Chapter 331: Happy Cooperation

This amounted to Lu Yang and his side merely providing the grills and kindling, leaving the store operations to the Underworld Sect while sweeping in sixty percent of the profits.

Even the Fifth Elder had not anticipated that Lu Yang would dare to orchestrate such a scheme.

This was far more lucrative than following Old Ninth in his youth to hawk the "Sizeless Sovereignty (Localized Edition)"!

Talents emerge anew in every generation, each outshining the old.

Nor did Lu Yang fear that the Underworld Sect might crack the Fifth Elder's restrictions or replicate the kindling, kicking their Heavenly Court Sect aside to go solo.

He had already implied that their Heavenly Court Sect possessed both a Sect Master and Bean Heavenly Venerable, boasting strength that vastly surpassed the Underworld Sect; cooperating so amicably now was out of deference to the ancient Underworld itself. Should the Underworld Sect refuse to acknowledge the Heavenly Court Sect, the Heavenly Court Sect would ruthlessly return the sentiment.

For the Underworld Sect to dare such a move would be nothing short of seeking its own demise.

Lu Yang had another consideration in mind when he allowed the Underworld Sect to open the barbecue chain, which was to restrict the movements of its cultists.

The current situation did not yet allow for the uprooting of the Underworld Sect, and in the meantime, its cultists might well commit murder and arson out of sheer idleness.

Rather than leaving them to their villainy, it was better to give them something to occupy themselves with.

Having completed the task assigned by his Sect Master and finalized the terms of cooperation, Shi Huagu was exceedingly pleased.

Doubtless, before long, he would be able to wipe clean that ten-billion-credit bill entirely.

Speaking of the ten-billion bill, Shi Huagu cast his gaze upon the taciturn Qin Yanyan, rising to his feet with a genial laugh: "Presumably, this young lady is the reincarnation of Sect Master Qin whom your noble sect discovered?"

Lu Yang also broke into a smile: "Whether she is or isn't, does not Sect Master Shi already hold the answer in his heart?"

Qin Yanyan remained expressionless, not wishing to utter a single word.

What could she say? The Underworld Sect was now utterly convinced that she was the reincarnation of Qin Haoran; even if she were to claim that Li Haoran was the true reincarnation, the Underworld Sect would hardly believe it.

"Incredible indeed. The great Sect Master Qin who once commanded the Underworld Sect for nine hundred years has actually reincarnated as a woman. Truly, nothing is more capricious than the ways of the world."

Though he spoke thus, Shi Huagu still held immense admiration for Qin Haoran.

Every sign indicated that the other party had successfully reincarnated, allegedly holding some connection to the Fruit of Samsara.

The Fruit of Samsara was the matter of greatest concern to Shi Huagu.

The reason the three Vice Sect Masters were so obsessed with contesting the legacy left by Qin Haoran was precisely because they suspected it contained traces related to the Fruit of Samsara!

Shi Huagu had already decided that the cultivator he had previously brought forward to impersonate Qin Haoran's reincarnation no longer needed to continue the charade, given that the true reincarnation of Qin Haoran stood before his very eyes.

When the time came to contest the legacy, he would request Qin Yanyan to make her move.

However, the Underworld Sect and the Heavenly Court Sect had only just established their cooperative relationship, so now was not the time to broach such matters.

The Sect Master had sent him to discuss cooperation with the Heavenly Court Sect this time, and subsequent cooperative affairs would certainly require his continued negotiation, so there was no need to rush.

"I wonder if I might invite Miss Qin Yanyan to return with me to the Underworld Sect? Sect Master Qin governed the sect for nine hundred years and left behind many traces. Surely, returning to the sect and seeing those familiar things would evoke old sentiments, helping her recall more of her past?"

Qin Yanyan grew slightly panicked. Returning to the Underworld Sect alone was no different from walking into a tiger's den; a single misstep would mean eternal damnation.

Seeing this, Li Haoran stepped forward, half his body shielding Qin Yanyan, and spoke in a measured, unhurried tone: "As far as I know, your noble sect is hardly an unyielding monolith internally. Setting aside the new Sect Master's attitude toward Qin Yanyan, how would those old subordinates view her? Would they support her as the new Sect Master? Would that not throw your sect into utter internal chaos?"

