Will the Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation Rise?

As the sky grew brighter.

More and more people began noticing this newly opened foundation.

Because Penglai Yunhai had gone all out in building hype a few days ago, quite a few people had heard of it.

Now that they saw it, they could not help being curious and wanting to go inside for a look.

It had to be said.

The hard work Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation had put into publicity had not gone to waste.

However.

When they entered the shop.

They discovered it was nothing like what they had imagined.

First of all, after spending money, they got nothing!

Though donations were supposed to work that way, those who entered this shop had basically already learned about—and grown accustomed to—the Langya Foundation's model.

They could buy things useful to themselves while also doing charity.

That was called a win-win~

Even Cultivators of ordinary means could fully accept it, and even take pleasure in it.

But that would not work at Penglai Yunhai.

It was tantamount to throwing money away for nothing.

They could not get a single thing out of it.

Life was already hard enough. These days, earning a few Spirit Stones was no easy task; one misstep and they might have to fight tooth and nail. This was especially true for Rogue Cultivators. They did not even have enough money to buy cultivation pills, so where would they get money to do good deeds?

At this point alone, more than ninety percent of the customers had already been discouraged.

A few Cultivators who could not bring themselves to leave—or who had truly been moved to kindness—wanted to donate a little and contribute to charity, accumulating some blessings and fortune for themselves in the process.

But guess what happened?

They handed over dozens, even more than a hundred Spirit Stones!

Not only did they fail to receive a single pleasant word.

They were even subjected to the Shopkeeper's mockery and sarcasm.

In the end, they were not even worthy of getting onto the Merit List outside the door!

According to Shopkeeper Zhong, the Immeasurable Merit List of their Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation was worth its weight in gold.

It was reserved only for living Bodhisattvas with truly great compassion!

The unspoken meaning was that stingy Rogue Cultivators like them were simply not qualified to make the list!

"Damn it, what the hell is this?"

"This senior donated a full eighty Spirit Stones, yet did not even hear one nice word!"

"This is too much! They do not treat us low-level Cultivators like human beings at all!"

"Sigh, I was careless. I should never have walked through that door!"

"They are both foundations. Look at the Langya Foundation next door, then look at this place. How could the difference be so huge?"

"Keep your voices down. If they hear you, do you not want your lives anymore?"

"..."

Well, that was great.

They had handed over their Spirit Stones and bought themselves a bellyful of anger!

Some were indignant and wanted to demand justice!

But how could ordinary Cultivators possibly afford to offend a major power like Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation?

If they did not leave obediently.

There would definitely be no good ending waiting for them!

The strong devoured the weak.

That had always been a truth laid bare in the Cultivation World.

It was the same everywhere people did business.

Even if you had money but no strength, you might not be treated like a lord; you might instead be treated like a fat sheep.

Much less those with neither money nor strength.

By comparison, the Langya Charity Foundation was far more satisfying to them.

Though this place did not treat every customer with such courtesy as next door, even offering them spiritual tea.

It did not discriminate between customers either.

Nor did it constantly look down on people and sneer at them.

Even a donation of three Spirit Stones could get someone onto the list!

Even young masters and young misses from wealthy lineages had to obediently queue outside and enter one by one!

For a time.

Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation's reputation plummeted.

Countless Cultivators who had entered complained bitterly and discussed it heatedly.

Of course.

Not everyone was treated that way.

Though Penglai Yunhai looked upon ordinary Rogue Cultivators with utter disdain.

It truly could fawn over major customers with Spirit Stones in their pockets.

All kinds of spiritual tea and Spiritual Fruit were served without end.

They had even specially replaced the attendants with beautiful, well-built maidservants to accompany them throughout.

These people did not care about money, nor did they care whether spending money bought them anything. What they wanted was face.

Seeing Shopkeeper Zhong's attitude toward ordinary Cultivators.

Then seeing how he was first arrogant and then deferential toward themselves.

