The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

"Speak, why did you target Jin Yutang?"

Jiang Xuan finally spoke, his voice still calm.

To save his life, how could Old Qian dare to hide anything? He raised his hands and attacked with both hands.

He slapped himself hard across the face several times, until his cheeks were red and swollen and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, before he said with a mournful face.

"Young master, please understand! It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! It was...it was this old man who was blinded by greed!"

He didn't dare to pause and quickly explained.

"This shop is in a very good location. I had my eye on it for a long time and originally wanted to buy it for a distant nephew of mine to start a small business. Unfortunately, I was a step too late and this Mr. Gu beat me to it."

"I was indignant, and having learned that Boss Gu was a newcomer from out of town, young and inexperienced, I thought he was easy to bully. That's why... that's why I had this wicked idea—to send some men to scare him away and seize the shop... I truly didn't know Boss Gu was your friend! If I had known, I wouldn't have dared to do it even if I had a hundred lives!"

After hearing this explanation, Gu Liang breathed a long sigh of relief, his heart finally settling down. It turned out that it wasn't the behemoth that Biguang Pavilion was deliberately targeting him, Jin Yutang; it was just something a minor steward had done out of personal grudge.

Jiang Xuan was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this.

He had assumed there was some complex power struggle behind it, perhaps because the Biguang Pavilion was wary of Gu Yanping's methods and potential. He never expected the reason to be so simple and brutal—it was just a fight over a shop.

"get out."

Jiang Xuan waved his hand, too lazy to bother with such a minor character.

Mr. Qian felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He could hardly believe his ears. After a moment of stunned silence, he realized what had happened and began to kowtow repeatedly.

"Thank you, young master! Thank you for sparing my life!"

Fearing that Jiang Xuan might change his mind, he scrambled to his feet and roared at the group of thugs still kneeling on the ground.

"Get out of here! Are you waiting for Young Master Jiang to treat you to dinner?!"

The thugs finally realized what was happening. They scrambled and stumbled, supporting each other like stray dogs, and followed Old Qian as he fled the street in a panic. In the blink of an eye, they were gone without a trace, leaving behind only a mess and a desolate street.

After the storm subsided, Jiang Xuan spoke to Gu Liangdao.

"I live in the south of the city. If you have any trouble, you can come find me. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Gu Liang suddenly called out to him.

"Jiang Xuan! Wait!"

Jiang Xuan stopped and looked back.

Gu Liang took a deep breath, looked intently at Jiang Xuan, and spoke with utmost seriousness and sincerity.

"Jiang Xuan, I know you are determined to pursue the highest realm of martial arts."

But I still want to invite you to join my Golden Jade Hall! You won't need to handle any worldly affairs; you'll just need to hold the title! I'm willing to give you 30% of Golden Jade Hall's future profits! Moreover, this matter can be kept completely confidential and will absolutely not affect your cultivation or reputation!

His gaze was intense, clearly the result of careful consideration.

Jiang Xuan's current reputation and potential in Yanxia City are an immeasurable intangible asset for Jin Yutang.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan shook his head and declined.

"Gu Liang, I appreciate your kindness."

But I have no interest in that.

Seeing that he refused so decisively, Gu Liang couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But then he rolled his eyes and immediately put on a goading expression, sticking his neck out.

"Jiang Xuan! Do you look down on our Jin Yutang? Do you think our temple is too small to accommodate a Buddha like you?"

Jiang Xuan couldn't help but chuckle at his affected manner, and said helplessly.

"Your attempt to provoke me is rather clumsy."

He pondered for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and took out a rather antique-looking storage bag from his pocket, casually tossing it to Gu Liang.

"How about this, I'll take a stake, but I won't be involved in the management."

These spiritual materials are my initial investment in Jin Yu Tang.

Jiang Xuan spoke casually.

"As for the profit sharing, you can give whatever you think is appropriate, just give a token amount."

Gu Liang subconsciously caught the storage bag. It was heavy in his hand. A helpless look appeared on his face. He knew that Jiang Xuan was indirectly rejecting his suggestion, but did not want to completely offend him, so he used this method.

He sighed, put the storage bag away, and smiled wryly.

"Alright, since you insist... then consider this your investment. You'll definitely get your share of the profits."

Jiang Xuan smiled, patted Gu Liang on the shoulder, and teased him.

"Work hard, Young Master Gu. Whether Jin Yutang can rise to become one of the empire's top trading companies depends on you. As for me, I'll just be a hands-off manager and hold the title."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave gracefully.

