Chapter 114: A Heaven-Sent Opportunity

At that moment, Lu Yang lightly waved his sleeves.

Three bulging pouches suddenly appeared in the air before dropping onto the floor.

*Clink!*

The sound of silver striking against itself echoed through the modest hall.

Zheng Hui and his wife stared at the pouches in astonishment.

Even without opening them, they could tell that each contained a considerable amount of silver.

Lu Yang spoke calmly.

"There are a hundred and fifty taels of silver inside."

The couple froze, almost unable to believe it.

One hundred and fifty taels!

Even in the Imperial Capital, that sum was enough to purchase a moderately sized residence with two courtyards.

In a small county like this, its purchasing power was considerably greater.

For a family that had been worrying about rent and their children’s schooling fees moments earlier, the amount was almost unimaginable.

Even back when the Zheng Family was at its peak, a hundred and fifty taels of silver was equal to their three months of profit.

Zheng Hui looked at the pouches, then at Lu Yang, his throat somewhat dry.

"Senior, this..."

"Use it as your starting capital."

Lu Yang interrupted him.

"I want you to rebuild your business, I will back you."

The words were simple, but their implications were enormous.

Zheng Hui’s breathing became slightly hurried.

He had spent years trying to find someone willing to support him, but most people avoided him after his family declined.

Now, this mysterious cultivator was willing to provide him with one hundred and fifty taels of silver without even demanding immediate repayment.

However, Zheng Hui did not allow himself to become carried away by the prospect.

There was no such thing as a completely free meal in this world.

If this senior was willing to invest so much in him, there must be conditions attached.

Sure enough, Lu Yang continued speaking.

"I have three conditions."

Zheng Hui immediately straightened his back, "Senior, please speak."

"First, if you encounter any unusual treasures, precious objects, or secret techniques related to cultivation, you must keep them for me."

Lu Yang’s tone was indifferent as he spoke.

"You do not need to purchase every ordinary cultivation resource you come across. I am referring to things that are unusual, rare, or potentially valuable beyond their apparent price."

Zheng Hui nodded immediately, understanding what he meant.

Good things must naturally be kept for their own people.

"Second, I want thirty percent of the profits your business generates each year."

Lu Yang glanced at him.

"I will give you two years to establish the business and begin making money. After that, I will return to see how things have progressed, and then we’ll decide on other matters. The remaining seventy percent will belong to you."

He spoke without any hesitation.

"You may use it to expand the business, hire people, improve your family’s circumstances, or pursue other plans. I will not interfere with how you manage the remaining profits, provided that you do not violate our agreement."

Zheng Hui was stunned.

Thirty percent?

He had originally expected much harsher conditions.

After all, the initial capital alone was worth a fortune to someone in his circumstances.

If he could successfully rebuild his business, the profits would eventually exceed the original investment many times over.

Yet, this senior was asking for only thirty percent.

Moreover, he was giving him two years to establish himself before expecting returns.

It was an exceptionally generous arrangement.

Of course, Zheng Hui understood that the generosity was relative.

A cultivator capable of reaching the Spirit Awakening Realm, especially at such a young age, would not necessarily consider one hundred and fifty taels a particularly significant sum.

Still, for someone in Zheng Hui’s position, this was an opportunity that might never appear again.

Of course, he didn’t know that Lu Yang was also a pauper, considered a Rogue Cultivator, and barely had two hundred taels of silver as his entire net worth.

After that, Lu Yang spoke his final condition.

"Third, do not betray me."

The atmosphere in the hall changed slightly at these words.

Lu Yang’s voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable weight behind his words.

"If you honor our agreement, I will not interfere with your affairs unnecessarily. If you betray me, however..."

He let the sentence trail off, and for several moments, he said nothing.

Then, he continued in the same unhurried tone.

"I have more than a thousand and eight hundred ways to find you. The consequences of betrayal will not be insignificant."

Zheng Hui felt a chill run down his spine.

He did not doubt those words.

A Spirit Awakening cultivator was not someone an ordinary merchant could deceive and then escape from.

Even if Zheng Hui somehow managed to leave the county, where could he go?

The world was vast, but the cultivation world was even more dangerous than he could imagine.

If he offended someone with such strength, the consequences would be beyond his ability to bear.

He immediately dropped to his knees.

"This humble one will never betray senior!"

His voice was firm.

"I swear that I will do everything in my power to fulfill senior’s expectations. If I violate our agreement, I am willing to suffer the consequences!"

Lu Yang watched him quietly, and after a moment, he nodded.

"Good."

He had not chosen Zheng Hui just because the man was unfortunate; he had chosen him because, despite everything that had happened, Zheng Hui still possessed the desire to rise again.

His intelligence and experience were useful, but those qualities alone were insufficient.

A capable person who had already surrendered inwardly would accomplish very little, even with sufficient resources.

Zheng Hui, however, had not surrendered.

His circumstances had forced him to become cautious and timid, but beneath that exhaustion, Lu Yang could still see the determination that once allowed him to help manage a prosperous merchant family.

Lu Yang was not a fortune teller, and he had no idea of how this alliance would turn out. He was just willing to provide the man with an opportunity.

What happened afterwards would depend on Zheng Hui himself.ℴℴ𝘮