Chapter 715 - 359: Executing the Plan to Seize the Spirit Vein (Part 2)

Chapter 715: Chapter 359: Executing the Plan to Seize the Spirit Vein (Part 2)

This meant they were sacrificing their cultivation time to handle these matters, so naturally, they would receive greater compensation and rewards.

Of course, there were also the requisite warnings and punishments to prevent them from getting ahead of themselves, feigning compliance, or engaging in deceit.

After he finished explaining, Cheng Zongyang looked at Li Lu. "Is there anything about these two methods that you need me to clarify?"

Li Lu knew he had to fully grasp this policy to properly convey it to his subordinates, so he had listened intently the whole time.

Upon hearing Cheng Zongyang’s question, he cupped his fist. "Boss, there are indeed a few points. For one, what if we encounter a Royal Family that refuses to cooperate? The exchange of Spirit Tickets also infringes upon the Royal Family’s ruling interests..."

Cheng Zongyang listened to Li Lu’s questions and addressed them one by one.

The questions were mostly about potential problems they might encounter in various regions. But Cheng Zongyang gave only one answer: take a hard line!

If the Royal Family won’t cooperate, then install an Emperor who will.

The entire point of introducing Spirit Tickets was to gather all the silver and gold from the Martial Arts Realm—and eventually, the Cultivation Immortality Realm—for sacrifice.

Everything revolved around the Immortal City and the Realm of Ten Thousand Races.

He no longer needed to take things slow. Everything in the Martial Arts Realm had to make way for the development of the Immortal City and the Realm of Ten Thousand Races!

Besides, his actions, even if they caused harm, would only harm the ruling class, not those at the bottom.

If the ruling class wouldn’t cooperate, he would replace them with those who would. It was that simple.

Once Li Lu grasped Cheng Zongyang’s "core principle," he knew exactly what to do: swiftly roll out the Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal and Spirit Tickets in every nation, and target any uncooperative ruling classes, no matter the cost!

With the discussion over, Li Lu immediately left to make the arrangements.

Cheng Zongyang, meanwhile, headed to the Cheng Clan Commerce Association.

Cheng Zongwen, busy handling affairs in the rear courtyard, saw his older cousin arrive and immediately stood up. "Boss."

Cheng Zongyang waved his hand dismissively. "No need for that title when we’re alone."

Cheng Zongwen smiled. "Yes, Big Brother. Is there something you need me to do?"

Cheng Zongyang replied, "No, I just came to ask how the binding of the Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal is going in the Immortal City."

In response, Cheng Zongwen immediately retrieved a document from his own Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal.

He flipped to the final summary data, glanced at it, and reported, "The binding of the Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal is registered household by household once a month by the Celestial Break Gang’s Household Affairs Hall. As of now, everyone residing in the Immortal City has bound one. Most of the people permitted to enter from the outside each day also voluntarily come to the Commerce Association to bind theirs. Of course, there are some who are unwilling to use them, and we haven’t forced the issue."

Cheng Zongyang nodded. He was quite satisfied with this hundred-percent binding rate.

"What’s the population count?" Cheng Zongyang asked.

After checking again, Cheng Zongwen replied, "The current permanent, registered population is ninety-seven thousand, three hundred sixty-six. There are also over fourteen thousand temporary residents."

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment, then said, "A bit later, coordinate with Li Lu. From now on, anyone entering the Immortal City, whether for business or residence, must bind a Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal to enter. Only those who have bound one will be allowed in. This must be mandatory! Whether or not they actually use it is their own business."

"Yes!" Cheng Zongwen acknowledged, asking no further questions.

Every decision his cousin had made to date was for the betterment of the Immortal City, to further centralize its power and status, thereby solidifying its supreme position in the Martial Arts Realm.

Therefore, no one ever questioned his decisions.

They only needed to carry them out.

Besides, they were all vested beneficiaries. Who would object to something that was in their own favor?

After getting the data on the Ten Thousand Races Spirit Seal, Cheng Zongyang left the Commerce Association and returned to the Cheng Residence.

Entering the Hall of Ten Thousand Races, Cheng Zongyang first checked his Points.

After selling items to the Ring Spirit Jade Scroll, selling off most of the sacrificial goods from the Cultivation Immortality Realm, and selling the Black Death Secret Manual at a discount, his Points, combined with his previous savings, had surpassed six million!

The plan to seize Spirit Veins could now be executed.

He went to Luo Dingran’s office to inquire about several types of arrays.

The first was the Earth Treasure and Tier Six Array needed to harvest Spirit Veins.

The second was the Transmission Channel Formation.

The third was the Cyan Profound Sect’s Mountain Protection Array.

Once Luo Dingran understood Cheng Zongyang’s purpose, he reported, "Sir, I’ve already priced out the materials for the Transmission Channel Formation. One complete set will cost roughly one hundred eighty thousand Points. Next, the Mountain Protection Array. Because it’s a Tier Five, five-component composite array that includes Rebound, Gathering Spirit, Earth Vein Reversal, Shielding, and Defense functions, its total price is around one hundred fifty thousand Points.

