Chapter 63: Huge Profits
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Eventually, Chen Fei and Chi Defcng made the decision to follow the Immortal Cloud Caravan, primarily for the sake of safety.
The encounters with the evil beings on their journey to Apricot Fen City had left a deep impression on Chen Fei. He didn’t want to experience such danger again. The red tokens used by the Immortal Cloud Caravan cost 1,000 taels each. If they were to travel with other smaller merchant groups and accidentally use one, it would result in a loss.
The Immortal Cloud Caravan clearly understood the value of these tokens, which was why they dared to ask for such a high price.
Upon arriving at the base of the Immortal Cloud Merchant Band, Chen Fei and Chi Defeng were greeted by a bustling crowd. Most of the people were there to trade with the caravan, while only a small portion intended to follow along. Even so, this small group consisted of nearly a hundred people.
“Just like that, they’d earned more than a hundred thousand taels,” Chen Fei said, a tinge of envy in his voice.
Although Chen Fei could already refine the Eternal Floating Pill and the profits were decent, it would still take several months to accumulate such a large sum. Moreover, he couldn’t afford to slack off.
Additionally, if there were such significant benefits, it would likely attract trouble.
…..
However, holding onto the money without utilizing it felt uncomfortable.
“The Immortal Cloud Caravan will depart in three days. It’s not just a hundred thousand taels,” Chi Defeng sighed. He, too, had a fondness for money and had managed to save up a considerable amount. However, when compared to the Immortal Cloud Caravan, his savings were insignificant.
“Well be leaving at seven, three days from now. This token is recognized, but the person is not,” a representative from the Immortal Cloud Merchant Band explained as he accepted the payment from Chen Fei and the others. They didn’t ask for their names or origins, as those details were unimportant to the caravan.
“Thank you so much!” Chen Fei expressed his gratitude, cupping his hands and examining the cloud pattern on the token. Replicating it wouldn’t be difficult, but there might be additional features that could be recognized by the Immortal Cloud Caravan. Not many people would dare to use a counterfeit token, as they risked being exposed and facing severe consequences.
The two of them left the place. With the arrival of the Immortal Cloud Merchant Band, Apricot Fen City, which had been quiet, once again buzzed with activity. The streets were filled with people.
Suddenly, a figure appeared to be walking hurriedly and bumped into Chen Fei. Chen Fei swiftly sidestepped and caught hold of the person’s hand.
“Hey, let go of my hand! What are you doing?” Xu Liu’s face turned pale from the pain. He tried to break free, but it felt as if his arm was clamped in a vice, rendering him immobile.
“Even if you’re stealing, you should choose your targets carefully!” Chen Fei glanced at Xu Liu and flung him away with his right hand. Xu Liu fell to the ground, blood streaming from his head.
Realizing that he had encountered someone he couldn’t handle, Xu Liu didn’t dare to cause a scene. After getting up, he slinked away into the crowd, dejected.
“He probably saw our tokens,” Chi Defeng chuckled, shaking his head.
The Immortal Cloud Caravan only recognized the tokens. Stealing one of these tokens was worth a thousand taels of silver. If unused, it could be sold for several hundred taels. It was a lucrative business.
“It seems that there will be plenty of thefts in Apricot Fen City in the next few days,” Chen Fei shook his head. Some martial artists would likely rely on their strength to steal directly or even snatch forcefully.
The two of them strolled through the streets, making various purchases.
The journey to Immortal Cloud City would take more than ten days, and the Immortal Cloud Caravan wouldn’t provide food and water. After taking a few turns in different alleys to lose any followers, Chen Fei and Chi Defeng returned to their courtyard.
At the Guest Immortal Restaurant.
“It’s an honor to have Supervisor Dong here today,” Xu Wangliang greeted Dong Yi with a cup of wine, displaying his politeness.
“The caravan still has matters to attend to. If you have something to say, go ahead,” Dong Yi responded with an aloof expression. He had been invited to the banquet by a good friend but had already learned about Xu Wangliang’s recent troubles. He didn’t want to get involved unnecessarily.
“My son was killed, and this grudge is irreconcilable. I seek a favor from Supervisor Dong,” Xu Wangliang said, his expression gloomy. He placed a stack of banknotes on the table, pushing it toward Dong Yi.
Dong Yi instinctively glanced at the silver notes. Each one was worth 1,000 taels of silver, and the stack before him amounted to no less than 10,000 taels. This was a significant sum, enough to soften Dong Yi’s expression considerably.
Although the Immortal Cloud Caravan received a thousand taels per person, earning over two hundred thousand taels in three days, the money belonged to the caravan. Dong Yi, as the overseer, couldn’t benefit from it.
However, the 10,000 taels could be his.
“I’ve heard about your son. However, the thief is cunning, and you haven’t been able to find him despite your efforts for many days. I want to help, but I’m unsure how,” Dong Yi replied.
“That thief must still be in Apricot Fen City, awaiting an opportunity to leave. If I get close enough, I have a method to find him. Hence, I hope Supervisor Dong can grant me the favor of delaying the caravan for a while, allowing me to locate the thief,” Xu Wangliang explained with a grim expression. Based on Wu Zhangli’s deductions, Xu Wangliang had investigated many caravans recently but hadn’t found any leads.
The most likely possibility was that the person was waiting for the Immortal Cloud Caravan.
Wu Zhangli claimed that if he could get close enough, the Gu worm would be able to locate the person. Thus, Xu Wangliang invited Dong Yi to the banquet, hoping for his assistance.
If it were any other small merchant group, it wouldn’t be so troublesome. Xu Wangliang’s own strength would be sufficient to force compliance. However, after the Immortal Cloud Caravan’s failure, Xu Wangliang lacked both the power and audacity to exert force. He could only rely on his connections.
“The payment from those people has already been collected. You’re making things difficult for me,” Dong Yi frowned. One thousand taels per person was already a high price. Selling the slots again three days later would be unsightly. Although Dong Yi was a supervisor, he didn’t want to do anything that would tarnish the caravan’s reputation.
“I understand that the others in the caravan have been working hard recently. I have no ulterior motives. I just wanted to buy some drinks as a gesture of apology for delaying their time and having them accompany me in the search. These additional five thousand taels is my way of making amends,” Xu Wangliang said, placing another stack of silver notes worth five thousand taels on the table.
“I can’t possibly accept this!” Dong Yi shook his head, looking at Xu Wangliang. However, his actions were not slow. He swiftly concealed the thirty-five thousand taels in his sleeve.
“Thank you for your assistance, Supervisor Dong,” Xu Wangliang said with a smile as he watched Dong Yi accept the money..