Chapter 111 - Borrowing a Chicken to Lay Eggs
There are some people who you can owe, and there are some you can"t…
"Oh?" Gu Qin was confused.
"Furthermore, we don"t necessarily need Bodhisattva Lian Sheng"s help with Clear River Sect, why should we trouble him?" said Gu Hai, a smile on his lips.
"However, the Clear River Sect is protected by an array. Although there is a spirit stone mine outside of Clear River Sect, the spirit stones should have been taken by Song Shengping already, leaving just a mine behind. G.o.d knows how long it will take for us to mine it slowly! Without the spirit stones, how can G.o.dfather arrange an array?" Gu Qin laid his points, frowning.
"Who says we don"t have spirit stones?!" Gu Hai narrowed his eyes as he said.
"Oh?"
"Did you forget what our Gu Mansion does for business?" said Gu Hai with a smile.
"Our Gu Mansion? We are merchants… borrowing chickens to lay eggs?" Gu Qin"s expression changed at once.
"That"s right! In this world, all the things in this world are interconnected. Why do we need to borrow? If we provide enough interest, wouldn"t that be alright?" Gu Hai stated confidently.
"But, who is going to lend us, we...!" A complex look appeared on Gu Qin"s face. But in the next moment, his expression changed.
"G.o.dfather, you mean those cultivators who are monitoring our Gu Mansion? Borrow from the cultivators who want to s.n.a.t.c.h the Hundred Years Longevity Peach?" Gu Qin looked at Gu Hai, flabbergasted.
"Why not?" Gu Hai said, smiling.
"Well, alright!" Gu Qin had an agonized look on his face.
"You can think of this as a sale. If we take down the Clear River Sect, won"t we have the spirit stones coming in continuously? At that time, if we paid double the amount of spirit stones that were loaned to us, we will still be earning, won"t we? Don"t think too much about it, just treat it just like any sale!" Gu Hai said in a calm and poised manner.
"Yes, G.o.dfather!"
"Get on with it! Borrow it on my name, and on Ascendant Hall"s name. Also, take the Hundred Years Longevity Peach as the mortgage! I will place the Hundred Years Longevity Peach in a prominent location!" said Gu Hai calmly.
"Yes, G.o.dfather!"
After two hours…
All the cultivators outside of Gu Mansion had received a pamphlet from Gu Mansion.
"Come, quickly come and look, Gu Hai is taking out the Hundred Years Longevity Peach!" a distant cultivator shouted at the top of his voice.
Upon hearing this, many cultivators swarmed over without a moment of delay.
Yet what they saw was the Gu Mansion still shrouded by the clouds of the array. However, set at the edge of array filled with clouds was a tall stage. And placed atop this stage was a s.h.i.+ning golden peach.
The peach was so close that as long as anyone took a leap, they could grab it.
Nonetheless, no one dared to grab it. Every onlooker had a complex look plastered on their face as they gazed at the Hundred Years Longevity Peach placed before them.
"Hundred Years Longevity Peach, it sure is the Hundred Years Longevity Peach!"
"Just now, someone came to me and said Gu Hai wants to borrow spirit stones from us! He wants to borrow them for one month, and after one month, he will return double the amount!"
"Are you kidding me? Gu Hai wants to borrow spirit stones from us?"
"After one month, double the amount!"
"The Hundred Years Longevity Peach is given as a security, and it will be placed before everyone to look after it!"
"The credibility of the Ascendant Hall shouldn"t be that bad that they would have to use the spirit stones as a pretext?"...
Many cultivators looked skeptical. Looking at the closeby Hundred Years Longevity Peach, their eyes were filled with greed. Nonetheless, no dared to steal it.
Nowadays, everyone had also come to realize that it was not something they could take just because they wanted to.
Gu Hai wants to borrow spirit stones?
"Gu Hai robbed so many spirit stones from the Golden Tong, are they still insufficient?"
"Yes, he must have something in his mind, I am not going to lend to him for sure!"...
They were many who were disinclined to lend their spirit stones, but there were some who were interested.
