This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.

 

Chapter Four Hundred and Fifty Four – Financial Crisis

A Gui looked slightly better and this made Zuo Mo very happy.

Right now, the island was so big, Silly Bird, Lil’ Pagoda, and the others went crazy in playing. De didn’t know where they had run off to and gone to play. There were too many desolate places on the island as the Ren Family’s neglectful care of this cloud island allowed weeds and wild grasses grew in many places. There were also those deep caves, some of which were extremely deep. To the point no one knew what it was like inside.

These caves became the playground of Lil’ Pagoda and the others as they played happily. Since there was Silly Bird and Tenth Grade keeping watch, Zuo Mo did not worry about any dangers.

He was very busy in this while.

The island was very happy. This group who was getting completely outfitted had smiles on their face. Yet what Zuo Mo hadn’t expected was Pu Yao had also come to see him. He asked him if Vermillion Bird Camp was getting new equipment, then why was Guard Camp not getting new equipment?

Zuo Mo stilled at Pu Yao’s question and reflexively asked, weren’t they cultivating mo skills? What equipment did they need?

And then it was Pu Yao’s endless scorn and disdain. Zuo Mo became a country bumpkin with his words. Indignant,  Pu Yao then made it out as though he was fighting on behalf of Shu Long and the others. That they were being raised by an evil stepmother, and only he cared for them.

Feeling that he was going to go crazy, Zuo Mo automatically surrendered.

Zuo Mo was informed that the mo cultivated mo skills and did have talismans and weapons. But their talismans and weapons were extremely rare, just one or two items which were called mo weapons! These mo weapons were mostly forged through secret methods from things like fingernails, hair, and feathers that were naturally shed as they cultivated mo skills, and gradually became “talismans.”

Mo weapons were far less complex than xiuzhe talismans but their power was not minute, because the mo would usually only have one mo weapon in their entire life. The time it spent with them was something xiuzhe could not imagine.

Automatically surrendering, Zuo Mo found a new problem. How was he to forge mo weapons?

Fortunately, Pu Yao did not try to torture him, and said there was a cave on the island with heavy fiendish energy and was a perfect place for forging mo weapons. He only had to give the remains of the fiend soul beasts from the Sealed Extinction battlefield to Guard Camp etc etc.

Without another word, Zuo Mo got Bao Yi to throw everything to Guard Camp before Pu Yao contentedly left.

On the second day, Bao Yi came with a grimace to find Zuo Mo.

“Daren, our financial situation is reaching a dangerous level!” Bao Yi put out a grave expression as though he was not over exaggerating.

Zuo Mo scratched his head and comforted Bao Yi, “It should be okay!”

“There are ling veins on the island but most of them are being used on the ling fields. Everyone’s daily cultivation is based on using the Black Processing Meditation mats again. Each mat requires five pieces of third-grade jingshi every day. Daren, this means that we need to give out ten thousand pieces of third-grade jingshi daily, or twenty pieces of fourth-grade jingshi. Other than this, the island formation consumes about one fourth-grade jingshi a day.”

Each expenditure that Bao Yi said made Zuo Mo’s heart jump.

“But we do not have any income. Daren, up until now, we have not made one jingshi of income. The Kun Lun Battalion talismans we took from the battle cannot be sold right now in consideration of safety. Daren!”

Bao Yi’s old face was so wrinkled it was like a prune. As the quartermaster, he knew about Zuo Mo’s wealth better than anyone but he hadn’t expected that Zuo Mo would use an entire sixth-grade jingshi to buy talismans for everyone! In a blink, ninety percent of the jingshi in the stores suddenly disappeared and this caused him to feel unprecedented danger.

“it shouldn’t be this serious … …” Zuo Mo smiled weakly.

“And in this month, Chun Yu Cheng Daren took five hundred pieces of fourth-grade jingshi from me to buy ling beast offspring, and in the following plans, we need to invest approximately five thousand pieces of fourth-grade jingshi. Daren, you agreed to this plan. Shu Long Daren has just taken ten pieces of fifth-grade jingshi to buy all kinds of materials, he said you agreed!” Bao Yi’s expression was excited.

“Ten pieces of fifth-grade jingshi?” Zuo Mo’s eyes suddenly became extremely round as though he wanted to eat someone!

Pu Yao, you are too vicious! Ten pieces of fifth-grade jingshi in one go! Zuo Mo gritted his teeth!

“Daren didn’t agree?” Bao Yi’s eyes lit up, wanting to pull up his sleeves and take the jingshi back.

Zuo Mo reacted and hurriedly waved his hands. “No no no! I agreed, I agreed!”

Bao Yi could not disguise his disappointment. “Daren! Not soon from now, we will be in a situation where we cannot feed anyone! The harvest of flowing cloud silk is at least three months away, and Daren, you know that the income from ling fields is basically nothing! Chun Yu Cheng Daren’s ling beasts can be profitable but that is at least six months away. In other words, we do not have any short-term income.”

When a good person was desperate, their presence was frightening.

Zuo Mo also feel the difficulty of the problem. If they kept spending at this rate, they really could not support it for much longer!

As expected, it was not easy to pretend to be a rich person!

Zuo Mo found, dejectedly, that he had only been a rich man for one day before he was thrown back to his original state!

