Three Proposals

After a moment of silence, during which Qin Huali’s breathing grew heavy, Xiao Yao finally spoke: “Then I’ll give you one more chance. Go ahead, tell me—what do you propose for the exchange?”

Despite Xiao Yao’s youth, his approach was astoundingly domineering, and Qin Huali struggled to adapt. He had to acquire this precious protective talisman as soon as possible; otherwise, his most cherished eldest grandson might truly be in mortal danger.

In comparison to his favored heir’s life, sacrificing a sum of money was hardly worth mentioning. Given Xiao Yao’s assertive stance, Qin Huali worried that his offer might still fall short, so he decided to present several highly flexible options for Xiao Yao to choose from.

After considering for a moment, Qin Huali said, “Most of my businesses are in Southeast Asia, with some in the United States; I don’t have much in the domestic market. I wonder, Mr. Xiao, would you be interested in overseas assets?”

“Let’s set aside overseas assets for now,” Xiao Yao replied. “I’m focusing on domestic matters at the moment.” His mind was now preoccupied with integrating Pan Wu’s memories, leaving him no desire to manage foreign properties.

Given this direction, Qin Huali quickly presented three options. “Unfortunately, my domestic assets are limited, and I’m not sure if they’ll satisfy you. I have three proposals—let’s see which you find most suitable.”

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“I own a Grade-A office building of 100,000 square meters on Financial Street in the capital, which just opened last month. I can transfer it to you at cost price—this is the first option. I also hold a 3% stake in Qiandu Corporation, which I’m willing to exchange or sell to you at a low price, should you be interested—this is the second option. Lastly, I retain a 6% stake in Hanguang Supermarket and a 5% stake in Hanguang Real Estate, both in Hanzhou, which can also be transferred to you. If you wish to invest locally, this is worth considering.” Qin Huali’s proposals were sincere.

Xiao Yao pondered for a moment, employing the secret technique “Great Evolution Divination,” and soon reached a decision.

Having experienced firsthand the use of this secret art, Xiao Yao couldn’t help but sigh—acquiring wealth in the modern world was simply too easy for someone like him, who had achieved mastery over the Dao. It was no wonder that in his final reincarnation, Pan Wu had amassed such enormous wealth; once the economy entered the modern era, Pan Wu’s “Great Evolution Divination” enabled him to make investments of extraordinary accuracy, causing his fortune to multiply exponentially.

This, even with the caveat that the divination could not be used recklessly, only at critical junctures; after each use, several days of rest were required, or else one risked suffering the backlash of cosmic rules. If not for this restriction, Pan Wu’s fortune accumulated in his last life would have been even more staggering.

Xiao Yao immediately dismissed the second proposal. The 3% stake in Qiandu Corporation was valued at roughly $1.2 billion USD; acquiring it would require him to pay at least a billion dollars. He was not receiving Qin Huali’s properties for nothing—he would have to pay a price. To take everything for free would be simply too unsightly.

Pan Wu’s protective talismans and other jade charms were not commodities that could be bought with money—they were truly priceless treasures, lacking any predetermined value. Pan Wu had deep reasons for not selling them outright. If priced too high, few would accept it; if too low, he would be unwilling to part with them. Thus, he used these talismans as bargaining chips, exchanging them for assets with high future value. In this way, the returns far exceeded those from direct sales.

Xiao Yao found this strategy admirable, and resolved to adopt it himself in the future. Acquiring Qiandu’s 3% stake required too great a price for too little return, so he discarded the idea.

As a local, Xiao Yao knew something of Hanguang Supermarket and Hanguang Real Estate; both were under the Hanguang Group, large-scale enterprises. Hanguang Supermarket was valued at about ten billion, while Hanguang Real Estate was worth around thirty billion. The group had an outstanding leader and Hanguang Real Estate still held great potential for growth—a 5% stake was certainly an appealing option. Yet, compared with the first proposal, the future returns were far less impressive.

Calculations with the “Great Evolution Divination” revealed that if Xiao Yao combined his mastery of talismans with the Grade-A office tower on Capital’s Financial Street, the building would generate immense and ever-increasing profits.

Among the talismans in Pan Wu’s legacy, even the most basic were astonishing—for instance, the Wealth-Gathering Talisman and the Feng Shui Talisman, both treasures coveted by all merchants. The Wealth-Gathering Talisman attracted riches from all directions, while the Feng Shui Talisman ensured smooth business. With these two talismans placed in the chairman’s office, prosperity would be nearly guaranteed.

The annual rental income from a Grade-A office building on Financial Street was already extremely high; with the aid of the talismans, the revenue would only soar further.

“I’m most interested in your first proposal. Can you tell me the specifics about that building in the capital? Please provide a detailed introduction.”

Hearing Xiao Yao’s choice, Qin Huali felt a pang of bitterness. Though he had listed that option first, it was the one he dreaded Xiao Yao choosing the most. Nonetheless, chastened by his earlier miscalculation, he dared not play any more tricks and answered truthfully: “This building on Financial Street in the capital sits on 1.3 hectares, with a total floor area of 106,000 square meters. It was just completed this year. The frontage features a landscaped plaza of nearly 10,000 square meters, with lawns, fountains, and sculptures. The structure has four underground and eighteen above-ground floors, housing an array of facilities—business suites, fitness centers, dining, leisure, supermarkets, and retail. It officially opened for business last month.”

After hearing this, Xiao Yao’s interest in the building grew stronger.

Financial Street in the capital gathered the Central Bank, the Banking, Securities, and Insurance Regulatory Commissions, as well as many major domestic and international financial institutions and state enterprise headquarters. It was one of the nation’s densest hubs for capital, technology, knowledge, and rapid tax growth. Here, power and wealth converged. It was said that the annual rental income for Grade-A office buildings on Financial Street was about 13,500 yuan per square meter—ranking third in the world.

Though this figure might be somewhat exaggerated, with the blessing of the Wealth-Gathering and Feng Shui Talismans, it was bound to become reality.