abnabooks Chapter 187 - 155: The Black Hand Enters the Stage
Chapter 187 - 155: The Black Hand Enters the Stage
(This is one long Chapter, so I won’t be splitting it.)
On Yuanling Mountain, Fang Qingyuan had just returned to his courtyard after a month’s absence. Before he could even enjoy a few days of peace, all sorts of matters came knocking.
"Mountain Master, the number of affiliated commoners from the Li Family is larger than we expected—around thirty thousand people. I’ve temporarily settled them in a valley twenty li from Yuanling Mountain. I’d like to ask for your guidance on how to proceed with the subsequent arrangements."
Liao Wenlamp was the first to approach him, bringing up the issue of the mortals who had been part of Jiuye Square’s Li Family. These commoners, who were not of the Li bloodline, had all depended on their respective Immortal Masters for survival. However, during Fang Qingyuan’s siege of the Li Family’s Scripture Pavilion, the Head of the Li Family had led his men to kill some of these Immortal Masters. The ones who survived had all submitted to Fang Qingyuan.
In the Southern Border Territory, a mortal tribe without the protection of an Immortal Master could never survive. Even if other Cultivators didn’t cause them trouble, they still wouldn’t be able to handle the common lesser demons and monsters. In the Cultivation Realm, Cultivators were the foundation of everything.
"Thirty thousand people... That is a lot. But no matter, we can support them. Yuanling Mountain is developing so quickly that our original mortal population is far too small. That needs to change."
"Therefore, we must rapidly increase our population. Not only will we accept all these people from the Li Family, but I want you to go back and devise a plan to increase our own people’s birth rate. We must strive to double our population within ten years."
After hearing Liao Wenlamp’s report, Fang Qingyuan gave him another assignment. Yuanling Mountain’s current population was indeed small; even with the addition of the people from the Li Family, it was still only fifty thousand.
Yuanling Mountain had already made a name for itself in the Southern Border Territory. With the mighty Beast Taming Sect as its backer and the Yuanling Square Marketplace as its goose that lays the golden eggs, supporting a population of half a million would be no issue at all.
Jiuye Square had nearly a thousand Cultivators, including over a dozen at the Foundation Establishment realm, and could field a grand military formation at a moment’s notice. Such immense military might was supported by a mortal population of nearly a million. By contrast, Fang Qingyuan’s own forces were severely lacking. He still had to rely on hiring Guest Ministers to get things done, and even the security of his own Yuanling Square Marketplace was entrusted to the She Family.
All of this was because Yuanling Mountain lacked a deep foundation and was short on manpower. Originally, this hadn’t been an issue. When Jiang Kui was around, Yuanling Mountain’s development had been slow and steady. Under normal circumstances, it would earn twenty to thirty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones annually, its population would grow by a few hundred people each year, and it would naturally flourish after a few decades.
But then Jiang Kui was poisoned and went into seclusion. Fang Qingyuan, in turn, opened the marketplace and attacked the Li Family, reaping a great deal of spoils. As a result, Yuanling Mountain was suddenly both wealthy and famous, making its previous population of twenty thousand seem utterly minuscule.
An unstable foundation was bound to have many hidden dangers. These weren’t apparent now, with Yuanling Mountain backed by the Beast Taming Sect, but he couldn’t rely entirely on that great tree. He had to build up his own foundation as well.
After he finished discussing the mortal migration, She Xi Yu also came to see him. He was here to discuss the planning and construction of the Yuanling Square Marketplace.
Their ten percent stake in the Yuanling Square Marketplace had already become the She Family’s most important asset. As the marketplace’s business grew more prosperous, it brought the She Family an annual income of no less than five Top-grade Spirit Stones—a figure that was increasing every year.
Chu Duo of the Nanchu Sect had handed over two Foundation Establishment Clans to Fang Qingyuan and had only taken a ten percent stake in return. It was only natural that the She Family treasured its own share immensely.
Furthermore, with the Beast Taming Sect backing Yuanling Square, the She Family didn’t have to worry about any powerful figures targeting the marketplace. All they had to do was handle petty thieves and maintain public order.
Thus, among all the shareholders, the She Family—with the lowest status, position, and strength—was also the most dedicated, and the one that most desperately wanted the Yuanling Square Marketplace to grow and prosper.
Before leaving for the Earth Cave Fire Domain, Fang Qingyuan had asked She Xi Yu to construct two new streets in the Yuanling Square Marketplace. She Xi Yu had now come to report on this very matter.
"Workshop Master, the new streets within Yuanling Square are complete. Would you like to go have a look?"
She Xi Yu’s attitude toward Fang Qingyuan had changed dramatically. When he first became a shareholder in Yuanling Square, he had spoken to Fang Qingyuan with the familiarity of an equal. But after Fang Qingyuan led his forces to annihilate the Li Family of Jiuye Square and intimidate its many Foundation Establishment Cultivators, She Xi Yu no longer dared to call him Younger Brother Fang.
Now, She Xi Yu had started addressing him as "Workshop Master." Although Fang Qingyuan felt a slight pang at this, he didn’t force She Xi Yu to revert to his old way of speaking.
"Let’s go take a look, then. As it happens, I need to buy a few things myself."
After a moment’s thought, Fang Qingyuan led Jinbao and She Xi Yu to the Yuanling Square Marketplace. The moment he arrived, he saw two wide streets extending from the marketplace’s edge. They connected with the original crossroads, forming a grid pattern.
The new streets were already filled with merchants. Most of them had been drawn by his reputation after his victory over the Li Family. There were even a few merchants who had originally been based in Jiuye Square.
Fang Qingyuan and She Xi Yu strolled down the new streets. The Cultivators who passed by and recognized him would stop to pay their respects, and Fang Qingyuan acknowledged each of them in turn.
The other Cultivators who didn’t recognize Fang Qingyuan saw this and turned to the shopkeepers next to them to ask:
"Who is that Qi Refining Cultivator? He carries himself with such authority! A Foundation Establishment Cultivator is walking behind him, and so many other Cultivators are stopping to bow!"