Sun Yi sat in his new temporary headquarters, dumping the contents of four storage bags onto the table. He ran a quick audit of the assets.

The result could be summed up in one word: Depressing.

The combined liquidity of four Foundation Establishment cultivators amounted to less than one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

“Abysmal ROI,” Sun Yi muttered, shaking his head.

Currently, even entry-level Qi Refining interns at the Qingyun Sect could request a salary advance of fifty thousand points. Factor in the performance bonuses, mission payouts, and Battle Tower dividends, and his disciples were living like kings compared to these freelancers.

It was no wonder the sect disciples looked at him like he was a god of fortune. The compensation package he had engineered was, by local standards, economically aggressive to the point of insanity.

“The gig economy in the cultivation world is brutal,” Sun Yi noted, sweeping the junk into his inventory. “Zero benefits, high mortality rate.”

He shifted his focus to R&D. He spent the next few hours parsing the data from the jade slips Mo Wen had provided—specifically the competitive intelligence on rival factions.

The data on the Tian Sheng Palace was concerning. Their power projection capabilities exceeded his initial risk assessment.

“I need to patch our defenses,” Sun Yi mused, his eyes narrowing. “We need to scale up user acquisition and retention immediately.”

He returned to his primary project: Mass-producible upgrades.

Time was the bottleneck. He needed a standardized protocol to boost the Divine Souls and physical stats of ordinary disciples.

Collaborating with the Seven Star Tower provided a temporary supply of hardware, but Sun Yi knew the first rule of business: never rely on a single vendor for critical infrastructure.

“If I rely solely on Mo Wen for body-refining resources, I’m walking into a vendor lock-in scenario,” he thought, tapping his finger on the table. “If they decide to squeeze the supply chain, we’re strangled. I need proprietary technology. I need to own the IP.”

He didn’t have a system to instantly download skills. He had to do it the hard way: brute-force experimentation and time.

While Sun Yi was safely hidden in the Red Fire Market conducting his research, the atmosphere inside the Qingyun Sect was thick with panic.

Five Golden Core Elders gathered in the Central Hall, pacing like caged tigers.

“It has been too long,” Elder Ye Luo said, his brow furrowed with worry. “The Sect Leader hasn’t returned. Could there have been… an accident?”

The Qingyun Sect had finally found a miracle worker in Sun Yi. Under his administration, the sect was revitalized, growing at an exponential rate. The dream of returning to their former glory was finally within reach. If the Sect Leader fell now…

“Calm yourself,” another Elder said, though his voice lacked conviction. “Even at full speed, travel takes time. I trust the Sect Leader is safe.”

“No… it is this old man’s fault.” Elder Jin Jue slumped in his chair, his face a mask of guilt. “I failed to protect the Sect Leader. I lost him.”

Elder Li Tai immediately stepped in. “Senior Brother Jin Jue, you must not blame yourself. The Black Wind Stockade ambushed you with three Golden Core experts. That you managed to escape with your life is a feat in itself. Besides, the Headmaster is a man of extraordinary intellect. He will not fall easily.”

“Senior Brother Jin Jue, listen to me,” Elder Qin Chu added, stepping forward. “I conducted a reconnaissance run today. The perimeter is swarming with cultivators from the Black Wind Stockade and the Evil Spirit Valley. They have blockaded all routes back to the mountain. This implies they haven’t found him yet.”

“They are determined to intercept him,” Elder Ye Luo said, anxiety etched on his face. “What is our move?”

“Hmph!” Elder Jin Jue’s eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light. “If they push me too far, I will go out there and slaughter them all!”

Killing intent surged from his body, lowering the temperature in the hall.

“Do not be impulsive!” Elder Li Tai warned. “You know our current strategic position. We cannot afford a full-scale war right now. We must wait for the Patriarch to return. Once the Old Ancestor is back, these problems will be solved. Until then… we must trust the Sect Leader.”

