by Dragon King
Hao Ren could imagine that a piece of news like this would result in a further decline in Mingri Group’s stock price. The image of skyscrapers crashing down suddenly appeared in his head.
Of course, the news might not be 100% true. He knew that the reason for Mingri Group’s crisis was because the business groups of the other dragon clans stopped doing business with Mingri Group.
Doing business was like the flow of water, and it would only be alive if there were transactions. The East Ocean Dragon Clan was the first one who tried to start a business on land. It got bigger and bigger, and the foundation it built was more and more stable. To avoid other dragon clans from claiming that East Ocean Dragon Clan was not sharing good things with others, they had been helping out a few other dragon clans’ businesses in the past decades. But these dragon clans took this opportunity to turn around and work against the company, causing the Mingri Group to lose a few largest business partners it had. It was easy to foresee the challenge the Mingri Group was facing right now.
The powers had their territories, but businesses didn’t. If the Mingri Group were to go bankrupt, the other companies could take the opportunity to grow stronger by splitting Mingri Groups’ market. They could even open their subsidiaries in the East Ocean City.
Just when Hao Ren thought this through, the news continued, “The CEO of the foreign investment business of Mingri Group, Zhao Haoran, announced that he is returning to China. This would be his first time coming back after taking over Mingri Group’s foreign investment branch 20 years ago…”
Hao Ren looked toward the TV.
“Zhao Haoran? Could that be the second uncle of Zhao Yanzi who had been in the States?”
He fixated his eyes on the TV, but all he could see was a picture of a round-eyed grey-hair old man with a cane in his hand. He was exuding a strong aura…
338 One Big Family
The picture on the upper right corner of the TV screen was soon replaced by the next piece of news.
“This week, a resident found a rock in 1825 Art District. It has a square shape with a width of five centimeters as shown in the picture… Anyone who can provide us a clue to this nameless rock will be rewarded 10,000 yuan.”
In the picture was a translucent green rock which looked like a precious stone.
Hao Ren found the rock in the picture quite familiar, then he recognized it as a low-tier spirit stone. He had confiscated two storage bags on top of a skyscraper in 1825 Art District, and he had dropped one of the spirit stones from one of the bags. The rock in the picture was most likely the one he dropped…
“I know something about this rock.” Yue Yang took the opportunity to change the subject. “Someone picked up this rock and sent it to the antique market for appraisal, but no one recognized what kind of precious stone it was and couldn’t give a price for it. Afraid that the rock had radioactivity rays, they sent it to the Mineral and Rock New Materials Research Center in East Ocean City. And the result…”
Hao Ren and Xie Yujia looked at Yue Yang nervously, waiting for her to finish.
“And the result showed that the rock is not a precious stone and has no radioactivity rays, nor is it harmful to human bodies. Besides, it’s very brittle and can’t be made into anything artistic. So, the Material Research Center bought the rock off that person with 500 yuan,” Yue Yang continued.
Hao Ren was about to heave a sigh of relief when Yue Yang continued, “The incident ended for the public. However, the Material Research Center couldn’t decide on the category of the rock and handed it to the provincial research center which in turn handed it to the National Special Mineral Materials Engineering Research Center. The National Center tested it with the most advanced devices and found that the rock is a new mineral with high-quality energy…”
Hao Zhonghua interrupted her by saying, “I know something about it as well. One of my friends works in the National Mineral Research Center, and he told me that this rock had drawn the attention of the national science research institutes, and they are investigating the origins of this mineral rock. We won’t have known about it if we are not in this circle.”
Hao Ren inhaled and nodded.
Spirit stones were the most common items for cultivators living on and above Fifth Heaven, and they were to cultivate and trade for other stuff. However, for the science institutes, they were a new kind of energy source which was both clean and efficient.
If one learned the new source of energy, one mastered the direction of development of the world; no wonder the government was paying so much attention to it, and the local TV station even placed a reward of 10,000 yuan for the clues of the rock in an effort to dig out the origin of the rock.
