The carriage came to a stop in front of the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce’s entrance. Yi Xian’er and Yan Zhen stepped down hand in hand, then blended into the crowd flowing through the chamber’s grand gates.
The chamber wasn’t a single shop but a bustling commercial street formed by multiple stores under one roof.
Unlike a typical market street, all these shops belonged to the same big boss. Each store’s manager reported directly to the branch president, who answered to the ten shopkeepers—the board of directors. And Ji Ya, as the chief manager, held the position of chairperson.
The branch presidents on the Garo Kingdom side were all Ji Ya’s loyalists. That was how she could command every branch across Garo to grant Yan Zhen free access, with no one daring to defy her orders.
Yan Zhen’s portrait had long been distributed to every branch in the Garo Kingdom. The moment anyone spotted him, they would report it straight to the branch president. If the president was tied up, a steward would be dispatched instead. No slacking was tolerated.
Even a branch president like the one in the royal capital—whose influence was scarcely less than that of a full shopkeeper—had dropped everything to receive Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er personally.
When President Lin caught sight of Yi Xian’er, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He knew the bond between Ji Ya and Yan Zhen went beyond mere siblings; there was undeniable flirtation there at least. So why was Young Master Yan Zhen accompanied by this enigmatic beauty with flowing white hair?
“Young Master Yan Zhen, have you come to use the alchemy room?” he asked.
“Yes,” Yan Zhen replied. “I also need some medicinal ingredients. Could President Lin send someone to fetch them according to this list and deliver them to the alchemy room?”
“Of course. But Young Master Yan Zhen, please stop calling me President Lin. I couldn’t possibly live up to that title.”
“Does ‘president’ refer only to the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce’s chief manager, then?”
“Heh, can’t say, can’t say.”
Yan Zhen didn’t press the matter.
According to the unfolding script, while evading pursuit from the Cloud Heaven Palace, Yan Zhen had taught Ji Ya many things from Earth as repayment for her kindness.
Items like the qipao, three-point bikini swimwear, women’s lingerie, silk stockings, and high heels were just the tip of the iceberg.
The real moneymaker was stocks and finance.
The Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce operated on a shareholding system, with the ten shopkeepers as shareholders—much like companies on Earth. It was perfectly suited for stock market games.
Yan Zhen had introduced Ji Ya to the concepts of listings and stocks, along with the art of pulling off a naked short or leveraged play—empty gloves snatching a white wolf.
Thanks to Ji Ya’s extraordinary talent for business, the chamber raked in a full year’s worth of revenue in less than a month. Envy followed swiftly.
The second shopkeeper, third shopkeeper, and others stirred up a schism, even roping in the Divine Dream Palace and the Sunward Royal Family for support. In the end, they were all crushed by Yan Zhen, who had mastered the secret art Flame Yama Ninefold Transformation.
Ji Ya seized the opportunity to become the chamber’s first-ever chief manager. Beneath her were the directors, branch presidents across the regions, store managers, stewards, and so on—all positions proposed by Yan Zhen himself.
Under a maid’s guidance, Yan Zhen and Yi Xian’er arrived at the alchemy room.
This was a high-grade facility, spacious and well-equipped with a Tier 4 pill furnace. Beneath the furnace lay a fire-gathering array; a mere infusion of mystic power would ignite a roaring blaze within.
Soon, the required medicinal ingredients arrived. The maid closed the door behind her and waited outside.
These were all materials for body refining.
Yan Zhen intended to concoct a body refining liquid, to be paired with the Killing Qi Body Refining Method Yi Xian’er had described. Together, they would elevate his Body Realm cultivation.
He ignited the furnace base. Wrapped in mystic power, the ingredients floated into the furnace one by one.
Yan Zhen focused intently on the refining process.
Yi Xian’er removed her black veil and sat to the side, watching him quietly with a faint, ambiguous smile playing on her lips.
How could there be such a captivatingly handsome man in the world? No matter how long she looked, it was never enough.
He was so adorable in everyday moments, yet utterly dashing when serious.
Just like now—mystic power swirling hotly around him, his eyes reflecting the brilliant flames, every movement of his fingers brimming with beauty, as if he were playing a symphony of creation itself!
Watching her lover at work, Yi Xian’er couldn’t help but entertain a whirlwind of tantalizing thoughts.
Two hours later, the pile of ingredients had yielded eight bottles of liquid—one dose per bottle, enough for seven uses, with the eighth as a gift.
Yan Zhen let out a long breath. Yi Xian’er promptly offered him a recovery elixir, gesturing for him to open his mouth.
He considered for a moment, conserving his last milk pill, and accepted her feeding.
As tempting as milk pills were, they were far too precious. He’d wheedled and cajoled, acting all cute and clingy, to get just three from his beautiful female master last time.
She had insisted he not grow overly reliant on her, and she remained strict about his cultivation.
Of course, if Yan Zhen set aside his pride, dove into his beautiful female master’s embrace, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled those peerless twin peaks with his face, he’d likely score some fresh ones on the spot.
Chewing the elixir, Yan Zhen let his mind wander. He felt his mystic power steadily recovering as he rose and said, “The liquid’s ready. Let’s head back, Xian’er.”
Yi Xian’er extended her delicate hand toward him.
With a gentle smile, Yan Zhen took it. They left the cultivation chamber together and, before stepping out, handed one bottle of body refining liquid to the waiting maid to pass along to President Lin as a small token of appreciation.
After all, he’d visited twice now, each time claiming no small quantity of pricey materials. It had to impact business somewhat. He wouldn’t want that breeding any resentment toward Big Sister Ji Ya among her subordinates.
Once he passed along that near-zero-cost, ultra-profitable stock strategy to Big Sister Ji Ya later, he’d claim these gifts with a clear conscience.
The pair returned to the inn by carriage and ascended to the top-floor Heavenly Character Double Suite. They knocked on the door.
Moments later, it swung open on its own. They entered, and it sealed shut behind them—locked, with a restraint seal of mystic power laid over it for good measure.
Cai Lian emerged from the master bedroom. She gave the Killing Woman a cursory glance before fixing her gaze on Yan Zhen.
“Did it go well?” she asked.
She meant his participation in the Grand Dan Fighting Competition representing the Garo Kingdom.
Yan Zhen nodded. “Piece of cake.”
Cai Lian opened her mouth to say more, but Yi Xian’er cut her off.
“—Yan Zhen, let’s go cultivate.”
“Uh, sure.”
“Cultivate?” Cai Lian quickly recalled the Killing Qi Body Refining Method Yi Xian’er had mentioned the night before. Her blood-red slit pupils narrowed, glinting with menace. “You actually believe that method works?”
She addressed Yan Zhen, but Yi Xian’er shot back, “Why wouldn’t it? If you don’t understand the intricacies, just shut up and watch instead of nitpicking.”
Cai Lian sneered. “Fine, since you’re so confident, this sovereign will keep her eyes peeled. Let’s see if that baleful qi-soaked fish-stealing cat uses ‘cultivation’ as an excuse to seduce someone else’s husband!”
The two women locked eyes, their confrontation sparking a visible clash of auras.
A Mystic Ancestor expert was truly terrifying!
Yan Zhen hurried to smooth things over. “Enough from both of you. I don’t even know if the Killing Qi Body Refining Method works, so let’s just give it a try. What if it does, right?”
“Don’t mind that petty snake woman,” Yi Xian’er said, tugging Yan Zhen’s arm as she pulled him toward the secondary bedroom. “We’ll cultivate our way.”
Cai Lian promptly followed, her long legs carrying her to lean against the secondary bedroom’s doorway. She watched them like a class monitor on patrol.
