“With evil cultivators watching like hawks and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance to the north coveting Qinghe County's commercial taxes...”
“If a force capable of deterring all parties were to take the initiative to visit at this moment, offering protection in exchange for the jurisdiction over Qinghe County, how could the ancestor of the Great Yan Dynasty easily refuse?”
Shen Tinglan leaned back in her chair and murmured in contemplation, “A'Ci, do you mean to have the Shen family take over jurisdiction of Qinghe County from the Great Yan Dynasty and turn this place into the Shen family's public stronghold in the Southern Region?”
“Exactly. Qinghe County has a solid foundation. Once we take it over, we can use it directly as our base of operations.”
“The artifact-refining workshop's industry, the reputation of our array masters, the distribution channels of the city's markets—all the supporting facilities are already established and don't need to be built from scratch.”
“We only need to accomplish one thing: make the Great Yan Dynasty willingly hand over Qinghe County, and then announce to the world as a top-tier power that the Shen family has officially established itself in the Southern Region.”
Shen Tinglan pointed out the key factor. “The ancestor of the Great Yan Dynasty is currently desperate for powerful allies. If the Shen family proactively extends an offer of cooperation, he will have no reason to refuse.”
“But simply promising protection is far from enough; the Shen family must show visible sincerity. We should prepare several Earth-grade Low-rank pills and have our array masters personally reinforce the capital's city-protecting array.”
“With proper etiquette and proven strength, when the time is right to propose taking over Qinghe County, he will only feel like he's the one getting the bargain of a lifetime.”
Shen Qingci said, “Exactly.”
“When the time comes, Clan Uncle and Aunt will no longer need to hide under assumed names. You can reclaim your real names and proudly display the Shen family's banner in the Southern Region.”
“The Nanxing Artifact-Refining Workshop will continue its business as usual, and Aunt can keep taking array commissions. We'll just need to add a new plaque above the entrance reading 'Northern Region Shen Family'.”
“After lying low for hundreds of years, we can finally show our faces openly.” Shen Nanxing rubbed his hands together in excitement.
Shen Qingci stood up and solemnly cupped her hands to the two. “Clan Uncle, Aunt, I leave this matter entirely in your hands. When it comes to the bargaining chips and the negotiation boundaries with the Great Yan Dynasty, you both are far more experienced than I.”
Shen Nanxing and Shen Tinglan exchanged glances, then spoke in unison, “Should we notify the main family to transfer some of our clansmen here?”
“I will send a message back shortly. Whether to send people or resources will be entirely up to Mother.”
In any case, the system was her ready-made sugar mommy. What she got depended entirely on luck, and she had absolutely no say in it. At most, she could control the frequency and quantity of her gacha draws.
Since they were setting up such a massive enterprise in Qinghe County, she would start by doing two hundred draws to test the waters later.
“Excellent!”
Shen Tinglan clapped her hands and laughed.
“With such an outstanding daughter in our family, the prosperity of our clan is just around the corner!”
“Aunt, you flatter me. As the successor of the Shen family, this is merely my duty.”
By the time Shen Qingci stepped out of the study, the sun had already reached its zenith. The shadow of the parasol tree in the inner courtyard had shrunk into a tiny pool beneath her feet.
She stood at the corner of the corridor for a moment, casting a glance toward the eastern wing.
The door was still closed.
Her senior sister was likely still regulating her breathing.
After downing seven cups of Jade Dew Brew last night and being cornered against the edge of the bed this morning with nowhere to retreat, anyone would need some time to recover.
Shen Qingci rubbed the bridge of her nose, deciding not to push her luck.
“Uncle Shun,” she called out to Shen Shun, who was waiting at the courtyard gate. “Help me prepare an empty room. Not too far from the eastern wing, but not too close either. Just somewhere quiet.”
Shen Shun complied and left without asking a single question.
The Eldest Young Lady never needed to explain her actions. This was a rule etched into the very bones of the Shen family's stewards.
In less than half an incense stick's time, the room was ready. It was located in the small side courtyard right next to the eastern wing, separated only by a moon gate—just a quick turn away.
Shen Qingci pushed open the door and scanned the room.
The layout was slightly smaller than the eastern wing, but it was fully furnished with everything she needed.
