Star Odyssey-Chapter 3547: Lively Scene

Yi Shang saw the offer, but he paid no attention to the fact that the Hundred Leaf Trade Association had offered 500 billion spirit seeds; they belonged to Lu Yin. Because of that, Yi Shang automatically ignored their offer. Instead, he looked up and stared at Yue Susu. "Is this your doing?"

As he spoke, an invisible pressure fell upon the room. Apart from those with Lu Yin, everyone in the venue was suppressed by Yi Shang’s aura.

Regardless of whether Yi Shang still held the title of Seraph, his strength as someone overcoming Dukkha was undeniable. In the branch stream of the River of Aeons, when the Tianyuan Megaverse had been invaded, only a handful of people at the battle at the boundary had been able to stand up to the man.

The pressure was not earth-shattering, but it was enough to render it impossible for people to lift their heads.

As the representatives of the various companies were suppressed, fear flickered in their eyes. They deeply regretted participating in this selection, as they had been caught between two giants.

Yue Susu fearlessly met Yi Shang’s eyes. "It’s been a long time, Senior."

"Where is your father?" Yi Shang calmly asked.

Yue Susu smiled faintly. "Of course, Father is resting at home."

Yi Shang was impressed. "Despite your youth, you possess remarkable courage. Even if we ignore your talent, very few in the entire Spirit Nidus can match your vision and bearing. Still, I am quite curious. What makes your Sima Chamber of Commerce think that you can challenge me? Is it just because I lost my title as one of the Seven Seraphs?"

Yue Susu replied in a solemn tone, "Your Chamber of Commerce won’t be weakened just by you losing that position. Even if you had kept that title, this day would have eventually arrived. Our Sima Chamber of Commerce has been waiting for this day for a long time.

"Everyone knows that our Sima Chamber of Commerce has risen to prominence by focusing on gathering materials for the Ascendant Hall to produce sequence bases. This is the very foundation of our company. However, your Chamber of Commerce oversees all trade throughout the Spirit Nidus. You intercept the materials we are required to gather at every level and constantly compete with us. If we don’t take action now, our company might end up completely crushed by your Chamber of Commerce."

A smile spread across Yi Shang’s round face. "I said long ago that your Sima Chamber of Commerce should merge with my Chamber of Commerce, but Yue Ting has been stubborn. As his daughter, you should consider your company’s survival. Do you actually believe that such petty tricks can force me to back down?"

Yue Susu chuckled. "Compared to you, Senior, I am a mere toddler taking their first unsteady steps. There’s no comparison between us. However, even a child can become a threat if they wield a weapon that not even an adult can withstand. At worst, mutual destruction can always be an option."

Yi Shang’s focus sharpened, and a terrifying pressure dropped onto Yue Susu.

Beside the young woman, an old man stood up and completely repelled the pressure. He coughed lightly. "Old friend, please take it easy. These old bones of mine still want to live for a few more years."

Yi Shang stared at the old man in surprise. "Shan Xian? You’re still alive?"

The old man chuckled as he met Yi Shang’s gaze. "We were once comrades, so isn’t cursing me with death a bit rude?"

Across the room, Old Tao was shocked. "Shan Xian? So he’s still alive."

"Not for much longer. He’s close to death." Lu Yin observed the old man, sensing that Shan Xian was quickly approaching the end of his lifespan as an Ortuser. He was close to death. "You know him?"

Old Tao sighed in admiration. "I saw him once, long ago. He is a powerhouse from the same generation as Yi Shang. He fought in the Consciousness Megaverse. Supposedly, he excels not in offense, but in defense. Nothing can get to whatever he is protecting.

"It’s one thing to learn that he’s still alive, but to see him protecting that girl from the Sima Chamber of Commerce? It appears that the rumors are true."

"What rumors?" Qing Xiao asked curiously.

Old Tao’s voice dropped low. "That the Sima Chamber of Commerce is being protected by the Ascendant Hall. That they are being secretly guarded by experts, most of whom are on the verge of death.

"Such people are the same as those old monsters awaiting death in the Gate of Laws. They might not be capable of going out and fighting anymore, as one wrong move might cost them their lives, but if someone comes knocking, they can still unleash a moment of earth-shattering power."

