Chapter 181: Next Focus
Elder Cao slowly took another sip from her teacup before she finally responded to Li Lang's explanation of how he had made such rapid progress these past few years.
"Hmm, likely some ancient artifact that forcibly overloaded your body," Elder Cao commented with a frown. "You're very lucky to be alive."
Before Li Lang could let out a sigh of relief, the Spirit Grove elder continued.
"Even if that is true, can you explain why people I've inquired news from all said you three are talented demonic cultivators? I believe orthodox cultivation is permitted over there."
"Elder Cao, you're only partly right. There is one official organization that practices orthodox cultivation there, but they refused to accept us due to our aptitude," Li Lang explained. "If it is revealed that we are independent orthodox cultivators, we fear that the rogue elements in the area would come after us for obvious reasons. That's why I ask that you keep our conversation here a secret."
"I am not one to babble to others. You don't have to worry about that. However, I ask that you allow me to inspect your body. I must confirm whether former disciples of Spirit Grove have practiced demonic techniques or not."
Li Lang relaxed upon hearing her words. It meant the elder had chosen to believe his story, and the complicated part of the conversation was nearing its end. Still, he remained focused, as it wasn't over yet.
He had only explained about himself, and he hoped it stayed that way.
"Of course, Elder."
Is there such a technique that allows one to verify if a demonic cultivator or not? Well, it shouldn't be a surprise, considering the feud between the two factions.
With Li Lang's consent, the elder proceeded to sit next to the young man and placed a hand on his arm to take his pulse. Li Lang could feel a warm torrent of Qi swerving around his skin. It only lasted a moment before it was over.
"Good. It's your turn," the elder said, having turned to Long Yi.
"Umm, sure thing."
While she moved on to the next young man, Li Lang couldn't help but ask about the technique she was employing.
"Elder Cao, what is this technique that allows you to determine whether someone is a demonic cultivator? "
Having verified the boys before her were indeed telling the truth, Elder Cao's expression softened and she generously shared her knowledge.
"It's not any particular Qi art or technique per se. The Qi of those who practice demonic cultivation react differently when exposed to those of the righteous path."
"Differently, how exactly?"
"It's hard to pinpoint precisely. As you should now know, there are numerous demonic cultivation techniques. There is a lot of variance between them. Only the Qi of those who practice the orthodox techniques will not cause a reaction to each other."
From her words, Li Lang surmised demonic Qi's reaction to normal Qi was similar to the various afflictions one had to endure as a demonic cultivator. Those who specialized in absorbing energy from Qi beasts full of vitality would have their Qi become unruly, while those who preyed on other humans would try to engulf any foreign Qi it came into contact with. He even theorized this change to their Qi was what made them take on unique characteristics of the things they preyed on for their cultivation.
Nevertheless, it was just Li Lang's conjectures. He planned to investigate it at a later date.
There's just so much to look into, but so little time. I can't wait to return to Emberglow and settle in.
Once Elder Cao was finished with Long Yi, she only spared Wei Ping a short glance before returning to her seat. The young man with the wooden mask wasn't someone she was familiar with, so she decided against examining him.
He hadn't been part of Spirit Grove, so he wasn't someone she needed to be concerned with.
When Li Lang saw that, he knew any difficulties he may have faced were behind him. The elder hadn't discovered Wei Ping also had grade one aptitude like him. Even if she did, he had prepared a story to include Wei Ping in it, but he was glad it wasn't needed. The more parties he got involved with his lie, the more variables came into play. He would rather not give a chance to anyone to cross-examine them.
"Very well, then," the elder said. "I won't tell a soul about your secrets, so you may safely remain in your new home. I advise you to move elsewhere, but you kids have grown big enough to make your own decisions."
"Thank you, Elder Cao. Despite my past with Spirit Grove, I'm happy that we're still on good terms."
The middle-aged woman nodded in response.
"As much as I would like to entertain you, I have a duty to carry out. The disciples I brought along are waiting for me to begin our journey back to the sect, so you'll have to excuse me."
"Understood. Just one more thing. Since you're perhaps the only one who knows of our situation in Yellow Qilin, can we come to you when the need arises? We're independent orthodox cultivators stranded in hostile territory, so we'll need to visit to obtain resources and cultivation manuals at some point."
"That isn't a problem. It's a given the demonic cultivators wouldn't have any complete or quality orthodox cultivation methods. Just notify me through one of Spirit Grove's branch offices when you come."
"Thank you, Elder!"
Li Lang genuinely smiled upon accomplishing his goals. He could now venture back into Yellow Qilin with an Elder vouching for him. Not only could he access modern techniques, but he could also recruit students in Yellow Qilin next time. It would take some negotiating, but he would much rather do so with a known quantity than strangers.
With the rest of Spirit Grove awaiting her return, Elder Cao quickly took her leave after that. It left the trio alone in the room. Li Lang and Long Yi shared a glance for a few moments before flashing a smile.
