tang Zhong Ye's character, how would he stick to just one woman? He definitely has several women outside."

"Oh boy…" I had shaken my head in disapproval. Then I recalled something. "Hmm, for some reason, Liu Ming Yi doesn't seem to like you. She appeared…hostile."

"Apparently she saw me as a love rival back then…she tried to slander me back in high school, to smear my reputation so that Tang Zhong Ye would stay away from me. She got a group of girls to bully me, but I beat them all up. I wouldn't be surprised if she still holds a grudge from that. She always accused me of stealing Tang Zhong Ye from her."

"Whoa…she's deluded."

"That's one way of putting it."

With those words in mind, I watched Tang Zhong Ye swagger over, his arm around Liu Ming Yi's shoulders. He was holding a ceremonial sword that I had plundered from the Tomb of the God of War, while Liu Ming Yi was cradling an amulet that Mu Rong Shu had retrieved from the same place. They both seemed very pleased with their purchases.

Yeah, apparently they had won their bids in the auction for these two items.

"See what we've got!" Tang Zhong Ye waved his newly acquired sword in front of me. "You'll never be able to afford this for over a hundred years! Even if you save up all your money from whatever job you're doing!"

"Uh, okay?"

"You must be regretting deeply now," Liu Ming Yi crowed, showing off her amulet. "Zhong Ye pampers me so much. He was willing to spend ten million yuan to buy this amulet for me!"

"Good for you," Mu Rong Shu replied dryly. She had seen the amulet before, back when we were sorting out treasures in the tomb, and had dismissed it as not useful for her. She was more than happy with the gauntlets and boots she had gotten.

"Will your husband be able to afford such treasures?" Liu Ming Yi taunted.

"How about this?" Tang Zhong Ye leaned over, grinning at me. "I can give you a job at my company. I promise I can pay you about ten times more than whatever you're making right now."

"No thanks," I replied wearily. "I appreciate it, but I love my current job and have no desire to switch my career right now."

"I advise you to reconsider," Tang Zhong Ye said arrogantly. "Passion and ideals will only get you so far. In this world, money is everything. Those without money are destined to suffer…and be trampled under the feet of those richer than them."

I gave him a stare. "So are you going to trample me right now?"

"Nah, I'm not that mean." Tang Zhong Ye took a glass of water from the dining table that Mu Rong Shu and I were seated at, and then splashed it at me. Unfortunately for him, I was quick to dodge it, allowing the water to hit the floor instead.

The arrogant guy scowled and slammed the glass back on the table, glaring at me. I met his gaze evenly, which only served to enrage him more.

"How dare you refuse a toast from me, you want to drink a forfeit instead?!"

"I would rather not drink at all," I replied airily.

"Get on your knees, bark like a dog and beg me to hire you!" Tang Zhong Ye snarled, jabbing a finger at me. "Otherwise I'll just find your company and have them fire you! By then, when you're jobless, you'll come begging me for employment."

"Who gives you the right to fire my employees?"

Tang Zhong Ye froze, then he slowly turned around and caught sight of Mu Rong Lao moving forward. He bowed his head. Even though he didn't recognize Mu Rong Lao and hadn't heard of the Mu Rong family (given how secretive they were), he had seen the old man taking charge of the auction earlier and providing the items for sale. He was aware that this dignified old man was a super VIP with wealth and connections.

"Sorry…but such a low-level employee, you surely won't…?"

"He's not a low-level employee, you brat. He's my grandson-in-law!"

"Ah…" Liu Ming Yi gasped, as if remembering something. "Earlier, Shu said that her grandfather invited them over…she was telling the truth?!"

"I have no reason to lie," Mu Rong Shu said flatly. She then smiled at her grandfather. "How did the auction go?"

"Excellent." Mu Rong Lao beamed at the both of us. "The treasures you acquired from the tomb sold for millions! Someone bought the Ang Amulet for ten million yuan…pretty surprising. We made quite a profit."

He then nodded at me. "As promised, the both of you will receive eighty percent of the profits this time."

"Thanks, granddad. I appreciate it."

"Ha ha, no problem. You risked your life in the tomb, this is only natural." He then paused, rubbing his chin. "I haven't calculated the exact values yet, but so far it seems that you'll receive at least ninety-four million yuan."

