Chapter 217 - - 215 Seven Star Mountain Credit System_1

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The announcement of Seven Star Gate’s acquisition of Sky Mist Valley immediately caused an uproar around Seven Star Mountain.

The long-standing grudge between Seven Star Gate and Sky Mist Valley was like a ticking bomb.

Apart from Fang Shan, the opportunist speculator, most businessmen were actually holding their coins and watching, occasionally investing small amounts in stock, making a profit, and then promptly withdrawing.

When Xu Heming and other amputees from the Foundation Establishment Stage of Sky Mist Valley appeared at Seven Star Gate.

Merchants who had arrived at Seven Star Mountain early could no longer remain seated; they all rushed up the mountain, began actively buying up stocks of Seven Star Gate, and through their status as shareholders, sent their offsprings to Seven Star Gate, hoping to hitch a ride on this rapidly developing powerhouse.

They didn’t care about acquisitions or mergers at all; as long as Seven Star Gate defeated Sky Mist Valley, that piece of favorable news was enough for them to invest like madmen.

The merchants’ investment once again drove up the stock prices; contracts that originally cost a mere Silver Tael or two suddenly increased to one and a half, two Silver Taels within a few days—the speed of wealth appreciation was much easier than farming.

The surrounding commoners went completely insane.

People began mortgaging their houses and lands en masse, pouring the money obtained into the stock market of Seven Star Gate, seeking a chance to strike it rich overnight.

A massive influx of wealth into Seven Star Mountain further boosted Duge’s attributes.

Fang Shan, a true elite in business, saw the wealth amassed at Seven Star Mountain and further proposed investment and lending projects, seeking to make money from money.

Duge, who was eager to enhance his attributes, naturally agreed to his demands.

He also suggested several new methods for accumulating wealth.

For example:

Establishing a credit system for Seven Star Mountain.

To conduct credit evaluations for each person holding shares of Seven Star Mountain.

Credit evaluations would be based on personal assets, neighborhood reputation, any debt disputes, and any gambling behavior, generating a score from one to one hundred. Based on this score, one could take out unsecured loans.

The higher the credit, the more one could borrow from Seven Star Mountain.

One only had to add a small amount of interest and repay on time to maintain one’s credit score; even improving it if the repayment behavior was good.

If one person defaulted on a loan, the whole family would be blacklisted, banned from engaging in contract trading with Seven Star Mountain, and from participating in construction projects of Seven Star Mountain.

Furthermore:

It would be publicly announced on Seven Star Mountain…

For example:

Establishing a stock exchange in Danyang City;

Providing guarantees for the industries of various major shareholders of Seven Star Gate, allowing them to issue stocks in a partnership model with Seven Star Gate;

Publishing a newspaper specifically to introduce the various plans of Seven Star Gate and the operational information of each partner of Seven Star Gate, as well as the stock prices of that day, and so on;

…

Duge’s range of tactics left Fang Shan and the group of merchants who had bought stocks of Seven Star Mountain astounded, feeling as if they had lived their lives in vain.

To accumulate wealth, they had to painstakingly make money by doing business.

Wang Chong’s model was essentially taking money right out of people’s hands, and what’s more, they were giving it willingly…

At this rate, it wouldn’t take many years for Seven Star Mountain to gather all the wealth in the world.

…

In the Immortal Martial World, ordinary people primarily farmed and had no experience with capitalist tactics.

Having never seen them, how could they possibly resist the temptation of rapidly increasing assets?

After all:

The contracts of Seven Star Mountain could be genuinely converted into cash.

Moreover:

The unsecured loan model based on Seven Star Mountain’s credit system could solve their pressing needs.

In the eyes of the commoners, Wang Chong, the Sect Leader of Seven Star Mountain, was like a Wealth-Dispensing Child Servant descended from heaven, a merciful Bodhisattva reaching out to the troubled and needy.

Some families even worshipped Wang Chong’s longevity plaque at home, offering incense day and night, praying only for the continued growth and prosperity of Seven Star Mountain.

The credit loan system had just been implemented and had not yet begun to show its power.

The branch in Danyang City wasn’t established yet.

But with the support of several large merchants, Duge’s attributes were already closing in on the growth rate seen during the second simulation with the trading keyword.

The more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators of Seven Star Gate, relying only on dodging, no one could force open Duge’s hand of plunder.

In the blink of an eye:

A crowd would be thoroughly stripped clean, without even getting a chance to react.

In Xu Heming’s words, aside from being unable to do Sword Flight, Duge’s physical quality should have reached the Golden Core Realm.

Of course:

Xu Heming had never seen a Golden Core True Man, so his words didn’t carry much value.

Unfortunately, perhaps because of the abundance of mortals on Seven Star Mountain, the thick mundanity tainted the purity of Spiritual Power.

Even in the training room, Duge could hardly feel the Spiritual Energy while he practiced, stuck at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage and unable to advance to the Golden Core.

…

Without Spiritual Energy, Duge’s innate talent and abilities continued to improve on Seven Star Mountain, eliciting envy from Xu Heming and others that they couldn’t match.

