Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World

"... Many small sects are very poor, and even if our costs are low, they still can't afford many of the Jiushan Sect's products."

"Moreover, the Hundred Immortals Alliance certainly has a limit, and he's thinking of exploring sea routes."

At this point, Zhang also frowned a bit: "Our Jiushan Sect's production will only increase... I don't know how much the Hundred Immortals Alliance can absorb."

Zheng Fa heard this and merely smiled, somewhat approvingly:

"I said his mind is quite agile."

Seeing him like this, Zhang naturally understood that Zheng Fa had some ideas to solve this problem, and couldn't help but look at him.

"Senior Sister, do you remember Master Pang's survey report?"

Zhang nodded.

"What do you think, are those sects willing to exchange mining rights for spiritual materials?"

Zhang frowned, understanding Zheng Fa's intention: "You mean using the Shenxiao Mining Ship?"

"That's what I'm thinking. The Shenxiao Mining Ship's efficiency is extremely high; just using it within our Jiushan Realm is a waste."

"So, you're targeting those spirit ores of the Hundred Immortals Alliance?"

Zheng Fa nodded.

He had Master Pang investigate those spirit ores with this intention—

After all, the Hundred Immortals Alliance was still considered by Zheng Fa as a raw material production site, and what he valued most were these spiritual materials.

"Do you mean... having them pay with spirit ore mining rights?"

Zheng Fa nodded slightly.

He smiled and said, "You know the efficiency of the Shenxiao Mining Ship, Senior Sister, we're certainly at no loss..."

Zhang's expression was a bit twisted.

Her calculation ability was strong, and she instantly understood what "surely at no loss" meant?

They could mine the Hundred Immortals Alliance's sects dry!

Simply put, Zheng Fa intended to settle accounts with various magic artifacts and pills, securing mining rights from the major sects of the Hundred Immortals Alliance for certain years.

The problem is...

How much can those sects mine in a year with cultivators?

How much can the Jiushan Sect mine in a year with the Shenxiao Mining Ship?

Thinking of this, Zhang felt that the future life of those sects in the Hundred Immortals Alliance was probably doomed to be dark.

Even... even if some people were unwilling to sell their spiritual material mining rights to the Jiushan Sect.

The massive output of the Shenxiao Mining Ship would undoubtedly cause the prices of many spiritual materials in the Hundred Immortals Alliance to plummet...

By then, many sects that relied on spirit ores to survive would also be unable to sustain.

She looked at Zheng Fa, a bit confused in her eyes.

"Senior Sister, if the sects willing to cooperate with us in mining can retain a part of the profit share..." Zheng Fa paused, "If not, this is also the last chance I'll give them; after all, three's a crowd..."

Zhang understood the implication behind Zheng Fa's words:

Frankly speaking, compared to the domineering Haori Mountain, Zheng Fa indeed gave the major sects of the Hundred Immortals Alliance three opportunities:

The first was the guild affair:

At that time, less than forty percent of the sects in the Hundred Immortals Alliance responded; most sects were still afraid of having their heritage seized by the Jiushan Sect.

The second opportunity was actually the Chongxuan Sect affair:

Now that the anti-intent of the Chongxuan Sect has become apparent, there are still some sects in the Hundred Immortals Alliance interacting with it.

Because Haori Mountain does not hide its support of the Chongxuan Sect, so these sects are quite numerous—they might feel that Haori Mountain is ultimately more reliable than the Jiushan Realm.

The third is this mining cooperation.

After three times, those who have not boarded the ship of the Jiushan Sect...

For the Jiushan Sect, they are no longer considered insiders.

"As for the development of maritime trade routes, it should indeed be done." Zheng Fa pondered and said, "That Chongxuan Sect's Immortal Trapping Sword, I haven't figured out the situation yet, but to anticipate the enemy broadly, we can temporarily assume our sect's land trade routes are almost severed..."

"The sea is a way out." Zhang listened and frowned, gritting her teeth said, "This Chongxuan Sect is indeed causing trouble."

"Although the spiritual materials in the Hundred Immortals Alliance are numerous, the variety isn't that rich after all..."

"Otherwise, we could cultivate more disciples and conduct more experiments..."

