Chapter 44 – Every Single One of You Is…

“Have you gotten an answer?” Ye Qingwan frowned, watching Xia Fukun returning to the group.

“Yes. The eighth-grade beast in the Ming Mountain Range has gone nuts. It attacks everyone that enters the mountain range.” Xia Fukun shrugged helplessly.

“What shall we do now?” Hearing this piece of news, Chang Yuxuan’s face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.

According to their planned route, they had to go through the Ming Mountain Range to get to Odin Academy. If they chose to go around the Ming Mountain Range, then they would not be able to get to Odin Academy in a week’s time since they would have to make a U-turn back to where they came from and go around. To Ye Qingwan, it did not matter, but it mattered for the others since they would miss the freshman registration, which meant that they would not be able to be admitted into Odin Academy.

“Let’s go.” Xia Fukun shrugged.

Ye Qingwan was aware of Xia Fukun’s ability to summon two eighth-grade beasts, and she was not worried about Qingmu Xuan. However, Chang Yuxuan was here with them, and she was worried that Xia Fukun would not be able to explain the origin of the eighth-grade beast. Who knew if Chang Yuxuan would be able to keep it a secret?

“Should we reconsider?” Ye Qingwan exchanged a glance with Xia Fukun, trying to express her worry. Receiving her glance, Xia Fukun was extremely moved.

I knew that you loved me, Qingwan!

“It’s alright, let’s go.”

Xia Fukun had given this matter a thorough thought, and he was confident that he would be able to summon the eighth-grade beast without anyone’s knowledge. Unless someone deliberately stalks me, I will be able to do it in secret since I have the ability to summon beasts instantly. I could also summon them somewhere further away from me, or just deny it with all my might if someone asks me about it.

Ye Qingwan sighed and nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

Meanwhile, Yang Yao had been listening to their conversation diligently. After learning Xia Fukun and the group’s plan, he came to them without hesitation.

“Handsome! Please, count me in!”

Looking at Yang Yao acting in a toadying manner, Xia Fukun frowned.

“Why are you going back inside the Ming Mountain Range?”

“I’m heading to Odin Academy! I have gone through this path numerous times and it has always been a safe trip. I have no idea what’s wrong with the snake this time around!”

“You’re also an Odin Academy freshman?”

Xia Fukun was slightly stunned. Schoolmate?

“Yes, you too?” Yang Yao was slightly confused. A Warrior Realm freshman? He must be aiming for the inner school! Yang Yao was aware that Xia Fukun would be considered a talent due to his age and his cultivation, but even so, it was still uncertain if Xia Fukun would be able to get into Odin Academy’s inner school!…

Chapter 32: Nobel, I Need Your Help

“Meow ~ can we really buy such beautiful clothes?” Liu Li asked excitedly, rubbing her face lightly against the silk.

“Of course! Just choose what you like!” Wu Qingsong said with great pride.

Two bull men held up the shelves to place samples for them to choose as much as they like, while a sable girl recommended the goods with a smile on her face.

Although she couldn’t understand why the half-elf in front of her wanted to give these two beastwomen custom-made silk clothing, but business is business, and she always keeps a warm smile on her face.

“Lin, you also can choose!” Wu Qingsong said.

After delivering three times the soap, Wu Qingsong was flush with cash. Although he couldn’t be called a rich man, at least in Umbel, to buy a little luxury was not a problem for him.

In fact, in order to avoid being doubted where his wealth came from, under Harold’s operation, he had bought a bankrupt furniture workshop next to the former leather workshop and hired a steward and several workers.

Both workshops have been in normal operation. Although they are barely maintained, the steward and the workers do not know the real sales, and the outsiders do not know the actual sales and cost. As long as no one carefully accounted the business, there should be no problem.

Ramu was trying to find a way to help him get a document to get involved with an aristocrat. Although this means that an extra fee must be paid to the person who runs the business every year, and a theoretical profit must be paid to the aristocrat, it can avoid the harassment and exploitation of the three Umbel guilds. According to Ramu’s experience, it is fully worth it.

To Wu Qingsong’s surprise, Ramu Herb Shop was endorsed by archduke Santarx in order to avoid the harassment of the three guilds, and the tax revenue was much less than that of the same kind of shops.

