Chapter 107: The Four Seas Trading Company

Yi Tian and his companions returned to the imperial capital estate. During this period, they began gathering information throughout the capital and, after a few days, decided to sell several hundred pieces of Wind Spirit Wood through the Four Seas Trading Company.

The Reincarnation Squad had collected over two hundred pieces of Wind Spirit Wood, each over a hundred years old, from Tianfeng Gorge. This was no small fortune. Within the imperial capital of the Tianfeng Empire, only a handful of places could easily purchase such a quantity of Wind Spirit Wood.

Among these were the Tianfeng Imperial Bank, Tianfang Tower, Four Seas Trading Company, and the Tiandao Sect—each a powerful force with deep roots. Of these, the Four Seas Trading Company was renowned for its integrity and fairness in trade.

The Four Seas Trading Company was an immense enterprise spanning more than a dozen nations, backed by vast wealth. Though it lacked ties to sects or ancient powers, its considerable resources and extensive organization had attracted numerous strong protectors to safeguard its operations.

One day, Yi Tian and his group stepped out of the estate. They passed through bustling streets and finally arrived at the central avenue of the capital. This avenue was the most prestigious district, and owning or renting a shop here signified considerable influence and wealth. Nearly every major power in the capital maintained a presence along this street.

Even though Tianfang Tower had a grand estate in the eastern district to host distinguished guests and hold auctions, it also maintained a building on the central avenue for buying treasures and selling medicinal pills and precious talismans.

At the end of this grand avenue stood the imperial palace of the Tianfeng Empire.

Yi Tian and his group reached the Four Seas Trading Company—a sprawling three-story wooden building, lavish and imposing. Upon entering, they felt the air thick with potent spiritual energy, causing their minds to sharpen. The wooden floor beneath their feet was astonishingly solid, rivaling metal in hardness.

This entire building had been crafted from century-old spiritual wood!

Yi Tian was struck with awe at the extravagance of the Four Seas Trading Company. Constructing an entire building from century-old spiritual wood must have consumed thousands of such pieces.

Yi Kuang immediately remarked, “The Four Seas Trading Company is truly formidable—just to my taste!”

Yi Feng retorted, “That’s not formidable; it’s just ostentatious.”

“Are you calling me ostentatious? Are you looking for a fight?” Yi Kuang shot back, glaring challengingly at Yi Feng.

Unwilling to back down, Yi Feng said, “If it’s a fight you want, then let’s see who’s stronger this time!”

Yi Shan’s eyes gleamed, eager to join in.

Yi Hong sighed helplessly, while Yi Li showed little interest. Since their last grudge, the two had often bickered and fought, and had grown accustomed to this dynamic.

“Welcome, honored guests!” As Yi Tian and his group entered the Four Seas Trading Company, a sharp-tongued, fair-featured young attendant approached them with a greeting.

“May I ask what services you require? Our Four Seas Trading Company offers twelve varieties of low-grade medicinal pills, one hundred and thirty mid-grade pills, low-grade talismans…” The young man began listing eagerly.

Yi Tian interrupted, “We have a batch of Wind Spirit Wood to sell. Please summon the manager in charge for negotiations.”

The attendant was not offended by the interruption. “Please wait in the reception room on the second floor. I will fetch the manager at once.”

After less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a hearty voice called from outside, and a portly, fair-skinned man with round cheeks and a kindly expression entered the reception room.

His sharp eyes quickly noted the youth of Yi Tian and his companions, as well as the faint yet powerful aura emanating from them. He was visibly surprised. Such youthful individuals already at the Human rank must hail from a major power.

In the eyes of the Four Seas Trading Company manager, this “major power” was not the factions of Black Dragon City or Jingmu Commandery, but rather the grand houses, ancient clans, or sects of the Tianfeng Empire.

The manager, Yan Youcai, smiled warmly and said, “Young heroes, I am Yan Youcai, manager of the Four Seas Trading Company. May I know your names?”

“Please call me Yi Tian, manager,” he replied, then introduced the five others.

Yan Youcai was taken aback. They all shared the surname Yi—could this be an ancient noble family, and were these young men its scions out on an expedition? Such a thought was unavoidable.

If not from an ancient clan, what other faction could have produced six Human-rank warriors all around twenty years old?

Yi Tian revealing his true name was deliberate. Neither he nor the Reincarnation Squad could hide their names; only by remaining steadfast could they journey farther.

Moreover, they were unconcerned that other powers might associate their names with the Yi clan, for none of the great powers even knew of the Yi clan’s existence. Even if they did, they would not connect them to the small Yi tribe.

Besides, even if they concealed their names, the great powers could uncover clues; concealment would be futile.

“What would the Yi young masters like to sell to our Four Seas Trading Company?”

After some polite exchange, Yan Youcai brought the discussion to the point.

“We recently ventured into Tianfeng Gorge and harvested a substantial amount of Wind Spirit Wood. We’ve come to the Four Seas Trading Company to sell this batch and earn some spirit stones,” Yi Tian said calmly.

Yan Youcai chuckled. Wind Spirit Wood was the largest resource his company acquired annually. Its consumption was enormous.

Spirit wood could be made into blank talisman papers or crafted into precious texts preserved for thousands or even ten thousand years. It was widely used in constructing buildings, palaces, and more.

Yan Youcai had expected Yi Tian to have perhaps twenty or thirty pieces. But to his surprise, they held 235 pieces—only a third were century-old Wind Spirit Wood, the rest aged 300, 500, 600, and even 800 years.

The older the spirit wood, the better its quality and the higher its value; prices could multiply several times for every hundred years of difference.

After calculations, Yan Youcai estimated the batch’s value at over 7,500 high-grade spirit stones.

This fortune astonished Yan Youcai. In previous dealings with Human-rank adventurers returning from Tianfeng Gorge, transactions seldom exceeded a few hundred or a thousand high-grade spirit stones. Yi Tian’s group had multiplied that several times.

The Four Seas Trading Company readily produced over 7,500 high-grade spirit stones to complete the deal.

Yi Tian was somewhat satisfied with the transaction.

“Manager Yan, we also have a few pieces of thousand-year Wind Spirit Wood. Might you be interested in these as well?”

Yan Youcai’s expression changed instantly at these words. His eyes fixed on Yi Tian with renewed interest.

Thousand-year Wind Spirit Wood was a low-level treasure but each piece was immensely valuable. Most importantly, it could be made into talisman papers used to forge precious talismans.

Each talisman was priceless, and given the vast consumption required, thousand-year spirit wood was exceedingly rare, greatly increasing its worth.

In many cases, thousand-year Wind Spirit Wood could be traded for precious spirit crystals.

Even as the Tianfeng branch manager of the Four Seas Trading Company, Yan Youcai had only limited spirit crystals on hand. Now, he was troubled—would he let this opportunity slip by before his eyes?