Chapter 04: Even Immortals Engage in Underhanded Tactics

Moreover, during this month, he hardly needs to descend to the mortal realm, as there are naturally people below who will take care of everything for him. Money can make the devil push the mill, and the money of deities is still money.

Luo Qian casually sat cross-legged and began to cultivate earnestly. The Immortal of Calamity is not incapable of cultivation; however, no matter how much celestial energy is inhaled and exhaled, it is difficult to settle within the body, rendering the cultivation efforts futile. Therefore, Luo Qian can no longer recall how long it has been since he last practiced.

Gold has a price, but jade is priceless, a sentiment particularly evident in the expensive jadeite. In prosperous times, the fervor for collecting often surges, and this piece of jadeite is truly exceptional, with a vivid green resembling clear water, the size of a quail's egg, priced at 16 million. In the eyes of collectors, this is by no means expensive. This is the treasure of Changfahao.

Luo Qian looked at him, revealing a sly smile: "Du Shao, do you have something on your mind? Hmm? Be honest with me, have you taken a liking to this younger sister?" He shook the ballot in his hand: "If you don't speak up, don't blame me for not helping you, brother." Saying this, he shoved the ballot into Du Lengning's hand.

Luo Qian left behind his account and the mirror stone, taking away the jadeite. Three days later, during the next audit, it was indeed found that the account had increased by thirty-five million.

Three days later, Luo Qian arrived as scheduled with the mirror stone. Old Xiao indeed arranged for several senior experts, and everyone pretended to be resolute together while Luo Qian observed coldly from the side. Ever since he discovered someone had placed a reservation on him as he exited the shop last time, Luo Qian had known what these people were up to.

Du Lengning lowered his voice and said, "Lao Luo, are you going down again?" Luo Qian nodded, and Du Lengning continued, "That's perfect, please bring me a copy of the gaming magazine and send this out for me."

Luo Qian felt a bit flustered; this was not good. He was currently doing quite well in the Immortal Realm, relying entirely on this particular compensation technique. If he were to lose this skill, his future would be uncertain. Whether he could endure the next five hundred years was truly hard to say

Luo Qian tucked the magazine into his bosom, found a secluded spot, and returned to the Immortal Realm

... ...

Du Lengning hurriedly said: "No, no, brother, am I not saying it's fine? Let me tell you, this younger sister is playing the role of my favorite game beauty. Wow, you have no idea, it's simply lifelike, from her appearance to her temperament, she is almost identical to the beauty in the game"

Luo Qian sighed and said, "Du Shao, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you can't expect me to lose money, can you?" Du Lengning thought for a moment and replied, "I don't have that much money on hand right now, so I can pay you two million standard fairy jade for the time being. The rest, I will pay in installments!" This new term was actually learned from Luo Qian.

Luo Qian casually flipped through and found the number 35 sister that Du Lengning liked. After dressing up, she appeared very cold and alluring. The indigo eyeshadow accentuated her phoenix-like eyes, with finely shaped and deep eyebrows. The neatly arranged bangs on her forehead formed a blade-like arc, and her pointed chin slightly tilted upwards, making her gaze even more ruthless. She wore a purple-blue dress with wide sleeves, edged with a three-finger-wide white trim. One hand rested on her snow-white thigh while the other pressed against the hilt of the long sword behind her. She wore a purple-blue dress with wide sleeves, edged with a three-finger-wide white trim. One hand rested on her snow-white thigh while the other pressed against the hilt of the long sword behind her.

Dressed in designer brands, the price is quite steep. He looks like a prodigal son who has stolen treasures from home to sell. The old man kept a watchful eye and returned the stone to Luo Qian with both hands, wearing a smile on his face: "Hehe, I truly apologize, sir. My old eyes are failing me; I really cannot tell what kind of gem this is. May we have a little time to invite a few experts for appraisal?" Luo Qian replied: "Alright then, I will come back in three days." "How about we book a room for you at the Garden Hotel, so you can wait for three days?" Luo Qian shook his head: "I don't have the time."

