“No, we’ve investigated for so long and found nothing, wasting a lot of manpower and resources. This Li's Treasure Pavilion is probably doing this on purpose!” Tian Yuqing couldn't hold back his temper, slamming the table and standing up.
The rest of the Four Seasons Trading Company employees dared not speak, standing aside like quails.
Looking at this group of good-for-nothings, Tian Yuqing had a headache. He didn't expect to have so many useless people under him, who couldn't even manage a background check. If a conflict really broke out, they would probably run faster than rabbits!
“Spend money to find some people to infiltrate Li's Treasure Pavilion and investigate thoroughly.” Suppressing the anger in his heart, Tian Yuqing voiced his idea.
An old man beside him frowned upon seeing this, then couldn't help but say, “President, if they suddenly infiltrate and get caught, it might cause unnecessary trouble.”
“Nonsense, I naturally know that, which is why I told you to find people, not to send the trading company’s own people. Under heavy rewards, there will be brave men. Spend more money, and naturally, someone will be willing to do it. I remember a force that does anything for money, what was it called?”
Tian Yuqing spoke, and the others were stunned, then began to ponder. The old man who had spoken earlier suddenly had a name flash in his mind.
“Is the President referring to Qingyan Brothel? Those guys seem unreliable,” the old man whispered.
Qingyan Brothel was a recently risen force, with a mixed bag of members and various sects. Simply put, they would do any dirty or tiring work for money, without any bottom line, and were scorned by many forces.
But there were also some who loved to do shady things and preferred to contact Qingyan Brothel for their unspeakable deeds.
“Unreliable? They’re much more reliable than you all. Give them 50,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones. Quickly have someone contact them. The people from Qingyan Brothel will probably be very happy to work for these Spirit Stones.” Tian Yuqing waved his hand, and several of his subordinates hurried away.
At the same time, in a building filled with the sounds of singing and laughter, a graceful figure in red attire had a look of intoxication on her delicate Face.
“Recently, this island has been very lively. The appearance of Li's Treasure Pavilion has made many people’s eyes red with envy. It won’t be long before someone contacts us. Another way to make money.” The woman murmured to herself. This person was none other than Hong Shuang, the head of Qingyan Brothel!
Beside her bed lay another woman, who was looking at Hong Shuang with a fawning expression, as if looking at her own man.
“Building Master, the Four Seasons Trading Company has sent someone to discuss cooperation. Should we meet them?” Just then, a voice came from outside the door, and Hong Shuang smiled enchantingly upon hearing it.
“What did I tell you? Business is here, isn’t it? Wait for me here obediently.” Hong Shuang smiled at the woman beside her.
She didn't forget to reach out and pinch the other party's pretty Face, making the latter blush, with a hint of reproach in her eyes.
Then Hong Shuang got up and left the room. Not long after, she met the people from the Four Seasons Trading Company. At this time, the people from the Four Seasons Trading Company did not beat around the bush and directly stated their purpose.
Upon hearing the figure of 50,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones, Hong Shuang instantly lost her previous lazy demeanor and became extremely serious. After all, this was a big job.
“Are you sure it’s just to probe Li's Treasure Pavilion for 50,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones? Isn't the Four Seasons Trading Company's money a little too easy to earn?” However, Hong Shuang was not without a brain, and immediately pressed for answers.
The people from the Four Seasons Trading Company added a few more points upon hearing this. Hong Shuang nodded, then collected half of the deposit and let the other party leave.
“Do you think this Qingyan Brothel is really reliable? Will they just swallow the Spirit Stones and run?” The people from the Four Seasons Trading Company, who had left Qingyan Brothel, were muttering in surprise.
The person beside him did not speak, after all, this kind of thing was not something they should consider. They were just messengers, and it was better to do less worrying about things that weren't their concern.
At this moment, Hong Shuang looked at the Storage Pouch in her hand and said nothing. With a wave of her hand, a large group of Cultivators in red tight-fitting clothes instantly appeared in the hall.
“Li's Treasure Pavilion, infiltrate and investigate, find out their background. I don’t need to tell you what to do if you get caught, do I?” Hong Shuang said to the crowd.
The Cultivators nodded upon hearing this, then flashed and disappeared, reappearing near Li's Treasure Pavilion.
