Deeper Cooperation

After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Yang handed a storage ring to Vice Sect Leader Shi.

"There are two hundred bottles of tinder and two hundred barbecue grills in here, enough for a while."

Vice Sect Leader Shi diverted a wisp of his Divine Sense to roughly scan the storage ring. He was delighted; with these items, the number of branch stores would no longer be a problem.

Vice Leader Shi handed Lu Yang an account book and a storage ring.

"This is the operational status over the past month, and your church's profit sharing."

Lu Yang counted the Spirit Stone in his storage ring; there were approximately 120,000 Spirit Stone.

This is not much more valuable than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

He feigned nonchalance and casually handed the storage ring to Tao Yaoye: "Put it in the treasury when we get back."

Tao Yaoye silently accepted the storage ring without saying a word, her heart unsettled.

Twelve thousand Spirit Stone! That's more than Golden Core cultivator's entire life Spirit Stone.

Lu Yang sent a telepathic message to Tao Yaoye, assuring her that with the Immortal Fairy present, he wasn't afraid of being overheard by the Petrified Bone.

"Junior Sister Tao, relax. Once your 'Dream Bubble' patent is approved, you'll earn much more than this."

"And don't be afraid just because the other party is in the Body Integration Realm or is the Vice Leader of the Demonic Sect. He might need your help in the future. After all, your Dream Bubble is perfect for publicity."

"Why?"

Tao Yaoye didn't understand what he meant, but Lu Yang just smiled and didn't explain further.

Seeing Lu Yang's nonchalant attitude, Vice Leader Shi suspected that Lu Yang's dissatisfaction stemmed from the small amount of money, which had caused a rift in the relationship between the Nine Nether Sect and the Heavenly Court Sect. He explained, "Since we've just started operating, the initial investment is too large, and it's difficult to see any returns yet. Please forgive me, Lu Tianjiao. I believe that after a year or two, once we've opened barbecue restaurants across the continent and the business is booming, hundreds of millions of Spirit Stone will surely flow into the coffers of our two sects every day!"

Vice Leader Shi wasn't just making empty promises to Lu Yang; it was the result of calculations.

Lu Yang waved his hand. "Sect Leader Shi misunderstands. It's not that I think there aren't enough Spirit Stone. Our sect's treasury stores countless High Antiquity treasures, heavenly soldiers, and immortal fruits. If you want Spirit Stone, selling just a few will bring you endless wealth."

"I wanted to remind Sect Leader Shi that the establishment of this barbecue restaurant by our sect and your sect is a manifestation of our friendship. Don't let the Spirit Stone solidify our relationship. How can the bond between our two sects be measured by Spirit Stone?"

If it's just about trading Spirit Stone and opening a barbecue restaurant together, such a cooperation is destined to be superficial. What Lu Yang wants is a deeper cooperation with the Nine Nether Sect.

Vice Leader Shi was deeply ashamed, realizing that despite being at the Body Integration Realm, his vision was narrow.

He truly deserves to be called a genius of the High Antiquity Heavenly Court; his vision is so lofty that even he feels inferior.

Just as Lu Yang felt he had shown Tao Yaoye enough of the world and was about to leave, Vice Sect Leader Shi quickly called him back.

"Young Master Lu, Peach Blossom Pride, please wait."

Tao Yaoye's heart skipped a beat; she thought she had been discovered.

"What is it?" Lu Yang asked, puzzled. "I've given you the things and taken the Spirit Stone, what else do you want?"

At the same time, he sent a telepathic message to Tao Yaoye, signaling her not to be nervous.

"I wonder what Young Master Lu's views are on ancient cultivators?"

Vice Sect Leader Shi suddenly had a brilliant idea: he realized that what Lu Yang wanted was not just Spirit Stone, but a deeper cooperation.

In that case, let's deepen our cooperation!

"Ancient cultivators?" Lu Yang chuckled, his eyes revealing the pride of a High Antiquity prodigy and disdain for ancient cultivators. "Before our Heavenly Court Sect, who dares to call themselves an ancient cultivator?"

Vice Sect Leader Shi then realized, "That's right, whether they are cultivators from the Great Yu Dynasty or the Great Gan Dynasty, they are all juniors in front of Lu Yang."

In terms of antiquity, who can compare to the Heavenly Court Sect?

In terms of historical foundation, who can compare to the Heavenly Court, which governs all the stars in the sky?