“That archduke? Isn’t he your enemy?” He asked Ramu this question in surprise.

“Because he enacted a reward for catching Nina?” Ramu said. “Yes, for this reason, I paid a lot of money to get the certificate from one of his officers. The shop belonging to Archduke Santarx is actually the property of the criminal he wanted for a long time. It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

“Don’t they perceive it at all?” Wu Qingsong asked. “I mean, won’t they take it for themselves? In theory, this is their industry!”

“As long as you don’t overextend the business, the managers don’t really want to interfere. As long as they get a bonus from you every year, what’s the reason for them to really take back the shops? After all, it’s only to increase the archduke’s wealth to take back the shops, but if they don’t do it, we can keep increasing their own money. In fact, my shop will never even appear on …

Chapter 31: Sure Enough, No Man is Rich WIthout Wealth

“Your skill is very good.” Ramu scrutinized every bar of soap. “But if you want to keep the business going for a long time, you can’t do it so well. What you make can be infinitely close to the real goods, even a little worse than the real goods, but it can never be obviously better than the real goods like this, do you understand?”

Wu Qingsong nodded. In fact, he also thought about it after he made the soap.

A small number of low-quality counterfeit goods may not attract the attention of the Figit Chamber of Commerce. Even with their power, it was impossible to control every corner of the vast empire tightly. That was something that couldn’t be completely done even on Earth.

But if there are goods in the market that are better than the ones they produce, they will inevitably have a strong sense of crisis, which will attract their attention.

The logic that we can do better but have to do worse is uncomfortable, but it is the rule of the world.

What can I do? Just accept it.

“This batch of goods can earn at least 2000 Renals!” Ramu said.

The cost of the soap bases is almost negligible compared with the selling price. The biggest cost is actually those spices and herbs, plus the cost of transportation, smuggling, and sale. Wu Qingsong roughly calculated that their cost is only about a quarter to a tenth of the wholesale price of the certified products. The more expensive the certified goods are, the greater the cost gap will be.

As smugglers, Wu Qingsong didn’t think they would pay taxes honestly. In this way, the profits will be extremely considerable.

Ramu looked satisfied, but Wu Qingsong had no choice. If it wasn’t for the elves’ vicious monopoly, he could have done much more.

“I’ll give you your share after the goods are sold.”

“If it is not convenient, you don’t have to be so urgent…” Wu Qingsong said insincerely. In front of beautiful women, any young man will probably have the instinct of showing off and being generous. But the money Nina gave him before, the money he got from the gangsters he killed, plus the ten golden sols Ramu gave him before, have been used up. Although he should be able to go to the landlady’s restaurant for a few days on credit, so he wouldn’t be starved, but it was a last resort, and he really didn’t want to be in such a mess.

“Really?” Ramu seemed to not understand his subtext, but looked up at him, her eyes shining like stars in the dark.

Hey, normally you should insist on giving me the money as soon as possible? What’s the matter with this kind of behavior?

However, he had said so, so Wu Qingsong could only say, “Haha, since we are partners, we don’t need to pay much attention to these things, do …

Chapter 43 – Ming Mountain Range

“If I said that it was pure coincidence, would you believe me?” Xia Fukun answered weakly.

Ye Qingwan: “…”

She sighed and took a deep breath, staring at Xia Fukun.

“What do you think?”

“Okay, then I have nothing to say. I guess this is fate?”

What the hell. Fate?!

Ye Qingwan’s face flushed red with anger. Her breathing had become heavier too.

“Pervert!” she chided.

Ye Qingwan was at a loss for words.

“Hehe.” Xia Fukun let out an awkward laugh.

Ye Qingwan glared at Xia Fukun angrily and coughed.

“The incidents that we encountered on our way here are trivial compared to the dangers lurking in the Ming Mountain Range. We have to have our guards up. It might not be that much of a threat to me or Xia Fukun, but Xuan’er and Chang Yuxuan, you should follow us closely. Even though it’s said that the eighth-grade beast residing in the Ming Mountain Range is the strongest beast around, life is unpredictable.”

The group nodded in agreement.

At the same time, a figure could be seen dashing out of the mountain range at lightning speed, looking battered. He was cursing relentlessly too.

“Damn it! You’re nothing but an eighth-grade beast! I’ll send you to hell soon!”

