novelhk Page 528
Page 528
Given sufficient resources, everyone knows that bronze and fine steel are better materials.
After all, for thousands of years, the imperial court had prohibited the private sale of salt and iron, and those found guilty were subject to execution.
However, private timber production is not prohibited because timber is readily available everywhere.
"Seventy thousand gold worth of fine steel, twenty thousand gold worth of daily necessities, and ten thousand gold worth of medicine."
"Sure, are you planning to take them now, or deliver the supplies to the location you've designated after things calm down?"
"Can I take it now?"
Upon hearing this, the Mohists looked at the 'Queen Mother of the West' in disbelief.
They never expected Ghost Street to operate so terrifyingly. They had prepared to wait for months, but they never imagined that a third Ghost Street, which was like a branch, could directly extract such a huge amount of supplies.
Such work efficiency, and the wealth hidden within Ghost Street, truly make it worthy of its legendary name.
"How long would it take to deliver the supplies to the Han River?"
"Han River?"
The Queen Mother of the West glanced at the leader of the Mohist school, but then realized that this might be a test from him, and besides, she had no interest in the Mohist school, so she said indifferently:
"It will take about two months to transfer the goods from Yangzhou Port!"
"Two months!"
The leader of the Mohist school nodded; this was already incredibly fast.
After all, they needed a lot of supplies, and they were all rare resources, so the imperial court's investigation was extremely rigorous.
"Can you hurry it up? Within a month?"
"We can directly access the supplies from the nine nearest sects, but the Mo family will need to pay them an additional 10% commission."
Moreover, it's 10% of the market price of goods, and the payment in gold is at least 20,000 taels.
This is still within Ghost Street's resource allocation; if it weren't for your approval from the young master, you would generally be taking at least 30%.
"Robbery!"
However, the leader of the Mohist school suppressed his anger at the giant iron hammer and simply nodded.
He understood these things; 10% was definitely a fair price, and it was also to save face for the Zhang family and to give an explanation to the Nine Gates.
Otherwise, as the Queen Mother of the West said, 30% of the information will be revealed.
Why should they transfer their supplies to you?
Only the Zhang family has this kind of influence!
"Thank you for your help, Your Highness!"
The leader of the Mohist school left Ghost Street with several core members. After confirming that no one was following them, they quietly returned to the Mohist stronghold.
The Mo family members who were waiting at this moment were both delighted and regretful upon learning the final result.
After all, the Zhang family's bearings, diamond wire, and rubber are truly scarce resources.
Even with the Mo family's vast power, they only managed to acquire a few research items. They originally wanted to purchase them through Ghost Street, but they didn't have the authority to do so.
The Ghost Street and the Zhang family are not absolutely equivalent.
However, being able to purchase so many supplies was a pleasant surprise for them.
"I didn't expect Ghost Street to be so terrifying. Just the Nine Gates branch near the Han River is able to mobilize so many supplies."
It's one thing if it's a third Ghost Street, but at least it's a branch of Ghost Street.
However, the Ghost Street Nine Gates near the Han River only has one Iron Palm Gang. The supplies that the Zhang family mentioned were basically mobilized from the Iron Palm Gang.
"Yes, we thought Ghost Street was full of petty thieves and scoundrels, but we underestimated everyone!"
If it weren't for the fact that the leader of the Mohist school was wary of Ghost Street's strength, he would have really wanted to seize a share of Ghost Street's resources.
It's important to understand that the 100,000 gold coins worth of refined steel resources are not simply the private ironworks prohibited by the imperial court.
Instead, it was inside Ghost Street that someone had privately developed an iron ore vein, and the smelting technology had reached an extremely high level.
In the entire Ghost Street, there is only one place that could possibly have this capability—
Zhang family!
Thinking of this, even the leader of the Mohist school couldn't help but feel a sense of gravity.
It seems that the plan to befriend the Zhang family is imperative.
Besides high-quality steel resources, there are also bearings, iron-clad armored vehicles, and even the power system of Zhangjia's giant warships—steam technology!
