Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation-Chapter 128 - 22: Future Impact
Golden Splendor Immortal City is the most stable, profitable, and enduring industry of Biyun Sect, which should not be abandoned unless facing the Sect's destruction or doubling its profits.
After all, the Immortal City is not only a source of revenue for Biyun Sect but also an effective means to control the entire trade of Cangyun State, managing the economic networks of major powers within the state.
Now that it is open for public bidding, and only for a hundred-year control, this indicates there is no imminent danger to the Sect's existence, and it's likely there is an opportunity that doubles the profits of this hundred-year span.
Combined with the previous Spirit Supplement Pill and Granny You, especially since subscribing to the Imperial Gazette, many pieces of information about Biyun Sect have been unraveled… Li Ji'an can almost be certain that they have discovered some super ancient ruins or highly valuable secret realms in the Great Marsh Mountain, requiring massive material and human resources to access the ruins or secret realms.
Calculating the time, perhaps the preparations started secretly ten years ago, and now it is at the most urgent moment.
With this… Li Ji'an understood many things.
No wonder he didn't send people to hunt down the roving bandits even though they knew they went to the desert.
No wonder Xiao Changfeng mentioned resources are becoming scarcer.
No wonder there is a need for technicians to survey and recruit Array Masters.
...
Setting aside all thoughts on spectatorship, Li Ji'an calmly concentrated, prioritizing the deduction of potential adverse effects on his safety.
A person who considers distant worries will not have immediate concerns. Being able to predict a crisis beforehand and nip it in the bud is far steadier than counterattacking violently every time a crisis occurs, and this matches Li Ji'an's heart nature.
If predicted correctly, once Biyun Sect sells the control of the Immortal City, they will no longer be responsible for its safety, since the shortage of manpower has already been exposed.
Moreover, once it is publicly sold, even if the Immortal City reputation suffers over this century, it's irrelevant to Biyun Sect, and once they take it back in a hundred years, it will quickly thrive again.
Just this first point makes Li Ji'an frown slightly.
A gentleman does not stand under a perilous wall; if the Immortal City can't ensure safety eventually, he must consider retreat plans in advance.
However, any force capable of affording a hundred-year control over the Immortal City surely isn't a minor power, possibly even comparable to Biyun Sect.
To ensure profit, they would certainly prioritize the safety and stability of the Immortal City.
Yet… the fear is that their reach may ultimately be inadequate.
Besides Biyun Sect's sect being nearby, with thousands of disciples ready to support and dispatch, no force can ensure the safety of the Immortal City under Biyun Sect's administration.
Moreover, recalling Tong Xiangyu's hint last month, perhaps…
The actual ownership of the Immortal City for this hundred years might belong to the Outer Domain Commerce Association forces.
Indeed, the more something is emphasized in public announcements, the more likely it is true.
The announcement emphasizes it must be a local force in the Celestial Cyan Domain, which probably doesn't concern Biyun Sect, urgently needing resources, and likely is pressure from the true Overlord of Celestial Cyan Domain, Ten Thousand Laws Palace, forcing Biyun Sect to make such announcements.
Yet, compared to the neighboring Merchants Acquaintances Domain, primarily focused on Commerce Associations and merchants from various domains, the local forces either can't provide the vast resources required by Biyun Sect or aren't interested in the Immortal City.
Ultimately, it's likely that some Commerce Association in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain will borrow a shell of influence within the Celestial Cyan Domain to control Cangyun State's leading Golden Splendor Immortal City.
If so, the personnel from outside the domain will be limited in their entry, and as a Commerce Association of the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, profit must be the primary concern, leading to cost-saving measures that surely can't match Biyun Sect's management of Immortal City with regard to safety and stability!
"The exterior of the Immortal City likely won't be as safe as before… The safety within the Immortal City should be guaranteed… Biyun Sect's prestige shouldn't fade so quickly… The chaos will unfold gradually, and at least within the next ten years, there should be no worries."
After analyzing all the circumstances, Li Ji'an has grasped the essential needs concerning safety in his mind.
It will certainly deteriorate, but the impact on him is minimal, and given his current strength, he can avoid it in advance.
Next is the impact on his economic interests.
This aspect is more beneficial than detrimental, and likewise for the entire Cangyun State.
At least the primary point, some resources previously strictly controlled by Biyun Sect, which may affect the state's situation or its dominance, will be greatly freed.
