CHAPTER 232: CHAPTER 232: COVETING THE FAT MEAT_1

"OH~~~~"

Having listened to Shopkeeper Qian’s tearful account, Shen Mo let out a meaningful, low hum. Then, holding his spiritual tea, he began to sip it slowly.

He already knew Shopkeeper Qian’s intentions. But so what? Ultimately, his relationship with Shopkeeper Qian was merely that of a merchant and client. Even if both Baodan Pavilion and Ascending Pill Shop were sold to others, the impact on him would be minimal. At most, he would simply find another pill shop to trade with! And if he were to stand up for Shopkeeper Qian, not only would he have to confront the Qian Family from which Shopkeeper Qian originated, but also become an enemy of Shopkeeper Qian’s clan uncle. How could an Elder of the Riverside Sect be easy to deal with? Although Shopkeeper Qian had emphatically stated that his clan uncle was not powerful and held a rather low position within the sect—merely at Spirit Sea Realm Layer III—he was still a genuine Spirit Sea Realm expert! Not to mention, after cultivating at the Riverside Sect for so many years, wouldn’t such a man have made a few friends? And Shen Mo himself was merely an ordinary Inner Door disciple of the Riverside Sect. His own strength, status, connections, and power... none of them could compare to that person’s. He couldn’t afford to get involved in these troubled waters!

Shopkeeper Qian obviously understood this. His chubby face turned solemn, and he gritted his teeth before saying, "If Master Mo Shen can help me out of this predicament, I’m willing to reward him with thirty percent of the shares from both shops!"

"Heh. Shopkeeper Qian, you think too highly of me!" Shen Mo chuckled lightly, rotating the teacup in his hand. "I, a mere Qi Gathering Realm cultivator, dare not compete with a sect Elder."

Seeing that Shen Mo did not stand up to leave, Shopkeeper Qian instantly knew there was a chance, and a fawning smile appeared on his chubby face. "Master Mo, don’t belittle yourself! With your mastery in the Alchemy Path, you must know some sect experts. You just need to find someone to pass a message to my clan uncle. Wouldn’t this solve the problem?"

Shen Mo’s eyes flickered. He then asked, "How much time have your Qian Family and your clan uncle given you?"

He knew his own affairs best! The alias ’Mo Shen’ wasn’t registered in the Riverside Sect’s roster of cultivators. It was fine to operate under this alias in the Alchemy Zone. But if he dared to openly use the identity of ’Mo Shen’ to make friends and expand his network within the sect... he was afraid that in less than three days, the sect’s Enforcement Hall would be knocking at his door! Therefore, to find someone to pressure Shopkeeper Qian’s clan uncle, as suggested, he could only use the connections associated with his real identity. If Peak Master Zhou Shili were to intervene, the matter would naturally be resolved with ease. But he was not a Direct Disciple of the Peak Master. After the Tianshan Grand Ceremony, even seeing the Peak Master was difficult. Not to mention, as one of the three Main Peak Masters of the Riverside Sect, Zhou Shili was a person of high status and immense responsibilities. How could he possibly pressure an Elder of Rising Sun Peak merely for two shops in Jiyun Town? Therefore, even if he dragged Lu Ming, the Peak Master’s Direct Disciple, into this, it wouldn’t be very effective. Instead, it might even lead to Lu Ming being reprimanded by the Peak Master!

Next, there was Elder Huang. He was a middle-stage Spirit Sea Realm cultivator and, among the Elders of Stars Peak, was considered to possess some power and prestige. Unfortunately, Shopkeeper Qian’s clan uncle was an Elder from Rising Sun Peak! Even if Huang Changqing was willing to do Shen Mo a favor, it was uncertain if he could intimidate Shopkeeper Qian’s clan uncle.

Finally, there was Zhao Lingyin’s Master, Wu Gong—an alien minister of the Riverside Sect and a Grade IV Alchemist. Although Wu Gong’s status was not low, and even Zhou Shili treated him with courtesy, his position as an alien minister dictated that... he would not antagonize any Elder within the sect unless it was absolutely necessary!

