Chapter 130: Giving It Away for Free

Because of the migration of the people of Jindu, matters suddenly became numerous and complex; from the time Cheng Xi spent on cultivation on her mat, she had never handled such major affairs.

If one is not a management-type talent, one should not meddle and cause trouble for others.

Several Deans gathered together to whisper, and finally, they reached a decision to entrust this matter entirely to Li Zhi'an.

Cheng Xi:...

Li Zhi'an used to manage the Tongtian Division, and later, as Regent, he also managed Imperial Court affairs, but he had many subordinates who followed his orders.

Now that the Imperial Court was gone and the officials had scattered, he had no choice but to recruit his old subordinates first and temporarily form a small yamen.

Li Zhi'an was running around in a flurry; the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of so many people were also major issues, so Cheng Xi simply persuaded the Deans to let the Academy students go into Wanxing Mountain for training, which would happen to allow them to find some food and supplies for Wanxing City.

In this way, a great number of people were needed, so the Deans of the Four Great Academies held another small, overtime meeting and decided to concentrate the students of all four Academies at Qinghe Academy.

It was called training, but it was really just assigning tasks to the students and making them work like beasts of burden; yet, the moment these students heard they could go into Wanxing Mountain for training, they were all as excited as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

Cheng Xi watched and thought to herself that students were still easy to fool.

Seeing this situation, Cheng Xi felt she couldn't let others benefit for nothing, so she simply took Cheng Fenglan and a few others to set up a barter stall at the mountain pass of Wanxing Mountain.

Exchanging supplies, that is.

This trick is also called "getting a wolf with empty hands"—using other people's things to trade for other people's things, while she took a cut of the profit.

Sigh, it is all hard-earned money.

After Jiang Zhongqiao found out, he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Cheng Xi is truly capable!

To think she could come up with such a method.

But not just anyone can set up this kind of stall; first, you must recognize many things—those that fly in the sky, run on the ground, grow in the soil, and swim in the water—and you must also know the various uses for each.

This massive amount of information is the most valuable invisible power.

With the memories of her two lifetimes, Cheng Xi was more than familiar with these things; in just a few days, her little stall became famous.

Coupled with her fair prices, honesty toward old and young, guaranteed quality, and safe transactions, it became the preferred trading spot for students of all the Academies.

Given that business was so good, Cheng Xi felt she couldn't eat alone, so she pulled the several Deans in, distributing profits based on the contributions of their respective Academies.

Then, she took half and used it for the construction of Wanxing City; this way, everyone had a profit to make, and naturally, everyone was happy.

Yan Jishu was also impressed; he had always felt that Cheng Xi was not worthy of Li Zhi'an, and that only his own daughter was a good match for him.

But now he didn't think so; he said to his daughter: "This Cheng Xi is cunning and full of tricks, and on top of that, she is learned and talented. That would be one thing, but she is actually willing to share profits with others. Sharing profits is one thing, but she can even get half back from those who received the profits, and everyone is still quite happy. Such ability is something an ordinary person cannot achieve, and even an extraordinary one cannot either."

Yan Qingli:...

"Father, you've changed!" Yan Qingli was furious; how could someone praise their own enemy?

"Qingli, there is always someone better, and a heaven beyond our heaven. I see that Cheng Xi has a broad mind; turning hostility into friendship with her is the best policy. Look at the people she uses? One is a former fiancé who once broke his engagement to her, and a pair are half-siblings with whom she has a grudge, yet now these people are all willing to work for her. It is best not to be enemies with such a person."

Yan Qingli snorted, but this time she did not refute.

Although she admitted that Cheng Xi was a little bit impressive, she could not bring herself to bow to her.

With the students of the Four Great Academies acting as manual labor, more and more supplies were transported down the mountain every day. Because the students pushed deeper into Wanxing Mountain bit by bit, the safe area grew larger, and many people, upon hearing this, also began to go up the mountain to fell trees and build houses.

A brand-new Wanxing City was being built bit by bit; as the days the people spent in the mountains absorbing Spirit Essence grew longer, their physiques were unknowingly changing slowly.

The Mortal Realm was invaded by the Upper Realm because they were weak, but what if they slowly began to grow strong?

The strength of one person is only temporary, but the strength of a group is true power.

The Spirit Field on Qingtian Peak had previously been converted to planting various vegetables and grains, but now, as more and more people entered Wanxing Mountain, the grain shortage grew smaller, and they began to resume planting Spirit Plants.

Cheng Xi no longer went down the mountain to set up her stall; she began refining pills with a group of Alchemists including Ji Muzhi.

Most were the most basic pellets for opening the spiritual apertures; if someone felt their physique had improved much more than before, they could use medicinal herbs to exchange for a pellet, which, after consumption, could increase the chance of opening the spiritual apertures.

Once the news spread, the entire Wanxing City went crazy.

Among so many people, who wouldn't want to open their spiritual apertures to cultivate? Even living a few decades longer would be worth it.

The first batch Cheng Xi refined was given to Mulan, Jinxiang, and the others first. Zhao Mama was old, and after eating two, she saw no effect, so Cheng Xi temporarily stopped her from eating them; this thing could not be eaten too much in a short time, as eating too much was instead harmful to the body.

The first to open his apertures was Zhao Kang; he was young and strong with a high success rate. Mulan and Jinxiang were a step slower than him, only succeeding after two months.

Jiang Zhongqiao came to find her, looking very embarrassed.

Cheng Xi reached out and pushed the paper on the table over, smiling as she said: "The pill formula is here, Dean, take it and use it."

Jiang Zhongqiao:...

He hadn't expected Cheng Xi to be so generous. He looked at her with a complex expression, and only then said: "I thank you on behalf of the people of the world."

"That's not necessary, it was exchanged for real gold and silver, a fair trade." Cheng Xi smiled, "If the several Deans take the formula to sell the pellets, I have only one condition: the price must not be higher than mine, and I want a half-percent share of the profit."

Half a percent?

How is this any different from giving it away for free?

Jiang Zhongqiao laughed, "No problem, but isn't half a percent too little?"

"It's not little, let's leave it at that."

Because her pricing was already low and the profit limited, her asking for half a percent was also to shut other people's mouths.

On this day, Cheng Xi returned from the mountain and saw Li Zhi'an standing in front of the courtyard gate from afar. She walked over with a smile, "Yo, how rare, Prince, how do you have the time to see me today?"

Li Zhi'an had been so busy lately that his feet barely touched the ground, and the two rarely saw each other.

Looking at Cheng Xi, Li Zhi'an gave her a faint smile, "Thanks to you, I can finally rest for half a day and catch my breath."

Cheng Xi understood, "Dean Jiang went to find you?"

"Mm."

"The old man is quite fast," Cheng Xi muttered, but she was in a very good mood.

Li Zhi'an watched her smiling eyes and brows, and he began to laugh along, "The people of Wanxing City have nothing but praise for you now. Xixi, you have done a great good deed."

Cheng Xi was happy, "Each has their needs, each takes what they require; it's nothing worth mentioning."