This represents a significant improvement over the Mohist school's mechanical arts.
Moreover, the Zhang family controls a vast amount of resources. As long as they cooperate with the Zhang family, the Mo family will basically not have to worry about supplies.
However, from the paving equipment, he could tell that Zhang Xiaoshan was someone who didn't like owing favors.
Only a huge favor or something that catches Zhang Xiaoshan's eye can persuade the Zhang family to help them.
Therefore, in this respect, the Mohists were extremely passive.
"A honey trap?"
The leader of the Mohist school considered Zhang Xiaoshan's hobby, and concluded that extraterrestrial meteorites were impossible, since the Mohist school already possessed such items and had already absorbed them.
After all, the Mohist school also had forging masters, so naturally they wouldn't waste these things.
Martial arts? Treasures? Beautiful women?
After much thought, I realized that the honey trap was the most reliable option.
We don't ask the Zhang family for much; the supplies they provide for a year will be more than enough.
Moreover, once they establish a trade relationship with the Zhang family, they can use the Mo family's mechanisms to create items that the Zhang family needs and exchange them for the Zhang family's top-tier resources.
Immediately, the leader of the Mohist school went through the process in his mind several times...
·(Manuo Zhao)···
"Young master, this is the Mo family's inventory list."
Two lists: one is the ideal list of the Mohists, and the other is the final purchase list.
Zhang Xiaoshan put down the blueprints in his hand and fell into deep thought upon seeing the list.
Bearings and diamond wire are resources unique to the Zhang family, so they would not choose to sell them on Ghost Street.
After all, not only are there few people who know how to use these two items, but the manufacturing technology is also advanced, making mass production impossible. They can only be provided to the Empire and the Zhang family for internal consumption.
"Give me a bearing worth ten thousand taels of gold and a lubricating oil worth ten thousand taels of gold as a gift!"
"Young master, the Mohists are nothing but stray dogs. Why should you clash with the empire?"
Of the previous 100,000 gold worth of supplies, 30,000 gold was a bonus.
Now it's a top-tier resource worth 20,000 gold, which is not something that can be measured in gold alone.
If placed in Ghost Street, it would be worth at least 200,000 gold.
"It's not about conflict with the empire, but rather that the Mo family's mechanical arts are of great use to the Zhang family."
If it's the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) infiltrating and investigating, we can just say so directly. The Zhang family and the Mo family have no reason to collude. After this cooperation, they may continue with new collaborations in the future; it's not like they're plotting a rebellion!
"Yes, Young Master Xun!"
Princess Taiping looked at Zhang Xiaoshan and knew that once Zhang Xiaoshan made a decision, he would not easily change it.
Chapter 613 Demon Lord Zhu Yuyan, Ming King Shi Zhixuan
Beimang Mountain!
It is also the location of Ghost Street, a huge mountain range that runs across the north of the capital.
There are many imperial tombs in Beiman Mountain, so there are many folk legends about the Ghost King of Mang Mountain. Therefore, the location of Ghost Street corresponds to this legend.
At this time, it was a remote place in Beiman Mountain.
Zhang Xiaoshan, Liu Sheng Piaoxu, Fan Qinghui wearing the mask of the Queen Mother of the West, and Zhang Yuan and Zen Master Juexin on the side watched the three people on the mountaintop.
At the mountain peak stood Princess Taiping, wearing a black robe with gold trim and the mask of the 'Evil Emperor'; Empress Zhu Yuyan, the Yin Queen, dressed in a black gauze dress and exuding an eerie and ghostly aura; and Shi Zhixuan, the Evil King, in a white robe, radiating a peaceful and sacred aura.
Today is the day Princess Taiping challenges the Queen of the Underworld and the Evil King.
At this time, Empress Yin absorbed most of the essence of the Evil Emperor's relic and was promoted to a Demon Lord.
The evil king Shi Zhixuan received the empowerment of the living Buddha's relics, which not only cured his schizophrenia but also made him a Buddha on the spot, advancing him to the level of a great virtuous monk and the ultimate realm of a wise king!
