Building a sect from scratch.

Chapter 97 The Unexpected Events of Emperor Guangcheng
Fang Xianyu sensed the excitement in everyone's voice and then revealed his true intentions: "To be honest, my sect's cultivation method is unique, and the sect has declined. Now, only I am left to support the sect. This time, when the sect is established, I only intend to invite Chiyuan Cave and Guangcheng Sect. I hope that the elders will not find it distasteful."

Elder Hu understood that this meant he wanted to invite Guangcheng Sect to lend its prestige, so he stroked his beard and laughed, "Haha, Sect Master Fang, you're too kind. May I ask when you will hold your sect's opening ceremony? Have you invited any merchant alliances or chambers of commerce?"

"As for the Merchant Alliance and the Chamber of Commerce, which were originally scheduled for two months later... we really didn't invite them. The elders also know that the Taiyin Sect has little contact with the outside world, so even if they wanted to, they really couldn't."

Elder Hu narrowed his eyes, his expression looking eager and sincere: "It's no problem, it's no problem. If Sect Leader Fang is willing, why not send the invitation to Guangcheng Sect and have Guangcheng Sect distribute it? Putting aside other matters, the Central Continent Merchant Alliance and the Fulu Shou Merchant Association will surely give us some face."

So-called business alliances and chambers of commerce are forces that conduct commercial exchanges between the ten continents and three islands.

Just like the ancient Silk Road on Earth, even in the most backward times, civilizations yearned to exchange goods and services. Commerce was the link connecting all civilizations; the Silk Road transported silk and porcelain to the Mediterranean, and also brought spices, agricultural products, and other goods to ancient Eastern countries.

The commerce of the Guixu Realm is an important force for communication between various sects. Sects skilled in crafting artifacts can sell various magical treasures and spiritual weapons, sects skilled in alchemy can sell various pills, and smaller sects can also make a living by selling spiritual herbs and plants. Therefore, all the merchant alliances and guilds are very popular.

These business alliances and chambers of commerce are either independent forces or were established by various sects in alliance, and so on.

For example, the Central Continent Merchant Alliance is a merchant alliance formed by several major sects in the Central Continent. Although it has developed into its own force, it is still a follower of those few oligarchic sects.

The Fu Lu Shou Merchant Guild is an independent force, neither belonging to any sect nor particularly allied with any sect. It simply roams the Ten Continents and Three Islands, and its presence can be found in almost any place where cultivators gather. Even Fang Xianyu, who had completed his first playthrough, didn't know who was behind the Fu Lu Shou Merchant Guild. He only knew that they worshipped the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity—a claim that had once led Fang Xianyu to try to uncover its secrets, but unfortunately, he hadn't found anything even after restarting the game.

These two business forces are the largest in the Central Continent and the most extensive in the Ten Continents and Three Islands. Being able to invite these two forces, even if only one or two deals are concluded, means that the Taiyin Sect has truly established itself in the Ten Continents and Three Islands. The price offered by the Guangcheng Sect was very sincere, which surprised Fang Xianyu.

She quickly expressed her gratitude: "That would be wonderful!"

"But what are your plans regarding this formation?"

Fang Xianyu said cryptically, "Whether it is the 'Type 15 Mountain Protection Array' or the various improved arrays that followed, they are all for our own use. We do not intend to use them for business. As for whether Guangcheng Sect buys them for its own use or to sell them, that is Elder Hu's business. My Taiyin Sect never interferes in the internal affairs of other sects."

The implication is that the exclusive rights were directly granted to Emperor Guangcheng, without any patent fees or profit sharing!
Of course, there is no such thing as patent fees in the Guixu world.

Elder Du was grinning from ear to ear: "Oh dear, Fellow Daoist Fang, you're too kind!"

Elder Hu thought for a moment and then showed his business acumen, saying generously, "Sect Leader Fang's schedule is tight, and the procurement must be quite rushed. It just so happens that the sect has prepared a lot of rare and precious wines for the Four Seasons Dao Discussion Conference. So, I'll take this opportunity to congratulate Sect Leader Fang on the founding of the sect in advance!"

"This is exactly what we needed! Thank you, Elder Hu!" Just as the group was having a pleasant conversation, the sky suddenly changed color and flashed. Fang Xianyu looked up and saw that the Guangcheng Sect's grand formation had been attacked!
Elder Hu and the others were also shocked. The group hurriedly left the main hall and just then encountered a Guangcheng Sect disciple running towards them with a look of anxiety and fear on his face. Elder Du, who was impatient by nature, shouted from afar, "What happened?!"

The disciple, panting, said, "Elder! Elder, something terrible has happened! Senior Sister Xin Yi is seriously injured and has returned from the Penglai Immortal Gathering ahead of schedule!"

Elder Hu flicked his sleeve, and a gentle stream of spiritual energy flew into the disciple's body, immediately stabilizing his breathing. Only then did Elder Hu ask, "Tell me what happened slowly."

"Reporting to the elder, Senior Sister Xinyi won a prize in a pill-making contest at the Penglai Immortal Gathering. It seems she offended someone, and she was chased all the way back! That person even attacked the sect's great formation!"

Elder Du was furious: "How arrogant!"

As he spoke, he immediately flew towards the location where the sect's great formation had been attacked.

"Hey! Old Du!"

Elder Hu called out anxiously, but couldn't stop him. He turned to the disciple and asked, "How is your Senior Sister Xinyi? Is her injury serious? Also, how many people chased after us? Which sect are they from? And what are their cultivation levels?"

The disciple looked at Elder Hu blankly and stammered, "Brother, this disciple doesn't know..."

"Alas!" Elder Hu sighed. He first asked another elder to take care of the "Magnolia" mentioned by the group, and then smiled bitterly at Fang Xianyu, "I'm afraid we'll have to excuse ourselves for a moment."

Fang Xianyu hurriedly said, "It's alright, it's alright. If you really want to count, I haven't left Guangcheng Sect yet, so I can be considered under Guangcheng Sect's name. Let's go together and take a look, so we can look after each other."

This wasn't just Fang Xianyu being arrogant. You see, in the entire Ten Continents and Three Islands, a cultivator who reached Foundation Establishment in their early twenties and then cultivated to Golden Core in just a month or so—even if you included all the second and third generation cultivators in the entire Guixu Realm—you couldn't find another like him! Fang Xianyu's talent was practically divine, which was why the people of Guangcheng Sect were increasingly polite to him—the first time they met him, he was at Foundation Establishment; a few days later, he became Golden Core; wouldn't he be at Nascent Soul soon? Conservatively speaking, even Deity Transformation would probably only take a few years. Perhaps in a few more years, when Taiyin Sect produces a Loose Immortal Sect Master, Guangcheng Sect will have to rely on that person for survival!

Therefore, although the person who said this was only a Golden Core stage cultivator, which is equivalent to the cultivation level of an elite disciple of the Guangcheng Sect, no one thought it was wrong.

Elder Hu thought about it and didn't refuse. This matter came so suddenly and quickly, and it was strange in every way. Since people had already found out about it in front of them, there was no point in hiding it anymore, so he nodded in agreement.

So the two of them flew after Elder Du, one after the other.

(End of this chapter)