I have an endless army of warriors, rampaging across the heavens.

Chapter 166 Spreading Money: Ascension Academy!
"Master, Master, that's wonderful!"

"That group kept their word and returned all the supplies they had previously stolen."

Gongye Yunshan had just come from the recently concluded Izumo auction when he received some excellent news.

call!
You keep your word!

That's good!

"And they didn't break the contract just because I wasn't willing to lend them 100 kserkins."

"This Iron-Blooded Mercenary Group is trustworthy."

Gongye Yunshan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Ironblood Mercenary Group stole various goods from Gongye Trading Company a few days ago, with a market value of over 400,000 gold coins. Even Gongye Trading Company was severely damaged by this attack and will not be able to recover for at least three to five years.

What's even more troubling is that if the threat posed by the Ironblood Mercenary Group cannot be properly resolved, Gongye Trading Company's business will be difficult to continue.

Fortunately.

This iron-blooded mercenary group isn't truly insane; thankfully, they still have some limits.

As for the effort—

A mere 100,000 gold coins.

A mere ten secret manuals.

He only has two sons.

Compared to previous losses and the possibility of utter ruin, it's nothing at all.

only--

"Has the Iron-Blooded Mercenary Group's rampage really ended like this?"

Gongye Yunshan had a premonition that the shocking drama of the Iron-Blooded Mercenary Group might not have truly ended.

Gongye Yunshan was unsure what kind of trouble they would cause, or whether that trouble would affect Gongye Trading Company again.

All he knew was—

"Give me the order!"

"From this day forward, all members of the clan and employees of the merchant guild must abide by the law and behave themselves. Anyone who goes astray will be punished without mercy. Those whose actions are serious will be executed!"

……

Gongye Yunshan took a brief respite.

Meanwhile, Zuo Jing's side was working at full speed.

In the end, he was unable to borrow 100 grams of serkin from Gongye Yunshan at this auction.

But not in the way.

A mere 100 Serkin coins as starting capital is negligible for Sakyo.

As for the Breakthrough Pill—

It would be even better if it were available.

It's okay if you don't have it.

None of this will hinder Zuo Jing's future development.

"From now on, I'll walk on two legs."

Zuo Jing has a comprehensive plan for his future development on the Spellcraft Continent, but one must take things one step at a time. In the initial stage, advancing on two fronts simultaneously is more than enough!

"First, the 'protection fee route.' In my current situation, I no longer need to resort to the 'only those who have a grudge against me can deal with me' approach. The Spellcraft Continent is a world where the strong prey on the weak. Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp. Since ancient times, the strong have always been the ones who take all. Since that's the case, I am also strong, and I can take all. I don't need a legitimate reason or a grand gesture. I can conquer it fair and square."

However, as the saying goes: it's easy to conquer the world, but difficult to rule it.

Zuo Jing had thoroughly experienced the power of magic in the Great Yan Dynasty, so in the continent of sorcery, he did not intend to openly confront the authorities, the regime, or the world. He planned to do it privately first.

First, expand extensively, focusing on accumulating wealth.

Continue to build up your forces and accumulate resources.

When the number of suicide soldiers has increased sufficiently, Zuo Jing can then levy other fees on top of the 'protection fee,' such as management fees, stability maintenance fees, or even commissions and taxes. The bolder the people, the greater the harvest.

How far can it go?

How much money can I earn?

It all depends on how many suicide soldiers there are.

This is a one-legged path, a martial arts-based one.

Also.

There's another path, a "civilized" one.

……

"Ascension Academy?"

Liu Yuan, with his white hair and beard, looked at the person in front of him.

Who is so arrogant as to talk about building an 'Ascension Academy' and dare to dream of having a level 5 sorcerer like him as an instructor at this ridiculous academy?
"Who are you?"

Do you know who I am?

Yanagihara asked back.

