In the middle of the night, the Meng house was brightly lit. The table was filled with good food and drink.
“Everybody did splendidly!”
“For the company!”
“A toast!”
Chu Tian, Meng Qing Wu, Meng Ying Ying, Nangong Yun, Xiong Tian Yan, Zhang Li Qing, everybody raised their cups for a toast!
Zhang Li Qing was seated in the middle. His presence was quite strange. He was a n.o.ble scholar, originally he did not want to be mixed up with business affairs so as not to ruin his ill.u.s.trious name.
This time, without the slightest hesitation, he publicly became a member of Southern Cloud Commerce.
Why did he make such an exception?
Was it to repay the kindness of saving his life?
No, that was only part of the reason.
Zhang Li Qing had very good foresight. He had long discovered that Chu Tian had something other people didn’t have, it was a type of ambition, a type of fantasy, a type of spirit, a type of prejudice. Beneath his youthful appearance throbbed an outstanding mind that was ahead of its time; underneath his frivolity hid a wise spirit.
When the miraculous ship set sail, it would be a sensational thing, full of ideals, ambitions and feelings!
But, after all, what kind of mentality did Ye Qian have in establishing it?
How far could this ship sail?
It was something to look forward to!
Zhang Li Qing was 70 years old, already in his twilight years, he had never felt as young as he felt now. The newborn Miracle Commerce was going to face many problems, and it needed his help at this time!
If he were to cower now, he might regret it for the rest of his days.
“The Summit Meeting had many twists and turns, but it had a good conclusion. We have taken the first step all thanks to everyone’s hard work.” Meng Qing Wu poured a cup of wine for Chu Tian, “On behalf of all our partners, I present a toast to you!”
“Eldest Miss is too kind. If you keep talking that way I’ll become arrogrant.” Chu Tian chuckled in reply. “It wasn’t all my work, at best it was only 99% thanks to me.”
Everybody laughed in reply.
This guy really didn’t know how to be modest!
Meng Ying Ying drank a mouthful of wine and looked at Chu Tian with her droopy lids, a small smile on her face. This guy was a little bad, very arrogant, a little frivolous, but as long as he’s beside me nothing bad will happen. As long as he’s beside me everything is so safe and secure!
Everybody enjoyed the food and wine to their hearts content.
Meng Qing Wu wasn’t intoxicated by the alcohol, she soberly said, “Everyone, while it is worth celebrating the smooth birth of the company, this is just the first step. We mustn"t become careless. I have a few urgent matters to discuss with everybody.”
“First, the factory for the electric light is incomplete.”
“Second, the restaurant is in the middle of preparations, it needs to be open for business as soon as possible.”
“Third, the structure of our company is messy. Above we have management, below we have the production line. We are short on people, short on money, short on materials, there’s almost nothing we aren’t short on. We have to settle these problems as soon as possible.”
“...”
Meng Qing Wu finished speaking.
Everybody calmed down.
The business had a weak infrastructure and was unable to make a robust production line. The money they lacked was not a small amount, but even more inconvenient was that they lacked people. It wasn’t because it was hard to recruit people, it was just hard to find people they trusted.
Chu Tian did not feel this was a huge problem. One couldn’t get fat with one bite of food. The business was at its early stages, not everything could be solved immediatley. It was all just a matter of time. Sooner or later all these issues would be fixed.
Chu Tian asked, “What are the other problems?”
“I’m afraid that it is the product itself.” Meng Qing Wu knitted her brows, “The electric lamp runs on magic. Each usage would need five minutes of magic; to maintain the light, it would need around one hour of magic. However, among the 3 million people in Tian Nan City, only 200,000 can use magic. This implies that ordinary people cannot use the electric lamp.”
Chu Tian was impressed that Meng Qing Wu understood this point.
An idea suddenly occurred to Meng Yi Yi, and she instantly raised a small, delicate hand.
When Meng Qing Wu saw her younger sister’s enthusiasm, a gratified smile appeared on her face and she asked warmly, “Ying Ying, is there something you’d like to say?”
“I, I… I have an idea.” Meng Ying Ying’s little face blushed as she clenched her fists nervously, looking at Chu Tian. She stammered a reply, “We can open up a charging station and hire some cultivators to work there. Then oridanary people can charge their electric lamps there. This way, that problem can be solved.”
Xiong Tian Yan quickly replied, “Teacher is correct. We can even charge a fee for the charging station. Wouldn’t it be good to make extra money? The business is currently lacking funds, and this can be considered a good plan.”
Meng Qing Wu did not agree with the plan, she gently shook her head.
Chu Tian answered for her, “The selling point of our electric lamp is affordability, convenience, safety, practicality, if we do that we lose out on the core thing that makes us superior, it would be better to use candles in that case.
Meng Ying Ying’s face fell with an expression of disappointment.
Chu Tian comforted her, “Your plan is still good. But it’s just not the correct approach for the electrical lamp.”