Du Lengning raised his hand in a gesture of surrender: "Alright, alright, Old Lei, stop calling her your beloved. There is no possibility between her and me; I just want to help her. Just tell me, how many fairy jades do you need"

Moreover, it is already the last month, and the magazine is published once a week. If you want your beloved to win without any hidden agendas, then the votes over these four weeks must be evenly distributed. I will have to frequently lower the threshold, and do you know what a great risk this entails

In essence, it is merely a promotional tactic for profit accumulation

In the human realm, at a renowned jewelry store, Luo Qianmie, dressed in a fashionable Gucci coat and wearing sunglasses, sat in the VIP room. An elderly man, wearing reading glasses, held a magnifying glass and was carefully examining the gemstone.

Luo Qian pondered for a moment; his infatuation with gaming beauties had nothing to do with him. He could not descend to the mortal realm to flirt with them, and it was entirely unrelated to himself. As long as he had enough celestial jade, what could he not do for himself?

... ...

Gan Zi is the capable middle-aged man who has always acted with caution and handled matters reliably, earning the appreciation of both the boss and Mr. Xiao. However, this time, when he appeared before the boss and Mr. Xiao, he was drenched in sweat. Upon entering, he fell to his knees with a thud and said: "Boss, Mr. Xiao, I am useless. I, I lost the person..."

The boss and Mr. Xiao exchanged surprised glances, as they were aware of Gan Zi's capabilities. If even he had lost track of that person, the implications of that individual could be imagined

Xiao's expression changed suddenly; he did not expect this young man to be so shrewd. He nodded slightly at Luo Qian and said, "Please wait a moment, the amount is too large, I cannot make the decision alone, I need to discuss it with the boss." He turned and went inside, made a phone call, and after coming out, he said, "Thirty-five million, this is all the cash we can mobilize at the moment. As you mentioned, we have indeed been facing a downturn recently."

In the end, he settled on one of them and picked up the package to take a look: "Indeed, it is the most expensive one..."

He tried several more times, yet the result remained the same. However, after a few attempts, Luo Qian noticed a slight difference: it seemed that the "gap" was not a bottomless pit. After several infusions of celestial energy, the rate at which the celestial energy leaked was gradually slowing down. Could it be that this "gap" was about to be filled?

"Please wait a moment, I will consult again." Old Xiao ran back inside. This time, he took a long time to come out. Seeing Luo Qian's impatient expression, Old Xiao quickly said: "The boss has already agreed, we can proceed with the formalities right away"

The celestial energy was absorbed into the body, continuously drawn away by that omnipresent yet elusive void. Luo Qian's body served merely as a medium, inhaling and exhaling. Presently, Luo Qian only inhaled without exhaling, with energy entering but not leaving. In this manner, it was unclear how much time had passed, but the rate at which the void absorbed energy gradually slowed down, eventually calming down and ceasing to absorb celestial energy.

With a loud bang, the magazine was forcefully thrown in front of Luo Qian. Du Lengning clenched his fists tightly and shouted, "Old Luo, are you just going to watch this unfair beauty contest unfold without doing anything?" Luo Qian frowned, somewhat displeased, and replied, "Du, what do you mean by that?" Du Lengning, not knowing what he was getting at, began to earnestly lecture Luo Qian: "Old Luo, we are immortals! What does it mean to be an immortal? It means being a presence that upholds justice in the hearts of those suffering in the mortal world. Haven't you heard those people constantly muttering: 'May the immortals bless us'? This election is unfair; are you really going to just sit by and do nothing?"

However, although it is precious, when compared to the chalcedony from the other two families, it truly represents the difference between a princess and a common woman

I casually flipped through the magazine and easily found the colorful page for the beauty contest. This has been the main commercial project of this well-known domestic gaming magazine for nearly six months and is approaching its conclusion after five months. In addition to publishing ballots in the magazine, voting can also be conducted online and via mobile text messages

Old Xiao quickly said: "Hurry and let him in"

He does not reveal it either, regardless of what you think in your heart, as long as you are willing to pay.

