“Clang!”
It happened in the blink of an eye—Jiang Zhihao kicked Sun Changfa’s pig-slaughtering knife flying with a swift kick. “Heh heh, give you credit, kid—you’ve got guts to chop off your own finger with a knife. That proves you’ve realized your mistake. Alright then, keep your hand and become a better person. If you do well, I might even give you a large market to manage. Xiao Secretary, make a note of this—send someone to check up on this kid in a year.”
“Yes, Mr. Jiang.”
The pretty little secretary hurriedly jotted everything down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa stood there stunned. After regaining his senses, he rushed into the small house and knelt before his parents to confess his error.
※※※
This outcome surprised many people.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most satisfying conclusion.
Jiang Zhihao approached Shui Miao and grinned, “Master, what do you think of how I handled things? Was it good enough for you?”
“Hehe, no wonder you’re an old hand at this. Come on, I still have an important matter to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Xiaotudou on the arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao was secretly delighted and quickly followed behind…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit, life was indeed better for the wealthy—it could resolve many otherwise thorny issues. Take today’s incident, for example: Shui Miao himself could have resolved it, but not as decisively and effectively as Jiang Zhihao did. Jiang was a seasoned veteran of the business world, with an understanding of human nature far beyond Shui Miao’s. Take, for instance, the method he used on Sun Changfa—even if Sun wasn’t truly repentant, he’d still work hard for the sake of managing that large market. Either way, it benefited everyone involved.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious villa in Qingpu District.
This villa belonged to Jiang Zhihao.
The estate was fully European in style, complete with a small golf course. To the east lay the sea, with a dock where speedboats and yachts were moored.
After stepping out of the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout has no flaws. Looking at the design of this villa, I bet you must have hired a top feng shui master?”
Xiaotudou was stunned—he couldn’t believe someone could actually live in such a huge house!
“Master, your insight is spot on. I did indeed hire a famous feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can invite him over anytime.” At over sixty years old, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could ever spend. Therefore, any matter Shui Miao mentioned that could be resolved with money was no issue at all for him.
“There’s no need for that. I don’t have the time to meet people like him.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, started walking toward it.
“Of course, Master. Your Dao cultivation is rare in both ancient and modern times—no one else can compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already assigned someone to set up the charity organization. Please rest assured—the one hundred billion funds will not be misused in the slightest.”
At that moment, security personnel drove up an eight-seat golf cart.
The estate was so large that it would take half an hour by golf cart to tour the entire place.
“Master, shall we get on the cart?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed toward the golf cart that had just arrived.
Shui Miao lightly waved his hand. “No need. There’s something wrong with this place—I need to point it out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pointed toward a flat area ahead and then turned to Xiaotudou. “Junior apprentice, since you’re skilled in earth-type spiritual energy, tell my senior apprentice what the earth energy is like in that area.”
Excited by this test, Xiaotudou licked his lips, ran forward, knelt on the ground sniffing, then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil here was probably brought in later. Originally, this area was seaside, and during the land reclamation process, a lot of garbage was buried underground. The decaying stench from that garbage is now affecting the surface. See how thin the grass is growing here? That’s because of the foul energy from the rotting waste. This area should be dug up and all the garbage removed. If you don’t need the land, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems to gradually purify the energy.”
Xiaotudou spoke at length.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected that this seemingly unremarkable Xiaotudou could be a cultivation expert capable of determining underground conditions simply by sniffing the air.
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with corresponding elemental properties to alter the soil’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting large trees in good soil will emit positive energy. But planting them in soil with negative energy will cause the trees to draw out and release that negative energy, which can then affect a person’s fortune. There’s too much buried garbage here. Although the surface environment appears excellent, prolonged residence here will expose people to decaying energy, leading to illness and gradually worsening luck. Therefore, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It would be best to plant large areas of positive-energy trees to suppress the underground impure and evil energy.”
“I see!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only occasionally came to play golf, and now that he had become enamored with cultivation, he had even less interest in golf.
What interested him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, and how to achieve immortality. Everything else was secondary.
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t overly interested in these matters and that their lengthy explanations had seemingly gone in one ear and out the other, Shui Miao realized that Jiang was too goal-oriented. For someone like him, honestly sharing all knowledge was clearly impractical. He needed to be enticed with strong temptations!
As he walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the topic. “Apprentice, it’s clear you’re eager to cultivate. Well then, at your age, time is not on your side. Here’s what I’ll do—I’ll first teach you the method of energy circulation, then help you select a location with abundant spiritual energy for focused cultivation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation level, but that would consume too much of my immortal energy! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao became interested. After a pause, he quickly added, “Master, please speak. Whatever it is, as long as I can do it, I’ll spare no effort. If it accelerates my cultivation, even if it costs me my entire fortune, I’m willing!”
“Hmm…”
Shui Miao pretended to hesitate, thinking for quite a while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll just say it! Last night, after I left, I specially projected my soul to the Immortal Realm to speed up my cultivation. Fortunately, I met an immortal who gave me guidance. In fact, that’s exactly why I came to find you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build Jiang Zhihao’s intense curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, he wouldn’t be able to collect enough “incense offerings.” Only by using Jiang Zhihao could he build temples and Daoist monasteries everywhere, gathering the most believers’ incense offerings in the shortest time. Once he had sufficient immortal incense offerings, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the Immortal Realm. Then, he wouldn’t need to worry about immortal energy anymore.
“Master, just tell me straight!”
Jiang Zhihao grew impatient. He wasn’t afraid of spending money—why was his master being so evasive?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, ‘Three feet above one’s head dwells the gods.’ We must be cautious. Come, let’s go into the cabin of the yacht to talk.”
Seeing Shui Miao acting so mysteriously, Jiang Zhihao suddenly felt excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered to each other while Xiaotudou stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries as possible. It would be even better if you could set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith you build, the better. These are all virtuous deeds. Once built, we can jointly dedicate them, which will aid our cultivation.” Of course, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao kicked Sun Changfa’s butcher knife away. “Heh, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you’ve done wrong. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check up on this kid in a year.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a seasoned player, no doubt about it. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was something else. At the very least, it solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s situation: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. A veteran of the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far better grasp of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a large market would motivate him to give it his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Built in a completely European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is rare, ancient or modern—none can compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10 billion funding.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a problem here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pointed toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what the earth energy is like in that area ahead.”