"I guess we should start heading back ourselves, too," Li Lang muttered.
"Right. Let's go back before anything else happens."
Without anything binding them down to Polarity City anymore, the trio went to retrieve their students and began their two-Skyrunner journey back to Emberglow City. Numerous other cultivators were doing the same thing, all leaving Polarity City for their homes. It was practically a mass exodus.
As they traveled, the young students shared excited stories about what they had seen during their little outing. The trio let them have their fun, as they knew their training would soon officially begin once the journey ended.
While both Li Lang and Long Yi were driving their Skyrunners side-by-side, Wei Ping climbed out to converse with his companions.
"So, B-Boss, have you decided what kind of place w-we should be looking for?"
"We still have quite the sum, right?" Long Yi asked. "It shouldn't be a problem to even rent out a large plot of land to build an estate as long as it isn't in the central locations. We'll need the space with all these kiddos around."
"No," Li Lang interjected. "We won't be getting anything fancy like that."
"What, you want us to live in a dozen rooms at some inn?"
"Just a modest house on the outskirts will do."
"Come on! Many commoners live in the city. We can find a decent estate somewhere with the money we have. Money exists to be spent!"
"It can also draw trouble to us. Look, we aren't even in the Foundation Establishment realm yet. We're mortals. If someone finds out about our wealth, trouble will follow."
"B-Boss is right," Wei Ping supported. "We should s-start slow."
Li Lang took a moment to observe the children happily conversing off to the other end of the Skyrunner before continuing.
"Long Yi, you'll have to realize that you're everyone's protector at this point. You have the highest cultivation and the closest to breaking through. With your aptitude, you shouldn't have any issues as long as you have enough Foundation Pills. We'll be relying on you for the foreseeable future."
"What? That's a little too much pressure."
"You'll be fine, but to reiterate, our next focus should be on the three of us all breaking through. After creating the last artifact, I felt my bottleneck loosen. I believe I should reach the ninth stage of Energy Gathering soon. How about you, Wei Ping?"
The masked youth hesitated to answer for a few moments, opting to look down at the ground instead.
"I'm n-not talented like Long Yi, or g-good at crafts like you, Boss. Do you mind if I head off on a t-trip to gain some experience once we get back?"
Li Lang blinked blankly at the sudden request. He hadn't expected his assistant to want to part ways so abruptly. He was troubled by how to respond.
"Uhh-maybe?"
Chapter 182: Pressing Concerns
Troubled by Li Lang's flimsy reply, Wei Ping continued.
"If i-it'll be an issue with your plans, I can stay."
"No. I was the one saying we should focus on our cultivation. If you feel that taking a trip is what you need, then it's not fair for me to stop you."
"But don't y-you need help with the start of another round of testing?" Wei Ping said with eyes turned to the children they had recruited.
"It'll mostly be cultivation techniques, not administering an untested drug. I'll manage, so don't worry."
The trio soon finished their discussion, and Wei Ping returned inside the Skyrunner. He found the children merrily chatting among the little cliques they had formed. Underneath his mask, he smiled at the scene, but that quickly changed to a frown when he saw one of the kids sitting alone in the corner.
It was inevitable that not all the children got along with each other. Cliques naturally formed, centered around the more outgoing, charismatic, or knowledgeable among them. In turn, it was inevitable there were outcasts, too.
Seeing this, Wei Ping strode over and sat by the lonely boy.
"H-hey, did you enjoy the trip?"
"Um, yeah."
"Haha, there's n-no need to forcefully say yes. It's n-normal for people to enjoy different things." The boy awkwardly glanced down without a word, so Wei Ping continued. "One day you'll be a-able to get your own Skyrunner, and you'll be able to make these trips yourself. Then y-you'll be able to control where you go."
Once again, the boy didn't reply, but glitters could be seen in his eyes. He finally revealed a smile as he nodded toward Wei Ping to show his appreciation.
The scene made Wei Ping thoughtful, and the two shared a moment of silence while the spirited chatter continued all around them.
Eventually, the group made it back to Emberglow City after some time. They had to use their old Skyrunner to carry so many people, so it took them some time.
They landed on one of the open squares within the city and navigated through the streets with ease. With the city being their place of residence, they naturally were familiar with its layout. They didn't need to ask anyone for directions and arrived at one of many inns in the city.
As they had yet to find a more permanent place to stay, they would be temporarily staying in inns.
After the long journey home, all of them were exhausted. The children were separated into four people per room, and today, they didn't even fight for the beds before they all fell asleep together.
Only the trio, who were now proper adults in this world, managed to stay awake.
Both Long Yi and Wei Ping were hard at work, cultivating and practicing their various techniques. One had to prepare to face a major breakthrough while the other prepared for his journey. In a sense, they were both life and death matters. Neither of them could afford to slack off.
