Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 250: Discussion in the Mansion

After leaving the Gu residence, Qin Lu returned directly to his own estate.

The mortal servants, who hadn’t seen their master for a month, were visibly delighted by his return, rushing forward to pay their respects.

Qin Lu exchanged a few pleasantries before dismissing them to their duties. He instructed a servant to prepare a hot bath and then sank into the steaming water, letting the heat leech the fatigue of travel from his bones.

After soaking for a long while, he summoned Steward Chen.

“Go and notify the sect’s department heads. Have them assemble here tomorrow at noon. Tell them I have an announcement to make.”

“Yes, Master!” Steward Chen cupped his hands and hurried off to execute the order.

Once alone, Qin Lu stared up at the roof beams, his expression contemplative.

“After I arrange everything for the sect,” he murmured to himself, “it will be time to enter Secluded Cultivation and break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage…”

The night passed without incident.

At noon the next day, the core members of the Qin Sect arrived at the Qin Mansion on time, gathering in the main meeting hall.

The entire sect was not present—only the key leadership.

Lu Anchen, Lu Xian, Nie Feng, and Cao Yunxi.

These four were the pillars of the Qin Sect, personally appointed by Qin Lu. Orders given to them would ripple out to every corner of the organization.

Of course, there was a new addition. Gu Yue sat to Qin Lu’s right, marking her first formal attendance at a Qin Sect meeting.

Once everyone was seated, Qin Lu wasted no time. He announced the news of Gu Yue and Gu Can joining the sect.

The four managers lit up with joy.

They knew exactly what it meant to have three Foundation Establishment cultivators in a single faction within the White Jade Market.

Such power was unprecedented here. It meant they could walk sideways through the market without fear. No one would dare cross them.

“Now, let’s get down to business,” Qin Lu said, taking a sip of tea. “How are the shops running?”

Lu Xian, ever the jovial one, spoke first. “I’ll start. The two magical robe shops and the restaurant have been operating smoothly. In the past month, we brought in a total of over 1,700 Spirit Stones. Here is the ledger.”

Qin Lu took the account book and flipped through it.

He wasn’t surprised by the numbers. The robe shops and the restaurant were consistent earners. Since Lu Xian had secured stable partnerships with several artifact refiners, their supply chain had been solid. As their reputation grew, more cultivators flocked to buy their wares, ensuring a steady stream of income.

“The ledger looks good. Old Lu, any new ideas for expansion?” Qin Lu asked, setting the book down.

Lu Xian chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Honestly, things are going well. I think maintaining the status quo is the best move for now.”

“Fair enough. Old Cao, you’re up.” Qin Lu turned to Cao Yunxi.

“Right!”

Cao Yunxi pulled a ledger from his robe and began to read. “In the past month, the three beast meat shops under my management, along with Ah Da’s talisman shop, brought in a total of over 2,800 Spirit Stones.”

Qin Lu reviewed the ledger as he had with Lu Xian, asking the same question.

“I do have one issue to report,” Cao Yunxi said, his expression tightening slightly. “The hunting teams haven’t been delivering meat as actively as before. Many squads are deliberately hiking their prices and refusing to trade with us.”

Qin Lu paused. “Reason?”

“Several new beast meat shops have opened in the market,” Cao Yunxi explained. “They’re competing for our supply. The hunting teams are playing the field, selling to the highest bidder. We’ve lost quite a few suppliers because we refused to engage in a bidding war.”

“I see…”

Qin Lu nodded, unperturbed. He had expected this eventually. A market without competition wasn’t a real market.

“Competition brings pressure, and pressure brings motivation,” Qin Lu said calmly. “Since they want to play, we’ll stick to the original plan. Lower our prices to undercut them and steal the customer base. Maintain a profit margin, but drag them into a war of attrition until they collapse.”

“Understood!” Cao Yunxi agreed without hesitation.

Qin Lu thought for a moment and added, “For operational decisions like this, you four have the authority to act independently. Business moves fast. If it’s urgent, don’t wait for my approval.”

The four exchanged glances, evident relief and gratitude in their eyes. A leader who delegated power rather than micromanaging was a rare blessing.

“Alright, Little Lu. Tell us about your shops,” Qin Lu continued.

“Yes, sir,” Lu Anchen responded.

Lu Anchen currently managed four establishments: two gambling dens, a magical artifact shop overseen by Xu Ruling, and a pawnshop run by Wu Zhengtian.

Together, these businesses generated nearly 2,000 Spirit Stones a month for the sect.

Finally, there was Nie Feng. He managed two shops: the alchemy shop entrusted to him by Qin Lu—run solely by Feng Xi—and a beast meat shop he oversaw himself.

Among the four managers, Nie Feng’s revenue was the lowest, hovering around 1,000 Spirit Stones. The alchemy shop was the bottleneck; it still hadn’t fully recovered from the damage sustained during the evil cultivator invasion.

After listening to the report, Qin Lu asked, “Is Ning Ning helping at the beast meat shop now?”

Since her recovery, Ning Ning had been inseparable from Nie Feng, creating a sort of ‘husband sings, wife follows’ dynamic.

“No,” Nie Feng said, slowly shaking his head. A rare, faint smile touched his stern face. “She’s been at home lately, studying formations. She seems to have a knack for it.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Qin Lu was surprised. He hadn’t expected Ning Ning to have talent in the path of formations.

“Heh, I’m not sure if it’s real talent or just tinkering,” Nie Feng said modestly.

Qin Lu’s mind stirred. He retrieved two books from his storage artifact.

“By the way, I stumbled upon these manuals—explanations on formation theory. Since Ning Ning has shown interest, take them to her.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader.” Nie Feng accepted the books with a bow.

“And that’s not all,” Qin Lu said with a hearty laugh, looking around the room. “I have gifts for everyone. Souvenirs from Shuntian City!”

He waved his hand, and streams of light flew out, hovering gently before each of the four managers.

“These are personal gifts from me. Please distribute the rest to the subordinates under your command.”

Qin Lu played no favorites. Every member of the sect was taken care of.

There were Magical Artifacts, Talismans, accessories, cultivation manuals, formation diagrams, and Pills.

“Thank you, Sect Leader!” the group shouted in unison.