Section 44: Earning Big, Big Profits
By Gu Zhenren, June 18, 2014
“This is Shu Family City, and I live in this courtyard. Sometimes, when I get bored, I go to the Salted Salt Fishing Village outside the city to live for a while. Of course, the Salted Salt Fishing Village has now developed into a Salted Salt Town,” Chu Yun explained.
King Moon Frost smiled, “Did you forget that I also lived here for a period of time? The courtyard you’re living in is where your father and I used to live. However, the changes to Shu Family Island over the years have been truly immense. You deserve much of the credit for this. My son, tell me again how you turned the tide and swept across the land.”
The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue. A gentle breeze stirred the white clouds, drifting above the old Shu Family City.
Bathed in sunlight, two rows of broad-leaved palm trees cast large swathes of green shade across the street.
Consequently, even on the bustling street, it didn’t feel stiflingly hot.
Chu Yun and King Moon Frost had disguised themselves. Anyone who saw them would assume they were an ordinary mother and son. Many people brushed past them. At nearby fruit stalls, when vendors called out their wares, they would cast glances at the mother and son, hoping they would patronize their business.
They would never know the extraordinary origins of this mother and son. One was a Quasi Emperor, the other a Great Emperor. Their casual words could send tremors through the entirety of Xingzhou.
However, at the Emperor level and above, individuals generally withdrew from public view. The conflict between the Dragon Emperor and the Night Emperor was a special circumstance.
Emperor-level powerhouses were like deities, detached from the struggles of the mortal world. The interests of the mortal world could no longer satisfy their developmental needs.
Emperor-level powerhouses typically roamed the Nine Provinces, undertaking missions for various factions to earn rewards and develop themselves. Occasionally, they would join forces to explore the Sea of Chaos.
As for Emperor-level, they were even higher. The rewards from faction missions no longer sufficed. They often roamed the Sea of Chaos and rarely appeared within the Nine Provinces unless urgently summoned by a Saint.
And at the Saint level, they were even more magnificent. They were eternal titans, shining with the sun and moon, their lifespans equaling Heaven and Earth. The Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns served under them.
It was akin to climbing a mountain. Each level offered a different view, and the scenery at the summit was exceptionally beautiful.
Hearing King Moon Frost’s request to recount his experiences over the years again, Chu Yun scratched his head with a vexed expression. “Oh, Mother, I’ve told you this so many times! It’s just as it is. Others have also told you, and there’s really nothing special about it…”
“Why do you say there’s nothing special? My son’s achievements are so outstanding, I could listen to it a hundred times and still be delighted,” King Moon Frost said fondly, reaching out to stroke his head.
Chu Yun felt a little embarrassed. He had been back in Xingzhou for over half a month. The reunion between mother and son had been joyous, but King Moon Frost treated Chu Yun like a child, doting on him excessively. This made Chu Yun, who had always lacked his mother’s care, feel somewhat unaccustomed.
“Sigh, since Mother wishes to hear it, your son will tell it again,” Chu Yun sighed.
“That’s right, good boy. If you do, Mother will cook your favorite dishes,” King Moon Frost’s eyes were filled with maternal love and tenderness.
Chu Yun was speechless.
Every day, Chu Yun made time to accompany his mother. Sometimes they went shopping, sometimes they just talked. A warm feeling constantly filled his heart, making him incredibly happy.
“You’re back. Come, dinner is ready. Let’s all sit down and eat,” Upon returning to Huode City, Shu Tianhao sat at the dining table, greeting them with a hearty laugh.
His complexion was excellent. The faint streaks of gray at his temples had turned black. He looked twenty years younger, full of vitality.
His previously missing arm had regrown. This was thanks to the regeneration pill Chu Yun had brought back. Of course, the regeneration pill was from Danzhou, and its efficacy was unstable in Xingzhou. Chu Yun and the Blissful Immortal Consorts had refined it further before Shu Tianhao took it.
With both arms restored, Shu Tianhao’s cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the peak of the Jun level in just half a month. King Moon Frost’s arrival brought him immense joy; it was a reunion of old friends. However, he often lamented, “If only Old Dan King were here, it would be perfect!”
Whenever Old Dan King was mentioned, King Moon Frost’s expression would dim slightly. But this dimness was different from her previous despair. Chu Yun had told her that he had met his father long ago and received his help. While reviving his father would be difficult, there was great hope.
Her son was an Emperor-level powerhouse. King Moon Frost had witnessed his capabilities firsthand. Hearing such words, she felt both relieved and touched, and a sense of ease washed over her. She believed that one day, the family would be reunited.
Changing his fate, saving the Shu Family. Healing his foster father’s severed arm, repaying past kindness. Seeking his mother in Danzhou.
Most of his past goals had been achieved. He himself had cultivated to the Emperor level. Now, only his father, Old Dan King, who was still in Ghost Continent, remained.
Although he knew his father’s whereabouts, Chu Yun had not yet chosen to rescue him.
Haste makes waste.
Currently, the news of his possessing the Second Spirit Light Pill was known to almost all Emperor-level powerhouses within the Nine Provinces.