Looking at Li's Treasure Pavilion, which was already closed to visitors, several of them exchanged glances, then quietly approached the door, taking out a talisman and sticking it on the door.
After a faint crisp sound, the door slowly opened, and then several people cautiously walked in.
At this moment, Li Mu naturally noticed something was amiss. He slowly opened his eyes and swept a glance towards the door.
“Finally, I’ve been targeted. Those guys couldn’t find my background, so they started infiltrating to investigate. Do they really think this is an inn?” Li Mu muttered to himself, then with a wave of his hand, several Puppets instantly became active.
“Strange, Li's Treasure Pavilion stores so many treasures, why is there no Formation protection? Aren't they afraid of them being stolen?” The people who had infiltrated couldn't help but whisper, looking at the High Grade Spiritual Qi in front of them without any protection, their minds full of confusion.
“Stop talking nonsense, have you forgotten what we came here to do? If you want to chat, go home and do it.” One of them directly interrupted their thoughts, then began to search everywhere.
The others were not idle either, and just as they were searching vigorously, a strong wind struck, and in an instant, a Cultivator was sent flying, his chest caved in on the spot, spitting blood, and died without even having time to let out a scream.
“Damn it, someone!” The others immediately exclaimed in alarm, then pulled out their weapons and attacked the suddenly appearing Puppet.
However, the Puppet had no fear whatsoever. Their attacks had no effect on the Puppet, so much so that after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, several corpses lay strewn across the ground.
“This, what grade of Puppet is this, it’s so terrifying…” The remaining Qingyan Brothel Cultivators now regretted coming to Li's Treasure Pavilion. This wasn't a mission; this was seeking death!
“Put down your weapons, and I will spare your lives.” The Puppet suddenly spoke at this moment. The crowd gritted their teeth upon hearing this, then flashed and were about to leave. Are they kidding? At this critical juncture, putting down their weapons would mean dying even faster!
However, they might have overestimated their speed, or underestimated the Puppet's strength. Before the crowd could run out of the door, they were directly knocked to the ground by the Puppet from a distance.
“Leave one alive.” At this moment, Li Mu’s voice sounded. The Puppet quickly stopped its movements upon hearing this, intending to capture them alive. However, what no one expected was that the controlled Cultivator directly detonated the Spiritual Qi within his body and committed suicide!
“Hmm?” Li Mu frowned upon seeing this. He didn't expect them to be dead soldiers. What a grand gesture. These merchants wouldn't resort to such ruthless tactics, would they?
Thinking this, Li Mu quickly ordered the Puppets to control the remaining Cultivators, then brought them back for individual interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Four Seasons Trading Company had been waiting for news from Qingyan Brothel. However, a night passed, and they received no communication, which made Tian Yuqing somewhat uneasy.
“Could there have been a mishap? Even Qingyan Brothel can’t find out Li's Treasure Pavilion’s background?” Tian Yuqing muttered to himself, his eyes filled with perplexity.
He then summoned the managers of numerous trading companies and the heads of the Treasure Firms. At this moment, they were gathered in the main hall of Wanbao Pavilion. Everyone's Face was solemn, and the atmosphere in the hall was heavy and oppressive. No one was willing to easily break the silence.
Wang Jin, Manager Wang of Wanbao Pavilion, held an intelligence Jade Slip, his Face showing clear displeasure.
“Manager Tian, you made the decision on this matter by yourself, without even consulting us. Isn’t that a bit too hasty?” Wang Jin asked coldly, clearly unhappy with Tian Yuqing’s actions.
“Manager Wang, I merely found someone to probe Li's Treasure Pavilion’s background. This kind of matter doesn’t require your approval, does it? And if something goes wrong, you don’t need to bear the responsibility.” Tian Yuqing glared at Wang Jin in annoyance, then said resentfully.
“The reason I’ve gathered everyone here now is to discuss again how we should handle things if the other party has a powerful background and we can’t make a move. We can’t just let them monopolize all the business, what would we do then?”
Then, Tian Yuqing expressed his thoughts. Everyone looked sideways upon hearing this, and for a moment, they truly had no good countermeasure.
After nearly half a month, Li's Treasure Pavilion’s business was booming, raking in huge profits daily, and it had already become a rising commercial star in Wanxing Island, rising rapidly. However, the background investigation conducted on it yielded very limited information.
