Undying Life
Chapter 328: Adding Insult to Injury

Chapter 328: Adding Insult to Injury

"Commander, can't we borrow Sumeru Stones from the Great Guang Dynasty?" Tie Xue asked incredulously.

"Borrow? Haha, do you know how high the prices of Sumeru Stones are in the current Great Yu market? After this incident, other countries will follow suit in raising prices. Sumeru Stones are almost a necessity for cultivators. Our country has no reserves because they've always been traded among the people. Never before has there been such a big problem. Once we borrow, the Great Guang Dynasty will only buy them at a high price. After buying them back, do we sell them at a reduced price or the original price in Great Yu? What's the difference between the original and earlier prices? Even if we buy them back, Sumeru Stones can't be stored in storage bracelets, and transportation will also be a problem. There will definitely be constant disturbances and rampant looting. More importantly, after this lesson, the Great Guang Dynasty won't supply us with too many Sumeru Stones," Yi Yan said in a deep voice.

"The Great Guang won't lend us too many?" Tie Xue asked in confusion.

"I think it won't be long before the Great Luo Dynasty issues subsequent decrees tailored to our current situation, adding insult to injury. With the market in chaos, Great Yu is a prime example. The Great Guang Dynasty will certainly learn from this lesson and won't transport too many Sumeru Stones over, as that could potentially cause market turmoil within the Great Guang Dynasty itself if exploited by malicious actors. Therefore, not in the short term!" Yi Yan sighed deeply.

"Not in the short term? Then when?" Tie Xue worriedly asked.

"At least half a year!" Yi Yan said firmly.

"Half a year?" Tie Xue was puzzled.

"After this market turmoil, it will also serve as a lesson to the world. It won't be long before governments everywhere realize the dangers of market turmoil. Soon, governments will begin to stockpile various resources and enact regulations to stabilize prices. This is a bloody lesson for our Great Yu Dynasty, teaching the entire world," Yi Yan said with a bitter smile.

"The Great Guang Dynasty will take half a year to stockpile various resources and stabilize the market? By then, will they be able to transport Sumeru Stones over?" Tie Xue asked with concern.

"Yes!" Yi Yan affirmed.

"So what should we do? In half a year, Great Yu will surely be in turmoil! The Great Luo Dynasty's army is also watching us closely. This...?" Tie Xue looked worried.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this. I'll leave the frontline matters to you. I'll return to Sky City immediately," Yi Yan said.

"Yes!" Tie Xue immediately responded.

With Yi Yan's reassurance, Tie Xue felt much more at ease—

As Yi Yan predicted, amidst the chaos in the Great Yu Dynasty, the Great Luo Dynasty issued decrees targeting the situation.

"No trading allowed."

No merchants are allowed to trade with neighboring countries. Offenders will have all their goods confiscated and will be charged with treason. Informants will be rewarded with all of the offender's assets.

Cut off trading! This truly added insult to injury for the Great Yu Dynasty. As a result, there was no possibility of purchasing from the Great Luo, and given Great Yu's unique position, neighboring options were limited to the Great Guang and Great Luo. The Great Guang Dynasty, as Yi Yan mentioned, could lend spirit stones at most. Sumeru Stones? Unthinkable. They feared that their own country would also fall into market turmoil as a result.

Countries quickly began stockpiling resources, especially Sumeru Stones, to prevent domestic unrest.

Various decrees were swiftly issued to control the market and prevent rapid fluctuations in product prices.

Because wise individuals in each country had already realized that this economic turmoil was more terrifying and devastating than war itself—

Three months later, when the high-level officials of various countries received reports from Great Yu, they were drenched in cold sweat, relieved that it was only Great Yu.

Countries continued to adjust their policies rapidly.

Chapter 328: Adding Insult to Injury

In the frontline battlefield of the Great Radiance Empire, at General Xiao Wang's camp.

Inside a palace, General Xiao Wang held detailed reports on the market fluctuations of the Great Yu Empire. Standing before him were his two adopted sons, Xiao Yuanfeng and Xiao Yuandeng.

Xiao Wang scrutinized the market data, lightly tapping his hand, with a hint of sigh in his eyes.

"Father, how is it going?" Xiao Yuandeng asked.

"Spectacular, truly spectacular. While I pride myself on leading troops, what I've always been most proud of is my business acumen. However, seeing the intricacies of this upheaval, I must commend the stunning performance. Commerce, capable of devastating a dynasty overnight. The impact of this time's disturbance is no less than a catastrophic tsunami sweeping across the entire Great Yu Empire. After this tsunami, the vitality of the Great Yu Empire has been greatly damaged, truly greatly damaged!" Xiao Wang sighed.

"Father, is it really that powerful?" Xiao Yuandeng frowned and asked.

