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Chapter 58: Share
Chapter 58: Share
Chapter 58: Share
Of course, Cao Tianyou understood what Xiang Yi was driving at, and he also sympathized with Xiang Yi's predicament. As an Aura Force expert and the captain of a bounty hunter team, it would be utterly humiliating for Xiang Yi to return empty-handed after mobilizing his force against the Five Elements Sect.
Despite Li Pin's meteoric rise within the Five Elements Sect and Zhu Congwu's involvement, Cao Tianyou dismissed it all with contempt. He saw the need to compensate Xiang Yi's team as nothing more than tossing a pittance to a beggar.
Cao Tianyou carefully considered his words and then said, "We sincerely apologize for the situation with Master Demonic Sand. Had we sat down and discussed things properly beforehand, the situation wouldn't have escalated to this degree.
"A rare treasure like Star Source Water is hard to come by. Even if we managed to gather enough funds, there might not be a channel to acquire it. I believe that Violet Amethysts worth eight million yuan would be a more reliable option."
"The Violet Amethyst?" Xiang Yi muttered.
From 30 million yuan to eight million?
Nevertheless, Xiang Yi was unwilling to back down easily. "Sect Master Cao, I don't think this is appropriate..."
Surprised, Li Pin sprang up in his seat, his posture becoming significantly more upright.
They failed to reach an agreement!
Unlike grandmasters like Cao Tianyou and Jiang Qingyue, who were in their late years, Xiang Yi was a young and vigorous Aura Force Expert in his prime, highly skilled in combat! Li Pin felt that if he could clash against such a formidable foe, it would significantly accelerate his progress in cultivating Aura Force.
Li Pin's gaze toward Xiang Yi sharpened, his eyes radiating an intensity that almost turned tangible.
It was precisely this gaze that made Xiang Yi, who had initially intended to negotiate further, jolt in shock.
He immediately opened his mouth and conceded, "I do not have the channel to acquire the Violet Amethyst. If Sect Master Cao can help me with this matter, I'll greatly appreciate it."
"Hahaha, no worries at all. Just leave it to me. I'll make sure that a Violet Amethyst will reach your hand without fail."
"Well then, thanks for your assistance, Sect Master Cao."
"It's also the Five Elements Sect's honor to be able to help you, Captain Xiang."
Xiang Yi expressed his goodwill appropriately. "We wouldn't have known each other if it hadn't been for this incident. I, Xiang Yi, will remember this favor. If you need anything in the future, Sect Master Cao, please do not hesitate to ask."
This "favor" was practically useless, but it opened a door for the Five Elements Sect to seek assistance in the future, especially for tasks that required discretion. However, whether spending eight million yuan for this connection was worth it or not would be a matter of opinion.
After the two parties exchanged pleasantries, the tension which had just arisen quickly dissipated.
***
Watching Cao Tianyou send Xiang Yi and his companions away, Li Pin felt a tinge of disappointment, but he also understood that this was the natural course of events. After all, Qi Dongyuan had already mentioned that both parties were inclined to hold peace talks and resolve this matter swiftly. His presence here was merely a precautionary measure.
Given this circumstance, the likelihood of an incident arising was negligible.
Not long after, Cao Tianyou returned to the private room.
Looking at Li Pin, Cao Tianyou expressed his heartfelt gratitude. "Master Li, I am deeply indebted to you. If it wasn't for you, Xiang Yi and his cohorts would never have given up so easily."
"I didn't do anything," Li Pin responded.
"We understand."
During this period, they had sought out a few of their connections. While there had been people willing to help them out, the price that they would've had to pay for that service would've been around 100 million yuan. What's more, they would've likely owed whoever would've helped them a favor.
From this perspective, Li Pin had indeed done them a huge favor.
At this moment, Cao Tianyou waved his hand, and a man in a crisp suit—a stark contrast with the martial artists around them—stepped forward and presented a contract.
"Take a look," Cao Tianyou said.
"Hm?" Li Pin glanced over the contract and was a bit shocked. "6.5% total shares of the Star Palace Entertainment?"
Cao Tianyou nodded with a smile.
Star Palace Entertainment was a local entertainment company of Jiang Province established fourteen years ago. It had developed into one of the top five entertainment companies in the kingdom. While not as substantial as the top three corporations, Star Palace Entertainment boasted a total market value exceeding 2 billion yuan. Its net profit last year alone amounted to over 58 million yuan.