There were only four core members of the Li Family who appeared in Li's Treasure Pavilion: a profound Spirit Appraiser, Nascent Soul cultivator - Li Mu, who oversaw the entry and exit of High Grade spiritual items, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.
Another Golden Core female Cultivator - Li Xue'er, responsible for assisting in managing the shop, and two Soul Transformation Realm warehouse guards - Li Jin and Li Yan, who were dispensable.
The rest of the staff were mostly the original team from Liu’s Spiritual Materials Shop.
Such a simple structure, yet it was extremely difficult to investigate, as if it had appeared out of thin air, leaving people clueless.
After a long while, Wang Jin slowly said, “Actually, I think it’s still a bit too early to think about these things. Even if they discover us, it won’t necessarily lead to a complete fallout. We are all business people, and harmony brings wealth. Perhaps we can negotiate with them then, and it would be best to turn hostility into friendship.”
“That makes sense, but I just don’t know if the other party is willing.” Tian Yuqing couldn’t help but nod upon hearing what Wang Jin said, then muttered with a hint of melancholy.
“My business this month has decreased by 40%. If we are to negotiate, we need to speed up.” Wang Jin also couldn’t help but complain. The impact of Li's Treasure Pavilion’s appearance on them was undeniably significant.
And Li Mu, the mastermind, had already learned about this matter from several Cultivators. Hearing that it was the Four Seasons Trading Company who had hired the people, he fell into deep thought.
“I just wanted to get some rare spiritual plants and cultivate High Grade spiritual plants to break through to the Soul Transformation Realm. I didn’t expect to cause so much trouble. Indeed, blocking someone’s path to wealth is like killing their parents.”
Li Mu muttered to himself, then ordered the Puppets to release the captured Cultivators, while he sat in a chair, pondering how to handle this matter.
Unknowingly, half a day passed. Because Li's Treasure Pavilion was looked after by Li Xue'er and others, Li Mu temporarily didn't have much to do. Just as Li Mu was thinking about whether to proactively approach the major trading companies and Treasure Firms for a chat, a figure walked into Li's Treasure Pavilion.
“Is Li Mu here?” The newcomer, not very old, asked Li Xue'er as soon as he entered the door.
When Li Xue'er heard that someone was looking for Li Mu, she quickly got up and led the person to Li Mu. Li Mu looked at the stranger in front of him, somewhat puzzled as to why the other party was looking for him.
"I am from the Four Seasons Trading Company and have come to invite you to a banquet tonight at the Jihua Brothel. Manager Wang has important matters to discuss." The young man concisely stated his purpose.
"Alright, I will definitely attend tonight." Li Mu nodded upon hearing this. Since the other party invited him, he might as well go along with it, which would also save him trouble.
After sending the other party away, Li Mu did not continue to ponder. He scanned the Treasure Firm and found that there weren't many people exchanging items for Materials, so he simply began to wait for night to fall.
At this moment, in Qingyan Brothel, Hong Shuang looked at the disheveled Cultivators, her beautiful eyes filled with a hint of disbelief.
"So, your mission failed, and you even revealed the employer? Have you forgotten the rules of my Qingyan Brothel?" Hong Shuang said coldly. The Cultivators immediately trembled upon hearing this. If such a rule-breaking incident occurred, they wouldn't die, but they'd at least lose a layer of skin.
"Go down and accept your punishment. Also, return the Spirit Stones to the Four Seasons Trading Company. As for this Li's Treasure Pavilion, observe it for now." Hong Shuang said, then got up and walked back to her room. As for the Cultivators who were sent back, they were dragged away, crying and shouting.
Back in her room, Hong Shuang no longer had her previous high spirits. She looked in the direction of Li's Treasure Pavilion, her eyes full of curiosity. A suddenly appearing business establishment was so mysterious. Originally, she had no interest in it, but now she was intrigued.
However, Hong Shuang did not act rashly but was waiting for an opportunity. Li Mu was unaware of this matter. Time flew by, and soon night fell. Li Mu went to the Jihua Brothel alone.
It must be said that these trading companies were indeed wealthy. Li Mu had heard of the Jihua Brothel; it was one of the top money pits on the island, where a single meal could cost no less than ten thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones. Hosting a banquet here was truly a grand gesture.
