Chapter 241 - 142: Ice Soul Cold Flame
"Kid, you’re just a Foundation Establishment Disciple, yet you have two Golden Core Cultivators for guards. In the Central Continent, that’s a privilege reserved for the Daoists of Major Sects."
An Gongyu was a carefree man, utterly lacking the imposing dignity one would expect from a Golden Core Cultivator. Of course, his cordial attitude had much to do with the fact that Yang Jing had earned a massive amount of Spirit Stones for the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion through the Seven Nations Ticket Shop.
Only after the Seven Nations Ticket Shop started running smoothly did Yang Jing finally have some time to spare and return to the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s headquarters in the Yu Kingdom.
The construction of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s headquarters was now complete, located less than twenty li from the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.
Even before the headquarters was finished, various businesses and Immortally Cultivation Clans had already spent fortunes to buy up the surrounding land, setting up branch stores and offices.
The area outside the stock trading hall was perpetually packed with a tide of people. The price for a single share in the Seven Nations Ticket Shop had already soared to thirty thousand, yet there were still no sellers to be found.
"Senior Brother Yang, Master Dong Shoumeng, a Golden Core Master from the Dragon Taming Dong Family, is here to see you."
Yang Jingxu, dressed in a sharp, light-gauze robe that accentuated her graceful figure, lowered her eyes when she saw Zuoqiu Feng sitting casually beside Yang Jing.
Because there were so many matters to handle, Meng Sima had simply given him three assistants. Anyone with eyes could see that Yang Jing now held a high position and wielded great power. The three assistant positions were fought for tooth and nail within the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.
Remembering their past connection, Yang Jing saw Yang Jingxu on the list of candidates and gave one of the spots to her.
"The Dragon Taming Dong Family?"
Zuoqiu Feng’s eyes lit up.
"They didn’t send a formal notice for you to go and visit them, but came to you directly instead?"
As a fellow scion of a Noble Family, Zuoqiu Feng was naturally very familiar with the Dragon Taming Dong Family’s way of doing things.
The branch lineages of their family were amicable in the pursuit of wealth, all to promote the Supreme Nine Transformations of the Dragon Scripture and the Dragon Transformation Water. But the disciples from the Dong Family’s direct lineage put on great airs.
Even if a Golden Core Cultivator from her Zuoqiu Family wished to visit one of Dong’s legitimate sons, they would first have to submit a formal request and wait for the Dong Family to set the time.
"Given the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s recent blazing success, it’s only natural that the Dong Family would grow restless," Yang Jing said quietly.
’The Dragon Taming Dong Family may be a powerful dragon, but this is the Northern Domain. The Royal Family of the Yu Kingdom had already secretly informed him of Master Dong Shoumeng’s whereabouts. Dong Shoumeng secretly arrived in the Yu Kingdom two months ago with more than ten of his clansmen, and he’s been investigating the Seven Nations Ticket Shop ever since. At first, the Royal Family of the Yu Kingdom thought they were a group of Tribulation Cultivators scouting the area, and a conflict almost erupted.’
Thanks to the rapid growth of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop, the relationship between the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion and the Seven Kingdoms Royal Families was more harmonious than ever before.
Yang Jing came out to greet them. He saw Dong Shoumeng, a rather gaunt middle-aged man with a long, three-stranded beard, wearing a Dragon Patterned Brocade Robe.
The brocade robe was clearly made from the hide of a Flood Dragon Beast. It was suffused with dense Dragon Qi, making it a rare Defensive Magical Treasure.
"Master Dong."
Yang Jing bowed respectfully.
"Secretary Yang, I’ve long heard of your great fame. Meeting you today, it’s clear you live up to your reputation."
Dong Shoumeng laughed heartily, as if he hadn’t seen Zuoqiu Feng standing behind Yang Jing.
"This way, please!"
Yang Jing led Dong Shoumeng into his study and ordered Yang Jingxu to serve the best Spirit Tea. In the past, all he had was some Tier One Spirit Tea, which was no different from tree leaves in the eyes of a Golden Core Cultivator.
But in recent months, an endless stream of people had found all sorts of pretexts to send him gifts. He now had enough different kinds of Spirit Tea to fill an entire Storage Bag.
Dong Shoumeng picked up the teacup and sniffed it.
"This is Celestial Spirit Pine? This tea is a treasure of the Heavenly Yi Han Family."
His eyes flickered. The Heavenly Yi Han Family was also a first-rate Noble Family in the Western Continent, just half a step below his Dragon Taming Dong Family.
The two drank their tea in silence.
Celestial Spirit Pine had the effect of sharpening one’s vision, making it a rare treasure for Cultivators who practiced Dharma Eye techniques.
"I hear Secretary Yang is searching for Metal and Water Element Spiritual Fires. This is a Spiritual Fire from my Dragon Taming Dong Family’s secret collection. It is called the Ice Soul Cold Flame, and it is a top-tier Water Element True Fire."
