On the sixth night since Yuchi and his companions arrived in Jiangzhou City. Nothing happened during the night. The two male cultivators in the room next to Yuchi’s continued trying to coordinate their cultivation with each other. At the Defense Department, Xun Yu, this big fat guy, showed no expression when alone. Jokingly speaking, his indifferent little expression was like that of a mortal afflicted with a demonic plague. Neither sad nor happy. His eyes finally opened, like shells revealing two grain-sized eyeballs inside. The room was quite silent, and you could hear people from the Defense Department going out for night watch. You could also hear the sounds of many government officials cultivating. The Spiritual Qi in the Defense Department was relatively abundant. He was pondering over the events of the day. Today, after having a meal with Yuchi, I could understand his situation from the past few days. Things are roughly as I judged them to be. Although people in Jiangzhou City privately say that the United Commerce Association in Xufu Town is a good idea, so what? The idea is good, but what does it have to do with us? This noon, Yuchi also explained to me the current situation he faces. He wants to establish a good relationship with Jiangzhou City’s Imperial Decree Department, but others simply use softness to conquer hardness. It’s impossible for them to agree to become friends just because of a meal. So at present, Yuchi cannot use the connections of the Defense Department to help his association find a way into Jiangzhou City. This is something that cannot happen at this stage. Unless he sells himself. The people of the Imperial Decree Department, many of them are interested in such things, joining them would be better. However, he’s not that kind of person, otherwise, Xun Xian wouldn’t be helping him. As for why the Defense Department on one hand praises Yuchi, saying how powerful the United Commerce Association is, while on the other hand secretly refuses him. It’s because they only want to be at ease. They can boldly experiment in Xufu Town, and even if the sky falls, it’s just a town anyway. They have the liberty to stealthily observe. If good things happen, it’s their Jiangzhou City’s wise and valorous actions. If bad things happen, it’s all due to Yuchi’s heinous actions. It’s fortunate that the association appeared in Xufu Town because Jiangzhou City absolutely wouldn’t allow an association to be established within it. Such drastic changes are risks that the people of the Imperial Decree Department cannot bear. These people would rather maintain the status quo than make any mistakes, refusing to actively seek solutions that might break through problems because "what if they fail?" Wouldn’t it be self-destructive? So Yuchi is in trouble. This time coming into Jiangzhou City, he mostly just got his face familiarized. At most, next time he could meet people casually and have a chat. For just chatting, I think no one would refuse. Having more friends means more paths to take. As long as no actual cooperation is undertaken, saying "You’re like a father to me" is no problem. Who cares about these superficial ups and downs, everyone is an old-timer in Jiangzhou City. With so much that has happened over the years, who doesn’t know the background of others? Heh, so this time Yuchi came just to give money away. After wasting so much gold and silver, at least it’s the association that’s paying, right? Or else such waste is unnecessary. The young man has ideas, but ideas and reality differ. Even if I consider Xun Xian’s face, I won’t disrupt Jiangzhou City’s balance for you. As for the Demon-slaying Bureau... This group at the Demon-slaying Bureau, Yuchi actually went there once. Does he really not understand the situation? Hadn’t I warned him about the Demon-slaying Bureau before? Doesn’t he know that he should not get close to the people from the Demon-slaying Bureau? Or perhaps, even if he knows, he’s still determined to move forward at this moment? Or does he harbor suspicions against us? His eyes squinted again, Xun Yu sitting alone on the meditation mat. "It’s better for him to be suspicious of me." "This way, he won’t end up with a fate of dying without a burial due to being harmed by others." "Cultivation is the simplest thing I’ve ever encountered." "The human heart is what’s truly terrifying." After speaking, he began cultivating, starting to relax his mind. Time still passes quickly. Many things happened during the