Dao of Money

Chapter 83: Progression finally

It took a while, but Qing He was finally on board with moving to the sect temporarily to work on the gunpowder and assist with the casing of the gun itself. By the end of their discussion, she had even provided ideas for the weapon’s construction, suggesting the use of runes to reinforce the structure and improve durability.

Chen Ren hadn't given much thought to that aspect—his knowledge of runes was basic, limited to the ones he used for talismans—but Qing He’s insights were detailed enough that even Feiyu found himself agreeing. By the time their conversation ended, he got the distinct impression that she wasn't just coming along because he asked her to; she was genuinely interested in the project itself.

With that settled, they didn’t linger in Cloud Mist City for much longer. He made his rounds, visiting the noodle stall, making rounds of Heavenly Fragrances, and checking in on the staff. He went over the accounts and spoke with Yuqiu about their next steps, making sure that they had a plan in place for expansion. While he wouldn’t be around personally, he reassured her that he’d assist with any problems that arose. And that was all she needed.

Once that was done, he set out for the village with the rest of his party behind him.

Fortunately, the roads weren’t in bad shape, and they made good time on the journey; with occasional conversations and resting. Before long, they were met with the sight of the village.

They soon made their way toward the sect’s buildings.

Even in the short time he had been away, he could tell a lot had changed. He could tell. Construction was still ongoing, but there was a clear sense of order now.

The scattered chaos of early development had dissipated, giving way to something more structured—organized. And as they got closer, Chen Ren noticed a few mortal sect members lingering outside. It wasn’t long before one of them moved inside, likely to call Tang Xiulan as they stepped out of the carriage.

Soon, she walked outside with Zi Wen behind her, but Chen Ren's eyes didn't move to them. They locked onto the massive wolf, who was towering over both of them and momentarily, he was stunned.

Of course, Little Yuze had been large before he had left, but now the beast looked nothing short of a behemoth. He had grown a foot or two, his fur darker, darker than the obsidian than was before and more imposing, and as he opened his mouth, Chen Ren caught sight of far more pointed teeth than he recalled.

“Good to see you both again.” He looked back at Zi Wen and Xiulan but his eyes went back to the wolf for a while, assessing the changes closely, before turning his head back to Zi Wen. "It seems like you were successful."

Zi Wen nodded with a proud smile. "Yes. I hadn't expected it, but once I found that link to my new path that I was

By the time he was done, he felt like he had eaten a hearty breakfast—satisfied, but still capable of taking in more. Without hesitation, he turned his gaze to the second star, the one representing his perfume business.

Unlike the noodle stall, the perfume business hadn't grown much in size, but its steady success meant it was still wrapped in a significant amount of qi. He felt it in his core. Targeting middle-class women with affordable perfumes had proven to be a solid strategy, and as Chen Ren absorbed the energy, he could tell that this star would expand soon enough. When it did, the amount of qi he was receiving now would be only a fraction of what he'd gain in the future.

He sighed in contentment as he felt filled once again.

With both of his primary stars drained of qi, he turned his gaze toward the third one. A frown appeared on his forehead as he stared at it for a while without doing a thing. He wanted—no, needed to take it all in.

This star was different—it almost bubbled with energy, pulsing as if barely containing the qi within. The alcohol business had brought in a large sum already, and with the profit-sharing model in place, he would continue receiving a steady flow of income every month. That meant this star would only grow brighter and more potent in the coming months.

Chen Ren stared at it, his mind drifting back to everything it had taken to get here. He had been constantly downplayed by the big players, forced to fight tooth and nail to carve out his own space. The only way he had succeeded was by creating demand—by making people want his product so badly that they couldn’t ignore him. Contrary to what it had looked like from the outside, it hadn't been easy.

The fact that Ashen City was filled with alcoholics had played a huge role in his success, but even that advantage hadn’t been enough on its own. Getting his product into the right hands had taken a serious amount set of effort, and even after that, trying to get Feiyu in his sect had nearly ruined his partnership with the Zhu Clan. It could’ve been worse—he could’ve ruined everything he tried to build in a heat of a second. But fortunately, he didn’t.

And all of it had been a lesson.

In business, there were always dangerous waters to tread. One misstep could cost everything, and balance was key—knowing when to push forward, when to step back, and most importantly, when not to step on a business partner’s toes.

Because businesses were fickle, partners even more so, and keeping everything in balance was a lesson worth its weight in gold. The alcohol deal had drilled that into him. As he reflected on it, the star above him twinkled, and suddenly, a surge of qi rushed toward him.

Unlike the first two stars, this one felt overwhelming—dense and heavy, pressing down on him like an invisible weight. He hadn't expected such a massive influx of qi, and as it flooded his dantian, his body screamed in protest.

Every muscle felt like it was being stretched and torn apart, but he gritted his teeth and bore through it. This was his moment—if he gave in now, he'd regret it forever.

He mentally screamed in agony, but didn’t let out a single whimper that tried to break past his lips. He knew he was strong enough to endure the change that was about to happen. He had to be.

The qi raged within him, swirling through his meridians, breaking past bottlenecks he hadn’t even realized existed. His entire being felt like it was being reforged, the pressure almost unbearable. But then, finally, the qi began to settle. It permeated every inch of his body, strengthening him in ways he couldn't yet fully grasp. And then—

Something shifted.

A powerful sensation flooded his muscles, the unmistakable feeling of multiple breakthroughs hitting him all at once. And in that instant, his star space began to crumble.

But just before everything collapsed, he saw it.

Golden eyes.

A massive dragon loomed above him, its gaze piercing straight through his soul. It had always eluded him before, appearing only in glimpses or sensations—but this time, he saw it clearly. He tried to speak, to call out, but before he could, the vision shattered—

And he was back in his room.

Chen Ren gasped for breath, his body drenched in sweat. He hadn’t realised when he had moved, but he was on his knees, his hands on the ground. His heart pounded against his ribs as he struggled to steady himself.

Unlike his previous breakthroughs, there were no visible changes to his body—no sudden transformations—because the qi refinement realm was all about internal strengthening, purifying his qi and preparing his foundation.

Curious, he raised his hand and summoned a strand of qi. It crackled to life in his palm, far denser and stronger than before.

Before he could fully process the change, a voice cut through the silence.

“It seems like you made a bit of a gain.”

Chen Ren snapped his head toward the window.

Yalan stood there, watching him with an amused look. The cat’s timing was always immaculate—or was it that she was watching over him? He didn’t care at the moment, instead, he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Fourth star," he muttered to himself rather than Yalan. "Made quite a big leap." He could still feel his heart throb in his ears at what had happened.

Yalan, oblivious to his inner thoughts change, purred, a sign of approval. "Good. So, what about the dragon?" she asked, her tone shifting to something a little more curious.

He looked at her, his expression turning serious for a moment. "Still hiding. But it’ll come out soon, I think."

"Hmm. Hopefully," Yalan said while licking her feet in a very cat-like manner. "Anyway, things are going well. What’s next for you?"

Chen Ren’s gaze shifted, his mind already buzzing with tasks.

"There's a lot to get done. Setting up the brewery is the first priority—gotta make sure the base ingredients are flowing properly. Then, I’ll check on Luo Feng and Zi Wen, test their powers, see where they’re at. After that, I’ll give Hong Yi something to work on, keep him occupied. Finally..." His eyes sparkled with anticipation. "I’ll start making guns. It’s time to see how they’ll work out in this world."

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