Meng Ying Ying smiled sweetly, not dwelling on the matter.
Chu Tian continued, “I’ve already thought about how to fix that problem. I’m about to begin research on a long-lasting, inexpensive solid energy source. It will also use sunlight to recharge. This will solve the problem of the electric lamp’s power source."
Meng Qing Wu’s eyes brightened, “Can you really do it?”
Chu Tian replied with extreme confidence, “What, you don’t believe me? Your job is to build and manage the company, you don’t have to worry about the technical aspects! There’s won’t be a problem as long as I’m around!”
Chu Tian was very arrogant, but he had a good point.
Meng Qing Wu appeared to be set at ease!
The biggest problem was now resolved!
A servant hastily rushed over and presented a letter, “The mayor sent an invitation! He is asking Master Chu Tian to partic.i.p.ate in the handover ceremony for the resource rights!
Chu Tian heard this and replied with a blank expression, “Handover ceremony?”
“The purpose of this compet.i.tion in the Summit is dividing up territory.” Nangong Yun replied with a strange expression, “You didn’t know any of this and you still joined?”
I really didn’t know!
It turns out the Summit Meeting Big Competion had such an important meaning?
But after all, this wasn’t a bad thing. Chu Tian accepted the invitation.
“Let me tell you, that guy is really crafty, you have to be careful.” Nangong Yun said to Chu Tian who was being too unconcerned, “Remember, don’t accept too many favors, he’s a person that does things for profit. The more generous he is the more he is looking for a deal! If he brings up any plans on investing, you may kick him. That d.a.m.n old demon! Who told him not to give me money!”
The Nangong Eldest Miss was also formidable, but Chu Tian only rea.s.sured by telling her that he would keep her suggestions in mind.
Meng Qing Wu stood up to say, “It’s getting late, let’s call it a day. Everybody should go home and rest!”
Everybody was a little exhausted.
They immediately stood up and left.
Chu Tian had long stopped living in his small room. Right now he stepped into a small courtyard. It was quiet and comfortable, very suitable for cultivation training.
The courtyard was so peaceful, not a sound could be heard. A cool breeze carressed his face.
Chu Tian inhaled the cool and refreshing air, gradually relaxing his mind. He lifted his head to look at the night sky, pitch-black eyes watching the stars distractedly.
The dark night sky was filled with stars.
Thirty thousand years ago to thirty thousand years later, from ancient times until now, this starry sky has never changed.
But underneath this starry sky, every living being alternated between glory and ruin, over and over, forming an eternal cycle that would continue on till the end of the world.
For an outsider, history was a bland descriptor. But for those who experienced it personally, it was a life of flesh and blood. Chu Tian now felt all of this.
One who is a peerless beauty.
One who has unmatched intelligence.
What"s the point?
These are but a single pebble in the the great river of history!
Meng Qing Wu, Meng Ying Ying, Nangong Yun and the others, they were all lively figures. After many years, who would remember their existence? A king could move unhindered under the heavens, look disdainfully over the whole world, but still only be a ripple in the ocean.
Persistently cultivate, fight for fame, in the end it would all return to dust.
But if one were to only think that way, they would live a boring life!
Chu Tian travelled across time, the span of more than 30,000 years. It was inevitable for him to have wide and odd ways of thinking, for example...was it possible to achieve immortality?
Based on the historical records, the human lifespan was limited; the most anyone ever reached was around 1000 years. This was the limit of an ordinary person. Outside of this boundary was the domain of G.o.ds… so, could ordinary people break through this boundary?
They could!
Of course they could!
After 30,000 years, the most radical of scholars believed that the knowledge of their time was sufficient to challenge this boundary. The youngest Great Sage of the continent, Chu Tian, as it turns out, had been one of those radical scholars.
Chu Tian had often argued with those pedantic yet amateur old men over this problem.
However, that civilization had been in its prosperous age. The waste resources within continent was a huge problem. They could only stop at theories and were not able to put anything into practice.
Finally, Chu Tian stopped using his mouth to argue. The Miracle Commerce will become the stepping stones for Chu Tian to achieve his ambitions!
Miracle Commerce would not be the miracle of this age!
It would become Chu Tian’s miracle!
With his knowledge and wisdom from the future, along with the rich spiritual energy and natural resources of this time, this type of advantage was something people had never seen, until now. It would be a waste if he did not take hold this opportunity.
Chu Tian was not a person who could remain contented. He head to give it a try!
He wanted to challenge the limits of human boundaries!
He wanted to explore the domain of the G.o.ds!
Would he succeed? n.o.body knows!
There had never been a similar precedent in history before. But for a person like him, success was not the goal. As a person struggling against the heavens, the struggle itself was what brought boundless joy, did it not?
Every person needed their own dream, or else they would become lost in their path of cultivation.
Chu Tian’s dream was to exceed the limits of an ordinary person!
He longed to see what the world would look like after a million years!
