Chapter 187: Chapter 185: Continuing to Expand the Demonic Sects’ Business (Part 2)

’So what if she and Javier Sinclair have a thing going on? They’ll become Taoist Companions, a family, in the future. But that doesn’t change anything. The share she deserves is payment for her collaboration, her personal property.’

’Even if she can’t use it herself, she can still leave it for her son!’

Elder Lawson placed a hand lightly on his chest and spoke with deference.

"Ma’am, you can leave this matter to me. I guarantee its completion."

After the elders had left,

Celeste Grant stroked her chin.

She pondered her next money-making scheme.

’Live streaming is out, so the next step is to get that business running. And I can’t forget about the delivery service.’

At this thought, she shook her head slightly and muttered to herself, ’This isn’t enough. We’re still missing a way to transfer Spirit Stones directly online.’

So an online payment function was essential. But here in the Cultivation World, the payment method would definitely have to be different.

’As things stand, mobile payments are out of the question.’

’Unless I go and open a bank, expand its branches all over the Cultivation World, and convince both the Immortal and Demonic Paths to deposit their money with me. Then I’d have to get Elder Lawson and the others to set up an online payment system linked to the accounts. Otherwise, it’s impossible.’

’It’s not that I *couldn’t* do it.’

’But it would be extremely difficult. I couldn’t even dream of pulling it off in the next three to five years. Even if the Demon Cultivators were willing to trust me, the rest of the Cultivation World certainly wouldn’t.’

’They would just assume I had some ulterior motive, that the Demonic Sects were plotting to seize all the Spirit Stones in the Cultivation World for themselves. They probably wouldn’t agree even if I offered interest. After all, Spirit Stones aren’t just currency; they’re Cultivation Resources—the very lifeblood of a Cultivator. If their entire stash was suddenly wiped out, they’d cry themselves to death.’

’The main reason for this is that over eighty percent of Cultivators in the Cultivation World keep their Spirit Stones in their own storage bags or storage spaces. Those with status and standing keep them directly in even higher-grade Storage Rings.’

The Cultivation World has places for exchanging Spirit Stones, as well as pawn shops for treasures, auction houses, and businesses that appraise, buy back, and trade valuable items. All of these charge a fee.

The places for exchanging Spirit Stones in the Cultivation World are similar to the money-lending houses of ancient times, but very few Cultivators would ever deposit their Spirit Stones there.

They believe that a Cultivation Resource like Spirit Stones is safest only when it’s right under their noses. So, other than for currency exchange, those Cultivators would never store their Spirit Stones at a place like that.

At this thought, she brought a hand to her forehead with a smack.

’Making money really isn’t easy.’

’Even if I really did open a bank, it wouldn’t be a short-term solution.’

’The biggest problem is the reputation of the Demonic Sects. It’s beyond saving.’

’Still, it’s something to consider for the future.’

Suddenly, an idea struck her. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

She had a new idea.

’Hehe.’

’I’ve got it.’

’InstantPay is definitely out, but I can still make something else.’

With this in mind, she brought her fingers together and raised them before her eyes.

She used the Sound Transmission Technique.

And called out directly.

"Elder Lawson, Elder Warren, please return for a moment. I have something important to discuss with you."

Elder Lawson and the others, who had already departed, suddenly heard Celeste Grant’s voice in their minds.

They nodded hurriedly.

They placed their fingers to their temples.

"Ma’am, we’re on our way back."

"Old Man Warren, Ma’am is calling for us."

"Let’s go, Old Man Lawson. I wonder if it’s something urgent..."

As they spoke, the three of them vanished on the spot and reappeared in the Council Hall.

People like them weren’t afraid of having work; they were only afraid that The Exalted One and Ma’am would have nothing for them to do. Having tasks meant they were highly valued in the Sect. Thus, they were always eager to contribute to the Bloodfiend Den in any way they could.

Having just called back Elder Lawson and the others who had already left,

Celeste Grant felt a little guilty.

’I’m working them harder than a plow horse,’ she thought.

After they arrived, they bowed to Celeste Grant.

Then Elder Lawson asked,

"Ma’am, what are your instructions?"

Celeste Grant chuckled at his words.

’Why is my conscience acting up?’ she wondered.

’It’s fine. I’m a ruthless capitalist.’

"Ahem... The reason I called you back is that I’ve had another idea."

The moment she finished speaking, she saw that Elder Warren had already taken out a small notebook.

She heard him say, "Please go on, Ma’am. I’ll take notes."

Celeste Grant’s lip twitched at the sight of his practiced movements.

Celeste Grant couldn’t help but think,

’These elders are way too intense.’

"Here’s the thing. Our Demon Flame app is out, and in the future, we’ll have live-stream shopping and other features. This will inevitably require a way to pay with Spirit Stones directly through online transactions, so we need to plan for this ahead of time."

"I have a proposal. You could try developing a Trading Jade Token. The two parties would just need to infuse the token with their Spiritual Power or Demonic Qi to transfer Spirit Stones from one side to the other, completing the transaction directly."

As soon as she finished,

Elder Lawson sank into thought for a moment before asking, "You mean... spatial teleportation?"

Spatial teleportation was already possible in the Cultivation World. The Magic Treasures capable of this were classified as top-grade Space Transmission Treasures. They were incredibly expensive to craft, time-consuming, and resource-intensive. Not only could ordinary people not afford them, but they were also extremely difficult to produce.

That’s why Celeste Grant was thinking of using that principle, but improving upon it by lowering the standards. It only needed to be able to transfer Spirit Stones. That should lower the difficulty considerably.

Elder Lawson considered this and said, "Space Transmission Treasures are very difficult to craft. It can take several years just to make one or two, so mass production is out of the question. However, if, as you say, Ma’am, it’s only for facilitating Spirit Stone transactions between two parties... that wouldn’t be difficult."

Elder Warren, standing to one side, also nodded.

"Mm, it’s as Old Man Lawson said. If the only requirement is to transact Spirit Stones, with no need to teleport anything else, then it should be easy. Ma’am, give us three days. We can definitely create one."

Elder Holt, who was also present, nodded.

"Three days is more than enough."

Celeste Grant felt like crying.

’Look at them.’

’All I have to do is make a suggestion.’

’And they can solve it.’

’Where else could I find such capable employees?’

With that thought, she said, "Good... Elder Lawson, I’ll leave this matter to you all, then. As for activating the Array to install the app, that can be postponed."

The three of them nodded.

"Of course."

"No problem."

"We’ll follow your arrangements, Ma’am."

Celeste Grant smiled and nodded.

"I have faith in you. Just take your time with the research. It’s okay if you don’t succeed right away, so don’t put too much pressure on yourselves. If three days isn’t enough, take three months. We’re not in a rush."

She was worried the work pressure would be so immense that even as powerful Demon Cultivators, they wouldn’t be able to fend off the risk of going bald.

’Hahaha, just kidding. In the Cultivation World, unless someone is practicing a forbidden Secret Technique or some Evil Technique, everyone has a full head of long, flowing hair.’

That was one of the things Celeste Grant loved most about this world: no hair loss.

It reminded her of her previous world, where so many women started losing their hair and having it thin out at a young age.

Especially after having children.

’They could really use a Hair Growth Elixir.’