In the quiet tranquility of his hidden valley, Li Yu stood beside Kui, giving his final instructions before the first official caravan of the Golden Shell Trading Guild departed. The twenty-five selected disciples stood in disciplined formation at the valley's edge, their faces a mixture of excitement and solemn duty.
"Your primary objective is to solidify our agreement with the Clearwater Jade Carp Clan and establish a permanent Guild headquarters in Riverstone City," Li Yu stated, his voice calm and measured. "But I have an additional, ongoing mission for you. It is personal."
Kui's fawning expression sharpened with focus. "Anything, Wise Host! This humble one's existence is to serve your will!"
"The Koi's Sanctuary thrives on diversity. My connection to it strengthens as its ecosystem becomes more complete," Li Yu explained, a thoughtful, distant look in his eyes. He didn't fully understand the instinct himself, only that it felt like a fundamental truth. "Therefore, as you travel, you are to acquire new aquatic species for me. Any that the sanctuary does not already possess. I require at least one breeding pair of each. Prioritize rare, unique, and powerful beasts, but do not neglect the common ones. I want them all. This is not for trade or profit. This is for the sanctuary itself. It is… a path to strength."
Kui's ancient mind processed the directive instantly. The Wise Host wasn't just building a business; he was using that business to fuel his own esoteric cultivation path. It was a strategy of profound depth, and Kui felt a surge of admiration.
"It shall be done, Wise Host!" Kui declared. "The Golden Shell Trading Guild will not only be a river of spirit stones flowing to you, but also a net that gathers all the treasures of the world's waters for your sanctuary!" He then gestured grandly to a rolled-up banner held by a nearby disciple. "And so that the world may know our name, I have taken the liberty of designing our standard!"
At his signal, the disciple unfurled the flag. It was made of heavy, enchanted silk that shimmered in the light. On the front was a beautifully embroidered, stylized golden tortoise shell, radiating an aura of wealth and impenetrable defense. On the back, however, was the stark, black silhouette of a single, massive crab claw, raised in a gesture of menacing power.
Li Yu raised an eyebrow. The shell was obvious, but the claw was not.
Kui's smile was a masterpiece of sycophantic cunning. "The Golden Shell represents our Guild's public face—wealth and reliability. The claw… well, I thought it only proper to honor the formidable power of Lord Khaos. It serves as a subtle warning to our enemies that behind our cheerful smile is an unshakeable, crushing might. A small tribute to a respected colleague."
Li Yu had to hide a smile of his own. Kui was already playing politics among his fellow retainers, ensuring he flattered the violent and powerful crab sovereign. It was a shrewd, if unnecessary, move. "It is… fitting. You may use it."
With his final blessing, the caravan departed. The new flag of the Golden Shell Trading Guild snapped smartly in the wind, a declaration of intent for all to see. The journey to Jade Moon Vale was uneventful, the authority of the Green Mountain Sect disciples a perfect shield.
Their arrival was met with celebration. Clan Head Feng greeted Kui not as a business partner, but as a savior. The first shipment of Azure-Jade Carp was delivered, and the quality was so high that the Carp Clan elders were left speechless.
"Guild Master Kui," Clan Head Feng said in the privacy of his study, after the contracts were finalized and the initial payment exchanged. "Your arrival has already driven the Iron River Sect to distraction. Their patrols have withdrawn from our borders. You have given us the breathing room we have prayed for."
"This is merely the beginning, Clan Head," Kui boomed cheerfully. "The Guild intends to make Riverstone City its first major hub. We will be neighbors for a long time. In fact, my Wise Host has given me a special task. He is a collector of rare aquatic life. Do you know of any unique species in the region, or any markets that specialize in such things?"
Clan Head Feng's eyes lit up. "Riverstone City is your best destination for that. The Azure Serpent River is home to countless wonders, and the city's Grand Bazaar often has beasts for sale that you will find nowhere else. If you are looking for rare specimens, that is the place to begin your search."