In the end, Shen Mo still had to rely on himself! However, at the moment, he lacked the confidence to challenge an Elder from Rising Sun Peak.

Therefore, he asked Shopkeeper Qian how long he could maintain the current situation.

Although Shopkeeper Qian didn’t understand Shen Mo’s intentions, seeing his serious demeanor, he naturally wouldn’t give a perfunctory answer. After pondering for a moment, he said seriously, "Of course, they’d want it done as quickly as possible! However, taking inventory of the shop’s assets, settling past transactions, and finding buyers all take time. If I drag things out a bit more, I should be able to hold on for another six months! At that time, if I still try to delay, I’m afraid..." His voice trailed off. "I’ll die without a burial place!"

Shen Mo nodded, his mind already calculating.

Given his cultivation progress, half a year was enough time to reach the Qi Gathering Realm Seventh Layer! Coupled with his many formidable techniques, even if he couldn’t defeat a Spirit Sea Realm Layer III expert, he could at least contend with one for a time. He wouldn’t have to fear Elder Qian of Rising Sun Peak coming to kill him personally! This provided a basic level of security. Besides, disputes over interests among sect cultivators rarely escalated to mortal enmity at the slightest disagreement. He had a genuine chance to snatch this lucrative prize from the tiger’s maw.

One had to understand that a prosperous shop in Jiyun Town could generate profits of tens of thousands of Spirit Stones annually. The combined annual net profit of Baodan Pavilion and Ascending Pill Shop should exceed twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones! Moreover, it was a long-term source of income. As long as Jiyun Town exists, he could earn a continuous stream of Spirit Stones every year. With this income, Shen Mo could support his [Martial Performance] deductions and cultivation even without venturing out for windfalls. Adding the income from alchemy and talisman crafting, he could dedicate more energy to advancing his own cultivation in the future!

"Cultivation is like a hundred boats striving to sail upstream."

When a prize is worth fighting for... one must fight for it!

After a long period of contemplation, Shen Mo declared decisively, "Thirty percent of the shares isn’t enough! Give me sixty percent of the shares. After half a year, I will help you withstand the pressure from Elder Qian and the Qian Family!"

Shopkeeper Qian’s chubby cheek twitched. He felt Master Mo was driving too hard a bargain!

"This..." Shopkeeper Qian was inclined to refuse.

But then he considered that if he followed the demands of his family and clan uncle, he would likely be devoured completely, not even getting back a single Spirit Stone. But sixty percent of the shares... wasn’t that a bit too much?

Shen Mo naturally noticed Shopkeeper Qian’s hesitation and said bluntly, "Old Qian! If one’s position isn’t justified, one’s words carry no weight! If you want me to stand up for you... then, nominally, these two shops must belong to me! Otherwise, you are a member of the Qian Family, and Elder Qian is your clan uncle. This is an internal dispute within your Qian Family! On what grounds would I contend with Elder Qian? Even if this matter reached the Peak Masters of Rising Sun and Stars Peaks, or even the Enforcement Hall, I would have no legitimate standing to argue my case."

Seeing Shopkeeper Qian was swayed, Shen Mo continued to up the ante. "Furthermore, in the future, I will open two new shops in Jiyun Town! One will specialize in selling talismans, and the other in selling magic artifacts. These two shops... I will give you forty percent of the shares in them, and you will have full authority to manage them! Consider it a swap of business shares with you. This way, the price you’re paying is effectively only twenty percent of the shares in your original two shops!"

Shopkeeper Qian had been doing business in Jiyun Town for decades; he wouldn’t be easily fooled by Shen Mo.

He carefully mulled it over. He would be given full authority to manage the new talisman and magic artifact shops. And he was confident he could elevate the scale and revenue of these two new shops to the level of Baodan Pavilion and Ascending Pill Shop... After all, when it came to trade and commerce, he prided himself on being second to none! Indeed, just as Master Mo had said, it was as if he was only giving up twenty percent of the shares of his own shops! More importantly, he would be latching onto a powerful backer. Someone capable of resisting his family and clan uncle naturally possessed comparable strength.

After a while, Shopkeeper Qian’s chubby face quivered. "Alright! I agree."