Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 274: Exchange Meeting

Teng Hu Island was barely six miles across and typically desolate. Today, however, it echoed with the explosive concussions of technique combat. Blinding spiritual lights crisscrossed the sky, punctuated by the relentless, agonized shrieks of Demon Beasts.

With a thunderous shout, the absolute, suffocating pressure of a Golden Core Cultivator descended upon the battlefield. The oppressive aura instantly crushed all resistance, and the final Demon Beast fell dead, silenced forever.

The Golden Core Cultivator was none other than Wang Guang’an. He had been leading the Wang family’s elite hunting squad.

Moments later, a sharp-featured young man approached. “Ancestor, all Demon Beasts have been field-dressed and loaded onto the vessel. Our harvest this round includes one Rank Two High Grade, one Rank Two Middle Grade, and four Rank Two Low Grade Demon Beasts, along with over forty Rank One beasts.”

This was Wang Wuzheng. At twenty-four, he was a Three Spiritual Roots cultivator currently at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Beyond his diligent Cultivation, he possessed a rare talent for logistics and management. Wang Guang’an was actively testing him, granting him command over the Qi Refining clan members to gauge his leadership.

“What is our total kill count for this month, and what is the estimated value?” Wang Guang’an asked, testing the youth.

Wang Wuzheng didn’t miss a beat. “We have been at sea for thirty-eight days. En route, we hunted seven Rank Two and one hundred thirty Rank One Demon Beasts. Upon reaching the island, we lured in five consecutive waves, yielding another twenty-three Rank Two and five hundred twenty Rank One Demon Beasts. The gross value is approximately one hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stones. After deducting the cost of Pills, talismans, and the Spirit Stones burned to power the ship, our net profit sits at roughly one hundred thirty thousand!”

He produced a small ledger, offering it respectfully with both hands. “This ledger details the exact species, grades, and estimated market values. Please review it, Ancestor.”

Wang Guang’an nodded, his eyes gleaming with approval. Wang Wuzheng’s ability to rattle off the exact figures without glancing at the ledger proved his dedication. He was a prime candidate to be groomed as the next clan head. Once Wang Yanzhao arrived overseas, Wang Wuzheng could be sent back to manage the Qingniu Market!

“There is no need. Verify the numbers with your Aunt Wenyan once we return to Giant Turtle Island,” Wang Guang’an said with a dismissive wave. “We have been out long enough. Order the men to pack up. We set sail for home.”

“Yes, Ancestor. I will see to it at once,” Wang Wuzheng bowed deeply before turning away.

Though the profits were staggering, Wang Guang’an knew this wasn’t a sustainable practice. The Demon Beast population in any given region was finite. If he slaughtered them all, the younger generation would have nothing to practice on. Draining the pond to catch the fish was a fool’s errand. In the future, true hunting expeditions would have to push past the borders of the Red Butterfly Sea.

Moments later, the massive ship slowly departed from Teng Hu Island.

Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye.

Wang Hao emerged from his secret room, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He had successfully refined a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills and Replenishing Origin Pills. Combined with his existing stockpile of Spirit Grasses, he had more than enough capital for the upcoming trade fair. The guests for the housewarming banquet had begun to arrive, and it was time to play the gracious host.

The guest list was relatively small, nowhere near the scale of the Wang family’s Golden Core ceremony, but the sheer quality of the Cultivators was vastly superior. Every delegation was led by at least a late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, accompanied by several peers and a handful of elite Qi Refining juniors.

Traversing the treacherous, open ocean was suicide for a Qi Refining Cultivator without Foundation Establishment escorts.

Four Golden Core factions dominated the region: the Liao and Sun Cultivation families, alongside the Yiyuan Sect and the Sunset Sect.

Because the Liao family and the Sunset Sect shared borders with the Wang family, they sent substantial delegations. The Liao family alone dispatched ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Liao Yetian had promised to attend, but Golden Core Cultivators rarely wasted time on pleasantries; he would likely arrive exactly as the main banquet commenced.

Beyond the four major factions, numerous Foundation Establishment forces attended, primarily vassals of the Liao family and Sunset Sect. Even though they enjoyed the protection of their Golden Core overlords, forging a polite, working relationship with their new neighbor was basic survival diplomacy. Failing to recognize a Wang family Elder in the wild could lead to lethal misunderstandings.

Wang Hao had deliberately opened a grand plaza and a luxurious manor specifically for the guests to mingle and network.

Inside a sprawling hall, the majority of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators had gathered.

Wang Hao stood at the front, projecting his voice with practiced geniality. “Fellow Daoists, it is a rare fate that brings us all together today. As your host, I intend to hold a private exchange meeting so we might trade to our mutual benefit. The Wang family built its legacy on alchemy. I have a substantial inventory of Pills on hand. If any Fellow Daoist requires them, we can trade now, and you are always welcome to purchase from us in the future.”