The elderly man stepped out of the door and got into a black Buick sedan parked at the entrance. The car carried him out of the city and drove into a villa located on the hillside in the suburbs.

The old man picked up the phone on the table and dialed a number, his beard trembling with excitement: "Boss, that's right, it's chalcedony, chalcedony! Our Changfa Company will finally have chalcedony... Alright, I'll be there right away"

He put away the mirror stone and just stepped outside, when the old man tapped on the wooden board beside him. In the adjacent room, a capable middle-aged man emerged. The old man gave a glance, and the middle-aged man nodded, quietly following Luo Qian.

Luo Qian glanced at him and said lightly, "If you want me to help your beloved with the beauty contest, it's not impossible..." Du Lengning was overjoyed: "Thank you..." "Wait a moment!" Luo Qian interrupted him, "In business, we must speak frankly; this magazine is not cheap, do you see? Twenty-six dollars per issue! On the ballot, the first place and the fifth place differ by over thirty thousand votes, which means over thirty thousand copies of the magazine. Moreover, we must also account for the difference in the last month, so at least forty thousand copies of the magazine are needed to balance it out. To ensure your beloved wins with a convincing and overwhelming advantage, there must be at least a one-thousand-vote lead, which totals fifty thousand votes. Calculating this..." Luo Qian took out his large calculator that he always carried with him and began to tap away: "That amounts to one hundred thirty thousand! How could I possibly have that much money!"

Luo Qiandao: "Sir, I have heard that your Longfa Restaurant has also been established for a century, but it seems that business here is not thriving. I wonder why that is?" Elder Xiao chuckled casually: "Business, after all, has its ups and downs, which is inevitable"

To prevent duplicate voting, online voting requires the input of a verification code. This verification code consists of two segments, and each magazine contains a unique set. Therefore, to vote online at hetushucomcom, a magazine is also needed. Voting via SMS is much more convenient; however, each voting SMS costs 1 yuan.

The old man scrutinized it for a long time, furrowing his brow in thought. He picked it up again to take another look, and after pondering once more, he still could not make up his mind. The old man glanced at Luo Qian beside him, contemplating his background.

Luo Qian nodded slightly: "What you said is not entirely wrong." He stroked his chin, adopting a contemplative expression, calculating in his mind that it seemed he would have to descend to the lower realm once again. Coincidentally, at the end of the last disc he smuggled for Ling Xiaose, there was a preview of the latest film featuring that actress, with just a few tantalizing shots that made Ling unable to control himself, constantly urging him to quickly get the new disc for him. Luo Qian was concerned that Ling Xiaose's recent "allowance" had been cut, leaving him without money to pay his own bills, so he had been delaying. This time, he thought he might as well do a good deed and help him out.

Luo Qian's gaze fell upon the hall outside the VIP reception room. In the center of the hall, arranged in a nine-palace layout, stood a prestigious and luxurious square cabinet made of pure redwood. The cabinet was sculpted into a seven-tiered pagoda, with several pieces of precious jewelry displayed on each tier. As one ascended, the number of jewels decreased, and on the topmost tier was an emerald pendant priced at 16 million RMB

According to the usual methods, the general of the Luo Qian Alliance would contain a mouthful of celestial spirit energy within his body. It was said that at this moment, the celestial spirit energy would be forced into a mysterious passage within his body, subsequently opening a spatial channel to the lower realm. However, this time, once the celestial spirit energy was contained within, it quickly leaked out from an unknown source.

