Chapter 793: Eight Directions Business Alliance

Wang Changqing, Wang Mingjiang's most outstanding son, currently leads teams hunting demonic beasts, possessing relatively pure magical power. Wang Qiuyan is a second-tier alchemist, capable of refining various second-tier elixirs. Their advancement to the Core Formation stage would greatly benefit the family's development.

Wang Changqing and Wang Qiuyan exchanged glances, both seeing the joy in the other's eyes, and smiled as they agreed.

Red Moon Sea Region, Silver Serpent Island.

In the council hall, the clan elders were reporting the family's situation to Wang Qiuhong.

Wang Qiuhong had introduced numerous policies to encourage childbirth. With ample financial support, the Wang family's population grew rapidly, now comprising over five hundred cultivators and more than six hundred thousand mortals.

Of course, this rapid population growth was due not only to the policies but also to the Wang family's annexation of several smaller families.

Unlike the Eastern Wilderness, cultivators and mortals in the South Sea lived together out of necessity.

Islands without cultivators stationed were easily attacked by sea monsters. The ocean was boundless, teeming with demonic beasts. While the likelihood of a major beast tide was relatively low, small beast tides were quite common. Without cultivators, mortals would surely perish if sea monsters attacked. Generally, mortals resided on islands possessing spiritual veins, which provided spiritual energy to maintain defensive formations without affecting the cultivators' practice.

With numerous islands in the Red Moon Sea Region, the Wang family expanded its dominion as its number of cultivators grew.

Aside from Silver Serpent Island, the Wang family also controlled eleven smaller islands, which surrounded and protected Silver Serpent Island like stars orbiting the moon.

Silver Serpent Island currently housed twenty-five Foundation Establishment cultivators, not including those from the Intelligence Hall. As Wang Qingqi had entered seclusion to attempt a breakthrough to the Core Formation stage, the family's stock of Foundation Establishment Pills had been depleted. They were forced to purchase more at high prices from market towns and large shops as a reserve.

“This year's total income is 178,545 spirit stones, with expenditures of 97,635 spirit stones. Raw materials alone account for fifty percent of the expenses.”

After the Wang family developed the puppet formation, the demand for puppet beasts surged. Wang Qiuhong intensified efforts to train puppet masters; the family currently had thirty-five, mostly first-tier, with only five at the second tier. Wang Qiuxin was the Foundation Establishment cultivator with the highest puppet-making skill.

“The expenditure on raw materials is excessively high, Patriarch. We must find a way to lower their prices.”

While the Wang family had developed the puppet formation, hunting demonic beasts still carried significant risks. In their unluckiest encounter, they faced hundreds of demonic birds and lost over half their personnel.

Hunting demonic beasts was a high-risk, high-reward profession. As the Wang family sought to cultivate more talents, their consumption of raw materials was substantial.

Wang Qiuhong nodded, stating, “I have already instructed Qiuli to contact the Eight Directions Merchant Alliance. We hope that buying in bulk will result in a lower price.”

The South Sea was rich in cultivation resources, giving rise to many powerful merchant alliances. To lower raw material prices, bulk purchasing was necessary. However, buying in such large quantities meant a continuous increase in the Wang family's expenditures. This would be manageable if income kept pace, but failure to do so would result in negative profits for the year.

Wang Qiuhong, however, was not concerned. The Wang family had numerous affiliated forces, and in cases of severe losses, it was common practice in the South Sea cultivation world to distribute the majority of these losses among them, thereby minimizing the family's own impact.

“By the way, Patriarch, for the clan competition in six months, which forces should we invite?”

The Wang family's primary method for selecting talent was through clan competitions, identifying outstanding individuals to nurture with greater intensity.

While various factions had their own talent selection mechanisms, cultivation families primarily relied on clan competitions, a relatively fair method. These competitions served not only as a means to select talent but also as an opportunity for cultivation families to display their strength.

Previously, the Wang family had hosted clan competitions, inviting various forces to observe.

“No, this time the clan competition will not invite other forces to participate. Additionally, we will broaden the reward scope so that the top thirty participants all receive prizes.”

Five Core Formation cultivators could open a Yellow-grade secret realm. Considering its importance, Wang Changsheng intended to focus on cultivating a group of Qi Refining cultivators. Inviting other forces to observe would draw their attention, potentially revealing the secret realm's existence.

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, you may attend to your duties.”

Wang Qiuhong waved his hand, signaling the meeting's conclusion.

Upon hearing this, the clan elders gradually departed.

In a luxuriously decorated restaurant within Green Carp Market, inside a private room...

Wang Qiuli was entertaining a man and a woman, having ordered a lavish spread of dishes.

The guests were a middle-aged man in his early fifties and a graceful young woman in green, both at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment cultivation. They were deacons of the Eight Directions Pavilion, responsible for transactions under 500,000 spirit stones.

Wang Qiuli had hosted the banquet hoping to establish a cooperative relationship with the Eight Directions Pavilion, thereby lowering raw material prices and reducing expenses.

“Shopkeeper Wang,” the middle-aged man began, “there are no outsiders here, so let's speak frankly. Unless you place an order for one hundred thousand spirit stones’ worth of goods at once, we cannot accept your proposed price. If you drive the price down so low, how much profit will we have left?”

The middle-aged man frowned as he spoke. They had several such social engagements each month, and as deacons of the Eight Directions Pavilion, their monthly remuneration increased with the volume of goods sold. While they desired to sell more, Wang Qiuli's insistence on such low prices would significantly reduce their profit margins.

“Fellow Daoist Sun,” Wang Qiuli replied, “it’s not easy for any of us. How about we both compromise and add one spirit stone to the original price?”

The middle-aged man frowned deeply and shook his head, about to refuse, but the young woman in green spoke first. “Shopkeeper Wang, we can agree to your price. However, you must sell us a certain number of puppet beasts annually. Furthermore, you will need to help us with one matter.”

“What matter?” Wang Qiuli asked, a hint of ambiguity in her tone. “Madam Li, please be clear. We will certainly do what we can.”

Wang Qiuli spoke with some ambiguity, as whether or not it could be done was not entirely her decision.

“It is like this,” the young woman explained. “Some time ago, a consignment of goods belonging to our Eight Directions Merchant Alliance was robbed. We hope your Wang family can assist us in apprehending the rogue cultivators. Upon success, we will offer a separate, substantial reward.”

Wang Qiuli paused, slightly taken aback, and asked with a hint of doubt, “Was it a Core Formation cultivator who robbed your Eight Directions Merchant Alliance’s assets?”

“Precisely,” she confirmed. “Here is the information on the rogue cultivator. Their appearance is likely false, but their cultivation technique and magical treasures should be genuine. This group of rogue cultivators has numerous Foundation Establishment-stage subordinates. You can track their whereabouts; once you locate them, you don't need to engage. Simply notify us, and we will handle it ourselves.”

“Are these rogue cultivators in the Red Moon Sea Region?”

The young woman in green shook her head. “No, we also received orders from above. We need them, dead or alive.”

The Eight Directions Merchant Alliance wielded immense power, but even the strongest sometimes faltered. While the Alliance wasn't overly concerned with the stolen goods themselves, someone daring to challenge their authority was something they absolutely could not tolerate.