Chapter 116: I Am a God-Tier Tycoon, I Do As I Please

In the marketplace of Luoyun City, the voice emerged abruptly, laced with a sense of casual disdain.

Nearby, many cultivators were taken aback, followed quickly by snickers and sneers.

"Who is this? Such a big mouth!"
"Indeed, he's not even afraid of blowing his own cover!"
"Fifteen thousand spirit jades as a tip for a maid? Such childish nonsense. I doubt even Hong Yuanzi of the Hongyuan Sect would be that generous, right?"
"Haha, just a clown. Why are you all taking him seriously?"
"Hey, young man, this isn't the place to brag. You'd best leave before this prodigy of the Weiwu Sect loses his temper!"

The crowd laughed, their eyes filled with disbelief. Wu Gang, who stood surrounded by his admirers with an air of superiority, frowned, clearly displeased. He loathed being interrupted; as a prodigy of the Weiwu Sect's Law Enforcement Hall, such an intrusion was a blow to his pride.

"Such grand words. I’d love to see how you intend to pull out fifteen thousand spirit jades to tip a maid!" Wu Gang sneered. He turned around, intending to see what kind of fool would speak so recklessly, already resolved to make this arrogant brat pay the price and humiliate him thoroughly.

However, the moment he turned and recognized the man, his entire body stiffened. He stood frozen in disbelief, his eyes widening as his heart began to hammer against his ribs.

"How could it be you? Weren't you missing?!" he shrieked, stumbling back three steps.

The onlookers were stunned, wondering why the Weiwu Sect prodigy would react this way. Could this brash young man actually possess some formidable background?

In truth, Wu Gang was terrified to his core. While others might not recognize Wang Ran, as a member of the Law Enforcement Hall, how could he not recognize this Great Demon King? He had been lurking nearby, witnessing the battle where Wang Ran suppressed Bei Minglie. Wang Ran’s figure and aura were burned into his memory.

This was the monster who had punched the Tyrant Elephant Xu Ke to death and crushed Bei Minglie with a single palm!

One had to understand, who was Bei Minglie? A top-tier prodigy of the Weiwu Sect and a hegemon leading the Four Great Alliances. His cultivation was unfathomable, yet before Wang Ran, he was nothing but a stepping stone. At that time, Wang Ran had only been at the Foundation Establishment middle stage. Now, half a year had passed, and his strength had likely grown to unimaginable levels. How could Wu Gang not be terrified upon seeing him?

Meanwhile, Ma Rulong, who had also witnessed Wang Ran’s appearance, froze. He looked at him with disbelief, tears welling in his eyes.

During Wang Ran’s absence, the Haoran Alliance had weathered turbulent times. Initially, after slaying the Heavenly Demon Queen Bee, they had been honored by the entire sect, leading to a surge in popularity. Countless disciples had clamored to join.

However, once Zhao Xiaobai and the others returned in disgrace and Wang Ran went missing, the Haoran Alliance lost its monthly supply of spirit jades, plunging the large organization into an unprecedented financial crisis. They had managed to scrape by on the savings of Zhao Xiaobai and the Junior Sister for a few months, but for the last two, even those funds had run dry. With Wang Ran—the soul and leader of the alliance—nowhere to be found, the entire group had fallen into a state of panic. Some disciples even chose to defect, leaving only those who had ventured into the North Marsh lands with Wang Ran to struggle on.

The nine thousand spirit jades they had produced earlier were the collective savings of the remaining fifty-six members—their very last reserve.

During this time, rumors had run wild. It was widely whispered that Wang Ran had perished in the North Marsh, unable to escape the pursuit of the Hongyuan and North Marsh Sects. These rumors were relentless, eroding the morale of the Haoran Alliance disciples, particularly those who had witnessed the brutality of those battles and doubted Wang Ran’s ability to survive. Only the Junior Sister and Zhao Xiaobai had maintained faith, constantly comforting the others to keep the alliance together.

Naturally, Wang Ran’s absence was a cause for celebration among his rivals, who seized the opportunity to strike. From Bei Minglie’s Beidou Alliance to Chu Yingxuan’s Chu Alliance, those with grudges against Wang Ran harassed and sabotaged the Haoran Alliance at every turn, making it nearly impossible for them to function within the sect.

The most aggressive of these was Ye Cang’s Cangtian Alliance. As the proclaimed top prodigy of the Weiwu Sect, he had broken through to the Golden Core stage at the end of last month, becoming the first of his generation to do so. It was said that on the day of his breakthrough, the sky within ten thousand miles was filled with thunderclouds, and nearly ninety pillars of spiritual light erupted from him, illuminating the stars and shaking the sect to its core. Even the Sect Master had emerged to praise him.

With Ye Cang’s success, the Cangtian Alliance expanded rapidly. Under his instigation, they launched a total suppression of the Haoran Alliance. With the Chu and Beidou Alliances joining in, and only the Jiangshui Alliance remaining neutral, the Haoran Alliance was surrounded by enemies, struggling to survive.

Seeing Wang Ran appear, Ma Rulong could not help but be overwhelmed with emotion. Wang Ran noticed this and his heart tightened. In his memory, Ma Rulong was a tough man, even if he had been forced to pay "protection fees" in the past. To see him reduced to tears meant the Haoran Alliance must have suffered deeply. His heart turned cold. He stepped forward, shielding Ma Rulong behind him, and cast a chilling gaze at Wu Gang, who shivered involuntarily.

"You dare bully members of my Haoran Alliance for a mere fifteen thousand spirit jades? Who gave you the audacity?" Wang Ran snorted. With a flick of his sleeve, Wu Gang was sent flying several meters, unable to keep his footing.

With another wave of his hand, a massive mountain of spirit jades suddenly appeared, shimmering brilliantly. A rough count suggested at least forty or fifty thousand.

The crowd, who had been mocking him just moments before, were left utterly stunned, their minds unable to process the sight.

Wang Ran, projecting the aura of a man of immense wealth, took a deep breath. Infusing his voice with spiritual power, he roared so that it echoed throughout the entire marketplace:

"Here are fifty thousand spirit jades. I am buying every single pill in this market. Furthermore, for all future pill supplies intended for the Cangtian Alliance, I will pay double the price—I am monopolizing them all!"

"After today, I do not want to see the Cangtian Alliance have access to any cultivation resources whatsoever!"