Meanwhile, Li Lang naturally was playing with his Weave Press.
Now that he had completed this artifact, it was time to put it to good use. Despite having earned a large sum from betting, he knew he couldn't rely solely on it. He needed a stable source of income, especially having taken in a dozen kids.
At the same time, he didn't forget to record the occasional talisman produced as well. He wanted to observe how his artifact did, searching for any variance between talismans. There was also the matter of the artifact spirit he created. Unfortunately, he didn't have another Mortal-grade artifact to compare to.
Within one night, he gathered a cache of useful data to plan out the nascent talisman empire he was building. He recorded that the Weave Press could print out approximately three hundred talismans per hour. However, it needed to take a two-hour break every hour. He couldn't figure out the exact reason why, so he went to visit the only spirit he could converse with at the moment.
"Ruby, do artifact spirits ever feel fatigued?"
"Master, I think it's possible, but high-performance spirits like me have the energy to work for years without a break!"
"I thought you guys were fine as long as there's enough ambient energy to power you. Isn't that how the three controlling the Crucible work?"
"Hmm, I'm not exactly sure of the underlying reason, but I don't think Master should compare a Spirit-grade artifact with a Mortal-grade one."
"Then does that mean a Mortal-grade one, like the one controlling the Weave Press, can only operate for an hour continuously? No, it should be unique to each artifact and its functions. Otherwise, it would make no sense for weapons to only work for an hour."
It wasn't time for Li Lang to dwell on such details, so he quickly moved on. Three hundred talisman per hour was plenty. It was speed that made it hard for him to keep up with the materials. The final products also had issues with their quality.
Having to use Li Lang's rediscovered method of using mono-elemental inks due to the limitation, the performance of the final product paled in comparison with handmade ones. Practically all talismans in modern times used the multi-elemental ink for good reason. It was an overall improvement, an advancement in brushweaving technology.
"I doubt talismans working at half the efficiency would fetch a good price, but I have the advantage in quantity. There should be numerous merchants at the very least who would rejoice at an economical way to travel."
"Master, you can also try training the artifact spirit to handle using the normal ink. Blue, Orange, and Green would likely know more about the specific method with their big library."
"As excited as I am to do that. I'll save it for another time. I have to start finding stores to sell our talismans tomorrow, find a place to settle in, and come up with an education plan for the kids. It's not so easy if Wei Ping is leaving. I'll need to set up a system for them to report to me their results."
The large workload had gotten Li Lang to stay in his artifact realm for longer periods of time. He liked having someone to converse with while he worked, and Ruby served in that role.
"Let's see. As much as I want what's good for the kids, I'll want to rush them along, so they can help explore how to reach the Foundation Establishment realm for me. That means I'll have to sacrifice their martial arts and Qi arts training in exchange for cultivation speed."
"Isn't that fine, Master? None of your opponents so far practiced too many techniques so far. There's nothing wrong with sticking to the basics."
"It still feels wrong. The three of us trained for years inside the pocket realm, honing our moves. Forcing them to advance so quickly without the skills to exert their power shouldn't be something that's good for them."
Left with that uneasiness, Li Lang soon completed collecting what he needed for the next day and quickly fell asleep.
The next day, he found Wei Ping and Long Yi already gone, likely to take care of the children and start their classes as planned. As for him, he went out to begin negotiating with the talisman stores in town.
Looking for business partners that could sell the large quantities he could produce, he naturally went to a store belonging to a fellow member of The Orchid Covenant. The storefront wasn't only large, but it also had multiple stores throughout the city and beyond.
It belonged to Elder Mei, who he previously visited in search of a brushweaving teacher.
He flashed his token, identifying himself as someone from the same organization to the store clerk. A moment later, an elderly man walked out.
"Apologies, Sir. Master Mei is not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?"
"That's fine. I'm actually here to discuss if your stores are willing to sell some of my talismans. I happen to have a large quantity of Warding Talismans I can regularly provide at low prices."
"I'm afraid we only sell works we've produced in-house. You may want to try other stores if selling is your goal."
Li Lang only took a moment to deliberate before nodding. He had seen numerous disciples under the tutelage of Elder Mei before. He remembered they had a sizable workforce dedicated to producing talismans, so it wasn't surprising they only sold their own work.
With no other choice, he exited the stores and began scouring the streets for other talisman stores. As a vibrant city with a large population, Emberglow City had dozens of other stores.
"Excuse me, can I please speak to your manager?"
He used this line dozens of times throughout the day, but never received a positive reply. None of the stores were willing to carry such a large quantity of subpar products, as they each had their suppliers already sorted out. It was just more profitable for most businesses to produce themselves or deal with higher-grade items with larger profit margins.
Do I really have to start my own store already? A store that only sells one type of talisman, or maybe a few more, but they'll still be all Mortal-grade. If only the Weave Press was an Earth-grade artifact. Then maybe the stores would be more receptive to Earth-grade talismans.
