"Bishop Gerald, you are too kind. We hope our unannounced visit hasn't disrupted your official duties," Li Xun said with a smile as he accepted the token and stored it in his Soul Guiding Device. He had borrowed this device from his teacher before leaving and would need to return it after use.
"Not at all, not at all. Official matters are trivial compared to your visit. Please, come in," Gerald replied, showing no hint of condescension despite Li Xun and Ning Rongrong's young age.
The Papal Token was a rare item, held only by the Upper Three Sects outside of the Spirit Hall. With the Clear Sky Sect currently inactive, this token could only belong to either the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School or the Blue Lightning Tyrant School, making it easy to trace. Gerald's respectful demeanor stemmed from the token's significance and the powerful factions it represented.
The group soon arrived at a lavishly decorated reception hall, where tea and exquisite pastries had been prepared in advance.
Once the three were seated, Gerald dismissed the others and moved the tea closer to Li Xun. "May I ask the purpose of your esteemed visit?"
Li Xun glanced at the tea and pastries on the table, then carefully observed the Cardinal across from him. He sensed that this man was quite astute.
"Bishop Gerald, I'll get straight to the point," Li Xun said, taking a sip of the tea, though he couldn't discern its variety. "I represent the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. I've come to discuss a business proposal with you."
"Oh!" Gerald's eyes sparkled, and his smile instantly became more amiable. "I'm all ears. What kind of business could make a colossal entity like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School think of a humble bishop like me?"
As a Cardinal, Gerald received a fixed salary and allowances, but he also benefited from small gifts offered by subordinates seeking promotions or favorable evaluations. Additionally, minor local factions would donate funds to the Spirit Hall for convenience. While these amounts were modest individually, collectively they far exceeded the earnings of an average merchant.
Now, Li Xun, representing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, had arrived unannounced to discuss business. This piqued Gerald's curiosity and caution, but also his keen interest.
"Bishop Gerald, you're too modest. If someone of your rank is considered a 'small bishop,' then others need not strive for advancement," Li Xun said, not underestimating the man. Though in the Soul Master world, where strength was paramount, these bishops might not be highly regarded, their authority over the middle and lower classes was undeniable.
"My main purpose today is to open a high-end restaurant in Suotuo City."
"Just that?" Gerald's smile froze, and it took him a moment to regain his composure. If it weren't for the Papal Token in Li Xun's possession, he might have expelled him from the Spirit Hall right then.
"Isn't this business a bit too small?" Gerald chose his words carefully, speaking softly. "Given the scale of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, why would you need my cooperation for a mere high-end restaurant?"
"Bishop Gerald, this is no small venture. Do you know the profit margins in the ordinary catering industry? They range from forty to fifty percent at the minimum," Li Xun explained. He then glanced around the room and retrieved the corpse of a Three-Eyed Magic Fox from his Soul Guiding Device. "What I'm proposing is a Soul Beast business with a two hundred percent profit margin."
Gelaf looked at the massive body of the Three-Eyed Magic Fox in the center of the reception hall and had a thought: "You want to use Soul Beast meat as a selling point to open a high-end restaurant."
"However, forgive me for being blunt, even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School were to handle this alone, it wouldn't be difficult at all. Why choose me?"
Gelaf had actually been quite tempted the moment he saw the Soul Beast corpse. He carefully recalled and realized that there really wasn't any restaurant selling Soul Beast meat.
In the past, when Soul Masters hunted Soul Beasts to absorb their Spirit Rings, they would often leave the corpses behind. No one thought of bringing the Soul Beasts back to make money.
After all, the wilderness is dangerous, and no one would willingly take such a big risk just for the sake of a meal. Not everyone has a Soul Guiding Device.
"Bishop Gelaf, actually, it's not just you. Our goal is to turn this high-end restaurant into a chain."
Li Xun took out a map from his Soul Guiding Device and spread it between them: "This scale will involve all regions across the continent."
"Although Suotuo City, where you are located, is not a provincial capital, its importance is undeniable. That's why I came personally to discuss cooperation with you."
Ning Rongrong, who had been idly eating pastries, widened her eyes upon hearing Li Xun's words. How come she didn't know about such a big matter in the sect?
"You mean to say that in this cooperation, from the Platinum Bishops down to the Deacons in the Spirit Hall, all are your targets for collaboration."
Gelaf narrowed his eyes: "But what can we do for you? Are you suggesting we lift the restrictions on the Soul Beast Forest to hunt Soul Beasts?"
Li Xun took out a pen from his Soul Guiding Device and began marking the map: "Rest assured, we are discussing a legitimate business here, no underhanded tactics. All you need to do is endorse this restaurant."
"Endorse?" Gelaf was somewhat puzzled.
"Exactly, endorse. You need to remind the public and the nobility from time to time that the restaurant we are opening is the only one on the continent jointly protected by the Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"Our restaurant is dedicated to recycling what was once considered useless Soul Beast remains to subsidize civilian Soul Masters, allowing them to earn extra income while obtaining Spirit Rings."
"For this, you need to call on Soul Masters not to waste the corpses after obtaining Spirit Rings, but to bring them back and sell them to our restaurant."
Li Xun put down the pen and pushed the marked map towards Gelaf: "Of course, you also have another important task, which is to curb the indiscriminate killing of Soul Beasts by some Soul Masters."
"Although the Spirit Hall strictly prohibits Soul Masters from large-scale indiscriminate killing of Soul Beasts. But once something generates enough profit, even the strictest laws cannot prevent people from committing crimes."
Gelaf laughed heartily, holding the map with both hands: "But what does that have to do with us? Hunting Soul Beasts is risky. If it's just for money, dying in the belly of a Soul Beast is a fitting end."
As Gelaf looked at Li Xun's plan, his doubts gradually faded, leaving only fantasies of future wealth.
He could see the immense business opportunity here. He just didn't know yet how much profit Li Xun could offer him. But as a Cardinal and with Li Xun personally coming to him, he figured his share wouldn't be small.
"Bishop Gerald, we can't drain the pond to catch all the fish; there's no end to making money," Li Xun chuckled as he picked up his teacup. "If we don't intervene, the Soul Beasts that have thrived for decades or even centuries might become scarce within a few decades."
"By then, we might be scorned by future generations."
Bishop Gerald was taken aback, then furrowed his brow in deep thought. "So, what do you suggest?"
Living in this world isn't just about wealth; it's also about reputation. If one can achieve both, that's ideal. But if not, one must choose what they value most.
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