Hearing the figure’s words, the group’s faces fell immediately.

This was the best surprise they could ever have! Coming across the eighth-grade beast before they even entered the mountain range?

“Go and find out what’s going on.” Ye Qingwan turned to Xia Fukun.

“Okay.” Xia Fukun nodded. Within no time, he was standing in front of the figure.

“Oh mama!”

The figure was constantly turning back to see if the beast was coming after him, but he was suddenly welcomed by a person who was smiling widely at him. It gave him such a bad shock that he fell onto the ground.

“Are you even human? Why don’t you make sound when you walk?”

Xia Fukun was ready to ask about the situation nicely, but the other party’s attitude made him unhappy.

Is that how you’re supposed to talk to a stranger?

All of a sudden, the air was filled with the aura of a Warrior Realm, making the teenager, who was about to stand up, fall back to the ground.

“A Warrior Realm martial artist?”

The teenager looked at Xia Fukun, slightly dumbfounded. He could tell that Xia Fukun was about his age, so he guessed that Xia Fukun should be in the Profound Realm, like him. It was totally out of his expectations that Xia Fukun was already a Warrior Realm martial artist!

After a short pause, he turned to Xia Fukun.

“I’m sorry. It’s my bad. I apologize,” he said sincerely.

Xia Fukun: “…”

The apology took Xia Fukun aback. Previously, the mercenary apologized in this way too, and now this teenager. Is it that everyone in the Nine Spiritual Mainland apologizes in this way? Simply but seriously?

“Answer whatever I ask, …

Chapter 42 – Think of a Good Reason

“What, smelly?” Xia Fukun responded and took a piece of stinky tofu from the plate and put it in his mouth. After receiving tutelage from Xia Fukun over the past few days, Chang Yuxuan could not only summon stinky tofu, but its chili sauce too. Xia Fukun dipped the stinky tofu into the sauce and placed it in his mouth. He took a deep breath.

“It’s fragrant!”

Ye Qingwan: “???”

Qingmu Xuan: “???”

Hello? Are you serious? That stuff is fragrant?

Even though they were a distance away from Xia Fukun and Chang Yuxuan, the ladies’ mouths couldn’t help but water as they watched Xia Fukun dig into the stinky tofu.

“Is it really that good?”

An authentic and top-notch stinky tofu would smell so bad that one could hardly differentiate it from rotten food.

Being a kid, Qingmu Xuan was a glutton, and Xia Fukun’s expression made her unable to hold herself back. She took a piece from Chang Yuxuan’s hand and stuffed it in her mouth after dipping it into the chili sauce just like Xia Fukun did.

The stinky tofu’s stench dispersed in Qingmu Xuan’s mouth as soon as she popped it in her mouth. The juice of the tofu burst out as she bit into it, exciting her taste buds.

“Wow!” Qingmu Xuan couldn’t help but let out a yelp, praising the delicacy.

“???” Ye Qingwan blinked her eyes as she watched Qingmu Xuan. “Is it that good?”

Thus, Ye Qingwan stepped up and popped a piece of tofu in her mouth. As soon as she bit down on it, the word “delicious” popped up in her mind.

“There’s such a delicacy in the world?”

Ye Qingwan licked her lips, eyes shining brightly.

Some said that females looked sexiest and most alluring when they bit their lips. Xia Fukun, who was looking at Ye Qingwan biting her lip in a daze, totally agreed with the saying.

“You said that he’s a beast trainer, right? Why did I not see him summon a beast?” Ye Qingwan asked Xia Fukun.

“Hehe, well, this is a bit awkward.” Xia Fukun coughed. “Yuxuan is a beast trainer, but he’s a special one. He can’t summon beasts; all he can summon is food.”

Ye Qingwan: “…”

Qingmu Xuan: “…”

There are such things?

“I have never seen such a beast trainer, though….”

Being born in the Ye family and being the disciple of Odin Academy, Ye Qingwan was exposed to a vast variety of different types of cultivators, but she had never seen a beast trainer that summoned food. If he wanted to get into Odin Academy with this talent… it was going to be a bit… difficult.

“Let’s not talk about that, Odin Academy already has a place for Chang Yuxuan due to his family relations. So, when shall we leave?”

