“Yin Xia, what is he like? The City Lord?” Yin Xia's senior sister asked with a bright smile.

Yin Xia wiped a bead of sweat off her brow as she dipped her mop’ head back into the bucket.

“Mm, when I met him. He was younger looking but it was about a year maybe two ago. So he should be about fourteen now. And he’s a pervert but a powerful one.” Yin Xia said before pulling the mop head back out the bucket.

Her senior Sister sighed as she touched the raw skin on her hand.

“I wondered if he would take a liking to one of us. Maybe, you should go try to get closer to him. I rather wash clothes or cook food then to clean up this muck.” She complained while using qi to repair the damage to her hands. Smiling as the skin returned to the youthful delicate look. However, the smile vanished as the qi covering her hand dissapitated upon touching the bamboo mop.

Yin Xia giggled, “Even if I go talk to him, what makes you think he would care about me? You saw the women around him. They make even our Eldest sister look entirely average. Besides I have finance now and he's not bad.”

The Senior sister grunted and shrugged.

“You’re right. Guess we have to just get used to it. It’s better than barely surviving in that village. The air on the ship alone is much thicker than our Sect best cultivation room. We should come back much tronger than our eldest sister who decided to whore herself out to that Crown Prince.”

Yin Xia giggled, “They are probably stuck worshipping the ground of some low level sect from Celestial realms. We get to be servants of the powerful City Lord, such bright optimism we have huh.”

Third Sister burst out laughing as she sat down on the bench, staring at her scarred hands. “Have you guys noticed that the mopping technique they showed us is similar to spear technique.”

The Senior Sister studied her moping pattern then her eyes widened. “Now that you mention it, I can see it. Good eye, Na’er,”

Third Sister blushed and she went back to mopping. Her head down as she focused on her task completely.

Yin Xia watched her for a bit and her eyes widened while she mumbled. “So this is your background, huh?”

**

Step.. unsheath.. Slash.. Sheathed sword.. Repeat. Step… unsheathed.. Slash.. Sheathed sword.

“Why don’t you take a break, master?” Shuren brought a cold towel over with a glint in her eye.

Most people will wipe your face with a cold towel. Because it’s your face usually the most overheated part of the body and the most vital. Yet, her hand went straight to my chest. Gliding along the crevices formed by the muscles.

Tsk, I aimed for the best body builder body and while I’m still impressive. I’m kind of the slim triangular build. Instead of the large, I can’t fit through the door. I can’t pat my back, build.

Ah, life is so terrible but I still look good without even having to flex. What a pleasant feeling to be appreciated like this.

“Shuren, what about that palace someone said they found in the mountains? How strong are the formations guarding it?” I brought her out of her weird fascination to touch me.

Her head snapped up and she stared at me with her chin not even centimeters away from my left pec.

“Oh, umm.” Her eyes tried to focus on something as she hopefully was attempting to remember.

“Oh, yeah. Elder Chang said that they couldn’t get too close as they spotted bandits in numbers of thousands but the guardian formation would last for twenty-six more days.”

I nodded and tapped my chin while stepping away from Shuren who was blowing her breath on me all weird like. I met many people with many different kinks but hers were really kind of disturbing sometimes.

Sword Cultivators can get really… intense when they focus on something.

“Oh, I see. That should give enough time for the second group to arrive and migrate there. A whole thirteen days worth of extra time.” I went back to practicing a new sword move that I would use from now on to hide my other abilities.

Gotta leave your strongest and most mysterious abilities as aces in the holes.

I shuddered at watching a group of people sit around the big screen, dissecting my movements down to the smallest detail. Imagine if they were assassins, I would be so dead.

**

I sat at a grand piano overlooking the city as the landscape changed. My longer fingers danced over the keys as I entertained my maids for a change. Tomorrow, the extra members of the Star Palace will arrive. Beefing up our numbers into the early hundreds.

With such men, I won’t have to be passive in the face of these bandit or military groups. On top of that, I can begin my conquest of conquering the world. Cough, maybe just my contentnet.

I saw the city lord list change so much below the top three that I am positive when the second group arrives, there will be bigger changes to see. Yet, I only have been challenged about thirty something times by stray experts.

I wonder if those God’s Descendants would finally join this competition. This would provide me a perfect chance to know how far off the path I am. And to correct my misunderstanding of training that the Divine Realm employs.

