Chapter 107: Working the crowd, truly selling meat (seeking subscriptions)

Once authority is in hand, one carries out the orders.

Fengxi was arranged by the Houtu Ancestral Witch to become the supreme leader of the entire team; naturally, he must exert the authority of leadership to the utmost.

Let the subordinates handle any matters!

After the subordinates finish, he then goes to inspect… Isn't that wonderful?

"Fengxi, you're so outstanding, do you know it yourself?"

Yuchen took a deep breath, clenched his fist tightly, and asked in a low tone.

This is already extreme anger.

His long sword at his waist sang without wind, a mournful sword whistle almost turning into substantive blade, slicing at Fengxi's neck.

"Cough cough!"

To avoid bloody incidents, to prevent the hot-headed Yuchen from doing something irrational—like calling the big boss behind him—in this place far from the Wu Clan's Mount Buzhou base, to stage a ruthless act of the strong bullying the weak…

They'd rather die than leave just a breath… That's totally possible!

Fengxi gave a dry cough twice, feeling he should try to make amends a bit.

"Don't look at me like that—I'm just making the best use of things and talents." He spoke confidently, "Interpreting the thoughts of the Three Pure Ones Heavenly Venerable and the Daoist Sect Great Luo…… This kind of work, if we don't find someone like you who has backing and profound erudition, who else could do it?"

"I'm just acting from practicality, making the proper arrangement so the right person handles the right matter." Fengxi said, the more he spoke the more he felt justified, growing more righteous and vigorous, "Yuchen, you need to awaken!"

"Interpreting the Daoist Sect Great Luo's thoughts, doing targeted translation—do you think it's for ourselves?"

"Wrong! Totally wrong!"

"This is for the consideration of future comrades!" Fengxi said with anguish, "We are merely the first batch of diplomatic officials sent to Kunlun Mountain, mainly to open up the situation."

"If we fail, we naturally withdraw."

"But if we succeed, the Wu Clan will naturally deepen cooperation with the landlords of Kunlun Mountain, further strengthening ties, interacting more deeply in all fields, and talents from various fields will be assigned there…"

"At that time, we might still be in this post, or possibly be promoted elsewhere for merit… But what about the new comrades taking over the work?"

"Upon hearing the Dao, they're completely bewildered."

"We want to leverage our contacts and diplomatic achievements to blend with the Daoist Sect's disciples…… but every bit of jargon is a barrier, and trying to use cultivation topics as an excuse to carry out work doesn't work…… Isn't that terrible?"

"So then!" Fengxi pleaded, "For the sake of the big picture, we still need the capable to do more work…… If I didn't have high hopes for your talent, how could I entrust you with this weighty task?"

"This is a high affirmation of your ability, Yuchen, and yet I feel inferior!"

…

"Because the work is important, we assign it to the capable…… Looks fine!"

"In a few words, Fengxi subtly shifted the concept."

"The greater the power, the greater the responsibility——scrapped."

"After revisions, it became——the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility!"

"There is a huge difference between the two."

"Authority is granted by the responsible party, comes from outside, and matches responsibility."

"Ability, however, may stem from oneself, is the expression of personal wisdom and talent…… but what does my ability have to do with you?"

"Having ability leads one to act voluntarily and give selflessly—this is the embodiment of virtue; not volunteering to take on unnecessary tasks leaves no fault to find…… if someone does find fault, they're either stupid or bad."

"Of course, if ability is led astray by deception and one is drawn into a scheme, that's another matter."

"At this moment, Fengxi is doing just that."

"On the surface he praises Yuchen, highly evaluating and acknowledging his talent, but secretly he's using him as a laborer."

"As for how effective this is?"

"It should be said it's not bad."

"Right now, Yuchen feels a bit light‑headed…… praised to the point of not losing his bearings, yet he becomes proud and confident."

"Also right."

"Yuchen's clenched fist had at some point relaxed, a smile spread across his face, his head slightly raised, "Such translation and proofreading work—no matter how you look at it, isn't something a layperson like Fengxi could do.""

"Only someone like me, with profound learning and lofty wisdom, can undertake such great work whose achievements will be passed down for ages……"

"Thus doing this brings spiritual fulfillment…… compared to Fengxi, who only has a chance to speak by relying on his authority, isn't this superior by thousands or tens of thousands?"