Seeing that his senior brother was testing him, Little Potato excitedly licked his lips, hurried over, crouched down to sniff the ground, then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “The soil here must have been brought in later. This area was originally part of the sea. When they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage underneath. Now, the decaying waste below is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the energy from the decaying garbage. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the trash. But if you don’t need to use this land, then fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato said a great deal in one breath.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the energy!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will cause them to emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause them to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. There’s too much garbage buried beneath here. On the surface, the environment seems excellent, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually worsen their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul, evil energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had gained new knowledge, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came occasionally to play golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was irrelevant.
“…”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was extremely goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As he walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, you can’t afford to wait. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he quickly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own without hesitation!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondered for a good while, and finally said, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s intense curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and Taoist shrines everywhere, gathering the incense of countless believers in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense to buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm, would he still need to worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so hesitant?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are watching from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Seeing Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories for making incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these are all deeds that accumulate merit. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Build Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries? What’s so mysterious about that!?” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be secretive—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers of the gods are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and monasteries. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could give the little Taoist attendant Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out good locations, then pick an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao’s execution ability was excellent. Even if he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until he had them down perfectly, only then attempting to cultivate. To motivate Jiang Zhihao, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual force.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it must be gradual and steady. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when cultivating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Do not let your thoughts wander. If you cultivate improperly and suffer a deviation or possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao a lot of trouble. He couldn’t let them die prematurely due carelessness.
“Master, you’re too good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all starting from the same line, your strength will depend on your own abilities. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve been dreaming of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, trembling with excitement like a child, seized Shui Miao’s hand. Were it not for Shui Miao’s youth, he would have wished to take him as his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you messed up. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check up on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. After gathering his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re a seasoned player, no doubt about it. Come on, I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, thrilled, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of tricky problems. Take today’s incident, for example. Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. Jiang was a veteran of the business world, an old hand who understood human nature far better than Shui Miao did. His approach to Sun Changfa was a perfect example—even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a big market would motivate him to give it his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
The estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
It was designed in a completely European style, complete with a small golf course. To the east lay the sea, with speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping out of the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in a place this massive!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned something that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is rare, ancient or modern—utterly beyond compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity foundation. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you think of the earth qi in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was part of the seaside. When they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the miasma from the rotting trash. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t plan to use this space, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy here.”
Little Potato said all this in one breath.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will cause them to emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause them to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. There’s too much buried garbage here. Superficially, the environment seems excellent, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually erode their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul, malignant energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“……”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. How about this—I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy where you can meditate and practice. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would drain too much of my immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, tell me. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d spare no expense, even if it means losing everything!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me some guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to gather so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao’s resources could he build temples and shrines everywhere, amassing the faith of devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, just say it directly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are watching from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“……”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories to produce incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these are all merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Build Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines? What’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was nothing to be secretive about—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer Little Taoist Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely he could get information on such a minor matter.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out good locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites at once. For now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—he might speak casually, but Jiang would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang was exceptionally meticulous, carefully reciting the incantations multiple times until he had memorized them thoroughly before attempting to cultivate. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush. It requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when cultivating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you deviate and qi goes astray, leading to possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm your mind, don’t rush, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a blessing—he could save himself a lot of trouble. He couldn’t afford to let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Jiang Zhihao was deeply moved by Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and the others to do this. The more, the better. When you’re all starting from the same point, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit. It’ll broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve been dreaming of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, trembling with excitement like a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have sincerely wanted to acknowledge him as his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you messed up. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—check back on this kid in a year.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he collected himself, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re a seasoned pro, no doubt about it. Come on, I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was something else. At the very least, it solved a lot of tricky problems. Take today’s incident, for example. Shui Miao could have handled it, but never with such efficiency. Jiang Zhihao was a veteran of the business world, an old hand who understood human nature far better than Shui Miao did. That move he pulled on Sun Changfa? Even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a big market would keep him in line. A win-win, no matter how you looked at it.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Built in a complete European style, it even had a small golf course. To the east lay the ocean, with speedboats and a yacht docked at the pier.
Stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is solid. Looking at the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in a place this massive!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it?” Jiang Zhihao was in his sixties, with more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned something that could be solved with cash, it was hardly an issue.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, began walking toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are rare, ancient and modern alike. They simply can’t compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully laid on the flattery. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need. There’s a problem here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead, then turned to Little Potato. “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you sense from the earth qi in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and pressed his nose to the ground. After a moment, he stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil was brought in later, right? This area used to be coastline. When they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage underneath. The decaying waste is still down there—see how sparse the grass is here? That’s caused by the foul energy produced by the rotting trash. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this spot, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato said all this in one breath.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming “Little Potato” to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by sniffing the air!
Shui Miao nodded, adding, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will cause them to emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause them to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may look pristine, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually erode their luck. So this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-aligned trees to suppress the foul, malignant energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was irrelevant.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest, and realizing that he and Little Potato had essentially wasted their breath, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was extremely goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. Tell you what—I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy where you can meditate and practice. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would drain too much of my immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he hurriedly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech, aiming to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain all that “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines everywhere, gathering the faith of devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Manor in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please, speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t like he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are always watching. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Seeing Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories for incense and candles. Basically, the more things related to faith, the better—it’s all about accumulating merit. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines? What’s so mysterious about that!?” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. It seemed straightforward—why all the secrecy?
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer Little Taoist Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites at once. But enough about that for now—I’ll teach you the energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable. Even if he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Manor, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until they were firmly ingrained before attempting to practice. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual, steady progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when practicing energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you mess up your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So you must remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy, capable disciple was a boon—he made things easier. He couldn’t afford to let him meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’re too good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao and Jiang Tao to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. Oh, and once you open your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, grabbed Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he might have even considered asking him to be his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a seasoned pro, no doubt about it. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. A veteran of the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far keener understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Built in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping out of the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is flawless. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck, unable to believe that people actually lived in such massive homes.
