---
Three weeks had been granted.
The fake paper was circulating in the enemy nation — the Sevenrock Continent.
This was no longer just a business issue.
It was a direct challenge.
Li Tian made his decision.
"We go to the source."
The shadow guards were assembled quietly. No noise. No official movement. Preparations were made only under the cover of night.
But before the journey began, something else happened — something even Li Tian did not fully understand.
---
An Impossible Breakthrough in One Week
Within just a single week, Li Tian advanced again in his cultivation.
A level that had taken the empire's greatest genius — the late Emperor — six months to reach…
Li Tian arrived at in seven days.
His qi circulation was smooth.
His meridians were stable.
His body refinement had accelerated further.
But along with satisfaction came confusion.
This speed was not natural.
Either it was the effect of his merged techniques…
or his reincarnated soul was bending the rules of this world.
One thing was clear —
The journey to Sevenrock would no longer be just a business investigation.
If confrontation awaited him there…
Li Tian was ready.
---
A Weak Link
While planning the journey, Li Tian accepted another truth.
The Li Family's business had expanded across multiple cities of the empire. Fuel, logistics, paper, road development — the scale was growing at a dangerous speed.
And he could not manage everything alone.
No one in the family was capable enough.
It was a bitter truth.
If he left for Sevenrock and mismanagement occurred here…
the entire structure could shake.
He made his decision immediately.
He needed a manager.
And the best place to find one was—
the market.
---
The Clever Silk Merchant
The marketplace always tells the truth.
That was where he saw her.
Young Miss Bai.
The Bai family of silk merchants had once been stable. But after her father's death, the family fractured into three factions—
one led by her uncle,
one by her eldest brother,
and the third… by her.
People called her—
"The Clever Silk Merchant."
Because when everyone thought she would collapse, she restructured the accounts. Stabilized the supply chain. Brought the silk trade back into profit.
Li Tian observed from a distance.
Fast calculations.
Instant negotiation shifts.
And most dangerous of all — presence of mind.
He did not decide immediately.
He tested her.
---
The Test
Li Tian did not reveal his identity. He created a complex trade scenario — fluctuating raw silk prices, artificial shortages, and a fabricated demand spike.
He watched how she would respond.
Young Miss Bai did not merely look at the numbers.
She saw the pattern.
And then—
she reversed the trap.
At one point, she even counter-questioned Li Tian himself.
"Do not judge a deal by profit," she said calmly.
"Judge it by control."
Li Tian smiled inwardly.
She was not just capable.
She was dangerous.
The test ended.
The result was clear.
He would recruit her.
---
A Proposal That Wasn't Simple
When Li Tian made a direct offer — the position of Manager of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce —
Young Miss Bai refused without hesitation.
"I will not take such a risk just to be hired," she said evenly.
She laid out the truth.
"After my father's death, the Bai family split into three parts. My uncle and my elder brother both seek leadership. If I openly work with you, they will attempt to eliminate me."
Silence.
Then she looked directly into Li Tian's eyes.
"If you want my support… then arrange a political marriage."
Direct. Clear. Without embarrassment.
Li Tian did not answer immediately.
Marriage meant alliance.
Alliance meant direct involvement in the Bai family's internal conflict.
But if he refused—
he would lose a talent capable of outplaying even him in certain situations.
And during the Sevenrock mission, he would need exactly such a person.
---
The Decision
After a night of evaluation, Li Tian gave his answer.
"One month," he said.
"Once the Sevenrock mission is complete, the marriage will take place."
Young Miss Bai studied his eyes — as if trying to detect deception.
Then she slowly nodded.
The deal was finalized.
From that day forward, she officially became the Manager of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce.
---
Departure
The shadow guards were ready.
The journey to the Sevenrock Continent was about to begin.
Behind him, in the city, stood a new manager.
Ahead lay the enemy nation's industrial network.
Li Tian glanced back once.
Business secure.
Cultivation stable.
Alliance strengthened.
The next step—
find the source of the fake paper.
And if necessary—
remind Sevenrock that
Li Tian was not merely a merchant.
--