Their years of cultivation had not prepared them for the noisy and mundane environment of the secular world.

Most crucially, if too much time passed, they feared they wouldn’t be able to reattach their arms and would become invalids for life.

But they also knew that Seven Star Gate had no Spirit Stones, so there wasn’t much use in worrying.

No matter how much silver they had in the mortal world, it couldn’t be exchanged for Spirit Stones; without Spirit Stones, even if they went to the Medical Immortal Sect, it would be no use. The cultivators of the Medical Immortal Sect wouldn’t take pity on these lowly and insignificant cultivators.

Xu Heming and the others were discussing how to resign to Duge and return to Sky Mist Valley to continue their cultivation when they hadn’t yet found a suitable reason, Duge himself came knocking.

Xu Heming and the others hurriedly paid their respects to Duge: “Sect Leader.”

Duge glanced around at them and got straight to the point, “Elders, I plan to borrow some Spirit Stones from the Supervisory Academy to treat your arms.”

To the Supervisory Academy?

Borrow Spirit Stones?

Duge’s words struck them like a bolt from the blue, leaving Xu Heming and the others frozen in shock.

A long while passed.

Only then did they come to their senses.

Xu Heming asked cautiously, “Sect Leader, Spirit Stones are of vital importance to any sect. How could the Supervisory Academy possibly lend us any?”

“Elders, I once promised to reattach your arms, but Seven Star Gate has no Spirit Stones,” Duge sighed and said, “These days, I have been trying to find Spirit Stones, but no amount of money can buy the Cultivation World’s Spirit Stones. We cannot even find a seller.

I am someone who strives for perfection. If a promise I make is not fulfilled, I suffer greatly each day, so much so that this matter has become an obsession of mine.

Cultivation is about having clear thoughts, and until I resolve this obsession, I fear that my cultivation level will not advance a single step.

I even considered using force to kidnap a medical cultivator from the Medical Immortal Sect to help you reattach your arms, but then I thought, if the doctor is taken against his will, he may be reluctant and sabotage your treatment, and the fault would be mine.

So, the best solution is still Spirit Stones.

Just when I was at my wit’s end, the Supervisory Academy from Danyang City sent me a document, ordering me to explain the matter of Seven Star Gate annexing Sky Mist Valley and demanding me to stop accumulating wealth from the citizens…

I think, since the Supervisory Academy is in the heart of the mundane world and lacks Spiritual Energy, they must rely on elixirs and Spirit Stones for cultivation, so they must possess a large quantity of Spirit Stones.

When Seven Star Gate was in a state of decline, the Supervisory Academy turned a blind eye. As soon as we found a means to prosper, they’ve decided to intervene. Therefore, borrowing some Spirit Stones from them should not be a problem; this is the quickest way to reattach your arms.”

Gulp!

Neat swallowing sounds echoed throughout the room.

The cultivators from Sky Mist Valley were stunned.

Everyone knew that Spirit Stones were critical for cultivation and absolutely could not be borrowed.

Moreover.

The clemency issued by the Supervisory Academy was clearly aimed at suppressing Seven Star Gate, not allowing them to disturb the secular world on behalf of the sect. How could they possibly lend Spirit Stones to him?

Their own Sect Leader was so astute; how could he not see the intentions of the Supervisory Academy?

This time, he was probably not planning to borrow the Spirit Stones.

But to steal or deceive them!

Xu Heming stuttered, “Sect Leader, this matter requires careful deliberation. The Supervisory Academy, backed by the Great Yan Country, may not be regarded by the major sects, but they are given some respect in the mortal world.

They dare not provoke disciples of the major sects, but they have ways to deal with us smaller factions.

I’ve heard that the head of the Danyang City Supervisory Academy is a Golden Core True Man. If you go to borrow Spirit Stones, it could be seen as an insult. What if the head reacts with fury out of embarrassment? Sect Leader, you are no match for him!

Sect Leader, please don’t act impulsively; we can think of other solutions…”

“Yes, we can think of other solutions,” Ling Pingshuang echoed.

Having lost an arm is bad enough, but causing trouble at the Supervisory Academy could cost them their lives!

Their own Sect Leader’s boldness was too great.

…

Xu Heming hadn’t mentioned the Golden Core True Man, but as soon as he did, Duge’s eyes lit up.

Tomorrow is the end of the month.

Once the ranks are announced, who knows how many overt and covert attacks would come his way? If he did not increase his power soon, even he would feel insecure.

Furthermore, with the rapidly expanding capital of Seven Star Gate, others would surely covet it.

He was not one to sit idly by and wait for doom.

At this very moment, the Supervisory Academy was reaching out to meddle with his affairs at Seven Star Gate, wanting to interfere in his endeavors. If he didn’t rob them, then who?

“Elders, there is nothing too difficult for those who are determined. How will we know if we don’t try?” Duge smiled, “Seven Star Gate is no longer insignificant. Perhaps the head of the Danyang City Supervisory Academy will afford me some respect!”

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