Meng Zhang took a big detour outside before entering the Firewell Market. The market was still thriving, unaffected by recent events. Having visited the Firewell Market numerous times before, Meng Zhang knew the way well and headed straight to a shop with a large signboard displaying the gilded characters "Lao Family’s Trading House."
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Seeing Meng Zhang, a familiar face, the shop’s assistant hurriedly welcomed him inside. The shopkeeper of Lao Family’s Trading House was none other than Lao Bulu, an old acquaintance of Meng Zhang.
With his white hair, Lao Bulu warmly greeted Meng Zhang, "What brings the Grand Sect Master of Taiyi Sect here today? Was it the wind that blew you all the way to this place?"
It had been more than twenty years since Meng Zhang first met Lao Bulu. Meng Zhang, now at the Foundation Building stage of cultivation, had matured but retained a similar appearance. On the other hand, Lao Bulu, who was still at the Refining Qi stage, had aged significantly.
Meng Zhang was aware of Lao Bulu’s background after years of interaction. The Lao Family was a vassal clan of the Flying Swan Sect and had a close relationship with them. Talented disciples from the Lao Family would usually join the Flying Swan Sect, gaining access to abundant resources and opportunities. Being affiliated with the Flying Swan Sect was considered a favorable path for a person with ordinary talents like Lao Bulu, as it not only helped him earn cultivation resources but also allowed him to accumulate wealth for future generations.
The conversation between Meng Zhang and Lao Bulu continued. The Lao Family relied on the business transactions with Taiyi Sect, and in the past, both parties had profited considerably. However, due to the command from the Flying Swan Sect, Lao Bulu had to suspend the cooperation with Taiyi Sect. Eventually, after Forest Spring Watch’s relationship with Flying Swan Sect normalized, Meng Zhang reestablished contact with Lao Bulu and resumed their previous collaboration. Over the years, their businesses had expanded, bringing considerable benefits to both sides.
Lao Bulu looked at Meng Zhang, feeling a sense of emotion. When he first saw Meng Zhang, he was a green and inexperienced young lad. Recognizing Meng Zhang’s potential, Lao Bulu deliberately formed a good relationship with him. Now, after so many years, Meng Zhang still exuded an air of magnificence and authority, while Lao Bulu had become elderly.
At the age of over seventy, Lao Bulu’s path of cultivation had already come to an end. If it weren’t for the family still needing his service, he would have retired long ago. Lao Bulu warmly entertained Meng Zhang, engaging in lively conversation and cherishing their rapport.
For Lao Bulu, people like Meng Zhang were the most precious wealth in terms of connections. Without getting straight to the point, Meng Zhang engaged in casual chatter with Lao Bulu for the time being.
Lao Bulu was very patient and unhurried, engaging in a leisurely conversation with Meng Zhang. Meng Zhang tried to gain insights by hinting at the internal connections of the Lao family within the Flying Swan Sect. Although Lao Bulu’s cultivation base was average, his experience in the business world had exposed him to all sorts of deceptions and intrigues. He could easily see through Meng Zhang’s subtle schemes.
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Meng Zhang’s interest in the internal connections of the Lao family within the Flying Swan Sect indicated his desire to establish contact with the sect. As Taiyi Sect’s Sect Master, he was supposedly a subordinate of the Forest Spring Watch, so secretly contacting the Flying Swan Sect was intriguing. Influential forces like the Lao family often received special commands, not only to gather information for the Flying Swan Sect but also to monitor various events within the Endless Sea of Sand.
Following the resolution of the chaos caused by the sand monsters, Lao Bulu received a mandate from his family to use his connections to gather intelligence on the Earthfire Sect and the Forest Spring Watch. He was also supposed to establish contact with members of both sects and, if possible, seek alliances with their subordinate sects, like Taiyi Sect.
Taiyi Sect, being a subordinate of the Forest Spring Watch, was one of the groups Lao Bulu deliberately sought to befriend. He was willing to endure some losses in their business dealings to maintain a good relationship with Taiyi Sect. Thus, when Meng Zhang proactively approached him, regardless of the reason, expressing a desire to secretly contact the Flying Swan Sect, Lao Bulu considered it a favorable opportunity.
Lao Bulu noted Meng Zhang’s intentions and decided to report to his family later. Simultaneously, he disclosed the Lao family’s connections within Taiyi Sect to Meng Zhang, even providing a way for him to directly contact the Lao family’s connections within the Flying Swan Sect.
Meanwhile, as they conversed, Meng Zhang secretly employed Mind Reading to understand Lao Bulu’s thoughts. The fact that the Flying Swan Sect was taking action did not surprise Meng Zhang. The extensive connections of the Lao family within the Flying Swan Sect were impressive, considering they managed to relay messages to Gold Core Daoist Masters through several intermediaries.
By reading Lao Bulu’s mind, Meng Zhang gained a clear understanding of the Flying Swan Sect’s stance, which put his mind at ease. It appeared that subordinates like Taiyi Sect had some value in the eyes of the Flying Swan Sect, meaning Meng Zhang could confidently establish contact without worrying about being ignored.
After spending quite some time chatting with Lao Bulu, Meng Zhang concluded the conversation. Finally, he mentioned that since attaining Foundation Building, he had not traveled far and was now planning a journey. He expressed his desire to visit the territory of the Flying Swan Sect, the rulers of the Endless Sea of Sand, as he had always been fascinated by it.
Understanding Meng Zhang’s intentions, Lao Bulu stated that the Lao family would warmly welcome such an esteemed guest, and if Meng Zhang arrived at the Flying Swan Sect’s territory, they would arrange for a cordial reception.
Both parties now understood each other’s intentions. After leaving the Lao family’s establishment, Meng Zhang first went to the black market to gather information about the Flying Swan Sect’s current territory. Originally, he intended to visit Shangguan Wen to inquire about the Earthfire Sect’s situation. However, since the Earthfire Sect had become a Gold Core sect, numerous cultivation forces were trying to establish relations with them, causing a long queue of visitors outside Shangguan Wen’s residence. Disinterested in joining the crowd, Meng Zhang abandoned the idea of paying him a visit.
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