Cultivation, Inc.I Use Capitalism to Fix a Dying Sect

Chapter 190: Something Isn’t Right

“Let’s make this simple,” Sun Yi said, feigning a magnanimous air. “Regardless of how many spiritual flames Tower Master Mo brings next time, we guarantee to buy them all. However, this is a standing offer for now; I can’t promise the same terms forever.”

Hearing this, Mo Wen’s heart leaped with joy. “Then it is settled.”

“Oh, right,” Mo Wen added, striking while the iron was hot. He hurriedly produced another beast-taming bag. “Headmaster Sun, we also managed to secure a fresh batch of live Mi Luo Beasts. Please, take a look.”

Sun Yi accepted the bag and swept his Divine Sense inside. Sure enough, it was packed with the creatures.

“Excellent. My thanks to Tower Master Mo,” Sun Yi said, his satisfaction genuine. “The Qingyun Sect will continue to acquire Mi Luo Beasts in bulk. It doesn’t matter how many you catch; we will take every single one.”

Mo Wen gave Sun Yi a long, probing look. He tried to sound casual as he asked, “Your appetite for these beasts is insatiable, Headmaster. One wonders what the Qingyun Sect plans to do with such a specific livestock?”

Sun Yi didn’t blink. “We’ve recently established a Spirit Beast Hall. We stumbled upon a proprietary method to accelerate their breeding and growth. Naturally, we need a large initial stock to get the breeding program running.”

It was a smooth lie, designed to cover the truth: the Mi Luo Beasts were fuel for the Five Gates technique. That secret could not be exposed.

Mo Wen seemed to accept the explanation. The transaction continued with Sun Yi sorting through the pile of ancient texts Mo Wen had brought. To his delight, many contained fragmentary knowledge regarding Spirit Locking—exactly what he needed for his research. There were also numerous manuals on miscellaneous arts.

Overall, the Seven Star Tower had delivered a treasure trove.

“I truly appreciate the Seven Star Tower’s support,” Sun Yi said warmly. “Changqing, transfer the payment to Tower Master Mo.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

Er Gouzi stepped forward, handing over a heavy Storage Ring.

Mo Wen inspected the contents, his eyes lighting up as he confirmed the sum. He nodded with satisfaction. “Doing business with Headmaster Sun is always refreshingly straightforward.”

“Hehe, the pleasure is mutual,” Sun Yi replied with a practiced business smile.

“By the way, Headmaster Sun,” Mo Wen said as he prepared to leave, his tone sounding like an afterthought. “You’ve ordered a significant amount of Body Tempering spiritual medicine recently. I assume you are satisfied with the Myriad Spirit Body Tempering Art we provided? Have you managed to promote it widely within the sect?”

Sun Yi paused for a fraction of a second.

“The tempering effects are potent,” Sun Yi admitted. “It burns through resources at a terrifying rate, but the results speak for themselves. Currently, all disciples in the sect are cultivating it.”

“That is good to hear,” Mo Wen said, his smile widening slightly. “High consumption is expected for high power. But do not worry; the Seven Star Tower will ensure you never run out of the necessary resources.”

“Look at the time. We really must be going.” Mo Wen and his Deacons stood up.

“Allow me to see you out.” Sun Yi maintained his gracious facade, leading Er Gouzi to escort the delegation all the way past the sect’s grand protective formation.

Sun Yi stood in the void, watching the Seven Star Tower’s flying boat disappear into the clouds. As the vessel vanished, the smile dropped from his face, replaced by a deep frown.

Er Gouzi, noticing the sudden shift in his Headmaster’s mood, looked confused. “The deal went perfectly, Headmaster. Why do you look so worried?”

Sun Yi remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing. “Changqing, why do you think Tower Master Mo asked about the Myriad Spirit Body Tempering Art at the very end?”

“Making conversation?” Er Gouzi shrugged. “Checking on customer satisfaction?”

“No,” Sun Yi murmured. “There was something off about it. A merchant cares if you buy their goods. They don’t usually care if you are promoting the user manual to your entire staff unless they have a vested interest in the usage itself.”

Although Mo Wen had masked the question with casual politeness, Sun Yi’s instincts—sharpened by his time in the corporate world—were screaming that something was wrong.

“Changqing, go handle your duties. I need to see the Patriarch.”

Feeling a knot of unease in his stomach, Sun Yi turned into a streak of light and flew toward Patriarch Qingxuan’s secluded cultivation grounds.

Meanwhile, aboard the Seven Star Tower’s flying boat.