Soon, tables were placed just outside the grand array, one after another. Standing on one side of each table was a Gu Mansion servant, responsible for writing the deed. Some of Gu Hai"s men were also standing on the side, responsible for security.
"Is it true that the amount will be doubled after one month?" asked a cultivator after arriving at the table.
"You can go and ask around a bit. Since my Lord has said it, never has he gone back on his word!" the old attendant of that table said, rolling his eyes.
"Then, I want to lend ten low-grade spirit stones as a trial!" that cultivators said, after pondering a bit.
"I"m sorry, my Lord said that at least ten middle-grade spirit stones have to be borrowed, no less! Keeping such records is troublesome!" that old attendant retorted, staring at the cultivator with bulging eyes.
"What?" the opposite cultivator"s eyes immediately went wide in surprise.
Ten middle-grade stones, meaning a thousand low-grade spirit stones! This Gu Hai sure has a big appet.i.te!
"After a month, you will get twenty middle-grade spirit stones, where can you find such a good deal? Also, don"t you believe in my Lord"s and Ascendant Hall"s reputation? Hurry up, will you? If you are not lending to us, then, don"t block the others!" said the old attendant coldly.
"That"s right, if you aren"t lending out, let me come! There is Hundred Years Longevity peach as the guarantee, I can lend!"
"That"s right, backed by the reputation of the Ascendant Hall, I am also lending!"...
The crowd at the back of the queue clamored loudly. Among the crowd, some of them were Gu Hai"s men, who were pretending to be ordinary cultivators.
"Who says I am not lending? Here, a...a high-grade spirit stone!" that cultivators blurted out, staring at the old man.
"High-grade spirit stone—one. After one month, you can claim two pieces. You have to sign your name! Go and sign your name on this IOU, right there!" that old attendant said calmly.
That cultivator awkwardly signed a bunch of papers. Then, holding a set of his doc.u.ments, he was led to a huge roll of silk, where he was asked to sign his name once more. It was also an IOU that would be used for cross-reference later. After he was finished, no one paid any attention to him anymore.
That cultivator, clutching an IOU, looked about. There was a complex look on his face. After one month, can I really get my spirit stones back?
"Senior Brother, you actually lent Gu Hai a high-grade spirit stone! Are you sure you can get it back?" a nearby cultivator asked, curious.
"Bulls.h.i.+t! Maybe Gu Hai is untrustworthy, but can Ascendant Hall be untrustworthy as well? Will the Ascendant Hall repudiate a debt? After a month, it will be two high-grade stones. Are you still not going? Stupid!" that cultivator cried out.
In the blink of an eye, the people who had lent their spirit stones began to encourage the others to strengthen their minds.
Since the process had already started, the later part went on very smoothly.
In the Soaring Heaven PaG.o.da of the Gu Mansion, Gu Hai was quietly watching the hubbub outside.
"G.o.dfather, even these cultivators have come to acknowledge your reputation," stated Gu Qin, a smile on his lips.
"No, they are lending to us, not because of my reputation, but the reputation of the Ascendant Hall. They believe in the Ascendant Hall"s reputation.
"But this is still insufficient. So, I had to use the Hundred Years Longevity Peach to show my sincerity. Secondly, I have placed a huge IOU for them to supervise, which has lowered their vigilance. And finally, I have used the temptation of a profit of a hundred percent in one month. Only then were these cultivators willing to lend us the spirit stones.
"I am paying too much, my risk is bigger than theirs. This is a big taboo for businessmen like us. However, it must be done!" Gu Hai shook his head as he heaved a sigh of lament.
After three days, the curtain on the borrowing of spirit stones fell.
Outside the Gu Mansion, a huge IOU of silk jam-packed with names was put on display for everyone to see.
And also, the Hundred Years Longevity Peach was placed before everyone as collateral.
Countless cultivators, each with their own intentions, were waiting...
Meanwhile, Gu Hai brought his three thousand men and snuck out of the Gu Mansion, making their way towards the Clear River Sect.
Clear River Sect...
Song Shengping smashed a vase on the ground, in a fit of rage.
