Shang Xinci was handling administrative affairs in the first inner city of Shangliang Mountain.
"The second inner city has been repaired, and the fake Gu incident has been settled." Shang Xinci examined an information path mortal Gu in her hand, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips.
She then channeled her True Essence into this information Gu, adding new content.
She drafted a policy: in the name of "compensating the losses sustained by Gu Masters during the recent fake Gu incident," all goods in the Shang Clan's exclusive shops would be offered at a steep discount.
"This way, not only can the Shang Clan's reputation recover substantially, but we can also earn a sum of Yuan Stones to offset the deficit in the clan treasury caused by the double compensation payouts."
Shang Xinci's slender, jade-like fingers relaxed slightly, and the information Gu shimmered with light as it flew straight out of the study.
Shang Xinci then picked up another information mortal Gu from the desk.
The message within came from Shang Chiwen.
After Shang Buli had tendered his resignation, Shang Xinci had handed over the management of Shangliang Mountain's markets to Shang Chiwen.
The information Gu reported that a group of sellers had been deliberately hoarding goods and driving up prices. Shang Chiwen's proposed solution was to execute them all.
"Sigh, these people, driven by their own selfish gain — who knows how many ordinary people they've already harmed!" Shang Xinci sighed inwardly. After a moment's thought, she annotated new instructions in the information Gu: execute only the ringleaders; let the rest go.
She released this information Gu, and the third one contained a distress signal.
On the border of the Shang Clan's territory, a mountain stronghold was under assault by a beast tide, facing imminent destruction.
This stronghold was a vassal of the Shang Clan, but it only had a handful of Third Transformation Gu Masters and was of extremely low significance.
"Saving lives is as urgent as fighting a fire. A distress message like this should be sent as an emergency — why is it going through the normal administrative channels?" Shang Xinci frowned.
She understood the reason behind it.
Her subordinates all knew Shang Xinci's character and knew she would marshal a full rescue effort. But in the current situation — with various inheritance lineages being contested and a grand era dawning — every member of the Shang Clan, immortal and mortal alike, was stretched to the breaking point. Diverting a force to perform this thankless rescue work would be a massive waste of manpower and result in future losses.
"If I calculate the time, it's probably already too late. The hearts of men, the hearts of men…" Shang Xinci often felt her own insignificance. Just like now — she could only perceive the thoughts of her subordinates but couldn't change them.
The longer she sat in the position of Shang Clan Leader, the more she felt her own smallness and powerlessness. Compared to the Shang Clan, compared to the world, she was nothing at all.
"Perhaps this is precisely why nearly all Gu cultivators desperately pursue power."
After deliberating for a time, Shang Xinci ultimately dispatched a team of Gu Masters to travel a thousand li and provide rescue — even though it was very likely the stronghold would already be destroyed by the beast tide when they arrived.
The fourth information mortal Gu contained good news.
A new Qi Path resource node had been discovered in the vicinity of Shangliang Mountain, requiring either a stationed force or the support of a nearby stronghold.
One by one, information Gu flew from Shang Xinci's hands, and occasionally others fluttered into the study.
Without realizing it, night faded and dawn approached.
An information mortal Gu radiating golden light arrived before Shang Xinci.
Her heart skipped a beat. "A mission from above."
Shang Xinci quickly took it and probed it with her mind. The contents of the information Gu indeed concerned a major matter.
It pertained to the contest for the Fur Blessed Land.
This Fur Blessed Land was located in the central region of the Southern Border and contained the Fur True Inheritance. It had been exposed by the Qi Tide. Because of its remote location — not belonging to the territory of any of the Southern Border's superpowers — it had ignited a scramble among all the great clans.
After discussion, the Righteous Path Gu Immortals decided to dispatch elite Gu Masters, settling the matter through established rules of engagement with no Gu Immortal interference.
The information Gu also contained some classified intelligence regarding the blessed land's master, the Fur Immortal.
This immortal practiced a combination of Wood Path and Transformation Path Gu cultivation. However, she possessed no superior methods and had cultivated both haphazardly. As a result, the Wood Path and Transformation Path Dao marks repelled each other, leaving her combat power consistently weak throughout her life — she had been bullied relentlessly in the Gu Immortal world.
"None of the great superpowers think much of this true inheritance. But the blessed land's location is of great importance!"
"Although it doesn't border our Shang Clan — even if we win and obtain this blessed land, it would merely be an exclave, very difficult to manage."
"However, territory like this can certainly be traded. I believe the superpowers surrounding the blessed land would be highly motivated to purchase it."