Xia Fukun was afraid that, if they dragged things out, Ye Qingwan and Qingmu Xuan would think about having Chang Yuxuan …

Chapter 30: An Old Man at Home is Like a Treasure

“I want to hire you.” Wu Qingsong told Harold.

The old wolfman looked at him in surprise and didn’t understand what he meant.

“I mean hire you as in another capacity, not as a swordsmanship teacher.” Wu Qingsong said. “I need your experience and wisdom.”

Harold soon understood, and his face turned bad. “Are you dragging me into the water?”

“You’ve been with me for so long, and you know what I’ve done. If something happens to me, even if we don’t sell you out, do you think that you’ll be safe?”

The old wolfman stared at Wu Qingsong gloomily, as if to tear him apart.

For a moment, Wu Qingsong felt that his hook was about to swing.

“Of course, you can choose to leave Umbel. If you want to do that, I can give you some money as compensation. But I really need an experienced, intelligent and trustworthy person to help me now. Apart from you, I can’t think of anyone who can do it.”

Wu Qingsong looked at Harold’s eyes and said earnestly. “Can you help me, please?”

“That’s because you don’t know anyone else, do you?” Harold said sarcastically.

“But you are the best.” Wu Qingsong said with a little embarrassment. “I know that you can be trusted, and I know that you are not willing to waste your life like this. You’re not that kind of person, aren’t you?”

“Uncle, please help us!” Ling said by the side.

“Meow ~ yeah, yeah!”

Harold started shaking his head, but a few minutes later, he finally said, “Who is your copartner?”

“A group of smugglers.” Wu Qingsong said.

“If you really want me to work for you, don’t try to deceive and hide me from such things.”

Wu Qingsong felt that his face was burning from abashment, but in fact, he was a little worried about Harold.

After all, if he told Harold the truth, Harold may keep the soap secret for them for fear of being killed, but the reward for taking Nina’s head doesn’t have such risk.

“These guys are not good people. My guest, you should be careful of these people…”

He seemed to hear the horseman’s words again.

Even Harold himself said that if he was ten years younger and without disability, he would have caught them…

But he had no more choice. Harold had at least passed the previous test. Now, who else can he look for? The owner of the restaurant?

“I was told not long ago that sometimes it’s a good thing to know less.” He came up with an idea and repeated Ramu’s words in another way.

“If I don’t know who I’m dealing with, how can I help you?” Harold didn’t take it, he said mercilessly. “I won’t do it for you if I don’t know the risks and benefits.”

Wu Qingsong looked at him and finally nodded. “You should know the Silvermoon wolfkins?”

“The Moon Lady?” …

Chapter 86: Fishing in Troubled Waters

The sentry realised that Ye Shang was not merely threatening him, but was out to kill when cold metal was pressed to his neck.

“I’ll speak! I’ll speak!” The sentry revealed everything he knew.

After listening to the confession of the sentry, Ye Shang knew he had found the right place. This group of people were the Lushan bandits. Except for a few lackeys who were out gathering information, almost everyone else was at the mountain pass. This was their stronghold. Ye Shang also found out the place where the two leaders were located.

Ye Shang reached out and stripped the sentry of his vest, then shook his head, “It’s not an unforgivable crime to be a mountain bandit, but you shouldn’t have massacred a family.” With a wave of his spear, Ye Shang slit the throat of the sentry.

Ye Shang put on the sentry’s vest and returned his reincarnation spear into the storage ring. He then brushed his hair to look more like the sentry before heading towards the mountain pass. He planned to infiltrate and observe the pass.

When he arrived at the mountain pass, Ye Shang did not enter it directly. Although he was unlikely to be discovered, he didn’t want to take risks.

He went along the mountainside, dodged two sentries, before sliding down the mountain and into the stronghold, walking in casually. Although he did not look as fierce and hardened as the other bandits, there wasn’t much of a difference. There was no need to be nervous since it did not seem likely for them to know everyone in the large group of bandits.

Ye Shang walked towards the innermost part of the stronghold where the two stone houses of Huang Jun and Huang Jue, the two leaders of the Lushan bandits, were located.

He walked confidently with the sentry’s sabre in his hand, pretending to be on patrol, while gradually getting closer to the innermost part of the stronghold.

