“Good. So, what is your status?”

“I have recovered from my… setback. The network will be back soon. I’ll start sending intel again, but I also have a request. I want to bring the Prosperity Company over now. Will the Holy Flame Sect be supporting us?”

There was silence for a moment before she replied, “You are likely to run into stiff competition from the Four Major Businesses of Dou Kingdom. Your Palace of Prosperity will directly compete with Lotus Valley, and Thousand Treasures will not take kindly to your -unique- devices.”

“We aren’t that threatening are we? It’s just business.”

“There’s a reason that the Holy Flame Sect doesn’t have it’s own trading company. It’s far too easy to start, the business version of, a war. We prefer to focus on our craft, and it’s too much work to spread out over such a large area.”

“The Holy Flame Sect isn’t the best example, we have an inordinate amount of the best craftsmen and only a minority that are true combat experts.”

“Even if you have an army, your little mercenary company is going to have to turn into caravan guards and store security. From my end, it’s to my benefit. You’d have a very broad presence and gather even more intelligence for the Sect. Even so, I’d advise you not to kick the hornet’s nest.”

Sage was planning to use Airships and some of his other inventions to rapidly raise capital and the reputation of the new Lang Clan. Only, Peak Master Zhen’s words made sense. The Jade Horde took contracts from the Black Dog Company, just like every mercenary group in the Dou Kingdom. Lotus Valley wasn’t the only business that dealt with relaxation, vice and pleasurable things, but Sage was pretty sure they had a supervisory stance with other businesses of their kind. If he wanted to establish the Palace of Prosperity, he would likely have to work with them and pay special fees or he’d likely face constant harassment.

Thousand Treasures had less of an organized crime vibe to it, but they were more of a massive wholesaler. They bought them from suppliers and distributed them through the kingdom to all their locations. If he wanted to sell airships and other devices it would be far simpler to just sell to Thousand Treasures directly. Their existence drastically reduced the number of traveling merchants in the Dou Kingdom.

“I shall take it under advisement, Peak Master. If I can come to an arrangement with them, will the sect continue to do the manufacturing for us?”

“Hmm. As long as the conditions are favorable, the Holy Flame Sect doesn’t turn down business.”

“Thank you. Can you please tell Wan Ling that it’s time. Send everything to Lionheart Town, Jade Spirit County, 10,000 Wave Province. She can handle the details.”

“Should I tell her anything else? Maybe a love confession?”

Sage ignored the Peak Master’s impish teasing and quickly bid her farewell. He wanted to let the line go dead, as if it was a phone he’d just slammed. The problem was then she’d keep messaging him to pester him about an answer. So, he was forced to make an awkward goodbye and suffer Peak Master Zhen’s teasing laughter.

With that task complete, Sage felt he was at something of an impasse. He wanted to rebuild the Jade Horde from the ground up and start rapid construction to rebuild the Lang Clan, but he knew that this was only the calm before the storm. It was only a matter of time until someone came calling, either with a grudge, or out of a desire to take his new job. After fighting for the post, now was the time he was at his weakest. With time, his position would only get stronger. Sure, he could send out all his Dragoons now and scare off all the small fish, but he was treating this as a second test for the remaining Seven Stars who he hadn’t yet condemned and also as bait for any other large powers. At least until Wan Ling arrives. Once the Prosperity Company starts setting up, he will give up the trap and push to the next step.

We’ll just have to see who takes the bait.

Next, Sage contracted a construction company recommended by the Hatchet Gang to renovate the Lang Clan Manor. He wasn’t going to rebuild the whole territory yet, merely the main hall. It was quite large and had dozens of rooms he could use for quite some time and was also necessary to restore the face of his clan. Sage wasn’t all that obsessed with face like the people of this world, but he had to follow their traditions. He also thought of it as ‘branding’. If the Clan Hall was a mess, what did that say about the Clan? Best not to allow any room for a bad impression.

He spent his days familiarizing himself with the management of Lionheart Town and overseeing the construction. It was difficult to maintain his calm and blissful facade, and he went to quite a bit of effort to keep his nightly reports from the Falcons a secret. If someone was going to make a move, they’d also have agents placed all around him so he was extra careful not to alert them.

The first attack happened after two weeks. A team of five assassins tried to ambush Juzui. He’d been the least impressive in the battle that was seen outside of Lionheart Town, especially since the battle was hidden from view before they transformed. Since they were fighting in a group he had of course been focused upon supporting his brothers and sisters. The Mantle of the Four Gentleman was a sword art based around the seasons, and it was quite subtle in its effects. It was not singularly forceful, excessively violent, or exceedingly focused. It was slow, inexorable, all encompassing. Do the seasons of the year cause harm? No they don’t, but who can stop the seasons from changing? Juzui’s swordplay was masterful and he killed the whole group of assassins without even taking his true form. He was heavily injured, but nothing that a few days in the Inner World couldn’t handle.

Heh, as long as they aren’t killed they can get more than a year and a half of recovery time while only a week passes in the outside world.

With a bit of research, the kill team was from a Clan that Sage hadn’t ever had any contact with. The Clan leader was the Prefect of Daybreak Valley County, and a Nascent Soul, with two dozen rank fives to back him up. They were likely aiming to weaken Sage’s side little by little and then install one of the rank fives in Sage’s position. It seemed to be an attack of pure opportunity, but it was hard to tell. One of Sage’s actual enemies might have ‘encouraged’ them towards it. Even so, now that they’d lost five of their important members, they weren’t likely to commit further.

There were a few more similar attacks over the next few days, and the Tiankong kids took varying levels of injury. As things seemed to be escalating, they all holed up inside the City Lord’s Manor and tripled the guard on patrol around it. Sage even set up another array around the manor, thinking it would look quite suspicious if he didn’t. Of course, the array that was publicly active was not the only one in place. The levels of injury that the Tiankong kids had suffered were also not as drastic as he made it look. They had suffered from various cuts, stabs, or broken bones and were taken into an infirmary room to rest. Sage ‘personally tended to them’ and holed himself up in a sealed room with them.

At this time, only Ruanfu and Baozhai weren’t in the infirmary and they were ‘standing guard’ outside. Which for them, that meant gossiping about boys, making shopping lists,

and planning where they wanted to visit once they were finished with this mission.

Ten pairs of red eyes had affixed upon the two women, waiting for an opening and completely oblivious to the topic of their target’s conversation. Unfortunately for them, Sage had equipped the room with a one way sound blocking array.