Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 632 - 612: Trading Companies

Zhou Leng said, "Next, a company under the Ice Snow Divine Sect will invest in your family. Besides that, you’ll still be the Trup Family. Moreover, not only will the Ice Snow Divine Sect and the Demon Spirit Master Association fully support you, but the Fierce Beast clan will also gradually enter the scene. At that time, I will invite a Demigod from the Ice Snow Divine Sect to project and support you. Your goal is to turn the Trup Family into the top financial conglomerate in the Eagle Alliance. You’re not required to control every Grand Commander, but you must control enough councilors."

"Rest assured, if there’s an opportunity, I can even run for the position of Grand Commander of the Eagle Alliance myself," said Jax.

Zhou Leng nodded with a smile, "Good! Our next objective will be to nominate you for the Grand Commander of the Eagle Alliance. All worldly money, resources, status, power, and fame will belong to you. But high-level Martial Arts Resources, especially those at the Martial Saint level, belong to me."

"We are not worthy of using Martial Saint resources," Jax said sincerely.

"You, as a force from an Ancient River Sect branch, are infiltrating the Eagle Alliance to support me when necessary. You can’t learn the martial arts of the Ancient River Sect, as it will reveal your identity. I’ll translate some martial arts from the starry archives of the Demon Spirit World for you to study."

"Your command is my honor," said Jax.

"As for the heirs with higher priority than you, the Ice Snow Divine Sect will help you deal with them. You only need to return to the Eagle Alliance with the power of the Ice Snow Divine Sect to reorganize the Trup Family."

"From the first time we met, the Trup Family was already prepared to become the sharp sword that clears your path," Jax declared loudly.

"However, before you leave, you must witness a battle."

Jax’s heart skipped a beat, and he slightly lowered his head, "Please instruct me."

"At that time, the masters will inquire about Aiden. Will you answer truthfully?"

"Under the watchful eyes of the masters, I will certainly report Aiden’s malice and schemes against you truthfully."

"Let’s go."

The two stepped out and headed towards the grand arena.

Aiden was drinking in silence with the people of the Trup Family.

Several legendary masters approached, smiling, "Prince Aiden, there’s an important meeting we’d like you to attend."

"Oh? Oh," Aiden put down his glass and followed the legendary Demon Spirit Masters.

Along the way, people chatted and laughed, while Aiden forced a smile, channeling True Qi to gradually clear his drunkenness.

The entourage entered the arena.

Aiden looked at the legendary Demon Spirit Masters beside him in confusion.

"You’ll know shortly," they replied.

The legendary Demon Spirit Masters led Aiden to the left side of the arena.

The right side gates of the arena were wide open, and Zhou Leng and Jax walked out.

"Stand here and watch," said Zhou Leng as he continued to walk forward.

Jax stood still, looking at Aiden from across, his face showing complex emotions, his eyes flickering.

"What are you trying to do?" Aiden’s drunkenness dissipated instantly, and an inexplicable fury and fear rose in his heart.

He looked around and saw more than a dozen legendary Demon Spirit Masters positioned throughout the arena, gazing calmly down below.

The Frosty Hand floated mid-air, saying, "Members of the Ice Snow Divine Sect should be united. Yet, there’s always some who, due to various reasons, bear animosity. To prevent this internal strife from escalating, today, Prince Zhou Leng has requested a life-and-death duel. Aiden, you are the opponent for this duel. Do not fear; this duel is conducted under divine witness, ensuring fairness and justice."

Aiden was momentarily speechless, nearly bursting out with curses.

Wait, Zhou Leng couldn’t possibly have evidence; a mere suspicion wouldn’t allow for a duel.

He looked towards Jax in the distance.

"You betrayed me!" Aiden shouted.

Jax sighed, "I’m just being honest before God about what you’ve done. How can that be called betrayal?"

Aiden turned immediately to Zhou Leng, shouting, "Prince Zhou Leng, I was wrong! I acted that way because I feared you taking my resources. I had the strength to rival you once, but now, I’m no longer able to compete. I willingly leave the Ice Snow Divine Sect, giving up any claim to its resources. Please spare me!"

"The words of the Trup Family are not worth even a fart."

Zhou Leng glanced at the Frosty Hand, which recited the rules of the duel, concluding with an incantation to ensure fairness.

"Zhou Leng! Do you really intend to exterminate me completely?"

Zhou Leng stepped forward, moving faster and faster.

"If that’s the case... Then come!" Aiden’s eyes turned red, like a mad beast, mobilizing all his power.

The violent True Qi surged around him as he strode forward, charging at Zhou Leng.

The two broke the sound barrier, meeting amidst a continuous series of sonic booms.

Zhou Leng raised an arm, shifting his steps, and with a horizontal hand blade, he passed by.

With a light swish, Aiden’s head soared skyward, while his body continued to run, collapsing before Jax.

Jax stood silent for a moment, then drew a demonized short sword from the Magic Spirit Bag and stabbed Aiden’s body more than a dozen times.

When Zhou Leng approached, Jax said, "Please allow me to cremate him and bury him in the family tomb."

Aiden was, after all, the current Patriarch.

"Agreed."

That night, the legendary master from the Ice Snow Divine Sect took action, annihilating Aiden’s subordinates and other rival heirs.

The next day, the remaining members of the Trup Family saw Jax, accompanied by a squad of Demon Spirit Masters, announcing Aiden and others’ deaths, and declaring himself as the first heir of the Trup Family, becoming the current Patriarch.

Afterward, Jax led the members of the Trup Family and the Demon Spirit Masters back to the Eagle Alliance in a convoy of magic spirit carriages.