Taking a deep breath, he forcefully held it in, and a passage was opened. With a loud "bang," Luo Qian vanished

The verification code on the ballot was not wasted either; the ballots were sent out while the verification codes were retained. In this way, only twenty-five thousand magazines were needed for fifty thousand ballots, saving half of the costs

Luo Qian opened his eyes and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; this time, he was truly frightened. Ascending to become a Tribulation Immortal was already unfortunate enough, and if he could not even use the only compensatory celestial technique of a Tribulation Immortal, then he would surely be the most unfortunate one among all Tribulation Immortals

The entire selection competition lasted for six months, ultimately determining the overall champion. The reward is an endorsement contract with a well-known gaming company. Additionally, twenty lucky voters will be randomly selected by a computer to receive a ten-day trip to Europe

Du Lengning considered for a moment, shook his head and said, "Then forget it, I haven't had that much money lately"

A middle-aged man, with a deep brown cigar clamped between his fingers, took a few vigorous puffs and nodded, saying: "Old Xiao, I trust your judgment. I will immediately send someone to investigate that young man's background. The jadeite is something we must acquire, but we must be careful not to get into any trouble because of it." "I share the same sentiment, which is why I didn't immediately propose a purchase, but instead employed a delaying tactic..."

"Old Xiao, have you really seen it clearly?" asked a plump middle-aged man in a light pink shirt. Old Xiao nodded, still somewhat excited: "Indeed, I have secretly observed the two pieces of chalcedony from Deshengji and Ruifuxiang several times, and I am certain of it."

Although mirror stones are found everywhere in the celestial realm, if pig farming were permitted there, the pig farms would surely be constructed using mirror stones; however, in the mortal realm, this is indeed a rare treasure

Luo Qian at least did not deceive Du Lengning in one regard, which is that he truly does not have that much money. To gather a total of 1,300,000, he must "part with some cherished possessions" and buy a few items

A series of knocks echoed, and the middle-aged man angrily exclaimed, "Did I not say that we are not to be disturbed!" A subordinate in a black suit pushed open a crack in the door, allowing his voice to come through: "Boss, the person sent by Old Xiao to keep watch has returned."

Luo Qian nodded slightly: "No problem, you will pay me one million standard fairy jade each month, to be settled in three months, is that acceptable?" Du Lengning gritted her teeth: "No problem!"

Luo Qian glanced at it, frowning: "Du Shao, why is all the information you provided about me?" The phone numbers and addresses given by Du Lengning were all related to Luo Qian's "base" in the lower realm. Du Lengning chuckled, putting his arm around Luo Qian's shoulder: "In a lifetime, we are like brothers; can't you help with this little bit?"

The remaining tasks became much simpler. Luo Qian recruited some individuals to purchase magazines directly from the publishing company, and then filled out all the ballots with the number thirty-five, sending out thousands of ballots every day.

In the human realm, Luo Qian had a variety of bird feed laid out before him. He sat in a garden square where some plump pigeons were fluttering in the center. Luo Qian scattered the bird feed by handfuls, observing which type the pigeons preferred to eat, as that would surely be the most "delicious".

Having purchased the bird feed, Luo Qian made a trip to the post office to send the ballot to the address provided by Du Lengning. He then visited an electronics mall in the city, where he bought the latest adult film from a sleazy man wearing black-framed glasses

Luo Qian returned to his cave dwelling in Fushan, chiseled off a small piece from the mirror stone monument at his entrance, and tucked it into his bosom as he descended to the mortal realm

... ...

... ...

Mr. Xiao was taken aback; the long-haired faction was being squeezed by two other companies to an unreasonable extent. If they cannot maintain their leading position among the three major jewelry firms in the country, it would truly tarnish the reputation left by their ancestors.

Luo Qian smiled faintly and extended five fingers. "Five hundred thousand?" Old Xiao asked tentatively. Luo Qian casually touched his clothes and replied, "Sir, this outfit of mine is worth seventy to eighty thousand. I am not a country bumpkin who has never seen a large sum of money, so don't try to scare me..." Old Xiao's face flushed, and he smiled awkwardly, saying, "Hehe, just a joke. How could such a beautiful jade be worth only five hundred thousand? How about this, a firm price: five million!"