Zuo Jing, possessing the assassin, naturally knew Liu Yuan: "Liu Yuan, a rogue sorcerer from Wuyun City, learned the ancestral level three technique 'Fire Cloud Notes' from his father, Liu He, from a young age. He advanced to level one sorcerer at eighteen, level two at twenty-two, and entered the Source Beast Mountain Range for the first time. At thirty-two, he advanced to level three sorcerer and left Wuyun City to study at the Southern California Academy in the Delta. At fifty-five, he advanced to level four sorcerer. After twenty years of arduous training without breaking through, he returned home in glory. At seventy-five, he returned to Wuyun City and entered the Source Beast Mountain Range again. Twenty years later, at ninety-five, he defeated the level five source beast 'Amethyst Winged Lion King' and obtained the 'Amethyst Winged Lion King Fire' from its body, successfully breaking through to level five. Twelve years have passed since then, and he is now 107 years old."

Since Zuo Jing had found Liu Yuan, he must have some knowledge of his life.

I can't go into more detail, but the general outline is clear.

Here.

Liu Yuan laughed and said, "Since you know that I am a level 5 sorcerer, you should know that there are very few people with my strength in Wuyun City. There are many forces, big and small, inside and outside the city that want to recruit me, including chain forces such as Chuyun Auction House and Jinxiu Trading Company."

Speaking of it.

He looked at Zuo Jing and said, "I have always disliked being restricted. What makes you think I would join this Ascension Academy?"

Sakyo won't keep you in suspense; just tell me what your advantages are—

"Firstly, there are no restrictions at the Ascension Academy, and instructors are free to come and go."

"Secondly, the academy offers generous benefits. The annual salary is high and generous, depending on the mentor's strength and teaching level. For example, a level 5 sorcerer will receive a minimum salary of 3,000 gold coins per year. If the assessment is excellent, there will be a generous bonus with no upper limit. If you can train a level 5 sorcerer, the head mentor's reward will not be less than 100 kserkins."

Zuo Jinglai's move into "literature" was precisely on the path of running a school.

It takes ten years to grow a tree.

It takes a hundred years to cultivate people.

He hoped to leverage the 'Ascension Academy'—

On the one hand, it can recruit high-level sorcerers such as Liu Yuan to work for it.

On the other hand, we can train a large number of low-level sorcerers from scratch.

He has an unlimited number of loyal followers, so it's foreseeable that he will never lack funds in the future.

There's nothing to say.

Running a school is all about throwing money at it.

Liu Yuan, being one of the few self-taught level-five sorcerers in Wuyun City, became Zuo Jing's first target for recruitment.

He finished speaking.

Yanagi Yuan was shocked.

'Three thousand gold coins per year?'

"A reward of 100 Kserkins for training a level 5 sorcerer?"

How much?
There are too many!
As a regular level 5 sorcerer, Liu Yuan was very clear about the income level of level 5 sorcerers. For example, he pursued freedom and never joined any faction. Since advancing to level 5, he either hunted source beasts and searched for treasures in the Source Beast Mountain Range, but his income was often very unstable. He could barely make ends meet by taking on mercenary missions.

Throughout the year, I'm busy, but I only earn about a thousand yuan, barely enough to cover my fifth level of cultivation. I can't save much at all.

Is it possible that this "Ascension Academy" offers an annual salary of 3,000 yuan with no restrictions?

also.

While training a level 5 sorcerer is difficult, the reward of 100 grams of gold is also incredibly valuable. Liu Yuan roughly estimated that, based on his own experience, it would take him two hundred years to save up enough gold to earn 1,000 gold coins a year!

"I'll live to be 150 at most, maybe another 40 or 50 years. Through conventional means, I could never earn that much."

Liu Yuan admitted that he was tempted.

If he could obtain 100 grams of Serkin, he could go to the auction house and bid for two, three, or even four Breakthrough Pills, trying again and again. Perhaps he would actually have a chance to break through to level six in this lifetime.

and.

His daily salary of three thousand years is enough for his daily cultivation needs, and can even greatly accelerate his progress.

