Chapter 233.3: Lu Changsheng Reveals His Might Before All and Kills a Martial Saint! (III)
While the people of the Li Clan were busy doing inventory, Xiao Cong of the Deep Space Merchant Association led his people forward to meet Lu Changsheng and the leaders of the Li Clan.
"Greetings, Venerable Lu! Greetings, Martial Saint Li!" Xiao Cong bowed respectfully.
"So it really was you." Lu Changsheng was not particularly surprised to see Xiao Cong. When the Deep Space Merchant Association offered the Li Clan assistance, he had suspected that it was connected to the martial artist he had encountered in Cloud Chart Mountain Range. Now, Xiao Cong's appearance had just confirmed his guess.
"Yes, Venerable Lu. My name is Xiao Cong, a Divine Ability martial artist of the Deep Space Merchant Association," Xiao Cong said with deep admiration. "When I saw you kill the sacred beast flood dragon, I never imagined that you would soon go on to defeat a Martial Saint as well. Your strength is truly extraordinary."
There was no reason for Xiao Cong to continue hiding what had happened at Cloud Chart Mountain Range. Killing a Martial Saint was, after all, an even greater achievement than killing a sacred beast.
"What? Venerable Lu has killed a sacred beast as well?" Li Guang blurted out.
This was the first time Li Guang, Li Zhenggang, and the others had heard about Lu Changsheng killing a sacred beast. And now they finally understood why Lu Changsheng had been so confident against the Black Light Martial Saint. A sacred beast possessed strength comparable to that of a Martial Saint, so long before Lu Changsheng faced the Black Light Martial Saint, he had already proven that he could fight an opponent of that level.
"Xiao Cong, I am aware of the goodwill the Deep Space Merchant Association has shown me," Lu Changsheng said. "What brings you here today?"
"Venerable Lu, the Deep Space Merchant Association would like to purchase a portion of the Black Light Merchant Association's shops..." Xiao Cong said tentatively.
In truth, the shops were only part of what the Deep Space Merchant Association wanted. Now that the Black Light Merchant Association had fallen, the division of its businesses and other assets had become a matter of great importance. The Deep Space Merchant Association hoped to acquire a share, and it was willing to pay a suitable price for the opportunity.
"I know little about business matters," Lu Changsheng said. "You may discuss the matter with the Li Clan Merchant Association."
Shortly after, Xiao Cong took his leave, leaving only Lu Changsheng, Li Guang, and Li Zhenggang in the room.[1]
Li Guang exchanged a glance with Li Zhenggang before speaking up. "Brother Lu, you were the one who brought down the Black Light Merchant Association, so it should belong to you. The Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect can absorb it directly. Should you encounter any difficulties or require assistance, the Li Clan Merchant Association will give you its full support."
This was the decision Li Zhenggang had reached. Once the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect absorbed the Black Light Merchant Association, its influence would expand dramatically, perhaps even surpassing that of the Li Clan Merchant Association. However, the Li Clan did not see this as a threat. On the contrary, they welcomed it.
In the Sacred Earth, danger did not lie in controlling too little territory or influence. It lay in possessing more than one had the power to defend. If the Li Clan Merchant Association absorbed the Black Light Merchant Association, its holdings would grow far beyond what a single ordinary Martial Saint could safely control.
The Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect faced no such problem. It was still relatively small, so absorbing the Black Light Merchant Association would provide exactly the foundation it needed for rapid expansion.
More importantly, Lu Changsheng already possessed the combat prowess of a Martial Saint, even if he had yet to become one. That alone was enough for the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect to be regarded as a Martial Saint-level faction, giving them enough power and status to control the assets of the Black Light Merchant Association.
"Well..." Lu Changsheng hesitated. He had little interest in managing such matters, and taking over a merchant association would make no difference to his personal cultivation. However, he no longer had only himself to consider.
Furthermore, the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect was also tied to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect and Northern Region Heavenly Sect. Although the three sects existed separately, they shared the same roots, and the other two increasingly depended on the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect. So, without a major merchant association behind it, sustaining all three would be difficult.
