Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Jiang Cheng’s Strategic Layout Ability

Translator: 549690339

Just two blocks away from Lotus University, Liu Qing stood by the roadside with Jiang Cheng’s storage bag in hand, waiting for him outside the entrance to the Jade Lake Ming’an in the Lakeview District.

As the Capital of Liang Kingdom, it was much larger than Wuyue City and naturally had a denser population.

Correspondingly, Liu Qing found the odors he disliked becoming more prevalent.

Therefore, when Jiang Cheng first arrived at the Capital, he made it a priority to find a residence near Lotus University, one with a low population density, good ventilation, and ample sunlight.

After much searching, only Jade Lake Ming’an was most suitable for raising snakes.

Besides the expensive rent, there were no other faults.

However, Jiang Cheng was now wealthy and imposing, and he didn’t care much about the amount of the rent.

Spending more money was just spending more money.

In conclusion, as long as the Mahayana cultivator was satisfied, that was what mattered.

“Here you go,” Liu Qing handed the storage bag to Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng received it and checked most of his belongings with his divine sense.

There were a total of five top-grade Spirit Stones inside the storage bag.

According to the conversion where 100 low-grade equals 1 medium-grade, 100 medium-grade equals 1 high-grade, and 100 high-grade equals 1 top-grade,

Five top-grade Spirit Stones were equivalent to five million low-grade Spirit Stones.

This was most of Jiang Cheng’s assets, saved up after selling two properties and earning from the Fishing Talisman, following the earthquake that struck Wuyue and the emergence of the Spiritual Spring at the end of August.

Besides these, Jiang Cheng also had two hundred thousand low-grade Spirit Stones for spending money and cultivation resources worth four hundred thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.

During his university years, he couldn’t just focus on improving his talisman drawing skills; his cultivation level had to keep up as well.

Otherwise, he would find himself in a predicament of being technically skilled but unable to draw talismans. By the time he realized he needed to improve his cultivation, it would be a bit too late.

And with Jiang Cheng’s cultivation talent, there was no way to improve his cultivation level without spending a lot of money on resources.

“Where to?” Liu Qing asked.

Jiang Cheng gestured on the side of the road and hailed a taxi.

“Do you remember He? She is now the manager of a chain store under the Tongtian Sect’s Outer Sect. We are going to visit her today.”

Liu Qing nodded, indicating she knew.

However, she still didn’t quite understand why Jiang Cheng was going to see He with money in hand.

The two got into the taxi, and after more than half an hour, they arrived smoothly at the Huayuan Road Store of Tongbao Pavilion managed by He.

Tongbao Pavilion was a chain of stores set up within Liang Kingdom by the Tongtian Sect’s Outer Sect.

Their main business areas overlapped highly with the strengths of Lotus Cloud University, including Talismans, Elixirs, Magical Treasures, Array Flags, and all kinds of extraordinary materials needed for alchemy and tool refining.

The goods supply channel naturally was established through the Tongtian Sect.

The profits generated were mostly submitted to the Outer Sect of Tongtian Sect, with a fraction being used to distribute bonuses among the store’s Outer Sect disciples.

If a store suffered severe losses, they would either replace the manager as a mild measure or shut down entirely as a severe consequence.

The reason He could become a manager out of the blue was due to her predecessor’s lack of competency, resulting in consecutive years of losses. Finally, the Outer Sect’s person in charge in the Capital couldn’t stand it and directly removed her predecessor.

At that point, “exceptionally capable” Bai Xiaohe applied for a transfer to the Capital.

Adhering to the principle of making full use of good talent, Bai Xiaohe successfully became the youngest and least experienced Tongbao Pavilion manager in the entire Great Liang at twenty-three years old and with just one year of tenure.

However, Jiang Cheng was not here to buy anything from He’s store this time.

The top floor of the Huayuan Road Store of Tongbao Pavilion was the office area for the employees, and He’s office was also located here.