"Yes, how could the Great Luo Empire have so many extraordinary figures?" Xiao Wang sighed lightly.

"Then isn't the Great Yu Empire finished?" Xiao Yuanfeng said, his brow furrowed.

"Although the situation is dire, it's not necessarily over." Xiao Wang shook his head.

"Oh?" Xiao Yuanfeng was puzzled.

"Because the Great Yu Empire still has Yi Yan, this remarkable figure. With him here, the Great Yu Empire might be able to weather this storm. I just don't know if the planners behind this plan have any follow-up measures, whether they can stir up another tsunami." Xiao Wang took a deep breath and said.

At a remote port on the eastern coast, over a thousand huge ships were loading goods, waiting to set sail.

On the shore, Zhong Zheng of the Great Rong Chamber faced the Green Cloud Wolf General.

"Green Cloud Wolf General, thank you for your hard work. Please escort these goods back to Tianlang Island." Zhong Zheng smiled.

"Young man, how did you manage to get so many goods? How much Mustard Seed Stone is this?" Green Cloud Wolf General widened his eyes and asked.

"Hehe, it's all guided by my father, and I just took advantage of a favorable wind." Zhong Zheng shook his head and smiled.

"Don't worry, since I'm here, these thousand ships of goods will definitely arrive safely at the Great Jue Kingdom." Green Cloud Wolf General said.

"Thank you!" Zhong Zheng nodded.

"Aren't you coming back with us?" Green Cloud Wolf General asked.

"No, the Great Rong Chamber has just started, and this battle has not ended yet. There are still many spoils of war waiting for us to plunder." Zhong Zheng smiled.

"Well, you take care. We'll be on our way." Green Cloud Wolf General said.

"Safe travels!" Zhong Zheng replied.

Then, Green Cloud Wolf General led over a thousand huge ships, slowly heading towards Tianlang Island.

Turning to look at the people behind him, Zhong Zheng said, "Let's go, our business is not finished yet!"

"Yes!" Everyone immediately responded.

In the City Lord's Mansion of Glorious City, three months had passed since the economic collapse of the Great Yu Empire.

Various news had spread not only throughout the world but also to Glorious City.

In a secluded hall of the City Lord's Mansion, Fan Yipin held documents in his hands and carefully read them.

Standing beside Fan Yipin was another man in green, a former adviser in the study of the Great Xuan King, but with a lower status before Fan Yipin, still sincerely serving as the first strategist.

"Mr. Fan, is this the Tianbeng Plan? It's amazing! After this round, the Great Yu Empire has truly experienced an unprecedented disaster. It's so powerful. Perhaps Mr. Fan doesn't know sitting here, but I personally witnessed the madness within a city of the Great Yu Empire. It's as if the sky had collapsed!" The man in green said.

"Any other discoveries?" Fan Yipin asked.

"Well, there's a feeling, but I can't quite put my finger on it," the man in green replied.

"Oh?" Fan Yipin set down the documents and looked at the man in green.

"Logically, we are already the puppeteers behind the scenes. But I always feel that there's another hidden hand in the Great Yu Empire's economic market, even during moments of price fluctuations that nearly collapsed. Strangely enough, it's as if a black hand suddenly helped us. Very strange. I investigated for a long time afterwards but found nothing conclusive. So, I'm not sure," the man in green explained.

"Oh? More covert than our people, and you couldn't trace its origin? No clues at all?" Fan Yipin's pupils contracted.

"Perhaps I was overly suspicious. How could there be someone else when we are the true manipulators of the market, and no one understands our changes?" the man in green shook his head with a smile.

"That's not necessarily true. The mastermind behind this market manipulation isn't you or me; it's Dongfang Hou," Fan Yipin said in a deep voice.

"But those over a thousand people are all under His Majesty and the Prince!" the man in green said in confusion.

"But now, those involved in the Great Yu Empire's market in this Tianbeng Plan are not just those over a thousand people," Fan Yipin added.

"A plot within a plot? Are you saying that the hidden black hand is also sent by Zhong Shan?" the man in green widened his eyes.

"Besides that, it's hard to imagine other possibilities. With the Great Yu Empire's vitality greatly damaged, victories must surely be coming on the battlefield. However, before long, Yi Yan should be able to turn the tide. You go back and continue to investigate. I'll go ask Zhong Shan when the third step of the Tianbeng Plan will begin," Fan Yipin thought for a moment.

"Alright!" the man in green immediately responded.

Then, they split up. The man in green left Glorious City, while Fan Yipin went to meet Zhong Shan.

Fan Yipin quickly found Zhong Shan, who was extremely busy outside, amidst the tumultuous world and the grand waves of the market. Zhong Shan, however, sat with Princess Qianyou in a pavilion, holding a fishing rod and fishing in the pond. It was a picture of an immortal couple, seemingly in a different world altogether.