Several bandits saw Ye Shang but did not question him, and he continued to close in on the two stone houses.

Two bandits stood on guard outside the stone houses. Ye Shang did not approach, but walked back and forth, and continued to pretend to be patrolling.

Right then, the door curtain of one of the stone houses was lifted, and out came Huang Jue in his tiger skin vest.

“Er Mazi, bring some jars of wine to my room,” Huang Jue yelled at the bandit standing guard.

“Just a second! You, come and carry the wine with me,” Er Mazi waved to Ye Shang.

Ye Shang hurried over, seizing the chance to get close to the two leaders of the bandits.

Er Mazi led Ye Shang to the east side of the stronghold. As he walked on, Ye Shang saw seven to eight naked women being imprisoned in a cell and became livid at the brutality of the bandits.

“What are you looking at? If you …

Chapter 41 – Stinky Tofu in the Nine Spiritual Mainland

When Xia Fukun exited the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce, he was as pale as a sheet of paper, unlike Chang Yuxuan, who was next to him with a face full of smiles.

“Young Master Kun, where are we going now?

“I heard from my uncle that you’re not only a Profound Realm martial artist but similar to me, a fourth-grade beast trainer?”

Hearing Chang Yuxuan’s words, Xia Fukun shook his hand immediately.

“No… I am not similar to you. We are not the same, thank you.”

With that being said, Xia Fukun clenched his fist, releasing his aura. It was so strong that Chang Yuxuan nearly kneeled down to him.

“War… Warrior Realm?”

Previously, Chang Yuxuan had heard a lot about Xia Fukun from his uncle. Just like any kid on Earth, they hated to be compared to other children by their parents. Thus, Chang Yuxuan was sure that the Xia Fukun in Master Ni Gu’s words was half made up of boasting.

However, he never expected that, not only were Master Ni Gu’s words all true, but Xia Fukun was even stronger than they thought!

He was a Warrior Realm martial artist!

And a sixth-grade beast trainer!

Even though Warrior Realm martial artists were nothing special in the Scarlet Water Province, it was a sixth-grade beast trainer who achieved this! And he was only about twenty years old, how could that not be jaw-dropping?

“Young Master Kun, can you take me as your disciple?”

Seeing that Chang Yuxuan was ready to kowtow to him, Xia Fukun immediately held him up.

“Please don’t…. What can I teach you with your talent of summoning food? We shall just have to wait and see if any weirdo teacher at Odin Academy likes you. What can I even teach you? How to summon stinky tofu?” (Translator note: Stinky tofu is a Chinese dish)

The thought of stinky tofu made Xia Fukun’s mouth water.

It was a dish that he enjoyed back on Earth, but sadly, such things did not exist in the Nine Spiritual Mainland, so he could only recall the mouthwatering taste of the dish.

“Stinky tofu?”

This was the first time Chang Yuxuan heard this name, but he felt that it was the name of a food.

“Stinky tofu, stinky tofu….” Chang Yuxuan pondered hard. Suddenly, he heard a loud thud.

A plate of stinky tofu could be seen in Chang Yuxuan’s hand, and it looked and smelled exactly like the stinky tofu Xia Fukun had on Earth!

The smell made Xia Fukun turn back immediately and pop one in his mouth.

He frowned and patted Chang Yuxuan’s shoulder.

“Hey, so are you able to summon any food as long as I tell you the name of it, how it roughly looks, and the ingredients?”

“Yes. Young Master Kun, am I a beast trainer?”

“Duh! Of course you are!”

Xia Fukun felt that he had found a treasure. Chang Yuxuan …

Chapter 29: The Result goes Further and Further on the Road of Crime

Wu Qingsong looked at the two people sitting opposite him with bright eyes, but to his embarrassment, Bernard was still indifferent, while Ramu still kept that smile, and the mood seemed to be the same.

Oh, good. What else?

It made him feel like a punch in the air, very uncomfortable.

“Uncle Bernard says you lack common sense, and it seems that you do.” Ramu finally broke the frozen air with a smile. “You can’t say you’re wrong, but costs and profits are not calculated like you are.”

“Oh?” Wu Qingsong finally had a chance to adjust his posture to make himself less embarrassed.

“As a half-elf, you should have been more clear about the right and wrong of elves than I am, but you are obviously a little ignorant, Wu?”

