On this day, Zhang Chunfeng came to bid farewell. Wang Hong packed a storage bag with pills, gathered a storage bag full of spirit herbs and spirit fruits, and included a storage bag of first-tier spirit wine. He asked Zhang Chunfeng to deliver them to Azure Void City.
"Take these three storage bags to Azure Void City and hand them over to Liu Changsheng. You've been there once before, so you should know the address," Wang Hong instructed.
Wang Hong had been on the Boundary Mountain Range side for over two years now, and he assumed that Liu Changsheng's management of the immortal way trading company had nearly depleted its supplies. Sending these items back with Zhang Chunfeng at this time would help relieve the pressure on their inventory.
"Alright, I'll make sure to deliver them safely. Is there anything else Senior Brother needs?" Zhang Chunfeng asked as he accepted the storage bags.
"After you return, tell Luo Zhongjie to arrange a team to handle the security issues for the new store we're opening here," Wang Hong added.
Although Ling Shuai was overseeing things here, it was only a temporary arrangement, and Wang Hong knew that they needed a more permanent solution. Given the unique geographical location of this place, Wang Hong had plans to run the store here for the long term and wanted to establish their own power.
"Take this bottle of spirit wine as well, for any unexpected situations on your way back," Wang Hong said, handing over a bottle of second-tier spirit wine to Zhang Chunfeng. The road back wasn't always safe, especially with Jin'an City under occupation. They needed a group of cultivators to travel safely through the areas near Jin'an City, where demonic beasts were active.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Zhang Chunfeng expressed his gratitude as he stored the spirit wine in his bag.
The next day, Zhang Chunfeng and his group departed from Boundary City. Most cultivators in Boundary City were transient, coming and going in waves, with only a few choosing to settle there.
Not long after Zhang Chunfeng and his group left, another batch of Foundation Building Disciples from Qingxu Sect arrived, and among them was a familiar face to Wang Hong.
"Zhang Senior Brother! I never expected to meet you here. It's a small world indeed!" The talkative Sun Er, whom Wang Hong had once worried about, greeted him with enthusiasm. It had been a while since they had seen each other, and now Sun Er had reached Foundation Building, piquing Wang Hong's curiosity.
Wang Hong couldn't help but wonder about Sun Er's journey to Foundation Building. After all, Sun Er had spent most of his time pursuing a female cultivator, leaving little time and energy for cultivation.
What was more astonishing was that Sun Er had still managed to achieve Foundation Building. This made Wang Hong ponder how other cultivators who had dedicated themselves to cultivation must feel.
With a keen sense of curiosity, Wang Hong engaged in a conversation with Sun Er. One of Sun Er's advantages was that he couldn't keep secrets, and he willingly shared all his experiences without prompting.
"Do you know, Wang Senior Brother, my Dao Companion successfully achieved Foundation Building last year, and she had one Foundation Establishment Pill left. She secretly gave it to me. I used that pill to finally achieve Foundation Building," Sun Er proudly explained.
"Congratulations, Sun Junior Brother!" Wang Hong exclaimed, finally understanding the secret behind Sun Er's progress.
"Senior Brother Wang, you won't believe it, but my Dao Companion's father is a late Foundation Building cultivator, with a great chance of reaching the Golden Core stage. Every month, my Dao Companion receives two Nourishing Essence Pills, and she always shares one with me. So, I can enjoy one Nourishing Essence Pill every month. It won't be long before I reach the second level of Foundation Building," Sun Er said, licking his slightly dry lips and thinking, "If only I could find a few more Dao Companions like her!"
"Wang Senior Brother, let me tell you, when my Dao Companion chose me from among many suitors, it wasn't just because of my appearance. It was also because of my character..." Sun Er continued to talk, and once he started, there was no stopping him.
Wang Hong regretted indulging his curiosity earlier and engaging in a conversation with Sun Er.
"Sun Junior Brother, have you reported to Shen Senior Brother yet? You should go find Shen Senior Brother as soon as possible. Let me tell you, Shen Senior Brother is a true gentleman, very hospitable, and he enjoys chatting with fellow disciples. He'll be delighted to see you," Wang Hong suggested, trying to divert Sun Er and hand off the responsibility to someone else.
After some time, led by Wen Lan, a group of ten people arrived in Boundary City. They had traveled with a merchant caravan and had now safely reached Boundary City.
"Many thanks, Manager Yan, for your assistance along the way. We have safely arrived at Boundary City, and now we bid you farewell," Wen Lan respectfully expressed his gratitude to an old man from the merchant caravan.
Throughout their journey, the merchant caravan had not only transported goods but had also provided protection for the group of cultivators traveling alongside them. They had faced several dangers along the way, and the skills of Wen Lan's team had proven to be far superior to their current cultivation realms.
In one particular battle, these ten individuals had managed to hold off a second-tier Demonic Beast in close combat, leaving the members of the merchant caravan in awe.
As a result, Manager Yan had been trying to recruit Wen Lan and his team, offering generous rewards, but Wen Lan had consistently declined. He believed that Wen Lan might be a fiercely loyal individual and changed his approach, attempting to persuade other members of the team. However, the outcome remained the same.
Manager Yan couldn't comprehend how these individuals, who had turned down his extremely lucrative offer of one hundred Spirit Stones per month for each Qi Cultivation cultivator, were so loyal to their unknown benefactor.
Little did he know that each of Wen Lan's one hundred subordinates was an ardent and unwavering loyalist. For a military leader, having such devoted followers was a testament to his leadership. Any commander without such loyal subordinates would be deemed unfit and eventually phased out on the battlefield.
Once they arrived in Azure Void City, Wang Hong managed to persuade some of Wen Lan's team members to leave with enticing offers. However, the remaining forty-five individuals were the kind of steadfast and resolute loyalists who were hard to sway.
Of course, over time, people's loyalties could change. Wang Hong not only frequently recruited new members but also offered exceptionally high incentives that no one else could match if they ever decided to leave.
Furthermore, Wang Hong assured them that if they chose to leave, he would help them settle in Azure Void City, ensuring they had no worries about their future.
[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]