Chapter 183: Talisman Channels
Finding no luck with any of the talisman stores he had approached, Li Lang soon turned to someone who he could rely on when it came to tall matters relating to brushweaving. His brushweaving teacher, Yi Lin.
The abode Yi Lin stayed in remained unchanged. Li Lang knocked on the doors and, as expected, it took several minutes before someone came to answer. The familiar disheveled appearance of his teacher poked out from the other side of the door, and his expression quickly changed to that of surprise upon recognizing his student.
"Li Lang. Can't say I was expecting you to pay me a visit. When did you get back?"
"Just last night."
"And you came to see me the next day? Didn't know you held me in such high regard. Please come in."
Li Lang felt a little guilty that he only turned to his teacher because he needed help, but he kept that to himself. He was guided up to the second floor study where Yi Lin usually carried out his work. As a workaholic himself, Yi Lin got straight back to what he was working on, while Li Lang skillfully maneuvered around the messy room to a seat.
The two hadn't spoken too much after the event of the pocket realm. They only went through some of Li Lang's findings from the knowledge he had gained and filled out the gaps in his brushweaving knowledge. It couldn't be helped, as both of them had busy lives.
Perhaps due to this similarity, Li Lang silently waited for his teacher to complete the inscription of a talisman before speaking.
"Yi Lin, do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Hmm? You never asked for permission before, so you don't need to now. Just ask. I can work at the same time," the brushweaving mentor nonchalantly replied as he prepared to get started on his next piece.
"Hypothetically speaking, if I somehow can get a stable and large supply of low-quality Mortal-grade talismans, how can I sell them?"
"Well, besides having your own store like most brushweavers do, you can usually sell in bulk to organizations or even to the Brushweaver Guild."
"But the catch is?"
"There isn't really one except for having to negotiate the deals. The Brushweaver Guild is easy, as they are more of a middleman who gathered the work of numerous apprentices to sell to the organizations themselves. However, the price they give will also likely be the lowest. It's why so many rush to open their own store."
"Then why don't you open your own? I think you should have the skill and funds for it by now."
"Ha, look around. Do you really think it's something I am suited for?"
Li Lang didn't have to glance around the chaotic room to know what his mentor was referring to. He only chuckled in response.
"Stores are profitable when selling large quantities of the same old things," Yi Lin continued. "In my case, I sell my services to create high-quality products, customized to my client's specifications. It's just as profitable as long as you have the skill, and much more exciting, being able to do new and challenging work."
"Makes sense. After all, it is working out for you."
"So do you want to share how you've come across a large supply of low-quality talismans? Don't tell me you recruited dozens of students to slave away for you or something."
Well, he's not wrong about recruiting a dozen students part.
"I said hypothetically. Just wondering after learning that most talisman stores don't resell low-grade talismans."
"Right, right. Suit yourself. If you don't want to tell me, then it's fine."
Li Lang shrugged at his surprisingly perceptive mentor. For someone who was as messy as him, Li Lang had expected otherwise. Thankfully, he didn't press the matter, so Li Lang directed the conversation to different topics. There was still a lot he could learn from him. Li Lang hadn't neglected his brushweaving training, so he naturally had a plethora of things to consult with his mentor.
Their sudden tutoring session came to an end slightly past noon. Li Lang still had things to get done today, so he bid Yi Lin farewell and returned to the streets of Emberglow City.
He had no hesitation about his next destination. He knew that it was a futile effort to negotiate with any organization as only an Energy Gatherer. That's why he headed straight for the Brushweaver Guild. He would let the guild do the negotiating for him.
The lower price they could offer wasn't that much of a problem to him. He could produce over a thousand talismans a day. The true profit was in being able to move the huge quantity of talismans.
Li Lang soon set foot into the Brushweaver Guild within Emberglow City once more. It was some time since he had been here, but just like the previous time, the sound of water could be heard as soon as the doors opened.
The entrance led straight to a bridge, with water splashing down on both sides of the walkway.
He walked briskly, heading to the reception counter.
"Welcome, Sir. How may we help you today?"
"I'm here to sell Mortal-grade talismans in bulk. Who do I need to speak to?"
"Please wait here for a moment. I'll see if anyone in the procurement department is available."
Seeing the receptionist dart to the back, Li Lang had no choice but to wait. He spent the time watching the people passing by. Some were in a rush, while some were appreciating the calligraphy on the walls.
The ones leisurely looking around were the experienced cultivators with unfathomable cultivation, while the ones in a rush were the young apprentices.
He wondered if the adolescents rushing around him were in the same position, selling their work to the guild so they could fund their studies. However, they didn't have an artifact printer as he did, so he could only admire their hard work and perseverance.
After having witnessed dozens of people walking by him, the receptionist, who had received him, finally returned.
"Sir, please head up to the second floor to room eight."
"Understood, thank you."