The Central Continent may be vast, but how can it compare to the myriad stars in the sky?

In terms of the power of an era, the High Antiquity times had the well-known Four High Antiquity, immortal immortals hidden by time, and the Bean Celestial Venerable, a total of six immortals. Whether the Great Yu and Great Qian had immortals is another matter!

The so-called ancient cultivators are no match for the Heavenly Court Sect!

I'm so confused!

Hearing Lu Yang's words, Vice Sect Leader Shi understood. He said indignantly, "I wonder if Young Sect Leader Lu has heard that at the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony half a month ago, ancient cultivators suddenly appeared, disrupting the ceremony and causing it to end abruptly!"

Lu Yang nodded. "I've heard a little about it."

"To be honest, I temporarily opened a branch in Qingzhou Grand Ceremony to see how well the people of Qingzhou would accept a barbecue restaurant. Before I could even figure things out, I was disrupted by cultivators from the Great Yu Dynasty!"

Vice Master Shi gets angry whenever he talks about this. He was just running his shop peacefully, keeping to himself and the ancient cultivators, but they had to be so blind as to cause trouble.

Do you know how important Qingzhou is? Of the seventeen states in the Great Xia Dynasty, Qingzhou's strength is enough to rank among the top three!

How much money can you make opening a barbecue restaurant in Qingzhou?

He had heard that Qingzhou's strength used to be ranked in the lower middle range. Twenty thousand years ago, a governor appeared in Qingzhou. This governor not only had high cultivation and was at the Tribulation Transcendence stage, but also had a wildly imaginative mind and often did things that ordinary people could not think of. The Qingzhou Grand Ceremony was proposed by this governor.

Under the leadership of this governor, Qingzhou's strength has been rising steadily, ranking among the top three, and at its peak, it even ranked first!

"Our two sects jointly operate fifteen barbecue restaurants. Destroying one isn't a big deal, but the problem is that these ancient cultivators can destroy one once, and they can destroy another!"

Vice Master Shi subtly reminded Lu Yang that the Great Yu cultivators had not destroyed the Nine Nether Sect's barbecue restaurant, but rather the barbecue restaurants of both the Nine Nether Sect and the Heavenly Court Sect.

Vice Sect Leader Shi was still not satisfied after nearly killing Venerable Tianzai by using his tribulation lightning. Since Venerable Tianzai had escaped, he had no choice but to vent his anger on other ancient cultivators.

The barbecue restaurant is related to his billion-dollar debt. If he can't pay it off and is struck dead by lightning, he and the ancient cultivators will become mortal enemies!

I swear I will not rest until I avenge this!

Lu Yang understood: Vice Sect Leader Shi had made enemies with ancient cultivators and wanted the Heavenly Court Sect's help.

He was certainly happy to participate.

Lu Yang looked at Vice Leader Shi with a half-smile, "Does Leader Shi still remember the plan I devised for your sect at the barbecue restaurant last time?"

Vice Sect Leader Shi blurted out, his memories from the Body Integration Realm being quite powerful. "The Nine Nether Sect allies with the Demon Realm and the East Sea externally, and with the Ruthless and Radiant Sects internally. When the great conflict arrives, if our two sects act together, our immortal endeavors can be accomplished, and the Nine Nether Sect can prosper!"

"Did I mention joining forces with cultivators from the Great Yu and Great Gan eras in the plan?"

Vice Sect Leader Shi's eyes lit up. That's it! There was no place for ancient cultivators in the plan at all!

"This world originally belonged to my Heavenly Court. If my Heavenly Court could not tolerate Ying Tianxian and his ilk ruling the High Antiquity, how could it possibly tolerate the rule of the Great Gan, Great Yu, and Great Xia on the continent?"

Vice Leader Shi was overjoyed; the Heavenly Court Sect's attitude was even more forceful than he had imagined.

With the Heavenly Court as a powerful ally, let's see what those damned ancient cultivators can do now!

"I urge your esteemed sect to join forces with my Nine Nether Sect to deal with the ancient cultivators!" Vice Sect Leader Shi stood up, his eyes burning with desire, speaking with great sincerity as he expressed his hope to reach a cooperation agreement with the Heavenly Court Sect.

Lu Yang slowly stood up, a confident smile on his lips, and shook hands with Vice Leader Shi.

"Then, it's a pleasure to cooperate."

After leaving the morgue, I felt normal again...