"Boss Li, I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. Please, come in." At the entrance of the Jihua Brothel, Tian Yuqing recognized Li Mu at a glance and quickly got up to greet him.
"Manager Tian, why are you holding this banquet? The consumption here is not low." Li Mu asked knowingly. Tian Yuqing saw that Li Mu had no intention of tearing off the mask, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Then, while smiling apologetically, he talked about irrelevant things.
In short, there was not a single word about the main topic, and apologies were expressed between the lines. Li Mu didn't mind this and soon arrived at an elegant private room.
At this time, the room was filled with the managers of various trading companies and the Person in charge of the Wanbao Pavilion. Seeing Li Mu approach, they all stood up to greet him, showing him great Face.
After all, none of them knew Li Mu's background, and they were all extremely cautious when facing the unknown, as it concerned their future financial paths.
"Boss Li, I've long admired your reputation. Seeing you today, it's clear you live up to it. To manage Li's Treasure Pavilion so well at such a young age is truly admirable." Wang Jin was the first to praise him, and the others echoed his sentiments.
Li Mu couldn't help but smile upon hearing this, then sat down naturally. However, he wasn't in the mood to boast with everyone; he was here to handle matters.
"I know you all have some opinions about my Li's Treasure Pavilion, and some even sent people to investigate our background. I suppose you didn't find anything, did you?" Li Mu asked directly, looking at everyone. At the same time, he found it amusing in his heart. It would be truly baffling if they could find out anything about his background.
Upon hearing Li Mu's blunt words, everyone fell silent. Wang Jin, who had been smiling moments before, now didn't know what to say.
"These are all misunderstandings. Businessmen naturally need to be cautious. It's better to know each other well before cooperating. Today, I, Tian, will first apologize to Dao Friend Li." Tian Yuqing knew that he was responsible for all of this, so he directly took the blame, then picked up his wine cup and drank it all.
"Since Manager Tian has said so, I, Li, will naturally not pursue the matter further. In fact, I also intend to cooperate with everyone for mutual benefit. I just don't know what the managers think." Li Mu saw that the situation was almost right, so he brought up the main topic.
Tearing off the mask would not benefit anyone. It was better to first gather the auxiliary Spiritual Materials needed for the growth of Spiritual Plants. Currently, relying on his own Treasure Firm was indeed a bit stretched, and the speed of collecting Spiritual Items was completely insufficient. It would be best to cooperate with these local powers.
Hearing Li Mu's intention to cooperate, the managers immediately became interested. They were still wondering how to discuss this matter with Li Mu, but unexpectedly, he spoke first. Harmony brings wealth, and this was for the best.
Then, one by one, they began to introduce their own advantages and the sources of goods they could supply. Some even started to undercut each other on the spot, hoping to get a larger share. This temporary Alliance targeting Li's Treasure Pavilion immediately disintegrated.
As a result, no one paid attention to the table full of expensive Spirit Food anymore.
At this time, Li Mu didn't need to say too much. He only stated his needs and could sit firmly on the high platform, watching them fight amongst themselves.
After an hour of discussion, the matter was finally settled. Everything would be centered around Li's Treasure Pavilion. They could provide Spiritual Materials to the Treasure Firm, and in return, the Treasure Firm would exchange finished Spiritual Items, at a discounted price, of course!
Li Mu quickly responded, only providing a limited quantity of finished products. If so many people wanted them, it would depend on each Family's ability. The more rare Spiritual Materials they supplied, the larger their share of finished Spiritual Items would naturally be.
In addition, if anyone wanted to exchange Spiritual Items for goods, Li Mu would have the first choice. To be honest, it was letting them eat his leftovers, but even with such an unfair transaction, everyone flocked to it.
They had all witnessed the speed at which Li's Treasure Pavilion earned money. Those six-tier spirit treasures, High-Grade Spirit Pills, Spirit Talismans, and Puppets, even if they were leftovers, would be enough for them to earn a large sum.
"Then the matter is settled. Starting tomorrow, we will supply goods to Li's Treasure Pavilion. At the same time, Manager Li, you can also tell us what Spiritual Items you need, but we hope the price can be raised a bit." Tian Yuqing said.
Hearing this, Li Mu nodded, indicating that these things didn't matter, as long as good items were brought directly.
