Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1502 - 1502 0862 Shallow Foundations Easy to Dig _2

Chapter 1502: Chapter 0862: Shallow Foundations, Easy to Dig _2 Chapter 1502: Chapter 0862: Shallow Foundations, Easy to Dig _2 Under the gaze of the crowd, Qi Tian showed no hint of panic or tension. He smiled and said, “What I pursue is nothing more than ‘fairness.’ Since the award I deserve is already in my hands, I have nothing else to say. I want to thank the two presidents of Wanjie Commerce again, as well as the Ink Flood Dragon Association for not causing any trouble.”

Zhang Chenghua’s face looked quite displeased as he let out a cold grunt.

Qi Tian didn’t mind and continued, “Please rest assured, during the upcoming competition, I will do my utmost. Not only will I fight for an additional opportunity for myself, but I also intend to secure the deserved benefits for the cultivators of Wanjie City.”

Zhu Chaolun quickly responded, “Sir Qi, please be at ease. If such a day truly comes, no one will be able to take away the portion of profits that belongs to you. If anyone dares to reach for it, Wanjie Commerce will certainly help you chop off their hands. Everyone, not only Sir Qi but also all of you promising young talents will be treated the same. Whenever it is, Wanjie Commerce will actively protect your interests and ensure that they do not suffer.”

As the president of Wanjie Commerce, Zhu Chaolun’s public commitment was rare and instantly reassured the other three cultivators at the peak of the Gold Core Realm. Their gaze towards Zhu Chaolun became much warmer, finally allowing them to participate in the competition without any worries.

The atmosphere of the subsequent meeting became much more harmonious. Qi Tian didn’t make any additional requests and became a quiet listener.

Since entering the conference hall, Zhang Chenghua, as the vice president of the Ink Flood Dragon Association, had tried to control the agenda of the entire meeting. However, Qi Tian’s interference completely dampened his enthusiasm, leading him to become silent. The discussion that followed was mostly presided over by Lu Songsheng, and proceeded without further twists and turns.

Lu Songsheng provided a detailed description of the competition, covering both what had been mentioned to Qi Tian and what hadn’t, giving all four of the Gold Core Realm Peak cultivators a deep understanding of what to expect.

After the briefing, Lu Songsheng announced the conclusion of the meeting and told everyone to go back and prepare. In one and a half months, they were to assemble at Wanjie Commerce, from where they would all head to the competition together.

On behalf of Wanjie Commerce, Lu Songsheng also announced that those participating in the competition could apply for an interest-free loan from Wanjie Commerce if needed, without any collateral. Wanjie Commerce would provide the necessary travel and other expenses upfront, with only the principal required to be repaid later without any interest.

Qi Tian was the last to leave Wanjie Commerce. As he exited, he carried a Storage Bag in his hand, containing the fifth share of the profits from the Fiery Cloud Secret Realm for the past three years. In addition, Wanjie Commerce gave Qi Tian an extra five thousand middle-grade spirit stones, claimed to be the interest on the fifth share of the profits for these three years, insisting that Qi Tian must accept it.

Through this incident, Qi Tian completely understood the way Wanjie Commerce operated. In essence, it boiled down to one phrase: they wouldn’t stir early without profit. If they hadn’t realized his value, Wanjie Commerce would definitely not have taken their current approach to curry favor with him.

“Sir Qi, here, over here.”

Just as Qi Tian stepped out of Wanjie Commerce, he heard someone greeting him. Following the voice, he saw three people standing not far from the gate of Wanjie Commerce. They were Zhang Baolin, Liang Hansen, and Han Boxiang, the same three who had been in the conference hall with him.

Qi Tian walked over with a smile, clasping his hands in greeting, and said, “Sirs, you called me over. Is there something you need?”

The oldest among them, Han Boxiang, said, “Just now in the council hall, all three of us were sweating bullets for you, Sir Qi. We never imagined there would be someone as formidable as you, Sir Qi, who would dare to confront head-on with both the Ink Flood Dragon Association and Wanjie Commerce, two first-rate forces. You truly are a role model for our generation, we are inferior in comparison.”