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is unparalleled, far beyond theirs.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that 10 billion yuan.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s an issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat area ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you sense about the earth energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “The soil here was brought in later. This area was originally part of the sea. During land reclamation, a lot of garbage was buried here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy—notice how the grass here is sparse? That’s why. It’s best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this space, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to be such a profound cultivator, capable of discerning what lay underground just by sniffing the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will produce positive energy, while planting them in polluted soil will cause negative energy to emanate, affecting people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to decaying energy will lead to illness and declining luck. This entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about the area.
He only visited occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was cultivation—how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality. Nothing else mattered.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, a sincere, knowledge-sharing approach was impractical. Instead, he needed to be tempted with something grand.
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. At your age, time is of the essence. Very well, I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete my immortal energy significantly! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a moment before continuing, “Alright, I’ll tell you. After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who offered guidance. In fact… that’s the reason I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, he wouldn’t be able to gather the vast amount of “incense” (devotional energy) he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao’s resources could he build temples and shrines everywhere, amassing the devotion of countless believers in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could purchase a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm. Then, would he still need to worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao grew impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in and whispered, “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Let’s go discuss this in the yacht’s cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao conversed in hushed tones while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many temples and shrines as possible. It would be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better. These are merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines? What’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly without any secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine possess boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time to figure things out. If necessary, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or even offer some purple energy to the young disciple Li Muzi. Surely, such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to resolve.
“Keep this in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was highly capable. Though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and techniques, reciting them multiple times until they were firmly ingrained, before attempting energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his aura, and helped him sense spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within him, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush. It requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, during energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you deviate and suffer a qi deviation or possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calmness, patience, and gradual progress…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao a lot of trouble. He couldn’t let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also task Sun Hao and Jiang Tao with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit. It’ll broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Overjoyed, Jiang Zhihao gripped Shui Miao’s hand like an excited child. If not for Shui Miao’s youth, he might have even considered acknowledging him as his godfather.
“Clang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao approached Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Hah, you’re a true veteran of the game—impressive. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have resolved it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao had. Jiang Zhihao was a seasoned veteran of the business world, and his understanding of human nature far surpassed Shui Miao’s. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed on a lavish estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
It was designed in a complete European style, complete with a small golf course. To the east lay the ocean, with speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After disembarking, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is flawless. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in a house this big!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it simply wasn’t an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, began walking toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are unparalleled, far beyond what they could ever offer.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10 billion yuan.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s an issue here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you excel in earth spiritual power. Tell my senior disciple what the earth spiritual energy is like in this area.”
Excited to be challenged by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly moistened his lips, dashed forward, and pressed his nose to the ground. After a brief pause, he stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been imported later. Originally, this was a coastline—land reclaimed from the sea, and a significant amount of waste was buried here during the process. Now, the decaying refuse beneath is generating noxious energy. Notice how sparse the grass is here—that’s due to the toxic fumes from the decomposing garbage. It would be ideal to excavate this area and remove all the waste. But if you don’t need to use this land, simply fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll gradually help purify the energy here.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by sniffing the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will allow them to emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause them to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried beneath here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually erode their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul, sinister energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“……”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was extremely goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, you can’t afford to wait. Alright, I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you select a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondered for a good while, and finally said, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines everywhere, gathering the incense offerings of countless believers in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Manor in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are always watching. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“……”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better—because these are all deeds that accumulate merit. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Build Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries? What’s so mysterious about that!?” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be secretive—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what would happen?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense offerings for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and monasteries. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer some Purple Qi to the little Taoist attendant Li Muzi—surely, such a small matter wouldn’t be hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out good locations, then pick an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was highly capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it very seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Manor, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until he had them down perfectly, only then attempting to practice energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and held Shui Miao in even higher esteem.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual, steady progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you directly. Remember, when practicing energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm your mind, don’t rush, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple like this was invaluable—he could save Shui Miao a lot of trouble. He couldn’t let him perish carelessly.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve been dreaming of becoming an immortal!”
Overjoyed, Jiang Zhihao gripped Shui Miao’s hand like an excited child. If not for Shui Miao’s youth, he would have even considered adopting him as his godfather.
“Clang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile and said, “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Hah, you’re a true veteran of the game—impressive. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never with such efficiency. Jiang Zhihao, a seasoned veteran of the business world, had a far deeper understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed on a lavish estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a complete European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is flawless. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master’s prowess is rare, ancient or modern—utterly unmatched by any of them.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even a golf cart would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we take the cart?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, with your expertise in earth spiritual energy, tell my senior disciple what the earth qi is like in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “The soil here must have been brought in later. This area was originally part of the sea. During land reclamation, a lot of garbage was buried here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy—look how sparse the grass is here. It’s best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t plan to use this spot, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pause.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by sniffing the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil will cause the trees to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. This entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had gained new knowledge, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“……”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s detailed explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand.
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete my immortal energy significantly! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Master, please speak. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I have!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondered for a moment, and finally said, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who offered guidance. Actually… this is also why I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and Taoist shrines, gathering the faith and incense of countless devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal incense, he could buy a Purple Manor in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are always watching. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“……”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more related to faith, the better—it’s all about accumulating merit. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist temples and monasteries—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly without any secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and monasteries. That was plenty of time for Shui Miao to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or offer Little Taoist Li Muzi some purple qi—surely such a small matter wouldn’t be hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you the energy circulation technique. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Manor, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and techniques, reciting them repeatedly until he had them down perfectly before attempting to practice. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his qi, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when circulating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your qi and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calmness, patience, and taking it slow…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—saving him much trouble—so he couldn’t afford to let him meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve always dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Overjoyed, Jiang Zhihao gripped Shui Miao’s hand like an excited child. If not for Shui Miao’s youth, he would have considered adopting him as his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts, willing to chop off your own finger. That’s enough to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re truly a seasoned player. Well done. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was indeed better, at least when it came to solving tricky problems. For instance, while Shui Miao could have resolved today’s issue on his own, it wouldn’t have been as swift or satisfying as Jiang Zhihao’s approach. A veteran of the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far deeper understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his move with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a large market would motivate him to give his best. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is well-balanced. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have consulted a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is spot-on. I did hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. Anything Shui Miao mentioned that could be solved with money was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are unparalleled, far beyond what they can offer.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that 10 billion funds.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even a golf cart would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao waved his hand lightly. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and turned to Little Potato. “Junior Brother, with your expertise in earth spiritual energy, tell my senior disciple what you think of the soil energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was a coastal area, and during land reclamation, a lot of garbage was buried here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the toxins released from the rotting garbage. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the waste. But if you don’t plan to use this space, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems to slowly purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the energy!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter soil energy is the best approach. Of course, planting trees in good soil will release positive energy, while planting them in polluted soil will cause the trees to emit negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried underground here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to the decaying energy will lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, and how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—instead, he needed to be tempted with something highly enticing.
