Volume 1, Chapter 39: Opening Business

In Xia culture, people typically address each other by their given names in daily interactions. Only those like Chihu Baolong and Cangfeng, who are more formal, add titles after names. Even Shen Gongbao, when requesting something from Master Wuguang, would add 'sir' after his name. However, most people generally use first names, especially when there's no close relationship. Thus, when Chihu Baolong saw Shang Tang leading his group, he greeted him directly, "Shang Tang, what a coincidence to run into you here."

Shang Tang, slightly taken aback, saw Chihu Baolong bowing to him and quickly returned the gesture with a smile that reflected his characteristic kindness and warmth. "Ah, it's Chihu Baolong. No, now it's Chihu Junhou. I heard from the king yesterday that you single-handedly defeated 851 Atlantean warriors, earning you the title of Bronze Tiger Junhou. Skipping past the rank of Bihou and straight to Junhou is quite rare," he said, extending his hand warmly.

Chihu Baolong understood that in the southern pastoral or forest tribes, this was a gesture of goodwill, showing open hands to indicate no weapons or hidden hand seals. So, he opened his hands and firmly shook Shang Tang's.

Shang Tang's hand was soft, broad, and warm, like refined steel with immense resilience. Chihu Baolong's hand, on the other hand, was hard, smooth, and sinewy, like a weathered mountain rock. Both had deep, knife-like lines in their palms, teeming with vitality.

Shang Tang laughed heartily, withdrew his hand, and introduced his attendants. "Come, meet the hero of Anyi, Chihu Junhou. This is Yiyin, a slave my wife brought as part of her dowry. He now handles various tasks for me, very capable indeed."

Chihu Baolong was startled. Yiyin? Another incredibly formidable figure. Shang Tang must really value him to introduce a servant to someone they barely knew. Yiyin, the one who helped Shang Tang overthrow Xia?

Yiyin appeared unassuming and transparent. He was shorter than average, with an ordinary build and no apparent strength, as befitting his slave origins. Yet, he was meticulously groomed, his nails neatly trimmed—a sign of a disciplined and precise individual. His large, slightly protruding eyes added a touch of vitality.

Standing behind the towering Shang Tang, Yiyin seemed like a transparent crystal—easy to overlook. Just a servant handling chores for Shang Tang, perhaps even freed from slavery but still a servant. Chihu Baolong cautioned himself against underestimating this seemingly harmless man.

Given the circumstances, Chihu Baolong couldn't exactly embrace Yiyin and ask for an autograph, exclaiming, "You're the one who will bring down Xia!" Shang Tang would probably kill him on the spot. So, Chihu Baolong gave a neutral but polite greeting to Yiyin, who responded with a deep bow, scrutinizing Chihu Baolong with his keen eyes, making him feel as if he were under a laser scanner.

Suppressing his swirling thoughts, Chihu Baolong asked Shang Tang, "Shang Tang, why are you hiring so many sorcerer-warriors?"

Shang Tang pointed to Yiyin and smiled. "This was Yiyin's idea. Our Shang clan can't withstand the constant invasions by the Eastern Yi. Instead of being perpetually harassed, we should use the resources we expend on them to hire sorcerer-warriors to fight back. Though our clan is small, our wealth can fund a formidable army to teach the Eastern Yi a lesson and perhaps gain some spoils. What do you think, Junhou?"

Chihu Baolong quickly glanced at Yiyin, who stood there like a harmless maiden. He was impressed. Hiring mercenaries to preserve their own strength, at the cost of some resources, made sense. But surely the Shang clan wasn't planning rebellion yet? Given Xia's vast territory and population, with the loyal sorcerer orders, no vassal state could threaten Xia's rule.

Maybe he was overthinking it. Yiyin's plan was likely just to counter the Eastern Yi's harassment. Yet, Chihu Baolong couldn't shake a sense of unease.

He nodded, smiling. "Yiyin's plan is sound. Using resources to fund an army against the Eastern Yi is better than passively suffering. But hiring high-level sorcerer-warriors must be expensive."

Shang Tang laughed. "Better to spend than to be robbed. Besides, if we can wipe out a few Eastern Yi tribes, the spoils will be worth it. What brings you here, Junhou? Also hiring?"

