Chapter 877: Wang Mengqi

The State of Qing, Golden Wild Goose Valley.

Golden Wild Goose Valley is one of the three major market towns in the State of Qing, established by the Golden Wild Goose Sect.

The Hundred Puppets Pavilion is a shop opened by the Wang family from the Black Hawk Mountain Range, managed by Wang Youshan.

After Wang Qingjun returned to the Eastern Barrens, he brought back a group of skilled artisans. Puppet crafting was the foundation of the Wang family's establishment and naturally could not be abandoned.

With ample funds and skilled artisans, in less than five years, the Wang family's puppet beasts gained considerable renown throughout the State of Qing.

On the fifth floor, Wang Youshan was chatting with a round-faced man. They were laughing and talking, their conversation warm and lively.

The round-faced man was Wang Mengyang, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator at the third level. He originally belonged to the Intelligence Hall, but after his family suffered heavy losses, they transitioned from overt to covert operations. Wang Mengyang was then ordered to join the Skywind Merchant Alliance.

Wang Mengyang was skilled at reading people, and with the help of his family, he had established a firm foothold in the Skywind Merchant Alliance. He currently served as a Procurement Deacon, responsible for acquiring cultivation resources used by Qi Condensation Realm cultivators.

A merchant alliance is a trade organization that acquires local specialties at low prices and uses its powerful transportation network to transport goods to other regions.

Being a Procurement Deacon was not easy. Firstly, it required constant travel and a significant time commitment. Secondly, with lower cultivation levels, carrying large amounts of cultivation resources made them vulnerable to robbery and assassination. Thirdly, the procured resources had to be of good quality and low price; if prices were too high, the higher-ups would not approve and could replace them at any time.

With his family's assistance, Wang Mengyang's work became much easier. His family helped him gather cultivation resources and sold them to him at a slightly higher price than the market rate.

Their relationship was mutually beneficial. Wang Youshan sent people to acquire cultivation resources and sold them to Wang Mengyang, ensuring a steady profit without worrying about sales. Wang Mengyang, in turn, didn't have to spend a large amount of time acquiring these resources, saving considerable time and effort.

Of course, apart from a very few members of the Wang family, no one else knew about the relationship between Wang Mengyang and Wang Youshan.

"Aunt," Wang Mengyang began, "the higher-ups are very pleased with my performance. They plan to let me host a Foundation Establishment Realm auction, primarily for cultivation resources used by Foundation Establishment cultivators. I've already contacted many merchants to gather resources, but I'll need the family's help. This will be my first time hosting a Foundation Establishment auction."

Wang Mengyang's tone was earnest, and his expression showed a hint of excitement.

Unlike other organizations, a merchant alliance prioritizes two things for important positions: contribution to the alliance and cultivation level.

After joining the Skywind Merchant Alliance, Wang Mengyang started as a low-level attendant, introducing goods to customers. He was skilled at reading people, eloquent, and sold many items through his efforts. His approachable nature and respect for the manager led to his promotion to Deacon, a significant advancement that came with a considerable increase in his stipend.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, he was promoted to Procurement Deacon, responsible for acquiring cultivation resources for Qi Condensation Realm cultivators. During this time, he made many friends and found various ways to subtly bribe his superiors.

Because he was capable and discerning, his superiors naturally spoke up for him, giving him the opportunity to host a Foundation Establishment Realm auction. If he managed it well, Wang Mengyang might advance further, possibly even managing a shop independently.

"Cultivation resources for Foundation Establishment cultivators are no problem," Wang Youshan replied. "Do you need resources for Core Formation cultivators? Our family can provide those."

Wang Mengyang was tempted, but after careful thought, he shook his head. "No need," he said. "That would be too conspicuous and hard to explain. Let's just focus on more cultivation resources for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Oh, and we could also get more resources from the South Sea, such as storage pearls, coral stones, beast hides, and so on."

"Alright, those items are simple enough," Wang Youshan said. "But it will take some time, as the journey is long. The quickest would be three years. Will that be enough time?"

Wang Mengyang nodded. "Yes, that's enough time. Preparing an auction isn't easy, and I'll be overseeing the entire process. I have five years to prepare."

