221: Chapter 221 You Buy, I Sell!

War is Hell for those on the front lines, but for those in the rear, it is a land full of gold and business opportunities.

Outside the busiest East Market Street of White Cloud Immortal City, countless convoys formed a long dragon, stretching from the city gate to the end of the market, a black mass with no end in sight.

This great war has been raging for nearly two years.

The Shangqing Sect has assembled seven Nascent Soul True Monarchs, plus over a hundred Golden Core Cultivators, firmly suppressing the Jin State demonic Cultivators at the border.

But the demonic Cultivators are no pushovers either; relying on the terrain and several large formations, the two sides are locked in a stalemate, neither able to do anything to the other.

However, the Jin State today is no longer what it used to be.

In the national war decades ago, the Jin State lost most of its territory, one of the five major demonic Sects was destroyed, another fled...

The remaining three also suffered heavy losses, and coupled with the resource blockade of these past decades, the Jin State is already at the end of its rope.

Conversely, look at the Shangqing Sect; back then, they first broke through the Jin State's defense line.

After seizing a large amount of territory, they carved out land from the Wei State to establish the Qingcang Kingdom, which is vast, resource-rich, and developing rapidly.

Now, although they are still in a standoff at the front, this situation will surely not last long.

War is most draining of wealth and manpower; as time goes on, the Jin State will inevitably lose, and there might not even be a large-scale Nascent Soul battle.

The Jin State will be completely destroyed.

This is the current war strategy of the Shangqing Sect: to compete in national strength and drag the Jin State to death. Once the Cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage are wiped out.

What use is it even if your Nascent Soul Cultivators are still alive?

With the Foundation dead, you Nascent Soul Old Ancestors can only stare helplessly. The Shangqing Sect is determined to completely defeat the Jin State's grassroots Cultivators.

They intend to completely destroy your Foundation and order, and finally force out the various Demonic Path Nascent Soul Cultivators.

By then—the Qingcang Kingdom will completely annex the Jin State, and its vast territory will become the most powerful country on the Profound Spirit Continent!

Afterwards, it will be nothing more than grinding away time and developing the Foundation.

After resting and reorganizing for a few hundred years, they will launch an eastern expedition to completely eradicate the Wei and Liang Kingdoms, thus unifying the continent.

This is the current policy of the Qingcang Kingdom.

Everyone can see it, but no one has the energy to stop it.

Whether it is the Wei State blocking it or the Liang State blocking it, it will only benefit the other side. Caught in this mutual restraint, they can only choose to watch the Qingcang Kingdom annihilate the Jin State to strengthen itself.

Therefore, this war is extremely short of all kinds of basic resources.

Magical Artifacts need to be repaired when broken, and Medicinal Pills need to be refined when they run out.

Talisman are even more consumable; in a medium-scale battle, thousands of Talisman can be burned to ash in the blink of an eye.

Yet the Cultivators on the front lines are bloodthirsty, and the demand for logistical supplies is growing larger and larger, like a bottomless pit.

White Cloud Temple is located in Ming Prefecture, far from the main battlefield.

It happens to be on the supply line, and how keen is the sense of smell of that old fox Daoist Yun Du? As soon as the war showed signs of starting, he began to hoard various war supplies, while simultaneously signing long-term contracts with several Artifact Refining workshops and Medicinal Pill shops to specialize in supplying the front lines.

In just two years.

White Cloud Temple has made a net profit of over 300,000 Spirit Stones from reselling military supplies, and the numbers on the books are still climbing.

This is not even the most profitable part.

The truly profiteering business is the "waste" that flows back from the front lines.

After the major Sects finish fighting, there are always some damaged Magical Artifacts, incomplete Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, Storage Pouchs of unknown origin, and even the Legacy Secret Manuals of demonic Cultivators.

Most of these things are of unknown origin.

But among them, there are some Legacies that are taken out by front-line Cultivators to sell.

White Cloud Temple does exactly this kind of business.

By selling a large number of low-level Spiritual Materials in exchange for a large number of Spirit Stones, they then use the Spirit Stones to frantically acquire various Legacy fragments...

Thereby increasing their own Sect's Foundation, with quite a harvest.

"Old Ancestor, this month's accounts are out."

Clan Head Yun Qi handed over a thin booklet. Daoist Yun Du took it and scanned it twice, his eyebrows slightly raised, joy on his face:

"The net profit last month was 74,300 Spirit Stones? Is there really that much?"

"Replying to Old Ancestor, it is mainly because that batch of demonic Cultivator Legacies sold well last month," Branch Master Yun Ci explained. "Three Demonic Technique Secret Manuals were auctioned off by a Golden Core family from the Liang Kingdom for 24,000, which is 60% higher than we expected."

"Demonic Cultivator items are always in high demand."

Daoist Yun Du closed the account book and handed it back. "However, don't make this business too high-profile. If the Shangqing Sect investigates, we need to have an excuse."

"Understood."

On Zixiao Peak.