Dong Shoumeng took out a block of solid ice, using his Magical Power to contain the soul-chilling cold within it.
Within the solid ice, a serene, blue flame burned slowly.
His Dragon Taming Dong Family raised many Dragon Beasts, including even Nascent Soul Level Flood Dragons. They had cordoned off a region of the outer seas of the Western Continent specifically for these numerous Dragon Beasts to live and multiply.
This precious Water Element True Fire had been discovered in an abyss ten thousand zhang deep by a Nascent Soul Level Flood Dragon, and it had been kept in the family’s secret vault ever since.
After learning that Yang Jing was searching for Five Elements True Fire, the Dong Family had separated a wisp from the main Ice Soul Cold Flame in their vault and entrusted it to Dong Shoumeng, for him to use as he saw fit.
After seeing the Celestial Spirit Pine, Dong Shoumeng knew that ordinary gifts would never move Yang Jing, so he decisively took out the Ice Soul Cold Flame.
Yang Jing’s eyes lit up when he saw the Ice Soul Cold Flame. Water Element True Fire was already rare, and the Ice Soul Cold Flame was the kind of treasure one might only find once in ten thousand years.
"I cannot accept a reward without merit. What is it that Master Dong Shoumeng seeks?"
"My Dong Family merely wishes to forge a good relationship with Secretary Yang. We seek nothing in return."
Dong Shoumeng then truly did just engage in idle chat with Yang Jing, not mentioning the Seven Nations Ticket Shop in the slightest.
Yang Jing was happy to play along and simply asked Dong Shoumeng for some advice regarding the cultivation of the Supreme Nine Transformations of the Dragon Scripture. When it came to understanding this Cultivation Technique, no power in the entire Western Continent could compare to the Dragon Taming Dong Family.
As a member of the Dong Family’s direct lineage, Dong Shoumeng held nothing back, and Yang Jing benefited greatly from his detailed explanations.
After Dong Shoumeng left, the Magical Power barrier was gone. The Ice Soul Cold Flame immediately released an astonishing chill, causing the temperature in the entire study to plummet.
The water vapor in the air instantly froze into frost.
In the past few months, Yang Jing had completely mastered Ji Feng’s Five Elements True Fire Talent. He circulated his Magical Power, once again sealing the chill of the Ice Soul Cold Flame within the solid ice.
Zuoqiu Feng’s eyes narrowed. ’He’s realized that Yang Jing’s Cultivation was growing ever more profound. The Ice Soul Cold Flame was legendary; even Dong Shoumeng had to be extremely careful when containing its chill. Yet when Yang Jing sealed it, he seemed to do so with much greater ease.’
She quickly suppressed the thought.
"What a grand gesture from the Dragon Taming Dong Family."
Even Zuoqiu Feng was a little stunned. Despite being a scion of the Zuoqiu Family, she had only ever heard of the famous Ice Soul Cold Flame; this was the first time she had seen it in person.
"This means they’re asking for something huge."
Yang Jing summoned Ji Feng and had him temporarily store the Ice Soul Cold Flame in his Divine Fire Gourd.
"What do they want?"
Zuoqiu Feng asked, her curiosity piqued.
"It’s simple. They want the Seven Nations Ticket Shop to issue new shares."
With a wave of his sleeve, Yang Jing unleashed his Sun True Fire, turning the frost in the study back into Water Qi.
"The Seven Nations Ticket Shop has already issued over three hundred million in loans. The millions of Cultivators across the Seven Kingdoms have shown astonishing enthusiasm for the Ticket Shop. If I hadn’t been conservative, insisting that each branch retain a portion of its Spirit Stones and not get overleveraged, the branches could have loaned out over a billion Spirit Stones.
The various Royal Families and Immortally Cultivation Clans have gotten a real taste of the Ticket Shop’s benefits, and not just from the rising share prices. The various industries under their control have also profited handsomely.
Those loaned-out Spirit Stones have found their way back into their secret vaults.
Now, more than one Royal Family and Golden Core Clan has secretly come to me to discuss the matter of issuing new shares.
Great Noble Families like the Dragon Taming Dong Family acted too late. They can only buy up scattered shares on the open market at high prices, watching helplessly as the local bumpkins of the Seven Kingdoms make a killing. How could they possibly stomach that?
Their desire for a new share issuance is even greater than that of the Royal Families and Golden Core Clans of the Northern Domain."
Yang Jing knew that right now, everyone in the Northern Domain, from top to bottom, was clamoring for a new share issuance. Even the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion was no exception.
Many of the disciples from the Six Sects within the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion couldn’t mobilize Spirit Stones from their families outside the Northern Domain in time. Most had only managed to buy one or two shares, and some who were short on funds even had to pool their money with Independent Cultivators to buy a single share.
’But it is indeed time to start issuing new shares.’