Langya Charity Foundation

Ren Pingsheng had come from the merchant association headquarters to Heavenly Severing Island this time.

His main purpose was to commend the shopkeepers and shop assistants of the various Langya Branches on Heavenly Severing Island in his capacity as the person in charge of this jurisdiction.

In his view,

even if those customers had developed favorable feelings toward the Langya Merchant Association because Wang Mu had organized the Ascension Convention,

the previous month's revenue could not have surged so dramatically without the efforts of those shopkeepers and shop assistants.

However,

when he truly came into contact with the branch shopkeepers, he discovered that everyone's attitude toward the matter was astonishingly similar.

—It had nothing to do with them. It was all Young Master's credit!

Ren Pingsheng had initially found it hard to believe.

He thought those shopkeepers were merely trying to flatter Young Master.

Yet when he personally witnessed a "buying frenzy," he fell silent.

He, too, had clawed his way up step by step from the bottom.

He had never imagined business could be this easy.

Were those customers really there to buy things?

They were practically there to sweep the place clean.

Whether something was useful to them or not, they bought it first and worried about it later.

Ren Pingsheng suddenly recalled what Nalan Rongyun had said.

Young Master... had taught them a lesson?

At the time, many Chief Managers present had merely smiled and nodded, but in truth, few had taken it to heart.

Ren Pingsheng included.

They had all thought Wang Mu had simply gotten lucky for a moment, stumbling into success by sheer accident, and that it would be impossible to replicate.

But now, Ren Pingsheng's thoughts had changed.

The first reason he had come, as he had said, was to deliver the merchant association's reward into Wang Mu's hands.

The second was to take the opportunity to meet Wang Mu.

He could not say exactly why he wanted to see him, but he simply did.

"This money came quickly, but it won't last!"

Wang Mu looked at the huge figures recorded one after another in the account book and sighed.

Ren Pingsheng narrowed his eyes slightly. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Even if the various sects are grateful that I found them so many Immortal Seeds and spend lavishly, this is still a one-shot deal! Once they finish buying this time, they won't need to purchase similar supplies again for years!"

Even if Wang Mu held another Ascension Convention next year,

where would he find so many Immortal Seeds to uncover?

Business was about a steady stream flowing on.

It was great to have something like this once in a while, but one could not count on it forever.

"Besides, there's another drawback!"

"What drawback?" Ren Pingsheng asked.

"At the beginning, some of the people who took the lead in buying did so out of gratitude, while others did so out of fear, not daring to take advantage of me for nothing!"

"But as the momentum grows, those who follow along to buy will feel less and less gratitude. Instead, they'll begin to feel a sense of crisis, as though they're being swept along against their will!"

"They'll think that everyone else is supporting the Langya Merchant Association, so if they don't go, would that be the same as offending Young Master Wang?"

"As a result, some people who originally didn't have much spare money will follow the crowd and buy things they have no use for at all..."

"If this continues for too long, little gratitude will remain, while plenty of resentment will pile up instead! That would be detrimental to the merchant association!"

As the saying went, one's buttocks decided one's head.

From Wang Mu's perspective, he had no time to care which low-level Cultivator had shown him disrespect and which respected him more.

But from the perspective of those low-level Cultivators,

a towering mountain that reached the heavens stood before them, impossible to ignore.

Even if only a stone rolled down from that mountain and struck their heads, they were destined to be left with broken heads and bloodied faces.

Naturally, they trembled with fear.

Ren Pingsheng's eyes lit up, like murky Dark Cloud pierced through by sunlight.

As one of the Ten Chief Managers of the Langya Merchant Association, it was only natural that he could think of such matters.

But he had, after all, spent several hundred years struggling and rolling through the business world.

It was nothing strange for him to possess such vision and foresight.

But what about Wang Mu?

He was only in his teens this year!

He had never involved himself in the merchant association's business, nor had he undergone any real experience.

After seeing himself achieve such results, he had not been dazzled blind, and could still see things so clearly.

This greatly surprised Ren Pingsheng.

This trip had truly not been in vain.

Young Master had really been hiding his talents all along.

"Young Master need not worry too much. The Ascension Convention cannot possibly be held every year. Once enough time passes, the thoughts in those people's hearts will fade!" Ren Pingsheng said.

But Wang Mu shook his head. "I think this is an opportunity that can be used!"

Ren Pingsheng froze. "What opportunity?"

Wang Mu said, "We can use this opportunity to establish the Langya Foundation! We can promise the public that for every hundred Spirit Stones customers spend at the Langya Merchant Association, one Spirit Stone will be donated to the Langya Charity Foundation!"

"Char... charity foundation?" Ren Pingsheng was somewhat bewildered. It was his first time hearing this term.

"Simply put, it is an organization that provides basic material aid to miserable people who have suffered great calamities! For example, it can provide supplies, Spirit Stones, medicinal pills, and other aid to regions suffering from demon attacks, natural disasters, or man-made calamities!"

Wang Mu explained with a smile.

Ren Pingsheng tried to understand. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then does the Ascension Convention also fall within the scope of aid provided by this Charity Foundation?"

Wang Mu gave him a thumbs-up. "Old Ren truly deserves to be a pillar of the merchant association. You understand at the first hint!"

Ren Pingsheng's originally stooped body suddenly straightened, making him seem several inches taller, though he said, "Young Master overpraises me. It is not worth mentioning..."

He understood.

Put plainly, it was taking from Cultivators and using it for Cultivators.

They would take one percent of the money earned from Cultivators, use it for charity, and build a reputation!

In this way, it would greatly benefit the merchant association's reputation.

Over time, the profits would rise with the tide.

Ren Pingsheng's eyes shone as he clasped his hands. "Young Master's scheme is brilliant. This old man admires it!"

After a pause, he said earnestly, "However, this matter is of great importance. This old man alone cannot make the decision. I must return and ask Guild Master to convene the Ten Chief Managers for joint discussion and a final decision!"

Wang Mu waved a hand. "In that case, I'll have to trouble Old Ren!"

"Young Master is too courteous! So long as it is for the merchant association, it is this old man's duty!"

Next,

the two began discussing further details.

This discussion lasted for most of the day.

It was not until deep into the night that Ren Pingsheng left with a complicated expression. Even as he departed, his gaze was dazed, as though his Worldview had suffered an immense impact.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

Ren Pingsheng returned to Heavenly Severing Island, dusty from travel, his eyes carrying exhaustion and intense excitement.

The moment Wang Mu saw him like this, he knew the matter should have gone smoothly.

The next day.

The news spread throughout all of Heavenly Severing Island.

The Langya Charity Foundation would officially be established in Daliang Royal City, and the Great Powers were welcome to attend the ceremony.

For a time, the entire island buzzed with discussion.

"Charity Foundation? What is that?"

"Never Heard of it. What does it have to do with us?"

"..."

At the same time.

Inside a luxurious room,

the people in charge of many major merchant associations on Heavenly Severing Island besides the Langya Merchant Association, including Penglai and Four Seas, had all gathered there.

Upon hearing the news, they all became wary.

"What trick is Young Master Wang playing this time?"

"Earlier, he held that Ascension Convention and left us all without business. What is this Charity Foundation supposed to be now?"

"If soldiers come, we'll block them with generals; if water comes, we'll dam it with earth!"

Shopkeeper Liu of the Penglai Merchant Association had a gloomy gaze and unprecedented confidence. "With our several merchant associations joining forces, we have no rival in the entire Northern Region!

No matter what tricks Young Master Wang pulls, what can he possibly do?"

"Exactly!"

"Come on, let's go take a look!"