Li Ling said calmly, "Elder Jin, I was just about to notify the Merchant Association of this. I never expected the news to spread this way. Fate really does make fools of us."
Jin Yuanbo said, "Your advancement to Nascent Soul is the greatest event the Merchant Association has seen in centuries. We intend to gather in the North Sea and celebrate properly. At the same time, there are some confidential matters we would like to discuss with you."
He was probably referring to the struggle between the Heavenly Court and the Underworld, the turning of the era, and the circumstances facing the various factions.
At the Core Formation Realm, senior experts often kept such matters secret, but once someone advanced to Nascent Soul, plenty of people rushed to tell him of their own accord.
Every camp and every faction needed Nascent Soul Cultivators to bolster its strength.
Li Ling was quite curious about what Jin Yuanbo had proposed. Perhaps the Four Seas Commerce Guild would offer a different perspective on the Immortal-Demon War.
Still, he said, "We can discuss those things later, when we have time."
Jin Yuanbo said, "Quite right. Let us discuss the matter at hand first. I heard the people in the West Sea offended you?"
Li Ling said, "Elder Jin, you're asking a question you already know the answer to. You must have heard the whole story from them already. Do you really think this was merely an offense?"
Jin Yuanbo said, "What exactly do you want?"
Li Ling said, "It's simple. Cultivators like us cannot be insulted lightly. Since the Heaven-Piercing Tower sent people to intercept and kill me, let them spend the rest of their lives repaying that debt.
"From now on, the Heaven-Piercing Tower here belongs to me, and everyone involved will