A Connection in the Lower Realm, Risky but Highly Profitable

The lofty concepts he had thrown out had already stunned the two of them.

What Su Yuan explained next was the true "Burning Formula."

"What we need to do is gather the demands of all independent immortals and traveling peddlers, then make bulk purchases through a unified channel to drive down procurement costs. After that, we divide goods into categories and sell them exclusively, controlling the selling price. Buy low, sell high, monopolize the trade, and earn stable, enormous margins. This is called platform-based operations and supply-chain integration. In the end, the channel is king!"

The Ink Qilin Venerable's eyes flashed brilliantly. He slapped his thigh.

"Wonderful! Brilliant indeed! This way, pricing power will be completely in our hands! Hahaha!"

In high spirits, he shouted.

"Pour the wine! Hurry and pour it! I must drink heartily with little friend Su!"

Hearing there was wine to drink, the Barefoot Immortal was delighted as well. He quickly took several Fire Dates from his robes and set them on the table as drinking snacks.

After three rounds of wine, the atmosphere grew much warmer.

Su Yuan took the opportunity to probe.

"Venerable, forgive this lowly official for asking, but what do you need so many spirit stones for? With your status, it seems..."

At his words, a trace of melancholy actually appeared on the Ink Qilin's face. He tipped back a cup of immortal brew, drained it, and sighed.

"Ah, Brother Su, you don't understand. Your big brother has his own troubles!"

"Where there are people, there are circles. Where there are beasts, there are fucking circles too!"

His tone became agitated, and he began rambling without end.

"In our mount circle, our divine beast circle, there are ranks too—there's a whole chain of disdain!"

"I won't even mention that old Green Bull."

"Those Turtle and Snake Generals under the True Martial Emperor achieved the Dao alongside the Northern Emperor! Their seniority is indeed high, and their contributions great!"

"But now, even Zhao Gongming's Black Tiger and Huang Feihu's Five-Colored Divine Ox—peers who ascended to Heaven with me during the War of the Gods—have all started acting high and mighty. Whenever they go out, who among them doesn't spend lavishly and deck themselves out in top-grade magical treasures?"

"Ah, morals have declined, and beastly hearts are no longer what they used to be. Mounts these days are far too materialistic. If I don't have tens of thousands of spirit stones in my pocket, I can't even hold my head up outside."

"Now look at your big brother!"

The Ink Qilin grew more aggrieved the more he spoke.

"What kind of damned work does our master do?"

"Either he's chasing clues everywhere or investigating cases! Otherwise, he's undergoing tribulation and striking people with lightning. Nothing but thankless jobs that offend people and bring in no profit! He's incorruptible, sure, but..."

"In short, having no money is hard!"

He pounded the table.

"During holidays and festivals, shouldn't the mounts and attendants of the various honored gods in the Heavenly Court visit one another? Maintain their relationships?"

"That old Green Bull Demon, at the last gathering, complained that the oranges I brought weren't old enough. He insisted on eating three-thousand-year-old oranges! Where was I supposed to find those? I was completely humiliated!"

Understanding and shrewdness flashed through Su Yuan's eyes. No wonder this qilin had abducted him.

So he wanted to make money.

As the saying went, it was fine for a superior to have demands.

What was frightening was a superior with no desires at all!

Su Yuan lowered his voice and leaned forward.

"I have a connection in the lower realm. The risk is a little high, but the profits are substantial. As they say, fortune is found amid danger..."

Su Yuan emerged from the secret chamber with over one hundred million spirit stones safely credited as an advance payment.

He had never imagined that the Ink Qilin possessed such a wealthy family fortune.

Nor had he expected the other party to be so decisive—he neither reviewed a business plan nor asked for collateral. Su Yuan had merely said a few words about having channels in the lower realm,

and without another word, he had directly handed over the money and financed him.

If I'd known, why would I have worked construction?

I could've made money so much faster running telecom scams.

But on second thought, that was the mount of a righteous god from the Thunder Bureau, which wielded heavenly punishment and monitored the Three Realms.