Chu Tian was still very weak!
Right now, the most important thing was to become stronger quickly!
Though the possibilities were numerous, Chu Tian had knowledge from 30,000 years in the future. As long as he had the money and resources, he was confident that he could make even an idiot like Meng Ying Ying smash into the number one spot as the strongest in the continent!
The problem was the lack of money and resources!
What use was this knowledge?
Would he dare to rush to the chance to change what their current situation?
A person’s talent would arouse the envy of others. Ordinary people knew this, how could Chu Tian not?
Presently, he had already shown that he was one in a million, attracting the attention of the Ye clan. He had almost been put under their control, to be used at their beck and call.
Chu Tian did not have sufficient strength defend his current circ.u.mstances. He had better not use too much knowledge, or else he might arouse the attention of very powerful people.
There were other ways to establishing this large-scale company.
Chu Tian needed to ama.s.s his own influence, both to give himself protection and also to be able to plunder resources unrestrained. It was best to lay the foundations and make preparations early.
After all, if he could achieve his goals while establishing a business and increasing his influence, all the while experience new things in this era, he would enjoy the change in the setting, so why not?
From now on life would be bright and rich!
Chu Tian had a great sense of adventure, he was now wide awake. He immediately went into his room and searched for a white pill and swallowed it.
Magic Congealing Pill, this pill was refined with ingredients from the cave, and also the last of it.
Chu Tian felt the spiritual energy coursing through his veins become thicker. Like a monkey, he leaped around the courtyard, extending his muscles, and practiced his fighting techniques.
Punch like a spear!
Palm like a blade!
Each movement was full of grace and elegance!
After many hours, Chu Tian’s body gradually warmed. The white mist of spiritual energy seeped out from his pores. He was not tired in the least, but was becoming more and more energetic.
“Ha!”
Chu Tian abruptly exclaimed.
Vibrant spiritual energy burst out of his body, forming a white cyclone around his body. Chu Tian’s energy suddenly increased by three, four times!
Not only that.
Another breakthrough!
From the sixth rank of the body refinemeant realm, he was now at the seventh rank!
The whole process had only taken half a month. The speed at which he reached the seventh rank could be considered a mriacle.
Even though he had experienced a breakthrough, he still was not happy.
The concoctions from the cave was used up, but there was still a large gap for him to cross to reach the Spirit Awakened Realm, but there was no time.
Chu Tian understood clearly, relying on his current body, becoming a Spirit Awakened Cultivator in just two month’s time? Go ahead and keep dreaming! Without five to eight years of hard training, it would be impossible!
Although his body had been in the spirit spring that improved his natural attributes, at best he could be considered a talented genius in this small territory. If he were to measure against the entire continent, he was merely a drop water.
The Du Clan, the Ye Clan, Ye Xiong especially, would not let be.
Who knew what shady methods he would use to help his grandson as well. Ye Xiong and Du Zhen Tian, were absolutely not to be trifled with.
It was fortuitous to have met Blood-weaved Python in that cave, but there would not be a second time. One cannot expect to always encounter great luck.
And then there was still the shortage of money.
Chu Tian could not sit idly awaiting death, so he had to hurry and make money. First he had to collect a large amount of resources, make a breakthrough in his cultivation, at least reach the ninth rank of the body refinement realm. He only needed to awaken a sliver of spirit power, Chu Tian believed once he accomplished that, even a spirit-awakened cultivator would not be able to match him.
But, in the end, the night is long and dreams are many.
Chu Tian’s strength was just shy of withstanding Ye Xiong. Anytime he was met with danger, he still had to rely on Zhang Li Qing, Xiong Bing, and Nangong Yun’s protection. Especially Nangong Yi, his foundation in Tian Nan City might not be deep, but for good or ill, he was the mayor of the city making his position and influence the largest.
Why else would Chu Tian decide to uncover his “intentions” in the Summit Meeting? The Nangong Clan was one of the the three great clans of the kingdom. Nangong Yi likely would not ignore his “intentions”, and now that he saw them me would not ignore Chu Tian.
But anything of worth has its limits.
For now, Ye Xiong could not make a move. But when he did stike, it would inevitably be both formidable and unstoppable that even Nangong Yi would have difficulties.
It was not yet clear how much Nangong Yi was willing to invest in his relationship with Ye Qian. The mayor was the only person in Tian Nian City who could promote the fast development of Miracle Commerce. If the Miracle Commerce wanted stability, the only way to do that was to bring a tank to fight your battles.
Allowing the mayor’s daughter, Nangong Yun, to join was for this very reason.
This was still not enough. Chu Tian needed to do something more to solidify the mayor’s confidence in him.
So that no matter what the future may hold, the mayor would be able stand with him, duty-bound, with no thought of turning back!
The sky began to lighten.
Chu Tian stopped his contemplation. There were many things needed to be done. First, he should go see the mayor, Nangong Yi.