Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 281 - 20: Lingshan Travelogue Part 1: Epilogue
After severing the communication spell, Shen Yueying sighed softly, her right hand tightly clutching a stack of reports. Her fingertips unconsciously applied force, pressing the stack of over a hundred sheets of paper into one tightly coherent layer!
Outsiders only know the Deputy City Lord of Shen City for her harsh temperament. Who could understand the immense pressure she endures as a woman in the position of the chief housekeeper of Shen City? People like Shen Herong, who are almost at the upper echelons, only see Shen Yueying holding the financial authority of Shen City, where she has life and death control over many who rely on public funds. But how can such a scar-faced ugly man comprehend how difficult it is to wield that financial power!?
The financial authority of Shen City is truly not easy to manage. In contrast, holding financial power in Golden Jade City or Lingshan City might be one of the top jobs, but in Shen City, financial authority is more of a burden and even torture.
The world knows that the people of Shen City are warlike, and the Shen Family has raised an army of famously battle-hardened soldiers. But think from another angle; how can warmongering be without cost? Even in the mortal world, there is the saying "poor scholar, rich warrior," let alone in the Immortal Cultivation Realm?
Among the four major elements for a cultivator, wealth comes first. Alchemy requires money, artifact refining requires money, and spirit stones for emergency replenishment of True Essence are the hard currency of the cultivation world. Any cultivator who wishes to achieve something must spare no effort on finances. Yet, those martial-loving gentlemen of Shen City only know cultivation and combat all day long. Other than that, they expect everything to be handed to them, no different from useless people.
If a cultivator does not engage in production, then regardless of how high their cultivation is, they are just a large, feces-producing machine. And there are especially many of these feces machines in Shen City!
And feeding these feces machines is precisely Shen Yueying's responsibility.
Objectively speaking, Shen City's sources of revenue are very abundant. A metropolis with a population of millions, the taxes alone provided by these people amount to a huge sum. Furthermore, the city's surrounding areas have many spirit fields, ore veins, and businesses directly owned by the city. Lastly, the Shen Family's pioneering teams often venture into the chaotic frontier, extracting treasures of immense value.
However, even the most abundant financial resources can't withstand the consumption of excessive militarism.
For instance, a cultivator in the Cloud Surge Realm, if cultivating step-by-step during peacetime, requires only the daily absorption of Heaven and Earth Spirit Wind to meet their needs, with no extra nutritional supplements necessary. In fact, for those with mediocre aptitude, excessive intake of miraculous elixirs might even be counterproductive.
But if it's a military cultivator in the Cloud Surge Realm, the expenses become enormous. Saturated military training consumes several times or even ten times the True Essence. Simply relying on absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spirit Wind is insufficient for replenishment, and at least requires Immortal Cuisine for nutritional supplements. The military elites consume a fixed quota of spirit stones every day. Furthermore, soldiers do not fight barehanded; the daily consumption of talismans and elixir pills alone amounts to astronomical figures, not to mention the wear and depreciation of magical treasure mechanisms.
There is a centuries-old saying in Shen City: A hundred battles' elite soldier requires a pile as tall as themselves in spirit stones!
Since its founding, for two thousand years, the financial situation of Shen City has often been tight. Although not to the extent of expenditures exceeding income, the annual surplus is extremely limited. The Shen Family advocates for frugality for a reason!
Even the penalties outweigh rewards in the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, partly because they simply can't afford to distribute thousands of spirit stones every day...
The finances of Shen City are inherently difficult. After Li Fengyun swept through Shen City, the Shen Family knew shame and worked hard, vigorously cultivating more intensely.
This added further burden to the financial situation.
Shen Yueying clearly remembers the year after Li Fengyun abducted Shen Yue'e, the food budget for the Shen Family Outer Courtyard doubled! Additionally, the Shen Family Army positively responded by initiating a hundred-day intensive training exercise, the budget for which made Shen Yueying want to cry without tears!
In summary, bearing such heavy pressure, Shen Yueying certainly was not in a generous mood when specially approving Wang Jiu and others to enter Lingshan.
She was, in truth, so dizzy from the financial reports that Shen Herong's mention of Shen City's Lingshan instantly provoked her boiling anger and overwhelming bitterness.
That Shen City's Lingshan is undoubtedly the most prodigal entity Shen Yueying has ever witnessed. There's no need to mention those cultivation resorts specially for the elderly, each one is a bottomless pit for spending money. A group of unproductive old men, with no potential to mine, yet with such terrifyingly high cultivation, consume massively in daily practice — and all expenses are covered by Deputy City Lord Shen Yueying!
Moreover, that so-called high-tech zone is a primordial god pit. Certainly, it gathers the absolute essence of Shen City's cultivators, seeing a continuous emergence of new talents. But what do they collectively focus on? Spending money!
Can the high-tech zone develop powerful new technologies? Of course, it can!
Can these technologies be commercialized? Absolutely not!
So, from the inception of this zone, it's been a financial black hole, critically important yet cannot easily have its budget slashed.
Finally, there is the all-in-one industrial park. Theoretically, this should be the area with the best potential for turning a profit within Lingshan. Production by leveraging Lingshan's timely and advantageous conditions could create high-end products difficult for others to imitate and surpass, accompanied by proper operations, creating unimaginable profit margins!
Yet the Shen ancestors decreed: The family's core institutions shall not be profit-driven!
