Chapter 339: Merger Acquisition

Chu Qiguang directed everyone's attention to a nearby wall, where the first of several giant picture scrolls was unfurled.

Standing beneath the picture scroll, Chu Qiguang had the undivided attention of several hundred people, and a sense of intense discomfort immediately welled up in his chest.

No! I can't allow my condition to defeat me now! I have to acquire and merge them!

Fighting against the discomfort, Chu Qiguang said, "When I woke up this morning, I saw a thin blanket of mist outside my window. Thinking back over the past few years, I've revolutionized many industries, including graveyards, Heavenly Master Religion cultural dissemination, cotton textiles, and stocks...

"Over the years, I was like a cloud of mist, drifting into one foreign domain after another, venturing time and time again into the unknown. The more I explored, the more I came to realize that everyone's combined efforts are required if we want to revolutionize the Spirit Province."

The first picture scroll presented a giant map of the Spirit Province, beside which was a series of statistics.

"Last time I revolutionized the cotton textile industry, the annual production of cotton textiles in the Spirit Province increased by over a hundredfold, while profits increased by over three hundredfold.

"If we can combine the Azure Sun Trade Association and the Cloud Midst Trade Association, then throw my spinning mule into the mix as well, then we can lower costs by over seventy percent.

“Before long, we will have a stranglehold over the entire cotton textiles market, not just in the empire, but in the northern grasslands as well. Think about how many people will invest in our stocks. Think about what such a massive influx of funds would mean for the stock price."

"We understand all of that, Chu Qiguang," the Huiqin Feudal Lord hurriedly interjected, practically licking his lips with anticipation. "Just tell us how to merge the three trade associations."

"You can buy stocks from my trade association to facilitate the merger," Chu Qiguang replied with a smile.

"All of our money is tied up in the stock market, so that's going to be very difficult," the Huiqin Feudal Lord said with a troubled expression.

"That's fine," Chu Qiguang said. "Alternatively, you can simply issue additional stocks and give them to me."

All of the shareholders were ecstatic. Issuing additional stocks couldn't be simpler for them.

"However, if you're going to do that, then I have a few requests to make. Firstly, I will be the one to manage the new trade association. All shareholders will receive annual dividends based on the size of their holdings, and each shareholder can nominate an accountant to jointly oversee the funds..."

As Chu Qiguang began to state his demands, some people were tempted to raise objections, but Zhong Shan'e had strategically positioned himself beside Chu Qiguang, serving as a figure of authority that intimidated everyone into silence.

Only with Zhong Shan'e entering everyone's field of view did they recall that Chu Qiguang's trade association was going to be funded by the emperor and the Demon Vanquishing Department.

Given the current circumstances, everyone felt like they had no choice but to comply with Chu Qiguang's requests, which was a mild way of putting it when they were actually more like demands than requests.

"Secondly, in light of the current turmoil in the market, once the three trade associations are merged, we will found a new bank. Anyone who wants to buy stocks in the future will have to deposit money into that bank, and those who want to sell stocks will do so through the bank as well.

"For the moment, the bank will only deal with stock-related business and won't accept deposits made for other purposes." 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

***

Meanwhile, in the Palace of Eternal Life, the Yong'an Emperor's eyes were shimmering with iridescent light. "The fortunes are shifting again... The fortune of our empire is on the rise! The change is coming from the Spirit Province... Does it have something to do with the fact that I sent Yang Ling there?"

***

On the grasslands, the Heavenly Immortal Dao Master of the Immortal Dao was staring up at the shifting constellations with a stunned expression.

"Why has the fortune of the Great Qian Empire suffered such a massive drop? The change is coming from... the Spirit Province? Is it because I've been making losses in my stock investments in the Spirit Province? But how is the impact this severe?"

The Heavenly Immortal Dao Master's flesh was constantly peeling away from him before regenerating, but he was unable to make sense of what was happening.

"Why is the outcome of my divination so unclear? How has there been such a massive shift of fortune in the Spirit Province? Perhaps it's time the Great Qian Empire began employing some different strategies in dealing with the nine border military bases."

***

At the board meeting, Chu Qiguang continued his presentation, and he could feel his symptoms fading away with each passing word that he uttered. The discomfort was gradually replaced with bliss, and he felt as if his consciousness were about to drift out of him and ascend to the heavens.

It's that same feeling again...

He had experienced this same out-of-body sensation while delivering his presentation in Azure Sun County. He looked up, and he could see faint rays of iridescent light converging to form a hole up above.

Shi's voice rang out from the heavens, asking, "What have you done this time? Why has the balance in fortune between the humans and the fiend shifted so significantly?"

"Is that a problem?" Chu Qiguang asked.

Shi was silent for a moment, seemingly exasperated at Chu Qiguang's shenanigans, but in the end, he still explained, "The fiends must overcome the humans because only the fiends can transcend the tribulation that will come a hundred years from now."

"What's this tribulation?" Chu Qiguang asked.

"They are set to return," Shi replied.

Chu Qiguang asked, "They? Who are they?"

"The gods."