Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Traditions, Esteemed Guest Arrives

Facing Jiang Ci'an's question, Ning Zhicheng smiled slightly. "It is merely what is due."

"The businesses Boss Jiang sold to me back then have seen a favorable market this year, and their value has risen quite a bit. I felt that I had truly taken advantage of the situation, so I wanted to provide some compensation."

"These twenty percent of the profits are just a small token of my sincerity."

This was a lie.

Although he was indeed speaking the truth—the value of the businesses he had acquired from this child had indeed risen significantly over this period due to various factors—as a businessman, he would not simply give away money for nothing just because of that.

The fundamental reason was investment.

When the child's parents passed away suddenly, a five-year-old boy guarding such a massive family fortune was a piece of fat meat in the eyes of anyone; who wouldn't want to take a bite?

He had naturally seen that piece of fat meat at the time, and if he had wanted to, he was confident he could have swallowed most of it.

But he didn't.

Compared to such petty, opportunistic behavior, the century-old reputation of his Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was far more precious.

Coupled with the face of the Xiao Clan at the time, he not only refrained from looting a burning house but instead provided a certain amount of assistance.

This counted as an investment.

In the event that this child could make a comeback in the future, that would be a favor owed.

Besides, it was the Chamber of Commerce's money being spent, so he felt no heartache.

And now...

When he was listening to his subordinates' routine reports last month, he suddenly learned that the young boy and girl before him, who were not yet seven years old, had actually both become Spirit Masters.

Spirit Masters under the age of seven.

This meant that both children were geniuses with an innate spirit power of at least level eight, or perhaps even level nine!

And according to the traditions of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, when facing geniuses, especially those without top-tier forces backing them, one must invest heavily!

Thus, the twenty percent profit today came to be.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Ning Zhicheng took a purple-gold card from his sleeve and pushed it directly toward Jiang Ci'an.

"Boss Jiang, please check the amount."

Jiang Ci'an did not stand on ceremony. He took the card, touched his fingertips lightly against the surface, and with a slight movement of his spirit power, he tallied the amount within.

It was indeed an extra twenty percent.

Jiang Ci'an put the card away and nodded slightly. "Many thanks, Mr. Ning."

"It is only right, only right."

Ning Zhicheng waved his hand, and seeing Jiang Ci'an accept it so readily, the smile on his face grew even brighter.

He paused for a moment, then added warmly, "By the way, the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife you asked the Chamber of Commerce to look for has already been located."

"However, the subsequent acquisition and transport to Shrek City will still take some time. Boss Jiang, please wait patiently."

Jiang Ci'an's movements paused slightly.

At this point, even the dullest person could feel the other party's enthusiasm.

Was it because of his and Xiao Xiao's talent?

It was understandable; the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's culture was exactly like this. They loved investing in geniuses most of all, and over the years, they had discovered many outstanding spirit masters of commoner origin through this method, maintaining a solid reputation across the continent.

He naturally would not refuse the other party's help.

After all, as long as he grew stronger, repaying these favors would be very easy.

If he weren't currently short on gold spirit coins, he wouldn't even mind revealing more of his talent to heavily exchange for his own potential as a spirit master.

The two chatted for quite a while, both host and guest enjoying themselves. Before leaving, Ning Zhicheng thought of something else and said earnestly:

"Boss Jiang, didn't you list two shops for rent at my Chamber of Commerce previously?"

"Someone has taken those two shops, and someone will likely come to sign the contract with you today."

"However, you must remember: the person renting your shops seems to have an unusual status. You must be careful in how you handle them."

Jiang Ci'an paused, feeling somewhat surprised.

He knew those two shops; they were not far from the pharmacy, only a minute or two away on foot, but the location was truly poor. The shops that had opened there before him had basically failed to last more than three months before terminating their leases.

His parents had been green when they first started out and were swindled into buying those two shops; it was one of their few failed investments.

He had wanted to sell them before, but unfortunately, he couldn't find a buyer, and if he set the price too low, it would be a real loss, so he simply listed them for rent. He hadn't expected someone to take them over so quickly.

As for having an "unusual status"... he would just treat them as normal customers.

He nodded. "Understood."

Ning Zhicheng nodded, chatted for a few more sentences, and then rose to take his leave.

Watching the other party's figure disappear, Jiang Ci'an walked behind the counter, pulled a blank sheet of paper from the drawer, and picked up a pen to start writing a procurement list for cultivation supplies.

In this world where strength was supreme, rather than saving gold spirit coins to let money beget money, it was better to use them to purchase cultivation supplies to improve himself.

Ever since he took charge of the household, the majority of the gold soul coins he earned had been spent on cultivation resources such as herbs, rare treasures, and nourishing meals.

It could be said that every business currently in his hands existed solely to support the cultivation of himself and Xiao Xiao.

In this regard, he would never skimp on a single cent.

"It looks like this twenty percent profit will likely be ceded to me indefinitely... I could actually afford to buy some Whale Glue to eat."

Jiang Ci'an muttered softly to himself while silently planning the allocation of his funds.

Just as he was calculating, the light at the entrance of the pharmacy suddenly dimmed.

Three figures walked in through the doorway.

Customers?

Jiang Ci'an instinctively looked up, his gaze sweeping across the entrance.

The first to catch his eye were two middle-aged men—one steady and composed, the other burly—both dressed in fine, luxurious clothing that made it clear they were of extraordinary status.

Yet, walking between them was a young girl who looked to be about his own age.

The girl had a delicate and lovely face, a head of dreamy blue-pink hair, and wore a blue-and-white dress that reached her knees, revealing a slender lower leg wrapped in white silk.

She took the lead, hopping and skipping into the pharmacy like a large white goose, while the burly middle-aged man behind her called out repeatedly:

"Dong'er, slow down."

"It's fine, Second Uncle."

As the girl spoke, her footsteps remained light. Her blue-pink eyes curiously examined the surroundings, scanning the bottles and jars arranged on the medicine cabinets with a look of fresh wonder.

Then, her gaze landed on Jiang Ci'an behind the counter.

Their eyes met.

The girl blinked, her eyes shimmering slightly.

Jiang Ci'an paused.

His expression remained unchanged, but thoughts surged in his mind.

Blue-pink hair and eyes... Dong'er... and a so-called "Second Uncle."

Is this... Wang Dong'er?!

No, what is going on?

Jiang Ci'an's gaze tightened slightly, and the thought of grabbing Xiao Xiao and running away immediately surfaced in his mind, yet his face betrayed no emotion.

The steady middle-aged man followed Wang Dong'er's line of sight to the youth behind the counter, then walked forward with a smile, speaking in a friendly tone.

"Hello, little brother. We are here to sign the lease agreement. May I ask where your boss is?"

Jiang Ci'an's gaze lingered on the man for a moment, swept over the burly figure at the door, and finally returned to the face of the man before him.

Setting down his pen and paper, Jiang Ci'an met those unfathomable eyes and offered his usual smile.

"I am he."