Li Banfeng was inside Xiaoyao Lodge, drawing a map—specifically, a map of Cheap Person Ridge.
Wan Jinxian knew Li Banfeng had employed the Thousand Mile In A Step Technique, which ant he knew Li Banfeng possessed Ninth Layer Cultivation.
This matter was a thorn in Li Banfeng’s side; he had to find Wan Jinxian and eliminate him.
Wan Jinxian had been sent by Li Banfeng to Knife Ghost Ridge, which was currently located at Cheap Person Ridge.
Previously, under the influence of the Saint’s Layered Mountain Range Technique, Cheap Person Ridge was a confusing place. Its entrance was hard to find, and its exits were undiscoverable. Directions were confounded, and terrains overlapped. Consequently, no complete map of Cheap Person Ridge existed in Puluo State.
Now that the Saint was gone, the influence of the Layered Mountain Range Technique had also vanished. However, Cheap Person Ridge had since beco the territory of the Knife Labor Ghost. Ordinary people dared not set foot there, making the prospect of a map even less hopeful.
Fortunately, Li Banfeng had previously traveled through every village in Cheap Person Ridge. With the Traveling Cultivator’s innate gift for orientation and distance, the frawork of the map quickly took shape.
He was still carefully recalling several details when Ma Wu suddenly burst through the door. "Old Qi, we’ve got a big deal on our hands!"
"What big deal?"
To manage Qi Qiu City and Loess Bridge, Ma Wu had been so busy he could barely cope. Today, for so reason, he had rushed back to Xiaoyao Lodge in a great hurry.
Ma Wu said, "A rchant nad Chen took the initiative to find , wanting to do business with us. Old Qi! Our business has reached the Outside Provinces!"
Li Banfeng couldn’t understand this. He had heard before that major clans and the Outside Provinces had business dealings, but what kind of business could Puluo State possibly have with the Outside Provinces?
Ma Wu explained, "The Outside Provinces call cultivation level ’Dark Energy’ and refer to Magical Treasures, Spiritual Objects, and Elixirs as Dark Energy carriers. The Dark Energy carriers used in the Outside Provinces are all purchased from us, and this rchant nad Chen is in this trade."
Li Banfeng frowned. "Isn’t this just arming the Outside Provinces?"
Ma Wu shrugged. "Old Qi, we are businessn. This isn’t our concern. Besides, we can’t control it. If we don’t sell, other clans will sell to the Outside Provinces."
Li Banfeng put away the map. "I’ll gather all the major clans tomorrow. From today onward, this business must stop. Anyone who continues this will be getting in my way."
Ma Wu tried to persuade Li Banfeng, "Even if you stop the major clans, it won’t work. The Defense Agency is still here. They also have channels to obtain Magical Treasures and Elixirs, and sotis they even hire hunters to hunt in the New Land."
The logic was sound, yet sothing felt even more amiss.
"If the Defense Agency has its own channels, why would they deal with us through this rchant nad Chen? Are they using a middleman to profit on both sides? How does this benefit the Outside Provinces?"
Ma Wu explained, "This rchant is quite unique. He is not from Huan Country but from Amikan Country. Huan Country has given him the Puluo State business to handle, and in return, Amikan Country’s business will be opened to Huan Country. This is the result of a multilateral gambit."
A gambit?
In Huan Country, very few people were aware of Puluo State. Before Li Banfeng ca to Puluo State, he had no idea such a place existed.
Puluo State, Dark Energy, Dark Energy Users—in Huan Country, these are top secrets within top secrets. For matters of such importance, to use a foreign rchant for a gambit?
Li Banfeng felt that sothing was seriously wrong.
"Old Five, this rchant nad Chen might be a fraud."
Ma Wu nodded. "I also suspected fraud, but he’s holding a letter from the Defense Agency, and the letter is real. I’ve inquired with an insider from the Defense Agency. This matter is also true. Old Qi, we can’t afford to miss out on such a big transaction."
As he spoke, Ma Wu glanced around discreetly, signaling to Li Banfeng if there were any hooks in the room.
Li Banfeng shook his head. He had cleansed this room multiple tis using his wife’s techniques; there were definitely no hooks. Ma Wu whispered, "You’re from the Outside Provinces. You understand these matters better than I do. We need to discuss this business together."
Discussing it wasn’t out of the question. Li Banfeng had no interest in this business, but he needed to know what this rchant nad Chen was really after.
「Two days later.」
Ma Wu hosted a banquet in Xiaoyao Lodge, specifically to entertain this Mr. Chen.
When all guests had arrived, Ma Wu first introduced the parties: "Old Qi, this is Mr. Dick Chen from Amikan Country."
From his appearance, this Dick Chen was a typical Easterner. He seed not very old, around twenty-five or twenty-six, with delicate features that looked possibly costically altered. He always wore a faint smile—one that carried a hint of contempt and mockery.
When introducing Li Banfeng, Ma Wu made sure to stress, "This is the President of our Qi Qiu Group. He will be the one making the decisions in this business transaction."
President?
Li Banfeng looked at Ma Wu, puzzled about his new title.
Ma Wu ca from a wealthy family. For various reasons, he had never been to the Outside Provinces, yet he wasn’t completely ignorant regarding their affairs. He was making an effort to communicate with Dick Chen in a way the latter could understand.
Dick Chen gave Li Banfeng a slight nod, showing no intention of shaking hands.
This suited Li Banfeng, as he also wasn’t accustod to shaking hands.
Li Banfeng didn’t nod in return, rely observing Dick Chen quietly.
After exchanging pleasantries, Ma Wu quickly got to the point: "We’ve reviewed the list of goods Mr. Chen proposed, and we’ve calculated our offer. We have a pricing sche ready. Of course, if the cooperation goes smoothly, we’re willing to make so concessions on the price."
Ma Wu was a businessman, but this wasn’t his usual way of doing business. He had gone to great lengths to accommodate Dick Chen.
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