Across the room, Shan Xian turned around. "Stop calling us old monsters. We’re not that old. We’ve just reached the end of our time, nothing more."

Old Tao chuckled awkwardly, embarrassed at being overheard.

Shan Xian then turned back to Yi Shang. "Old friend, you have led your Chamber of Commerce to make enough profits. Give others some room to breathe. The Sima Chamber of Commerce only wants to control the market of the materials that are used to build sequence bases as a means of securing their own position. There’s no need for things to escalate so far."

Yue Susu interjected. "As long as you agree to that from now on, no one in the Spirit Nidus will compete with our Sima Chamber of Commerce for the materials for sequence bases. We are also willing to pay to appease your anger for what happened today, Senior."

Yi Shang stared intently at Yue Susu. "Do you believe that you are safe just because Shan Xian is protecting you? If I wish you dead, he can’t stop me."

Shan Xian sighed and shrugged. "Which is precisely why we chose this exact moment. You just lost your title as Seraph, and if word spreads that your Chamber of Commerce has become unstable, especially due to something as trivial as the bids for this selection dropping to a single spirit seed, just what do you think will happen to your company’s reputation? If the Sima Chamber of Commerce can rise up, then so can another. You know better than anyone else how many of these companies are not really companies at all. I’m reaching my end, old friend. What about you? You’re not far off either, are you?"

Yi Shang’s round face fell. "You were only ordered to protect Yue Ting. When did your orders extend to protecting the entire Sima Chamber of Commerce?"

Yue Susu smiled sweetly. "I have formally acknowledged Senior Shan Xian as my master. He has become my teacher now."

This caught Yi Shang off guard, but then he soon burst out laughing. "Good, good! Yue Ting has raised an excellent daughter. He is stubborn and not eloquent at all, and yet he managed to raise a truly remarkable child. Let me guess. Yue Ting never approved of any of this, did he? He believes that his own abilities are enough to protect his Sima Chamber of Commerce."

Yue Susu let out a helpless sigh. "My father’s thinking can be quite naive at times. I admire the Wisdom Domain the most. They can see so far ahead."

Yi Shang continued his compliments. "Yue Ting is a fool, and yet his daughter is wise. There is nothing in existence that is truly eternal. He may be talented enough to protect his Sima Chamber of Commerce on his own for a time, but it won’t last forever. You can see further ahead."

As the man spoke, his eyes flickered. "Have you ever considered joining my Chamber of Commerce?"

Yue Susu grew puzzled. "What do you mean, Senior?"

"Marry my grandson, Yi Xia."

Yue Susu was stunned. She had never expected Yi Shang to give her such an offer.

Shan Xian was taken aback and glanced back at Yue Susu. This... could work. After all, Shan Xian was close to death, and he was genuinely affectionate of Yue Susu. That was the only reason why the old man had agreed to involve himself in the matter. However, what would happen to her once he was gone? Even if she succeeded in protecting the Sima Chamber of Commerce, how would she be able to protect herself?

Yue Ting had managed to have one daughter, so he might be able to have a second.

There was one thing that Yue Susu had misjudged, which even Yi Shang had misunderstood: Yue Ting was no fool. He simply had no desire to step forward himself. While he had passively accepted Yue Susu’s schemes against the Daquan Domain’s Chamber of Commerce, Shan Xian, who had protected the man for a long time, could see the truth. Yue Ting’s passivity was actually his own way of seizing the initiative.

Yue Susu believed that she had taken the initiative to step forward to protect Yue Ting and his company, but was that not exactly what Yue Ting had wanted all along?

In the end, Yi Shang’s Chamber of Commerce would be forced to agree to not compete with the Sima Chamber of Commerce. However, Yue Susu would be the one to suffer the brunt of Yi Shang’s wrath.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Yue Ting remained nothing more than an outsider, and yet his Sima Chamber of Commerce would be preserved and protected. As for what happened to Yue Susu, that would depend on her own luck.

Shan Xian could see Yue Ting’s intentions quite clearly, yet he could do nothing to stop the man. Yue Susu was genuinely determined to protect her father and his company. This was not something that Shan Xian could dissuade her from doing.

However, if Yue Susu married Yi Xia, everything would change.

"Old friend, is this a true offer?" Shan Xian gave Yi Shang an earnest look.