“Don’t talk about rocks.” Grandma was angry since she was interrupted. “If Zi’s family has any difficulties, we’ll try our best to help them. Do you hear me?”
When she had fallen ill due to high blood pressure, Zi’s family saved her life; Grandma always remembered it.
Now seeing the business of Zi’s father in difficulty, Grandma was very anxious.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll try my best! The Mingri Group and our Ocean Research Institute are working on the deep ocean oil project. Besides, Yujia’s father’s factories in the U. S. will start working with the New York subsidiary of Mingri Group.”
Hearing the mentioning of her name, Xie Yujia looked up. When she heard information about her father’s factories, her eyes lit up.
“We hope Zi’s father’s company will get over the difficulty. After all, we have a lot of joint projects together,” Hao Zhonghua tried to calm Grandma down.
“Good! Zi’s family and our family are one big family! You use your connections and see if any big businesses can give Zi’s father a helping hand. Aren’t you close with the provincial governor and the chief of the Energy Bureau? And you have former classmates working in the Agriculture Department and Business Department, right?” Grandma’s words shot toward Hao Zhonghua like bullets.
“Ok! Ok! Don’t worry, mom. I’ll make some calls when I finish my meal.” Hao Zhonghua nodded in exasperation.
“That’s more like it!” Glancing at Hao Zhonghua, Grandma finally picked up her chopsticks.
Yue Yang smiled at Hao Zhonghua and was about to eat when Grandma said, “And Yue Yang, you can use your connections as well. Some of your former classmates are running big businesses abroad, and you must help Zi’s father get some deals!”
“Ok, Mom,” Yu Yang agreed immediately.
Hao Ren and Xie Yujia exchanged a look. Seeing the rare displeasure on Grandma’s face, they busied themselves with eating.
Zhen Congming was eating a chicken leg leisurely. In fact, he was the wealthiest person around the table since the precious stones in his storage space could easily sell for billions of yuan, but he had nothing to do with the East Ocean Dragon Palace’s business on land. Therefore, he didn’t care to offer any help.
When dinner was over, Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang returned to their room on the second floor, and each used their cell phones to contact their former classmates, hoping to find some help for Mingri Group. With their international reputation in the science circle, they had a lot of connections in China, especially with their former classmates who had taken important positions. It wasn’t hard for them to achieve certain things.
That was why the deputy mayor of East Ocean City didn’t dare to offend these two figures, and Huang Xujie had been beaten hard by his father for messing with Hao Ren.
Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang had never asked for favors from anyone after graduation; they didn’t even call their friends at the Education Bureau when Hao Ren was applying for university. However, now they began making phone calls to their friends and former classmates to help Mingri Group, and their requests got lots of attention.
“Yeah, yeah. Minister Cai, the exploration project of the Ocean Research Institute and Mingri Group is a major energy project spanning the next ten years in the East Ocean area, and I hope it will
go smoothly with your help.”
“Hi, Liu Xin, how’s the weather in France recently? And your wine business? Oh, you acquired a new winery? I have a friend from Mingri Group. Yeah, their stock is not doing well recently… But they also do business on food supply. Do you want to talk to him? I’ll give you his number…”
One on the balcony and the other in the room, Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang kept making calls, urging all their connections to do business with Mingri Group.
With his acute hearing ability, Hao Ren listened to his parents’ phone calls while cultivating. He didn’t know that they had such broad connections, from government ministers to overseas wineries, from the shipping tycoon of Australia to Wallstreet investors, from senior management at GE to the Chief Editor of Times. They contacted every connection that had the potential to help Mingri Group’s business or to improve its public image.
Hao Ren even thought that if his parents changed from science research to business, they would do great with their connections and brains.
Half an hour later, Zhao Guang, who was listening to Elder Sun’s report, heard his cell phone ring.
“Hello. Who’s speaking?” Zhao Guang answered the phone.
