Chapter 576: A Single Net To Catch Them All
"The Secretary-Envoy... he truly said that?" He Zhenghao asked, a note of hesitation in his voice.
Gao Yuan was equally skeptical. "Everyone knows the Secretary-Envoy's divination arts are profound and unfathomable. Why would he need to operate like us just to accumulate wealth? It would only lower his standing!"
"Zhou Qing'ang" snorted at their reactions. "The Secretary-Envoy's designs are far beyond what either of you could possibly comprehend.
"But fine." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. "To convince you completely, I'll share a little more."
He leaned closer. "The Secretary-Envoy hasn't just predicted that the war in Tianling Province is about to end. He has also foreseen that once it does, to aid in swift recovery, the Myriad Immortals Alliance will issue a new decree."
"What decree?" He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan leaned in, straining to hear.
"Zhou Qing'ang" spoke slowly, deliberately. "All Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators will be permitted to purchase techniques from the Tianxuan Mirror at a discount. Divination involving an artifact of the Tianxuan Mirror’s caliber does carry some margin of error, but the Secretary-Envoy considers this outcome nearly certain."
"A discount on techniques?" The two men gasped in unison.
On reflection, it wasn't entirely without precedent. The last time such a thing had occurred was hundreds of years ago, a tale known only from the mouths of much older cultivators.
The purchase of cultivation techniques was, without question, the single greatest expenditure in any cultivator's life. Tens of thousands of points, even hundreds of thousands, was a sum that might seem trivial to He Zhenghao now. But for the vast majority of cultivators, it was a lifetime of savings. Everything they had.
If the Myriad Immortals Alliance truly offered a discount on techniques, even a twenty percent reduction would spare buyers a staggering number of contribution points. The frenzy that would follow was easy to imagine. Cultivators would borrow from every possible source to scrape together enough points.
After careful consideration, He Zhenghao's eyes began to gleam. He could sense the opportunity, even if the specifics of how to seize this once-in-a-millennium chance remained frustratingly out of reach. He scratched his head, restless with impatience.
Unable to hold back, he blurted out, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, stop keeping us in suspense! Lay it out plainly!"
Zhou Qing'ang smiled faintly. "It's simple. First, we spread the word. The great war is ending. Things will return to normal.
"Opportunity waits for no one. Those who still wish to convert their contribution points into an official post or position had better move quickly. A chance like this won't come again.
"And naturally, raising our prices just a little would be perfectly reasonable.
"Second, we announce the reopening of the capital-raising plan, this time with far greater fanfare.
"A five-year term. A target return of two hundred percent. And no upper limit on the contribution points we'll accept."
As the longtime manager of the capital-raising plan, He Zhenghao felt his eyelid twitch.
A two-hundred percent return in five years. He had no doubt the Secretary-Envoy could deliver it. And given the track record of the previous fundraising rounds, combined with Li Fan's standing as Secretary-Envoy of Congyun City, this new uncapped plan would draw an unimaginable flood of contribution points.
Especially from those cultivators who had repeatedly tried and failed to get a foothold in Li Fan's ventures. The moment they heard about it, they would be first in line, eager to hand over everything they had.
Five years could be considered long or short, depending on how you looked at it. Enter seclusion for a stretch, and it would pass quickly. Come out the other side, and your wealth would have tripled. You couldn't find a deal like that even if you went searching with a lantern.
And Li Fan remained the highest-ranking administrative official in the Congyun Sea region. There was no fear of him vanishing with the funds.
"But if we go this far..." Gao Yuan had sensed the ruthlessness of the plan, a flicker of unease crossing his face.
"Exactly. Both methods are designed to empty the pockets of cultivators in a short time."
Zhou Qing'ang's tone carried unmistakable satisfaction. "Just when they've handed over everything they've painstakingly accumulated over the years, they'll suddenly hear that the Alliance has announced a technique discount program.
"They'll know it's an opportunity they can't afford to miss. And yet they'll have no contribution points left to spare.
"Want to pull out and reclaim your points? You can, but you'll owe the penalty fee, won't you?
"Genuinely cleaned out? That's fine too. You can carry the debt. Just put up an artifact or a rare natural treasure as collateral.
"Unwilling to pull out but still want to buy techniques during the discount period? We'll lend you what you need. Everything is negotiable. The interest will be quite reasonable—a modest twenty percent per year."
Zhou Qing'ang sneered.
He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan felt cold sweat creeping down their backs.
When the explanation finally came to an end, Gao Yuan couldn't help but speak up. "The Secretary-Envoy's plan is truly brilliant, but there is one thing I don't understand. I hope you can enlighten me, Fellow Daoist Zhou."
Zhou Qing'ang tilted his head and regarded him in silence.
Only when Gao Yuan had begun to look visibly uneasy did he speak. "Heh. We've been colleagues for many years. Brother Gao, say what's on your mind."
"From what I've observed of the Secretary-Envoy's temperament, he has never been one to place great importance on material wealth. Why is he acting so out of character now, making one sweeping move after another?"
He Zhenghao added, "Does the Secretary-Envoy have a deeper purpose here? I too believe he wouldn't go to such lengths just for contribution points."
Zhou Qing'ang deliberated for a long moment without answering, appearing to weigh something carefully.
Seeing this, He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan immediately knew they had guessed correctly. Their hearts lifted, becoming somewhat expectant.
At last, Zhou Qing'ang made his decision and switched to transmitting through divine sense: "The Secretary-Envoy never told me this directly. What follows is my own speculation. Take it as idle conjecture—don't read too much into it."
Both men nodded at once to show they understood.
"It is highly likely that the two Spirit Transformation Immortal Eminences, Hong Xi and Zi Yun, are returning to the Congyun Sea."
He Zhenghao and Gao Yuan both went still. In that instant, the pieces fell into place.
"And not only them. The Nascent Soul cultivators from the Heavenly Mechanism Hall and the Strategy Array Hall on Myriad Immortals Island, who were transferred out previously, will probably be returning soon as well.
"The Secretary-Envoy was appointed from above and placed in his current position. His roots here are shallow. He himself is only at the Golden Core realm. Faced with that company of seasoned Nascent Soul cultivators, he would not have the advantage.
"So he intends to use this to build momentum. If our speculation is correct, and they do return, the Secretary-Envoy will most likely announce a forgiveness of the cultivators' debts to win their goodwill.
"And if the speculation proves wrong, he still walks away with a handsome profit. Either way, he loses nothing."