Chapter 483: Who Approves, Who Opposes
Chapter 483: Who Approves, Who Opposes?
Aboard the Shattered Moon Flowing Frost, Jiang Chen and Miao Huayu rode the winds.
Miao Huayu sighed helplessly. “Senior Brother Jiang, the demand for this variety of spirit plant has surged recently. Everyone is busy planting and nurturing them. I don’t know what madness possesses those people to insist we are deliberately disrupting the market.”
Jiang Chen gave a faint nod. “Clearly, they wish to monopolize the trade.”
“It is entirely unjust,” Miao Huayu fumed. “The Sect has not intervened, so what gives them the right to dictate the rules?”
Jiang Chen waved a dismissive hand. “What you think does not matter. The true crux lies in the Harvest Alliance’s stance.”
After all, was the Harvest Alliance not the most formidable power within the Spirit Farm?
Originally, it had been formed by a group of independent cultivators unwilling to endure the oppression of the great clans. As the years flowed by, their ranks swelled and their influence deepened, eventually earning the official recognition of the Sect.
In the end, even the preeminent The Zhao Clan and the second-ranked The Wang Clan were forced to give them a wide berth.
Now, they held absolute authority over the ebb and flow of spirit plant prices. Whether the cost soared or plummeted was entirely up to the Harvest Alliance.If Ji Mingxuan and his faction were backed by the Harvest Alliance, then this matter was far more complicated than a mere conflict of interest between two mutual aid societies.
Miao Huayu muttered to herself, “The Thousand Sect Dharma Assembly is rapidly approaching, and the Sect’s grip on the markets is exceedingly strict. Yet they still dare to stir up trouble at a time like this.”
Jiang Chen remained utterly expressionless, his demeanor a picture of calm indifference.
In his heart, however, everything was crystal clear.
The Harvest Master was currently absent. At present, he and Elder Mu were the sole authorities overseeing the core of the Spirit Farm.
Thus, these instigators lacked the courage to scheme within the Spirit Farm itself. Instead, they had scurried to the Flower Sea Market to manufacture conflict.
Truthfully, he was somewhat curious to see what sort of grand spectacle these leaping clowns intended to put on.
A short while later, the two arrived at the Flower Sea Market.
The Spirit Farm’s trading hub-or more accurately, the Harvest Alliance’s designated zone-was situated in the southeastern corner.
Thanks to the vast expanse of the area, countless stalls had been erected.
The Green Alliance and the Linghe Association.
One claimed the left, the other occupied the right.
For the most part, the two factions minded their own business, hawking their respective wares.
Though minor frictions occasionally sparked, they had never escalated into a true blaze.
But today was different. Both sides stood on the razor’s edge of a brawl, their spiritual auras churning with agitation.
“Restrain yourselves! This is the Flower Sea Market, not your private courtyard!”
“On what grounds are they permitted to sell for less?”
“Exactly! Is this not a deliberate sabotage of the market?”
“Has it ever occurred to you that these goods were never worth that much to begin with?”
“Listen to yourselves! That is nothing but an excuse to ruin the trade!”
Both factions vehemently defended their positions.
One side accused the other of extortionate pricing; the other cursed their rivals for cheapening the market.
Jiang Chen did not intervene immediately. He purposefully lingered on the periphery, his sharp gaze assessing the rhythm of the conflict.
It was the same old song-a war of words waged over Spirit Stones.
The spirit plants and medicinal herbs offered by the Green Alliance were priced fairly.
Conversely, the Linghe Association demanded a premium for their wares.
This singular discrepancy had ignited the current standoff.
Miao Huayu cast a questioning glance at him. “Senior Brother, are we not going over?”
Jiang Chen shook his head. “There is no rush. I wish to see where the Harvest Alliance stands.”
In truth, the Harvest Alliance purchased almost every spirit plant cultivated by the farmers, though they deliberately suppressed the buying price.
It was enough to prevent a loss, but never enough to accumulate true wealth.
That was precisely why so many cultivators willingly paid the stall fees to sell their goods independently.
And so, Jiang Chen and Miao Huayu remained anchored on the outskirts, observing the spectacle in silence.
Thus far, the Harvest Alliance had not shown favoritism toward either faction.
In fairness, taking a side would be difficult.
The Green Alliance’s prices were standard; there was no fault to be found.
Although the Linghe Association’s prices were inflated, their members were loud, belligerent, and utterly unafraid of causing a scene.