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time is of the essence. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete too much of my immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. In fact… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain the vast amount of “incense” (devotional energy) he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao’s resources could he build temples and shrines everywhere, gathering the incense of devotees in the shortest time possible. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so hesitant?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these are all merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be shrouded in secrecy—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time for Shui Miao to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer some Purple Qi to the little Taoist disciple Li Muzi—surely, such a small matter wouldn’t be too hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out suitable locations, then pick an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you the energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was highly capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until he had them down perfectly before attempting to practice energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual, steady progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when practicing energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm your mind, don’t rush, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao a lot of trouble. He couldn’t afford to let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all starting from the same point, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve been dreaming of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have seriously considered asking him to be his godfather.
“Clang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger. That’s enough to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note of this. Remember to send someone to check on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. After collecting himself, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile and said, “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a true veteran of the world, no doubt about it. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao was overjoyed and quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to concede that the lives of the affluent were indeed superior—at the very least, they could effortlessly resolve many thorny issues. For instance, Shui Miao might have managed today’s predicament, but never with the same ease as Jiang Zhihao. Jiang Zhihao was a seasoned veteran in the business realm, and his grasp of human nature far exceeded Shui Miao’s. Consider his strategy with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t truly remorseful, the opportunity to oversee a large market would drive him to give his utmost. In this way, everyone stood to gain.
The helicopter landed on a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
It was designed entirely in European style, complete with a small golf course. To the east lay the sea, with speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around at the scenery and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is also well done. Judging by the design of this estate, disciple, you must have consulted a formidable feng shui master, right?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe that someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it?” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. So, if Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be resolved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have the time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master’s prowess is rare, both past and present, far beyond what they can compare to.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with setting up the charity organization. Please rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in the cart?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here that I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pointed to a flat area ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you excel in earth spiritual power. Tell my senior disciple what the earth spiritual energy is like in that area ahead.”
Excited to be challenged by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly moistened his lips, dashed forward, and sniffed the ground intently. Rising to his feet, he furrowed his brow and turned to Jiang Zhihao. “The soil here must have been imported later. Originally, this was a coastal zone, and during the land reclamation process, a significant amount of waste was buried beneath. The decomposing refuse below is now releasing noxious energy. Observe, the vegetation in this area is sparse—a direct result of the miasma emitted by the decaying garbage. It would be ideal to excavate this site and remove all the waste. However, if you don’t intend to utilize this space, it would be wise to cordon it off and plant trees with deep root systems. These trees will gradually aid in purifying the energy here.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pause.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this seemingly unremarkable Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern the underground situation just by smelling the energy!
Shui Miao nodded and continued, “Whether here or elsewhere, the best approach is to use trees with compatible attributes to adjust the earth’s energy. Of course, planting trees in fertile soil will generate positive energy. Conversely, planting them in poor soil will release negative energy, which can impact people’s fortunes. The underground here is filled with too much waste. On the surface, the environment seems excellent, but prolonged residence will expose people to decaying energy, leading to illness and a gradual decline in luck. Therefore, this entire area is unsuitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang trees to suppress the foul and evil energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only occasionally came here to play golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, and how to achieve immortality. Everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had largely fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was overly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—instead, he needed to be tempted with great allure!
As he walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, you can’t afford to wait. Alright, I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you select a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he quickly added, “Master, please speak. Whatever I can do, I will spare no effort to accomplish it. As long as it speeds up my cultivation, even if I lose everything, I’ll do it without hesitation!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao pretended to hesitate, pondering for a good while before saying, “Forget it, I might as well tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… this is also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s intense interest.
If he didn’t do this, it would be impossible to gather the vast amount of “incense offerings” he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and Taoist shrines everywhere, collecting the incense offerings from devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—then why would he need to worry about immortal energy or divine horses?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so hesitant?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the gods are watching from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries as possible. It would be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these are all merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid in cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist temples and monasteries—what’s so mysterious about that!?” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be shrouded in secrecy—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they find out we’re using this method to accumulate merits, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense offerings for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and monasteries. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer some purple energy to the little Taoist attendant Li Muzi—surely such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out good locations, then choose an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. For now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew that Jiang Zhihao had strong execution capabilities. Even if he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he would definitely be able to bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until he had them down perfectly, only then attempting to practice energy cultivation. To motivate Jiang Zhihao, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something that can be rushed. It requires gradual progress, step by step. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you directly. Remember, when cultivating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Do not let your thoughts wander. If you deviate in your practice and suffer a qi deviation or possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao much trouble. He couldn’t let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been too good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I still need to enlist Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others for this task. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own abilities. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve been dreaming of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao was as thrilled as a child, clutching Shui Miao’s hand tightly. If Shui Miao hadn’t been so young, Jiang would have even considered making him his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, you’ve got some guts, kid. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you messed up. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re a seasoned player, no doubt about it. Come on, I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was something else. At the very least, it solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. A veteran of the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far deeper understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa—even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a large market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win, no matter how you looked at it.
The helicopter landed on a lavish estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
As he stepped off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck, unable to believe that people actually lived in such massive homes.
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master’s wisdom is rare, ancient or modern—utterly beyond their comparison.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?” Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao waved his hand lightly. “No need. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you sense about the earth energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and pressed his nose to the ground. After a moment, he stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was coastline, and when they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy—look how sparse the grass is here. It’s best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t plan to use this space, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy here.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the earth!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best approach. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause the trees to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to decaying energy will lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. This entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand.