Luo Qian, with a blank expression, extended five fingers: "For the sake of your Du Shao, I am willing to take this risk. I will not count my own labor costs; you will give me five million standard fairy jade."

"What!" Du Lengning exclaimed, "Is this still based on my face?" Luo Qian looked at him with a very sympathetic expression and said, "Du Shao, it seems you really do not know the price level in the human world. One hundred thirty thousand can buy a Lamborghini sports car..."

Then, at the entrance of the electronics market, I bought a new issue of the magazine for Du Lengning at the newsstand.

This fellow, is this his taste? Luo Qian shook his head repeatedly. Unlike Du Lengning, who is a wealthy young master from the immortal realm, he has traversed the mortal world countless times. Nowadays, young women cannot be judged by their makeup; even prehistoric creatures, once made up, can present themselves as fashionable and bookish beauties.

"Go ahead, no problem, leave it to me," Luo Qian said, patting his chest.

Luo Qian took a look and found that it was a ballot for a game beauty contest. It turned out that this well-known domestic gaming magazine was holding a game anime COSPLAY competition to select the most beautiful younger sister in the eyes of its readers. Du Lengning had already filled out the ballot with the contestant number of her favorite younger sister and her own information, which Luo Qian had brought back from the magazine last time.

After ascending, there are many sects in the celestial realm. As long as one's aptitude is not too poor, one can casually join any sect and receive the sect's cultivation techniques. However, Luo Qian's cultivation technique was purchased with money

Old Luo, please help me. Over the past couple of days, I have replayed the game using the character she portrayed, and I am growing more and more fond of her...

Three days later

Further along, since this issue is the first of the last month of this magazine, it features the total vote rankings from the previous five months to encourage readers to vigorously support their favorite contestants. The girl number 35, whom Du Lengning likes, does not have a high vote rate, only occupying the fifth position. The contestant ranked first strikes an alluring pose, bending her body down on the ground, arching her rounded backside, glancing back with a smile, and holding a short knife in her mouth that is filled with red ink to resemble blood.

Luo Qian pointed and said: "35 million, plus that piece of jade." Old Master Xiao felt troubled: "Sir, this..." Luo Qian impatiently replied: "Old Master, you are well aware of the importance of this stone to your Changfa Company. I will not budge on the price of 50 million. I am willing to accept goods as payment, which is already my bottom line. If you are unwilling, China is vast, and there are many capable merchants who aspire to rank among the top three jewelry firms; they would not find 50 million expensive."

The boss let out a sigh of relief: "We have nothing to worry about now. A person with such abilities cannot be a spoiled rich kid. This deal can be made with confidence..."

Luo Qian was taken aback: What is going on? The compensation spell that has always worked flawlessly has failed. Let me try again! As the spiritual energy entered his body, it felt as if it had entered a punctured tire, quickly leaking out from an unknown source.

Luo Qian nodded: Nowadays, people tend to prefer this type of girl, with round hips, a slim waist, and large breasts that could crush the Pope. No wonder she firmly occupies the top spot on the rankings, pulling ahead of the second place by over ten thousand votes

Returning to his cave in the Fushan Mountains with the ballot, Luo Qian tidied up briefly and prepared to descend to the lower realm

However, I have heard that your competitors, Deshengji and Ruifuxiang, have successively acquired two pieces of chalcedony, using this as a promotional tactic to continuously undermine your Changfahao. Is there any truth to this matter

"What, bird food? You must be joking with me, Du Shao?" Luo Qian exclaimed as he sprayed the tea in his mouth out of the window of Guanyan Tower upon hearing Du Lengning introduce the weaknesses of the lightning-type spell master. Du Lengning shook his head: "Of course not. This guy is a demon immortal. Do you understand what a demon immortal is? In the immortal realm, out of every ten oddities, nine are demon immortals."

"How are you, sir?" Luo Qian asked with a smile. Old Xiao nodded in approval and said, "Good stuff, good stuff. We will take it. May I ask how much you would like for it?"