Afterward, Li Mu did not stay long at the Jihua Brothel. After the negotiation, he got up and left, returning to the Treasure Firm at midnight.
Before he could even enter the house, a man with a full beard appeared in Li Mu's line of sight. Seeing this, Li Mu prepared to act, as someone popping out in the middle of the night meant no good.
"Manager Li, don't be nervous. I mean no harm. I just came to exchange something with Manager Li." The man explained. Li Mu frowned upon seeing this. What good person comes to exchange things in the middle of the night?
"What do you want to exchange? And what is the item you are exchanging?" Li Mu asked curiously. The other party carefully took out a package from his In arms, and Li Mu could smell a fragrant aroma through the package.
Then the man opened the package, and a root-like object appeared in Li Mu's vision. Seeing this, Li Mu was stunned. What good could such an unappealing thing be?
Under Identifying Myriad Spirits, this root became extremely profound in Li Mu's eyes. The aura it contained was even more unfathomable, and it contained an extremely rich Spiritual Qi.
【Four Symbols Tree Root】
【Grade: Seven-Tier Spiritual Item】
【Characteristics: Four Symbols gather, Five Elements self-contain, gather Spiritual Qi, promote Spiritual Root growth, auxiliary Spiritual intergrowth】
【Status: Good condition, abundant spirituality, ready for planting at any time.】
【A seven-tier Heavenly Spiritual Root, After thousands of years of sedimentation, the Five Elements are introverted, and the Four Symbols are complete. It can provide the power of the Four Symbols to Spiritual Plants within a ten-zhang radius, aiding their growth and maturation. Its growth-promoting effect is similar to Acquired Spiritual Plants. Growth requirements: Needs to be accompanied by a large number of Spiritual Plants of the same tier to sustain growth.】
Looking at the Spiritual Item information marked by Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, Li Mu's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected to encounter such a unique Spiritual Plant in this desolate place.
Not only did it shorten the growth time of Spiritual Plants, but it could also increase the coverage of the Innate Spiritual Root's beneficial effects as the Spiritual Root grew.
For a moment, Li Mu's eyes widened, completely shocked.
The man opposite saw Li Mu's reaction and was immediately overjoyed. The treasure he had accidentally obtained seemed to be very valuable indeed!
Otherwise, how could the Appraiser of Li's Treasure Pavilion, who had seen countless treasures and where treasures were abundant, be so shocked by his Spiritual Item? For a moment, he was even thinking about what price would be appropriate, and whether he should ask for a higher price to exchange for a higher-tier Spiritual Item.
"Cough, cough, I apologize, I was distracted just now. What do you wish to exchange this item for? We can discuss it inside." Li Mu quickly reacted, opened the door of the Treasure Firm, and cordially invited him in.
"Good things naturally deserve good artifacts. It's not too much for my treasure to be exchanged for two seven-tier Spirit Treasures, is it?" The man followed Li Mu into the Treasure Firm, smiling as he spoke.
"Turn left and exit! No need to see you out!" Li Mu was speechless upon hearing this. He probably didn't even know what this item was and yet wanted to exchange it for two seven-tier Spirit Treasures. He was dreaming.
Although this item was very useful, Li Mu was not a fool and naturally wouldn't tell the other party the value of the Four Symbols Tree Root. Finally, he extended one finger and said.
"If you want to exchange it, you can only exchange it for a five-tier Spiritual Artifact. Of course, you can choose the attribute yourself. If you don't want to exchange it, you can go elsewhere. After all, there are many Wanbao Pavilions on Wanxing Island, and perhaps someone will offer a higher price."
Li Mu said expressionlessly.
For a moment, the man's expression fluctuated, intimidated by Li Mu's indifferent attitude. Everyone said that Li's Treasure Pavilion was fair, so it seemed the item he found was only worth this much.
He simply chose to exchange it and took away a five-tier water-element Wave Suppressing Whip, while Li Mu carefully put away the Four Symbols Tree Root.
Once this thing was planted, those Spiritual Materials would undoubtedly grow rapidly. He just wondered if this guy would regret it bitterly later if he ever recognized the Four Symbols Tree Root.
"Not bad. After finalizing cooperation with the major trading companies, there's also an unexpected surprise. Today's luck is very good." Li Mu muttered to himself, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