Whether not they came from big, top notch force or not. They should all be using a balance method that is established as a leading educational method of training. Any big force should have worked out the kinks of raising genius and average men. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be big forces for long.

I sighed, life might get hard later but now it is enjoyable.

The land around the Palace expanded outward. The Palace itself rose as if it was being raised up by the hand of a god. According to the plan, the palace is going to be expanded and encompass a city block worth of land. A lake will form around that as the first obstacle and wall.

Second area will be split into four large Mansions. Each facing a cardinal direction. Housing and shops will be placed in each district and then we'll rise up after that. This will be the inner ring. The outer ring will have eight Mansions overlooking each direction on a compass. It will be able to house over seven hundred thousand people and if someone arrives at the gate.

They should be able to see the beautiful dragon wall at the outer, looking straight ahead. The land rises like a cone with the Palace in the center. This way I can both overlook the city but those at the bottom can look up and dream about being near the center.

This should bring out the greed in everybody's hearts. But it alone isn’t enough. I want the strongest city, with the strongest combatants. To do this, I have to offer something other than beautiful scenery and mild ambitions.

Thus I decided to establish a college. Force people to pay, to have a comprehensive education. You wanted to learn some valuable technique or learn how to integrate the concepts, principles, laws into your every move. Haha, pay and go to class.

However, there will be a problem if the college is too expensive or the money they can earn isn’t enough. Tsk, this would be a hard problem to solve. You can’t just throw money at people and tell them to spend it. Nor can you make it too easy to earn money or they won’t be grateful. They won’t stick around too long.

Sigh, decisions like these plagued my entire week. Like why couldn't the city lord position be more relaxed?

In the end, I had to develop from the ground up, a mercenary system. Something to force people to spend long times or dream about returning to the city just to recoup and recover. Thus the city also needed an entertainment district.

Which in turn meant, what made men want to stay in a city? The answer is easy, women, wealth, status, and power? If a city could provide all these but also had numerous experts coming in to try their hands, then the city would prosper. It’s why tourist cities had casinos and underground shit called prostition. These are money-making businesses.

I moved my hand from the keys as the song ended and turned to Su.

“How many of the women that we brought back from those forts are quality goods?”

Who said I am a good person?

Butler Su flipped through a device that acted much like a primitive tablet. It had a specific function and probably would not have been thought about if I hadn’t mentioned it passingly and some nerd went to figure it out. To be honest, I think people look down on the ancient era a bit too much.

“About forty percent of them are as you called it, ‘good quality.’ Only four percent of them are willing to work for their freedom. Which is about forty women but you built four brothels in four inner districts. If we spread them out, they will surely become worn out quickly.”

I tapped a key while thinking.

“There are a bunch of villages out there. With a lot of women that can be substituted in. If we offer them good deals like four free classes a month and decent cultivation resources. How many beautiful, good quality women would apply?”

Xinyue leaned her head onto the black polish wood of the grand piano.

“Majority of the women would want to sign up for such deals. If we put such a deal outside for women, I’m sure we could even bag more that they could rotate out. Should I tell my former sect about this?”

I glance at her before smiling. She is such an evil little thing. I guess whoever she has it out against will be subjected to degrading herself, in Xinyue eyes.

“Go ahead. Send out a team to ask around these villages. As for the outer ring, we can let the bad products go there. Give them the same choice, work for freedom. They earned a certain amount of money, then they will be free and can act as ordinary citizens. We will even provide them with jobs so they won’t be humiliated by the weak.”

Shuren’s eyes that had been filled with a bit of disdain suddenly loosen up a bit. Her teeth no longer clenched.

“As for the casino, the good quality that didn’t want to serve in the brothels. They can serve there. Pick out the strongest and have them be guards. Give them a little training in the Third Layer if needs be.”

Elder Xue steps forward, “What about the techniques we are offering up? Should we include our personal techniques or just those we deduce from those fighting in the training facility before?”

“We will use others. No need to share our own unless it’s a very low level technique then for just the effort of being generous, we can let them try it out. However, we should add at least two skills of the basic elements. This way, nobody can say that we are outright stealing then spreading their precious sects skills.”

Elder Xue nodded, “I’ll get the research team to spare some that they made while watching a few bandits fight.”

I nodded and then raised my finger.

“Also, we really need someone to deal with the purchasing and selling of some of our resources. It is kind of annoying that we are spread out so far. I know we are talented but it is turning out detrimental, to me at least.”

