After several days of travel, Li Tian finally arrived again in the capital of the Sevenrock Continent.
This time his purpose was not only to deliver raw glass.
He had come to execute a far larger plan.
A plan involving trade, politics, and control of future markets.
---
The Agreement with the Fifth Princess
Before entering Sevenrock, Li Tian had secretly visited the residence of the Fifth Princess of the Azure Flame Empire.
There he presented an unusual offer.
Li Tian calmly explained the potential of two industries.
Glass.
And paper.
Both were rare products capable of dominating foreign markets if controlled properly.
Li Tian placed his condition directly.
"I will give you the complete recipes for glass and paper production."
"You will control the overseas trade of both industries."
The princess immediately understood the scale of this opportunity.
But Li Tian added another condition.
"In return, I will receive ten percent profit from both businesses."
"Permanent."
"And I will not invest any capital."
The princess frowned slightly.
Ten percent of an international monopoly was extremely valuable.
She tried to negotiate.
"Five percent."
Li Tian refused.
"Seven percent."
Still no change.
Li Tian remained calm and firm.
"Ten percent."
"The technology alone is worth far more."
The princess studied him carefully.
Finally she nodded.
"Fine."
"Ten percent."
The agreement was settled.
After that meeting, Li Tian departed immediately for Sevenrock.
---
Reunion with Long Fang
When Li Tian entered the royal palace of Sevenrock, the reception was already prepared.
Unlike their first meeting, Long Fang and Li Tian were no longer strangers.
They had already signed the raw glass trade agreement earlier.
And the previous deal had brought enormous profit to the emperor.
For Long Fang, Li Tian was no longer just a merchant.
He was someone capable of creating wealth.
The moment Long Fang saw him enter the hall, his expression brightened.
"Li Tian!"
"You finally came again."
His tone carried genuine excitement.
Standing beside the emperor were two royal figures.
Long Fang gestured toward them.
"My eldest son."
A young prince stepped forward slightly.
Then Long Fang pointed toward the woman beside him.
"My eldest daughter."
Li Tian recognized her immediately.
The First Princess of Sevenrock.
The same Saint Realm cultivator he had encountered in the mountain pass.
Her calm eyes observed him quietly.
---
A Strange Gift
Li Tian then presented a gift to the emperor.
A statue.
But not an ordinary one.
It was a Buddha statue.
The material was smooth, bright, and extremely lustrous.
More attractive than silver.
But lighter.
It was made from perfectly polished aluminum.
The metal reflected light like a mirror, making the statue shine brilliantly under the palace lamps.
The moment Long Fang saw it—
His eyes widened.
For a moment he looked almost obsessed.
Long Fang was famous for collecting rare artifacts and artistic pieces.
And this statue was something he had never seen before.
He walked down from the throne just to inspect it closely.
The shine.
The smooth surface.
The unique metal.
Long Fang laughed loudly.
"Excellent!"
"Truly excellent!"
It was rare to see the emperor this excited.
The court ministers could only watch silently.
---
The Glass Workshop
After the meeting, Li Tian delivered the raw glass slabs to the imperial craftsmen.
The artisans immediately began working.
Glass was cut.
Heated.
Polished.
Shaped carefully.
Within five days, dozens of high-quality products were created.
Mirrors.
Decorative glass sculptures.
Elegant vessels.
Ornaments.
The clarity of the glass shocked even the craftsmen themselves.
When Long Fang saw the finished products, he immediately made another decision.
He would not simply sell them.
He would create a grand promotion.
---
The Grand Glass Event
Invitations were sent across the continent.
Envoys from twenty different empires arrived in the capital of Sevenrock.
Many royal family members attended personally.
Even representatives from the Azure Flame Empire appeared.
Long Fang organized the promotion in three parts.
1. Auction
Rare glass artifacts were auctioned to nobles and royal collectors.
Prices climbed rapidly as bidders competed for the beautiful items.
2. Sell Market
Standard glass items like mirrors and decorative vessels were sold in large numbers.
Demand quickly exceeded supply.
3. Trade Market
Large quantities of raw glass slabs were sold to foreign merchants.
Payment was made in gold blocks.
Heavy rectangular blocks of pure gold stacked inside the treasury.
By the end of the event, the palace treasury had grown significantly heavier.
Li Tian observed everything quietly.
Based on the scale of transactions, he estimated that Long Fang's profit had reached somewhere between two hundred and three hundred gold blocks.
For any empire, it was a massive gain.
---
A Mysterious Meeting
That night, after the event ended, Li Tian returned to his residence.
Soon after, an elderly man requested a private meeting.
According to official records, he was an envoy from the Blue Cloud Empire.
But when the meeting began, the old man revealed the truth.
"My identity as an envoy is only temporary."
"I was once the Prime Minister of the Blue Cloud Empire."
"And I am also an artifact master."
"A formation master."
His eyes studied Li Tian carefully.
"You interest me."
Li Tian calmly poured tea.
The old man continued speaking.
"I know Long Fang very well."
"He is greedy."
"Sharp."
"Extremely calculating."
"He respects only people who bring him profit."
The old man leaned forward slightly.
"You are from the Azure Flame Empire, which is not exactly his ally."
"Yet he welcomes you with enthusiasm."
"Even showing respect."
He paused.
Then asked slowly—
"That means you possess something very valuable."
His eyes narrowed.
"So tell me, Li Tian…"
"What exactly makes the most greedy emperor on this continent treat you so differently?"