"Whoa, that's a lot more than I thought we would receive." Mu Rong Shu was surprised. I shrugged.

"It's because we got eighty percent this time. Normally we get like thirty percent?"

"I'll make sure to increase the percentage for future expeditions." Mu Rong Lao grinned. "I'll be counting on you when I receive news of another tomb again."

"Sure. Thanks, granddad."

While we casually discussed the figures and profits, both Tang Zhong Ye and Liu Ming Yi were staring at us in disbelief, turning extremely pale. Mu Rong Lao finally noticed them and he turned to glower at them.

"Who are you? Why are you still here?"

"Now, now, grandfather, they are my ex-classmates from high school," Mu Rong Shu placated him. "They just came over to say hi."

"Oh, I see." Mu Rong Lao nodded. Then his eyes widened, especially when he caught sight of the relics in their hands. "Oh, yes! You're the ones who bought the Ang Amulet and the Tian Yi Sword!" he then turned to me with a grin. "This gentleman here bought the Tian Yi Sword for another thirty-three million yuan. You ought to thank him."

"Thanks for the business," I told Tang Zhong Ye politely.

"This gentleman wants to poach dear away for his own company," Mu Rong Shu told her grandfather. "Apparently he promises to pay ten times his current salary!"

"Oh, really?" Mu Rong Lao raised an eyebrow skeptically. "So he's offering to pay Huan Shi about a hundred million yuan for every project? Wow, that's really generous of him."

Tang Zhong Ye had turned very white by now and he was backing away. Waving both of his hands frantically, he forced out a laugh.

"I was joking, simply joking!" He said, flustered. "There's no way I can compete against you, sir!"

"L…let's go," Liu Ming Yi whispered almost hysterically, tugging at her boyfriend's sleeve. She looked as if she was about to suffocate.

"Please excuse us." Tang Zhong Ye bowed his head deeply. "It's been a long day and we've just made a few purchases. We would like to bring them home as quickly as possible."

"Don't forget to invite me to your wedding, you two!" Mu Rong Shu called after them almost gleefully. I swear she was enjoying this.

"What's the matter with them?" Mu Rong Lao asked with a frown. "Trying to tell other people to fire their own employees and acting all high and mighty? Who do they think they are?"

"Like I said, that was my ex-classmate from high school, Tang Zhong Ye." Mu Rong Shu giggled. "He has always been like that."

"Hmm…his name sounds familiar. The young CEO of the up and coming Tang Enterprises, huh?" Mu Rong Shu thought for a moment. "I've heard of him. He's been aggressively expanding and trying to takeover other companies through blackmail and other unorthodox business strategies. I heard he hired gangs to harass other companies, to threaten them with extortion. All because he has entered the first stages of cultivation."

That made sense. I wondered why a regular person like Tang Zhong Ye would need a sword from a tomb, but I guess he was just beginning his first step into cultivation. Like all cultivators, they would want the best weapons and tools to protect themselves.

A pity, though, that the power of a weapon was still limited to the cultivator's own strength. It didn't matter how legendary your treasure weapon was – if your cultivation realm was too low, you wouldn't be able to wield its full potential. Hell, you probably wouldn't be able to wield even a small percentage of its true abilities.

"Perhaps I should teach him a lesson by buying out his company and firing him."

"Grandfather!" Mu Rong Shu pouted. "Don't you think you should stay out of this?"

"And leave him to continue blackmailing, extorting and bullying others? While we aren't obligated to help others or fight for justice, I'm worried that he'll eventually set his eyes on the Mu Rong family's business. I know people like him. They are extremely ambitious. Best to nip the problem in the bud before he can threaten us."

"You have a point there," Mu Rong Shu admitted reluctantly. She probably didn't like it because Tang Zhong Ye was still her ex-classmate and an acquaintance who she had known for years, but the safety and stability of the Mu Rong family was paramount over all else. "Let's teach him a lesson then."

"Yeah." Mu Rong Lao grinned.

As for me, I decided to stay out of this. Business was way too complicated for me and I didn't want to get involved. I would much rather focus on cultivating and exploring tombs.

Plus with the Spirit War going on right now…I had more than enough on my plate without having to deal with new enemies.

Time to think of fresh countermeasures against other summoners…