Those close to the Xingzhou faction came to curry favor with Chu Yun, hoping to establish long-term trade activities. The opposing factions, however, watched him with covetous eyes, closely monitoring his every move.
Within the Xingzhou stronghold, with Star Saint looking out for him, others dared not act rashly. But if he were to leave Xingzhou for missions or other reasons, ambushes and sneak attacks would be unavoidable. There might even be machinations from Emperor Qin and the Dragon Emperor behind the scenes.
Under such circumstances, if he continued to wander around, wouldn’t he be asking for trouble?
Haste makes waste.
Even his foster father, Shu Tianhao, and his mother, King Moon Frost, had advised him not to be too eager, to take his time.
Chu Yun decided that in the coming days, he would dedicate himself to seclusion cultivation.
For ordinary Emperor-level powerhouses, this would naturally mean they couldn’t remain confined to one place. For the development of the Immortal Pouch World, more mission rewards were necessary. The Nine Saints were the rulers of the Nine Provinces, controlling resources. Emperor-level powerhouses had to serve them, working for them.
But this was not applicable to Chu Yun.
He previously had Innate Original Essence, but couldn’t expose it. Now, with the Second Spirit Light Pill, he could “sit at home and have wealth delivered to his door.”
If one were to ask what business was the most profitable in this world.
There was only one answer: monopolized trade.
Once a monopoly was established, the market could be controlled. Prices could be set by oneself, with no competitors. Most Emperor-level powerhouses actively contacted Chu Yun, requesting to purchase the Second Spirit Light Pill. Some even included a few Emperor-level powerhouses.
Chu Yun, naturally, was not foolish enough to sell the mother pill directly. He sold the mass-produced child pills, earning a fortune and raking in immense wealth.
The feeling of becoming rich overnight was wonderfully delightful.
After transplanting several demonic plants, his hands were empty, and he even owed debt to Emperor Bai. The sale of the Second Spirit Light Pill not only allowed him to repay his debts but also left him with substantial capital, providing strong support for the development of the Immortal Pouch World.
More importantly, during the trading process, he met and established connections with numerous Emperor-level powerhouses, improving relationships.
This was quite normal; economics influences diplomacy.
The circle of Emperor-level individuals was inherently small, and any new face would attract attention. Chu Yun, possessing the Second Spirit Light Pill, became known as the Spirit Emperor through continuous transactions.
Being called the Spirit Emperor due to the Second Spirit Light Pill was somewhat unexpected by Chu Yun. However, this title was merely a moniker, and since everyone called him that, Chu Yun simply accepted it.
Despite cultivating in seclusion in Xingzhou, Spirit Emperor Chu Yun became the most prominent figure among Emperor-level powerhouses during this period.
Possessing the Second Spirit Light Pill mother body was like owning an inexhaustible gold mine. Although Emperor Yun also had the ability to refine the Second Spirit Light Pill, even if Emperor Yun himself took action, it would still take centuries to complete the refinement.
Relying on the sale of the Second Spirit Light Pill, Chu Yun earned a fortune daily, making countless Emperor-level powerhouses envious. Many harbored ill intentions because of this, but Chu Yun was exceedingly cautious, remaining stationed in Xingzhou and even refusing missions from Star Saint. This discouraged many who wished to secretly seize the Second Spirit Light Pill.
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
Within the Immortal Pouch World, birds sang and flowers bloomed.
Blue skies and white clouds, a gentle breeze. Willow trees formed forests, and purple hills stretched out.
In the spaces between the purple hills, giant Sunburst Chrysanthemums grew. Their roots were like colossal green pillars, supporting enormous golden-yellow flowers. The petals were fully unfurled, facing the fiery sun in the sky. The center of the flower churned with liquid sunlight. The entire demonic plant was incredibly massive, like a mountain peak, complementing the magical purple incense taro beneath the ground.
A herd of milky cloud cows glided leisurely through the blue sky. The resulting milk candy clouds coalesced into a vast expanse of white cloud, hanging at the edge of the horizon.
These were the first batch of demonic beasts Chu Yun had “borrowed” from the Cloud Peak Garden secret realm over a year ago. They were now officially being raised in the Immortal Pouch World.
This signified that Chu Yun had taken a solid step forward, achieving great success in managing the Immortal Pouch World and could now begin migrating demonic beasts.
With demonic beasts, his offensive capabilities would be greatly enhanced. Simultaneously, he had achieved complete control over the Net of Law, with over ten thousand threads of Dao principle and reason within it.
Unbeknownst to him, he had advanced from the early stage of the Emperor level to the middle stage.
The advancement in his cultivation was kept secret, known only to a select few.
This was because the speed was simply terrifying. Ordinary Emperor-level powerhouses typically required centuries to advance from the early stage to the middle stage.
Chu Yun’s advancement was due, in part, to favorable trade surpluses and abundant resources, allowing the Immortal Pouch World to develop rapidly. On the other hand, his Innate Body meant that his physical condition posed no obstacle to his cultivation growth.
Just as he was planning to continue his deep cultivation, an unexpected development completely disrupted his plans.
“What, an Ancient Saint’s inheritance?!”
(To be continued)