"Under Fengxi's deception, Yuchen's mental realm received a huge 'boost'."

"If one's awakening is high, the leeks love the sickle!"

"Fengxi smiled, looking at the energetic Yuchen, flicked his sleeve, and took not a single bamboo slip."

"From now on, the translation work is Yuchen's alone—what does it have to do with Fengxi?"

"However, just as he was about to leave, Yuchen seemed to realize, struggling half‑body out of the pit Fengxi had dug."

"After all, he's not a simple role; even if schemed against, he instinctively senses what's amiss and reacts passively."

"We capable ones work hard on translation, proofreading, reading comprehension…… What about you? What are you going to do?"

"I'll go for field research." Fengxi said righteously, "The diplomatic work assigned by the Ancestral Witch isn't merely contacting the great ones of Kunlun Mountain."

"That's only for the upper level."

"We also need to study those lower‑level clans, see if we can assimilate their thoughts and stand on the same battle line as the Wu Clan."

"Although those who haven't reached Great Luo are utterly insignificant in the fierce calamity—one Great Luo could blood‑wash them clean—yet even the faintest strength we must strive for." Fengxi's expression solemn, "If I succeed, I'll replicate my success model, have the other regions follow suit, fully spread the endeavor…… surely it could add a modest but meaningful chip to the clan."

"Oh… is that so? I see." Yuchen nodded, "When you go out, stay safe—Kunlun Mountain isn't that simple."

"Some ancient clans definitely have beings whose cultivation touches the threshold of proving the Dao, but they lack the resolve to advance despite death…… yet their strength is absolutely not to be underestimated."

"Moreover, besides that, there are other things to note…" Yuchen warned, "Many clans have intricate ties with some Great Luo beings in Kunlun Mountain."

"Like the Golden Mother Primordial Lord…… this female great one favors the celestial avian lineage, using the azure bird as her messenger to convey her will."

"There are also Opening Light Divine Beasts guarding the Kunlun passes."

And these people of special status, their subordinates have taken root in the Kunlun Mountains, intertwined and tangled, with very complicated relations.

You better not cause trouble, or else the ancestral witches might come to take people away... that would be embarrassing.

This, you can rest assured." Fengxi smiled, turned his back, waved his hand, "How could I be so reckless?"

On this trip, I will look more, listen more, speak less, do less, and definitely won't cause any problems.

In a leisurely tone, Fengxi set foot on the road to tour Kunlun.

……

Conducting on-site research on Kunlun Mountain, this is something Fengxi had wanted to do for a long time.

After all, back then, limited by his duties and his money-making plans, he could only loiter in the market, wishing he could split each minute into two, his mind wholly focused on making money.

As for those mountains, waters, and the customs of the myriad tribes, he only gave them a cursory glance.

Yet even so, casually glancing at the Kunlun mountains like a fleeting tour still left a very clear imprint on his mind.

Kunlun is very beautiful.

This entire Honghuang universe can be considered top-notch; legend says it is the supreme immortal land formed from Pangu's dantian after he opened heaven and earth, and compared to Mount Buzhou, it has a different kind of scenery.

Under the guise of field research, but actually consuming public funds, Fengxi swaggered into this scenic picture, genuinely feeling and experiencing it.

Tsk... this place isn't bad, huh?

Fengxi held a small notebook, occasionally writing something on it with a pen.

The tribes living in Kunlun Mountain generally have high aspirations... there's inexplicably a sense of pride?

Hmm, what's the reason for that?

Going through streets and alleys, visiting each tribe, the food in his mouth never stopped, nor did his pen.

Eating and drinking while working, in a sense he wasn't deceiving Yuchen.

Of course, the essential difference is that one works for others, and the fruits of one's labor only yield a small personal share, with the majority contributed elsewhere.

The other is working for oneself; if done well, to the satisfaction of the ancestral witches, a grand gesture could make this a pilot point for widespread replication—by then, as the leader, who would fear not ascending in a single step?

That is the fundamental difference between the two.

……

Regional pride?

Fengxi wrote and drew, his bright eyes occasionally flashing with insight and realization.

"Mountains need not be high; if there are immortals, they become renowned. Waters need not be deep; if there are dragons, they become spiritual."

"Kunlun is indeed a sacred land of immortals and gods, giving its inhabitants a source of pride... but the main reason is the existence of that Daoist sect."