Of course, the market value for entertainment companies was often inflated. Nevertheless, putting that aside, their actual value could still reach around one billion yuan.
Producing films and organizing events required dealing with various people, which would inevitably attract the attention of certain factions. Hence, throughout the years, Star Palace Entertainment had maintained a cooperative relationship with the Four Pillars Martial Hall.
Not long ago, Cao Tianyou had approached the Four Pillars Martial Hall's hall master. After engaging in a mutually beneficial exchange, he acquired the share from the hall master and became the third largest shareholder of the company. In return, they took on the responsibility of safeguarding Star Palace Entertainment from disruptions caused by other martial arts influences.
This very share was now being presented to Li Pin.
"Star Palace Entertainment generates hundreds of millions of yuan in profits annually and offers frequent dividends. As a prominent local company and conglomerate in Jiang Province, it would also be highly convenient for you to arrange matters or accommodate individuals," Cao Tianyou explained with a smile.
"Based on the market value of the Star Palace Entertainment, that's over 100 million," Li Pin remarked.
"If it hadn't been for your intervention, the Five Elements Sect would have had to pay a hefty price to resolve this matter, and the cost wouldn't have been any less than this. Rather than letting outsiders reap all the benefits, we might as well do it ourselves."
Looking through the agreement, a thought spurred in Li Pin's mind.
Could this be cashed out?
No... it will probably be quite difficult to turn it into actual cash.
After a moment of thought, Li Pin didn't sign the contract.
Instead, he said, "If you really want to thank me, can you get me the Great Sun Astral God Meditation Art?
"During my encounter with Demonic Sand, his martial art technique left a deep impression on me. It harnesses a pernicious aura to forge a Fist Intent. I am eager to explore methods to counter this type of martial art."
Cao Tianyou spoke solemnly. "The Star Shattering Fist is indeed a formidable technique, but Master Li, the Fist Intent you wish to understand is different from the Great Sun Astral God Meditation Art. The Fist Intent and the will itself are domains that peak grandmasters must explore. It is the key to unlocking the path to becoming a Martial Saint.
"The cultivation of the Martial Will is of utmost importance. A single misstep can lead to unimaginable consequences. Many times, even when you realize that you are wrong, you can only continue forward without turning back."
Li Pin nodded. "I know."
During this time, he had not only been watching videos on Core Force and Aura Force; he had also studied videos on Martial Saints. It was only natural that he'd come to understand how impactful Martial Will was on a martial artist. Under the influence of Martial Will, martial artists would leave no room for regret in the decisions that they made.
It was just as Cao Tianyou had said. They could have easily resolved the crisis by simply maneuvering or compromising on some moral issues, but they still chose the difficult path, ultimately leading to their own demise and the destruction of their sect.
This incomprehensible and even counter-intuitive behavior from the perspective of ordinary people was precisely the result of the influence of the Martial Will. This also highlighted the importance of the choice guided by the Martial Will.
Li Pin continued, "I just want to see if there's a way to resist the impact of Martial Will, not to start cultivating Martial Will right now. If I truly wanted to cultivate the Martial Will, I wouldn't have chosen the Great Sun Astral God Meditation Art."
Cao Tianyou nodded in agreement. "So, your plan is to resist the Martial Will by strengthening your mental spirit through meditation art? This does sound like a good idea. But... wouldn't the Great Sun Astral God Meditation Art be too—"
"Violent?" Li Pin smiled. "That's exactly what I need to resist Martial Will. It's not like my plan is to become an Astral Cultivator, so there is no need to worry about where it might go wrong."
Cao Tianyou smiled and nodded. "That's true."
Occasional practice shouldn't have a significant impact as long as it's not done daily like an Astral Cultivator.
"I'll have Dongyuan hand the manual over to you then." Cao Tianyou then once again pushed the contract in front of Li Pin. "While you're at it, how about you sign this agreement as well?"
Cao Tianyou said with a smile, "I can tell that you are bound to achieve great heights in the future. I've got to make sure the Five Elements Sect builds good terms with you while it can still remain of help for small matters like these."
"Sect Master Cao, you're too kind," Li Pin replied humbly.
Since Cao Tianyou had already made such a strong recommendation, it would be impolite for Li Pin to refuse further. Otherwise, it might seem like he was being disrespectful to the Five Elements Sect.