Cultivating immortality in the seas, I created an immortal island of eternal life.

"Junior Brother Gao," Feng Yi's voice lowered, and his smile faded, "why are you inquiring about this person?"

"I am his newly accepted disciple." Gao Yao did not hide anything, as it would be easier to get things done by using someone else's name. "But my master is of a quiet and reserved nature and does not like to talk much, so I wanted to learn more about him in order to fulfill my duty as a disciple."

Feng Yi stared at him for a long time, his gaze becoming even more probing.

After a while, he suddenly smiled, not with the politeness of a businessman, but with a hint of unexpected joy.

"Are you Di Yin's disciple?" Feng Yi repeated, as if confirming something.

Gao Yao nodded.

Feng Yi turned around, took a jade slip from the bookshelf, and placed it on the table.

"Here you go, this intelligence."

Gao Yao was stunned for a moment.

"Manager Feng, you just said..."

"I'm talking about an equal exchange," Feng Yi interrupted him, smiling. "You're Di Yin's disciple, so this information is worth that price."

Gao Yao's heart sank, realizing he had underestimated the value of the information from Di Yin's disciple.

How could you make a profit-driven businessman refuse to take money?

The only reason is that the information about Di Yin's disciple is worth far more than a bag of spirit stones.

But Gao Yao knew what was really going on with his disciple. Di Yin didn't acknowledge him at all; he only accepted him because he lost a bet. This identity looked respectable, but it was easily exposed.

"Manager Feng, this..."

"Take it." Feng Yi pushed the jade slip over. "If Junior Brother Gao needs anything in the future, just come to me. Hongyun Trading Company does business with its doors wide open, and we value integrity above all else."

Gao Yao hesitated for a moment, then put the jade slip into his sleeve.

"Thank you, Manager Feng."

"You're too kind." Feng Yi stood up. "Is there anything else, Junior Brother Gao?"

"Sorry to bother you."

Gao Yao cupped his hands in greeting and left the room.

......

Back in the private room on the second floor, Ye Ran had not yet returned.

Gao Yao closed the door, sat in a corner, and took out the jade slip.

As I probed with my divine sense, lines of text appeared.

"Di Yin, the former sect leader of the Yunxiang Sect, possessed a peak Foundation Establishment cultivation level and was skilled in formations. Over a hundred years ago, due to internal strife within the sect, he abdicated and went into seclusion in the back mountains, no longer concerning himself with sect affairs..."

Former sect leader?

Did Di Yin serve as the sect leader of the Yunxiang Sect?

Gao Yao's expression was uncertain; even after putting down the jade slip, his mind was still buzzing.

If this information is true, then many things make sense.

Wang Yao is the current sect leader's personal disciple, while Di Yin is the former sect leader.

It's impossible for two sect leaders to be without disagreements.

Wang Yao's decision to place herself under Di Yin's tutelage was not a genuine apprenticeship; it was most likely an extension of factional infighting.

She is the sect leader, and Di Yin is the former sect leader.

Placing oneself in their ranks is ostensibly a formality to become their apprentice, but secretly it could be a form of surveillance, a gesture of goodwill, or a test.

No wonder Di Yin was cold to him; the old man wasn't unwilling to teach, but rather afraid to.

Who knows what the sect leader's true intentions are in sending someone here personally?

Gao Yao was increasingly troubled. He thought he was climbing the ranks, but in reality, he was just being pushed around in the cracks of factional struggles.

Wang Yao is the chess player, Di Yin is the chess player, and he is just a chess piece.

Gao put the jade slip into his sleeve, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

Don't rush.

Regardless of Wang Yao's plans or Di Yin's attitude, his most important task now is to survive and become stronger.

Everything else is meaningless.

......

Hongyun Trading Company, third floor.

This private room is much more elegant than the one on the second floor.

The tables and chairs were made of rosewood, and instead of ordinary calligraphy and paintings, a nautical chart woven from silk was hanging on the wall, marking all the shipping routes between Pingsha Sea and the adjacent sea areas.

Feng Yi sat in the main seat, holding a teapot and pouring tea. He looked at Ye Ran sitting opposite him, his smile much more subdued than when he was entertaining Li Su, and his eyes were more serious.

Ye Ran leaned back in her chair, her gaze falling on the window. From here, she could see the dock, where several boats were unloading cargo, and porters were carrying sacks back and forth like a swarm of ants moving house.

"Ninth Princess, everything you instructed has been arranged."

"Has the news gotten out?"

"The word has been sent out. The Third Prince has received the message and told you to take care and not to push yourself too hard."

Ye Ran nodded without replying. She reached for the teacup on the table, took a sip, and although the tea was good and sweet, she couldn't taste anything special.

"Most of the people I planted failed in the autumn examinations."

"The Shark Sea Pass is indeed dangerous. The Yunxiang Sect is using human lives as sacrifices." Feng Yi sighed and said something polite, "It's good that you're alright."

Ye Ran stared at him for a while, then suddenly asked, "What's going on in Yun Kingdom?"

