"2998, 2999, 3000!"

Bam!

After completing three thousand inverted push-ups with a weight of one thousand and five hundred kilograms, Shen Qiang lay on the ground of the terrace garden, drenched in sweat, looking up at the azure sky with rapid breaths.

Three days had passed, and Shen Qiang's focus in cultivation was still on Body Refinement. Not only was he increasing the weight by one hundred kilograms daily, but his training statistics had also been steadily improving, with today's performance exceeding expectations.

Furthermore, in these few days, Shen Qiang and Miao Xiaoxia were inseparable.

While she was in class, Shen Qiang practiced Body Refinement. When she finished school, she transferred her True Yuan to Qingxuan for cultivation, and with a Divine Grade Pei Yuan Pill every day, Shen Qiang's pace of cultivation was incredibly fast, growing constantly almost every moment.

However, at the same time, the thing that Shen Qiang worried about most still happened.

Cheng Xinyi and Wanxin Hesheng both coincidentally requested that the supply of Gathering Qi Powder be cut in half and still only agreed to sign a three-week contract.

This meant that the massive output of Gathering Qi Powder had temporarily become saturated.

It makes sense.

The main reason for the high price of the usual Gathering Qi Powder was its rarity. Now, after Shen Qiang had replaced it with a cheaper formula, the increased supply meant that everyone who wanted it could buy it.

Even for those who hadn't made a purchase yet, there were multiple sources for Gathering Qi Powder now.

Cheng Xinyi, Wanxin Hesheng, Dragon Clan Mall.

It was now very easy to get Gathering Qi Powder.

Not only that, but more unexpectedly for Shen Qiang, there was also a problem with the Dragon Clan Mall. When Shen Qiang considered that he should accumulate more Reputation Points to facilitate better future access to various resources from the Dragon Clan Mall, the person in charge there mentioned that points could remain the same.

However, now procuring Gathering Qi Powder for the Dragon Clan Mall would no longer earn any Reputation Points.

What a sin!

But luckily, at least until now, the Gathering Qi Powder had brought in a significant profit for Shen Qiang, reaping rewards including an Invisibility item called Star Moon Protection, a Heavenly Palace Jade Lock, and in the short span of three weeks – merely twenty-one days – it had even helped Shen Qiang gain 900 million in capital.

But with this boom period over, the future earnings of Gathering Qi Powder would undoubtedly not be as concentrated; it might stabilize at a level that wasn't particularly high but would continue steadily.

At the same time, even more regrettably, since the appearance of Shen Qiang's Divine Grade Pei Yuan Pills, the price of the raw materials for Pei Yuan Pills had also skyrocketed. The cost for the materials for one pill had now soared to nearly twenty million.

In light of this, Shen Qiang, who was urgently in need of becoming stronger, still chose to crazily consume a Pei Yuan Pill daily.

In just five days, he had spent close to one hundred million.

And this was just the beginning; the future would hold even larger costs.

Therefore, if one wanted to cultivate faster, become stronger, and earn more money than others, it was essential.

Under these circumstances, Shen Qiang reviewed the business plan from Lv Shuyao's mother.

Her goal with the plan was to push Datong River into the top eight of the Huaxia Culinary Awards, using this opportunity to start financing with the aim of adding two branches in the Provincial City within a year and then expanding from there to other major cities in different provinces, with the hope of covering all first- and second-tier cities in Huaxia within ten years.

The business plan was well-written and pragmatic, not overly ambitious.

But Shen Qiang did not care about that. What he truly cared about was the profit.

The signature dish of the Datong River restaurant now is Truffle Steak, 250 grams of steak plus various side ingredients, which cost only a few dozen yuan excluding the restaurant's cost. Yet, a serving can sell for 1888 yuan, the key lies in Datong River restaurant's big reputation, great environment, and high standard.

If it were a roadside stall, I'm afraid even pricing a serving at two hundred yuan, there might not be anyone willing to buy it.

Therefore, this food competition might be a good opportunity.

If everything goes smoothly and they really make it into the top eight of the Huaxia Cuisine Competition, the fame of the Datong River restaurant will grow enormously, which would lay a solid foundation for subsequent financing, going public, franchising, or even international expansion.

"Don't you need to prepare something? We will be leaving in two hours."

Hearing Xiu Ju's voice, Shen Qiang, who had been lying on the terrace, turned his head. Today, Xiu Ju was dressed in a pair of pure white sneakers, her slender, smooth long legs, and pert buttocks wrapped in jeans, a plain white T-shirt, plus a middle-length anti-sunburn chiffon coat, and a visor cap. Her figure looked youthful and charming, captivating to the point where it's hard to take your eyes off her.

As great as her figure was, Xiu Ju had a face full of freckles and a grayish complexion, she was exactly the legendary type of woman where from behind, you want to commit a crime, from the side, you want to retreat, and from the front, you want to defend yourself.

"Are you really not going to use the Jade Cream?"

Lying on the ground, Shen Qiang frowned and said, "Taking you out will feel quite unfulfilling."

Xiu Ju gave Shen Qiang a cold look and smiled faintly, "If you need a beauty to bolster the scene, why don't you take Miao Xiaoxia or Su Xiaonuan with you?"

Shen Qiang fell silent and sat up.

Dark Department's Xiu Ju stole a glance at Shen Qiang's abs, still glistening with sweat, and threw a towel at him.

Then she said, "I've already reported the situation to my superiors, they believe this trip involves certain risks, and they have ordered me to protect you closely, so after we arrive in Shanghai, you must inform me of any activity you engage in or any place you go to."

Shen Qiang stood up and said somewhat boredly, "Do I need to book a room with just a double bed?"

Xiu Ju was stunned, her face turning red all of a sudden.

Looking at Shen Qiang's back, now sporting noticeably more defined lines, she opened her mouth to speak, but the words "I definitely don't want that" remained unsaid in the end.

In the bathroom.

The golden cicada flying in the air was diligently helping Shen Qiang, who was lying in the bathroom, wash his back. Shen Qiang, lying on the massage bed, deep in thought, extended his palm and called out, "Golden Cicada."

The golden cicada, whose little face was flushed from exhaustion, immediately landed in Shen Qiang's palm. Looking at her shy and excited gaze, Shen Qiang instructed, "Master will probably need about a week to return from Shanghai, so you take good care of the house, remember to diligently cultivate, and I've bought you lots of tasty food in the fridge."

"Mhm mhm." The stunning Golden Cicada nodded vigorously and said, "Please rest assured, Master, I will definitely work hard to cultivate the Daluo Heaven Transformation Heart Sutra and one day become big and tall."

Shen Qiang smiled and then said, "Good, I look forward to that day, but you'll be lonely while your Master is away."

"Not at all." The golden cicada in Shen Qiang's palm giggled and said, "Sister Xiu Ju left me a lot of novels to read, there are..."

Shen Qiang was taken aback, suddenly got up, and roared, "Xiu Ju!"

The bathroom windows rattled loudly, but Xiu Ju, who was usually always by Shen Qiang's side, seemed as if she heard nothing.

Looking at the golden cicada, now pale with fright, Shen Qiang took a deep breath and tried to stay calm as he said, "Have you read those books?"

The golden cicada, with a somewhat fearful look in her eyes, shook her head, "I haven't had the chance."

"Good." Shen Qiang smiled and said, "Hand them all over, and without Master's permission, you are not allowed to read any of those messy things. You must focus on your cultivation, do you understand?"

The frightened golden cicada nodded again and again.,

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