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would drain too much of my immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. If it’s within my power, I’ll do everything possible to make it happen. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly risk bankruptcy!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who offered guidance. Actually… that’s also why I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to gather so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines, amassing the devotion of countless followers in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense to purchase a Purple Manor in the heavens, would he still need to worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!” Jiang Zhihao grew impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…” Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Let’s go discuss this in the yacht’s cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more related to faith and devotion, the better. These are merit-building endeavors. If you establish them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly without any secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine possess boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Ah… right, right…” Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer Little Taoist Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites at once. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you the energy circulation technique. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Manor, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas, reciting them multiple times until they were deeply ingrained, before attempting energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush. It requires gradual, steady progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when circulating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a blessing—saving him much trouble. He couldn’t afford to let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!” Jiang Zhihao, sensing Shui Miao’s sincerity, was deeply moved.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to help with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all starting from the same point, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve always dreamed of becoming an immortal!” Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao hadn’t been so young, Jiang Zhihao might have even considered making him his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note: a year from now, remember to send someone to check up on this kid.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Hah, you’re a true veteran of the game—impressive. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was indeed better, at least when it came to solving tricky problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have resolved it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao had. Jiang Zhihao was a seasoned veteran of the business world, with an understanding of human nature far surpassing Shui Miao’s. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a major market would motivate him to give his best. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed on a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have consulted a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is rare, ancient or modern—none can compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
He indicated a flat area ahead and turned to Little Potato. “Junior Brother, with your expertise in earth spiritual energy, tell my senior disciple what you sense about the earth energy in this patch of land.”
Seeing this as a test from his senior brother, Little Potato excitedly licked his lips, ran forward, crouched down, and sniffed the ground. He stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been transported here later. Originally, this was coastline—during land reclamation, a lot of waste was buried here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the energy from the decaying waste. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this space, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy here.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the energy!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter earth energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will cause them to emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause them to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to decaying energy can lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was secondary.
“……”
Noting Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s detailed explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, a sincere, comprehensive teaching approach was impractical—he needed to be tempted with grand incentives!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I have!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondered for a moment, and finally said, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
Without this approach, it would be impossible to gather the vast amount of “incense offerings” he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines, amassing the devotion of countless followers in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—then why worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine are watching from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“……”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories for incense and candles. In short, the more related to faith and devotion, the better. These are merit-building endeavors. If you establish them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was straightforward and didn’t require secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine have boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense offerings for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. If necessary, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or even offer some purple energy to the young disciple Li Muzi—surely such a small matter could be resolved.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and techniques, reciting them multiple times until they were firmly ingrained, before attempting energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his aura, and helped him sense spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within him, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, during energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Do not let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calmness, patience, and gradual progress…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—saving him much trouble—and he couldn’t afford to let him meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to help with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, grabbed Shui Miao’s hand. If it weren’t for Shui Miao’s young age, he might have even considered making him his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re truly a seasoned player. Well done. Come, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were indeed better, at least when it came to solving tricky problems. While Shui Miao could have handled today’s situation himself, it wouldn’t have been resolved as smoothly as Jiang Zhihao had managed. Jiang Zhihao, a veteran of the business world, had a far deeper understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
As Shui Miao stepped off the helicopter, he glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is well-balanced. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was no issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are unparalleled, far beyond what they could ever achieve.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10 billion yuan.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even a golf cart would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we take the cart?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need. There’s an issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you sense about the earth energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “The soil here must have been brought in later. This area was originally part of the sea, and during land reclamation, a lot of garbage was buried underneath. The decaying waste beneath is producing foul energy—notice how the grass here is sparse? That’s caused by the toxic emissions from the rotting trash. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t plan to use this space, fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy here.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best approach. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy, while planting them in polluted soil will release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried beneath this seemingly pristine environment, prolonged exposure to the decaying energy will lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. So, this entire area is unsuitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, and how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something far more enticing!
As he walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time is of the essence. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy where you can meditate and practice. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete my immortal energy significantly! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Master, please speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’m willing to risk everything, even bankruptcy!”
“Is that so…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before finally saying, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who offered guidance. In fact… that’s the reason I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to heighten Jiang Zhihao’s curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to acquire the vast amount of “incense offerings” he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao’s resources could he quickly build temples and Taoist shrines, gathering the incense offerings of devotees in the shortest time possible. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must proceed with caution. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered secretly, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist shrines and temples as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few incense and candle factories. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, as these acts accumulate merit. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist shrines and temples—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be shrouded in secrecy—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine possess boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, the consequences would be dire!”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense offerings for himself, but it would take Jiang Zhihao at least half a year to build the shrines and temples. That was plenty of time for Shui Miao to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or even offer some Purple Qi to the young Taoist Li Muzi—surely, such a small matter wouldn’t be too hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out suitable locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. For now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was highly capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao imparted the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method to Jiang Zhihao. Despite his age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous, carefully reciting the incantations multiple times until he had memorized them thoroughly before attempting to practice energy cultivation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his Qi, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and grew even more reverent toward Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something that can be rushed—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when cultivating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Do not let your thoughts wander. If you deviate and Qi goes astray, leading to possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calm your mind, don’t rush, take it slow…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao a lot of trouble. He couldn’t afford to let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao, however, shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to help with this. The more we do, the better. When all of you start on equal footing, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, grabbed Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he might have even considered making him his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you’ve done wrong. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check up on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked up to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re a seasoned pro, no doubt about it. Come on, I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of thorny problems. For instance, today’s issue: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. Jiang, a veteran of the business world, understood human nature far better than Shui Miao. Take that move with Sun Changfa—even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a large market would motivate him to give it his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Built in a complete European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck, unable to believe that people actually lived in such massive homes.
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it?” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned something that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are rare and unparalleled, far beyond theirs.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10 billion funds.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?” Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pointed toward a flat area ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what the earth energy is like in that patch of land.”