"As for the Earth Treasure and Tier Six Array, I have already purchased them. The cost was two million, two hundred thousand Points. The Mountain Protection Array was customized to new specifications, with a coverage area exceeding a hundred-li radius, but the price remained the same at one hundred fifty thousand Points. I have not yet purchased the Transmission Channel Formation, as I was awaiting your instructions."

Cheng Zongyang frowned slightly at the price of the first array. ’One hundred eighty thousand... If we set this up in the Immortal City as a temporary one-year array, we probably wouldn’t even make back the initial investment.’

’The resource environment in the Realm of Ten Thousand Races hasn’t fully recovered yet. If people from the Martial Arts Realm come in, we probably won’t even recoup the costs.’

’And the Mountain Protection Array from the Cyan Profound Sect... its price is comparable to a Tier Six, two-component composite array.’

"Hold on," Cheng Zongyang said. His figure vanished, reappearing in the Altar Space.

"Ring Spirit," Cheng Zongyang said, "if necessary in the future, can the passageway on Territory No. 2 be moved? I forgot to ask about this before. Since it was set up by the previous master of the Realm of Ten Thousand Races, you should be able to move it, right?"

The Ring Spirit responded, "This is precisely why I urged you to help me gain full control of the realm faster. My current level of authority is insufficient to alter the rules set by my predecessor."

Cheng Zongyang’s eyes lit up. "So, you’re saying you can do it once you have full control of the realm?"

"Yes," the Ring Spirit replied.

Cheng Zongyang snapped his fingers. "Got it."

’If it can be moved, that means I’ll save three million Points in the future.’

Cheng Zongyang immediately returned to Luo Dingran’s office.

"Hold off on purchasing that for now," he said. "Since the other arrays have already been bought, just set them aside. I need to carefully plan whose Spirit Vein to harvest first."

"Yes, Sir," Luo Dingran said, cupping his fist.

Cheng Zongyang immediately went to the Transmission Space, used a Teleportation Array to go directly to Territory No. 2, and from there entered the passageway area. He took out a disciple from the Independent Cultivator Alliance, stole their identity, disguised himself, and returned to Ice City.

He spent one hundred thousand Spirit Stones to purchase a map of the entire realm’s Spirit Veins from the Cyan Dragon Commerce Association.

It was a map of the entire Ice and Fire Cultivation Immortality Realm, marking the locations of all major factions and documenting the existence of every Spirit Vein.

One hundred thousand Spirit Stones for a map was nothing compared to the value of a Spirit Vein.

He had already spent over two million Points; what was a mere one hundred thousand Spirit Stones?

Returning to the Hall of Ten Thousand Races, Cheng Zongyang began his research alone.

For the next few days, Cheng Zongyang paid no mind to the affairs of the Immortal City. The matter of the Spirit Tickets had been delegated, so he didn’t need to worry about it.

Since he intended to harvest Spirit Veins from the Cultivation Immortality Realm, he couldn’t afford to be discovered and raise alarms right away.

Therefore, he needed to start small and work his way up.

Spirit Veins were graded from First Grade, the lowest, to Ninth Grade, the highest. The Five Great Immortal Sects were situated on Eighth Grade Spirit Veins; a Ninth Grade one had yet to be seen.

Thus, after several days of planning, Cheng Zongyang decided he would start with those from First to Third Grade as "practice."

These types of Spirit Veins were perfect for creating cave residences and small mountain peaks to rent out to wealthy and powerful Loose Cultivators and common clans.

Once he had seized a sufficient number of First, Second, and Third Grade Spirit Veins, he would move on to those from Fourth to Sixth Grade. These could be used for medium to large-sized mountain peaks, with the rental rights later handed over to the Commerce Association for auction.

As for those of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Grades, they would be reserved for the Immortal City, the Cheng Family, and the Celestial Break Gang.

When the Five Great Immortal Sects returned in the future, they would be given Seventh Grade ones at most, as a gesture of respect.

By the time his plan was complete, Cheng Zongyang had also familiarized himself with how to use the Earth Treasure and the Tier Six Array. To improve efficiency, he also brought Gangzi from Cheng Family Village along.

With two Mole Beasts assisting him, the digging speed would be incredibly fast. However, to ensure their tunneling wouldn’t be detected by cultivators, he also purchased some small trinkets that could shield against Divine Sense probes for the two Mole Beasts to wear.

Finally, He Shujun had already refined fifteen Puppets to be put on standby, and was continuing to create more. Luo Daoist had also produced a number of backup Teleportation Arrays.

These Puppets would serve as single-use tools for detonating Teleportation Arrays. Thus, a large number of them would be required.

With these basic preparations complete, Cheng Zongyang headed for Territory No. 2 and entered Ice City.

Over the next period, he frequently used the Beast Hide Mask to travel between various locations, setting up Teleportation Arrays.

It could be said that this initial phase was almost entirely spent "casing" locations and setting up Teleportation Arrays.

These Teleportation Arrays were also single-use items. One end was placed in an uninhabited location, while the other waited to be deployed inside a Spirit Vein.