Make jingshi!

Zuo Mo wanted to cry!

 

———

 

Xu Zheng Wei made a deep sound. He hadn’t expected Boss Zuo to throw such a difficult problem to him.

He had been very happy originally when Zuo Mo came to find him. Boss Zuo was very wealthy and was a good person to ally with. It was matching with his intentions of strengthening their relationship, that the other came to him to seek aid. But he hadn’t expected Zuo Mo to inquire about where to find ling plant farmers.

This was the method that Zuo Mo had managed to come up with after wringing his mind. What the island had the most of were ling fields. If he could truly use this, then the amount of jingshi that could be made would be substantial. However, ling fields required ling plant farmers. The encounter last time caused Zuo Mo to understand just how deep the waters here were so he came to find Xu Zheng Wei and inquire about the situation of ling plants farmers locally.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Zheng Wei decided to explain the twists and turns in this. So he began by talking about the Tian Family, how they made their wealth through ling farming, their desire for ling plant farmers, and how many ling plant farmers they had recruited.

“Brother Zuo, it’s not that this old brother doesn’t want to help, but my abilities are limited!” Xu Zheng Wei was slightly regretful.

After hearing this, Zuo Mo finally realized. He finally reacted and spoke, “So it was them behind the incident at the Institute of Ling Plants!”

Xu Zheng Wei remained silent.

Zuo Mo understood and his face instantly darkened. He had been fretful that he couldn’t find the culprit. So it had been like this!

He naturally understood the desire of a ling farming family towards ling fields, and also understood how disdainful they were of outside powers, as a local power. He even understood the plan that the Tian Family had!

It would have been fine if you did not provoke me, but since you are seeking death, then don’t blame anyone! Zuo Mo smiled coldly inside, his murderous intentions rising.

Xu Zheng Wei felt Zuo Mo’s murderousness and shook. He hurriedly urged, “Create wealth in harmony, create wealth in harmony, Brother Zuo, don’t be angry! I feel that the Tian Family may not have maliciousness, they just want to lower the price, if Brother Zuo is willing … …”

Zuo Mo waved his hands and changed the topic, “Is it possible to recruit from nearby cities?”

“This old brother isn’t clear about that,” Xu Zheng Wei shook his head, “Brother Zuo should go ask Mister Liao Jr. He has a wide network and knows much more than this old brother.”

Bidding farewell, Zuo Mo went to Cloud Pavilion, and after asking Liao Qi Chang, he left with disappointment.

Liao Qi Chang told him that it wasn’t just the ling plant farmers of Xu Ling City that were hard to recruit, it was hard in the nearby cities as well. In this area, ling plant farmers were resources in demand, and good ling plant farmers were in higher demand. Liao Qi Chang also urged Zuo Mo to sell to the Tian Family or to trade to the Tian Family for a cloud island of the same value.

Was so much ling fields really going to go to waste?

Zuo Mo wasn’t willing.

As to Xu Zheng Wei and Liao Qi Chang’s ideas of selling to the Tian Island or to trade islands with the Tian Family, Zuo Mo definitely would not agree.

With his vengeful personality, all that was turning in his mind was how to settle the score!

This matter definitely was not finished!

But right now was not the time to focus his attention on the Tian Family. The Tian Family was there and could not run away. He also did not have any evidence, and if they charged up to the door, they would land in a disadvantageous situation.

You were able to scheme against us, so we also have ways to scheme against you!

Zuo Mo decided to throw this problem to Pu Yao. This guy had taken ten pieces of fifth-grade jingshi from him without so much as a sound, how could he not work for it? Scheming? Zuo Mo did not believe there was anyone that was more dark and perverse than Pu Yao!

All of Zuo Mo’s attention was focused on one matter, making jingshi!

The jingshi flowed as it was spent faster than water!

A few days passed, and his purse lessened by half again. Bao Yi would come complain and cry to him every day and the jingshi in his purse was reaching the danger line. This caused Zuo Mo to feel deep danger!

But he really could not think of a good way to make jingshi. He decided to gather everyone together!

When discussing of fighting and killing, this group of people wouldn’t even frown and would charge without regard for their lives.

But when he wanted them to discuss making jingshi, they instantly looked at each other and withered.

Luckily, Master Sun Bao of Golden Crow Camp reminded Zuo Mo, “Daren, we can sell Golden Crow Fire! That definitely should be easy to sell! We can also forge some talismans, or take some orders. Even if we cannot make much, we should still earn something.”

Zuo Mo’s eyes lit up. How did he forget something that was that easy to sell?

Golden Crow Fire was good!

Fourth-grade Golden Crow Fire was definitely a product in demand!

At present, their assets couldn’t be considered large but they won’t be afraid if others targeted them. Self-protection would not be problem. There were several jindan on the island. As long as a yuanying did not come, the problem would not be large. The problem of selling was even easier, they would sell directly to the Cloud Pavilion.

Just as Zuo Mo was overjoyed, Shang Wei Ming that had been wanting to speak finally opened hesitantly.

“Daren, this subordinate has an idea!”

 

Translator Ramblings: After about half of the story, we return to our starting point of making jingshi. Zuo Mo’s budgeting is good, but not good when Pu Yao and other people have free rein.