Their sense of superiority instantly surged forth.

"Young Master Zhao, take care as you leave. Watch the steps!"

"Mm!"

A young nobleman, accompanied by a beautiful maidservant, strode out with his head held high.

He turned back to admire the name at the very top of the Immeasurable Merit List, as well as the enormous figure of two hundred thousand behind it.

His confidence surged once more.

His chest was practically thrusting outward!

Was this not far more pleasing to look at than the Merit List next door at Langya Merchant Association, with its mere hundreds or thousands of Spirit Stones?

His gaze landed on the group of Rogue Cultivators who had been driven out in the distance, and he sneered. "A bunch of paupers, and you dare imitate others in doing charity? Take care of yourselves first!"

Everyone gnashed their teeth and clenched their fists, but though they were furious, they did not dare speak.

For several days in a row.

Throughout the Qingyun Archipelago.

The race among nearly every cultivation lineage and wealthy clan to compete on the Merit List shifted from Langya Foundation to Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation.

On the Immeasurable Merit List outside Penglai Yunhai, Young Master Shi, who ranked first, had already donated more than a million Spirit Stones.

He had truly stolen the limelight.

Pressing down the young masters and young misses of every great lineage.

It was said that after returning home, Young Master Shi had even received lavish praise.

This made him even more pleased with himself, and there was wind beneath his feet when he walked.

Of course.

The people from the Three Great Merchant Associations were even more pleased.

In just a few days.

Their momentum had completely overshadowed the Langya Charity Foundation.

No matter how the profits were calculated, they were far higher than those of Langya Merchant Association.

"Hahaha! This foundation really is a business that brings in gold every day!"

At Penglai headquarters.

Several High-level executives gathered together. Looking at the income from these past days, their mouths were practically grinning crooked.

"A business without capital naturally brings considerable returns!"

Gou Ansheng still looked like a scholar as he chatted and laughed with ease. "It must be said, Young Master Wang gave us an excellent idea!"

Su Yujiao, the person in charge of Cloud Palace Merchant Association, laughed. "What a pity he was too honest. He insisted on laying out the facts exactly as they were. If he had not told the world that they only put one percent of their profits into the foundation, then perhaps...

That money would have been theirs to earn!"

"Honest?" Tang Qian gave a light laugh, his words carrying a touch of disdain. "Young Master Wang is not honest at all. Otherwise, how could he have done every evil deed imaginable? Is there a possibility that he is simply not very smart?"

In just a few days, the foundation had gained such enormous profits.

Tang Qian immediately forgot his father-in-law's warning from two days ago.

Or rather, he preferred to believe that Wang Mu's methods last time had been guided by an expert behind the scenes.

Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"At the end of the day, Young Master Wang is better at spending money than making it! Tsk tsk, such an opportunity slipped right through his fingers. If the High-level executives of Langya Merchant Association learned of this, would they not be angered to death? Hahahaha..."

"Exactly! As long as we keep our mouths shut, how would the world know exactly how much we donate publicly? Are those figures not ours to decide?"

"..."

"There is no wall in this world that does not let the wind through!"

On Heavenly Severing Island.

Wang Mu stood at a high place, looking at the foundation headquarters in the distance that was about to be completed.

A gentle breeze swept past.

His hair fluttered softly, and his face was full of calm and composure. "For a foundation, trust comes first. They can make a fortune for a time through concealment, but it can never last! Once a crisis of trust emerges, they will be finished!"

Nie Tingting blinked her lovely large eyes. "You mean we do not need to respond?"

Wang Mu smiled calmly. "Just watch!"

Dong!

All of a sudden.

The sound of a bell rang out in the distance.

Someone quickly came behind Wang Mu, bowed, and reported, "Young Master, thirty thousand li south of here, fifteen islands have been invaded by Sea Demons at the same time. The situation is critical!"

Wang Mu's smile faded as he said seriously, "Everyone, depart at once. There must be no delay!"

"Yes!"