Elder Yu chuckled, “I heard from my junior brother that Princess Kang Jiyoung owns the Summer Solace Merchant group and she raised it all by herself. She is intending to come here and network with some of the mighty figures from other Merchant groups. We can rope her in.”

Elder Han nodded. “With your charm, it wouldn’t be too hard for her to fall for you. Even if she doesn’t, I’m sure she wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with a group who rose into power within mere four months. We could be her backward and with the ship's capability. She would hardly ever have to worry about being robbed.”

“Isn’t she married to some Sect heir? Or engaged? I think I heard that news when I came out of the sect to join us.” Elder Xue said while thinking.

I tapped my chin. “Doesn’t matter, we will have someone apprentice under Miss Chu or Miss Yue. I remember you guys said you were bringing a few nascent realms anyway. So perfect a chance to groom our own little genius.”

Su vanished then reappeared with a weird grin.

“Blue Wind’s, Chu Yuechan is here requesting an audience now.”

I tilted my head and nodded.

“Bring her to my study. I want to rest and relax away from you evil doers after.” I vanished with laughter.

***

Chu Yuechan walked in a light-blue skirt that just reached past her ankles. Showing only tips of her stocking covered feet tops in that matching high heel. The blouse she wore is a subtle brand that left you guessing but also afforded you a sneak peak at the white expanse of her neck and little dip down her collar.

I motioned for her to take a seat as I poured two bowls of wine.

“As beautiful as always Miss Chu.” I spoke politely while grabbing a bowl of peeled grapes and leaned back.

“Thanks but I didn’t come for pleasantries, City Lord. I wish to discuss the city arrangements.” Miss Chu's head tilted just slightly and a ray of sunlight danced off the side of her face, catching that strand of loose hair. Almost angelizing that one second.

My eyes flick from that charming occurrence and turn to her eyes and the seriousness which was etched into the corners of her lips.

“Miss Chu, I can understand your frustration and your thoughts. However, tomorrow, we both know that forces in the Middle realm will be coming. Those who have been holding back for others to be pioneers will take this moment to make some upsets. The City Lord list has been very business these past few weeks and only the top three haven’t made any change.”

I plopped a grape into my mouth.

“I don’t want to give you any feelings of hope when in reality, you might be forced to move out of your mansion. Even if I do succeed in remaining as City Lord, the old way is going to be overhauled. However, with your forces, you can fight for large residences and still obtain rights for your shop.”

Chu Yuechan lips thin, “City Lord… I am sure you can understand that any reputable merchant wishes to have his products hawked at the center of any power center. Being on the outer edge is like saying that our ability is lacking. Haven’t we provided quality service to the city lord so far?”

I tossed a list of names at the table between us. Chu Yuechan looked at me for a moment before lifting it up. Her eyes scanned it very slowly but not a change appeared on the delicate face of hers. She placed it back down and sigh.

“While I admit that we can’t necessarily compete with them in size but our men aren't necessarily worse than them in quality. If you are willing to exclusively use my company, I can guarantee that you won’t regret it.” she stated such a promise without any sexual innuendo thus I had to take her seriously for a moment.

Those names were just the ones Emperor Long and Li could gather. There might be some other powerful clan with the ability to produce higher quality stuff coming. To be honest, I don’t know who exactly will appear in my city and who won’t. Thus, while I would like a sure thing.

She has to offer up more than promises that I won’t lose out. While she already has blueprints for my ships and Dragon chariots, my men found some easily exploited points in the formations. I don’t know if she did it to make sure or if it was just quality but I am honestly not sure about investing solely into her group.

Ah, I’ll just wait for tomorrow to come. See who prevails and work with them. At worst, I’ll lean heavily on Kang Jiyoung. Her group won’t be all that big but it won’t necessarily be worse. After all, the Kang and Long families have fingers in the Divine realms. Even if their family never produces God's rank characters, they all reach celestial realms. That is evident by the fact Emperor Long cultivation scriptures reach up to Divine Saint.

I leaned forward after making a decision.

“I have to apologize but right now. Things are unknown and I have to look out more than for my personal interest. At the time, when the sun lowers and you are still one of the top two merchants groups in the city. I’ll contact you.”

I dismissed her with a wave while leaning back and turned to a screen that popped up, showcasing a play some bored people decided to create.

Miss Chu took a little before leaving with a face full of frustration.