A broad smile again decorated Yi Shang’s round face. "I haven’t spoken a single word of falsehood."

Shan Xian looked back at Yue Susu while trying to suppress his excitement. "Girl."

Yue Susu looked at Shan Xian and said something.

In his corner, Lu Yin rolled his eyes. What is all of this about, for things to escalate in this manner? If these two families are truly connected through marriage and their companies are united, it will be even easier for the Spirit Nidus to gather resources in the future. This won’t be good for the Tianyuan Megaverse.

Shan Xian truly hoped for Yue Susu to agree.

The young woman’s face betrayed her confusion. This far exceeded her expectations of the situation.

Yi Shang continued, "Marry Yi Xia, and the Sima Chamber of Commerce will remain independent. Whether it is merged with my Chamber of Commerce or not, the Sima Chamber of Commerce’s status will not be affected."

Yue Susu stared at Yi Shang, who had an honest smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Senior, but I cannot agree."

Yi Shang froze, and then his jolly expression turned solemn as a cold gleam flickered in his eyes.

Shan Xian glanced sideways at Yue Susu and sighed. He had almost forgotten that the Sima Chamber of Commerce had reached its current state thanks to the support of the Ascendant Hall. The Ascendant Hall supported the company because Yue Ting was capable of searching for the precious materials that they so desperately needed. What would the Ascendant Hall think if the Sima Chamber of Commerce merged with the Daquan Domain’s Chamber of Commerce?

The Ascendant Hall had nurtured Yue Ting, but the rest of the Sima Chamber of Commerce could be abandoned.

Yue Susu cared about the company itself, but Shan Xian knew that Yue Ting did not. If worse came to worst, the man could simply rebuild the company. As for Yue Susu, she had been abandoned the moment she had started scheming against the Daquan Domain’s Chamber of Commerce.

Yue Ting had always thought of himself first.

Without Yue Ting and the Sima Chamber of Commerce, Yue Susu was nothing at all. What would her marriage to Yi Xia even mean?

A person could have extra value, but that extra could not exceed their innate worth. Otherwise, what would be trivial and what would be important? Would the person even remain the same?

Yue Susu’s value came from the Sima Chamber of Commerce and Yue Ting. Without those two things, the young woman’s bearing and intellect were practically worthless in Yi Shang’s eyes. The only way to change that would be if she possessed the strength of a Seraph.

Even if Yue Ting lost everything, he personally remained the most valuable asset.

Yi Shang was able to clearly see through everything, and his proposal was nothing more than a counter for what Yue Susu had done. If the woman failed to see the truth, she would be abandoned. Then, neither the Sima Chamber of Commerce nor Yi Shang’s Chamber of Commerce would offer her refuge.

This was all a game of strategy: Yue Susu had schemed against Yi Shang’s Chamber of Commerce, while Yi Shang had countered her. Both were able to see matters clearly, while Shan Xian was the one who had initially been oblivious.

Lu Yin was impressed. "As a proper businessman, just a few words are enough to obliterate his opponent."

Lu Yin’s originally intended sabotage had become unnecessary. Yue Susu was even smarter than expected.

There had never been a shortage of brilliant minds. The Tianyuan Megaverse had Progenitor Hui, True God, Qiong Xi'er, Wang Wen, Wei Rong, and others. On the other hand, the Spirit Nidus had people like the High Seraph, Yi Shang, Old Yu, and more. All of them were highly intelligent individuals.

A moment of inattention could easily leave one ensnared by such people’s schemes.

Some of the people might not appear to be very clever, but that was simply because outsiders were unable to discern the truth.

That had also been true of the Great Sovereign. Many had mocked her for being crazy, and yet, in the end, it was the Great Sovereign who had saved the entire Tianyuan Megaverse. Without her, no matter how brilliant Progenitor Hui might have been, how peerless Lu Yin’s talent might be, or even how formidable the Origin Progenitor was, none of them could have stood against True God at his peak.

The Great Sovereign had followed her own path, regardless of anything or anyone else. Her name had been Tai Hong, and she had never been inferior to anyone.

Lu Yin let out a long breath. For a moment, he felt the same mix of frustration and admiration he had before, and he felt a sudden urge to yell “crazy bitch” at her again.