Free Web NovelChapter 1976: Chapter 1975: Speculation
After a while, when all the onlookers had left, only the teams from the City Lord Mansion and the Qingyi Building remained.
"City Lord, you called us to stay for a reason?" Qingyi Hong said awkwardly.
Facing Tianqing Zi alone was like facing a giant mountain, imposing and suffocating.
"You need not worry. I called you to stay, not to take action against you. If I wanted to do so, there would be no need for me to act personally. I could just send an elder to deal with the entire Qingyi Building," Tianqing Zi said confidently.
"The City Lord is right!" Qingyi Hong replied awkwardly.
"Regarding tonight’s incident, I am well aware. The fault does not lie with you but with Jubao Building, who sought their own demise by trying to destroy Qingyi Building through improper means. They deserve their fate! Do you know why the middle Mahayana elder from the City Lord Mansion appeared nearby?" Tianqing Zi asked.
"I do not know!" Qingyi Hong replied respectfully.
"I instructed him to come and watch over the early Mahayana cultivator from Jubao Building. If he dared to take action, he was to be eliminated immediately! I didn’t expect that Jubao Building would play such a trick to deceive even me, hiding two Tianyuan Puppets! Fortunately, you were unharmed; otherwise, my reputation would have been at stake!" Tianqing Zi said calmly.
"Ah! Why did you do this?" Qingyi Hong asked in confusion.
"You know the reason! There is no need for further explanation. Let me ask you, does the Demon who acted tonight have any connection to him?" Tianqing Zi inquired.
"I asked the lord when he came, and I observed it myself; it wasn’t him! Moreover, to eliminate two Tianyuan Puppets in thirty seconds and destroy Jubao Building with one sword requires strength beyond ordinary means!" Qingyi Hong said seriously.
"I suspected the same! Though his talent is exceptional and belongs to the Divine Clan’s chosen ones, achieving all this in just thirty breaths is impossible! Besides, he is indeed a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator! At such advanced stages, especially above the Divinity Transformation Realm, challenging beyond a minor realm is extremely difficult, let alone crossing such vast realms to defeat an enemy!" Tianqing Zi nodded.
"You are right, City Lord!" Qingyi Hong responded respectfully.
"Regardless of the reason, the fact is your Qingyi Building was wronged first. From now on, Jubao Building’s territories shall be yours. Tomorrow, send someone to the City Lord Mansion for formalities! You may leave now!" Tianqing Zi waved them off.
"Thank you for the reward, City Lord!!!" Qingyi Hong exclaimed excitedly.
He felt embarrassed and uneasy when he was asked to stay, but happiness came unexpectedly. How long had it been, and such a windfall fell from the sky! This, this is too exciting!
Suppressing his excitement forcefully, Qingyi Hong led the ten thousand members of Qingyi Building away.
After they left, Tianqing Zi glanced at the dark night sky, a playful smile on his face.
"One is a chosen one, another a Great Power of the Demon Realm! Things are getting interesting! It seems the issue conveyed by the Divine Clan has indeed reached Tianqing Giant City! It’s best if you don’t appear, but if you do, Tianqing Giant City will ensure you don’t return!!!" Tianqing Zi thought coldly.
Whoosh!
In a flash, Tianqing Zi’s figure disappeared.
...
Elsewhere, Qingyi Hong still felt like he was dreaming on his way back, as if happiness had come too suddenly.
"Senior Xue, why do you think the City Lord did this?" Qingyi Hong asked worriedly after his excitement subsided.
"Though we are in the far west of Tianqing City, relatively underdeveloped, it’s considered a prime spot within Tianqing Giant City! Except for the east, south, and north markets occupied by the City Lord Mansion, this area is the most prosperous! Jubao Building’s business, neither small nor large, consists of twenty-six shops in total. Such a vast business handed to us by the City Lord, to be honest, I have no confidence in myself!" Xue Shou said worriedly.
"Indeed! Suddenly having twenty-six prime location shops, no one would be at ease! And then there’s tomorrow’s rent; although each shop pays every hundred years, the rent for twenty-six shops is astronomical! Looks like I need to bring out some treasures tomorrow!" Qingyi Hong said with a wry smile.
There are four gates in Tianqing Giant City, and while leaving the city doesn’t require a fee, entering does, and it’s charged per time period, either daily or monthly.
Besides, everything from lodging to food requires money, and every shop in the city, apart from paying rent, must provide a tenth of their revenue to the City Lord Mansion every hundred years.
Moreover, the City Lord Mansion owns numerous properties, too many to count.
It’s said that the City Lord Mansion can earn money without effort.
As for all major businesses, aside from rent and a tenth in taxes, their income is immense, enough to frighten, although they still put on a strained face when paying.
"Heh," Xue Shou chuckled playfully.
Not believing Qingyi Hong’s words, knowing he wasn’t a naive beginner cultivator, Qingyi Hong appeared to be acting humble while benefiting.
Returning to Qingyi Building, Qingyi Hong ordered the cultivators to disperse and walked toward the courtyard where the three Qingyi sisters were.
As for Xue Shou, he returned to his palace to continue his secluded cultivation.
"My lord!" When Qingyi Hong reached the shop, Zhang Xiaohao was still sipping lightly.
"Is something up?" Zhang Xiaohao asked playfully.
From his expression, it seemed Qingyi Hong resolved the issue.
"My lord, just now I went to Jubao Building with people, and all its shops were destroyed! I also met the City Lord, who rewarded me with all twenty-six shops of Jubao Building!" Qingyi Hong explained.
"That’s good news! It shows your luck isn’t bad! However, you must have solid strength; otherwise, no matter how many shops the City Lord Mansion gives you, it’ll still be a question if you can keep them!" Zhang Xiaohao said with a smile.