The convoy included four legendary masters and ten legendary-level ice and snow puppets.

Huang, having become the Holy Son, indulged in lavish meals, growing noticeably plumper in just three days.

On the fourth day, a Grandmaster from the Eight-toothed Mammoth Clan arrived, with Zhou Leng acting as an intermediary to establish a partnership with the Ice Snow Divine Sect.

The trade of the Eight-toothed Mammoth Clan was ostensibly managed entirely by the Ice Snow Divine Sect, but in reality, Zhou Leng and the Ice Snow Divine Sect equally shared the profits.

The Ice Snow Divine Sect was responsible for the market in the Demon Spirit World, while Zhou Leng monopolized the Blue Star market, although it was officially operated under the names of the Ice Snow Divine Sect and the Trup Family.

Thereafter, the Ice Snow Divine Sect and Zhou Leng also collaborated.

Zhou Leng assisted the Ice Snow Divine Sect in breaking into the markets of the Steel Dwarves, Giants, and Giant Dragons, while the Ice Snow Divine Sect secretly provided Zhou Leng with resources to expand his influence on Blue Star.

Two trading companies were registered in the Demon Spirit World on that day.

One was the Snow Eagle Trading Company, seemingly established with the support of the Ice Snow Divine Sect for the Trup Family, but secretly controlled by Zhou Leng, primarily dealing in fierce beast resources on Blue Star.

The other was the Deep Cold Trading Company, ostensibly an academy under the Ice Snow Divine Sect’s domain, but with Zhou Leng as the real power behind it, primarily operating in the Dragon Country, with business interests spanning various realms.

This way, Zhou Leng could dispose of his miscellaneous items through the Deep Cold Trading Company.

Funds, resources, and benefits belonging to Zhou Leng from these two trading companies, aside from expenses for operation, expansion, and shareholder dividends, were all used to exchange for Grandmaster and Martial Saint-level cultivation resources.

The reception room of the Ice Snow Divine Sect.

After dinner, Zhou Leng chatted with Frosty Hand and other legends.

The topics included the situation of the Ten Realms, wars between various races, cultivation growth, business trade, and all matters related to their collaboration, with nothing left unsaid by those present.

"Your Highness, why don’t you establish a company in your own name? In our Demon Spirit World, a company run by outsiders incurs extra costs."

"It’s the opposite in our land; external companies receive preferential treatment, being the only way not afraid of being taken away by heirs. I don’t want to falsify losses to prevent them from taking over, subsequently transferring profits; it’s better to use your names directly."

"Understood, we’ve all been through it..."

When the topic shifted to market manipulation and playing pass-the-parcel, the legendary masters, all over two hundred years old, spoke at length.

For instance, acquiring a renowned artist’s works at low prices or signing high-priced contracts to exclusively buy an artist’s works, then auctioning one for tens of millions, even billions, to inflate market prices, before selling other works at a million-level price.

Aesthete buyers hang them on their walls, boasting about their similarities to multimillion auction pieces, only to be ridiculed by connoisseurs.

Years later, when markets are flooded, major players decisively withdraw and seek the next product to manipulate.

A legendary master casually remarked, "Recently, many products have peaked in speculation, like the High-Energy Shells. I made dozens of times in profit, withdrawing three months ago. Hmm... I earned the most from the Blue Star side."

"Is the High-Energy Shell market going to crash?" Zhou Leng asked.

"With the upcoming Ten Realms War, instability will rise, and high-energy minerals will increase. As everyone prepares for war, these low-value resources will inevitably crash in wartime."

"I personally like High-Energy Shells a lot, but the prices are too high to afford them."

A legendary master laughed, "There are plenty of those, at extremely low costs, yet they inflated to millions or tens of millions. Do you really want them?"

"Yes, I want to build a palace with High-Energy Shells," Zhou Leng casually fabricated a reason.

"That requires a considerable amount... Well, since this market has already peaked, we’ll help you by conveniently bursting this bubble in advance."

The next day, the Ice Snow Divine Sect released news, claiming they discovered slight toxicity and cosmic radiation in High-Energy Shells, posing radiation hazards to those below the Grandmaster level, potentially reducing fertility and shortening lifespan.

The news spread, causing an uproar in the Demon Spirit World. Regardless of the major speculators’ explanations, no one dared to gamble on fertility and lifespan, resulting in a sharp plunge in High-Energy Shell prices.

The news spread across the Ten Realms, prompting related merchants to frantically sell off.

Like tulips, Cymbidium orchids, stamps, antique plays, certain real estate stocks, among others, High-Energy Shells had become a tool for power to extract wealth in the capital-heavy game, valuable but not enduring, far less than genuine antiques in collectible value.

In the face of panic, the High-Energy Shell speculation market collapsed, akin to previous speculative commodities, with entrants awakening, outsiders jeering, while everyone pursued the next project.

In secret, a force was buying High-Energy Shells at ultra-low prices.

Eagle Alliance.

Mad Prince Aiden mysteriously died in the Demon Spirit World, while the obscure Jax succeeded as the Patriarch.

Strangely, the Ice Snow Divine Sect offered Jax support far surpassing that of Aiden, granting him unimaginable resource assistance.

In a very short time, the Trup Family’s reputation soared due to resources from the Fierce Beast World, overcoming its low point, becoming a hot power within the Eagle Alliance.

Many forces initially planning to act against the Trup Family silently backed down.

Many speculated that the Trup Family was controlled by the Ice Snow Divine Sect, but how many financial cliques in the Eagle Alliance weren’t controlled by the Demon Worship Sect?