Two days after her appointment, Feng Ling stood before Kui in his spacious office, her demeanor transformed. The weariness that had clung to her like a shroud was gone, replaced by a sharp, focused energy. In her hands, she held a thick, meticulously organized report bound in simple leather.
"Guild Master," she began, her voice crisp and devoid of hesitation, "I have completed the preliminary analysis of the Crimson Hand Guild's commercial activities within Riverstone City."
Kui gestured for her to proceed, a warm, encouraging smile on his face. He had spent the last two days overseeing the renovation of their new headquarters and arranging for the first batch of rescued turtles to be sent back to the Green Mountain Sect.
"The Crimson Hand's control is absolute, but brittle," Feng Ling stated, opening the report. "They don't engage in legitimate business. Their model is purely parasitic. They control three key choke points: the docks, the city gates, and the supply of raw crafting materials. They impose exorbitant 'unloading fees,' 'gate taxes,' and have a monopoly on the mines, which they sell to local craftsmen at a three hundred percent markup. At the same time, they force those same craftsmen to sell their finished products to them for pennies, which they then resell in other cities. Their profit margins are astronomical, built on a foundation of fear."
Kui nodded slowly. "An excellent analysis, Chief Clerk Feng. So, tell me, where is the weakest link?"
A sharp, cunning smile touched Feng Ling's lips. "The craftsmen, Guild Master. They are the most exploited and the most essential. They are desperate for an alternative."
"And we," Kui boomed, his smile widening into a grin, "shall be that alternative. A glorious, benevolent, and highly profitable alternative."
Feng Ling hesitated. "Guild Master, if we challenge them on price, it will be a costly war of attrition. How can we afford to buy high and sell low?"
Kui chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "My dear Chief Clerk, you mistake fairness for charity. The Crimson Hand's greed is their greatest weakness. Their markup is so obscene that we can offer a twenty percent discount on materials and a ten percent premium on finished goods and still turn a handsome profit. We are not losing money; we are simply accepting a reasonable margin of profit instead of a tyrannical one. Furthermore, that is only a secondary venture to win the public."
He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. "Our true core business, our unassailable advantage, is our exclusive supply of high-quality, low-rank spirit beasts from the Deepwater Menagerie. They are healthier, stronger, and more potent than anything on the market. That is where our real wealth will come from. This venture with the craftsmen is merely how we break the Crimson Hand's grip on the city and build the goodwill necessary to thrive."
The first move was made the following morning. Two new notice boards were erected. One announced the Guild's fair prices for materials and goods. The other displayed meticulously drawn illustrations and descriptions of a dozen different types of spirit fish, shrimp, and crabs, available for purchase as cultivation resources or potent alchemical ingredients.
The response was overwhelming. While the craftsmen cautiously approached the materials trading, a flood of cultivators from smaller clans and wandering sects swarmed the Guild, their eyes wide with desire for the spirit beasts. The Azure-Jade Carp were particularly popular, and the stock Kui had brought sold out within hours, with a long list of pre-orders for the next shipment. The influx of spirit stones from this primary business venture was more than enough to fund their campaign against the Crimson Hand.
The Crimson Hand's reaction was as predictable as it was foolish. On the third day, a dozen of their thugs, led by the same scarred Foundation Establishment cultivator, arrived to intimidate the crowds.
"This market is Crimson Hand territory!" the leader roared. "Anyone who does business with these outsiders will have their legs broken!"
Before they could act, ten Green Mountain Sect disciples stepped forward, forming a silent, human wall. The confrontation was swift and decisive. The disciples, with their superior training, disarmed and subdued the thugs in seconds without causing any serious injury. It was a humiliating public defeat for the Crimson Hand, and the market erupted in cheers.
From his office window, Kui watched the thugs being dragged away by the city guard. His cheerful expression, however, faded into one of deep thought.
"Feng Ling," he said, turning from the window. "Today's victory was easy. But it was against dogs, not the tiger. The Crimson Hand is led by a Core Formation expert. These disciples, as skilled as they are, are a deterrent, not a true counter. We cannot rely on them forever, and their presence is a temporary loan from the Sect. We need our own teeth. We need muscle that can bite back, hard."
That evening, Kui used a precious, high-grade communication talisman, crushing it in his hand. A ripple of spiritual energy shot into the heavens, carrying a detailed report and a simple, urgent request to Li Yu. "The shell is strong, but the claw must be sharper. I require a true sovereign's might."
Miles away, in his serene valley, Li Yu was observing his newest acquisitions. The Starlight Dream Eel swam in lazy circles, its placid energy calming his mind. He felt Kui's victory through their bond, followed shortly by the urgent pulse from the communication talisman.
He read the message, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips. Kui was right. A merchant guild needed guards, but to truly thrive in a world ruled by strength, it needed warriors. It needed a fist to protect the hand that gathered wealth.
He turned and walked toward the quiet grove where Xylia often meditated. He found her in her human form, sitting motionless beneath a waterfall, her white hair stark against the dark, wet stone. Her eyes snapped open as he approached, as cold and clear as a winter sky.
"Your talents are being wasted here, Xylia," Li Yu said simply. "Kui has built a fine trading guild in Riverstone City, but he is facing a local power led by a Core Formation cultivator. He needs a commander. He needs someone who can build and lead a force that answers only to us."
Xylia stood, water cascading off her beast-hide armor. A dangerous light gleamed in her sapphire eyes. She had grown bored of the valley's peace. Her bloodline craved conflict, the test of strength. "A command of my own?"
"Yes," Li Yu affirmed. "A mercenary company, funded by the Guild. Your mission will be twofold: to act as the Guild's ultimate security, and to lead expeditions into the wild lands to hunt powerful beasts and secure rare resources. You will have freedom to recruit and train your own people. You will be our claw."
The faintest hint of a smile touched Xylia's lips. It was a terrifying, beautiful sight. "I accept."
A day later, Tempest descended from the clouds above Riverstone City, landing silently in the Guild's newly expanded courtyard. The massive winged beast folded its powerful limbs, its intelligent eyes surveying the area with regal calm. Li Yu stepped off its back, followed by the tall, imposing figure of Xylia, whose cold, powerful aura immediately put the entire Guild staff on high alert.
In the privacy of his office, Kui bowed deeply. "Wise Host! Your arrival is most welcome. And Lady Xylia, your presence honors us."
"Your idea is sound, Kui," Li Yu said, getting straight to the point. "A business arm and a martial arm, working in concert. Xylia has agreed to lead this new force. What will you call it?"
Kui's smile was all cunning. "To honor her noble bearing and overwhelming power, I propose we call it the 'White Paw Company.' A paw can be gentle, but it can also crush mountains. It represents both the might and the potential for restraint that a true sovereign possesses."
Xylia nodded once, a gesture of curt approval.
"Very well," Li Yu added. "For now, the White Paw Company will serve the Guild exclusively. But once you are established, Xylia, you will have the authority to accept external contracts. Escort missions for other guilds, beast hunts for wealthy clans… it will become another source of revenue and, more importantly, a source of information and influence. The city will learn to respect the Paw not just as our protector, but as the benchmark for martial power in this region."
Li Yu looked out the window at the bustling city. His pieces were moving. The Golden Shell Guild was his tool for gathering wealth and resources. The White Paw Company would be his sword, clearing the path and protecting his interests. One would feed his sanctuary, the other would ensure no one could ever threaten it. All of it was designed to allow him to remain in his valley, to grow in power, his influence spreading like invisible roots throughout the world, with no one ever knowing the true identity of the gardener