Qi Tian laughed and said, “Sir, you flatter me. I was merely arguing based on reason. Luckily, the two chairpersons of Wanjie Commerce were magnanimous and broad-minded. They did not quibble with me and gave me face, allowing me an out. Otherwise, I don’t know how things would have ended today.”

Liang Hansen chimed in from the side, “The way I see it, they did that entirely to woo us. If they didn’t want us to work our bones off for Wanjie City in the future, they wouldn’t have acted like that.”

Zhang Baolin quickly interjected, “Sir Liang, be careful with your words.”

Qi Tian knew that the three of them were waiting for him at the main gate not just to sing his praises but surely had other motives. He chuckled and said, “To meet is to share a destiny. I was ignorant before and never knew Wanjie City had such talented young men as the three Sirs. How about today I play host and we find a place to have a good drink? I must insist the three Sirs honor me with their presence.”

Han Boxiang happily responded, “I have long heard of your renown, Sir Qi. In the Fire Cloud Secret Realm Battle, you fought valiantly for our Wanjie City. I’ve wanted to make your acquaintance since then, but I never had the chance. Now, we must sit down together for a good drink. No one should compete with me—I insist on toasting Sir Qi three cups first.”

The four at the peak of the Gold Core Realm found a top-notch tavern right next to Wanjie Commerce, took a private room, ordered dishes and drinks, and then got into an animated conversation.

This was their first meeting, and everyone had their own calculations, but as their cultivation realms were close, they were uninhibited in their conversation. In this group, Qi Tian was undoubtedly the center of attention. Besides possessing combat power comparable to the Nascent Soul Stage, Qi Tian’s age became another topic that the other three couldn’t stop probing.

Of course, Qi Tian couldn’t tell them he was only eighteen; he could only say he was not yet twenty. Even so, this revelation astounded Han Boxiang and the others, especially Liang Hansen who found it incredible. He himself had just turned twenty-five years and three months old, and reaching the peak of the Gold Core Stage at his age was considered a rare talent by his Master. He had always been proud of this, but now compared to Qi Tian, his advantage seemed insignificant, and he felt significantly less accomplished.

Qi Tian was also paying close attention to Liang Hansen. He was aware that amongst the three, Liang Hansen had the shallowest foundation, and a shallow foundation meant easier to win over.

Qi Tian had long realized the importance of building his own power base. Even though he was now the Great Elder of the National Master Manor, he had never given up on cultivating a force that belonged solely to him. This was not only his own thought but also what other Masters at the Nascent Soul Stage considered.

Everyone wished for a force that could be controlled as easily as an arm commands the hand, without being restricted by others.

Previously, Qi Tian cultivated his forces by defeating others and then making them Immortal Slaves. While this method was effective immediately, it came with drawbacks. Just like the numerous Immortal Slaves he had reclaimed, they were useful while bound, but as soon as he gave them their freedom back, almost all of them left without hesitation, leaving only Gao Jinmei behind.

The method of creating Immortal Slaves was only effective in the short term and could not truly win people’s hearts, ensuring their sincere and willing allegiance. Therefore, Qi Tian planned to attempt using conventional methods to cultivate a force that would belong to him alone. Liang Hansen was an excellent candidate. If it wasn’t for the imminent challenge, Qi Tian would have put in some serious effort on him. Still, he knew that a broader world lay in front of Liang Hansen’s eyes, and it was quite possible he wouldn’t consider aligning with him. This was the same for both Zhang Baolin and Han Boxiang. For now, Qi Tian could only establish a good relationship with them, laying a solid foundation. If there was a chance in the future, perhaps he could bring them under his command. But if he spoke of such intentions now, it would not only provoke their laughter but might also cause rifts among them. No one wanted to be subordinated; given the opportunity, they would prefer to control their own destinies rather than play second fiddle to someone else.