“Agreed,” Qin Chu nodded. “We must continue to execute the Sect Leader’s development plan. We cannot slack off just because management is absent.”

“You are right,” Elder Ye Luo took a deep breath, suppressing his fear. “We will guard the Sect for him.”

While the Qingyun Elders worried, the mood in the Black Wind Stockade was apocalyptic.

Sect Leader Wen Sha was smashing furniture.

“Trash! Absolute waste!” he roared, glaring at his subordinates. “I mobilize the entire sect, we lock down the region, and you can’t find one minor cultivator? What am I paying you for?”

Wen Sha had assumed that hunting down a stray Qingyun disciple would be simple. A dragnet operation. But days had passed, and the target had vanished like smoke.

Worse, he wasn’t getting good news—he was getting casualty reports. several of his Foundation Establishment scouts had gone dark, their soul lamps extinguished. And his intel network couldn’t even tell him who was killing them.

“Is there still no movement from the Qingyun Sect?” Wen Sha snarled at a trembling Deacon.

“Reporting to the Sect Leader… the Qingyun Sect has sealed their mountain gates. Total radio silence.”

“Hmph. Have they abandoned him?” Wen Sha’s eyes flickered with suspicion.

His Elders had theorized that since Sun Yi was traveling with Jin Jue, he must be a VIP. But if he was so important, why wasn’t the Qingyun Sect launching a rescue mission? It didn’t add up.

“Fine,” Wen Sha spat. “Keep the surveillance net active. If anyone tries to enter or leave the Qingyun Sect, capture them immediately. Do not ask for permission. Just bag them.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!” The Deacon bowed deeply and fled the hall.

“Qingyun Sect…” Wen Sha clenched his fist until his knuckles cracked. “Just you wait. Soon, I will pull you up by the roots.”

The Evil Spirit Valley was in a similar state of frustration. They maintained their blockade, waiting for a rabbit that refused to crash into their tree.

Time slipped away quietly.

Half a month passed.

Sun Yi had missed the initial departure window agreed upon with Mo Wen by several days, but he wasn’t stressed. In a negotiation, the one who is willing to wait holds the power. He spent the extra time refining his research.

On this day, three powerful energy signatures flared outside his courtyard.

Sun Yi pocketed his jade slip, smoothed his robes, and walked out of the cultivation chamber.

Hovering in the sky were three figures. Mo Wen was the lead, flanked by two elderly strangers radiating the distinct pressure of the Golden Core realm.

“Greetings, Seniors,” Sun Yi called out, cupping his hands politely.

Mo Wen descended, landing in the courtyard with his entourage. He looked apologetic.

“My apologies, Sect Leader Sun. I have kept you waiting.”

“Not at all,” Sun Yi smiled, his corporate mask firmly in place. “Matters of importance require time. A few days of delay is within the margin of error. Tower Master Mo, might I ask for an introduction?”

Mo Wen gestured to the two elders. “This is Deacon Wei and Deacon Wen. They are special envoys sent from Headquarters to assist in facilitating our partnership with your esteemed Sect.”

Sun Yi bowed slightly, neither humble nor arrogant. “I will be relying on your guidance, Seniors.”

The two Golden Core experts scanned Sun Yi with critical eyes.

“Hehe,” Deacon Wei chuckled, stroking his beard. “I heard the Qingyun Sect appointed a Qi Refining junior as Headmaster. I was curious what sort of character could hold such a seat. Seeing you today… Sect Leader Sun indeed possesses an extraordinary bearing.”

“Hahaha, indeed!” Deacon Wen laughed. “One look tells me Sect Leader Sun is a man of capability. With you at the helm, the Qingyun Sect’s trajectory is promising.”

“You two Seniors flatter me,” Sun Yi deflected smoothly. “I merely leveraged a bit of luck.”

“All right, Sect Leader Sun, no need for modesty,” Mo Wen interjected, waving his hand. He was itching to close the deal. “Let’s get down to business. The cargo is prepped. When is our launch window?”