Even Foundation Establishment Pill will not be as scarce as before.
Regardless of pill medicine materials or talisman materials, even arrays and puppets will become somewhat freer.
In summary, the economic sector will likely transition from the previous planned economy to a free economy.
This is certainly beneficial for cultivators like Li Ji'an, who possess exquisite skills and demand high-tier resources.
The third possible impact is the issue of future development.
Li Ji'an's purpose in coming to the Immortal City is to prepare for Foundation Establishment. Initially, under Biyun Sect's planned economy, this was significantly impacted, but now it promises improvement.
However, subsequent cultivation may become more challenging, as limited Spirit Vein Dao Fields will face intensified competition due to Commerce Associations' dominion.
In this regard, as long as his skills continue to refine, and his income increasingly grows, it's manageable.
After an entire half-day, Li Ji'an repeatedly deduced potential scenarios and eventually breathed a sigh of relief, comprehensively gauging the benefits.
That afternoon, Shopkeeper Wu sent a message, stating Tong Xiangyu wanted to meet Yan Kongyi.
This time, Li Ji'an did not accompany Yan Kongyi.
The final outcome was that Tong Xiangyu agreed to Yan Kongyi's request, even nodding straightforwardly about several strategic-level items.
"The goods can be delivered in three months."
Li Ji'an, upon learning of the result, became further convinced of his speculation. Clearly, the so-called public auction is merely a formality, and the buyer was likely already determined before releasing the information.
"Regrettable that my commercial instincts weren't sharp enough; predicting this outcome sooner might have allowed me to make a small profit." Laughing at himself after spending the afternoon roaming several shops in the Outer City and seeing their acquisition information posted three months in advance.
This year, having Talisman revenues, compared to last year, saw an increase exceeding a thousand Spirit Stones, now totaling more than five thousand in Spirit Stone reserves.
Originally intending to leverage information discrepancies to acquire raw materials unique to Cangyun State, then sell them post-handover of Immortal City management, a likely fifty-percent return on investment. Yet, the supposedly disparate information is already an open card among the upper echelons.
Three days later, Biyun Sect issues another announcement: the entity that secured the century-long control of Golden Splendor Immortal City is Wan Jianqi Family from Dao Source State within Celestial Cyan Domain, a renowned Artifact Refining Clan with a Core Formation True Man anchoring the family.
Clearly, a Core Formation family can't deliver the vast resources Biyun Sect needed all at once, yet they offered a remarkably high price.
For Li Ji'an, this presents another favorable news; capable of facilitating Commerce Association roles, the Qi Family in the future should ensure the Immortal City isn't lacking in Magical Artifacts, and perhaps soon a Second Tier Pill Furnace might be available.
Once the matter of the Immortal City settled, Li Ji'an no longer expends energy on it.
Awaiting the first grand market after the new owner of the Immortal City, he also prepares to visit Biyun Sect to congratulate old Xiao.
For the ultimate goal of the Immortal of Ten Thousand Worlds, for the protection after "Rejuvenation," he needs to forge good relationships, though it must be based on sincerity, allowing nature to take its course, not forcing anything.
Li Ji'an finds Xiao Changfeng's character reasonably agreeable.
Furthermore, due to the previous journey to Flame Mountain, having tasted benefits, he is willing to associate genuinely.
He also wishes to learn some Foundation Establishment experiences and insights from him.
On this day, Li Ji'an spent two hundred and eighty Spirit Stones at a Dharma Artifact Shop in the Immortal City, purchasing a fine Magical Artifact—Cyan Rock Shield.
Among the Dharma Artifact, ties to the user are significant. At the Qi Cultivation Stage, Mid-to-Low Grade is predominant, while even in the Late Period, many might not utilize the full potential of Upper Grade Magical Artifacts.
Generally, Fine Magical Artifacts are used during the Early Foundation Establishment.
Only in the Middle Stage would a Second Tier Magical Treasure be employed.
Li Ji'an's choice of this Magical Artifact, although not a substantial gift, is not overly lacking, and most importantly, perfectly suits Xiao Changfeng's Earth Element Technique.
An hour later, Li Ji'an arrived outside the mountainous gate of Biyun Sect, having parted for twenty-one years.
Those continuous mountains forming the majestic gate, the mist-shrouded forests, the sky-bound verdant peaks… still make Li Ji'an feel that this is truly Immortal.