Seeing his senior brother testing him, Little Potato excitedly licked his lips, ran forward, sniffed the ground, and then stood up, frowning at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was coastline. When they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage underneath. The decaying waste below is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the emissions from the rotting waste. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this spot, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the energy!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil will cause the trees to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried underground here, the surface may look pristine, but prolonged exposure to the decaying energy will make people sick and gradually worsen their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy below.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new knowledge, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about the area.
He only came occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s detailed explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with grand incentives!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Master, please speak. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I have!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, thinking for a good while before saying, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
Without this approach, it would be impossible to gather the vast amount of “incense” (devotional energy) needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could temples and shrines be built everywhere, collecting the incense of devotees in the shortest time. Once Shui Miao had enough immortal incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—then why worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!” Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…” Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories producing incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these acts accumulate merit. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building Taoist temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this matter didn’t need to be secretive—it could be discussed openly.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine possess boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”
“Uh… right, right…” Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time for Shui Miao to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer some purple energy to the young disciple Li Muzi—surely such a small matter could be uncovered.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, then pick an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully recited the incantations multiple times, committing them to memory thoroughly before attempting energy cultivation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his breath, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush. It requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, during energy cultivation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—making things easier for him—so he couldn’t let them perish prematurely.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!” Jiang Zhihao, touched, felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao and Jiang Tao to handle this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you open your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!” Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have seriously considered adopting him as his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao approached Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a true veteran—impressive. Come, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of thorny problems. For instance, today’s incident: Shui Miao could have resolved it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. As a seasoned player in the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far deeper understanding of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is well-balanced. Judging by the design, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, right?”
Little Potato was utterly dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unmatched. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is unparalleled, far beyond what they could ever achieve.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even a golf cart would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we take the cart?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need. There’s an issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, with your expertise in earth spiritual energy, tell my senior disciple what you sense about the soil energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was a coastal area, and during land reclamation, a lot of garbage was buried here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy—notice how the grass here is sparse? That’s why. It’s best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this space, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter soil energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy, while planting them in poor soil will release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to decaying energy will cause illness and gradually worsen luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao gained new insight, though he wasn’t particularly concerned about the area.
He only came occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, and how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, a sincere, knowledge-sharing approach was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand.
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s mindset. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. At your age, time is of the essence. Very well, I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete my immortal energy significantly! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
As expected, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“In that case…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who offered guidance. Actually… this is also why I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to gather the vast amount of “incense” he needed. Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao’s resources could he build temples and shrines everywhere, amassing the faith of devotees in the shortest time possible. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—would he still need to worry about immortal energy then?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many temples and shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories for incense and candles. In short, the more related to faith and worship, the better. These are merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can jointly dedicate the merits, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly without any secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine possess boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time for Shui Miao to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or offer some purple energy to the young disciple Li Muzi—surely, such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was highly capable—though he spoke casually, Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and spells, reciting them multiple times until they were firmly ingrained, before attempting energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his aura, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and held Shui Miao in even higher esteem.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush. It requires gradual, steady progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when circulating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Do not let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, you must remember: calmness, patience, and gradual progress…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—he could save Shui Miao much trouble. He couldn’t afford to let such a disciple meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also task Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have seriously considered asking him to be his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve got guts—willing to chop off your own finger to prove you’ve realized your mistake. Fine, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note to investigate this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he regained his composure, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a seasoned player, no doubt about it. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the lives of the wealthy were something else. At the very least, money solved a lot of tricky problems. Take today’s incident, for example. Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never with such efficiency. Jiang Zhihao was a veteran of the business world, and his understanding of human nature far surpassed Shui Miao’s. His approach to Sun Changfa was a case in point: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the promise of managing a major market would motivate him to give his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed on a lavish estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a fully European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
As Shui Miao stepped off the helicopter, he glanced around and nodded approvingly. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in a house this massive!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Jiang Zhihao, now in his sixties, had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Your mastery is rare, ancient or modern—utterly beyond compare.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity organization. Rest assured, we will not misuse a single cent of that 10 billion funds.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
He gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you sense about the earth energy in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and pressed his nose to the ground. After a moment, he stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was coastline, and when they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the miasma from the rotting trash. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this space, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato spoke at length without pausing.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to be such a profound cultivator—able to discern what lay underground just by sniffing the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will emit positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause the trees to release negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried here, the surface may look pristine, but prolonged exposure to this decay will lead to illness and gradually worsening luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, time isn’t on your side. Tell you what—I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy where you can meditate and practice. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he eagerly added, “Please, Master, tell me. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d give up everything without hesitation!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to gather so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines, amassing the faith of devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal realm incense, he could buy a Purple Manor in the immortal realm—then why worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine are watching from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many temples and shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories for incense and candles. Basically, the more faith-related ventures, the better—it’s all merit-building. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines? What’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly—no need for secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine have boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what would happen?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could offer Little Taoist Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely such a small matter wouldn’t be hard to uncover.
“Keep this in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites at once. But enough about that for now—let me teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable and would take his words seriously, even if delivered casually.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Manor, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and techniques, reciting them multiple times until they were firmly ingrained, before attempting to practice. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within him, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when practicing energy circulation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you lose control and deviate, leading to qi deviation or possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calmness, patience, and gradual progress…” Shui Miao felt compelled to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—saving him much trouble—and he couldn’t afford to let him meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to help with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. Oh, and once you’ve opened your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have seriously considered asking him to be his godfather.
“Clang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao swiftly kicked away Sun Changfa’s butcher knife. “Heh, you’ve got some guts, kid. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you’re in the wrong. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a major market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check up on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Haha, you’re a true veteran—impressive as always. Come on, I have something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, hurried after him…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was something else. At the very least, it solved a lot of tricky problems. For instance, today’s incident: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never as decisively as Jiang Zhihao. A seasoned veteran of the business world, Jiang Zhihao had a far better grasp of human nature than Shui Miao. Take his approach with Sun Changfa: even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a major market would motivate him to give it his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This estate was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Designed in a complete European style, it featured a small golf course, faced the sea to the east, and had a dock with speedboats and a yacht.
