"I set the trap, who told you to be greedy and insist on drinking my Xian Ren Zui?" Fu Ruhai grumbled.
The two of them bickered like children, their arguments seemingly valid but utterly ridiculous. Back and forth they went, one insult met with a retort. Eventually, Fu Ruhai grew tired of arguing, and they finally fell silent.
However, this quarrel suddenly brought Fu Ruhai clarity. They had clearly been set up by someone else, yet they were quarreling amongst themselves. So, he began to apologize to Liu Sandao.
Liu Sandao wasn't originally angry, but after their verbal spar, he felt provoked. He now wished to quickly disburse all thirteen hundred auspicious fruits and end this contract as soon as possible. Thus, when Fu Ruhai apologized, Liu Sandao said:
"No, no need. To prove that this great immortal abides by his word, I will do as you wish and disburse a full thirteen hundred auspicious fruits. Then I can leave!"
Fu Ruhai knew this time Liu Sandao was truly angry, otherwise, he wouldn't be so resolute.
"Hahaha, you said it yourself, don't you regret it!" Fu Ruhai burst into laughter.
Liu Sandao, blinded by anger, didn't take the time to carefully calculate the current situation. But he quickly came to his senses. The current disbursement of auspicious fruits required system prompts. Unless one could disburse a vast quantity of auspicious fruits instantly, it would be impossible to complete the thirteen hundred within a year.
Of course, thirteen hundred was merely a theoretical target. Fu Ruhai hadn't informed Liu Sandao about this. The reason for this specific number, rather than any other, was due to heavenly secrets. It was preordained, and neither any person nor immortal could achieve it under normal circumstances.
For a mortal, accumulating thirteen hundred auspicious fruits in a lifetime would lead to becoming an immortal. For an immortal, if they could disburse thirteen hundred auspicious fruits in a single year, they would be promoted by one level, equivalent to successfully passing a tribulation and achieving minor success. Therefore, do not underestimate this number; without significant fortune, it's impossible to reach. Fu Ruhai didn't know if Liu Sandao could achieve it, but in the centuries he had served, no immortal had succeeded.
Before Fu Ruhai could finish laughing, Liu Sandao stood up and flew away. He left Fu Ruhai shouting into the air:
"Hey! Don't go, wait for me!"
Liu Sandao didn't linger. As soon as he found water, he used it to reach his intended destination. It was the mountainside of a peak, with the Guazi River flowing below. Liu Sandao began to ponder the thirteen hundred auspicious fruits. He had been in the mortal realm for quite some time, seven or eight months by his estimation. Yet, the last page of his "Record of Auspicious Deeds" only showed a hundred or so entries, far from thirteen hundred.
The system's disbursement of auspicious fruits required him to use his fingers, but the system only assigned him fruits in nearby areas. Therefore, he couldn't possibly attend to fruits too far away. Furthermore, other immortals in different regions also earned their keep by completing tasks, so they wouldn't hand over all their auspicious fruits for him to disburse. Thus, completing the remaining thousand-plus fruits this year seemed impossible.
As Liu Sandao lost himself in thought, he suddenly recalled the incident of his unexpected dismissal. The matter was too strange; Fu Ruhai had merely visited Xiahua Bank and returned with such an order. Was Zhao Qiansun no longer in office? Or was this order issued by Zhao Qiansun himself? Or were they all caught in a conspiracy?
...
A new day dawned, and Na Qianlai appeared on the top floor of the Yaotian Building. He was now the Chairman and General Manager, albeit with the designation "acting." While not ideal, he held the actual power for now. This was a genuine appointment, and he had no prior preparation. It was merely a phone call from Director Zhang before his assumption of office.
Zhang Kuixian truly had some skills; in just half a month, he managed to exploit a loophole in the auspicious fruit system and use public opinion to bring down two impulsive young men. It was indeed a display of prowess. It seemed his gifts would have to be increased in the future to secure this hard-won position. Speaking of money, the Yaotian Building couldn't compare to his Shenfeng Credit. However, what Ying Baifang possessed, which his company lacked, was what truly attracted him.
Standing before a colossal crystal ball, Na Qianlai's desires were amplified to an unprecedented degree. Was this the auspicious fruit system he so longed for? From now on, would he have as many auspicious fruits as he wanted?
In the vast office, Na Qianlai leisurely lit a cigar. The operational mechanism here was similar to his Shenfeng Group: the boss operated within an independent space, conveying orders only through top-tier equipment, never showing their face. The purpose of this was to avoid suspicion. If, one day, someone recognized him as the Grim Reaper, the entire company would vanish from the human world, for no one would willingly do business with the Grim Reaper. As for why Liu Sandao and Fu Ruhai chose this method, it remained unknown. These details were all learned from Zhang Kuixian.
...
Liu Sandao, having calmed down, decided to return to the company to investigate what had happened. He couldn't just be fired without rhyme or reason; that would be a disgrace to his title of Immortal Venerable. In the past, to conceal their identities, Liu Sandao and Fu Ruhai were both equipped with company work cards; the only difference was that they had no positions, only their names. This arrangement led many to believe they were ordinary employees.
As Liu Sandao entered the turnstile, he saw Fu Ruhai also waiting for the elevator.
"Hehehe!" Fu Ruhai greeted Liu Sandao with a grin.
Liu Sandao's expression remained calm, as if their relationship had returned to its former state. A partner who was both familiar and strange. Fu Ruhai didn't say much but handed Liu Sandao a work ID. Liu Sandao looked at it. It read: "Ying Baifang Population Data Analysis Technology Consulting Co., Ltd. Technical Consultant Liu Sandao."
So, it was a demotion, not a dismissal? Fu Ruhai pressed the elevator button as usual, and Liu Sandao, without looking, stepped in. Perhaps out of habit, or perhaps to deliberately see. The elevator ascended directly to the top floor. Liu Sandao stepped out without lifting his head. Fu Ruhai followed behind, grinning.
However, as he reached the doorway, Liu Sandao found he couldn't enter. An invisible force blocked him, preventing him from taking even half a step. Liu Sandao instantly understood; this was a spell cast by someone. It was equivalent to a lock in the human world; only the caster could open it. Of course, if the magical cultivation of the two parties differed vastly, it could be easily broken. However, in the immortal realm, certain rules were observed. If one broke another's "lock" today, and the other broke one's "door" tomorrow, the order of the Heavenly Court would be shattered, and what safety would remain?
"Hahaha, it seems we'll have to work downstairs starting today!"