Cultivation Kill

Shen Zige took the teleportation array back to the 1219 Arena City.

Shen Zige saw Zhao Shi again at his residence. Upon seeing him, Zhao Shi's anxious expression eased slightly.

"Boss, the Immortal Cultivation Killing Shop of Wuding Business Alliance is also starting to offer discounts, and it's 20% off, plus a free lunch," Zhao Shi said.

“This is a price war with us,” Shen Zige said. “I guess Wright’s authority only allows him to offer a 20% discount at most. We’ll offer a 20% discount too. The market isn’t saturated yet, so we don’t have to worry about losing customers for now. Let them hand out flyers, and you go and invite a few hot girls to dance in front of our store.”

Zhao Shiyong wrote it down in his notebook. Although he lacked the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, he did whatever Shen Zige said meticulously.

"Also, starting today, all employees in our store will have their salaries doubled," Shen Zige said. "I'll earn a little less, but my employees will earn more, which will improve our store's competitiveness. When the employees of Wuding Business Alliance know about our benefits, they'll definitely wonder why they're doing the same work but getting half the pay. This will lower their morale and make them work perfunctorily, while our employees will be in a good mood, work with high enthusiasm, and improve efficiency!"

After acquiring the storage ring, Shen Zige felt less urgent about spirit stones and less enthusiastic about shops that could earn a few spirit stones a day. In the cultivation world, cultivation level was still the most important thing. However, even a small amount of money was still money, and he wouldn't close the shop as long as he didn't lose money.

This was the first time Zhao Shi had heard that raising wages would enhance a company's competitiveness. The bosses he knew before all treated their employees like beasts of burden and wished they didn't have to pay wages!

"I have to go now. You watch the shop and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Shen Zige walked towards the branch of Jingyuan Group in this city.

Shi Yuan has a sword, and he plans to borrow it.

It takes half an hour to walk from Shen Zige's residence to Jingyuan Group. Along the way, everyone they met seemed to be in a hurry. In this stressful world, everyone is busy and has little time to spare.

The Jingyuan Group's branch in this city was just a two-story glazed tile house. When Shen Zige arrived, she saw Shi Yuan walking out.

Seeing Shi Yuan take a few steps, then turn back for a second, looking somewhat reluctant to leave, Shen Zige went up to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

“Brother Zige, you’ve come at just the right time,” Shi Yuan said. “I plan to sell all my shares in Jingyuan Group to Xingjie Company. They have already sent a share asset appraiser over, and I expect the transaction will be completed soon.”

"Why sell shares when things are going so well?" Shen Zige asked. "There's no need to rush to cash out. Jingyuan Group's stock price might go even higher in the future!"

"I plan to develop in big cities and other countries. There's a blue ocean there that I need to explore!" Shi Yuan said. "After selling my shares in Jingyuan Group, I won't lack spirit stones. Then I can buy more resurrection attempts, and the Immortal Cultivation Secret Realm won't be a threat to me!"

Can I borrow your sword?

Shen Zige kept saying he wanted to extort spirit stones from Shi Yuan, but it was just talk. Shi Yuan was not Shen Ziming after all. A gentleman's friendship is as light as water. Talking about money hurts feelings. Even the sword was just a loan. He would return it.

“No problem, this sword is just a mid-level magic weapon, it’s not worth much, you can have it,” Shi Yuan said. “However, I can’t pass on the sword technique to you. It’s a family heirloom, and the Star Realm Company’s reading room doesn’t have any high-level sword techniques. You’ll have to find them yourself.”

"Thank you, but your family's swordsmanship isn't very good, and I have no interest in learning it," Shen Zige said. "Doesn't the Star Realm Company's library have everything?"

“According to the records inside, the Star Realm headquarters was destroyed by the Heavenly Sword Palace thousands of years ago,” Shi Yuan said. “Your shop is having a tough time lately, right? Qin Feng can’t help much either. Why don’t you affiliate with Jingyuan Group? After the Star Realm Company acquires my Jingyuan Group, the group will be a subsidiary of the Star Realm Company. It’s good to be under a big tree. That way, your shop won’t have to pay spirit stones to Qin Feng, and no one will dare to touch it.”