"Good, then there's no issue," Wang Youshan replied. "I'll send word to the family immediately to acquire more specialties from the South Sea. But won't this raise suspicion?"

"No, it won't," Wang Mengyang assured her. "Several other deacons have also acquired specialty resources from the South Sea, all purchased from local powers in the Eastern Barrens."

Hearing this, Wang Youshan felt relieved.

"By the way, how are the ancestors?"

"The ancestors are doing well," Wang Youshan replied. "Just focus on your work. Remember, the higher you climb in the Skywind Merchant Alliance, the greater the benefit to our family."

Wang Mengyang nodded, assenting to her words.

Central Plains, Great Yan Dynasty.

Golden Swallow Market.

Wang Tianwen settled the clan members in the market town, instructing them to craft and sell puppet beasts. The Wang clan gradually established themselves, intermarrying with local cultivation families and expanding their lineage. Currently, they have over fifty cultivators, including five Foundation Establishment cultivators, while their mortal kin are settled in the secular world.

Of course, the Foundation Establishment Pills were provided by the family.

The Spirit Puppet Pavilion was a shop opened by the Wang family. It was previously called the Spirit Puppet Hall, but after the family increased its investment, the production of puppet beasts grew, necessitating a larger storefront.

Wang Mengqi was the manager, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator at the third level.

The Golden Swallow Market was located in the central part of the Great Yan Dynasty. Merchants from the Eastern Barrens, the South Sea, and the Northern Frontier cultivation realms all passed through it, making it a prosperous and lively commercial hub. Wang Mengqi was responsible for acquiring cultivation resources, and despite the shop's modest size, its role was crucial.

Over the years, Wang Mengqi had helped gather many cultivation resources, and the family gradually increased its investment in the Central Plains cultivation realm, thereby increasing the number of their cultivators.

On the third floor of the Spirit Puppet Pavilion, Wang Mengqi was enjoying tea and chatting with a blue-robed man in his early forties.

"Manager Wang," the blue-robed man said, "I've acquired an excellent alchemy furnace. I wonder if you might be interested?"

The blue-robed man spoke with a hint of mystery.

Wang Mengqi nodded. "An excellent alchemy furnace, you say? Daoist Li, why don't you bring it out for me to see?"

The blue-robed man removed the storage bag from his waist and tilted it. A burst of shimmering light enveloped the area, and a small, red, glowing cauldron appeared on the ground.

The small red cauldron had four legs and two ears, with a crimson lotus carved into its body, and spiritual light shimmered erratically around it.

Wang Mengqi gasped, exclaiming, "This is a Dharma treasure-grade alchemy furnace!"

The blue-robed man nodded with a touch of pride. "Manager Wang has keen eyes indeed. This Crimson Lotus Cauldron is truly a Dharma treasure-grade alchemy furnace. I brought it out of the Fallen Immortal Cave; it was used by an ancient cultivator."

The Fallen Immortal Cave was one of the nine great dangerous lands in the Central Plains cultivation realm. It was said to be an ancient battlefield, heavily restricted, where countless ancient cultivators had perished, leaving behind innumerable Dharma treasures, secret arts, and cultivation techniques. Many cultivators were drawn there to seek treasures, but very few managed to leave the Fallen Immortal Cave alive.

"I'll take this alchemy furnace, Daoist Li. Name your price."

"Seven hundred thousand!" the blue-robed man declared, naming a sky-high price.

Wang Mengqi naturally wouldn't agree and began to haggle. While Dharma treasure-grade alchemy furnaces were indeed rare, this Crimson Lotus Cauldron was somewhat damaged and not worth that price.

After a round of bargaining, the deal was finally settled at five hundred and fifty thousand. Over the years, the family had invested a considerable amount of spirit stones into their Central Plains strongholds. Wang Qiuhong had specifically instructed them to acquire a Dharma treasure-grade alchemy furnace if possible. Wang Mengqi had five hundred thousand spirit stones at his disposal, and by adding some puppet beasts, he managed to gather the five hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones to purchase the Crimson Lotus Cauldron.