Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8550: Business (1)

Zhao Hai remained seated in his room, accompanied by Laura, Chang Jun, and several other key figures. The administrative capabilities of Laura and her companions had already been fully validated by Chang Jun and the others. In reality, the day-to-day operations of the boundless space were managed almost entirely by Laura’s group. Zhao Hai rarely concerned himself with the mundane affairs of the space, prioritizing his own Cultivation to ensure his strength grew as rapidly as possible. He understood clearly that without sufficient power, the Blood Slaughter Sect would never rise to prominence.

Nevertheless, any matter that carried weight regarding the fate of the realm remained under Zhao Hai’s direct authority. As the foundation of the entire realm, his presence was irreplaceable. When he was near, every member of the realm functioned with clear purpose.

Looking toward his companions, Zhao Hai spoke in a grave tone: "We have achieved promising outcomes during our preliminary trials for weapon Cultivation. Cheng Wanchun has ascended to the rank of Island Lord. Because he utilizes a life-bound magical weapon—imbued with a weapon spirit and the unique traits of the Spiritual Array Sect—his prowess exceeds that of an average Island Lord. I believe it is time to progress further. We shall implement this weapon Cultivation method across the entire space, beginning with the third team. What are your thoughts?" The others were already familiar with Zhao Hai’s ambition. Initially, they had felt skeptical; having spent many years in the world of Cultivation, they had encountered the concept of nurturing magic artifacts but had never heard of a cultivator bonding their own essence with a tool to grow simultaneously. To them, the magic artifact was meant to assist the cultivator, not engage in mutual advancement. That was precisely why the prospect had seemed trivial.

Yet, seeing the tangible results produced by Cheng Wanchun, their skepticism vanished into belief. They all nodded in agreement, voices of opposition nonexistent. However, Chang Jun gazed at Zhao Hai and inquired: "Sect Master, regarding the equipment for the third team, what specific weapons should we adopt? Is it best to stick with the saber, or shall we pivot to the spear?"

Zhao Hai pondered this for a moment before replying: "Equipping them with spears is the superior choice. If an individual strongly prefers a knife, it is permissible, but it must be entirely reforged. Do not use the Blood Knife any longer, as it would too easily compromise our identity. Spears offer better synergy when coordinating with the aliens. Nonetheless, consult the team for their input. If the consensus leans toward the knife, we shall accommodate them."

Chang Jun nodded. "Understood. I will poll the team later and finalize the decision. Sect Master, do we have any long-term objectives? We have remained invisible in the Blood Sea Realm for far too long. Perhaps it is time to make a splash and secure a grand fortune? A reminder that we still exist might be beneficial to our standing in the Blood Sea Realm."

Zhao Hai shook his head, interjecting: "That will not be necessary. Our development is currently proceeding smoothly. Our international trade networks are functional, and our external influence is expanding, so we lack no supplies for our Cultivation. However, our external intelligence network remains incomplete, and our numbers are still critically low. While the Faithful Slave space has produced many sect disciples, it is not enough. I remain concerned about security, so staying hidden is the wisest course for now."

Chang Jun remained silent. Zhao Hai shifted his gaze to Laura, asking: "Laura, how is the trade system managed through the Lady Boss progressing? Are we successfully drawing more believers into our space?" Despite the number of faithful slaves salvaged from the Blood River Sea area, Zhao Hai felt the population was insufficient. To address this, he had utilized the Lady Boss to establish a trading company designed to facilitate the acquisition of faithful slaves alongside standard mercantile operations.

The trade of believers was an unprecedented concept. While sects historically maintained large populations of followers, selling them had never been considered, as sects tended to hoard their own labor. These followers possessed no inherent strength, and since no sect was experiencing a shortage, there had been no demand. Spending precious inedia pills to acquire more was considered wasteful by others.

Zhao Hai, however, operated under a different logic. He found the current scarcity of faithful slaves frustrating. While he could resort to raiding, the risk of exposure grew with every venture. He preferred a diplomatic approach—buying them—since the sect possessed ample Jingshi. Since no one else ran a market for believers, they would simply pioneer the industry. Zhao Hai gave his full support to the Lady Boss to create a firm that, while parallel to the Green Wind Trading Company, focused specifically on the procurement of faithful slaves to test its viability.

For massive sects, managing believers was rarely a struggle given their vast territories and surplus of new Island Masters. But for smaller, minor sects, the burden was significant. A small sect might only possess a few dozen Island Lord-level experts. These minor organizations often struggled with Cultivation techniques and limited resources, making the path to becoming an Island Lord extremely difficult. Consequently, the population of base-level believers grew unchecked. Lacking space or resources to house them, these sects often forced believers into cramped, miserable conditions. Plagues had been reported in several sects; while contained, they resulted in massive losses of life.

The task for the Lady Boss was to open negotiations with these minor sects to gauge their interest in selling their surplus faithful slaves. If it succeeded, Zhao Hai would have a reliable method to expand his ranks. When asked for an update, Laura responded: "Progress is steady, though the joint trading company is still quite new and currently focusing on initial relations with the sects. We haven't built enough trust to discuss such sensitive matters yet. The Lady Boss suggests waiting for the opportune moment before making the offer."

Zhao Hai nodded, satisfied. "Do not rush this. Patience is key. If they face difficulties, provide support to build goodwill. By the way, how is our other venture progressing? Is everything flowing smoothly?"

Laura replied with a grave look: "Currently, it is sluggish. We operate in the shadows, and because we cannot reveal our identity, public trust is hard to come by. It remains a slow start."

Zhao Hai thought deeply before giving his instruction: "To jumpstart this business, we must establish a reputation through results. We should accept one or two high-difficulty tasks and execute them perfectly. Once we prove our proficiency, our reputation will naturally follow."

Laura nodded, though she looked puzzled. "Big Brother Hai, why pursue this path? The life of an assassin is fraught with danger and is likely to invite powerful enemies. More importantly, it creates a significant risk of exposing us to the world."

Zhao Hai explained firmly: "I have analyzed this from multiple angles. First, it serves to refine our disciples; constant Cultivation is not enough—they must be tested in true combat. Second, it grants us insight into the inner workings and internal strife of neighboring sects. We can systematically eliminate their talented successors, thereby weakening them. That is the primary reason for this initiative."

Indeed, the "other business" they discussed was a covert assassination service. Laura still harbored doubts, but upon hearing his reasoning, she merely nodded in silent acceptance. Zhao Hai smiled at her, adding: "Do not overthink it. I refuse to believe that the mighty powers of the Upper Realm can attack the Blood Sea Realm whenever they please. If that were the case, the landscape would only consist of the ten supreme sects. Even if they were to intervene, the cost would be exorbitant for them. We need not fear excessive scrutiny as long as we maintain a low profile until our position is solidified."

Laura finally agreed. "Very well, I will make the necessary arrangements. We will begin by taking on several challenging missions. Once the assassin network is operational, the rest will follow easily. We must tread carefully, though; if we expand too far, we risk clashing with the notorious Rahu Sect. We must prepare for potential retaliation."

Zhao Hai concluded, "I have already accounted for that. We shall maintain the utmost secrecy. Our business will rely purely on word-of-mouth recommendations among select clients. We must remain anonymous and ensure that our true affiliations are never discovered. This remains the best way to safeguard our future."

Laura offered a final nod, committing the plan to action.