Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!-Chapter 776 - 746: Open Sesame_2
"To enter Qingfeng Hall from the outside world, one needs a token and must leap off the cliff. It should be the same principle!" Jiang Yuan suddenly understood, remembering how Xie Chenyuan once mentioned that the Ancient Ten Great Sects exist in places unknown to ordinary people, with individually established spaces.
That being so, the so-called invisibility of this small courtyard is more or less like establishing a separate space!
Checking the detailed settings on the page, Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but laugh—indeed, it has a similar concept.
The ways for others to enter and exit the small courtyard can be customized in more detail, including but not limited to: keys, spells, facial recognition, and so on, much like modern world’s combination locks.
A token is essentially one type of key.
Clicking to set the key, the system also provides various key templates; certain materials are needed to make them.
The simplest form is a wooden tag with one’s designed symbol on it, which uses the least materials; more materials allow for more abundant and luxurious key designs;
Spells include long-term effective spells and one-time spells, allowing to set how often the spell shifts automatically. Outsiders without updated information can’t enter;
Facial recognition is the simplest, except for cultivators with a close bound relationship, others wanting to use facial recognition must undergo several verifications to avoid cultivators from disguising as false appearances to sneak in.
"For those bound with me in the small courtyard, just set facial recognition. As for others..." Jiang Yuan pondered and decided to issue a key + spell dual combination.
The key is simple and convenient, but it’s most worrisome if lost or taken by villains.
With the spell added, the safety factor is higher, lest the courtyards’ increasingly lush scenery and spiritual energy draw some greedy fellows.
What spell to use?
He paused, then typed the spell into the interface with a mischievous grin—Open Sesame!
As long as they’re not time travelers, the original inhabitants of the Wilderness World would never think why sesame could open doors, hahaha, clever as I am!
After choosing a modestly stylish yet exquisite waist tag to create a key, Jiang Yuan entered the small courtyard again and distributed them to Xie Chenyuan and Leng Yutang.
"Open Sesame?" Xie Chenyuan heard the four-character "spell" and was puzzled, what kind of thing is that?
I must have misheard, it should be Paper Horse, yes! Mr. Jiang’s Paperman and Paper Horse Skills are extremely proficient; probably some defense measure using paperman and horse, saying the spell and they’ll heed the command, naturally letting one through the gate smoothly!
Leng Yutang was even more puzzled, but more shocked with delight.
For Mr. Jiang to allow visits to the small courtyard anytime, what a surprise, what trust!
Of course, the best would be if I could forge magical artifacts and treasures for him long-term, aligning with the path of cultivation and having the privilege of serving him, oh and saving on meals, wouldn’t that be great!
The small courtyard reaching Level Seven, actually one should visit Cold Spring Temple to see if any side quests can be triggered.
But Jiang Yuan noticed quite a few ongoing side quests, especially Qu Luming’s avatar quest needing three batches of Nine Heavens Mystic Zhi Incense crafted in a month.
The herb garden and one-acre spirit field had a bumper harvest, so there should be enough materials. Prioritize incense making first.
Once Sand Hill City is entirely safe, sales channels established, crops gathered during autumn can be considered.
The intricate process for Nine Heavens Mystic Zhi Incense, unlocked only at Level Eleven Incense Chart, he committed earnestly to the steps of reprocessing the incense powder, mixing the mud... realizing time had flown, the sky had darkened.
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
The system showed an "incoming call" from Hou Ze, yet Jiang Yuan continued mixing the incense mud, connecting with a thought.
"Mr., have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Now all over Trapped Snake Island it’s spread—Xinhuo Company’s owner and head shopkeeper Li Dehai has fled with the money!
It was discovered by an old customer demanding an explanation at the door, and now the market official has issued a wanted and reward notice, offering fifty thousand spirit stones for any information on Li Dehai’s whereabouts!
Originally, considering the generations of Li family operating businesses on Trapped Snake Island, the market official intervened, demanding that Li Dehai either deliver the goods or repay within three days. Unexpectedly, he just slipped away!
I heard that the market official has reported to the Demon Realm Alliance as a lot of Immortal Jade from Xinhuo’s clients went missing; the implicated amount is so large that the Demon Realm Alliance has ordered the seizure and arrest of the entire Li family.