"Furthermore, the true meaning of Samsara lies in severing oneself from the past life, severing all ties. To deliberately pursue the memories of a past life is, on the contrary, an inferior approach."

"As a Vice Sect Master, is your understanding of the Underworld and Samsara merely of this shallow depth?"

If anyone present understood the Underworld Sect best, it was not Lu Yang, who was talking nonsense with a straight face, but Li Haoran.

Relying on the fragments of his past life's memories, Li Haoran could vaguely piece together Qin Haoran's understanding of Samsara and the Underworld.

After Samsara, all karmic causes vanish. The Underworld is the place of reincarnation, and also the place where karma is cleansed.

Shi Huagu did not question why Li Haoran possessed such a profound understanding of Samsara; the man was an ancient genius who frequently dealt with the ancient Underworld, so it was only natural for him to know.

He had merely intended to test the waters, to see if he could obtain Qin Yanyan from the hands of the Heavenly Court Sect. Since it had failed, he let it drop.

He let out a hearty laugh: "It was all a jest just now. Do not take it seriously, do not take it seriously."

Lu Yang was smiling as well: "It is well that it was a jest. I had thought your noble sect intended to snatch someone from our Heavenly Court Sect, a feat that not even the likes of Immortal Ying Tian have ever dared to attempt."

Shi Huagu perceived that although Lu Yang's tone was calm, it actually carried a trace of anger, and he dared not probe any further.

"Very well. It is a good thing that our two sects have reached a cooperation. This barbecue shop shall be handed over to you, and this jade pendant is for you. Should you wish to contact me, simply crush it," Lu Yang said lazily, tossing a jade pendant to Shi Huagu.

It was impossible for Lu Yang and his companions to remain at the barbecue shop forever, so it was better to transfer the shop to the Underworld Sect.

If they ever wished to find the Underworld Sect, they could come here at any time.

Shi Huagu knew this was a gesture of trust from Lu Yang. Daring not to be negligent, he turned and instructed Huo Huashen: "Take a few trustworthy men and manage this barbecue shop well!"

In the future, when the chain stores were established, this would be the flagship branch. Having a Deity Transformation Stage expert guarding it was not considered an exaggeration.

"Understood!"

Huo Huashen thought to himself that he must seize this opportunity to earn spirit stones. If the day ever came when the secret of him bringing back the ten-billion IOU was exposed, he would at least have a justification to offer.

Shi Huagu deactivated his appraisal secret technique; keeping it active continuously placed a heavy burden on his mind.

Throughout this entire conversation, he discovered that this Young Sect Master Lu had not uttered a single lie, earning his secret admiration. This truly was the demeanor of a future master of the Heavenly Court—acting openly and uprightly, disdaining the use of lies to evade or test him.

In contrast, he himself had been cautiously using an appraisal technique the entire time, falling into an inferior approach.

In truth, at the very beginning, the Immortal Fairy had reminded Lu Yang that Shi Huagu was using a lie-detecting secret technique, asking if he needed it blocked.

Lu Yang had declined, feeling it would trouble the Immortal Fairy too much. He could deceive people using only the truth, so why should he fear Shi Huagu's appraisal?

On the journey back to the Underworld Sect, a sudden possibility struck Shi Huagu.

"Could it be that regarding the matter of the ten-billion IOU, this Young Sect Master had long known about it and deliberately delivered the IOU into my hands?"

"Saddling me with a ten-billion debt, while simultaneously showing me the bright prospects of the barbecue shop, leaving me no choice but to agree to the cooperative venture?"

Cold sweat poured down Shi Huagu's back as he realized how profound this Young Sect Master's calculations were! What masterful scheming!

Moreover, this was an open strategy; he had no room for choice.

As expected of a disciple of Bean Heavenly Venerable! The future master of the Heavenly Court!

On the way back to the Seeking Dao Sect, the flying shuttle did not travel as quickly as it had come. The Fifth Elder asked curiously: "Lu Yang, the analysis of the world's situation you just gave, the planning you laid out for the Underworld Sect, and the subsequent barbecue chain store—you never mentioned any of this to us before?"

In the original plan, there had been no strategy prepared to answer the two questions posed by the Sect Master of the Underworld Sect.

"Oh, those were all things I came up with on the spot."

(End of Chapter)