Shi Jian lay by the Lightning Pool, listening to Elder Rat report the latest intelligence.

"Old Ancestor, the Zhao family has prepared their personnel."

"Fifty disciples at the Qi Refinement Stage have been drawn from the clan, along with three at the Foundation Establishment - Early Stage, preparing to head to Yuan Prefecture."

"There are also two Foundation Establishment Great Demon of the Black Dog Clan accompanying them, responsible for protection."

"The team is led by the Zhao family's second son, Zhao Yanshan, who has a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation. This person has a quick mind and handles things steadily."

Hearing this, Shi Jian gave a hum.

This time, the Zhao family's trip to Yuan Prefecture was naturally his planned scheme:

With trade flourishing now, he intended to take this opportunity to send a portion of the Zhao family's personnel to Yuan Prefecture to connect with the Guiyuan Sect.

The Yuan Prefecture Northern Protectorate is under the jurisdiction of the Guiyuan Sect, which, like the Qingguang Sect, only has one Golden Core Cultivator.

These Zhao family members are going to do business on the surface.

In reality, they are planting roots there, waiting for the situation to change in the future, to see if they can be used as pawns.

As for the two Great Demon of the Black Dog Clan, they are said to be guards, but in reality, they are eyes and ears planted by Shi Jian.

Kuang Dou's Molten Black Hound lineage has bred well over the years, and the quality of their Bloodline has also improved significantly, making them suitable for expanding outward.

It is also good to build habitats for Yao Beasts in many places.

"Elder Rat."

"Subordinate is here."

"Regarding the Liang Kingdom, has news from Bi Luo been sent back?"

"It has been sent back."

Elder Rat took out a Jade Slip from his stomach and respectfully placed it in front of Shi Jian. "Bi Luo says that the Holy Blood Sect has developed to over 5,000 people, including twelve Foundation Establishment Protectors."

"The four major Sects of the Liang Kingdom are busy with internal strife and cannot spare the effort to investigate her; everything is going smoothly so far."

Shi Jian flicked the Jade Slip with his claw tip, his expression calm.

The Holy Blood Sect was a dark move he laid down some years ago.

Bi Luo, under the title of Sect Leader, is secretly developing power in the Liang Kingdom, gathering Loose Cultivators, accumulating strength, and spreading his Marrow Cleansing and Saint Transformation Art.

This move currently has no obvious use, but if there is a conflict with the Liang Kingdom in the future, this will be a knife stabbed into the enemy's heart.

As for Ancestor Cang Ya, he is disguised as the Lin Family Ancestor, operating openly within the Liang Kingdom to provide convenience for the Holy Blood Sect. One in the light, one in the dark, they cooperate seamlessly.

"Tell her to keep a low profile and continue to expand her forces as much as possible."

"Yes."

Meanwhile, in the Meeting Hall of White Cloud Temple, the atmosphere was not so relaxed.

Daoist Yun Du sat in the main seat, with Zhao Yanshan, Clan Head Yun Qi, Branch Master Yun Ci, and several deacon elders on his left and right.

Standing in the hall were the elders of various lineages, each with different expressions.

The topic was simple: the distribution of profits.

White Cloud Temple has made a fortune in the past two years, but how to distribute it is a problem.

According to the rules of the Sect, profits are distributed according to the proportion of contribution, with the bulk going to the Sect to maintain its operations.

The remainder is divided according to the contributions of each lineage.

But the problem is that the Sun Clan has declined.

"Old Ancestor, I have a word."

Branch Master Yun Ci stood up at this time, cupping his hands and saying, "In this trade, the Sun Clan did not contribute, so according to the rules, their share..."

"Shouldn't it be, reduced accordingly?"

Hearing this, Daoist Yun Du raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone neither light nor heavy: "Although the Sun Clan did not contribute to this trade, the Sect still remembers their contributions through the generations."

"What should be given cannot be less."

Branch Master Yun Ci closed his mouth, but the expression on his face clearly showed dissatisfaction.

This cannot be blamed on him.

The Yun Clan has been on the rise in recent years, with several young talents emerging in the clan, and two new Foundation Establishment Cultivator added.

Added to the existing Foundation, the entire Yun Clan lineage now has fourteen Foundation Establishment Cultivator. In the entire White Cloud Temple, his Yun Clan lineage is the ruler of the entire White Cloud Temple!

The Zhao Clan lineage, although it declined in earlier years, still has its Foundation.

Coupled with the relationship with Shi Jian, they have been eating well these past two years, and the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the clan has reached eight.

Their clan power is strong, and they have long restored their past glory!

Except for not having a Golden Core Cultivator, compared to the former Zhao Clan lineage, they have not declined much at all and are still powerful.

And the current Sun Clan, the entire Sun Clan lineage can be said to have completely lost power.

Except for Sun Chengzhu who is in seclusion, the entire Sun Clan does not even have a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator who can take charge!

It is reasonable that Branch Master Yun Ci feels unbalanced.