Chihu Baolong understood the joke in Shang Tang's last comment; Xia wasn't so desperate as to have its officers recruit their own soldiers. He shook his head. "I'm hiring guards. This is Master Cangfeng, a qi cultivator from overseas. They're setting up a dojo in Anyi and need guards for various tasks."

Cangfeng nodded slightly. Shang Tang, intrigued, asked, "Qi cultivators? Setting up a dojo? Interesting. I've heard that qi cultivators practice by absorbing wind and dew. Can this really generate sorcerous power?"

Chihu Baolong was stunned. Sorcerers harnessed omnipresent elemental energy, and qi cultivators reached an even higher level of mastery over it. How could Shang Tang ask such a naive question? Absorbing wind and dew? Did he think qi cultivators were cicadas?

This showed the sorcerer aristocracy's ignorance about qi cultivation. Even Shang Tang, a prince, only had hearsay knowledge. No wonder others were clueless.

Cangfeng almost choked on Shang Tang's question. Absorbing wind and dew? He replied vaguely, "Not exactly. We don't cultivate sorcerous power but pursue the supreme unity of man and nature."

Shang Tang, a straightforward man, shook his head. "Unity of man and nature? That's too abstract. We pursue strength. That's the fundamental principle." He glanced at Cangfeng, losing interest in further discussion, and turned to Chihu Baolong. "So, Junhou, how many guards do you need? After you choose, I'll take the rest of the sorcerer-warriors."

The burly man echoed, "Yes, how many do you need? I have several brothers who came from the forest with me. Hire us all."

Chihu Baolong smiled at Shang Tang and addressed the thin old man. "Since Shang Tang needs many, and spirits aren't suitable for military service, give me a hundred strong spirits, no weaker than this big guy, plus ten sorcerer-warriors. A total of 110. How about that?"

The old man trembled slightly and quickly agreed. "One hundred and ten sorcerer-warriors? No problem. We can gather a thousand men today. But since you don't need that many and Shang Tang does, we charge five copper bear coins per spirit and ten per sorcerer-warrior. That's 600 copper bear coins total. Plus one coin per contract."

He pointed to the door, grinning. "And this door, ten gold coins."

Chihu Baolong's eyes widened. "Just for two stone slabs? That's too much!"

The old man, undeterred, stood on tiptoe, staring back. "These stones have stood for a century. Today you broke them. Besides paying, shouldn't you consider our feelings? I used to clean this door daily when I was young. Today you broke it. Ten gold coins, or we go to the judiciary."

Shang Tang laughed, shaking his head at the damaged door.

Chihu Baolong and Cangfeng were speechless. Knowing they couldn't haggle, Chihu Baolong grudgingly handed over the money. "A hundred strong spirits, each paid ten copper bear coins monthly, with food, drink, and even women if needed. Ten sorcerer-warriors, paid according to their power."

The old man smiled broadly. "Fine. Ten sorcerer-warriors will take time. A hundred spirits are here now. They're so poor they live here. You'll have to cover their food expenses."

Chihu Baolong nodded. The burly man excitedly ran to the corridor, waking a group of big men. "Get up! Someone's hiring us! No more cold water and barley cakes. We can eat and drink well!"

Soon, a hundred spirits, mostly humanoid but with some beast features, enthusiastically gathered behind Chihu Baolong. They crossed their arms over their chests, looking loyal but drooling slightly.

White, lying on the ground, disdainfully snorted at the hungry spirits.

Shang Tang stepped forward, smiling at the old man. "Please pick ten capable men for Junhou, then we can discuss our deal. How many can you gather in twenty days? If the price is right, I'll take them all. Can we get a discount for such a large order?"

The skinny old man chuckled, nodding heavily, and waved his hand with enthusiasm. "Rest assured, Lord Shang Tang. Twenty days is more than enough for us to gather 20,000 sorcerers ready for battle. However, if you want them to fight the Eastern Yi, you'll need to negotiate those terms yourself. Hey, someone, didn't we have ten sorcerers register yesterday looking for work? Go fetch them from the guest rooms in the back. Hey, Chihu Junhou, over here. I'll help you sign the contracts."

The old man led Chihu Baolong, Shang Tang, and a large group of people to the contract signing room, where about a dozen employees were already at work. He chuckled incessantly, saying, "Chihu Junhou, you seem meticulous. These spirits can be hard to manage—they often cause trouble when drunk. But they are convenient. If anything happens, just dig a hole in the wilderness and bury them. No orphans or widows will come asking for compensation. It's the most trouble-free option."