If the dispute erupted into violence, it would become a massive headache for the Harvest Alliance’s management.
Furthermore, their justification was simple yet notoriously difficult to refute.
They would loudly proclaim that they were being deliberately targeted as newcomers to the Sect.
The underlying accusation was always the same: the locals were conspiring to suppress the outsiders.
This age-old grievance was a potent weapon in any realm, and its effectiveness was perpetually astounding.
Having seen enough to grasp the situation, Jiang Chen finally stepped forward, Miao Huayu following closely behind.
“Spirit Envoy Jiang!”
The moment they spotted his arrival, the surrounding cultivators hastily cupped their fists in respectful greeting.
Even one of the Harvest Alliance’s managers was forced to bow his head in deference.
He had no choice. A Spirit Nurturing Envoy held a status within the Spirit Farm second only to the Farming Master, the Harvest Master, and the Manager.
Recent whispers even suggested that Jiang Chen was poised to ascend to the position of Manager himself.
If those rumors proved true, he would be an entity no one could afford to offend.
At that moment, Ji Mingxuan took the initiative, stepping forth with a wide smile. “Fellow Daoist Jiang! It has been too long.”
Jiang Chen swept a measured gaze over him. “It appears your cultivation has advanced in recent years.”
Ji Mingxuan dipped his chin modestly. “The Sect is truly a blessed land. The dense Spirit Qi here allowed me to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage in less than five years.”
“Congratulations,” Jiang Chen replied, though the smile never reached his eyes.
Ji Mingxuan waved a hand, his tone shifting to profound sincerity. “Back then, I owed my life to the timely rescue by you, Qin Hao, and the others. Without your intervention, my Dao would have been extinguished.”
Jiang Chen’s superficial smile vanished. His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. “If your gratitude to the Sect runs so deep, why are you inciting chaos?”
Ji Mingxuan cast a sidelong glance at his followers before answering, “We have no other choice. We must forge our own paths in this world. The more we sell, the more Spirit Stones we accumulate.”
“Exactly!”
“You are a Spirit Nurturing Envoy of the Spirit Farm, not their personal protector!”
“You wouldn’t use your authority to suppress us, would you?”
Instantly, the crowd behind Ji Mingxuan erupted into a restless uproar.
The Harvest Alliance manager frowned deeply at the blatant display of defiance.
Jiang Chen said nothing. He merely swept his cold, indifferent gaze across the rabble. Whoever met his eyes felt an invisible weight crash down upon them, their faces paling as they hastily lowered their heads.
Spirit Nurturing Envoy was merely one of his titles.
He was a core disciple of the Green Wood Peak.
He possessed both Water and Wood Spirit Roots.
He was a cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
And he was an elite member of Chen Tian’s inner circle.
Any single one of those identities was a mountain these people could not afford to climb.
For the first time, Ji Mingxuan physically felt the suffocating pressure radiating from Jiang Chen’s figure. Even though they shared the same cultivation realm, the spiritual suppression was heavy enough to buckle his knees.
Seizing the moment, the Harvest Alliance manager stepped forward, offering an amiable smile to defuse the tension. “Spirit Envoy Jiang, this humble one is Niu Bochang. I oversee the stalls within the Flower Sea.”
Jiang Chen cast a sidelong glance at him. “Where is Su Qing?”
Niu Bochang hurriedly bowed. “Senior Sister Su is preparing to break through to the Golden Core stage. She has been in Secluded Cultivation.”
Jiang Chen turned his body fully, his gaze locking onto the man. “Then tell me, how does the Harvest Alliance intend to resolve this dispute?”
Niu Bochang looked at the Green Alliance, then at the Linghe Association, an awkward smile stretching across his face. “This… requires careful deliberation.”
Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively. “There is no need for deliberation. I have a method ready.”
Niu Bochang, Ji Mingxuan, Miao Huayu, and every cultivator present froze in surprise.
“It is quite simple,” Jiang Chen continued smoothly. “Whichever faction offers spirit plants of superior quality shall dictate the market price.
If the Green Alliance’s quality is inferior, they will be forced to raise their prices.
Conversely, if the Linghe Association’s wares are found wanting, they must lower theirs.
Who approves, who opposes?”
Although Ji Mingxuan and his cohorts possessed years of farming experience long before they entered the Cloud Sea Sect…
…one fact remained absolute: Miao Huayu, Xu Linshan, and the others had been personally mentored and elevated by Jiang Chen himself.