There was a yellow pearwood daybed, a writing desk, and a standing spiritual lamp in the corner. The window faced the parasol tree in the courtyard; opening it would give her a direct view of the eastern wing's side door.
She bolted the door, sat cross-legged on the daybed, and sank her divine sense into her sea of consciousness.
On the system interface, the number in the Belief Value column made her eyelids twitch slightly.
She had been in Qinghe County for barely a day, yet her earnings had nearly doubled compared to her time at the sect.
The grand display of the two Wind-Treading Steed carriages at the ferry, the twelve storefronts on the main street of the East Market, the commotion of her Soul Transformation stage clan uncle kneeling on one knee in the inner courtyard...
These pieces of news seemed to have grown legs, spreading like wildfire through the county city. Every time they reached a new corner, her Belief Value would surge.
Looking at the long string of numbers, Shen Qingci was in an exceptionally good mood.
Indeed, flexing invisibly was the ultimate driver of productivity.
“Two hundred consecutive draws, start.”
The phantom roulette wheel expanded, its needle spinning wildly.
Eighteen consecutive gray lights appeared first—all "Thank you for playing." They popped up one after another, the gray light on the wheel flashing so rapidly it looked like a bug.
Shen Qingci's expression remained unchanged; she was already used to it. Every time she pulled from the gacha, the system would slap her a few times before giving her a sweet treat.
Then, white cards covered the ground.
One hundred and twenty Peiyuan Pills, eighty sticks of Mind-Focusing Incense, one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, three thousand pounds of spiritual grain, twelve Yellow-grade High-rank robes, five sets of Yellow-grade High-rank armor, three hundred five-hundred-year-old spiritual plants...
The items were stacked neatly in the system space. Although there was a wider variety than last time, to her current self, they were all rather lackluster.
However, they were perfect to dump on her sidekicks.
Three thousand pounds of spiritual grain? That was enough to feed Yin Ruozhuo for three months.
As Shen Qingci categorized the items, she mentally designated a recipient for each one.
Zhao Yu would get the armor, Xiao Yan the robes, Chen Zian the spiritual plants... and the rest would be packed up and thrown to Yin Ruozhuo.
That fat fellow wouldn't mind at all. He would probably just hug the sack and cry, “Senior Sister Shen, you are my second parent!”
Quite a few blue cards appeared as well.
Seven Mystic-grade High-rank robes, five sets of Tier 3 trapping and killing array discs, one hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones, a copy of the "Northern Region Demon Beast Illustrated Guide", and two Tier 5 substitute talismans...
Shen Qingci singled out the substitute talismans and placed them in the most accessible spot inside her storage ring.
These things could block a fatal blow. Including the one from last time, she had to remember to give them all to her senior sister.
She stored the remaining array discs and spirit stones away, intending to leave them for the Shadow Division to use.
Purple light flashed twice in succession. One was the "Thunder-Concealment Steps" movement technique card, an Earth-grade Mid-rank technique. By channeling lightning spiritual energy into the meridians of both feet, one could achieve short-distance teleportation. Once cultivated to great perfection, one could move without a trace within a hundred-yard radius.
Shen Qingci scanned the description and directly slapped it into her sea of consciousness to fuse it. A massive flood of movement technique memories surged into her meridians. The Yongquan acupoints on the soles of her feet warmed up slightly as lightning spiritual energy automatically completed a full cycle through the three yin meridians of her feet, leaving her entire body feeling comfortable.
The other purple light revealed two "Anchor Teleportation Talismans." Once crushed, they could teleport the user to a pre-anchored location, with a maximum range of three thousand miles.
These were all excellent life-saving treasures. She stored them in her storage ring, keeping them in the same spot as the substitute talismans.
On the hundred and sixty-seventh draw, the roulette wheel shuddered violently.
A beam of deep purple light shot up from the center of the wheel, its edges traced with faint golden patterns. The commotion was almost identical to when she had drawn the Shadow Division Secret Guards.
Shen Qingci's cross-legged posture didn't change, but her fingers resting on her knees tightened unconsciously.
【Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Deep Purple Card - Cultivation Upgrade Card ×3】
Rate on N.U.