Sweat began to appear behind Wu Qingsong, but Ramu didn’t continue with this point.

“Do you know who is in charge of the soap business present?” She took a sip of tea and put the cup on the table. “It’s the Figit Chamber of Commerce in the East, and the master behind them is Archduke Figit. He is one of the most influential nobles in the Empire, a member of the upper house of the Empire, vice president of the Empire magic association, Honorary Professor of Padmiya Magic University, and one of the honorary members of the Empire Business Federation. Soap was discovered by chance nearly 250 years ago, but it didn’t develop into a luxury and only became popular since 100 years ago. As far as I know, the Figit Chamber of Commerce can provide more than 200,000 golden sols to his family every year to support his magic research. Soap is definitely one of the biggest products. Of course, the archduke will not ask about the specific affairs himself, but it is impossible for his officers to ignore it. Anyone, any organization, as long as they try to make achievements in this field, will inevitably be strangled by the Figit Chamber of Commerce! Otherwise, why do you think it’s so expensive? ”

“Are you afraid of this?” Wu Qingsong asked. It may be worse than what Harold said, but that’s why he decided to work with Nina.

They are by no means law-abiding citizens. As a rebel army, they must have enough money to support their actions, otherwise, they cannot persist. It’s impossible for Nina to support the long-term activities of the rebel army by only depending on the barren mountain villages he had been to. Without other sources of funds, Nina would never be able to be so generous to him, a potential partner who has not much relationship with her.

The rebel army must have its own way, its own dependence, and that’s what he wants to borrow.

“You overrated us,” Ramu said. “No one is not afraid of elves. If it is not because they only want to enjoy themselves and …

Chapter 40 – Gourmet Chang Yuxuan

“It’s fine, Master Ni Gu, just cut straight to the point. Why did you call me here? I’m only going to be here for a short period of time since I have to return to the capital soon.”

Master Ni Gu burst into laughter and sent the group of ladies off.

Why do you need to send them off? Xia Fukun pouted slightly. They are not affecting me!

“Young Master Kun, you will be heading to Odin Academy, right?”

“Eh?” Xia Fukun raised his brows. “The rumors you heard are quite accurate, huh?”

“Hehe, Young Master Kun is good at jokes.” Master Ni Gu said. He was full of smiles.

“The reason why I called Young Master Kun over is because our executive is interested in getting to know Young Master Kun. We have a branch near Odin Academy, and I hope that Young Master Kun will forgive us for the previous incident. Before Young Master Kun returned, I already apologized to Mayor Xia on the behalf of the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce.”

Xia Fukun nodded. They were humans after all, and the relationship between the Xia family and the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce was nothing more than business. During the Baiyun Mountain incident, Xia Fukun was sure he would do the same if he were in Master Ni Gu’s shoes. However, he never expected that the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce’s executive was interested in meeting him.

“I will make a trip to the branch near Odin Academy if I have a chance then.”

Master Ni Gu heaved a sigh of relief. He received the command to leave a good impression of the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce on Xia Fukun. If he failed to do so, he might lose his status as head of this branch.

“Putting that aside, I have another matter….” Master Ni Gu said, slightly embarrassed.

“What?” Xia Fukun frowned.

Bro, this is too much! Aren’t you getting too much screen time right now?

“So, it’s this,” Master Ni Gu said and clapped. “Chang Yuxuan, come out.”

And Xia Fukun saw a person walk in immediately.

It was a youth around his age. However, he was slightly plump, and he seemed to be chewing something, which should be food.

“Uncle.” Chang Yuxuan greeted Master Ni Gu and flashed Xia Fukun a smile before plopping down onto a seat.

Master Ni Gu flashed Xia Fukun an awkward smile.

“Young Master Kun, I am so sorry that you have to see this. He’s my nephew, Chang Yuxuan, and the Red Maple Chamber of Commerce’s vice-chairman’s son. Not only that, he’s also a fourth-grade beast trainer who will be making a trip to Odin Academy soon. I hope that you can look out for him for me in Odin Academy….”

Xia Fukun blinked his eyes in confusion.

Beast trainer? Another beast trainer?

Didn’t they say beast trainers are rare? And there are less than ten beast trainers in the Yaslan …