Chapter 226: Deals, Designs, and New Horizons in Mingsha City

“There’s just a bit of cash in the account!”

Xu Hao replied.

“Don’t be fooled by all the commotion in Mingsha City lately—there aren’t as many big-ticket projects as you’d think, especially when it comes to Mingsha Academy! Not only did they secure construction funding, they even scored a 3.5 billion land transfer fee from Mingsha City.”

“Plus, with tourists flocking in daily, the net profits are impressive. Nanzhao Ancient City and the Demon-Locking Tower were bankrolled by Haofang Culture.”

“You call that just a bit of money?”

Hearing Xu Hao’s response, Xu Chen was at a complete loss for words.

“Easily pulling out 2 billion in cash in the Long Kingdom puts you in the top league—it’s far more than merely having a bit of money.”

“Maybe I really underestimated Old Six!”

“Perhaps Mingsha City is far wealthier than I imagined.”

“At this rate, Old Six’s empire could one day surpass the peak of the Xu Family.”

“Moreover, if the Grandfather’s chip manufacturing plant secures a second or third round of financing, the major shareholder will undoubtedly be Old Six’s Mingsha City.”

“By the way, Third Brother, if you come up with any more promising projects, I’m ready to invest!”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao continued.

“Other than the Grandfather’s chip plant, you want to invest elsewhere? Old Six’s desert ancient construction is flourishing. But you know what they say—you can’t overreach! The Xu Family learned that lesson the hard way.”

At these words,

Xu Chen was startled and immediately cautioned,

“Don’t worry—I’ve got a handle on it!”

Xu Hao knew that Xu Chen was only looking out for him. Besides, there’s no rule saying Mingsha City must stick solely to ancient construction tourism; other industries are on the table too.

Of course, the core business remains the top priority.

“So, just don’t take giant leaps.”

“Mm.”

Thus, Xu Hao and Xu Chen talked for nearly half an hour before hanging up.

Glancing at the time, he realized it was getting late.

He quickly dressed and headed out the door.

His meeting with Han Xiaoqing was set for 8 PM, and now was just the right time to get there.

Meanwhile, in Mingsha City,

Zhu Qiang stared at a planning blueprint, lost in thought, until Luo Peng’s repeated reminders snapped him back. “President Luo, this Daoist master is no ordinary fellow! We must back him fully.”

Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but glance toward Luo Peng.

Before him lay the construction blueprint for Wuzhuang Temple.

They had expected the Daoist master to present the plan in two or three days; instead, it was a full week before he approached Luo Peng.

And by then, the blueprint the Daoist master provided was far more impressive than they had imagined.

For reasons unknown—perhaps to match the name—the plan not only featured grand halls but even included a dedicated backyard for cultivating Ginseng Fruit trees. Simply astonishing.

“The Daoist master is something else! It feels like stepping right into a Journey to the West.”

Hearing Zhu Qiang’s praise, Luo Peng managed only a wry smile.

In recent days, aside from helping Fang Hou set up the Pansi Cave scenery, he’d been stopping by to chat with the Daoist master. He kept emphasizing the importance of the Xianxia Zone in Mingsha City and its stringent architectural requirements, hoping to temper the master’s ambitions.

But the more they talked, the more excited the Daoist master became—he even declared that the design for the Xianxia zone perfectly suited his taste.

Consequently,

The main hall that had originally been sketched out was revamped into a seven-story, glazed, golden-roofed hall, and the plain clock tower transformed into a three-story red-roofed tower. The blueprint for Wuzhuang Temple underwent numerous revisions until it reached the version laid out before Zhu Qiang.

To Luo Peng’s surprise, the Daoist master even mentioned that he would be recruiting some apprentice monks, vowing not to let Wuzhuang Temple’s name go to waste.

During their discussion, Luo Peng couldn’t shake the feeling that this Wuzhuang Temple was becoming more and more like the one depicted in Journey to the West!

The only difference was that the original was nestled deep in the mountains, while this one was situated by Blood Lake.

“Whether it’s directly from Journey to the West or not, if this temple is built as planned, it will definitely raise the bar for our Xianxia Zone.”

Zhu Qiang chuckled.

He paid no mind to Luo Peng’s teasing, well aware of the slight tension between Luo Peng and the Daoist master.

“That’s true!”

“So, did the Daoist master say when construction will start?”

After a pause, Zhu Qiang pressed on.

“He handed over a materials list. Judging by it, the build might take quite some time.”

With that, Luo Peng pulled out a crumpled yellow sheet of paper, covered in tiny scribbles.

“Quite time-consuming? Are the materials hard to come by?”

Zhu Qiang swiftly snatched the paper.

“Yes. Every stone for the temple must be genuine Hanbai Jade—no modern synthetic substitutes. The wood has to be mature jujube or peach wood, and the Daoist master also mentioned we need to buy plenty of Kunlun Jade.”

At the mention of these materials,

Luo Peng smirked.

He had a sinking feeling that once built, the temple’s cost would be sky-high.

“Huh? Kunlun Jade too? Is the Daoist master really that particular about his materials?”

Zhu Qiang was taken aback.

It’s said that in the Long Kingdom, the Kunlun Mountains hide a vein of jade—jade from east of Kunlun is called Kunlun Jade, while that from north of the mountain is known as Hetian Jade.