Feng Yi hesitated for a moment, as if considering how much to say: "His Highness the Third Prince is already mobilizing troops, saying that he will take action against the Yunxiang Sect before the end of the year."

Ye Ran frowned: "The end of the year? That's too rushed."

"His Highness's idea is to take advantage of the ongoing internal strife within the Yunxiang Sect and seize it in one fell swoop." Feng Yi paused, "There is also pressure from the Yun Kingdom."

The Yunxiang Sect is indeed embroiled in internal strife, but even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse. It won't be easy for the cultivators of the Yun Kingdom to swallow this piece of fat meat.

Ye Ran picked up the teacup on the table and took another sip. The tea had already started to cool down and was quite bitter.

"Did you find the person I asked you to investigate?"

Feng Yi knew who she was talking about.

"Gao Yao." He took out a jade slip from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "I investigated the villages that were destroyed by the Yunxiang Sect, but I didn't find much useful information. This person seems to have appeared out of thin air. His previous traces are incredibly clean."

Ye Ran turned around, picked up the jade slip, and didn't rush to read it.

"Anything else?"

"And..." Feng Yi hesitated for a moment, "He just became Di Yin's disciple."

Ye Ran raised an eyebrow: "Di Yin? The former sect leader of the Yunxiang Sect?"

"Yes."

Ye Ran fell silent; the other party's identity was far more complicated than she had imagined.

Di Yin, the former sect leader, retired and lived in seclusion for many years, no longer concerned with sect affairs, but suddenly took in a disciple, who was Wang Yao's person.

Wang Yao is the current sect leader's personal disciple; she was apprenticed to the former sect leader.

What is this?

A gesture of goodwill? A test? Or a move in a factional struggle?

Several thoughts raced through Ye Ran's mind, but she couldn't make sense of them.

"Keep an eye on them." She put the jade slip into her sleeve. "Don't alert them."

"clear."

Ye Ran walked to the door, placed her hand on the door frame, and suddenly stopped.

"Feng Yi".

"exist."

"So, what does Hongyun Trading Company do?"

Feng Yi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "That's a question from the Ninth Princess. A trading company is, of course, a business."

What are the key points to doing business?

"Uphold integrity, treat everyone fairly, young and old, and keep your promises."

"Then tell me, what is integrity?" Ye Ran stared at him.

Feng Yi's smile remained unchanged, his eyes narrowed like a fox's: "Honesty means getting paid and doing the job."

"What if someone offered you an even higher price to side with them?" Ye Ran said slowly.

"Ninth Princess, you are a wise woman." Feng Yi put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and his businessman's enthusiasm had largely disappeared. "Hongyun Trading Company does business, not take sides."

"I'll do things for whoever pays me. If the Yun Kingdom pays me, I'll do things for the Yun Kingdom. If the Yun Xiangzong pays me, I'll do things for the Yun Xiangzong."

"That's not called integrity," Ye Ran said. "That's called being a fence-sitter."

"But that's business," Feng Yi corrected with a smile. "Ninth Princess, you were born into the royal family and never had to worry about food or clothing. You don't know the hardships of those of us who do business."

"Unlike you, who have a country to be loyal to and a home to return to, we are just a group of people begging for food in the cracks. We fall one way today and another way tomorrow. In the end, we just want to live a few more days."

Ye Ran stared at him for a long time, and Feng Yi didn't flinch, just smiling and letting her look at him.

"Add more money," Ye Ran suddenly said.

Feng Yi was stunned: "What?"

"I said, more money," Ye Ran repeated. "Whatever the Yunxiang Sect pays you for working for them, my Yun Kingdom will pay double."

"The condition is that you can only work for the Yun Kingdom."

"Ninth Princess, what you're saying..." Feng Yi's smile finally changed, a smile that carried a hint of helplessness and a touch of amusement. "I'm afraid I cannot comply."

"Think about it, if I agree to your offer, and then the Yunxiang Sect offers three times the amount, and I turn back? Wouldn't that make me a fickle and unreliable person?"

"So what do you mean?"

"What I mean is," Feng Yi held up one finger, "I'm willing to pay more, but don't talk about loyalty."

"You give me money, I'll do things for you; Yun Xiangzong gives me money, I'll do things for Yun Xiangzong."

"If I get paid from both sides, I can do the work for both. Isn't that great?"

"No one will feel like they've lost out."

Ye Ran stared at Feng Yi for a long while, then suddenly smiled.

"Manager Feng, you really are a businessman."

"Your Highness is too kind," Feng Yi said, cupping his hands in a smile that made his eyes disappear.

Ye Ran didn't say anything more and went out.

The door closed, leaving Feng Yi alone in the room.

He sat back down in his chair, picked up the glass of cold tea in front of him, and took a sip.

The bitterness melted on his tongue, and Feng Yi smacked his lips, as if he were savoring something delicious.

"Interesting." He muttered to himself, "Di Yin's disciple, Wang Yao's man, is now being targeted by the Ninth Princess..."

"Is this kid lucky or unlucky?"

......