"Yuliang, take a Mysterious Blood Warship, along with the disciples of the Azure Dragon Stronghold and the Demon Lotus Sect, and sweep through the small bands of water bandits nearby.
Remember, our targets are Spirit Stones, treasures, beautiful female cultivators, or youngsters with spiritual roots."
Standing at the very front of the Flying Boat, Qing Chen turned to Gao Yuliang beside him and spoke.
Gao Yuliang nodded in assent, a glimmer of understanding flashing in his eyes.
He knew Qing Chen's way of doing things well. This Island Lord never made a losing deal.
Having him lead part of their forces to sweep through the water bandits might seem like a dispersal of strength, but it was actually an opportunity to find more resources.
After all, the Spirit Stones spent on suppressing bandits belonged to the Sect, while the treasures earned belonged to themselves.
Gao Yuliang cupped his fists and replied, "My lord, your vision reaches far and your plans run deep. You have my admiration."
Qing Chen sighed. "With such a large household and so many holdings, a salary alone can't keep it all fed."
Gao Yuliang vaguely sensed that Qing Chen seemed to have a hidden force at his disposal.
However, he was not quite sure how many men Qing Chen actually had, and naturally, he dared not find out either.
So he said respectfully, "Island Lord, you're too modest. Who within tens of thousands of miles doesn't know that you're the boss of this territory!"
Qing Chen smiled. "Being the boss is often just an empty title. Every day, the moment I open my eyes, I have to think about the eating, drinking, shitting, and pissing of thousands, even tens of thousands of people. How many mouthfuls actually reach my own mouth?"
Gao Yuliang nodded repeatedly, not