Although Hetian Jade fetches a much higher price in the Long Kingdom, that doesn’t mean Kunlun Jade is cheap.

“Exactly. Fortunately, the Daoist master specified that the Kunlun Jade should be in the form of large raw blocks—the more varied the quality, the better. I looked into it, and such large blocks aren’t overly expensive.”

Luo Peng nodded in agreement.

The Mingsha construction team had never built a temple before; they assumed all temples adhered to these strict standards.

“Alright then. I believe the Daoist master’s design for Wuzhuang Temple has serious potential. Our Xianxia Zone, after all, is built around fantasy and martial legend themes. If we complete this temple, it’d give the zone a major boost.”

Coming back to the matter at hand,

Zhu Qiang nodded once more.

For some reason, ever since he saw the blueprint, a strong desire to see the temple built had taken root in him.

“That said, the Daoist master did mention one small stipulation.”

Luo Peng glanced at Zhu Qiang.

“What’s the stipulation?”

“He said that once the temple is built, not all areas will be open to the public—especially this section. Only Brother Hao and he will have access; no one else.”

Luo Peng pointed at a section on the blueprint.

“Oh, here? Don’t worry about it!”

Zhu Qiang took one look and shrugged it off immediately.

The area in question occupied only a tiny segment at the back of the temple, and the Ginseng Fruit tree zone wasn’t included.

After all, aside from the main hall, visitors are mainly drawn to the Ginseng Fruit tree area—other sections, even if visited, are unlikely to make an impression.

“By the way, how’s progress going in the Desert Zone? Any hiccups? Earlier today, the Director Association announced the film festival’s opening—it seems almost in sync with our planned movie release.”

After a brief pause, Zhu Qiang set the checklist down and asked,

“Everything’s on track. Over at Fang’s place, they’ve already begun filming scenes for the Axe Gang and Demon King Village, so it shouldn’t cause any delays.”

Mentioning this, Luo Peng’s face turned serious.

“Good—keep a close watch. Otherwise, Fang might think we only care about our own projects and disregard Haofang Culture’s contributions.”

“Mm!”

As night deepened,

in a courtyard wine estate within the Second Ring of Yan City, a dinner gathering was underway.

Besides five or six elderly grandfathers, there was also a stern, commanding man in his fifties—Han Xiaoqing’s uncle, Han Lixing.

At that moment,

Han Lixing was speaking with an old man beside him, while Xu Hao was deep in conversation with another elder.

“Grandfather, frankly, we had no choice—that’s why we reached out to you this time!” Xu Hao said, addressing the elder.

The man opposite, Lin Wenian, formerly Vice President of Yan City University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a renowned National Medical Master, had retired from administrative duties at sixty but continued mentoring doctoral students for a few years before fully retiring.

“So, do you plan to merely put on a traditional culture show, or…?” Lin Wenian asked Xu Hao.

“Honestly, Grandfather, we’re not just staging a cultural showcase—we’re inviting you to head the new Taiyi Hospital and truly develop Traditional Medicine in the Long Kingdom.”

Taking a deep breath, Xu Hao spoke frankly.

There was no need for any niceties now.

“Oh? You’re really venturing into traditional medicine?”

Lin Wenian’s expression shifted in surprise.

“Yes. We plan to build a new Taiyi Hospital featuring the six major traditional medicine systems of the Long Kingdom.”

Xu Hao then detailed the Taiyi Hospital plan meticulously—even covering the use of wild medicinal herbs for the hospital.

Of course, when it came to wild medicinal herbs, he didn’t go into excessive detail,

after all, some of these herbs are now protected species, meaning only cultivated ones can be used.

What Xu Hao didn’t notice was that as he explained the Mingsha City project, Lin Wenian’s interest grew, and the look in his eyes toward Xu Hao changed markedly.

A few minutes later,

Xu Hao finally added,

“Grandfather, although Mingsha City may be modest compared to Yan City, as long as you agree to head Taiyi Hospital as its Dean, we’ll provide you with the best conditions possible.”

“Researcher Xu, I must say your idea has truly amazed me! Among all the heads of traditional medicine universities in the Long Kingdom, none have such vision as you do.

If we consolidate the major traditional medicine systems under one hospital, it would be a groundbreaking move—immensely beneficial for promoting our Traditional Medicine. And if patient care is top-notch, it will also help restore the honor of Long Kingdom’s traditional practices!

Some media outlets have been unfairly smearing our nation’s traditional medicine.

Without missing a beat, Lin Wenian looked at Xu Hao with a mix of admiration and emotion.

“You flatter me. I just believe that with Mingsha City’s focus on traditional culture, it simply can’t do without Traditional Medicine. Without it, how can Mingsha City continue projecting a proper image?”

Regarding traditional culture showcases, they are important—but building Taiyi Hospital isn’t primarily for that.

Xu Hao quickly interjected,

“Well, if traditional culture in the Long Kingdom must include traditional medicine, then Researcher Xu, I’m taking on the task of establishing the hospital. I’m already in discussions with several National Medical Masters—folks like me who have long since shed the pursuit of fame and fortune—just to ensure traditional medicine isn’t lost on our generation.”

Perhaps already moved by Xu Hao’s offhand remark,

immediately,

Lin Wenian took a deep breath and said,

“You’ve agreed?”

At these words, Xu Hao was overjoyed.