Chapter 94: Chapter 94 The Predicament of the Wuyue Prefect

Translator: 549690339

Liang Calendar 3210, July 28th.

Jiang Cheng had today cleared out all his previous savings and purchased a decorated villa in the outskirts of the wasteland.

In the spacious villa, Jiang Cheng leaned back on the sofa, looking up at the crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

And the one who really chose this villa, Liu Qing, just sat quietly by Jiang Cheng’s side.

Her human friend, though always eager to buy property, didn’t seem as happy after the purchase this time.

“What are you thinking about?” Liu Qing asked.

Jiang Cheng moved from leaning back to sitting upright and explained to Liu Qing, “I’ve spent all the money. Becoming penniless all at once, there’s always a sense of unease.”

Liu Qing nodded as though she understood, but not really.

But she could not understand the meaning of Jiang Cheng’s words.

To her, money or, say, Spirit Stones, were not important. As long as her cultivation level was there, such things were easily within her reach.

After a thought, Jiang Cheng said with a smile to Liu Qing, “I’m out of money, so I can’t pay your salary this month.”

Liu Qing shook her head indifferently.

She said softly, “It doesn’t matter.”

Jiang Cheng pursed his lips helplessly and said, “I just wanted to tease you. Here, I’ve always kept your salary separate, it’s all here.”

Jiang Cheng took out a storage bag, which contained Liu Qing’s entire last month’s salary, including her commission for assembling Talismans, overtime pay, and of course, minus her expenses on communication Talismans, clothes, and breakfast.

Liu Qing took the storage bag that Jiang Cheng handed her, but she didn’t even use her divine sense to check the amount before handing it back to Jiang Cheng.

“What’s the matter?” Jiang Cheng asked, puzzled.

“For you,” she blinked and said.

Jiang Cheng looked confused.

Giving back the salary to the boss right after receiving it, what kind of divine employee was this?

Are there any more like Liu Qing in Mount Tian? Please send them all over quickly!

Seeing that Jiang Cheng seemed not to understand, Liu Qing unusually said a few more words.

“No money, for you, don’t mention it.”

Oh

Jiang Cheng now understood the big monster’s meaning.

She was worried he was out of money.

“I don’t want your money,” Jiang Cheng said.

Liu Qing tilted her head and thought for a while before bursting out with a word.

“Loan?”

“Not a loan either. Keep it for yourself. In the future, when you want to buy something, you can pay for it yourself,” Jiang Cheng reminded her.

Earning her own money and spending it, no longer reliant on him, Jiang Cheng, the wallet.

That’s great, the precious snake had finally grown up.

But Liu Qing seemed completely uninterested in this approach.

She stubbornly placed the storage bag beside Jiang Cheng and said, “You take it.”

Jiang Cheng: “I don’t want it.”

“Take it.”

“Don’t want it.”

“Take it.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you the truth. The money from selling Talismans is still at the Task Hall tonight. We’ll go get it later, and then I’ll have money again. I’m not really out of money; you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Take it,” Liu Qing insisted.

Jiang Cheng expressed his refusal to accept Liu Qing’s “take it” and threw the storage bag back to her side.

Seeing this, Liu Qing seemed somewhat displeased.

She bit her lips lightly, pouted slightly, her fine brows furrowed just a little, and her clear, unmatched eyes looked reproachfully at Jiang Cheng.

This glance seemed to stare Jiang Cheng into another era.

He felt as if his life thus far was being projected before his eyes, a slideshow of his past.

Jiang Cheng silently lowered his head, silently picked up the storage bag next to Liu Qing containing her wages, and silently tucked it into his own bosom to keep.

I’m sorry, I forgot for a moment that you’re actually at level 83 and not level 3.

Seeing Jiang Cheng secure the storage bag, Liu Qing finally felt satisfied.

She didn’t want to carry such an ugly storage bag on her person. If she wanted to store something, she would simply tear open space and place the items inside—much simpler and more functional than a storage bag.