Chihu Baolong, Shang Tang, Yiyin, and Cangfeng all broke into a cold sweat. This old man was truly wicked. But, in truth, he was right. These spirits had no family or kin, so burying them in the wild saved a lot on compensation. If only they didn't eat and drink so much and had better tempers, employers would prefer them over the costly and demanding sorcerers.

After a flurry of activity, all the paperwork was finally completed. The hiring agency took a hefty cut, even charging ten times the market price for the barley cakes the spirits had eaten. With an empty money pouch, Chihu Baolong bade farewell to Shang Tang, angrily leaving the hiring agency.

Even Cangfeng, who usually didn't care about money, was furious, shouting, "Charging a whole coin for a bowl of plain water? This is daylight robbery—a black shop!" Perhaps, Cangfeng was the first to use the term "black shop" in history.

Chihu Baolong was equally frustrated. Did he look simple-minded, making him a target for scammers? This was ridiculous. But the agency had sound arguments. They had housed and fed the hired spirits, even if it was just barley cakes and plain water, so room and board had to be paid for. However, the prices were exorbitant.

"Gods help Shang Tang! He's hiring tens of thousands of people?" Chihu Baolong shivered, wondering how much Shang Tang would be fleeced.

Filled with anger, Chihu Baolong lectured the spirits and sorcerers as they walked, "I hired you to fight. You'll take shifts guarding the front gate. Anyone causing trouble—beat them; anyone making a scene—beat them harder; anyone insulting—beat them senseless; anyone setting fires—beat them so badly they can't walk for life."

The black bear spirit's eyes gleamed as he roared, "Don't worry, we'll make sure their own mothers can't recognize them." Then, with a sly look, he added, "But, boss, since we signed long-term contracts, shouldn't you get us some clothes? We also need weapons. And those sorcerers often say a man without money isn't worth anything. Shouldn't you give us some pocket money?"

A tiger spirit, to emphasize the bear spirit's point, tore off his ragged animal hide, exposing himself in front of the bustling streets of Anyi.

The conservative citizens of Anyi were shocked. Three elderly people fainted, hundreds of men spat in disgust, and the women screamed, fleeing in panic. The street descended into chaos. Recognizing Chihu Baolong, several young nobles laughed loudly. Simultaneously, the black-clad city guards rushed out, shouting and cursing.

Chihu Baolong and Cangfeng nearly fainted from embarrassment. Even White rolled his eyes repeatedly.

Chihu Baolong shouted as he ran, "Fine, I'll get everything. Just follow me, or do you want to end up in jail?"

So, with Cangfeng and White in tow, ten pale-faced sorcerers, ninety-nine spirits, and a naked tiger spirit ran, pursued by over a hundred city guards.

Almost reaching the Xingtian household, Cangfeng, fearing the chaos they'd bring, quickly released five paper talismans, conjuring a thick fog that allowed them to escape into the Xingtian courtyard.

The next ten days were a whirlwind of activity for Chihu Baolong.

Master Wuguang and the other qi cultivators, apart from meditating, were useless in practical matters. The Xingtian brothers, Xingtian Dafeng and Xingtian Xuanjie, preferred leading troops in training rather than helping Chihu Baolong.

Chihu Baolong's tasks included transforming the purchased estate into a proper dojo, buying materials like cinnabar and talisman paper, forging large alchemical furnaces distinct from sorcerers' equipment, and, most frustratingly, training the spirits led by the black bear spirit, Dahei.

These spirits, new to human cities, lacked manners, customs, and understanding. They would sleep when told to stand and wander at night when they should sleep.

Fortunately, one person helped: Xingtian Thirteen.

This old man, having stopped visiting familiar haunts in the western district, now roamed the Xingtian estate. Seeing Chihu Baolong struggling with the spirits, he took over their training with ruthless methods, establishing strict discipline through sheer violence.

Eating improperly? Beaten. Eating too noisily? Beaten. Drinking too loudly? Beaten. Dream-talking? Beaten. Night wandering? Beaten. Any perceived infraction led to a beating.

After fifteen days of relentless discipline, the spirits were thoroughly cowed. When Chihu Baolong inspected them, he was shocked. They stood in neat rows, wearing matching black leather armor, armed with uniform steel clubs, exuding a cold, battle-hardened aura.

