Azure Cloud City's Associations
Situ Mingyue continued her report, "Five years ago, the sect officially opened its Cultivation Resources to all disciples to improve their cultivation levels. Over the past five years, all expenditures on spirit medicine, refining materials, and other Spirit Stone, converted into Spirit Stone, totaled 3.7 billion Spirit Stone."
Upon hearing this number, everyone frowned slightly.
Three billion?
Isn't that too much?
Although the Azure Cloud Sect now has a fortune of over 100 billion, how many years can it sustain itself with just over 3 billion a year?
"This figure is far below expectations!" Situ Mingyue's tone turned heavy. "Five years ago, my Eldest Senior Brother and I roughly estimated that it should cost around 5 billion to be reasonable. In this regard, we need our junior brothers and sisters to urge the others to pay more attention."
"Wait!" Baiyun Zi asked hurriedly, "Mingyue, isn't 3 billion enough? If we spend 5 billion in a few years, won't our family fortune be gone in no time?"
Zhang Yang was speechless. You, someone who's managed the books to the point of losing money, have the nerve to ask economic questions?
However, he didn't say anything, letting Situ Mingyue answer.
"Uncle-Master, that's not how you calculate it!" Situ Mingyue shook her head. "First of all, the Azure Moon Merchant Association is still profitable, and the sect has also established trade relationships with other sects. Therefore, the sect doesn't need to worry about running out of money for a certain period of time."
Another situation is that these resources are consumed by the junior students, not money given to them directly.
They will only consume more resources if they work hard to cultivate.
Moreover, only by providing ample resources for all disciples to cultivate can a sect select those who truly possess cultivation talent.
According to our Eldest Senior Brother, we will continue to provide abundant resources to those with cultivation talent.
As for those who truly lack the talent for cultivation, we will arrange suitable positions for them later.
In other words, the real and enormous consumption occurs at the beginning.
As for the subsequent consumption of resources... all those resources were originally meant for the sect disciples' cultivation!
What's the point of piling up resources?
Only when it is transformed into real strength can it truly be useful.
Baiyun Zi looked bewildered; she couldn't understand why she consumed less energy afterward... but she didn't ask any further.
Seeing that no one else had any further questions, Situ Mingyue continued, "Over the past five years, the three branches of the Azure Moon Merchant Association have spent approximately one billion Spirit Stone on talent subsidies. Currently, in the Cloud Mountain Empire, Cloud Soaring Empire, and the Sect Alliance, we have cultivated 57 Nascent Primordial Spirit Realm cultivators, 170 Nascent Soul Realm, and 2,200 Golden Core Realm cultivators."
At this point, she glanced at Zhang Yang and continued, "For these talents we have cultivated, our Azure Moon Merchant Association has signed a contract with them, requiring them to serve the Azure Moon Merchant Association for fifty years after they reach the Primordial Spirit Realm!"
In other words, the Azure Moon Merchant Association currently has fifty-seven Primordial Spirit Realm experts at its disposal.
Signing contracts with these Primordial Spirit Realm was a decision Situ Mingyue made without authorization.
She felt that the Spirit Stone shouldn't be used to subsidize those people for nothing; they should be made to do something for the Azure Moon Merchant Association.
Besides, what is fifty years to someone at the Primordial Spirit Realm?
The others exchanged bewildered glances. The Azure Moon Merchant Association actually had more Primordial Spirit Realm than the Azure Cloud Sect?
Of course, the Azure Moon Merchant Association is also a sect.
Everyone felt something was off. Those who received subsidies either belonged to other sects or were from the Cloud Mountain Empire and Cloud Soaring Empire, yet now they were to serve the Azure Moon Merchant Association for fifty years...
Only Zhang Yang silently gave Situ Mingyue a thumbs up in his heart.
Well done!
He viewed the issue from the perspective of the entire Azure Cloud Continent, because those who were cultivated to the Primordial Spirit Realm were also serving the Azure Cloud Continent.
Therefore, it's not a loss for him to subsidize that group of people.
Now that Situ Mingyue has directly bound that group of people to the Azure Moon Merchant Association, the effect is even more obvious and direct.
Of course, for those receiving subsidies, the feeling of "trading" might be too strong.
"One last thing, those who received subsidies are all forced to learn the 'Elder Brother's Sayings'," Situ Mingyue continued. "I think the 'Elder Brother's Sayings' is very beneficial to them, both in terms of cultivation and other aspects, so this arrangement has been made."
At first, this group of people were somewhat resistant.
Later, they studied on their own initiative and now they have a deep understanding of the truths spoken by their Eldest Senior Brother.
Some of them applied to the Azure Moon Merchant Association, hoping to meet their Eldest Senior Brother in person.
Eldest Senior Brother, do you think this matter needs to be arranged?
Everyone else turned their attention to Zhang Yang.
Aside from those who, like Zhang Changshan and Wang Baole, took it for granted, everyone else found it strange.
They were all wondering to themselves... Wait, are Zhang Yang's words really that popular?
Azure Cloud Master's expression was strange, because he had also read the "Elder Brother's Sayings" and they did indeed make a lot of sense.
But why are those people so crazy?
However, he thought this was a good thing because the entire Azure Cloud Continent would be safe.
Zhang Yang remained silent.
He just felt embarrassed.
Seeing that Situ Mingyue was still waiting for his answer, he could only say helplessly, "Arrange for them to meet!"
What else could he say?
This kind of thing is beneficial to the unity of the entire Azure Cloud Continent, so of course he can't give it up.
"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!" Situ Mingyue replied, "My part of the report is finished."
After she finished speaking, she sat down.
Zhang Yang took a deep breath, looked at Jiang Zhiqiu, and instructed, "Junior Brother Jiang, it's your turn!"
Jiang Zhiqiu stood up and took out the statistical data to report, "Over the past five years, Azure Cloud City has been largely completed."
However, some details are still lacking, and it will probably take another two or three years to complete.
The population of Azure Cloud City has increased by more than 400,000 compared to five years ago, and the total population has finally exceeded one million.
Of this million people, cultivators make up more than 70%.
In other words, Azure Cloud City has more than 700,000 cultivators!
Among them, no Dao Integration Realm from Azure Cloud City have yet appeared.
"There are currently 207 people in the Nascent Primordial Spirit Realm, 3,784 in the Nascent Soul Realm, 8,300 in the Golden Core Realm, and the rest are all in the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Upon hearing this number, everyone's expressions turned serious.
This power is incredible!
Although there were no great cultivators at the Dao Integration Realm, the number of cultivators at both the Primordial Spirit Realm and the Nascent Soul Realm far exceeded expectations.
Jiang Zhiqiu looked at the data in his hand, his expression turning serious. "Some of the cultivators have joined forces to form their own organization."
They recruited a large number of cultivators and began to seize the missions we issued.
Some Primordial Spirit Realm even exploit their status to prevent many Rogue Cultivators from even receiving missions.
Left with no other choice, the other Rogue Cultivator had no choice but to join their organization.
This has somewhat hampered the tasks we've deployed."
Zhang Yang was speechless. Even clubs have gotten involved, huh?
It seems Azure Cloud City really needs a good overhaul!