He has been trying to advance to the fifth rank for a full twelve years, but due to insufficient resources, he is still stuck at the second stage of the fifth rank, making slow progress.

that is because--

On the one hand, the income is too low, with an annual income of only one thousand.

On the one hand, the expenses are too high. He has to hunt beasts and do missions, which inevitably requires the consumption of pills, magical artifacts, spell scrolls, etc. These are all costs. It is said that he can earn a thousand gold coins a year, but that is the gross income. On this basis, the damage to magical artifacts, the consumption of pills, the consumption of spell scrolls, etc. throughout the year will add up to no less than three to five hundred gold coins.

Only the remaining 500 gold coins can be used to purchase various cultivation resources for cultivation.

However, if the Ascension Academy is reliable, one can earn a steady 3,000 gold coins a year by teaching students, and that's even the minimum wage. This not only eliminates the risk of life and death but also avoids the hard losses of at least 300 to 500 gold coins per year.

hiss!
There's great potential! Liu Yuan is now truly interested; the only problem is—

"3000 gold coins."

"100 Serkin".

"That sounds nice, but your academy is currently completely incorruptible. How can I trust that you can deliver on your promises?"

Don't work for nothing.

This is one of them.

Second.

Where is the Ascension Academy located?

"Are you trying to lure me there to kill me?"

Liu Yuan asked the two questions that worried him the most.

Zuo Jing immediately smiled: "That's easy."

He answered them one by one.

"A Level 5 mentor's annual salary is at least 3000 gold coins, which translates to 250 gold coins per month. The academy will pay salaries at the beginning of each month. If there is any delay, you may leave."

Payday is at the beginning of the month?

That’s okay!

Liu originally thought that the Ascension Academy might be trying to get something for nothing, and would only pay the annual salary after a full year of service, and then use various excuses to delay or deduct it. But if it was paid monthly, and at the beginning of the month, then there would be no chance of regret or delay. Just as this person said, if he didn't get paid, he could just leave, and he would suffer no loss at all.

Great!

Great!

As for the second concern—

"The headquarters of the Ascension Academy is located in the Delta, but you don't need to go there. I will build a branch in Blackhorn Mountain outside of Dark Cloud City to specifically recruit and train sorcerers within Dark Cloud City."

Zuo Jing finished speaking.

Liu Yuan was completely relieved.

Blackhorn Mountain?
He knows this very well!

It is located about 70 or 80 miles outside of Wuyun City, near the Source Beast Mountain Range but not yet inside it. It is named for its resemblance to a black horn.

If he went elsewhere, Liu Yuan might worry about being kidnapped or murdered.

But within the territory of Dark Cloud City, in the Black Horn Mountain, all worries vanished.

Although Liu Yuan still didn't know the full details of this Ascension Academy, he had already made up his mind.

He turned serious, looked at Zuo Jing, and asked—

"Dean!"

When do classes start?

……

"Money can make a fool of himself."

The ancients were right!

Outside of Dark Cloud City, in Blackhorn Mountain.

Zuo Jing stood atop the mountain and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He recruited 33 mentors in just three days by sending his henchmen out in various places and offering them high salaries.

among them--

There are two Level 2 mentors, with an annual salary of 3000 gold coins.

There are 8 Level 4 mentors, with an annual salary of 600 gold coins.

There are 23 Level 3 mentors, with an annual salary of 300 gold coins.

They were all independent cultivators from Wuyun City, with clear levels and unknown strengths, but they were usable in the early stages.

"Let's see what it's really like."

"Initially, we let each of them teach one class, and it was easy to see which class had good grades and which class had poor grades by comparing them side by side."

"Those who are capable should be promoted and given more bonuses."

"The mediocre will be dismissed, and those at the bottom will be eliminated."

"Over time, through the process of natural selection, those who remain will naturally be top-notch mentors."