After cementing their alliance and gathering valuable intelligence, the caravan, re-supplied and its purpose renewed, set out for the true prize: Riverstone City. After two weeks of travel, the formidable walls of the metropolis rose from the plains. The air hummed with the energy of a million negotiations, a thousand ambitions, and the ceaseless flow of spirit stones.
With the escort mission technically complete, the sect disciples were given leave to explore, their presence in the city a passive display of the Guild's strength. Kui's real work, however, was just beginning. For three days, he wandered the city, not just the grand markets, but the chaotic outer sprawls. He was a predator in a new hunting ground, searching for two things: a person with a merchant's soul, and specimens for his Wise Host.
In a muddy corner of the fisherman's market, he saw a man selling common river turtles. They were listless, piled in a dry crate, destined for the soup pot. A flicker of something ancient and sad passed through Kui's eyes. He approached the stall, his portly merchant persona firmly in place.
"How much for the lot, my good man?" he asked.
The fisherman, surprised at the interest, named a modest price. "I will pay you double your asking price," Kui said, his voice cheerful but his eyes sharp. "On one condition. From this day forward, any and all turtles you catch, you bring to me first. Any other unusual aquatic creatures as well. I will always pay a fair price. Consider this a retainer for your services. My Guild is always looking for reliable suppliers."
The fisherman's eyes went wide with shock and then dawning ecstasy. To have a guaranteed buyer, and one who paid a premium? It was a dream come true. He agreed with a series of frantic, grateful bows.
Kui then instructed the man to deliver the current lot to the Guild's new warehouse. It was a move that satisfied both his ancient kinship with the creatures and his shrewd merchant's mind—securing a source for his private collection under the guise of a legitimate Guild acquisition.
He found his true target on the fourth day, in the bustling Jade Abacus Market. A young woman named Feng Ling, whose sharp intellect and unyielding integrity under pressure impressed him deeply. After a brief but insightful conversation, Kui tested her.
He purchased two items from her, and as he left, "accidentally" dropped a heavy silk pouch of spirit stones. From a distance, he watched as she found it, hesitated, and then posted a sign announcing the lost item. Intelligence and integrity. The two pillars of a trustworthy subordinate.
The next day, the Golden Shell Trading Guild officially announced its presence by purchasing a prime commercial building outright, the transaction conducted with a flood of high-grade spirit stones that sent shockwaves through the city's business community. The response from the local hegemon, the Crimson Hand Guild, was swift and predictable. A delegation led by a sneering Foundation Establishment cultivator arrived to demand a "security fee."
They were met by a smiling, tea-sipping Kui and five silent, peak Qi Condensation disciples from the Green Mountain Sect.
"The Golden Shell Trading Guild pays for its own security," Kui said softly after the demand was made. "Now, I believe you have sullied my floor with your presence long enough. Leave."
The thugs from the Crimson Hand fled, their bravado shattered. The story cemented the new Guild's reputation overnight: they were powerful, unflappable, and not to be trifled with.
The following morning, a nervous Feng Ling stood before Kui, having been summoned by a formal invitation. She presented the lost pouch of spirit stones.
Kui accepted it with a nod. "Your integrity is as impressive as your intellect, young lady. I have a proposition for you. My sources tell me your family was ruined by the Crimson Hand. I am building a guild that will not be bullied by them. I need a chief clerk. Someone to manage accounts, analyze market trends, and oversee our acquisitions. Someone I can trust. The position is yours, if you want it."
Tears of fierce, burning hope welled in Feng Ling's eyes. "You would trust me with such a role?"
"I would," Kui affirmed. "Your first task will be to prepare a report on all businesses in this city that are currently suffering under the Crimson Hand's monopoly. The Golden Shell is about to offer them a much better deal."
From his hidden valley, Li Yu felt a ripple of satisfaction through his soul-bond with Kui. The first move had been a resounding success. The Shell had proven its hardness, the Guild had found its first administrative mind, and the net for his collection had been cast. The world was vast, but for the first time, he had his own hands reaching into it, shaping it to his will.