This rule was initially established out of fear that the Shen descendants would indulge in the world of capital and money, abandoning the martial spirit of a soldier. But now this rule genuinely leaves people wanting to cry without tears. Shen Yueying sees a golden opportunity for profit yet cannot extend her hand, forced to helplessly watch the park continuously produce exorbitantly priced yet unrewarding weapons and equipment.
And when this wastrel entity ties to the Li Family, a moment of inspiration suddenly flashed through Shen Yueying's mind.
Shen City's Lingshan, no matter how little the Deputy City Lord looks up to it. But from the outside world's perspective, it's an undeniably high-profile and luxurious golden signboard. Over the years, whenever the Saint Sect Envoy visits Shen City, they are always taken to the Immortal Cultivation Resort in Lingshan, receiving high praise each time— it's practically imprinted with the Saint Sect's approval. Occasionally, when other noble families or dignitaries from the Three Academies visit Lingshan, they often sigh that participating in the development of this Grotto Heaven Blessed Land with Shen City would truly be a thing of earthly bliss— to which Shen Yueying responds every time with a scornful laugh.
And such a good place, only the Shen Family throws money into it, isn't that too wasteful? Why not take this opportunity to let the rich members of the Li Family experience the thrill of investing in Lingshan!
As the core area of Shen City, outsiders cannot be allowed to trespass. But hasn't the Li Family always claimed to be connected by marriage to the Shen Family? Even though Shen Yue'e once openly stated breaking away from the family, she ended up having a daughter who bears the name of Shen Qingming and came to Shen City to visit relatives, acting as though they were one family.
Since they're one family, they aren't restricted by ancestral teachings, and can freely attract investments.
As for how exactly to attract investment, that's quite simple. After years of investing and developing, Lingshan in Shen City has long become heaven on earth in outsiders' eyes, with everywhere being mysterious. But the price for this mystery is quite steep.
The star awards of the Shen Family Outer Courtyard only mention allowing winners to go on a one-day tour of Lingshan, and didn't say that meals and accommodation are all-inclusive. Even if they were, they can go to the gift shops in the industrial park and high-tech zone to shop at high prices! When those Li Family brats enjoy themselves to the fullest at the Immortal Cultivation Resort and return, the bill will be sent over, and Lingshan's budget for the year will be settled!
As for refusing to pay and dining and dashing? Ha, they're in Shen City, how can they run away? If the Li Family doesn't pay, they can forget about returning to QingCyan Cloud City!
Even if things escalate, like when the Saint Sect intervenes, the Shen Family can explain.
Did the Li Family go to Lingshan? Yes.
Did they spend in Lingshan? Yes.
Was the spending reasonably priced? Even the Holy Sect Envoy praised the top-notch enjoyment in the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land. Having a premium is completely reasonable!
As for whether there was an inclination of fraud misdirection, such subjective issues should not waste everyone's time. The complex entanglement between the Shen and Li Families has been going on for decades, how can you expect the Shen Family to host them with lavish hospitality?!
At most, let the Li Family count the money on the bill as a part of their investment and participate in the operation of Lingshan, sharing Shen Family's profits. This kind of thing is clearly seen by outsiders as a rare Godsend opportunity and sufficiently proves Shen Family's sincerity in resolving enmities. When they receive the financial report from Shen City and see Lingshan's annual operating status, the Li Family's expressions will certainly be priceless.
Seeing through these key points, Shen Yueying readily agreed to Shen Herong's application.
Not to mention a one-day tour of Lingshan, approving a ten-day tour would be fine too! Ideally, they should indulge themselves in Lingshan for 100 years without coming out!
Upon setting the grand direction, Shen Yueying, with her feminine meticulousness, quickly thought of additional details.
Right, they can't be allowed to wander freely in the critical areas of Lingshan. We need a few clever and capable little guys to accompany them as tour guides… While they can lead them to spend all over, processing all the stagnant stock in the industrial park and high-tech zone at top prices. Finally, provide these guides 10% commission, fully stimulating their initiative, not worrying about the final bill being too small!
——
That afternoon, Wang Jiu and his party set out for the famous Shen City Lingshan, led by a male and female elite employee of the Shen Family.
The entrance to Lingshan is everywhere, simply requiring a pass to open the door directly to the destination, only to see a golden, magnificent road extending before them leading to the infinitely imaginative Lingshan.
"Wow, I didn't expect the Shen Family to be so generous, actually opening the door of Lingshan to us like this."
At the door, Li Chaolu's youthful heart overflowed, as she gazed drunk on the scenery behind the door.
Even far away in QingCyan Cloud City, she had heard the legends of Lingshan and the miraculous effects of the Eternal Youth Immortal Spring of the Immortal Cultivation Resort on enhancing the beauty of female cultivators.
Li Wanqing, however, remained cautious: "I think things won't be this simple, you know the relationship between the Shen Family and us."
"Maybe they also want to dissolve the enmity? After all, it's all history from decades ago." Li Chaolu argued, "Anyway, just arranging for the five of us to eat, drink, and have fun in Lingshan for a couple of days would cost quite a bit."
Li Wanqing furrowed her brow: "Won't it end with us having to pick up the tab?"
Saying this, she proactively asked the two Shen Family employee guides.
"Does your Shen Family cover our meals and expenses for the Lingshan tour, or will you send a super hefty bill to QingCyan Cloud City leaving us stuck here if we don't pay after our indulgence?"
"..." The two employees remained silent, but cold sweat poured down on the spot.
Deputy City Lord! These damned Li Family people aren't following the script!