After walking a few steps, Jiang Xuan glanced back at the brand-new "Jin Yu Tang" signboard, a thought flashing through his mind. With Gu Yanping's methods and Gu Liang's drive, plus his own "windfall" investment, could Jin Yu Tang truly have the chance to grow into a top-tier merchant guild that would stir up the winds of the empire?
He immediately shook his head, banishing these distracting thoughts, and his figure quickly disappeared around the street corner.

Inside the shop, Gu Liang looked in the direction Jiang Xuan had left, recalling how Jiang Xuan had intimidated the crowd with his casual words and then casually offered them "investment" funds. A warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He whispered to himself.

“Jiang Xuan… I, Gu Liang, will remember this kindness.”

No matter what path you choose, I consider you my friend. It's only natural for friends to support each other! He didn't feel any distance from Jiang Xuan because Jiang Xuan was a pure cultivator, a path different from his own chosen commercial cultivation.

After calming down a bit, Gu Liang curiously opened the storage bag Jiang Xuan had given him, wanting to see what kind of "spiritual materials" were inside.

However, the moment his divine sense probed into the storage bag, he was struck as if by lightning, frozen in place, his eyes wide open and his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it!
The storage bag wasn't very big, but the contents inside made Gu Liang's breath catch in his throat!
The bones of the Silver-feathered Snow Whale! Radiating a cold, moonlit light, brimming with spiritual energy!
The Ghostly Flame Grass! Its eerie blue flower buds, like flickering will-o'-the-wisps, exude an aura that is both chilling and scorching!
Nine-Turn Earth Core Iron! Its entire body is dark red, as if it has condensed the essence of the earth's core lava, and it is extremely heavy!

A thousand-year-old lightning-struck wood core! Containing both immense vitality and the destructive intent of lightning!

Earth Vein Dragon Liquid! Star Tear Gold Powder! ...

There were dozens of different kinds! Each one was a rare and extraordinary spiritual material that he had only seen in the catalogs of the most prestigious auctions or in certain ancient books! Any one of them would be enough to cause a sensation in Yanxia City and would be priceless!
Gu Liang roughly estimated that the total value of the contents of this storage bag was probably no less than 100,000 gold coins! It might even be higher! This was enough to buy all the Jin Yu Tang properties that he and his father, Gu Yanping, had painstakingly built up, and there would still be some left over!
"This this……"

Gu Liang's hands, holding the storage bag, trembled violently, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of his throat! He never imagined that Jiang Xuan's so-called "investment," which he casually tossed out, would actually amount to such an astonishing fortune!

Shock, horror, disbelief... a torrent of emotions surged through Gu Liang's mind. After a long while, he managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart, and his eyes gradually transformed from initial shock into an unwavering light.

He gripped the storage bag tightly in his hand, as if he were holding onto an infinite future. Facing the direction Jiang Xuan had left, he solemnly swore an oath in a voice only he could hear.

"Jiang Xuan... Don't worry! I, Gu Liang, will never let you down with your trust and generous gift! One day, I will definitely make Jin Yu Tang a world-renowned top-tier merchant guild! At that time, I will repay you a hundredfold, a thousandfold, for what you have invested today!"

……

In fact, Gu Liang had no idea that the spiritual materials that had brought him to the brink of death and barely calmed him down were the same batch that Granny Feng had given to Jiang Xuan to repair the Ancient Law Spirit Ocarina.

Jiang Xuan had made a very detailed and exhausting list to extort money from Gu Liang, and many of the spiritual materials on it were not actually necessary for the repair, or were used in very small quantities. The rest were temporarily useless to him, and it would be a waste to leave them there, so he gave them to Gu Liang to make the best use of them and to prevent Gu Liang from feeling too indebted to him.

Jiang Xuan is indeed not short of money now; the reward of 10,000 gold coins is still lying in his storage ring. Using these spiritual materials, which are not of much use to him, to invest in Jin Yu Tang will not only help Gu Liang, but also repay the kindness Gu Yanping showed him and Mr. Lu in Donglin City back then, which, though not heavy, was sincere enough.

He didn't want to take advantage of Gu Liang.

Back in his courtyard, Jiang Xuan put the matter of Jin Yutang out of his mind.

He sat cross-legged in the room, took out the Cloud Gang Purple Soul Pill he had just bought, poured out a pill the size of a longan, shrouded in purple mist, and swallowed it.

The pure and powerful medicinal energy instantly dissolved, nourishing his meridians like sweet rain, and was rapidly refined and absorbed by the "Storm Millstone".

His aura began to slowly rise, becoming more refined and profound.

One month later, the third trial of the Azure Cloud Path, "Hundred Battles," will begin in the Heavenly Secret Realm. Three chances are given; failure will seal the secret realm for a thousand years.

He must seize this unmissable opportunity, go all out, and get himself into peak condition!