Xingtian Thirteen patted Chihu Baolong's shoulder, laughing. "This is my skill. Even mud can be molded into stone."

He handed over command of the spirits to Chihu Baolong, humming a tune as he left, muttering, "Tell Dafeng how to train soldiers. What's with their new recruits?"

Chihu Baolong bowed respectfully.

Organizing the sorcerers and spirits into shifts for guarding the dojo, Chihu Baolong finalized the renovations. On October 7th of the Xia calendar, an auspicious day, the newly decorated Tongtian Dojo officially opened. They didn't advertise widely, and even the Xingtian and Shen Gong families kept their distance.

Master Wuguang, Cangfeng, and other qi cultivators, along with Huang Yi and his yellow dragon, gathered at the dojo's grand archway, watching Chihu Baolong complete the final ceremony.

Yes, an archway—the first in Xia. Following ancient designs, craftsmen nearly exhausted themselves carving massive stones from the mountains to build it. The archway, flanked by pine and cypress trees, had three levels: the first with five openings, the second with three, and the top a small pagoda. It was grand, with carvings of mountains, trees, and mythical beasts.

In the center, a large jade plaque from Xingtian Dafeng's estate bore the gilded characters "Tongtian Dojo," shining brightly in the sun.

Master Wuguang, delighted, bowed repeatedly. "This archway is magnificent, a truly grand design. Though Chihu Baolong hails from the wilds, his heart holds great wisdom."

A hundred spirits stood in a straight line under the archway, clad in neat armor and wielding proper weapons. The atmosphere was impressive, but Chihu Baolong and Master Wuguang overlooked one thing: the fierce display made the place look more like a mansion of a wealthy official rather than a welcoming dojo for new students. The menacing appearance of the spirits would intimidate any commoner from approaching, let alone entering the dojo to see what it was about.

Master Wuguang lacked experience, while Chihu Baolong was busy at the main gate.

The front gate of Tongtian Dojo was unlike anything the citizens of Anyi were familiar with. Instead of the usual heavy, massive structures, Chihu Baolong had it redesigned to be light and elegant, with high eaves and lifted corners. The double doors, standing nine feet tall and six feet wide, were carved from solid, millennia-old ironwood, each adorned with eighty-one brass door nails and painted a striking red. This aesthetic was completely different from the practical, undecorated style typical of Xia Dynasty gates, making it incredibly eye-catching.

The threshold was a nine-foot-long, four-inch-high, and two-inch-thick ironwood plank, intricately carved with various talismans provided by Master Wuguang, each with its own special use.

Above the main gate, under the green-tiled eaves, hung a plaque inscribed with the words "Tongtian Dojo," another novelty for the homes in Anyi.

Chihu Baolong checked the time and, at the auspicious moment, grabbed the demon-repelling rings on the doors and slowly pushed them open. White leaped down from the gate tower, tearing off the red cloth covering the plaque with a ripping sound, symbolizing the grand opening of the dojo.

The heavy wooden doors creaked open, revealing a long corridor inside. The overseas Golden Ao Island had officially established its foothold in Anyi. Master Wuguang was overjoyed, clapping his hands and laughing as he led Cangfeng and the others, guided by Chihu Baolong, into the unprecedented dojo.

The spacious courtyard behind the main gate had been meticulously transformed under Chihu Baolong's orders. The broad corridor, paved with fired blue bricks by the highly skilled craftsmen of Anyi, was smooth and pristine, its blue surface exuding a calming effect.

On either side of the corridor, Chihu Baolong had planted the pine and cypress trees excavated to make room for the archway, lining the path to the main hall's gate. Beyond the trees, near the courtyard walls, were large water tanks filled with aquatic plants and lively fish, adding a vibrant touch.

At the end of the corridor, nine steps led up to the main hall. Two three-tiered pagoda-shaped incense burners flanked the base of the steps, with round incense burners on either side at the top, shaped like cranes, releasing wisps of fragrant smoke from their beaks.

Unlike the flat-roofed, heavy stone buildings common in Anyi, the main hall had been transformed into a structure with high eaves, a steeply pitched roof, green tiles, and colorful wind chimes hanging from the corners. This design was novel and, while still grand and solemn, had an elegant charm.

