Celestial Beast Taming

Chapter 315: Chapter 190: Zhong Yi’s Candidate for President

As he looked over the Insect Guardian Beast Bases, he couldn’t help but offer some praise.

In front of Zhong Yi, Fu Hongning didn’t put on airs. Instead, he spoke very sincerely.

"My father single-handedly founded the Zhenchong Commerce Association."

"The Zhenchong Commerce Association developed under my father’s leadership for over a decade before I took full control."

"I’ve always publicly claimed the Zhenchong Commerce Association has a hundred-year history, but in reality, it’s only been around for a little over thirty years."

"That’s because before my father established the association, his main business was running these Insect Guardian Beast Bases."

"This gave the Zhenchong Commerce Association a relatively stable foundation among the older factions."

"But compared to the top factions that have truly developed for hundreds of years, our heritage is far inferior."

Zhong Yi listened to Fu Hongning’s words from the side, nodding to himself.

From the moment he first met Fu Hongning, Zhong Yi could tell he was a very confident man.

But as they interacted more, Zhong Yi realized that Fu Hongning, while confident, was also remarkably clear-headed and could clearly see the Zhenchong Commerce Association’s shortcomings.

’This is the kind of person worth having a long-term partnership with.’

"Vice President Fu, I heard that several years ago, the Zhenchong Commerce Association had already begun expanding into markets outside Starlight City."

"The Zhenchong Commerce Association opened branches in the other four Heroic Cities surrounding Starlight City."

"If the Zhenchong Commerce Association continues along its current path, it should be able to open up even broader markets. Why insist on developing a new function?"

A commerce association’s liquid capital is limited, and the Zhenchong Commerce Association had basically exhausted its own buying the Iron-Eating Insects from Zhong Yi.

In Zhong Yi’s view, this would severely limit the Zhenchong Commerce Association’s ability to develop markets in other Heroic Cities.

Fu Hongning gave a bitter laugh upon hearing this.

"Lord Zhong Yi, the Zhenchong Commerce Association did indeed open branches in the surrounding cities. However, those cities also have factions that specialize in cultivating Insect Guardian Beasts."

"The Zhenchong Commerce Association was able to capture the market in Starlight City by relying on its service and its comprehensive variety of Insect Guardian Beasts."

"But in the other Heroic Cities, we were never even given a chance to serve customers."

"The local factions in those Heroic Cities that specialize in Insect Guardian Beasts would band together to suppress the Zhenchong Commerce Association."

"Even if the Zhenchong Commerce Association managed to gain a foothold, it was very difficult to achieve any subsequent growth in those four Heroic Cities."

"This made me realize that to expand a faction from one Heroic City to others, you can’t just rely on deepening your specialization. You need enough martial strength and a backer powerful enough to intimidate other factions."

Fu Hongning’s expression didn’t change much as he said this.

But whenever he thought about the Zhenchong Commerce Association’s stagnant growth in the other Heroic Cities over the years, Fu Hongning’s heart felt heavy.

The Zhenchong Commerce Association had invested a huge amount of cash flow to expand its market.

But because they were targeted at every turn, not only did the market expansion fail to bring Fu Hongning much profit, it actually forced him to sink vast resources into the other Heroic Cities every year.

Meanwhile, back in Starlight City, the Zhenchong Commerce Association’s current business had more or less hit its ceiling.

There was no more room to expand in the Insect Guardian Beast market, which was why Fu Hongning was thinking of opening up an entirely new line of business for the Zhenchong Commerce Association.

Just as a myriad of thoughts were swirling through Fu Hongning’s mind, he heard Zhong Yi suddenly ask,

"Vice President Fu, I’m planning to open a commerce association and need someone who can help me manage it."

"Do you have anyone you’d recommend?"

Hearing this, Fu Hongning pondered for a moment before asking Zhong Yi,

"Lord Zhong Yi, may I ask what type of commerce association you plan to open?"

By now, Zhong Yi had already entered the Insect Guardian Beast Base for Geomagnetic Bees and was starting to look for the ones he wanted.

Hearing Fu Hongning’s question, Zhong Yi answered directly.

"I want to start a comprehensive commerce association, not one limited to dealing in a specific type of Guardian Beast or material."

Fu Hongning really wanted to recommend his own son, Fu Wei. Fu Wei had a bit of a knack for business.

However, Fu Wei was ultimately meant to be his successor, and his current ability wasn’t sufficient to manage a comprehensive commerce association.

