Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 6 We Collaborate

"Miss,"

A harsh voice suddenly echoed from outside the pavilion. The middle-aged driver snapped his head up, stepping forward to look toward his young mistress. As his eyes briefly flickered toward Zhao Sheng, they were filled with a chilling, murderous intent.

"Cease this rudeness! Withdraw," Wang Yu Yan commanded.

"As you wish!"

The driver, Wang Si, gave a respectful bow and complied, immediately retreating to his previous post where he stood with his head lowered in silence.

Having dismissed the servant with a single sentence, Wang Yu Yan turned back, her expression brimming with regret. "I must apologize for my servant's lack of manners; it was never my intention to alarm you, Mr. Zhao."

Zhao Sheng offered a thin smile and answered, "It is no matter; a simple Half-Step Innate expert cannot obstruct me. Still, I find this method of resorting to violence when negotiations fail to be distasteful. Such actions can easily invite disaster upon one's family."

"Is that so? And you think you could cause such trouble?" Wang Yuqi snapped, her pride clearly stung by his words.

Zhao Sheng maintained his composure and shook his head. "Naturally, I cannot. However, the world is vast, and there are countless powers that you simply cannot afford to offend. Even if the Wang family is a recognized Cultivation Family, it would not be enough to shield you."

Wang Yu Yan’s face paled slightly at his statement. "How are you aware of our family's status?" she demanded.

Zhao Sheng plucked a string on his instrument, letting a single note ring out before speaking in a relaxed tone, "This... is it not quite obvious?"

Before they could press him further, he continued his explanation. "You have a top-tier Half-Step Innate expert acting as a mere coachman, both of you young ladies carry the surname Wang, and you possess such striking beauty. I cannot think of any other clan that fits this profile besides the Cultivation Wang Family of Ganzhou."

"I understand now."

Hearing Zhao Sheng’s reasoning, the tension in Wang Yu Yan’s expression faded.

Meanwhile, Wang Yuqi felt a surge of delight and wore a smug look; they had rarely been complimented as being so divinely beautiful before. It helped that the man paying the compliment was quite handsome himself.

"I did not realize the Young Master possessed such keen insight. I assume your own lineage must be quite remarkable?"

"I shall not hide it from Miss Wang; I am a member of the Zhao family from Ganzhou," Zhao Sheng answered, revealing his identity without hesitation.

He had no reason to mask who he was. In truth, aside from the perfume, everything was unfolding exactly as he had envisioned. From the memories of his previous life, he understood that winning over a woman from a Cultivation Family required a natural approach rather than elaborate schemes. He certainly couldn't resort to kidnapping, especially since bloodline tracking spells were among the most basic techniques in the Cultivation World.

"The Zhao family of Ganzhou?" Wang Yu Yan looked bewildered. She had no recollection of such a name in that region.

Zhao Sheng was well aware of the arrogance inherent in Cultivation Families, but he hadn't anticipated being so completely overlooked.

"Our roots are originally in Nanyang; we are essentially a Martial Arts family. It is only natural that Miss Wang hasn't heard of us," he clarified.

Despite Zhao Sheng’s polite demeanor, Wang Yuqi turned to the driver and asked, "Wang Si, you spent time in the Martial World. You must recognize the Zhao family, right?"

Do you have no manners at all? Zhao Sheng thought, nearly tempted to snap back with a sarcastic retort.

Wang Si replied in a neutral, wooden voice, "Mistress, the Nanyang Zhao family is a prominent clan in Ganzhou and holds some reputation in the Martial World. They have produced two Innate Grandmasters."

Wang Yuqi, ever blunt, realized aloud, "Oh, Innate Grandmasters! I know of them; my third and sixth Uncles are both Innate Grandmasters. They are nearly as strong as those at the early stages of Qi Refinement."

"Yuqi, that is enough," Wang Yu Yan said, nudging her sister.

She then added with a hint of apology, "My sister often speaks before she thinks, Mr. Zhao. Please do not take offense."

"Haha, Miss Wang is spirited and candid. I find her personality quite charming; why would I take offense?"

Zhao Sheng’s bold remark caused both sisters to flush. Wang Yuqi’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. Since childhood, no one had ever spoken to them so forwardly. It was only because Zhao Sheng had made such a positive first impression that he wasn't being punished; had any ordinary man dared such insolence, his grave would already be covered in weeds.

By using these slightly provocative words, Zhao Sheng successfully broke the tension and took charge of the conversation.

Wang Yu Yan stopped dwelling on his lineage and returned to the matter at hand. "Mr. Zhao, I am set on obtaining that perfume formula. Name your price!" Her tone left no room for doubt; she was determined to succeed.

Zhao Sheng frowned slightly, mentally recalculating. It was becoming clear that the perfume's worth was far greater than he had first guessed. However, this development only served his interests better.

After a moment of silence, he spoke firmly. "I cannot betray the wishes of my forebears; the formula is not for sale. However, we could enter into a partnership."

"What sort of partnership?" Wang Yu Yan’s eyes brightened as she asked immediately.

Her fixation on the formula was driven by a simple need: Spirit Stones. To the common folk, the Wang family was a pinnacle of power. Yet, within the Cultivation World, they were at the bottom, barely above the level of Loose Cultivators. The clan consisted of only nine cultivators: two at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, three at the Middle Stage, and four beginners at the first or second layers. Wang Yu Yan herself was the least gifted; possessing Five Spirits Roots, it had taken her over five years of hard work just to reach the first layer of Qi Refinement.

The Wang family survived on twenty acres of spirit fields, supplemented by the production of First-rank magic talismans and spirit materials. Their total annual income was barely a thousand Spirit Stones, which was hardly enough to sustain the family's needs. This was why Wang Yu Yan had seen the perfume as a golden opportunity. After testing it for a few days, she was certain of its potential.

Perfume was a goldmine. In the Cultivation World, wealthy female cultivators used items like the First-stage Hundred Fragrance Pill to stay scented for a year. However, a single pill cost ten Spirit Stones. While some could afford it, the vast majority of low-level Qi Refining female cultivators found it too expensive, yet they found common scented powders too crude.

This was the gap perfume could fill. A large bottle for a single Spirit Stone could last a year. Wang Yu Yan estimated that earning nearly two hundred Spirit Stones a year was feasible. That would equal ten percent of her family's total output—a massive profit.

She also knew that once her family discovered the perfume, they would seize the secret. Thus, she and her sister planned to make as much profit as possible in private before that happened. Even the daughters of a Cultivation Family needed to build their own dowries. Having her own Spirit Stones would give her status and a voice, whether she was among immortals or mortals.

Zhao Sheng’s proposal was perfect for her. She lacked her own loyal followers; even with the formula, she couldn't keep it hidden. Mr. Zhao, however, had the resources and the discretion to manage it properly.