But after becoming the head shopkeeper, Li Dehai often embezzled family assets. Now even liquidating all their properties wouldn’t cover a tenth of the debts. Hence, the Demon Realm Alliance is determined to capture Li Dehai.
Trapped Snake Island is one of the alliance’s major market centers. If left unchecked, who would dare do business here anymore?
Li Dehai absconding with funds is a slap in the face to the alliance, tsk tsk. It’s a pity I’ve been monitoring, yet I couldn’t find out where he went, otherwise I might have earned fifty thousand for free!"
Hou Ze rambled about the recent commotion, and Jiang Yuan glanced at his pitiful account balance, remembering what Shi Kesong said, and his smile widened.
"Go tell the market official: Li Dehai went to Silver Valley to settle accounts with Shi family patriarch Shi Kesong, and was killed by the Five Great Merchants in collaboration with Xinhuo Company. Since they share profits, yet the Li family’s money isn’t enough to repay, the principal debtor should be held accountable, and after investigating the truth, confiscate the five merchants’ money to repay the older clients, wouldn’t that balance the books?"
This tactic of diverting disaster could ideally have the Demon Realm Alliance confiscate the Five Great Merchant families to balance the books, getting rid of those who should be punished or fined, rendering them powerless to meddle with Sand Hill City;
The worst outcome would be if someone reveals the source to the alliance, greed could entice some opportunistic members within the Demon Realm Alliance to intervene, posing some troubles.
But the city defense array of Sand Hill City, obtained by the vice alliance hierarch via Qu Luming, wouldn’t likely attract superficial Great Demon Cultivator’s troubles; any Little Demon Cultivator aware of the array would acknowledge there’s a formidable backer, and would probably restrain themselves. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Having considered the risks carefully, Jiang Yuan whispered, "If the market official asks about your source, say a friend from the Cloud Concealment Sect helped with divination. Hurry up! If delayed, the Demon Realm Alliance might use divination for the search, and the fifty-thousand reward could be lost if you lose this initiative."
Hou Ze was stunned, initially bringing the latest gossip to inform his master, but unexpectedly, his master had a bigger, even more explosive news for him!
"Alright, I’ll head there now! Master, just wait for my good news!" Hastily putting away the communication stone, he grabbed the tail of the golden-haired little monkey swinging from the tree, "Come on, let’s go post the notice!"
As the sun set behind the western hills, Trapped Snake Island retained its prosperity, unaffected by day or night.
Transiting Demon Cultivators had their legitimate businesses, most glancing at the large notice board before gossiping with their companions.
Only Hou Ze, carrying the golden-haired little monkey on his shoulder, excitedly flew up with sword control to tear down the reward notice, shouting: "I know Li Dehai’s whereabouts!"
Drawing looks from the crowd, the market official Wang Yingzhuo, upon hearing someone had removed the notice, immediately ordered to bring him.
He urgently needed to know where the damned Li Dehai had gone; if he’d transported to another world, catching him soon could still be possible after reporting to the alliance.
If too much time passed and he couldn’t be retrieved, he’d be ruined!
"Alas! One wrong thought, respecting other’s fetes, I just about dug my own grave giving out newfound kindness." Wang Yingzhuo regretted endlessly, knowing that the Xinhuo Company’s practice of collecting large advance payments was prohibited from the start by the Demon Realm Alliance.
In reality, no business is ever completely by the book.
Xinhuo Company tightly linked the fuel business with firestone, trapping regular firestone buyers into dependency, and privately, one agreement aligning with another, usually one eye was shut as a compromise.
But that’s fine unless something happens; when something goes wrong, the market official holds the duty of oversight!
Moreover, with Li Dehai demanding extravagantly, resulting in an almost ten million Immortal Jade shortfall, failing to recover it would cost Wang Yingzhuo not only the market official position he painstakingly climbed to but potentially bring his family under investigation and seizure!
If he had reported when he first knew of Xinhuo’s premature large payments; if he didn’t heed Li Dehai’s desperate pleas, nor considered their slight past amity, adhering strictly to rules and sealed the Li family and business, he wouldn’t have fallen so low.
Yet in the cultivation realm, there’s no remedy for regret.
Desperation consuming him, Wang Yingzhuo pinned all his hope on the Demon Cultivator who claimed the reward notice. By recovering some losses with the capture of Li Dehai, he might find some leverage to smooth things over, perhaps avoiding severe penalties altogether.
