Chapter 177: Qian Xunji's Guidance, Qian Renchuan Grows Ever Darker
Inside a secluded room, only Qian Xunji and Qian Renchuan were present.
Sitting on a plush sofa, one leg draped over the other, Qian Xunji said, "Xiaochuan, tell me: from your recent contact, how would you describe Ning Fengzhi?"
After a moment's thought, Qian Renchuan replied, "Father, you've often told me that in the world of soul masters, Ning Fengzhi is considered an old fox. Don't listen to what he says—watch what he does. I've heard of his reputation as a kind-hearted man, and I think Ning Fengzhi is quite a formidable adversary, like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Yu Clan Master. They're probably not bad people."
Ning Fengzhi, known for his great kindness, did indeed share a reputation with the famously righteous Yu Yuanzhen.
Qian Xunji let out a light laugh. "Xiaochuan, do you know why, despite the two great empires prohibiting slave auctions on the surface, the Heaven Dou Auction House dares to sell a cat-girl?"
"I don't."
"It's because of human desire, because of profit, and also because of people's perception."
"You've just seen how lustful people can be. That cat-girl—plenty desired her. Her looks are on par with those female attendants in the auction hall, but her mutated spirit's cat ears and tail really stirred certain...preferences, that thing called a fetish. Hence, she ended up being auctioned off.
"Second, profit. Anything in the realm of vice often yields windfall returns. That cat-girl fetched a final price of two hundred thousand gold spirit coins—about the annual tax revenue of a fourth-tier city. Such enormous profit is enough for these big shots to cling to. Why would they let it go?
"And the last point: people's perception. A ticket to the auction house costs ten thousand gold spirit coins—money beyond the reach of ninety-nine percent of the Heaven Dou Empire's populace for their entire lives. Those people have no idea what goes on inside an auction hall, and they'd never guess that while the empire claims it forbids slave trading, almost every first- or second-tier city is home to some auction house like this."
Then Qian Xunji posed another question: "Xiaochuan, suppose the secrets of this auction house were exposed to Heaven Dou's common folk—what do you think would happen?"
"They'd riot!" Qian Renchuan said at once.
"And then?"
"The auction houses would all be shut down!"
"Shortsighted."
Seeing his father's disapproval, Qian Renchuan hung his head, pondering where his reasoning fell short.
"If the people discovered what goes on, indeed they'd revolt. And the empire's officials, to quell any disorder and protect their reputation and stability, would single out a few scapegoats to play the good guys. Meanwhile, the auction houses would quietly reopen somewhere else—because hardly anyone, when faced with such profit, would resist temptation.
"Xiaochuan, there's one line I want you to remember deeply."
Qian Renchuan straightened. "Please, Father."
"Kindness is merely a favor bestowed by the strong upon the weak, so long as it doesn't conflict with the strong's interests."
"I know it may be hard for you to comprehend all at once, so let's take Ning Fengzhi and Yu Yuanzhen as examples."
Calm-faced, eyes seemingly seeing through everything, Qian Xunji went on, "Xiaochuan, do you think 'goodness' is what—buying and caring for some cat-girls? Did you know that these auction houses were established by nobles, and that Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan does plenty of business with nobles? In fact, large portions of that clan's wealth come from them."
Qian Renchuan suddenly caught on. "Father, that's why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan supports the Heaven Dou Empire, right?"
Qian Xunji nodded approvingly. "Right, because that's tied to their profit. And occasionally spending some money to buy cat-girls and look after them, then spreading the word about it—that's how Ning Fengzhi's so-called 'great kindness' gets its name. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's shining reputation stems precisely from maneuvers like that."
A chill shot through Qian Renchuan. He never would have guessed so much lay behind it. Ning Fengzhi really was an immensely cunning old fox, outwardly avoiding involvement in such auctions yet secretly supporting those who founded them—the Heaven Dou royal family and nobles. They'd all rake in profits from the Heaven Dou Auction House, while Ning Fengzhi transacted with those hedonistic aristocrats, sharing in the spoils. Then, by using a bit of money to buy and rescue some cat-girls, he'd earn more admiration from the masses. It was a calculated trade, maximizing returns at minimal cost. Those cat-girls were practically sold out, still counting money on his behalf, exploited for every ounce of value!
Next, Qian Xunji said, "What about Yu Yuanzhen, who indeed hates evil—but at the end of the day will still yield when profit is on the line?"
"You know of the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Spirits' that Yu Xiaogang proposed?"
Qian Renchuan nodded. "Yes, Father, but those theories are riddled with flaws and hold minimal value."
"Exactly. So do you know why that flawed, barely valuable theory caused such a huge stir in the soul master world—why all the big family clans were mocking it?"
"I'm not sure."
"It's precisely because there was still that tiny bit of value. The world's resources are finite, so who'd want another challenger grabbing a piece of the pie? 'Ten Core Competencies' may be flawed, but so long as there's even one fragment that's meaningful, that little extra knowledge might spark someone's rise. Look at Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—he too was once a poor nobody who rose to Title Douluo level, albeit without building his own clan.
"If more and more 'Bone Douluo-level geniuses' emerged to found their own clans, they'd have to seize part of everyone else's benefits to grow. None of the major powers would allow that, even if the chance were only one in ten thousand—they'd snuff it out. That's why the theory caused such chaos. If Yu Xiaogang weren't Yu Yuanzhen's son—and if Yu Yuanzhen weren't strong enough—he'd have been chopped to pieces by someone and disappeared from the world long ago. Even then, under pressure from the soul master world's great families, implicating the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's interests, the righteous Yu Yuanzhen had to compromise, crossing Yu Xiaogang off the clan register and joining the crowd deriding him."
Sighing, Qian Xunji concluded, "So you see? Great philanthropist Ning Fengzhi or any 'benevolence' from others—it's just a matter of the strong offering concessions to the weak, provided it doesn't harm the strong's own interests. 'Goodness,' 'justice'—they're merely a tactic to win hearts, a tool for cultivating a fine reputation. Once stark, naked profit is on the line, it all unravels immediately.
"Still, if truly decent people do exist, like your grandfather, I really respect them. But if such a person stands against our Spirit Hall in the future, I will wipe them out without hesitation."
Qian Renchuan's mind kept replaying his father's words, a faint redness flickering anew in his eyes.
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