“Fellow Daoist Wang speaks reason,” Liao Chengzong of the Liao family immediately agreed, his tone carrying the smooth cadence of calculated diplomacy. “While there is a market in the Red Butterfly Sea, the distance is prohibitive, making it difficult to procure Supplies. Furthermore, it has been years since a proper auction was held. Since we are all gathered, a private exchange is highly agreeable.”

The Red Butterfly Market sat on the centrally located Red Butterfly Island, the very nexus where the four major powers intersected. Currently, the Yiyuan Sect, boasting three Golden Core Cultivators, controlled the island, though the other three factions maintained numerous shops. The Wang family would inevitably establish their own storefronts there.

However, the Yiyuan Sect also specialized in alchemy and likely wouldn’t welcome the competition.

Rogue Cultivators were a rarity on the open sea, rendering the Red Butterfly Market somewhat stagnant. It possessed less than half the prosperity of the Qingyuan Market, only marginally outperforming the Qingniu Market.

Furthermore, the Wang family was still developing Giant Turtle Island. Their Spirit Grass plantations wouldn’t yield harvests for years, and their limited inventory had to supply their storefront in Wanxiang City. Consequently, Wang Hao had no intention of investing heavy resources into the Red Butterfly Market, nor did he want to needlessly provoke the Yiyuan Sect.

The rest of the Cultivators quickly echoed Liao Chengzong’s sentiments.

“Since we are in agreement, we shall begin. Naturally, any Fellow Daoist who does not wish to participate is free to leave,” Wang Hao offered with a polite smile.

No one moved. An exchange meeting exclusively for Foundation Establishment Cultivators was a rare opportunity. Even if one didn’t trade, simply observing the flow of treasures was invaluable. More importantly, walking out now would be a blatant slap to Wang Hao’s face—a spectacularly foolish move in a Golden Core faction’s territory.

Seeing the doors remain shut, Wang Hao waved a hand. A burst of true qi slammed the heavy hall doors shut. He then lined up several porcelain bottles on the table before him.

“I offer Rank Two Pills. My selection covers detoxification, healing, breaking through bottlenecks, and advancing Cultivation. In exchange, I seek the eggs of rare beasts or exotic insects, Rank Two High Grade spirit talismans, or Rank One and Two Formations.”

Wang Hao deliberately presented standard, albeit high-quality, goods. It was necessary to project the Wang family’s foundation, but flaunting excessive wealth would only paint a target on their backs. He was merely baiting the hook; if someone produced a truly exceptional treasure, he would counter with something better.

Even so, the mere mention of Replenishing Origin Pills sent a ripple of shock through the crowd. Eyes gleamed with calculating greed as many considered their inventories.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, I possess none of the three items you seek,” a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Sun family announced, stepping forward. “However, I have a piece of Rank Two flood dragon skin. It is an exceptional material for either crafting Spirit Weapons or drawing talismans. I would like to exchange it for a Replenishing Origin Pill. Is this acceptable?”

Wang Hao inspected the hide. It was roughly ten feet long and incomplete, yet the azure scales were packed far denser than those on the beast Wang Guang’an had slain. It was undoubtedly the hide of a genuine flood dragon.

While Wang Hao’s knowledge of beasts was broad, the veteran Cultivators present were true connoisseurs. Flood dragons were categorized into innate and acquired lineages. Acquired beasts had to reach Rank Three to undergo their draconic metamorphosis. Innate ones, however, were born as flood dragons. Given that this hide was Rank Two, it could only belong to an innate flood dragon.

If handed to a master refiner, it could be fashioned into inner armor boasting terrifying defensive capabilities—armor that even High Grade Spirit Weapons would struggle to pierce.

During the last Wanxiang City auction, a single Replenishing Origin Pill had fetched a staggering ten thousand Spirit Stones, making it an equitable trade for the rare hide.

“Very well,” Wang Hao agreed smoothly, tossing over a Replenishing Origin Pill. “We have a deal.”

While Pills were vital for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the members of Golden Core factions weren’t desperate for them. Consequently, the ensuing trades were mostly conducted with representatives from the lesser Foundation Establishment factions, and the quality of their offerings reflected their lower standing.

By the end of the session, Wang Hao had only acquired two Formations, a single piece of beast skin, one Rank Two High Grade Taiyi Golden Blade Talisman, and a cluster of Spirit-Seeking Bee eggs. Spirit-Seeking Bees were relatively common; they could sniff out low-level treasures and produce spiritual honey, but their combat utility was virtually non-existent, offering Wang Hao little practical value in a fight.