Zuo Jing, considering the long term, wasn't worried at all about whether there were any mentors loafing around inside. After all, he controlled the 'salary' and 'bonuses' as his lifeline. Although he was free to come and go, the emphasis was on the freedom to 'leave'. If you wanted to come or stay, you had to have both sincerity and real ability.

Slow and inefficient work is not acceptable.

"Currently, with 33 mentors, the total base salary for the year is as high as 17700 gold coins. There is no other academy that spends more money than mine!"

17700 a year, that's a lot.

1475 in January, that's not much.

Zuo Jing's first expenditure was only a little over a thousand gold coins. He had previously borrowed ten thousand from the Xia family, extorted one hundred thousand in cash from the Gongye Trading Company, and had other miscellaneous income. Zuo Jing's total cash balance was approximately one hundred and eleven thousand.

There were originally many.

But auctions are money pits.

"At the Izumo auction, I spent a full 38 grams of Thorium to buy the 'Breakthrough Pill,' which cost me 7.6 gold coins."

"I bought a secret manual, which cost me 1.9 gold coins."

"Adding in other miscellaneous pills, another 1 gold coins were used up."

Money is something you can't take with you when you die. Zuo Jing is a big spender; he earns money quickly but spends it just as fast. He spent 105,000 gold coins in one go, leaving him with just over 7,000, which is enough to pay more than four months' salary.

"In the next few months, let's get the Ascension Academy up and running and keep the mentors on board."

"I also need to cultivate along the way."

"Making money isn't in a rush right now."

Sakyo has limited energy——

Kuangshan.

College.

Practice.

I have no time to spare for the moment.

……

Dark Cloud City.

Zhiyuanzhai.

After several days of seclusion, Han Feng returned to Zhiyuanzhai to inquire about news.

"A pet egg?"

"Tsk tsk!"

"That would be very lively."

"Among the thirteen elders of Dark Cloud City, the Guo and Xia families, two of the five major families, joined forces and forcefully bid for the 'Spell Scroll' and the 'Level 6 Pet Egg' at the auction, reportedly fetching a sky-high price of 1670 Kelsin!"

"Oh my god!"

"Converted to gold coins, that's a whopping 334 million!"

"As expected of the thirteen elders, the Guo and Xia families are incredibly wealthy, completely outshining the Gongye, Tantai, and Tuoba families. Rumor has it that the Tantai family was originally part of the alliance, but because Tantai Mingyue broke off her engagement with Tuoba Yan, she lost credibility and was excluded by the Guo and Xia families. In the end, she could only join forces with the Gongye Trading Company, but they were still a step behind. As for the Tuoba Trading Company, they were ranked last among the thirteen elders and have long been defunct."

The guy talks a lot.

Han Feng soon learned that the Guo and Xia families were the ones he hadn't been able to compete with. He also learned that the level-six pet egg had ultimately been contracted by Xia Potian, the current head of the Xia family. From then on, the Guo and Xia families became even more closely connected. What kind of private transactions they had were unknown to outsiders, but what everyone knew was that from now on, it was perfectly acceptable to consider the two families as one. There was no longer such a close relationship as when they jointly bid for a pet egg or contributed millions of gold coins.

They are as close as family.

Nothing more than that.

"Pity!"

Han Feng shook his head. He was short of money and had to give away a level six pet egg, which was heartbreaking but he was helpless.

Since we can't get the pet egg.

Then.

The only option now is to investigate that Ironblood Mercenary Group again.

So Han Feng gave the shopkeeper a dozen or so copper coins and asked, "Have you heard anything about the Iron Blood Mercenary Group lately?"

The shopkeeper, after taking the money, smiled and said, "There are three major events in Wuyun City recently—first, Xia Potian's contract with a level six pet egg; second, the enrollment of the Black Horn Mountain Ascension Academy; and third, the Iron Blood Mercenary Group's bloody battle against the White Gang."

and many more!

What the heck is this Ascension Academy?!
Han Feng was stunned.

……

(End of this chapter)