Shen Hao secretly thought the other side was rather cunning.

Compared to grain and pig iron, which can only be transported by carts or ships, General Spirit Stones are much smaller and far easier to conceal right now—a single Storage Bag can carry them all away effortlessly. One person could even take them alone, travel by horse or via the Teleportation Array, making the process swift.

The only issue is that General Spirit Stones, unlike grain or pig iron, are produced in much lower quantities and entirely under the control of the Dynasty.

Previously, the Tan City Mine had already been taken over by Xuanqing Guard and garrison soldiers. Production on the mountain hasn’t stopped, but from extraction to grinding to storage, every part of the process is monitored—so at least for now, nothing can be skimmed off. This means that the General Spirit Stone supply in Fengri City is blocked at the source.

Not just Fengri City; every General Spirit Stone mine across the Jingxi Territory is the same. Who dares to mess around when a blade is at their throat?

Right now, Ma San is the only clue Shen Hao can touch, and so far the other side doesn’t seem to have noticed the connection between the Black Market and Xuanqing Guard.

He had to make good use of it.

"How many does he want?"

"He asked for three thousand, but at the very least, he wants two thousand."

Shen Hao fell silent. A few thousand might seem a lot to the average person, but for this kind of bulk smuggling, it’s not surprising. The number of General Spirit Stones traded between Ma San and the Black Market in the past was even higher—two or three thousand was nothing.

"Stall him for now. Have him raise the price, see where his bottom line is. Ask him about the delivery method. Wait for my updates."

"Yes, sir. I’ll go inform Flying Dragon. Actually, Flying Dragon says Ma San’s Cultivation isn’t anything special, and if Zhang Lie steps in, taking down Ma San is almost a sure thing. Should we think about grabbing the man first and then tracking the lead? I’m worried if Ma San senses anything’s wrong, he’ll bolt."

Shen Hao just shook his head and said, "He won’t run. The Black Market, your Four Divisions, and Xuanqing Guard have already built deep chasms between them—even the funds get funneled through Zhang Family’s Wine Shop. There’s no way these outlaws can trace anything back to us in Xuanqing Guard."

"Plus, the raid happened on August 13th—barely ten days ago—and now they can’t sit still and are actively looking for you. That means they desperately need to maintain their supply. Maybe they’ve got some deal with the Barbarian Race, maybe something else, but either way, that’s an opportunity for us."

"That’s all for now. Go, have Flying Dragon keep Ma San calm, don’t rush, and above all, don’t let the other side see any flaws."

"Understood."

When Wang Jian left, Shen Hao immediately sent a note to the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office with one goal—to request three thousand General Spirit Stones.

There aren’t that many General Spirit Stones kept in stock at Xuanqing Guard Station. The Garrison might have some, but they won’t lend them to Xuanqing Guard. But after the recent raid on the Tan City Mine, prisoners and warehouse were seized. Tan City Mine is similar to Licheng Tielu Manor, with two warehouses: one for items handed over to the Court, one for smuggling. So Shen Hao does actually have enough stones, but if he wants to use them, it’s best to get official approval first—to avoid anyone accusing him of acting without permission in these times.

The request personally sent from the Black Banner Battalion Hundred Households in Fengri City is not something Jingxi Town Governor’s Office can ignore. They handed it to Jiang Cheng for approval as fast as possible, then rushed it back—a turnaround within half a day. Shen Hao couldn’t help but admire Xuanqing Guard’s efficiency sometimes.

"Handle as you see fit, report progress as appropriate."

Seeing this reply, Shen Hao couldn’t help but smile.

Jiang Cheng might not care much about Ma San’s group, but he doesn’t hinder Shen Hao’s proactive investigation, giving support instead. At least, with this permit, if something happens and the three thousand General Spirit Stones can’t be recovered, Shen Hao won’t be accused of "unauthorized action"—it’s a sort of protection for him.

Having the approval, Shen Hao sent an order to the Black Banner Battalion at Tan City, directing them to take three thousand General Spirit Stones in secret from the hidden warehouse at the Tan City Mine and bring them to Fengri City. It can be recorded in the books, but must stay confidential.

Once Shen Hao had the three thousand stones, he thought it over and handed them to Zhang Lie.

First, Zhang Lie now has some reputation under Flying Dragon. Second, his Gathering Spirit Realm Fifth Layer Cultivation definitely makes him a skilled expert, able to handle plenty of emergencies. Most importantly, Zhang Lie was Jiang Cheng’s personal guard, utterly loyal and well-versed in intelligence gathering—the perfect fit for such a special investigation.

To ensure success, Shen Hao even borrowed a Storage Bag from the Governor’s Office—the smallest size, just able to hold five thousand General Spirit Stones. He wrote an IOU in his own hand—must return it after use.

"Remember, along the way, keep our contacts secure. Without exposing yourself, make sure we know which road you’re taking, which direction, where you’ll rest. If someone’s tailing you the whole time, you need to find a way to contact us all the same."

"We will set up contacts along all the main and side roads from Bai River to Hai Xia, even at Beach Stone—teahouses, bun stalls, taverns, inns, etc. Watch for our signals: a crane feather or a certain symbol."

"Once the delivery spot is set, we’ll organize a sudden attack and need you to cooperate. Be careful—you can’t mess up this act."

Zhang Lie listened intently and finally nodded to show he’d memorized it all.

According to Shen Hao’s plan, Zhang Lie would take the General Spirit Stones deep in to probe the other side. In the end, the stones wouldn’t actually be delivered; the sudden attack would capture the stones and everyone involved in the trade. Of course, Zhang Lie would have to find a way to escape, since he might be useful later.

Three days later, Flying Dragon told Ma San he still had a batch of General Spirit Stones left—just over four thousand, but with a markup. Not only is the seller raising the price, the middleman’s fee goes up too, making it more than four times the usual Black Market rate. He asked if Ma San wanted them—if not, forget it, Flying Dragon didn’t want to risk it at the moment.

Flying Dragon’s reluctance didn’t anger Ma San; instead, Ma San agreed to the deal without hesitation, even accepting Flying Dragon’s demand for upfront payment before delivery.

After inspecting the goods, Ma San still wanted Flying Dragon to handle shipping. Flying Dragon dodged several times but couldn’t refuse, so reluctantly sent out his strongest man—Zhang Lie.

Zhang Lie is now known as "Iron Cleaner." His Fire Magic is fierce and ruthless, and many troublemakers in the Black Market have died at his hands. Ma San clearly knew Zhang Lie’s reputation—he was delighted and comforted by it.

Zhang Lie then set off, heading toward Hai Xia.