Time flies, and a month has passed since the duel that shook the entire city in the arena. Yanxia City remains bustling and prosperous, but the figure of the young man in blue robes who used to frequently visit the Spirit Pattern Master's Guild and take on various crafting tasks with his superb skills has completely vanished as if he had evaporated into thin air.

Inside the Spirit Pattern Master Commune, Chu Feng faced waves of cultivators who came to inquire, some even bringing their own refining needs in hopes of getting the mysterious young Spirit Pattern Master's help. His face was filled with a helpless, bitter smile.

"President Chu Feng, when will Young Master Jiang Xuan emerge from seclusion? I urgently need to have spirit runes inscribed on this protective mirror. The price is negotiable!"

"Yes, Brother Chu Feng, we've known each other for a long time. Please put in a good word for us and ask Brother Jiang Xuan to take on a few more missions!"

"While the other spirit pattern masters in the commune are also quite skilled, they are ultimately lacking compared to Young Master Jiang Xuan's ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous..."

Similar requests come almost every day, and Chu Feng patiently explains and politely declines them one by one.

How could he not wish that Jiang Xuan could stay at the commune permanently? With him there, the reputation and status of the Spirit Pattern Masters' Commune in Yanxia City would surely rise to another level.

But Chu Feng knew even more clearly that Jiang Xuan's potential and ambition could not be confined by this small spirit pattern master commune. It was less of an investment and more of a heartfelt appreciation and connection.

Even if Jiang Xuan soars through the heavens in the future and no longer needs the small world of the Spirit Pattern Master Commune, Chu Feng will still regard him as a true friend. He will have no regrets as long as he can witness his rise.

……

In that secluded little courtyard in the south of the city, time seemed to flow exceptionally slowly.

Xue Jin lay lazily on his personal rocking chair, holding a huge wine jar in his hand. However, he did not drink to his heart's content today. Instead, he used a small wine cup to tease the round and chubby spirit beast, Qiu Qiu.

The wine glass shimmered alluringly in the sunlight, and the swirls of the fragrant liquid inside filled Chiu Chiu with a sense of wonder.

The little guy opened his big, dark eyes, his nose twitched, and his pink tongue unconsciously licked the corner of his mouth, revealing his strong desire.

However, when Xuejin mischievously held the wine glass to its lips, Qiuqiu suddenly turned its head away, pushed the glass away with its little paws, and made a firm "Chirp chirp" sound, as if to say something.

"The master said we can't drink alcohol!"

Upon seeing this, Xue Jin couldn't help but show a hint of surprise and admiration in his eyes, and he chuckled and scolded in a low voice.

"This little thing has been trained to be obedient."

He knew, of course, that Jiang Xuan was very strict with Qiuqiu, especially when it came to food, and he would never allow it to have any alcohol or similar things.

His gaze then turned to Jiang Xuan's secluded room, and a barely perceptible glint flashed in the depths of his seemingly cloudy old eyes. With his level of cultivation, he could clearly sense that a very thin, yet exceptionally stable, golden energy fluctuation was faintly shrouding the area around Jiang Xuan's room.

It was a simple yet highly efficient spirit-gathering array, using several high-quality spirit stones as its energy source. It could not only gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of several miles to aid cultivation, but also had the remarkable effect of concealing violent fluctuations in the internal spiritual energy.

The operation of this formation consumes no less than ten high-grade spirit stones daily! Such consumption is an unimaginable luxury for ordinary cultivators, enough to bankrupt a small family. Only those powerful and wealthy families with deep foundations would spare no expense for the sake of their key disciples.

The reason Jiang Xuan set up this formation was due to the strange phenomenon that occurred when he was in seclusion refining the "Cloudy Purple Soul Pill".

When he fully activated the "Dongxuan Devouring Wilderness Scripture" and stirred up the mysterious "Storm Millstone" within his body, the spiritual power around him surged like a river bursting its banks, even causing the sounds of wind and thunder. If it weren't for Xue Jin's presence in this small courtyard and its secluded location, it would probably have attracted countless prying eyes long ago.

It was Xue Jin who noticed this point that guided Jiang Xuan to set up this spirit-gathering array, which could both accelerate cultivation and conceal the movement, achieving two goals at once.

"It's been a full twenty-three days..."

Xue Jin picked up the wine jar and took a swig, silently calculating in his mind.

This spirit-gathering array had been operating day and night for over twenty days, meaning Jiang Xuan had also been cultivating at a high intensity without sleep for over twenty days. The speed at which the "Storm Millstone" devoured and refined spiritual energy was terrifying, and combined with the pure medicinal power of the Cloud Gang Purple Soul Pill, his cultivation intensity far exceeded ordinary people's imagination. (End of this chapter)