After stepping off the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbfounded—he couldn’t believe someone actually lived in such a massive house!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned something that could be solved with money, it was hardly an issue for him.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master’s wisdom is rare, ancient or modern—utterly beyond their comparison.” Jiang Zhihao carefully flattered him. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my subordinates with establishing the charity. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that ten-billion fund.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a slight issue here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what the earth qi is like in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, crouched down to sniff the ground, then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was coastline—when they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the miasma from the rotting trash. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the garbage. But if you don’t need to use this spot, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato said all this in one breath.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will release positive energy. Planting them in poor soil, however, will cause the trees to emit negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. With so much waste buried underground here, the surface may seem pristine, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually erode their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul, malignant energy below.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing Jiang Zhihao’s lack of interest and realizing that his and Little Potato’s explanations had fallen on deaf ears, Shui Miao understood that Jiang Zhihao was highly goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of earnestly imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Very well, at your age, time is of the essence. I’ll teach you energy circulation techniques first, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy for quiet meditation. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would deplete my immortal power significantly! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he quickly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, pondering for a good while before speaking. “Alright, I’ll say it! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I sought you out today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s anticipation.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he quickly build temples and shrines, gathering the faith and incense of devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—then why worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear, lowering his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better to set up a few factories for incense and candles. In short, the more related to faith, the better—it’s all merit-building. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly—no need for secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? Can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine have boundless power! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what might happen?”
“Ah… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time to figure things out. If needed, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm or even offer some purple energy to the little Taoist acolyte Li Muzi—surely, such a small matter couldn’t be that hard to uncover.
“Keep this in mind for now. Slowly scout out locations, pick an auspicious day, and start construction on multiple sites at once. But enough about that for now—let me teach you energy circulation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable and would take his casual remarks seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and purchased a Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until he had them down perfectly, only then attempting to practice energy circulation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal energy, adjusted his qi, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual power.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and held Shui Miao in even higher esteem.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when circulating energy, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you disrupt your energy flow and suffer a deviation, even I won’t be able to save you. So, remember: calmness, patience, and taking it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this. A wealthy and capable disciple was a boon—saving him much trouble—so he couldn’t let him meet an untimely end.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also task Sun Hao and Jiang Tao with this. The more we do, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you open your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, grabbed Shui Miao’s hand. Were it not for Shui Miao’s youth, he would have wished to take him as his godfather.
“Bang!”
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhihao kicked Sun Changfa’s butcher knife away. “Heh, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Willing to chop off your own finger proves you know you messed up. Alright, keep your hand and turn over a new leaf. If you do well, I might even put you in charge of a big market. Secretary Xiao, make a note—remember to send someone to check up on this kid a year from now.”
“Yes, Chairman Jiang.”
The pretty young secretary quickly jotted it down in her notebook.
Sun Changfa was stunned. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried into the small room and knelt before his parents to apologize.
※※※
This outcome took many by surprise.
For Sun Sihan, it was undoubtedly the most perfect resolution.
Jiang Zhihao walked over to Shui Miao with a smile. “Master, how did I handle that? Up to your standards?”
“Heh, you’re a seasoned pro, no doubt about it. Come on, I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Shui Miao tapped Little Potato’s arm and headed toward the helicopter on the lawn.
Jiang Zhihao, overjoyed, quickly followed…
This was Shui Miao’s first time riding in a helicopter.
He had to admit—the life of the wealthy was something else. At the very least, it solved a lot of thorny problems. For instance, today’s situation: Shui Miao could have handled it himself, but never with such efficiency. Jiang Zhihao was a veteran of the business world, an old hand whose understanding of human nature far surpassed Shui Miao’s. Take that move with Sun Changfa—even if Sun wasn’t genuinely repentant, the prospect of managing a large market would motivate him to give it his all. A win-win for everyone.
The helicopter landed at a luxurious estate in Qingpu District.
This manor was Jiang Zhihao’s private property.
Built in a completely European style, it even had a small golf course. To the east lay the sea, with speedboats and yachts docked at the pier.
After stepping out of the helicopter, Shui Miao glanced around and nodded in approval. “The environment here is truly excellent, and the feng shui layout is sound. Judging by the design, disciple, you must have hired a formidable feng shui master, didn’t you?”
Little Potato was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe someone actually lived in a house this big!
“Master, your insight is unparalleled. I did indeed hire a feng shui master from Taiwan. If you’d like to meet him, I can arrange it.” Now in his sixties, Jiang Zhihao had more money than he could spend. If Shui Miao mentioned anything that could be solved with money, it simply wasn’t an issue.
“That won’t be necessary. I don’t have time to meet such people.” Shui Miao, intrigued by the yacht, walked toward it.
“Of course, of course. Master, your skills are rare and unparalleled, far beyond what they can offer.” Jiang Zhihao carefully buttered him up. “By the way, Master, I’ve already tasked my people with setting up the charity organization. Rest assured, we won’t misuse a single cent of that 10 billion.”
Just then, bodyguards drove over an eight-seater golf cart.
The estate was so vast that even by golf cart, it would take half an hour to circle it.
“Master, shall we get in?”
Jiang Zhihao pointed to the golf cart that had pulled up beside them.
Shui Miao gently waved his hand. “No need for the cart. There’s a problem here I need to point out to you.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao gestured toward a flat patch of land ahead and said to Little Potato, “Junior Brother, you’re well-versed in earth spiritual energy. Tell my senior disciple what you think of the earth qi in this area.”
Thrilled to be tested by his senior brother, Little Potato eagerly licked his lips, ran forward, and sniffed the ground. He then stood up and frowned at Jiang Zhihao. “This soil must have been brought in later. Originally, this was coastline, and when they reclaimed the land, they buried a lot of garbage here. The decaying waste underneath is producing foul energy. Look how sparse the grass is here—that’s caused by the toxins released by the rotting garbage. It’d be best to excavate this area and remove all the trash. But if you don’t need to use this space, just fence it off and plant trees with deep root systems. They’ll slowly help purify the energy.”
Little Potato said all this in one breath.
Jiang Zhihao was astonished. He never expected this unassuming Little Potato to also be a master of cultivation—able to discern what lay underground just by smelling the air!