The facade of politeness had vanished. The three Golden Core cultivators were gathered on the deck, their expressions triumphant.

“A massive harvest,” Mo Wen said, his face flushed with excitement. “The Qingyun Sect must have looted a fortune from the Zhou Family and the Xuanyin Sect. Their purchasing power is absurd.”

“Hehe,” Deacon Wei chuckled darkly. “Let them spend. No matter how many resources they hoard, eventually, it will all belong to us.”

“I was slightly concerned they might have discovered the… ‘feature’ of the Myriad Spirit Body Tempering Art,” Mo Wen admitted, frowning slightly.

“Don’t worry, Tower Master,” Deacon Wei waved his hand dismissively. “The Headquarters Elders were clear. The Myriad Spirit Body Tempering Art isn’t ‘defective.’ It truly is a powerful top-tier technique. The only catch is… dependency.”

“Once you start cultivating it, you cannot stop. If you interrupt the cycle before reaching the Fourth Layer, the backlash is catastrophic. They must consume Body Tempering resources continuously to sustain it.”

“I’ve already verified it through our spies,” Deacon Wei continued. “The Qingyun Sect has rolled it out mandatorily. Every single disciple is hooked on it.”

“Perfect,” Mo Wen sneered. “They’ve just shackled themselves to our supply chain. Next time, we can ‘renegotiate’ the price of the Body Tempering fluids. They’ll have no choice but to pay whatever we ask.”

Back at the Qingyun Sect.

“You look troubled,” Patriarch Qingxuan said, surprised by Sun Yi’s sudden arrival. “What happened?”

“Patriarch, I need you to double-check the Myriad Spirit Body Tempering Art,” Sun Yi said, his expression serious. “I suspect there is a trap buried in it.”

Qingxuan frowned. “I examined it thoroughly before we distributed it. It is structurally sound—better, in fact, than any body tempering method I’ve ever seen. What makes you think there is a problem?”

Sun Yi recounted the interaction with Mo Wen, emphasizing the specific phrasing of the inquiry and his gut feeling.

Listening to the young man’s concerns, Patriarch Qingxuan smiled and shook his head benevolently. “Sun Yi, I believe you are being a bit paranoid. This is the Seven Star Tower—a trans-continental merchant guild. Their reputation is their lifeblood. They wouldn’t risk selling a poisoned technique to a strategic partner.”

“He likely asked simply to gauge future demand for tempering fluids. You are overthinking this.”

“I hope you are right, Patriarch,” Sun Yi said, though the unease didn’t fully dissipate. “I’ll return to work.”

If the Patriarch couldn’t find a flaw, Sun Yi had to let it go for now. Worrying without evidence was a waste of effort.

Leaving the Patriarch’s peak, Sun Yi flew directly to the Spirit Beast Hall, carrying the bag of Mi Luo Beasts.

The Spirit Beast Hall was located on what used to be Green Wood Peak. The entire mountain had been terraformed into a massive, tiered enclosure for raising demon beasts.

A powerful Third-Tier Formation enveloped the peak, creating an inescapable cage. Inside, every beast was fitted with a Beast Control Ring, ensuring absolute obedience and eliminating the risk of a rampage.

Sun Yi’s arrival sent a ripple of excitement through the mountain. The disciples of the Spirit Beast Hall dropped their tasks and gathered at the main hall to greet him.

“Greetings, Headmaster!” The disciples bowed in unison, their faces filled with reverence.

“At ease,” Sun Yi smiled, waving his hand. “Hall Master Zhou, step forward.”

A middle-aged cultivator with a weathered face and sharp, alert eyes hurried to the front. This was Zhou Cang, the Hall Master. Though only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, Zhou Cang came from a lineage of hunters stretching back ten generations. He knew beasts better than most cultivators knew their own families. Er Gouzi had scouted him for his practical expertise and sharp wit.

“Here is the new batch of Mi Luo Beasts,” Sun Yi handed over the specialized storage bag. “Processing them is your top priority.”

“Headmaster, rest assured, I will handle it immediately.” Zhou Cang took the bag with both hands, his demeanor professional and brisk. He turned to his deputy.

“Wang Xiaofei! Take this batch. Standard intake protocol. Quarantine first, then integration. Do not make any mistakes.”

“Yes, Hall Master!” A young cultivator stepped up, took the bag, and led a team away with practiced efficiency.

Sun Yi watched the operation with approval. It was organized. It was scalable.

“Hall Master Zhou,” Sun Yi said, gesturing to the path ahead. “Walk with me. Give me a tour of the facility. I want to see how our production line is holding up.”