Li Lang was no stranger to the upper floors of the Brushweaver Guild. He had been there before during the time he got his certification. Very soon, he entered a room that was reminiscent of the waiting rooms he had been to, with nothing more than some chairs and a table in the middle.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long. Before he could warm his seat, a knock could be heard, and the doors opened. A young man in the guild's attire walked in. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with a cultivation similar to his own. Based on those clues, Li Lang believed he was one of the many employees who managed the operation of the guild instead of being a brushweaver himself.
"Thank you for coming. My name is Mou Fong. I've heard you're here to sell talismans, but may I see your guild ring first?"
"Of course, here it is."
Li Lang smoothly took off the ring that had been with him for years. He took a brief glance at it before handing it over. Having been in his possession for so many years, he knew it was an exceptional item.
It wasn't an artifact, but it had the ability to contract and expand so that it would fit the wearer perfectly.
The guild worker took out a thin slate and placed the ring on it.
"So, Li Lang, what kind of talismans do you have for us today?"
"I'm looking to negotiate a long-term deal for Warding Talismans."
"Hmm, those are certainly useful, especially for merchants and the like, but I can't give you a definitive answer about any extended arrangements. I'm only authorized to deal with onetime transactions, but I can send your proposal to someone higher up. It may take a few days or weeks, though."
"That—is no problem."
"Okay, give me the details of the arrangement you're looking for in terms of quantities, terms, and prices."
"Hmm, for terms, the only thing that comes to mind is the bulk purchase of materials for Mortal-grade Warding Talismans. If the guild can satisfy that part, I plan to sell the guild a thousand talismans."
"Per month?" Mou Fong asked as he jotted down some notes.
"Per day."
Mou Fong suddenly stopped mid-stroke and froze.
"I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"One thousand Warding Talismans per day. We can do our transactions once a week or month, if that is more convenient for you."
Li Lang's Weave Press could print three hundred talismans every hour, but it had to take a two-hour break after one hour of printing. He had tried allowing the artifact to rest before it hit its limit, hoping it could recover faster, but the recovery period remained static.
That meant it could theoretically work eight hours a day, which equals twenty-four hundred talismans, but that could only be possible if Li Lang woke up multiple times in the middle of the night. As the artifact was bound to him, only he could operate it. He only needed to start it up every three hours, but Li Lang wasn't in desperate need of money.
Eventually, he made the decision to only sell one thousand talismans for now. That way, it wouldn't disrupt his sleep, and he got the chance to observe the impact it had on the market.
One thousand was already a lot. Even seasoned brushweavers took a few minutes to inscribe simple talismans, with novices taking closer to fifteen minutes. Few brushweavers produced more than fifty talismans a day. His thousand had the same impact as having twenty brushweavers slaving away at nothing but Warding Talismans for him.
Of course, their quality also had to be taken into account.
"I'm sorry, but can you say that one more time? I thought I heard you say you want to sell a thousand talismans every day," the guild worker continued.
"That's correct."
"Umm, okay. Sorry about that. Very few groups choose to produce only one type of talisman. Normally, when you have that many brushweavers working together, they collectively open a store instead or satisfy what's in high demand. You'll have to list out the names of every brushweaver you're working with and the quota they're responsible for, so we can add that to their records."
This time, it was Li Lang's turn to freeze up.
Umm, how do I tell him it's just me without this becoming a big deal?
Chapter 184: Mortal-Grade Negotiating
Li Lang cursed himself for his hastiness. As soon as he heard about the possible deal with the Brushweaver Guild, he rushed there immediately. He had planned how to deal with private businesses, where he could simply say it was a business secret to answer any touchy questions, but he was hesitant to lie to the guild.
After all, the craft guilds were powerful organizations in their own right. Their ability to operate openly in both the orthodox and demonic factions' territories was a testament to that.
Li Lang had been in the cultivator world long enough to know not to underestimate experts. They each had esoteric means that could achieve incredible things. It wasn't far-fetched that there were some who could tell if he was lying or even the divination he had once heard of. The only reason he wasn't more paranoid was because he learned that divination required a catalyst that belonged to the target.
After weighing things through in his mind, he finally made the decision to proceed as planned.
"Unfortunately, my business partners do not want to reveal their identity. Please, just list my name alone."
"What? Are you sure you have their consensus on this?" Mou Fong asked with a voice tinged with concern. "If someone comes to dispute the claims later on, it won't end with just a simple scolding. It could result in certifications being revoked and banned from the guild."
"Yes, I am certain."
"Hmm—give me a few moments to convey your request to my superiors."
The guild employee then left the room in a hurry, rushing up the stairs of the guild. He even brushed past a few of his coworkers, who all stared at him in disbelief. They normally knew him as a calm and gentle man. It could have something to do with his low position, never having to come into contact with any important matters, but today that changed.
