Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)

The Soaring Dragon Company?

Long Chen was startled. They had actually come here? Did they come to look for him?

Long Chen and the Soaring Dragon Company shared a tumultuous history, marked by an indelible stain of bloodshed. The Soaring Dragon Company’s people were responsible for the tragic demise of the last surviving siblings from the Bai clan, an act that had left an unquenchable thirst for vengeance in Long Chen's heart.

The brother and sister, known for their inherent purity and kind-heartedness, fell victim to a web of manipulation and extortion orchestrated by the Soaring Dragon Company, and Long Chen didn’t have a chance to save them.

Thus, in Long Chen’s heart, the Soaring Dragon Company’s destruction was already set in stone. However, due to various matters, he hadn’t found time to cause trouble for the Soaring Dragon Company.

Now, they had actually come to him, obviously not with good intentions. Judging by the swiftness with which information flowed between the Violet Flame Heaven and the Nirvana Overflow Heaven, it was highly likely that news of his plundering of the Soaring Dragon Company had just reached their ears.

Whether it was the Huayun Trading Company or the Soaring Dragon Company, they had no way to directly transmit news between two heavens. Otherwise, the information on the Earth Cauldron’s appearance would have long since spread throughout the Nirvana Overflow Heaven.

After all, to reach the Nirvana Overflow Heaven from other heavens, it was necessary to cross the heavenly river between the Nirvana Overflow Heaven and the Violet Flame Heaven. There was no way to use a transportation formation across heavens.

Even the High Firmament Academy, with their foundation stones, could only move between the Darklight Heaven and the Violet Flame Heaven. But it was impossible for them to directly reach the Nirvana Overflow Heaven.

Thus, the information from the Violet Flame Heaven would take at least half a year to reach the Nirvana Overflow Heaven. In other words, it had been half a year since Long Chen had started plundering the Soaring Dragon Company.

However, that estimation was during normal times. Just yesterday, a huge change had gone through the Nirvana Overflow Heaven—the appearance of the Sage King Martial Stage was reported to have caused even the heavenly river to change. It seemed that the fiend eyes had been affected by some unknown force and had closed.

With this, there was no need to go through long detours in the heavenly river, and it was possible to cross directly. Some Heaven Venerates also took advantage of this opportunity to cross the heavenly river, and they weren’t attacked by the terrifying lifeforms within the heavenly river.

It seemed that the appearance of the Sage King Martial Stage had caused heaven and earth to become more peaceful. None of the major forces was willing to be wildly hostile.

After all, back when the Sage King Convention was first initiated, it was upheld by the ten thousand races, leading to an era of peace. So whenever it was held, the large races stopped attacking each other. They abided by the wishes of their ancestors and the agreements that they made.

More importantly than that, if anyone dared to launch any large-scale invasions against another race, there was a legend that it would be sensed by the Heavenly Daos, and the attacker would be struck by calamity.

There were plenty of legends regarding this matter. As for their veracity, no one was willing to be the test subject. But one thing was for sure: when the Sage King Convention occurred, most of the races of the nine heavens and ten lands wouldn’t make any large movements. Unless they were forced to, they wouldn’t lightly do anything during this time.

The Sage King Martial Stage had just appeared yesterday, so that was why Long Chen was sure that information about the battle of the Vermilion Bird Empire had not reached this place yet.

“Have them wait a moment. I’ll arrive shortly.” Seemingly used to such a thing, the guild master sent his reply indifferently.

“I’ll go with you. I also want to see what the Soaring Dragon Company is planning,” said Long Chen.

The guild master hesitated for a moment but then nodded, agreeing to go with Long Chen.

For this matter, it wasn’t convenient for Guo Ran and the others to tag along. After all, it wasn’t a fight. The Huayun Trading Company only talked about business, so Long Chen alone was enough to accompany the guild master.

“Guild master, our Huayun Trading Company conducts its business in good faith without cheating anyone. So, why is the Soaring Dragon Company capable of competing with you in the Nirvana Overflow Heaven?” asked Long Chen as he walked with the guild master.

Within the information that the Huayun Trading Company had given him, shockingly, the Huayun Trading Company only had thirty percent of the market share in the Nirvana Overflow Heaven. Yet, even more shocking was the fact that the Soaring Dragon Company owned sixty percent of the business here.

As for the remaining ten percent, it was taken by a bunch of random trading houses that couldn’t compare to the Huayun Trading Company or the Soaring Dragon Company.

This proportion was incomprehensible to Long Chen. In his perspective, the Huayun Trading Company had consistently upheld the pinnacle of business ethics, at least in Long Chen’s opinion. On the other hand, the Soaring Dragon Company was like a bandit group. There was simply no comparison.

“Their methods.” The guild master smiled slightly.

“Oh? What do you mean?”

“Before joining the Huayun Trading Company, I was once a fugitive who walked the line between right and wrong. It was thanks to the Wealth God’s guidance that I came to the Huayun Trading Company. There was a line in the Wealth Scripture that touched me profoundly, changing my fate. Translating it simply: every person is a businessman in the midst of exchanging goods for what benefits them. Everything that you have in your hands is a commodity. As long as there is enough benefit, those things can be sold for limitless money. Amongst those things are your youth, life, soul, and even faith. In the face of conflicting profits, you lose yourself and your direction, in the end, you are willing to use any means necessary to gain profit. Businessmen are truly frightening, because in their eyes, all things have a price tag. As long as the other side offers a high enough price, they are willing to do anything. Things that can be sold include family, friendship, love, truth, and faith. If a businessman with no faith is allowed to control this world, then this world will not be far from destruction.”

“Senior’s words are enlightening, truly admirable,” praised Long Chen.

These words truly were enlightening to Long Chen. To put it another way, the Business Dao was also the Human Dao, because the nature of business was also the nature of humanity, so the two were connected.

“This is the Wealth God’s divine teaching. It wasn’t something that a foolish old fellow like me could come up with. When I joined the Huayun Trading Company, the senior who tested me asked me a question. In your heart, what cannot be sold?”

“And what was your answer?” asked Long Chen.

“I said my wife and children,” laughed the guild master.

Long Chen also laughed. “And then what?”

“And then there was nothing.”

“That can count as passing?” exclaimed Long Chen.

“Of course. I passed.”

Long Chen nodded. “So that’s the case. In truth, this question is asking where your bottom line is.”

“Mister is wise. I was befuddled by that question for a long time before understanding that,” said the guild master.

“Then I understand. The Huayun Trading Company has its bottom line, so it doesn’t engage in certain businesses, for example, selling out their sense of justice, of right or wrong.”

The guild master laughed and didn’t reply. It seemed that this question didn’t truly have an answer. After all, everyone had different opinions.

Long Chen couldn’t help sighing. The Huayun Trading Company’s people truly were admirable. On this point alone, there were countless inheritances that couldn’t compare to them.

Most importantly, Long Chen could see that they were both selfless and fearless. Every one of them lived life to the fullest. That kind of satisfaction was something that Long Chen greatly envied.

“Long Chen, you brazen thief!”

Just as Long Chen and the guild master were laughing and talking, they walked into a large hall. But as soon as they walked in, they heard a savage shout.