day, and in a blink of an eye, it remained dark, reaching the seventh night in Jiangzhou City. Today, Yuchi felt some pain in his backside. Maybe he’s overthinking the past few days, or perhaps eating too much miscellaneous food. Now lying on the couch, reluctant to use an elixir on himself. Ouch, groaning and grumbling. Luckily he’s a Core Formation Stage cultivator; otherwise, this kind of thing would truly ruin the body. "I feel like I should just focus on pure cultivation." A quiet sentence drifted through the air. Unfortunately, the two male cultivators in the next room seemed to have checked out, making tonight exceptionally quiet. This was the nth night without Qingzhu’s company. People, you see, really shouldn’t indulge. Once you’ve indulged, it’s hard to come back down. Climbing tirelessly all your life, like a dog worn out. The dog said, "I’m not that tired, don’t get it wrong." His eyes wandered around the empty house, with some fruits on the small table before him. No cell phones in those days. Besides visiting the brothel, there didn’t seem to be many entertainment options. Yet, in terms of living richness, Jiangzhou City is definitely better than Xufu Town. There are quite a few entertainment venues here. Boat tours, listening to music, hunting, storytelling, playing soccer, etc. But these activities are too refined; I, Yuchi, am allergic to sophistication. "Thinking about today’s events, it’s still the same old scam." Had a meal with people from the Four Major Institutions at noon. This meal wasn’t a total loss, it was simply a waste of money. Even more boring than small talk. You say your thing, I say mine, without any real business discussed. Seeing their lifeless looks, I could only come out with some random words. It was truly boring; in the end, all the men were discussing which courtesan was pretty? Can such things be openly discussed? It’s definitely that girl playing the zither who’s pretty. Yet she doesn’t receive guests. Chaste, for whom really? Just like Bai Rou, as she ages, eventually she’ll need to find a partner. The key is they wasted a lot of my silver and gold. Currently, it’s the Imperial Decree Department people blocking me, not getting friendly with me. Do they want me to give them money? Why should I give them money? The Commerce Association was just recently established! If I were to secretly pay them off now, I’d be done for; I’d be the sucker. But if I expect the Commerce Association to pay, does the Commerce Association have plenty of idle funds now? Otherwise, when should I kidnap the wife of Jiangzhou City’s City Lord? Pull a big one? As for the Demon-slaying Bureau, these people are just loafers. Yuan Wansong used to be the good guy in the Demon-slaying Bureau; who knows what the rest are about? And there’s the persnickety Celestial Capital Department; even I, Yuchi, can’t fake it that much. Is Jiangzhou City really their Celestial Capital Department’s territory? Pretentious Celestial Capital Department, idiotic Demon-slaying Bureau, greedy Imperial Decree Department, plus a troublesome Defense Department. "The four heavenly dogs, all here," Yuchi thought with some annoyance. But during the day, some interesting things did occur. On the way back, he passed a brothel, where a girl tossed a pair of shoes at him. A pair of handmade shoes, after inquiring with Xun Xian, Xun Xian said it was good luck. The brothel girls periodically throw shoes out of the window, from two stories up, whoever catches them keeps them. It signifies good fortune. Yuchi didn’t buy it; his first thought was that throwing objects from a height should be a criminal offense. Second, the Ascension Gate is full of beauties. The women of the Wei Mansion are just as fine. Third, where’s the romantic luck? Though he said he didn’t believe it, he still put the shoes away carefully in his heart. Wrapped them in cloth, planning to take them back to offer incense. "Waiting for tomorrow, I need to have a meal with Zhou Xingcai." "And some shopkeepers from clothing stores in Jiangzhou City, a total of three people." "Let’s see if I can build a good relationship with them by then?" "Not to mention getting them to take stock directly from Xufu Town, which hasn’t even been prepared yet." "...But at least the path must be prepared in advance." Thinking about Zhou Xingcai gives Yuchi a headache. This kind of woman is really difficult to deal with. One wrong step, and he’d really be ruined by such a woman. Yet in business, he has to get close.