Zhang Deming nodded. "You probably haven’t heard of it, and that’s not surprising. The Blue Sky Alliance is a major secret organization in the Hongng Realm. Outsiders rarely hear of it.
"Inside the Alliance, the ranks are set according to Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Huang. Each rank is further divided into five stars, with One-Star being the lowest and Five-Star being the highest."
Hearing this, Qu Qizhong spoke up, "If it’s a secret organization, then for you to be telling so directly... what are you implying?"
Zhang Deming said, "Smart. That’s right, you’re being recruited.
"I was originally coming to Celestial Spirit City to develop my network after just being promoted to Three-Star.
"You were a target for vetting. Along with you, there were three others under review.
"But I suddenly discovered that you seem to be an interesting person, so I’ve ended the review and decided on you."
Upon hearing this, Qu Qizhong frowned and looked at the snakelike Vines writhing around him. "So, do I not have the right to choose?"
Zhang Deming said, "You had a little, but the mont you attacked and forced to reveal myself, it was gone."
Qu Qizhong frowned and replied, "Aside from your eyes, I can’t see a single bit of your skin."
Zhang Deming shook his head. "Does it make a difference? After all, you know about the organization now."
Qu Qizhong fell silent for a long while before finally speaking, "You have to at least tell what you’re recruiting to do, right?"
Zhang Deming laughed at his words. "Relax, it’s not what you think."
Qu Qizhong muttered, "You know what I’m thinking?"
’Those who cultivate Oratory really do have a talent for being contrarians!’
Zhang Deming paused, then said, "That’s not important. Whatever you’re thinking, it doesn’t align with what the organization needs you to do."
"So, what do you need to do?" Qu Qizhong asked again.
"We need to open a shop in Celestial Spirit City, and you and your family’s shop have been chosen. By the way, how many Spirit Stones do you actually owe?
"Couldn’t you sell the shop to pay off the debt? Why bother running?" Zhang Deming replied.
"My family doesn’t owe any Spirit Stones. Before my dad died, he lost over two hundred Spirit Stones, but the things in our ho and shop are worth more than three hundred.
"So I don’t owe any Spirit Stones at all. It’s just those relatives kicking while I’m down, trying to squeeze out more for themselves," Qu Qizhong said, his eyes cold.
Hearing this, Zhang Deming said thoughtfully, "Is that so? It seems your father was quite a failure at life, then."
Qu Qizhong shook his head. "No, he was very successful in business."
Zhang Deming smiled. "I said ’at life,’ which doesn’t just refer to business.
"Having your own family co knocking the mont you die, putting your wife and child under this much pressure... that’s not what I’d call successful interpersonal relationships."
Qu Qizhong was taken aback. Zhang Deming continued, "Anyway, now’s not the ti for this. Let’s get to business.
"Right, where were we?"
"You said you need to open a shop, and that my family’s shop and I were chosen," Qu Qizhong replied.
"Right. I’ve taken a liking to your business skills. By the way, is your family’s shop still usable?" Zhang Deming changed the subject again.
Qu Qizhong nodded. "It is. It’s a clan property recorded in the genealogy. As long as I’m alive, no one dares to make a move on it.
"I suppose it’s the only bottom line the Qu Family still upholds."
Zhang Deming nodded. "That’s good. I need you to reopen the shop and help sell so things."
Qu Qizhong shook his head. "The Qu Family won’t let . They won’t stop until they get their money and have bled dry."
Zhang Deming frowned slightly. "Then how much do you still owe?"
Qu Qizhong said, "I told you, I don’t owe anything."
"I’m talking about on paper. The parts that haven’t been sorted out, the parts they can use against you," Zhang Deming said flatly.
Qu Qizhong was silent for a mont. "When my first, second, and third uncles’ families ca to ransack the house and shop, they all settled their accounts to save face.
"It’s just with my cousin... I accidentally missed an IOU for twenty Spirit Stones.
"But now, I can’t even co up with twenty Spirit Stones, so my only choice is to run."
Hearing this, Zhang Deming sighed in relief. "Well, that’s not so bad. It’s not a big deal. I’ll make up the difference for you.
"After that, you can reopen the shop without any worries."
Qu Qizhong shook his head. "It’s no use. The impact of this incident was too great. The shop’s reputation is in tatters. It can’t stay open."
Zhang Deming smiled faintly. "That’s only before I give you our signature products to sell."
Qu Qizhong was slightly stunned. He looked at the confident Zhang Deming, paused for a mont, and said, "Your... Blue Sky Alliance... just wants to sell things?"
Zhang Deming nodded.
Qu Qizhong pondered for a mont. "Fine. It’s not like I have much of a choice, is it? So, can you let go now?
"Your vines are crawling all over my body. It’s giving the creeps."
Zhang Deming smiled. "Not so fast. Joining the Alliance cos with benefits."
With that, Zhang Deming took out a Spirit Nurturing Bead and tossed it in front of him. At the sa ti, most of the vines on Qu Qizhong’s body loosened and fell away, leaving only the one around his neck.
"This is... a Spirit Nurturing Bead?" Qu Qizhong was first confused, then asked in astonishnt, "For ?"
Zhang Deming nodded. "A good eye. As expected of a rchant.
"This is a welco bonus for new mbers. But you can’t keep it to sell for money; you have to absorb it right here in front of ."
"What Skill is it?" Qu Qizhong asked.
"Don’t worry. I chose it especially for you. The Agility Technique. It’s a perfect match for your Rumors Skill," Zhang Deming replied.
Watching Qu Qizhong sizing up the Spirit Nurturing Ball, Zhang Deming said, "Get on with it. We have more to do."
Hearing this, Qu Qizhong figured he had no choice anyway, and the Spirit Nurturing Ball was real.
’It’s not like soone can tamper with this thing. At least, in the current Hongng Realm, no one is capable of ssing with these.’
’So no matter what, in my current situation, why wouldn’t I take a free advantage?’
He decisively walked over to a private room, sat cross-legged on the Cultivation Group Mat.
Zhang Deming watched as he activated the Spirit Nurturing Ball. Countless points of light ford a hollow sphere, enveloping him, as a pair of miniature Light Wings flew into the space between his eyebrows.
After a mont, the scene Zhang Deming was expecting failed to appear, and he frowned slightly.
Sure enough, the hollow sphere of light flickered a few tis and then burst apart.
Qu Qizhong opened his eyes and said awkwardly, "Um..."
"You’ve never cultivated the Agility Technique before?" Zhang Deming asked, puzzled.
’If he had several years of dedicated study, absorbing a Spirit Nurturing Ball—especially with the insights from my plugin—shouldn’t be that hard.’
’You have to understand, the insights encapsulated by other Spirit Nurturing Techniques are based on the creator’s own step-by-step exploration and mastery of the corresponding Magic.’
’The personal elent plays too large a role in those, and success or failure is heavily influenced by compatibility.’
’Depending on the Spirit Nurturing Master’s level of Cultivation in the corresponding Technique and the quality of the Spirit Nurturing Bead, the success rate is only twenty to forty percent.’
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