Shui Miao nodded and added, “Whether here or elsewhere, using trees with compatible attributes to alter the earth’s energy is the best method. Of course, planting trees in good soil will release positive energy. Planting them in poor soil will cause the trees to emit negative energy, which can affect people’s fortunes. There’s too much garbage buried beneath here. On the surface, the environment seems excellent, but prolonged exposure to this decaying energy will make people sick and gradually worsen their luck. So, this entire area isn’t suitable for long-term habitation. It’s best to plant a large number of yang-attributed trees to suppress the foul energy underground.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Zhihao had learned something new, but he wasn’t particularly concerned about this area.
He only came here occasionally for golf, and now that he was obsessed with cultivation, he had even less interest in the sport.
What fascinated him was how to cultivate, how to grow stronger, how to achieve immortality—everything else was trivial.
“…”
Seeing that Jiang Zhihao wasn’t very interested and that he and Little Potato had essentially wasted their breath, Shui Miao realized that Jiang Zhihao was extremely goal-oriented. For someone like him, the approach of sincerely imparting all knowledge was impractical—he needed to be tempted with something grand!
As they walked, Shui Miao pondered Jiang Zhihao’s psychology. Soon, he changed the subject. “Disciple, I can see you’re eager to cultivate. Well, at your age, you can’t afford to wait. How about this: I’ll first teach you energy circulation techniques, then help you find a place abundant with spiritual energy where you can meditate and practice. Of course, I could also directly enhance your cultivation, but that would cost me too much immortal power! Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Sure enough, Jiang Zhihao’s interest was piqued. After a pause, he quickly added, “Please, Master, speak freely. Whatever I can do, I’ll spare no effort to accomplish it. If it speeds up my cultivation, I’d willingly give up everything I own!”
“Well then…”
Shui Miao feigned hesitation, thinking for a good while before saying, “Alright, I’ll tell you! After leaving last night, to accelerate my cultivation, I soul-traveled to the immortal realm. Fortunately, I encountered an immortal who gave me guidance. Actually… that’s also why I came to see you today.”
Shui Miao deliberately slowed his speech to build up Jiang Zhihao’s intense curiosity.
If he didn’t do this, there’d be no way to obtain so much “incense.” Only by leveraging Jiang Zhihao could he build temples and shrines everywhere, gathering the faith of devotees in the shortest time. Once he had enough immortal incense, he could buy a Purple Mansion in the immortal realm—then why worry about immortal energy?
“Master, please speak plainly!”
Jiang Zhihao was growing impatient. It wasn’t like he was unwilling to spend money—why was his master being so cryptic?
“Don’t rush…”
Shui Miao leaned in close to Jiang Zhihao’s ear and lowered his voice. “As the saying goes, the divine watch from three feet above. We must be cautious. Come, let’s talk inside the yacht cabin.”
“…”
Intrigued by Shui Miao’s mysterious demeanor, Jiang Zhihao grew excited and nervous.
Inside the cabin, Shui Miao and Jiang Zhihao whispered privately, while Little Potato stood guard outside.
“I want you to build as many Taoist temples and Buddhist shrines as possible. It’d be even better if you set up a few factories to produce incense and candles. In short, the more things related to faith, the better, because these are all merit-building endeavors. If you build them, we can submit our names together, which will aid our cultivation.” Naturally, Shui Miao didn’t reveal his true intentions.
“Building temples and shrines—what’s so mysterious about that?!” After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Jiang Zhihao was baffled. He felt this was something that could be discussed openly—no need for secrecy.
Shui Miao frowned. “What do you think? How can this be compared to ordinary matters? The divine powers are boundless! If they found out we’re using this method to accumulate merit, who knows what would happen?”
“Uh… right, right…”
Jiang Zhihao was thoroughly intimidated.
Shui Miao still didn’t know exactly how to claim the incense for himself, but it would take at least half a year for Jiang Zhihao to build the temples and shrines. That was plenty of time, Shui Miao thought, to figure things out. At worst, he could make a few more trips to the immortal realm. If necessary, he could give the little Taoist disciple Li Muzi some Purple Qi—surely he could get information on such a small matter.
“Keep this matter in mind for now. Slowly scout out good locations, then pick an auspicious day to start construction on multiple sites simultaneously. Now, let’s set that aside. I’ll teach you energy cultivation techniques. Are you ready?” Shui Miao knew Jiang Zhihao was capable—he might speak casually, but Jiang Zhihao would take it seriously.
Of course, once Shui Miao reaped the benefits and bought the Purple Mansion, he could certainly bring Jiang Zhihao’s soul to the immortal realm in the future.
Jiang Zhihao nodded repeatedly…
Thus, Shui Miao taught Jiang Zhihao the Yin-Yang Five Elements cultivation method. Though advanced in age, Jiang Zhihao was exceptionally meticulous. He carefully memorized the incantations and formulas multiple times until they were deeply ingrained, only then attempting to practice energy cultivation. To motivate him, Shui Miao infused him with immortal power, adjusted his energy flow, and helped him sense the presence of spiritual energy.
Feeling the spiritual energy circulating within his body, Jiang Zhihao was ecstatic and even more in awe of Shui Miao.
“Alright, cultivation isn’t something you can rush—it requires gradual progress. Today, I’ve laid the foundation for you. Remember, when practicing energy cultivation, you must calm your mind and focus. Don’t let your thoughts wander. If you deviate and qi runs wild, leading to possession, even I won’t be able to save you. So you must remember: calm mind, no rushing, take it slow…” Shui Miao had to emphasize this repeatedly. A wealthy and capable disciple was a blessing—it saved him a lot of trouble. He couldn’t let them die prematurely.
“Master, you’ve been so good to me!”
Deeply moved, Jiang Zhihao felt Shui Miao’s sincerity.
Shui Miao shook his head with a smile. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll also need Sun Hao, Jiang Tao, and others to do this. The more, the better. When you’re all on the same starting line, your strength will depend on your own efforts. By the way, once you open your Yin-Yang eyes, I’ll find a way to take you to the immortal realm for a visit—broaden your horizons.”
“Excellent! I’ve dreamed of becoming an immortal!”
Jiang Zhihao, as excited as a child, tightly grasped Shui Miao’s hand. If Shui Miao weren’t so young, he would have seriously considered asking him to be his godfather.
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