"Affiliation?"

Shen Zige pondered for a few seconds and then agreed to Shi Yuan's request.

"Give me the information and business license of the Immortal Cultivation Killing Experience Center, and I'll get it done for you. We're going to Arena City No. 1, which is the capital of the Bamboo Kingdom."

As Shi Yuan spoke, he took out the sword he had used when sparring with Shen Zige earlier from his storage bag and handed it to Shen Zige.

He guessed that Shen Zige took the sword to deal with the monkey demon in Xifeng Valley. If it were before, he would have been tempted and might have gone with Shen Zige to see what treasures the monkey demon was guarding, or if there was nothing at all.

In his view, a monkey demon, a mere mid-stage Spirit Condensation demon, could not possibly possess more than a thousand spirit stones, no matter how good the treasures he guarded. After expansion, financing, and the sale of shares, he was not short of spirit stones and had no need to compete with Shen Zige!

"Take it. Seeing this sword reminds me of the embarrassing moment when I was defeated by you and rolled on the ground." Shi Yuan controlled his expression well, showing no emotion.

"Which brings you more happiness, making money or cultivating your skills?" Shen Zige asked, taking the sword.

"None of that matters. What I like is the process, not the result," Shi Yuan said. "I remember, back when our tech company released that game, Warriors and Demons, you were the one who ranked number one in the world for the first kill, right?"

“Luck,” Shen Zige said.

He remembered his mother saying that one should learn to be humble, and besides, that record was indeed mostly due to luck.

"Luck is also a part of strength," Shi Yuan said. "I have high hopes for you, and I hope to see you standing on the clouds, looking down on all living beings one day. Only then will my defeat not have been in vain!"

"Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you too can fly on a sword above the clouds," Shen Zige said. "Don't tell me you can't reach the Foundation Establishment stage!"

They both laughed at the same time.

Shen Zige returned to her residence, retrieved the documents and certificates that Shi Yuan needed, and handed them to Shi Yuan.

The two exchanged information, and Shi Yuan told Shen Zige many basic facts about this world. For example, this is the Remaining Era, which is what the Star Boundary Company calls it. For example, the monarchs of various countries are all at the Core Formation stage. For example, female cultivators stay in their boudoirs for a week before their wedding to sew a Daoist robe for their Daoist partners.

There are many more common-sense points, which will not be elaborated here.

Shen Zige then watched Shi Yuan walk towards the teleportation array, heading towards Bamboo Kingdom's No. 1 Arena City.

"It's time to deal with the monkey demon."

Shen Zige also entered the teleportation array and arrived at the 1218 Arena City, which can be considered his starting point in this world.

Without needing to look at a map, Shen Zige remembered the location of West Wind Valley and headed straight there after leaving the city gate.

We were much faster than last time, and we didn't encounter any dangers along the way.

"West Wind Lake is just ahead."

Shen Zige passed West Wind Lake, crossed the valley, and walked for a while before finally arriving at the tree hole.

"Monkey Demon, I'm here!"

Without hesitation, Shen Zige jumped down from the tree hole and walked through the passageway.

He has a good memory, and this time he didn't need to light a torch; he could move accurately even in the dark.

After a while.

“This should be the fork in the road.” Shen Zige used fire magic to illuminate the darkness, and sure enough, a fork in the road appeared ahead. “My memory of time is off; there’s a two-meter error.”

He could actually use his divine sense to observe, but long-term use would cause mental fatigue. Before a battle, divine sense was more important than spiritual power. Spiritual power could be replenished with spirit stones, pills, and cultivation, while divine sense could only be replenished by rare herbs or slowly over time.

Shen Zige admired those people on TV who, after being blindfolded and silent for a long time, could still accurately recall the exact minutes and seconds of the past.

This time, Shen Zige held her sword in her right hand and carefully entered the side path leading to the monkey demon.