Fu Hongning figured that the association Zhong Yi was starting wouldn’t just be limited to Starlight City, but would expand into other Heroic Cities.

Suddenly, a person came to Fu Hongning’s mind.

"Lord Zhong Yi, I wonder if you remember Zhou Yang, whom you met before at Senhe Hall?"

’Zhou Yang!?’

Zhong Yi did indeed have some impression of Zhou Yang.

At the time, interacting with Zhou Yang had felt like a spring breeze.

In the Exotic Beast Garden at Senhe Hall, Zhou Yang had handled the reception of so many attending factions with ease.

Zhong Yi was a little curious why Fu Hongning would suddenly bring up Zhou Yang out of the blue.

Seeing Zhong Yi’s quizzical gaze, Fu Hongning lowered his voice and said,

"Lord Zhong Yi, Senhe Hall was jointly founded by several factions."

"The Golden Leaf Chamber of Commerce is Senhe Hall’s largest shareholder, and behind the Golden Leaf Chamber of Commerce is the Zhou Family."

"Zhou Yang is only from a collateral branch of the Zhou Family. For a faction like the Zhou Family, which places great importance on Bloodline, the fact that Zhou Yang was able to become the person in charge of Senhe Hall in a Heroic City is a testament to his ability."

"The Zhou Family has numerous members in its direct line, and at least tens of thousands in its collateral branches."

"For Zhou Yang to achieve more within the family than many disciples from the direct line made a lot of the younger generation in the Zhou Family extremely envious."

At this point, Fu Hongning paused for a moment, then continued in a somewhat wistful tone.

"Zhou Yang’s father was a Steward at the Golden Leaf Chamber of Commerce, responsible for transporting valuable goods."

"Not long ago, there was an accident during a transport, causing the Golden Leaf Chamber of Commerce to suffer heavy losses and affecting the scheduling of an auction."

"Because of this, Zhou Yang’s father was severely punished by the family and ended up dying in the Zhou Family’s ancestral hall due to internal factional struggles."

"The Zhou Family’s situation is rather complicated. I don’t know the specific details myself."

"However, after Zhou Yang’s father died, I heard his mother committed suicide as well."

"The Zhou Family directly parachuted in a new Steward at Senhe Hall in Starlight City, clearly not wanting Zhou Yang to continue holding an important position."

"Logically, Zhou Yang should have returned to the Royal Capital immediately to handle his parents’ funeral affairs."

"But it seems Zhou Yang is still in Starlight City and hasn’t returned to the Zhou Family."

"Lord Zhong Yi, if you don’t mind getting involved in the Zhou Family’s grievances, Zhou Yang is an excellent choice."

"I’ve had a fair amount of contact with Zhou Yang. If his status as a collateral disciple hadn’t held him back, he wouldn’t just be a mere Steward of Senhe Hall."

Having said that, Fu Hongning didn’t elaborate further.

Zhong Yi could hear the high regard Fu Hongning held for Zhou Yang in his words.

Zhong Yi had Zhou Yang’s contact information on his phone, but he didn’t plan on contacting him directly.

Instead, he planned to go back and investigate the situation first before deciding whether to get in touch with Zhou Yang.

Zhong Yi wanted to build his own faction, and a stable channel to help him acquire and sell resources was extremely important.

Just then, Zhong Yi saw a staff member inside the base walk past him, pushing a box on wheels.

The Geomagnetic Bees in this box were all missing their Tail Needles.

Seeing Zhong Yi’s gaze fall upon the Geomagnetic Bees without Tail Needles in the box, the staff member quickly stopped.

Fu Hongning had been observing Zhong Yi ever since he entered the Geomagnetic Bee’s Insect Guardian Beast Base.

There were so many excellent Geomagnetic Bees here, yet Zhong Yi showed no interest. Instead, he was paying attention to this "trash" that was about to be disposed of.

"Lord Zhong Yi, these Geomagnetic Bees will be sent to be made into high-protein feed or live food for carnivorous Insect Guardian Beasts like Fire Scorpion Ants and Swift Spiders."

"If you would just..."

Before Fu Hongning could finish his sentence, Zhong Yi was already walking toward the box.

His expression intent, he began to carefully inspect the plump, densely-furred Geomagnetic Bees inside the box.

There were many Geomagnetic Bees in the box that hadn’t grown Tail Needles. After rummaging around for a long time, Zhong Yi finally found one that had an extra pair of antennae on its head and secreted a purplish-black magnetic crystal from its abdomen.

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