A young man had walked into the guild, requesting not to sell a couple dozen talismans, but a long-term deal that was in the thousands. If the items involved weren't only at the Mortal-grade, Mou Fong doubted he could've held his composure.
He rushed back to the third floor, where the procurement department was located. He didn't bother with anyone he saw, heading straight for his superior's office. Despite the urgency in his step that stemmed from finally having gotten involved with a big transaction, he still had the discipline to first knock.
However, before his knuckles made contact with the door, a voice rang out from behind it.
"Come in."
Mou Fong knew his manager was a esteemed Violet Core cultivator, so he wasn't surprised at his sharp perception. He entered the room as instructed and clasped his fist courteously to the old man with long white hair.
"Steward Zhou, I have a transaction that needs your attention."
"What's the rush? Sit down first, Mou Fong. You'll have to wait for me to read over it, anyway."
Adjusting himself to the old man's pace, Mou Fong reined in his emotions and sat down. He then pushed the request sheet over to his superior. He mindfully kept his mouth shut as he let the old man go through the form he had written.
He intently waited for the old man's response, but contrary to his expectation, what he heard next was a chuckle.
"Ha, is this what got you all worked up? These things do happen from time to time. However, it normally involves items of much greater value. I can't blame you for being surprised since you rarely deal with anything beyond Mortal-grade."
"But Steward, is it okay to allow people to blatantly withhold information like this? It could be stolen goods for all we know."
"Maybe, but that isn't likely if their terms include supplying them with materials, and the deal being recurring instead of a onetime transaction. Either way, it isn't our business. If the brushweavers behind this request don't want their work recorded, then so be it."
"Then are we accepting this proposal then?"
"I don't see why not. You can go. I'll take over negotiations from here. You don't have the experience to take charge of deals of this size yet."
"Umm, can I not observe? I'll never have the experience if I'm never allowed to get involved."
The old man kindly smiled while he stroked his long beard. While his expression was benevolent, Mou Fong couldn't help but shiver upon being so closely inspected by a Violet Core cultivator. The pressure caused him to hold his breath.
This continued for some time as the old man held his gaze.
"Very well. You may tag along but remember to stay in the background. As demonic cultivators like us advance in major realms, it is common for their disposition to be drastically altered. You should treat them all like they're short-tempered brats to be safe."
"But Steward Zhou, the other party—"
The old man held up a hand.
"We can discuss how to handle different types of clients later. For now, just stay silent and follow along."
Rebuked by his superior, Mou Fong could only keep quiet and walked behind the old man. They walked at a steady pace, garnering every passerby's attention. The guild had several elders of a similar rank and stature as Steward Zhou, but it didn't diminish their presence and authority when faced in person.
Very soon, they arrived at the room where Li Lang had been waiting. Just as they stepped in, Steward Zhou frowned and turned back to his subordinate.
"Are you sure this is the right room?"
"Yes, Steward Zhou. This is Li Lang, who proposed the transaction I handed you just now."
An expression of shock could be seen on the elder's face as he alternated looks between the two young men around him. If it was in a normal building, Steward Zhou, with his high cultivation, would've been able to detect the anomaly of the young cultivator in the room before they had gotten so close.
However, the meeting rooms of the Brushweaver Guild were special. The materials of the walls were able to repel Qi detection for privacy's sake, catching the old man off-guard. He never expected the person who was the representative of such a sizable deal to be so young and only an Energy Gatherer.
Even though the money involved with Mortal-grade goods was only a drop in the bucket for the guild, the quantity involved still made it substantial. It was incomprehensible to send a mortal to negotiate such a deal.
Seeing the confusion, Li Lang took the initiative and stood up to greet the old man. He had just been told earlier that it could take a few days to weeks for a reply. With the arrival of someone clearly more important than Mou Fong, he believed he could realistically close the deal today.
"Steward Zhou, as your staff has said, I am Li Lang. I hope my sudden request hasn't disturbed you in any way."
Hearing this, the old man snapped out of it and nodded back.
"The Brushweaver Guild welcomes you. I've heard the gist of it from Mou Fong here, but to confirm, you would like to supply the guild with one thousand Warding Talismans per day?"
"That's correct, Steward."
"You do realize that is a huge amount to suddenly drop on us? It won't be so easy to find buyers right away unless the price is discounted. However, that could also cause the market for Warding Talismans to crash. Do you and the people behind you understand the impact this would have?"
Upon hearing those words, Li Lang instantly knew negotiations had begun.
"Of course I understand, but I don't think the impact would be as great as you say. Warding Talismans of the Mortal-grade can practically be used by anyone. The market for it could be said to be one of the biggest there is. I'm sure it is easy to expand the market for it. For example, maybe arrange a deal with the Merchant Guild? They have plenty of members who would rejoice at cheap Warding Talismans for their travels."
The old man said nothing, but simply held his gaze toward Li Lang. It caused him to internally panic, but outwardly, he remained composed.