“Oh, I’m Liu Xin, the owner of Château Lafite Rothschild of Bordeaux. Are you Zhao Guang, the president of Mingri Group? My good friend Yue Yang told me that you plan to import wine. I can provide you with 500 boxes of 98’ wine for a trial sale…”
Zhao Guang froze at the offer from the No.1 winery in the world which produced the much-coveted top-grade wine.
Ding… The phone on his desk rang. After asking Liu Xin to wait for him on his cell phone, he picked up the phone.
“Hello, Mr. Zhao. I’m Emerton, the executive director of Glory Shipping Co. in Australia. I called to ask if my company can work with the Australia subsidiary of your group. My good friend Hao Zhonghua asked me to call you tonight. We plan to build a new port in Melbourne, and if it’s convenient for you…” Smooth English floated from the phone.
Zhao Guang widened his eyes, surprised that another business opportunity was knocking on his door. Working with the biggest shipping company in Australia to build a new port was definitely good news that would push up Mingri Group’s stock prices…
“Mr. Zhao? Mr. Zhao?” The woman’s urging voice came from his cell phone.
Gritting his teeth, Zhao Guang glanced at Elder Sun standing before him and instructed calmly, “Go and summon Elder Lu, Elder Liu, and the others. Get some reliable assistants as well. We’ll be busy.”
The West Ocean Dragon Palace united the other two ocean dragon palaces and tried to cut off Mingri Group’s land business. Meanwhile, they launched smear campaigns, pushing down Mingri Group’s stock prices. Despite his elite team, Zhao Guang was overwhelmed by their sudden attacks.
The former boss of the group was now being forced to the edge of the cliff.
“The old dragon king means to rally after his return. Shall we organize a grand welcome party?” Elder Sun looked at Zhao Guang and asked.
Zhao Guang shook his head. “Ren’s parents are helping me, and I shouldn’t count on the old dragon king to pull this mess together. We must fight back before he comes back!”
Zhao Haoran was one generation older than Oldman Zeng of West Ocean. Zhao Guang could imagine the overwhelming pressure Oldman Zeng would face when his father, who had been absent for the last 20 years, returned.
The East Ocean Dragon Clan’s power had fallen to such a shabby state in Zhao Guang’s hands!
However, Zhao Guang felt like Zhao Haoran had more reasons behind his fury…
339 Hao Ren Is a Bad Guy!
Saturday morning, Hao Ren got up early and jogged along the beach before practicing the fundamental boxing techniques, which didn’t need nature essence but was a test of physical strength, several times. Due to limited resources, the soldiers in the dragon palace couldn’t cultivate advanced techniques like the elders; they kept themselves fit and built array formations for defense and offense.
Hao Ren’s body had grown tough and manly after the constant practice of it. If he encountered hooligans on the street, Hao Ren could down five to six of them without the use of the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll.
Each of his punch and kick was powerful. Besides speed and strength, the boxing practice was beneficial to his flexibility. Although his boxing skills were not excellent, his physical fitness had reached the realm of martial arts masters.
Of course, the other reason for his fitness was that the cultivation of the Spirit Concentration Scroll and the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll.
When he got back to the house for breakfast, he saw Xie Yujia cleaning the living room. With only the two of them in the living room, they looked at each other; Xie Yujia blushed while Hao Ren’s cheeks warmed a little at the memory of her kiss.
“You went out last night, right?” Xie Yujia asked him while raising her hand to her face, pretending to rub her nose.
“I went to tutor Zi and then came back to sleep.” Hao Ren walked over and poured water into a glass.
He was covered in sweat. At the moment, there were two drops of sweat on his temple. However, Xie Yujia found him full of manly attraction.
Feeling her heart begin to race, she inhaled slightly and steadied her heartbeat with the Qi Refinement Scroll before asking, “How’s Zi doing?”
“Good.” Not wanting to worry her, Hao Ren didn’t tell her that Zhao Yanzi was grounded in the dragon palace.
Brushing her shoulder, Hao Ren put the glass back onto the table and glanced at Zhen Congming’s room, asking, “Is Zhen Congming up?”