Zheng Fa was also somewhat helpless.

The income of the Jiushan Realm increased, but expenses would rise accordingly.

In next month's budget, forty percent of expenditures are in education—wanting to cultivate five hundred Nascent Souls in fifty years, this investment will only get higher and far from sufficient at present.

On the other hand, the experiments of the Heavenly Craft Pavilion and the Alchemy Master Guild have never stopped, which roughly accounts for another thirty percent.

What Zheng Fa is doing now is all about internal potential exploitation, but according to the "First 50-Year Plan," it's still somewhat insufficient.

Zheng Fa shook his head and said, "Even if we don't consider the conspiracy behind the Immortal Trapping Sword, Haori Mountain's cut-off of our land trade route is enough to impact the development of the Hundred Immortals Alliance."

Elder Han, listening beside, was perplexed, exchanging a glance of mutual understanding with Xie Qingxue:

To be honest, this matter, Haori Mountain is a bit wronged.

The Jiushan Sect lacks money, of course, there are means of Haori Mountain at play.

But the main problem, isn't it too exaggerated to create five hundred Nascent Souls in fifty years?

Both of them knew in their hearts that if the Jiushan Sect were like a traditional sect like the Tianhe Sect, the current income would be quite sufficient...

The problem is... Zheng Fa is ready to burn Spirit Stones for development!

Even Yan Wushuang, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly said:

"Why do I feel... a Qi Cultivation disciple of the Jiushan Sect lives better than me, the Tianhe Young Master?"

"..."

Xie Qingxue glanced at Yan Wushuang, this foolish junior brother really wasn't wrong this time:

She thought for a moment, if she could have joined a sect like the Jiushan Sect back then... who would care to be the suffocating Senior Sister Tianhe...

...

Not only is Zheng Fa prepared to burn Spirit Stones, but Haori Mountain... is also burning Spirit Stones.

At Divine Fire Mountain, Zheng Fa looked at the Chongxuan Sect's Ninth Elder, somewhat surprised, "Have our Chongxuan Sect's disciples rob the Jiushan Sect's ships?"

The Ninth Elder nodded, adding, "Not only our sect's disciples, but Haori Mountain has already placed a bounty, even the various loose cultivators within Haori Mountain's territory are involved."

She thought for a while and then explained, "In recent days, the Jiushan Sect's business is booming, and our Chongxuan Sect's magic artifacts aren't selling anymore..."

Zheng Fa understood.

Haori Mountain wanted to restrain the Jiushan Sect's development, intending to sever trade routes from the beginning, but didn't anticipate the Jiushan Sect's business flourishing, feeling a bit anxious...

Are they planning to hire loose cultivators or Chongxuan Sect cultivators as bandits?

"Who would be so reckless?"

Even in front of the Ninth Elder, Zheng Fa couldn't help but comment.

Did they really think he and Zhang were just for show?

The Ninth Elder remained silent and handed him a piece of paper. Upon seeing it, Zheng Fa was shocked—Haori Mountain was truly offering a bounty for lives:

Their bounties were extremely high.

Every artifact, pill, even taking the life of a Jiushan Sect disciple would be individually rewarded—

The problem is, the reward is far higher than the price of the artifacts and pills themselves.

Hurting others and oneself...

"Not to mention our Chongxuan Sect's disciples, those loose cultivators... there's bound to be some who want money over life." Seeing that he seemed to understand, the Ninth Elder sighed, "Even among our Chongxuan Sect disciples, life is unstable now... some might want to take the risk."

Zheng Fa found it a bit troublesome.

Human lives at Haori Mountain were cheap, while every disciple of Zheng Fa was trained with expensive resources!

They couldn't afford to die!

This low human rights advantage!

Uh... wait!

Zheng Fa looked at the bounties in his hand, Zhang leaned closer, quickly calculated...

According to the prices on this, submitting various magic artifacts and pills made in the Jiushan Realm, and then claiming the rewards... seems more profitable than regular trade?

He seems to have found a unique trade technique!

"Master... I want to give it a try!"

Zheng Fa courageously said.

Going against the Jiushan Sect for rewards?

I can oppose too!