In the office, He personally brewed tea for Jiang Cheng and Liu Qing.

As for her true capabilities, He was well aware; without Jiang Cheng, she might have had to stay in Wuyue for her entire life without the chance to return home,

let alone become a manager and make her mother proud.

“Everything is here.”

Jiang Cheng placed the storage bag containing the five top-grade Spirit Stones on the table and pushed it towards He.

He bit her lower lip lightly, looked up at Jiang Cheng with a raised gaze, and said, “You, you’re giving it all to me like this?”

“Hmm.”

“You’re not afraid I’ll embezzle all your money and then run, run away?”

“Sister He, you’re not that kind of person. Both Liu Qing and I trust you a lot,” Jiang Cheng said with a smile.

Liu Qing also nodded.

The reason she was willing to interview with Jiang Cheng’s family was that He smelled fresh and clean, so she believed that the boss He recommended wouldn’t be bad.

Indeed, she met Jiang Cheng.

Experience had taught her that trusting her sense of smell was right.

He was flattered by Jiang Cheng’s words.

In fact, she hadn’t done much at all. All along, she had been taken care of by Jiang Cheng, and the only thing she could count as an achievement was introducing Liu Qing as an employee to Jiang Cheng.

No matter how one looked at it, Jiang Cheng was her benefactor.

And Jiang Cheng trusted her so much.

Even if she were to fall from grace and lose her reputation, she couldn’t let down Jiang Cheng’s trust in her!

He took out her notebook and went over his requirements with Jiang Cheng again.

“Let’s go through it again. You plan to use this money to invest in Capital, right?”

“Right.”

“It doesn’t matter what industry.”

“Right.”

“But it must be strongly related to the economy of female cultivators. Like cosmetics, sweets, clothing, beauty care…”

“Right.”

Jiang Cheng nodded again.

After confirming the investment keywords, He was still very puzzled.

“But why do you want to invest in the female cultivator economy? The economy of Liang Kingdom is just so-so right now. With such investments, you’re unlikely to see any returns.”

Jiang Cheng explained, “It’s mediocre now, but if Liang Kingdom had a female star, I mean a famous woman with a lot of fans, then the female cultivator economy there would surely ignite in an instant.”

He advised, “That seems unlikely, doesn’t it? Jiang Cheng, perhaps you shouldn’t waste your money.”

“It’s entirely possible. Our current King of Liang has been reigning for two hundred years with his Foundation Establishment cultivation level. Adding the time before he became the Crown Prince, it’s indeed time for a change.”

Jiang Cheng said this not out of wishful thinking but based on a plot point from the game.

That is, “Great Liang Duan Yu.”

It refers to the third daughter of the Emperor of Liang—Princess Liang Pei.

The Emperor of Liang, the mother of Princess Liang Pei, and the father of Princess Liang Pei, each played the roles of Duan Zhengchun, Dao Baifeng, and Duan Yanqing.

In short, Princess Liang Pei eventually became the first female Emperor of Liang Kingdom.

And incidentally, her rise boosted the entire Liang Kingdom’s female cultivator economy.

That’s why Jiang Cheng confidently reassured He to invest in the Capital’s female cultivator economy.

The investment process might face some twists and turns, but the ultimate outcome was bound to be bright.

Seeing Jiang Cheng’s confidence, He could only choose to believe in him. After all, with Jiang Cheng’s talent for drawing talismans, earning back that five million wouldn’t be too difficult if he wanted to make money.

He might not have a great understanding of the bigger picture or know much about investments, but she understood one principle.

Saving money and losing people means losing both; saving people and losing money means gaining both!

Jiang Cheng’s coattails, she must cling to them tightly!

On the morning of September 20th, the practical examination for new students at Lotus Cloud University began smoothly.

Including Jiang Cheng, the first batch of new students had already arrived at the designated examination sites as instructed in the announcement from Lotus Cloud University’s enrollment office.

What they faced first this morning was a test of “character”!