After thinking about it for a while, Lu Changsheng accepted the Li Clan's proposal. "Very well, then I'll do as you suggest. Once the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect takes over the Black Light Merchant Association, we'll strengthen our cooperation with the Li Clan Merchant Association. The two associations can work with each other, and together we'll surely grow further than either of us could alone."
"There's also the Deep Space Merchant Association," Li Guang added. "They seem more than eager to cooperate with you as well, Brother Lu."
Lu Changsheng smiled, for he himself had reached the same conclusion. If the three merchant associations established a stable partnership, each could use the others' networks and strengths to expand more quickly than any of them could alone.
After discussing the arrangements, Lu Changsheng sent an elder back to Heavenly Sacred City with orders to bring a large group of martial artists from the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect to assume control of the Black Light Merchant Association.
The takeover proceeded smoothly. After all, Lu Changsheng's victory had destroyed the Black Light Merchant Association's will to resist. With the Black Light Martial Saint dead, none of their remaining martial artists dared to defy the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect.
Lu Changsheng had also ordered a complete inventory of the Black Light Merchant Association's holdings. He was particularly interested in the natural five-elemental essences, especially any natural wood essence and earth essence, as well as any Void Devil Pearls they might possess.
Lu Changsheng felt that with the Black Light Merchant Association's years of accumulated resources, it ought to be holding at least a few rare treasures somewhere in its vaults. It was worth the search, just in case something turned up.
Lu Changsheng remained stationed at the Black Light Merchant Association's headquarters as members of the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect steadily arrived to complete the takeover. Naturally, with him personally standing watch, no real disturbance ever broke out.
Over the next few days, news that Lu Changsheng had killed a Martial Saint despite being only in the Divine Ability Realm spread rapidly throughout the Sacred Earth. The news shook countless powers, many of which initially refused to believe it and immediately sent people to Heavenly Light City to verify what had happened.
The Martial Saint Institute, in particular, erupted into an uproar. After all, Lu Changsheng was one of their own, an inner division martial artist who had occupied Cave Residence No. 1 for nearly a year now. Some inner division martial artists had even been harboring ambitions of their own, itching to challenge him and seize the cave residence for themselves. But once news of the battle reached the institute, those ambitions vanished entirely.
"Lu Changsheng killed a Martial Saint in Heavenly Light City?"
"You're kidding! How is that even possible?"
"It's true! Lu Changsheng used three supreme immeasurable divine abilities to overpower and kill the Black Light Martial Saint. The battle took place in broad daylight before a huge crowd, and everyone in Heavenly Light City witnessed it. There's no mistake about it."
"Good heavens! I was actually thinking of challenging Lu Changsheng once the one-year grace period was up. Now I'm glad I didn't get to do that. I would've made an absolute fool of myself!"
"Who could have imagined that someone in the Divine Ability Realm could overcome the difference in power and kill a Martial Saint?"
Many disciples of the Martial Saint Institute were dumbfounded, the news simply too shocking to absorb. Martial Venerable Tian Ming was especially shaken, so much so that he started shaking when he heard what had happened.
"Sigh... No wonder the artifact spirit assigned Cave Residence No. 1 to Lu Changsheng. Someone capable of killing a Martial Saint while only in the Divine Ability Realm deserves that cave residence more than anyone."
Martial Venerable Tian Ming had once entertained a faint hope of challenging Lu Changsheng himself, but that ambition had disappeared completely now. He immediately entered seclusion and devoted all his attention to forging his Saint Body and becoming a Martial Saint.
While the rest of the Sacred Earth continued discussing Lu Changsheng's astonishing feat, Lu Changsheng himself remained at the headquarters of the Black Light Merchant Association, staring excitedly at three types of treasure laid out before him: natural wood essence, natural earth essence, and two Void Devil Pearls.
These were the very items he had requested from the Black Light Merchant Association's inventory, and finding them was an incredible stroke of luck.
With these treasures, forging my Saint Body is finally within reach...
With that, Lu Changsheng immediately entered seclusion and devoted himself entirely to forging his Saint Body.
1. In case anyone is wondering, there is no missing part. The author really did just go from Lu Changsheng telling Xiao Cong to discuss things with the Li Clan, to Xiao Cong leaving. ☜