Master Wuguang and the others nodded approvingly, unable to express their amazement. The effort and thought Chihu Baolong had put into the dojo were evident. They had never imagined that a building could look like this. They had expected a simple, functional estate, but Chihu Baolong had recreated the temples he had seen in his past life, leaving the qi cultivators deeply impressed.

Inside the main hall, Chihu Baolong had been cautious not to desecrate sacred spaces. He had set up a high platform with several meditation cushions, leaving it at that. The future worship site for Tongtian Daoist disciples, who were revered as deities in later generations, could not host just any idols. Should he have carved statues of legendary deities like Pangu or Nuwa? He was unsure if the qi cultivators would accept that.

The main hall's floor had nearly a thousand meditation cushions arranged neatly, intended for daily practices of future disciples. Chihu Baolong didn't know if there were already various scriptures for the qi cultivators at this time, but he figured that having nearly a thousand disciples chanting in the hall would serve as excellent advertisement, attracting more talented individuals.

Beyond the main hall were the second and third halls, smaller in area but with fewer meditation cushions, their colors varying. These would be used for teaching advanced techniques to talented disciples. Chihu Baolong understood the pitfalls of a one-size-fits-all approach and couldn't have prodigies like Huang Yi sitting with slower learners.

The second and third courtyards were filled with exotic flowers and plants, with stone tables and benches under tall pine trees. Each had a pagoda-shaped incense burner in the center, adding a sense of serenity.

On the path to the rear courtyard, small bridges and flowing water, along with carefully arranged lake stones, created a picturesque scene. The rear courtyard housed separate living quarters for senior disciples, furnished simply with cloud beds, square tables, bookshelves, and meditation cushions.

The central tower, a thirteen-story structure, was built with the help of sorcerer craftsmen from the Xia royal court, thanks to Shen Gongbao's connections. Inside, except for the top floor, each level housed an alchemical furnace for refining elixirs. The top floor had desks along the walls with paper, ink, brushes, and various paperweights, along with three purple meditation cushions in the center and dozens of blue ones around the perimeter.

After showing the senior disciples' quarters and alchemy rooms, Chihu Baolong led the group to the side courtyards.

Each side courtyard had well-built halls, and Chihu Baolong explained to Master Wuguang, "When the headmaster teaches, it will naturally be in the main hall. These side halls are for you, Master Wuguang, to use for teaching. Here you can mentor your disciples in peace."

Master Wuguang nodded repeatedly, unable to add anything. Chihu Baolong had considered every detail, leaving no room for improvement. The side halls, though smaller, were fully equipped and surrounded by lush greenery, offering a serene environment.

Adjacent to the side halls were dozens of rooms for disciples. There were single rooms with cloud beds, desks, meditation cushions, and bookshelves, as well as double, quadruple, and eight-person rooms, each furnished accordingly. These were reserved for the most talented disciples, with varying accommodations reflecting their status.

The largest dormitories, accommodating two to three thousand people, were modeled after the military barracks, with tightly packed stone slabs and simple bedding. Chihu Baolong felt no shame in copying the military's dormitory setup for the new disciples.

The rear of the side courtyards housed two large dining halls with simple wooden tables and benches, capable of seating nearly a thousand people at once. Though cramped, it was sufficient for the needs of the disciples.

Behind the dining halls were kitchens, wood storage, grinding mills, and stables, fully equipped. The wood storage was filled with firewood, the stables housed dozens of beasts of burden, and the grinding mills had enormous stone grinders ready for use. Chihu Baolong planned to have the new disciples push these grinders, strengthening their bodies and minds.

In the final courtyard, due to the estate's large size and some spatial compression by sorcery, Chihu Baolong had a small plot of land prepared for growing vegetables, complete with a compost pit and a well. This would be another area for punishing wayward disciples.

Master Wuguang expressed his deep gratitude to Chihu Baolong, who hurriedly returned the gesture. With this, Golden Ao Island's dojo in Anyi was officially open for business and accepting disciples.

However, at this point, the only disciples were Chihu Baolong, who was eager to join, Shen Gongbao, who had his own motives, and Huang Yi, who was reluctant to commit. Despite this, the dojo was established. Although Tongtian Daoist and his disciples wouldn't appear for some time, Master Wuguang was confident that his sect could thrive in the Central Plains.