Of course, the main reason was that she didn’t want to go shopping alone.

If Peng Jun, the Branch Helmsman of the Tongtian Sect’s Wuyue division, was considered the big boss of the Immortal Sect’s forces in Wuyue City,

then Zuo Yuanhong, the Prefect of Wuyue, would be the equivalent authority figure for the Liang State Court in Wuyue City.

Zuo Yuanhong, unlike Chen Qiming, was a cultivator in the later stages of Foundation Establishment. Although he was currently just the Prefect of Wuyue, given the right opportunity and enough political achievements to accumulate, combined with his cultivation talent, his future prospects could be said to be boundless.

However, Wuyue City itself, not rich but not poor, not chaotic but utterly nondescript, was mainly known for its lack of distinct features.

It was a place Jiang Cheng’s brothers loved, “coming from west of the river” to avoid.

For officials seeking to achieve political accomplishments, poverty, laziness, and chaos were all manageable, but the lack of distinctive features was the true dread!

In Wuyue City, even if Zuo Yuanhong wanted to make his mark, there were no leads to follow.

But recently, Zuo Yuanhong discovered a business opportunity!

Fishing Talismans!

The Fishing Talisman could be described as a revolutionary invention, utterly disrupting traditional fishing methods.

And most importantly, its principle was simple, its production straightforward, and the profits were extraordinarily high!

It was practically a “golden goose” dispensing Spirit Stones.

In recent times, every Talisman Shop involved in modifying Fishing Talismans had been making a killing.

With a keen sense for business opportunities, Zuo Yuanhong promptly invited a teacher from Wuyue’s Guangmao Academy, a specialist in talismans, to provide a professional analysis of the Fishing Talisman.

Guangmao’s teacher said, “The principle of this talisman is quite simple: a talisman that operates by using Spiritual Power to generate a specific vibration, which then emits sonic waves.”

Zuo Yuanhong asked, “So, can Wuyue have its own ‘Fishing Talisman’?”

Guangmao’s teacher said, “It’s not possible. This talisman has already been certified by the Talisman Master Association of Tongtian Sect, and the similar sounding methods are protected by the Association. To imitate it rashly would certainly not be ignored by Tongtian Sect.”

Zuo Yuanhong inquired, “Then, can we bypass this kind of sound and use another to achieve a similar fishing effect?”

Guangmao’s teacher explained, “In theory, yes. But we cannot grasp the design philosophy of this sound. If we resort to a brute force method, it’s uncertain how long it would take.”

Ultimately, Zuo Yuanhong came to understand.

The Fishing Talisman was excellent, but it was in the hands of the Immortal Sect.

To modify the Fishing Talisman—fine, the Immortal Sect hadn’t interfered for the time being.

To counterfeit the Fishing Talisman—not fine, the Immortal Sect would strike hard.

Zuo Yuanhong felt indignant as he watched a high-value industry that might change Wuyue’s destiny being taken by the Immortal Sect.

If the Wuyue Prefectural Government could control this industry, then his own promotion would essentially be a done deal.

With the Liang Kingdom’s treasury running deficits for consecutive years, whoever could earn Spirit Stones and catch the eye of Great Liang’s Grand Secretary could rise rapidly.

Zuo Yuanhong had initially thought about contacting the Task Hall of Tongtian Sect for collaboration.

But upon further thought, he realized how naive his idea was.

Why would Tongtian Sect collaborate with him?

Because they thought they were making too much money?

Just as Zuo Yuanhong was about to put the Fishing Talisman matter out of his mind, a special guest came calling.

This individual claimed to be “Tun Sheng,” a monster from the Aquatic Tribe of Ming River.

Zuo Yuanhong said dismissively, “Monsters without household registration are not managed by the court; the Tongtian Sect’s office is at the next intersection.”

Tun Sheng didn’t say much but proceeded to bite Zuo Yuanhong’s two-story building into a single story right before his eyes.