Strongest Businessman of the Cultivation World

"This is the arrangement diagram for the Space Isolation Array."

Realization dawned on Ikasa. The excess security outside now made sense so did the role of a Path Finder supervising the construction. It made sense if they were laying an array. They had to take precautions to prevent any mishaps.

"You have seen an array before?"

Commander Qian asked with surprise, seeing Ikasa nod with understanding.

"I saw one during the Tribute Tournament."

Ikasa was talking about the Demon Subduing Formation laid by the Monstrous Flame Sect. It was a temporary formation, while this array was meant to be permanent or at the least semi-permanent.

"Then do you know the purpose of this array?"

Commander Qian asked, crossing another point near the blue gem. Ikasa could only shake his head.

"Is it to isolate the monsters from the Rift?"

'Truly, the ignorant are fearless.'

Ikasa thought as Pei Yuan vocalized his guess without the fear that his answer may be wrong.

"Haha! No! The monsters do not come out of the Rifts."

Commander Qian refuted Pei Yuan's guess with a laugh.

"We lay the Array so that the Rift does not suck all the energy in the surroundings and turn the City into a barren land."

"And what are those shiny gems for? They must be precious right?"

Chu Qing asked, his eyes fixed on the stones. Qian Bu entertained the question and took this chance to show off their wealth.

"Of course, they are precious! Every one of those gems is blessed with the powers of Dikpalas, the Guardians of Directions. The array formed with them as anchors can even trap a Sage with Seven Chakras!"

The more Qian Bu spoke, the more Chu Qing's eyes shone. He was wondering how much he could earn if he sold one of the stones. Ikasa looked at his avaricious eyes with a helpless smile.

'It was okay till he was a money-grubber. Is he developing kleptomaniac tendencies now? I will have to do something about it.'

Commander Qian noticed the itching hands and greedy gaze of the boy. Shielding the stones behind him, Qian Bu warned Chu Qing.

"They are all anchors for the array. If even one of the stones goes missing, the array will fail and you will become a public enemy."

Qian Bu spoke as if he was passing a judgment, not a warning. His manner of speaking annoyed the trio.

Chu Qing snapped out of his greed. He felt wronged for the unjust accusation being directed at him for a theft that didn't even happen!

Ikasa tightened his grip on Chu Qing's shoulders and glared at Qian Bu.

Chu Qing may seem greedy, but he was not a thief. Ikasa had complete trust in the boy. Because he handled all the finances of the house and yet, he had not taken a single copper coin without Ikasa's permission. Not even his salary!

Hence, Ikasa would not tolerate anyone maligning his kids for something they had not done.

"Commander Qian, the kid likes shiny things. That does not mean he will steal it. Don't accuse him of something that he will never do."

Ikasa defended Chu Qing in a steely voice.

Chu Qing suddenly felt warm in his heart because of Ikasa's stance. He was relieved to know that Ikasa was on his side. Though he had not fulfilled his wish, it did not mean he cared any less for him.

After all, Ikasa was rebuking a Path Finder for him.

The teenage boy looked at Ikasa with warmth and reverence. The hand on his shoulder became his strongest support. Many times he felt isolated because his ideas of profits clashed against Ikasa's but his trust was reaffirmed today. They were both on the same side.

'As long as Big Brother trusts me, it does not matter what others think.'

Chu Qing thought, glaring fiercely at Qian Bu.

Commander Qian twitched his lips and waved his hand dismissively.

"I was only speaking hypothetically. If you are not going to do it, there is no reason for you to be offended, right?"

He flared his aura for a moment, blowing the trio back a few steps.

Ikasa gracefully landed on his feet and also supported the kids from falling. He straightened his robes and smiled at the Commander.

"You are right, Commander. Everything is hypothetical. Hypothetically speaking, you just tried to murder me. I wonder how the Zhen Family will react to this news."

The smile on Qian Bu's face froze. He immediately reined in his aura. After a few tense moments, a small smirk appeared on his lips and turned to a burst of full-blown laughter.

"Hahaha! You are an interesting person, Mister Ikasa! Come, I'll show you how an actual array is set up."

He picked up two gemstones and left six on the table.

"Bring them outside, will you?"

He called as he walked out of the tent. Ikasa's eyebrows furrowed. He could not wrap his head around the bipolar personality of the Commander.

'Does he have something against me? He had a spatial storage device, yet he is making us carry the gemstones?'

Ikasa wondered as he picked up two of the gems. The blessed gems were heavier than they looked. Those fist sized gems were as heavy as a bowling ball!

He was about to put them all in his bracelet when he paused to think.

'Maybe, there is a reason Qian Bu did not put them in his Spatial Storage. He must have a reason for carrying the precious gems in his hands and asking us to do the same.'

When this thought came to his mind, he quickly put away the bracelet. He picked up one box in each hand. Exactly four gems were left on the table.

This was a chance to show how strong and trustworthy his boys were.  Ikasa called for them and motioned the two to pick up the other four gems.

The trio then marched to the site of construction.