Chapter 1074 - 899: Real or Fake

Young Master Nan and the elders of the Mingshan Sect didn't leave, remaining in the pavilion to await Shi Chun. As they waited, they stood at the highest point of the city, gazing out as the new cityscape unfolded like a grand painting before them.

Upon seeing such a scene, Tong Mingshan felt particularly emotional. He was a commander overseeing a prefecture, yet his domain couldn't compare to this. This made his subordinates and himself feel increasingly detached and disloyal, believing that he might not remain in his position for long, so it's no surprise they were less diligent.

Fortunately, the fame he earned from the Battle of Great Pardon still lingered, so although the subordinates slacked off, none dared to openly cause trouble.

After bathing and dressing anew, Shi Chun appeared brightly, and everyone immediately greeted him. Even though Old Chai, Chai Wenwu, didn't have the privilege to approach directly, his respectful nodding and bowing were the most conspicuous among the group, his smile never leaving his face.

Young Master Nan voiced the question on everyone's mind, "Brother Chun, what's the situation over in the Yanfu Continent?"

Zhu Xiangxin had already finished her bath and joined them earlier, but despite being asked, she responded with silence and chose not to say a word.

Some matters were confidential, and she knew that the money obtained far exceeded what was disclosed. She wasn't clear about how the major portion was handled by the Master, nor was she certain what was permissible to discuss, so she avoided discussing it entirely, especially given that the Master had already issued a gag order before they left.

"It's nothing much, just that someone unknown somehow foresaw that my mount, San, could detect sandalwood gold veins, and leaked it beforehand. As a result, both the Heavenly Court and the Four Great Royal Courts sent people in to stir trouble. After over half a year of stalemate, we lost some brothers, but thankfully most managed to retreat intact." Shi Chun nonchalantly explained, without complaint, since the Heavenly Court was involved too.

Seeing that the Master was reluctant to elaborate, and given Zhu Xiangxin's previous silence, the others refrained from probing further. However, their eyes brimmed with admiration. Who were the individuals sent by the Heavenly Court and the Four Great Royal Courts? Though they hadn't seen them, from long-standing observations they had heard to some extent—there was a full assembly of Heavenly Immortal masters, reportedly even those at the Upper Heaven Immortal Realm. The Master, with just a handful of people and a group of rat spirits not even at the Human Immortal Realm, managed to engage them for over half a year. Who else could have done this?

The Master remained the esteemed Master; none could dispute this.

Young Master Nan also acknowledged it; this Brother Chun might often encounter setbacks, but he always grew stronger against formidable challenges and never returned empty-handed. Truly impressive.

Of course, he regretted with a sigh, "What a pity about your mount, San. Alas, how did such information leak out? Who is the scoundrel responsible?"

He genuinely felt immense regret; had he known this beforehand, given San's abilities within the Yanfu Continent, he could have made significant profits quietly and amassed a fortune.

Shi Chun said, "Brother Nan, we only extracted less than six trillion. We promised to give every one of the billion people five hundred gold each, which must be prioritized. The Golden-haired Rat Clan also promised a tenth share, this can't be reduced, and the remaining funds are to cover your deficit, which still leaves a gap. What do you suggest?"

Young Master Nan waved it off, "With this amount, the problem is significantly reduced. Rumors have already spread, those who've lent us money now have confidence, and my partners are reassured. Plus, they've earned quite a bit from you. Moreover, the three-year mortgage period isn't yet over, so turnover won't be problematic. Even if there's any further shortfall, I'll cover it myself. The situation in Dingnan Prefecture is already settled."

Shi Chun nodded, "Then I'll leave it to you, Brother Nan. I'll hand the money over to Feng Chi for allocation; you can coordinate with Feng Chi directly."

Young Master Nan responded with an affirmative hum, "Alright."

He was now well-acquainted with Feng Chi, ensuring smooth communication.

Shi Chun then inquired about the situation of various departments. After grasping the conditions, he let the others withdraw, as he had matters to discuss privately with Young Master Nan.

Everyone took their leave, except for Old Chai, Chai Wenwu, who lingered reluctanctly as if waiting for others to leave first.

Seeing this, Shi Chun didn't urge him. Once most others had departed, he finally asked, "City Lord Chai, do you have anything else?"

Chai Wenwu immediately produced a Qiankun Bag and offered it respectfully, wearing a full smile. There was nothing special about it; he had been City Lord for a while, so inevitably, he received some gifts. He had discovered a few rare items on his territory, and he meticulously selected some to offer as tokens of respect, knowing that the Commander might not appreciate them, yet still felt compelled to show his reverence.

After all, he felt uneasy in his position as City Lord. He wasn't an elder of the Mingshan Sect, and his cultivation was low. He never expected to become a City Lord after following around during the Battle of Great Pardon without any merits, feeling like it was a stroke of luck.

Now that the situation was clear, it seemed that Shi Chun's position as Commander could be secured. But the Prefectures of Dingxi and Dingbei were precarious, and he wondered how the Mingshan Sect elders stationed there would decide. There were limited City Lord positions in Dingnan Prefecture; he was worried about being made to leave his post. He naturally didn't want to be removed.

It's not just for Shi Chun; he also frequently sent gifts to Feng Chi and showed goodwill to the elders of the Mingshan Sect, even if his resources were limited, it was the thought that counted.

Shi Chun didn't intend to accept, seeing little value in them now. However, upon Chai Wenwu's insistence, Shi Chun accepted with a smile but cautioned, "You're not a convict; you're the ruler of a city under the Heavenly Court. Don't dare to accept just any gift; if an issue arises, the consequences will be severe."