“Oh, not yet…” Xie Yujia answered immediately.
“What’s wrong?” Sensing her more intense breathing, Hao Ren leaned over and asked her.
“Nothing.” She didn’t dare to meet his eyes and leaned her head away from him.
Hao Ren could keep calm using his nature essence, but she couldn’t. If they were living on Fifth Heaven, weak Qi Refinement Realm cultivators such as her wouldn’t dare to face a Core Formation Realm cultivator.
“Why are you so nervous?” Hao Ren stepped back and couldn’t help smiling.
Xie Yujia’s flushed face make her look like a shy girl. However, he didn’t do anything to cause it, right?
“Go take a shower!” She pushed at Hao Ren’s shoulder and rolled her bright eyes at him.
Hao Ren’s shoulder was as hard as a rock. When her palm touched it, she felt a burning sensation on her hand.
“Ok. I’ll take you to a place later!” Hao Ren strode to the stairs.
Xie Yujia picked up a cloth to clean the table and touched her cheek with the back of her hand. Remembering her impulsive kiss with Hao Ren, she was embarrassed.
“The positions of the first wife and the second wife would be based on strength,” dressed in a small mandarin jacket, Zhen Congming said as he walked out of his room.
“Ugh?” Xie Yujia looked back at him.
“Whoever has the greater cultivation strength will have the upper hand, which is a rule that applies to everything.” Zhen Congming turned to look at the stairs. “I guess he will take you to Fifth Heaven, and I plan to go there too. If you want to compete with Zhao Yanzi, your current strength is too weak.”
“I… didn’t say I want to compete with her.” Xie Yujia stared at him.
Zhen Congming snorted. “Even an idiot could see what you are thinking about. One of you will be the first wife. You are older than her, but your cultivation strength is weaker than hers. It’s ok if Zhao Yanzi regards you as an older sister; but if she dislikes you, you are in trouble.”
With the cloth in her hand, Xie Yujia remained silent. She knew Hao Ren cared for her and knew he also took care of Zhao Yanzi. Her cultivation experience with the old Grandma told her that whoever had the biggest fist was the winner in the world of cultivation.
If the old Grandma was still with her, she would be protected. However, the old Grandma went to
handle some emergencies, and she could only count on herself.
“Your body type is inferior. It took great transformative power to unblock your meridians for cultivation. If you want to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm and even the Core Formation Realm, elixir making is the only way,” Zhen Congming continued.
“Elixir making…” Xie Yujia murmured to herself.
“Your technique is not a technique for demon beasts, and I can’t learn it. Your technique was derived from the Yin and Yang of nature, and the Death and Life Notes are indeed deep and mysterious. However, the master who planted the notes in you only taught you the ways to use them and didn’t teach you the whole cultivation technique. In other words, the more you use it, the less nature essence is left in them.”
Standing at the entrance, Zhen Congming told Xie Yujia.
Xie Yujia was surprised that he had got it right. Recently, she could finally proficiently circulate the Qi Refinement Scroll, but it was because she had understood the Dao of Nature from the scroll. The old Grandma had used the Life-Death Notes to unblock the meridians for her. Although the Life Note could absorb the nature essence, the Death Note was consuming the essence quickly. Recently, she felt like the Life-Death Notes were no longer working as smoothly as before.
If the old Grandma was still here, she could continue to inject new Life-Death Notes into Xie Yujia and kept the notes functional. Now that Xie Yujia used the Life-Death Notes to break through to the level 8 and was about to charge at level 9 of the Qi Refinement Realm, almost 80% of the power of the notes had been consumed.
If it went on like this, she had no hope of reaching level 10 or the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Xie Yujia had been cheerful with her recent progress, but now she felt desperate.
“But it’s different with elixir making. Your cultivation technique can borrow the power of nature to make elixirs with very high efficiency and consume only a little bit of your own nature essence. I have dozens of elixirs to improve your body type. If you use up the power of the Life-Death Notes to force open the meridians, it’s a great waste!”