The pressure finally relaxed when the Steward Zhou slowly nodded three times.
"Your words may have some truth to it. However, such a deal would put the Brushweaver Guild's reputation on the line. How can we know that you'll be able to supply such an amount of talismans consistently? Both quantity and quality have to remain consistent for this to work out."
"Steward Zhou, we both know that I can't provide a hundred percent certain guarantee. The best we can do is sign a binding contract with terms that'll compensate for any losses should we fail to uphold our end of the agreement."
"Hmph, while your words make sense, I question the sincerity of your organization to send a youngster like you. How about we do it this way—you can do onetime transactions with us for the duration of this month. If we find that your work is satisfactory, we can negotiate a more permanent deal, then."
As much as Li Lang wanted to get everything over with right away, he knew he didn't have much leverage. Pushing too hard for a deal right away could ruin everything, so after a brief moment of deliberation, he nodded.
"Understood. I'll bring the first thousand tomorrow. Then I can come weekly after that."
"Mou Fong here will assume responsibility for the transactions. Oh, and if you have any samples of the talismans in question right now, please leave some with us. We can save time tomorrow by getting the quote ready."
"Yes, I have a few with me," Li Lang replied, taking out a few talismans from his space ring before turning to Mou Fong. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
He then quickly departed from the guild. There was still much waiting for him to do before the day was over. He had to search for places more suitable for his group to stay and refine the education plan for his students.
Unbeknownst to him, Steward Zhou and Mou Fong both squinted their eyes at the talismans he had left behind. They both blinked blankly, unable to speak for some time.
"Umm, Steward Zhou," the young guild worker hesitantly called out.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Is it just me or are these all of subpar quality?"
"It—isn't just you."
"Are you still going to bring them over to the Merchant Guild to negotiate?"
"Of course. Trust is one of our most important assets. It's just the price—the price may be lower than predicted. Let's just hope they're still willing to sell the talismans after hearing about the price tomorrow. For that, I'll leave it up to you."
Placing a hand on the shoulder of the young guild worker, Steward Zhou shamelessly retreated.
Chapter 185: Finishing Errands
After exiting the Brushweaver Guild, Li Lang sped through the streets with his Skyrunner. He was headed for the address Wei Ping had left him with. It was where he could find one of the agents who rented out various properties in the city. There were numerous such agents throughout Emberglow, so Li Lang was thankful his friend had narrowed down a few with a good reputation.
He arrived at a modest-looking house just off the main road. It was two stories with bright orange-brown tiles decorating the roofs. The front doors were wide open, with a man sitting inside, fanning himself as he watched people walk by.
"Greetings, Sir. Are you Cuo Zi, who manages some properties available for rent?"
The man gave him a few slight nods before lazily turning to grab a biscuit off the table. His demeanor said it all. He was used to his position of power as the one who rented out various properties on behalf of his patron. He could literally choose who to rent the places to on a whim.
Seeing this, Li Lang wasted no time. He had to get him to take him seriously.
He took a deep breath and began channeling the Qi inside of him. The energy surrounding him flared up, and a cultivator had to be blind not to perceive it. If Cuo Zi hadn't noticed before, he definitely noticed Li Lang's cultivation now.
His expression quickly changed to that of a businessman. He normally dealt with mortals, so he hadn't paid too much attention to the young man who had suddenly appeared. Realizing the truth, he was quick to change his tune. He was a classic example of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
How did Wei Ping come to the conclusion that this guy was reliable?
"Please excuse me, I was just too hungry, as this was my first meal of the day. How can I assist you today, Young Master—err?"
"I am Li Lang. I'm here because I want to take a tour of some of the properties you manage."
"Of course I can help you with that! I'll bring you to the finest place currently available right away!
"No need. I want to check out these places." Li Lang handed over a piece of paper Wei Ping had given him. It was the address of the properties he had scouted out.
"No problem, no problem. Right this way."
Cuo Zi was the type of person Li Lang never liked being around. It reminded him of those so-called relatives who suddenly appeared back when he had achieved some success. That's why he urged the man to move quickly, using his Skyrunner.
However, as their destination was on the outskirts, far away from the main roads, congestion was unavoidable. The roads were only so wide.
"Umm, Young Master, why don't we take to the skies? There's no need for you to wait for the foolish mortals ahead."
It was only at his words that Li Lang realized he could fly over the traffic. He had gotten too used to Polarity City and the other orthodox cities. In Emberglow, everyone had to fly up in order to leave the underground city, so there weren't any stringent restrictions on it.
He didn't respond to Cuo Zi, but proceeded with his suggestion. During the entire trip, Cuo Zi didn't stop his attempts at buttering up to the cultivator, who had suddenly shown up. It made Li Lang pretend to be meditating, closing his eyes and ignoring his every word. Unfortunately, the man didn't shut up despite it.
Li Lang let out a sigh of relief upon arriving at the first destination. A modest two-story house, much like the one he had found Cuo Zi in.