Chai Wenwu nearly pounded his frail chest in earnest, finally leaving content under Shi Chun's reassurance.

With no one else around, Shi Chun invited Young Master Nan to stroll around the pavilions to appreciate the view. They stopped abruptly, observing the distinctive architecture on a nearby mountain.

It was the mountain purchased by the Golden-haired Rat Clan. The funds were procured through Young Master Nan's intervention; the entire mountain, the location, the setting, represented a massive expenditure.

Of course, it would have been impossible for the Golden-haired Rat Clan to secure such funds on their own. It was Shi Chun who facilitated the transaction.

Now, the architecture on the mountain stood out prominently, with the black square stones of varying sizes hewn and stacked along the mountain's shape. A series of cave dwellings were carved into the stones, accompanied by pavilions and towers.

Though peculiar, it possessed a unique beauty and would undoubtedly become a landmark in the city someday.

Before Shi Chun could raise his hand or speak, Young Master Nan explained, "The Golden-haired Rat Clan decided on this style themselves. They constructed the cave dwellings within the stones and independently tunneled interconnected passages within the mountain. It was entirely their idea; I merely found someone to assist with construction. They might have aimed to save money originally, but it looks quite impressive now."

Shi Chun swallowed the questions at the tip of his tongue, estimating that this matter might have something to do with himself, because the aroma of the Death Refusing Incense easily leaks out, and it's best used deep underground. His official residence in Dingnan Prefecture has too many arrays for protection, making it inconvenient to sneak in and out, so he instructed the Golden-haired Rat Clan to reserve space on the mountain for deeper retreats when managing their operations there.

Previously having witnessed the array at the entrance and exit of Yanfu Continent, which isolates aromas, he inquired from the guards about what array it was. After confirming that it could be purchased, he instructed Huang Yingying to arrange one underground, assuring her that money was not an issue.

Recalling this, he set the matter aside and began discussing the main issue, "Brother Nan, to be honest, I don't want to give up the territories of Dingxi Prefecture and Dingbei Prefecture either. Do you have any good ideas for me?"

Young Master Nan extended his hand, "You've already paved the way, if you have money there's a way, if you don't have money there's no way."

Shi Chun shook his head, "This is all the money I have right now, but playing with money is your expertise, I'm counting on you to use this money to multiply."

Young Master Nan found it amusing, "You can't have the offspring be bigger than the parent, I also can't openly do things that violate the Heavenly Court's decrees."

Shi Chun turned to face him, "Brother Nan, here's the deal, feel free to think of ways to make money, do whatever it takes, if things collapse I'll back you up."

Young Master Nan asked, puzzled, "Back up? How will you back up?"

Shi Chun responded, "Feel free to take bold actions, if you lose, I'll find ways to support you. Whoever dares to block your financial path, I'll help you remove them."

Yu Xuanbing was about to emerge, and he said this with confidence, occasionally killing someone is not a big deal.

Young Master Nan was incredulous, "Is it true?"

From a normal person, he would dismiss it as exaggerated talk, but from this person, he couldn't help but believe somewhat.

Shi Chun stated, "There's no one else here, let me be frank with Brother Nan, the entire Heavenly Domain will sooner or later be under my control, and only I could make decisions. Without me, no one can sit steady, and by then, the business in the entire Heavenly Domain will be up to Brother Nan to manage."

It's not an empty boast that no one else can sit steady, behind him stands the Demon Path, anyone who dares to seize his territory, he'll incite the Demon Path to create trouble; whoever dares compete with him will face fierce competition.

Now with strong financial backing, he has fewer worries, and he won't act like someone from a small household.

Young Master Nan was still incredulous, repeating his concern, "Is it true? Don't deceive me, don't let me gather courage and jump in only to find there's no way back."

Shi Chun replied, "If I were joking about this, wouldn't I be trapping myself in a pit?"

Young Master Nan hesitated, pacing back and forth for a while, but ultimately shook his head and said, "Without you backing me, how dare I rashly agree, you must let me think about it thoroughly."

Shi Chun nodded, allowing him time to consider carefully; he also needed to secure some matters before he could confidently back him up...

The lakeside shops were picturesque and charming, without wind, under the eaves of Feng's Paper Mache Shop, various lanterns lay lifeless and still.

A male customer entered the shop, walked around observing, then pointed at the most vividly colored Spirit Talisman Fish Lamp, "Boss lady, how long can this fly?"

The accompanying boss lady smiled and replied, "For about an hour or so."

The male customer asked, "How much?"

The boss lady said, "Eighty-eight coins."

The male customer remarked in surprise, "Not cheap, almost as much as a piece of Sandalwood Gold."

The boss lady laughed, "You can inquire around, the entire city guarantees you won't find craftsmanship finer than ours, and we give fifty zhang of free traction line."

The male customer signaled to have it taken down for inspection, after examining it closely, he agreed, "Alright, I'll take this one."

Then he went to the counter and placed eighty-eight compressed Sandalwood Gold pieces, exhausted from Artifact Refining, before taking the lantern and leaving.

The boss lady who had collected the money slightly bowed at the door to send off the guest.

After the guest was gone, she returned behind the counter, and found the items on the counter disordered. While tidying up, she discovered an extra package on the countertop, seemingly a package of paper-wrapped pastries that looked familiar.

She turned the paper package, scrutinized the shop's insignia printed on it, shockingly reading the words "Ou's," her eyes widening instantly, remembering a certain eerie stone carving shop near a pastry shop named "Ou's."

She finally understood why the package looked familiar, suddenly emitting an "ah" scream, unable to steady the pastries which fell to the ground, stumbling back into the cabinet.