People might dare to skim spirit stones from workers,

they might dare to withhold payments from suppliers,

they might dare to cut corners and tamper with matters in the Engineering Division,

and some might even embezzle the wages of project personnel,

but no one would be foolish enough to embezzle the money of a Thunder Bureau bigshot.

Unless they were as bold and suicidal as he was.

With this enormous infusion of funds, the spiritual energy within his sea of qi churned. His cultivation broke through naturally into the early Origin Immortal stage, and his entire body felt suffused with spiritual energy, clear-headed and refreshed.

As for that outrageously long purchasing list from the Ink Qilin?

"As long as I can accompany the diplomatic mission to the lower realm, won't I have plenty of ways to handle it?"

Just as he was pondering this, the communication jade talisman at his waist trembled slightly. It was an urgent summons from Taibai Jinxing's Residence.

Su Yuan did not dare delay. He straightened his robes and immediately set off.

The old Venus Star Lord was seated on a stone stool in the courtyard, sipping tea. When he saw Su Yuan arrive, he quickly reached out and grasped Su Yuan's forearm.

Sensing the Origin Immortal aura around Su Yuan that had yet to fully stabilize, he nodded in satisfaction. After a moment, he smiled and scolded him.

"You little monkey! If I don't put some pressure on you, you truly won't take cultivation seriously! You won't move unless you're backed into a corner?"

"But you finally look somewhat presentable. Now that you've reached Origin Immortal, this old man can finally feel a little more assured."

Su Yuan hurriedly smiled apologetically and clasped his hands.

"It is all thanks to Master's diligent guidance. This disciple's tiny bit of progress is entirely due to Master's concern."

Sweet words poured from his mouth as though they cost nothing, but his heart skipped a beat. Master's opening did not sound very promising.

"A little more assured," rather than "completely at ease."

Could there be another complication?

Sure enough, Venus Star Lord set down his teacup.

Slowly, he took a jade slip wreathed in faint golden light from his sleeve and gently pushed it before Su Yuan.

Several Measures on Reforming the Institutional Mechanisms of the Heavenly Court Immortal Official System (Trial Implementation)

All halls, pavilions, bureaus, offices, and directly affiliated institutions:

In order to further standardize the development of the Heavenly Court's immortal official ranks, optimize the selection and appointment mechanism, and embody the principles of fairness, impartiality, and openness, the standing conference of the Jade Palace has decided that, effective immediately, the management system for immortal officials shall undergo comprehensive reform. The following implementation opinions are hereby put forward regarding vigorously promoting the mechanism under which immortal officials may rise or fall in rank and strictly enforcing the rule that all promotions require examinations:

I. Significance and General Requirements

Su Yuan skimmed through it quickly. The document's core meaning was simple.

The Heavenly Court would vigorously implement a mechanism allowing immortal officials to rise and fall in rank.

From now on, anyone seeking promotion would have to take an examination!

"So... Master, will there be complications with this assignment of mine?"

Su Yuan asked tentatively, already calculating how many spirit stones it would take to grease the palms of all the examiners.

"Complications..."

Venus Star Lord stroked his long beard, his expression relaxed.

"I wouldn't call it that. This humble master of yours happens to be one of the chief examiners for this promotion and selection examination for grassroots immortal officials."

The massive stone in Su Yuan's heart immediately dropped.

Yet his face took on an incomparably earnest expression. He straightened his back and patted his chest.

"Please rest assured, Master! This disciple will prepare with all his might and never disappoint Master's cultivation and expectations! I will surely display my finest bearing and achieve excellent results!"

"It is enough that you have such resolve."

Venus Star Lord seemed quite pleased by his declaration.

He took out a thin jade slip from his other sleeve, handed it over, and spoke in a low voice.

"These are some theoretical materials this master has compiled. Take them and study them carefully."

"This disciple understands!"

Su Yuan accepted the jade slip with both hands and nodded firmly.

His divine sense swiftly entered it, instantly committing the many key details, essential points, and even possible examination directions it contained to memory.

Then immortal power flowed from his palm, and the jade slip turned into a wisp of green smoke, vanishing completely as though it had never existed.

Seeing this, Venus Star Lord's eyes flashed with a trace of approving amusement. He lifted his teacup and gently blew on it.