Touring the place didn't take long at all. There weren't any additional amenities here, nor was there much of a view. The place was simply four walls and some windows. There was no furniture or anything notable inside.
Taking a brief moment to jot down some notes within Ruby's artifact space, the two moved on.
"Hmm, not bad and spacious enough, but the building is way too close to others. We'd probably be able to hear our neighbors if they got rowdy, which means the reverse is true."
"Master deserves a much better place!" Ruby cried out. "Maybe one of those penthouses on those tall buildings I've seen from the memories?"
"Those—aren't that spacious, and out of the question here. I doubt there are any condos around."
"Maybe Master should buy a plot of land and build one, then."
"Ha, trust me, I'd love that. However, that'd take too much time away from my research. I'd rather go with something with less maintenance."
Not wanting to listen to Cuo Zi's voice any longer, Li Lang resorted to retreating to Ruby whenever he could. The little house shopping trip lasted all the way until the sky began to dim.
In the end, Li Lang finalized a decision, as he didn't want to drag it out. He selected a small estate towards an area of town known as the Southern Dark Spot. Emberglow City was mainly illuminated by the orange crystals hanging on the ceilings. As the name implied, Li Lang's selected home was in an area where the light didn't have a good reach. It wasn't completely dark, but if one flew over the city, one would notice it as one of the dark spots found around the city.
The reason he chose an estate in this area compared to all the other places was because of its spaciousness and affordability. Regular mortals were the majority in the city. While they had some cultivation, it was often shallow. They couldn't maintain channeling Qi to their eyes all day, so the various dark spots were naturally less desirable to live in.
To cultivators in the late stages of Energy Gathering like him, it wasn't an issue at all. It was only their students that would have to suffer, but in a way, it was a good way to train them as well.
With this important decision made, Li Lang headed straight back to the inn to share the news. He hoped they would move in the next day after gathering their belongings. He also wanted to get them to start building a list of all the daily necessities, bedding, and furniture they would need for their new place.
However, what he didn't expect was to walk into an awkward conversation between Wei Ping and Ouyang Jie, one of the more timid among the students.
"Um, sorry. I overheard you talking about it with the other two teachers, but if you don't mind, can I go with you on your journey, Teacher Wei?"
Walking in, Li Lang exchanged confused glances with his two companions. They were just as surprised at the boy's sudden request. Realizing they were all clueless, Wei Ping decided to prod for the reason.
"Why w-would you want to do that? We're going to o-officially start teaching all of you cultivation soon."
The young kid hesitated for a moment. It appeared his bravado of broaching the subject was quickly fading by the second. He replied with a voice that grew quieter the more he spoke.
"You could teach me the same things while on a trip as well, right?"
His words left Li Lang speechless. He gave Wei Ping a meaningful look that said, "This is your problem to solve. Good luck," and went over to Long Yi to discuss the preparations for the move.
"Can y-you tell me the reason you want to come with me first?" Wei Ping continued.
"Umm, I just feel more comfortable with you."
Hearing this, Wei Ping sighed and slowly walked away, appearing to be in deep thought. Ouyang Jie followed him like a baby duckling while glancing around at Li Lang and Long Yi, asking if he had said something wrong with his gaze.
Once Wei Ping reached the corner of the room, he finally spoke, but kept his back turned to the young boy.
"I'm g-going to have to decline. You will stay here and study properly w-with those of your age."
"But I'd rather be under your tutelage."
"You'll have t-to learn how to work with people you're not fond of eventually. Better now t-than later.
The kid's breathing hastened as he got frustrated at being rejected. He tried to run off, but before he could take a step, Wei Ping grabbed onto his wrist.
"Listen. If you t-try to shun people without trying to get to know them, you'll n-never succeed. You m-may be an introvert like me, but that's no excuse. I'm not s-saying you have to act like the others. Even if you don't want t-to talk, at least listen to them f-first. Trust me on this."
After having said his piece, Wei Ping let go of the boy, but instead of running off, he just stood there with a blank look. The masked youth didn't bother with Ouyang Jie anymore and walked away.
With the scene over, Long Yi abruptly stopped mid-sentence and dragged Li Lang closer. He double-checked to see if Wei Ping truly had left before leaning over and whispered.
"What's up with that? I never knew Wei Ping had it in him to scold people like that. Should we do something about the boy?"
Li Lang sighed at being pulled into petty gossip.
"Just leave them be. While his stutters may make you think he is timid, he usually selects his words carefully and is adaptable. Before he met you, he used to handle my communications with a bunch of kids from the streets. I doubt it's easy to get people to listen to you with that impediment, so he has come to know what to say and when to say it."
Before Long Yi could respond, Li Lang quickly escaped to his room. He was too busy for any more idle conversations. It was time for him to do a final check on the materials for the cultivation course they had prepared for the students. Classes would begin the next day.