They might lack the raw years of experience, but their cultivation techniques were entirely peerless.
Without a second thought, Miao Huayu and her peers voiced their agreement. “We accept!”
Ji Mingxuan and his group, however, hesitated. “This…”
Jiang Chen arched an eyebrow. “Do you oppose?”
Ji Mingxuan desperately looked to Niu Bochang for support, but the manager immediately raised his hand. “I approve.”
Stripped of all leverage, Ji Mingxuan and his followers dared not voice their dissent. One by one, they forced stiff nods.
With a grand sweep of his sleeve, Jiang Chen summoned the spirit plants from both factions. Dozens of glowing spiritual herbs floated gently into the air, instantly drawing the wandering eyes of every passing cultivator in the market.
Witnessing this casual display of control, the color drained from Ji Mingxuan’s face. His heart plummeted.
Exactly as he feared, Jiang Chen’s voice boomed out in the next second. “If I were to judge this contest, whispers of bias would surely spread. Therefore, we shall let the surrounding crowd evaluate the wares. Only the judgment of the masses can truly convince everyone.”
This Spirit Envoy Jiang appears exceptionally courteous on the surface, Niu Bochang thought to himself with a shiver, but his mind is more treacherous than a thousand-year-old fox.
Ji Mingxuan and his rabble had intentionally orchestrated this scene to force Jiang Chen’s hand.
Yet, had Jiang Chen personally intervened, he would have stepped directly into their trap.
Rather than quelling the unrest, the agitators would have twisted his actions to fan the flames of their supposed oppression.
Astoundingly, while Jiang Chen had taken control of the situation, he had simultaneously dragged the entire market into the fray.
What did the surrounding cultivators represent?
They were the living embodiment of the “market”!
If the market decreed a plant superior, then it was superior.
By shifting the burden of judgment from a solitary authority to the collective will of the crowd, his maneuver was nothing short of brilliant.
No matter how many hidden schemes Ji Mingxuan had prepared, he was now utterly helpless.
“The plants on the left are clearly superior. Heavens, there’s even Top Grade quality mixed in!”
“Indeed, the overall quality on the left is vastly higher!”
“The ones on the right aren’t terrible, but their quality is wildly inconsistent. It feels as though their minds were not truly set upon cultivation.”
Whispers and murmurs swept through the crowd as the onlookers eagerly offered their critiques.
Many within the throng were veteran spirit farmers who had toiled in the Spirit Farm for over five years; some had even surpassed a decade.
Their eyes were forged by years of ruthless experience. A single glance was all they needed to separate the exquisite from the mediocre.
Hearing the crushing verdicts echo around them, the faces of Ji Mingxuan and his allies twisted into ugly masks of humiliation.
The crux of their defeat lay in the sheer numbers. Against the unified voice of the passersby, they lacked the power to mount any meaningful resistance.
Jiang Chen shifted his gaze to Miao Huayu. “Did you cultivate that Top Grade stalk?”
Miao Huayu clasped her hands nervously. “Y-Yes… it was me.”
Jiang Chen nodded in approval. “Very good.”
As expected, anyone capable of breaking through the outer rings of the Spirit Farm to earn an official position was far from ordinary.
She truly lived up to her reputation as a genius who had cultivated a mutated spirit plant on her very first farming attempt.
She had brought tremendous face to his name.
Flushed from the rare, casual praise, Miao Huayu ducked her head, her cheeks blooming with a deep red hue.
Finally, Jiang Chen turned his attention back to Ji Mingxuan. “The eyes of the masses are clear as ice. Since everyone agrees that the Green Alliance’s harvest holds superior quality, is it not time for you to lower your prices?”
Ji Mingxuan opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. It took a long, agonizing moment before he choked out, “Yes.”
Jiang Chen stepped forward, patting him heavily on the shoulder. “Since you have been permitted to join the Sect, you should treasure this hard-won destiny.
Rather than squandering your thoughts on petty rivalries, you should focus your Dao heart on the spirit plants themselves.
After all these years, your skills have not advanced, but regressed. If you present yourselves like this when the Thousand Sect Dharma Assembly commences, will you not thoroughly disgrace our Spirit Farm?”
Ji Mingxuan hung his head in absolute silence, his thoughts known only to him.
As for the rest of the Linghe Association, they stood frozen-utterly rendered speechless by the crushing reality of their defeat!