Among the three grandmaster-level masters clashing, the only one in the arena who looked excited and expectant was Zen Master Juexin.
Because among the experts present, he was the only one who was a peerless master.
Even Zhang Yuan, a Grandmaster-level expert, came here primarily to learn combat experience, not with any absolutely fanatical enthusiasm.
People who are not on the same path naturally have different values.
Zhang Yuan felt that as long as he had the ability to protect himself, that would be enough.
The Iron Shirt technique, mastered at the mid-stage of the Eight Cauldrons realm, is so powerful that even peerless divine weapons cannot break through its defenses.
Moreover, he had mastered various unique skills, so even if he had never eaten pork, he had at least seen pigs run.
···
At the summit of Mangshan Mountain, the three stood facing each other.
Both Demon Lord Zhu Yuyan and Ming King Shi Zhixuan looked solemnly at the Evil Emperor 'Queen Mother of the West'.
They originally thought that once they reached the realms of Demon Lord and Bright King, they could contend with the Evil Emperor's Demon Seed Technique of the Dao Heart.
But even in just a brief standoff, the difference in momentum was already clear.
Even the vast and boundless demonic force field, or the illusory and desolate realm of yin and yang, are like eggs hitting rocks before Princess Taiping's supreme state of oneness with heaven and man, unable to shake her noble and terrifying figure.
Princess Taiping is not merely a Grandmaster, but a powerful being who has absorbed the blessings of the former Queen Mother of the West and condensed her primordial spirit.
Her aura harmonized perfectly with the heavens and earth, and the spiritual power emanating from her primordial spirit enveloped a hundred feet around her. Even a mosquito tens of feet away could be distinguished as male or female.
This is the invincible aspect of the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique.
Therefore, Zhu Yuyan or Shi Zhixuan, while shocked, couldn't help but say solemnly:
"Is the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique really that terrifying?"
One 'Queen Mother of the West' was one thing, but on that day, there was also an 'Evil Emperor' who made a move and broke Kong's silent meditation with a single palm strike. Even the current Demon Lord Zhu Yuyan and Ming King Shi Zhixuan could not do that.
You should know that Kong was a true holy monk of Buddha's grace, with unparalleled cultivation.
His thirty years of silent meditation are probably comparable to theirs in the short term.
Even with such terrifying cultivation, the highest realm of Buddhism, it was still powerless against the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique.
One was an accident, but what about two?
The only possibility is that the level of the Dao Heart Demon Seed is worthy of their supreme demonic technique.
Once mastered, their strength will far surpass that of other experts at the same level!
Moreover, considering that the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique is itself a supreme art concerning spiritual power, it will undoubtedly have an absolute advantage after advancing to the Grandmaster level.
Taoist cultivation, the three flowers gather at the top of the head—
Essence (refining essence into qi), qi (refining qi into spirit), spirit (refining spirit to return to emptiness), the three flowers gather at the top, becoming a terrestrial immortal.
The Dao Heart Seed Demon Great Technique takes an extreme approach, being a supreme art that leads from demonic possession to the Dao.
"The Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique is indeed miraculous, but it is not something you should be trying to pry into."
Princess Taiping scoffed and, without further hesitation, unleashed a powerful and domineering palm strike, as terrifying as a tidal wave.
In an instant, both Demon Lord Zhu Yuyan and Ming King Shi Zhixuan faced not only the threat of the overwhelming palm strike, but also the surging tide of spiritual energy around them, constantly probing for their weaknesses.
Moreover, given the dire situation, which felt like being trapped in a swamp, Zhu Yuyan and Shi Zhixuan immediately dared not be careless.
With his power pushed to its limit, two palm strikes, equally powerful enough to shatter mountains and rivers, poured out.
Boom! Boom! Boom...
As if in communion with the heavens, at the moment the three masters clashed, the sky above Mount Mang was instantly filled with wind and clouds, and lightning flashed and thunder roared.