"Gu Hai, he lied to me! That letter of challenge was false! He went to the Song Jia Sect!" Song Shengping"s countenance turned horrid as he swore.
The congregation of Song Jia Sect disciples standing in front lowered their heads. They did not dare utter a single word.
"You all are good for nothing! Had it not for Mister Fu taking a trip, I would still be kept in the dark!" Song Shengping said, burning with anger.
Fu Xue, who was sitting on a chair nearby, coldly watched everything happening before him as he drank tea. "Oh well, Chief Song, it"s not the time to brood over this! Has that old man, Clear River Sect Chief, been recruited?"
Song Shengping, suppressing the fury in his heart, took a deep breath as he shook his head and said, "Not yet, he is very stubborn!"
"Stubborn? Then, any more would be a waste of effort!" Fu Xue"s eyes flickered with a gloomy look.
"Oh?"
"He is a Nascent Soul cultivator. If I want to convert him, it would take a great deal out of me! However, for the dragon vein, we need to be clear about everything. Bring him to me, I will convert him!" said Fu Xue coldly.
"It may not be a bad idea!" Song Shengping agreed.
After two days, in the same hall...
Fu Xue and Song Shengping were sitting together. Both of their faces were covered with a depressed look.
"Entered h.e.l.l? That Grandmaster Liunian sure is troublesome. Then there is also that Wei Shengren!" stated Fu Xue, a sullen look on his face.
"He also doesn"t know when and where Grandmaster Liunian will return. All he knows is that Grandmaster Liunian will return someplace in the Clear River Sect, this is really troublesome! If we knew where he would return, we could set an ambush and capture him thereafter!" Song Shengping said, frowning.
"Continue searching, search every nook and corner of the Clear River Sect, leave no place unturned!" Fu Xue proposed in a deep voice.
Song Shengping nodded.
"Gu Hai has Bodhisattva Lian Sheng. However, judging from the att.i.tude of Bodhisattva Lian Sheng towards me, it"s evident that he doesn"t want to poke his nose into our matters. That is a relief, but we still can"t attack the Gu Mansion!" Fu Xue said, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Gu Hai has struck Song Jia Sect once, maybe he will strike a second time as well!? It might be entirely possible to deceive the disciples in the sect with his tricks!"
Fu Xue"s face darkened as he said. "That"s right! Therefore, I have to go back. You also have to be careful, he could also come to Clear River Sect!"
"I will a.s.sume command of Clear River Sect, you take command of Song Jia Sect. One cannot be too careful! Had I known that Gu Hai would be so hard to deal with, I would have finished him off way back then!" Song Shengping swore coldly.
Fu Xue nodded his agreement before treading the air and flying out of the hall, quickly soaring away towards the Song Jia Sect.
Song Shengping narrowed his eyes, gazing at Fu Xue"s disappearing silhouette. "Fu Xue, I am entrusting the entire Song Jia Sect to you, don"t let me down. Dragon vein, the dragon vein is worth the losses!"
Inside a mountain forest...
Gu Hai and his three thousand men were running at their top speed.
"My Lord, the Hundred Years Longevity Peach was left there, won"t we lose it?" asked Chen Tianshan, somewhat worried.
Everyone had left the Gu Mansion, while the Hundred Years Longevity peach was placed there, within everyone"s reach. But... although they could borrow a large number of spirit stones, a Hundred Years Longevity Peach was worth far more than that many spirit stones.
"You don"t need to worry about it. Everyone will help us guard it, we will not lose it!" replied Gu Hai calmly.
"Yes, my Lord!"
"Moreover, had we not done this, how could we help you rescue the Clear River Sect chief? I know that the Hundred Years Longevity Peach is precious, but who can we sell it to in such a short time, how can we find someone to exchange it with for so many spirit stones? And without so many spirit stones, how could we break the Clear River Sect array? Let"s hope that the Clear River Sect chief is still alive!" continued Gu Hai as he shook his head.
"Yes! Thank you very much, my Lord!" Chen Tianshan responded gratefully.