"The Daoist undertaking led by the Three Pure Ones Heavenly Lords established this place as their ancestral seat... one after another, Great Luo beings sharing similar ideals came from all corners to settle here."

"This truly gave Kunlun Mountain its renown throughout Honghuang, allowing it to stand out among many supreme immortal lands!"

Fengxi saw this clearly and thoroughly.

How many beings yearning for the Great Dao have poured into Kunlun Mountain from the outside world?

The teaching staff of Kunlun Mountain is incredibly vast!

Although, there is an invisible threshold here; Great Luo beings do not readily accept disciples.

But if anyone crosses this threshold, it's no different from a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate!

It has stimulated countless beings, who traverse vast distances to rush here, solely to study and seek the Dao.

"Therefore, without a doubt, the tourism service industry in Kunlun's region is top-notch, profiting from outsiders' wealth."

Fengxi held a string of "dragon meat skewers", nibbling while praising, "Likewise based on this, delicacies from all corners of the world naturally abound..."

"This dragon meat... is really fragrant!"

"Waiter, bring me two more strings of dragon meat!" he shouted loudly.

"Sure thing!" the waiter, a rat spirit named Xiao Er, immediately agreed.

Soon, another two strings of spicy dragon meat were brought to the table.

Fengxi detained the waiter who was about to leave, producing a spirit herb to bribe him, successfully getting the rat spirit to open up and spill everything.

"Sir, do you say our dragon meat's origin is legitimate? Or is it fake goods passed off as real?"

"Hey... how would we dare? If we deceived some great power, they'd slap us dead in one hit!"

"Oh, you ask whether the dragon clan would bear a grudge against us?"

"Oh dear, oh dear, look at what you're saying."

"You know how our goods come? They're supplied from the dragon clan's side."

"Just a few pieces of meat, trivial... as long as one cultivates to the stage of flesh and blood regeneration, cutting a few pieces will let them regrow instantly—this can be done without even becoming an immortal!"

"Of course... dragon meat can only be eaten up to the level of Golden Immortal quality—because the dragon clan only sells that high."

"There's no dragon meat of Taiyi level."

"And depending on the dragon meat's grade, there are many ways to cook it—rare, medium-rare, well-done, etc. —according to the customer's taste."

"What? You ask why it's like this?" the rat spirit chattered on, "Tsk... this isn't just about cultivation resources, is it?"

"Beings at the Taiyi level don't need this money, but Golden Immortals, True Immortals, and even weaker dragon clans do!"

"The dragon clan spreads across the world; with so many members, demand rises... most of the time, young dragons cut meat to earn money, while the big, old dragons just turn a blind eye."

"The dragon clan also has to make a living!"

"After all, it's not the legendary ancient era when dragons and phoenixes ruled the cosmos... you need to understand that."

"You ask whether this dragon meat sells well or not? This..." the waiter rat spirit hesitated, then hesitated again, "This involves our shop's secret..."

Fengxi glanced at him, then produced another spirit herb.

The rat spirit immediately grinned, showing his big teeth.

He nimbly slipped the spirit herb into his pocket, willing to sell anything cleanly.

"It sells well! Of course it sells well!"

Make money! Make a fortune!

The dragon clan also makes a fortune!

Just because the dragon clan once dominated half of Honghuang, let the price of dragon meat be at least ten times that of meat of the same level!

Ten times!

This is the brand premium!

With such high profit, only then can those little dragons vigorously cut meat to sell money…… After all, just after cutting a piece of meat, the obtained resources can immediately replenish the lost bodily vitality, and still have a seven‑ or eight‑fold profit!

This profit is sky‑high!

The rat spirit clicked his tongue in envy.

If possible, he also wants to sell meat!

Too bad, no one is buying.

Even if someone bought, it would be a loss not worth it.

The resources obtained from trade still can't make up for the vitality lost from cutting flesh.

"Such a lucrative business, only the dragon clan can pull it off." The rat spirit sighed, "On one hand there's a brand bonus, on the other hand there's martial force guarantee."

Although the dragon clan has declined, there are still many experts…… This fist guarantees that the clansmen won't be viciously mass‑farmed and mass‑slaughtered.

In fact, those who can take and dare to take this business are only this Kunlun region.

(End of chapter)