Yang Jing sat cross-legged in the Quiet Chamber, refining his Magical Power with the Five Elements True Fire.

With the aid of a Tier Two Five Elements Pill, he had smoothly broken through to the Second Layer of Foundation Establishment seven days ago. His Magical Power had grown much denser, but because the breakthrough was so rapid, it felt a little unstable. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The True Fire Pure Spirit Technique, which Ji Feng had selected from the secret vaults of the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion, was remarkably effective for purifying Magical Power with the Five Elements True Fire.

In just seven days, Yang Jing’s Magical Power was once again pure and refined.

Advancing to the Second Layer of Foundation Establishment not only made his Magical Power more profound, but its power had also increased.

The One-Element Heavy Water he could now condense weighed a full eight hundred pounds per drop, nearly two hundred pounds heavier than when he was at the First Layer of Foundation Establishment.

After a final circulation to disperse the fiery energy from his Magical Power, Yang Jing left the Quiet Chamber.

Iron Head was already waiting respectfully in the study.

"Master, a Flying Pavilion arrived today. I had Ji Yuhou go aboard to check, and he found that the owner is a man named Sima Peng, from the main branch of the Celestial Treasure Tower. His status is extraordinary; despite only having a Foundation Establishment Cultivation, he has a Golden Core Cultivator for a guard."

When Iron Head learned the visitor was from the Central Continent, he immediately sensed something was amiss and came to report to his master.

"Let’s just wait and see," Yang Jing said to Iron Head after a moment of thought. "He’s from the Central Continent and has no foundation here. There’s a limit to the trouble he can stir up in the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion’s territory. We need only remain firm and react to whatever comes."

By his design, the Northern Domain Seven Kingdoms had been forged into a great coalition of shared interests.

’So what if this Sima Peng is from the Central Continent and has an extraordinary status? The leaders of the Cultivation Clans are, for the most part, pragmatic. They can’t be swayed by mere empty words.’

Before long, Zuoqiu Feng entered the study and placed an ornate invitation before Yang Jing.

"This is an invitation from the Celestial Treasure Tower."

Yang Jing picked up the invitation. Opening it, he saw it was signed by Sima Peng. It was a wide-ranging invitation for the scions of the Western Continent’s Noble Families to attend a banquet.

"It seems this Sima Peng has no intention of quietly sitting through the upcoming shareholder meeting."

He tossed the invitation back onto the desk, his eyes narrowing.

’If Sima Peng’s only goal at the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion was to buy shares in the Seven Nations Ticket Shop, he wouldn’t need to do all this. Holding a banquet with such fanfare, and inviting only the scions of Noble Families...’

"I will report this to the Governor. Let Canyuan True Monarch make the final decision."

’Ever since the decision was made to hold the shareholder meeting, I’ve resolved to just do my part,’ Yang Jing had decided long ago. ’I’ll leave everything else to Canyuan True Monarch and Meng Sima.’

The Seven Nations Ticket Shop had released an internal financial report a month ago, revealing astonishing profits. But secrets have a way of getting out, and the report had already spread throughout the entire Western Continent.

All the prominent Noble Families and Cultivation Clans of the Western Continent had gathered here. For major powers like the Dragon Taming Dong Family, even a Nascent Soul Elder was sent to lead their delegation.

"As for matters concerning these Noble Families, Canyuan True Monarch can handle entertaining them. We only need to do our part."

’In the past, when Canyuan True Monarch was the only Nascent Soul in the Northern Domain Seven Kingdoms, I could naturally use his influence to stand on equal footing with those Golden Core Cultivators.’

’But times had changed. Now, in the Western Continent, there were seven Nascent Soul cultivators that I knew of alone.’

’With my Foundation Establishment Cultivation, no matter how skilled I am at navigating social situations, I can’t possibly please everyone among these numerous Noble Families.’

’The Nascent Soul cultivators from these Noble Families won’t treat me with the same warmth as Canyuan True Monarch. If I tried to show off now, arrogantly thinking I could manipulate events as I did before, I would only be humiliating myself.’

’I know full well that the Noble Families only flatter me because I hold power over the Seven Nations Ticket Shop and they need something from me. In the end, I’m just a fox borrowing the tiger’s might.’

’Self-awareness is a precious virtue.’

’If I let this get to my head and lose my clear sense of self, if I truly started seeing myself as an equal to those Noble Families, I’d be courting disaster.’

Zuoqiu Feng cupped her face in her hands, her phoenix eyes gazing boldly at Yang Jing. This was what she liked most about him. Most geniuses from humble backgrounds, despite their extraordinary Talent, would get carried away after a taste of power. Their ends were rarely good. Even if they came to their senses in time, they had usually already faded into mediocrity.

’A peerless genius like Yang Jing, virtually unrivaled in his generation and wielding immense power...’ Zuoqiu Feng believed that even Canyuan True Monarch and Meng Sima were waiting for him to make a mistake so they could clean up the mess.

Yet, she never expected that even now, Yang Jing would remain so clear-headed, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, clearly understanding what was at stake.

Zuoqiu Feng let out a soft sigh. If only her father had possessed Yang Jing’s wisdom, he wouldn’t have met such a tragic end.

Seeing Yang Jing grow uncharacteristically flustered under her gaze, Zuoqiu Feng chuckled. "Speaking of which, that good-for-nothing Zuoqiu Ye is here too. He’s accompanied by Zuoqiu Hui, a Golden Core Cultivator from my Zuoqiu Family."

Yang Jing wasn’t the least bit surprised by the Zuoqiu Family’s arrival. Because of his connection to Zuoqiu Feng, the Zuoqiu Family was almost certainly the first among the Western Continent’s Noble Families to take notice of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop.

That same day, Yang Jing went to the Governor’s Mansion to report the matter to Canyuan True Monarch.

After hearing his report, Canyuan True Monarch nodded.

"They’re just the Sima Family. The affairs of our Western Continent are not for someone from the Central Continent to meddle in."

To maintain control, the Six Sects had also dispatched three Nascent Soul cultivators to the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion to help Canyuan True Monarch manage the situation.

"You, on the other hand... you lack the vigor of youth. You’re far too cautious."