The cheerful atmosphere in Branch Master Jing's office was a stark contrast to the grim tension that had preceded it. With the immediate crisis resolved, the instincts of master merchants took over, and the conversation quickly turned to logistics, plans, and the bright future of their new partnership. Li Yu, maintaining his calm and humble demeanor, found himself deferring most of the intricate business details to his more experienced friends.
"The architects will be at your disposal tomorrow morning, my friend," Jing said, his voice booming with renewed vigor. "The Silver Shoal Spire is a fine structure, but we will renovate it to whatever specifications you and the Golden Shell Guild require. No expense will be spared!"
"You are too kind, Branch Master," Li Yu replied with a warm smile. He knew, however, that his own expertise was in cultivation, not commerce on this grand scale. "While I have some ideas, the true master of the Golden Shell Guild is my partner, a man named Kui. He is a merchant of unparalleled experience. To build a foundation worthy of our new partnership, his expertise is essential. I have already sent for him. He should be here within a couple of days."
"An excellent idea!" Elder Quan chimed in. "A project of this scale requires a master's touch. We shall await his arrival eagerly."
Li Yu felt a deep sense of satisfaction. His core tenet—ensuring he had the right people in place so he could remain in the background—was being upheld. After finalizing the initial agreement, Li Yu expressed his intent to explore the city while awaiting his associate. The elders readily agreed, insisting he enjoy the city's hospitality.
That night, Li Yu stood on the balcony of the Azure Sea Guesthouse, the cool sea breeze washing over him. He extended a hand over the balcony railing, a wisp of his abyss-black spiritual energy leaking from his fingertip. He infused a single drop of seawater with it, turning it into a polished bead of black mercury before flicking it into the night. A second later, a massive, offshore rock formation nearly a mile out at sea silently collapsed into a cloud of fine dust. The need for secrecy, he reminded himself, was more paramount than ever.
He spent the next two days in a state of active, yet hidden, cultivation. By day, he explored the grand seaside markets and the sprawling docks. To any observer, he was just a young cultivator soaking in the sights. In truth, he was a silent vortex, his Koi spirit subtly drawing in the unique, diverse aquatic energies of this new and vibrant ecosystem. The life force of a thousand different species flowed into him, each one a new thread in the tapestry of his martial spirit.
On the evening of the second day, he decided it was time for an experiment. Under the cover of darkness, he slipped out of his villa and made his way to the deserted docks of his newly acquired Silver Shoal Spire. He stood at the edge of the stone pier, the deep, dark water of the harbor lapping gently below.
'Ying, Zhao,' he projected into his sanctuary. Two sleek, midnight-blue forms, the Abyssal Water-Drakes, appeared in the water beside the dock with a silent splash. 'I am sending out Caihong. These are unknown waters. Protect her.'
The two drakes gave a mental bow of assent. Li Yu then focused his will, and a small, shimmering sphere of water appeared in his hand. Inside, Caihong swam in excited circles.
'Alright, Caihong,' he projected gently. 'This place is very old. Go for a swim. Show me if there are any good shiny things nearby.'
He lowered the sphere to the water, and it dissolved. Caihong shot off into the depths, a tiny, fleeting rainbow in the darkness, with her two powerful Overlord Beast guardians shadowing her like twin torpedoes.
Caihong swam for nearly an hour, her powerful protectors effortlessly keeping pace. Then, her perception sharpened. She was drawn to the very foundations of the Silver Shoal Spire, the massive pillar of coral that plunged deep into the bedrock of the seafloor. She found the source in a small, hidden crevice deep beneath the spire's base, a place where the current had deposited debris over the centuries. To Caihong, several objects within glowed with a soft, golden light.
Ying and Zhao moved in. With their powerful claws, they carefully cleared the debris, revealing a handful of fist-sized, crystalline chunks of ore. The drakes carefully gathered the pieces and brought them to the surface.
Li Yu took one of the chunks. It was cool to the touch and pulsed with a pure, concentrated water-elemental energy. It was Gold-vein Aqua-Jade, and of a remarkably high purity. It wasn't a massive vein, but a lucky find, a small hidden cache of a few precious pieces. More importantly, it was definitive proof that Caihong's talent was real and reliable.
'Good job, all of you,' he projected, returning the drakes and a very proud Caihong to the sanctuary. He now had confirmation of a valuable new tool at his disposal.
The next afternoon, a large, winged beast—a powerful Azure Wind Roc on loan from the beast hall in the city for this urgent task—descended towards the guesthouse. Two figures disembarked. The first was Kui, in his wealthy merchant robes, his face beaming.
The second was Xylia, her expression as cold and sharp as a winter wind. A Mid-stage Core Formation expert like Kui, traveling on a beast renowned for its speed, had indeed made the long journey in an astonishingly short amount of time.
Li Yu greeted them in the villa's main hall.
"Wise Host!" Kui boomed, bowing deeply. "Your summons was a welcome call to action! To think you have already established a new foundation in the south… your wisdom is as vast as the sea itself!"
"Let's hear your report first, Kui," Li Yu said with a smile.
"The situation in Riverstone City is stable!" Kui said, his expression professional. "The Crimson Hand is broken. The Golden Shell Guild has successfully captured over 40% percent of the market share, and it grows every day. Our position is solid enough that I was able to leave my most trusted human subordinate, Feng Ling, in charge for a time."
"And the White Paw Company?" Li Yu asked, glancing at Xylia.
"Lady Xylia has forged them into a true fighting force," Kui reported. "Her training is brutal, but effective. She is already planning their first major expedition into the Serpent's Spine mountains to hunt for beasts and rare materials, a venture that will both train her troops and supply our guild. There is no boredom, only purpose."
Xylia simply grunted, a sound of grim approval.
"Excellent," Li Yu said. "Your timing is perfect. I have secured us a headquarters here, but this city is a far larger and more complex beast than Riverstone. I have deferred all architectural and business planning until your arrival. Your expertise is needed, Guild Master."
Kui's chest puffed out with pride. "Wise Host, you honor this old turtle! To build an empire in your name in this glorious city… it will be this one's greatest masterpiece!"
With his experts now in place and the southern foundation truly laid, Li Yu knew his work here was done for the moment. The pieces were in position. He could now relax and focus on his own cultivation, observing the grand machine he had set in motion from a comfortable, quiet distance. He was a quiet gardener who had just planted a new, sprawling forest, content to watch it grow.