Chapter 69 : The Awakening of the Golden Core Director!
1,327 words
Chapter 69: The Awakening of the Golden Core Director!
Zhao Wuji carefully placed the jade slip titled “Proposal on Performance Improvement and Career Development Planning” onto Murong Xue’s desk with both hands.
A soft clack echoed.
Murong Xue’s gaze shifted from the jade slip to the man standing before her.
The former Heishan Sect Master, a Golden Core-stage cultivator.
At this moment, his expression was solemn, even tinged with humility, as he bowed deeply to her — his “Chairman.”
The pain and numbness that once clouded his eyes were now gone.
In their place was a strange calm born of total surrender — and perhaps… an eerie fanaticism.
Has this man gone mad?
Murong Xue’s body, sitting upright in her chair, instinctively tensed.
“Director Zhao, what do you mean by this?”
Her voice came out dry; she felt that all the mental shocks she had endured over the past few days combined were nothing compared to the one unfolding before her eyes.
“Chairman Murong, I’m being serious.”
Zhao Wuji straightened up, his tone brimming with unprecedented sincerity.
“After these days of observation and reflection, I’ve come to realize that the Ascension Group’s management model possesses an advancement and superiority that far surpass traditional sects!”
Murong Xue’s fingers turned pale as she gripped another document.
Advancement? Superiority?
Treating people like livestock, brainwashing them daily with slogans — that’s what he called advancement?
Zhao Wuji seemed oblivious to her subtle change in aura. He continued, his words flowing smoother with each sentence, as though he had rehearsed them countless times in his mind.
“I believe we must not be satisfied with the current state!”
“The miners — our family members — may have had their enthusiasm ignited, but we in the management, the backbone of the Group, are lagging far behind in both ideological awareness and professional capability!”
He struck his chest with a thud.
“Especially people like me — old-era cultivators with rigid thinking — we can’t keep up with President Chu’s strategic pace. We’ve become bottlenecks hindering the Group’s development!”
Murong Xue opened her mouth but found herself unable to utter a single word.
She felt as though she wasn’t speaking to a Golden Core cultivator…
…but listening to one of Chu Feng’s devilish phonograph devices.
The rhetoric, the tone — they were identical!
“So!”
Zhao Wuji’s voice suddenly rose, his eyes shining with what he believed to be wisdom.
“I propose that we must establish a scientific, quantifiable, and executable performance assessment system for management!”
“In other words — KPI!”
The last three letters he enunciated heavily.
“We must clarify each manager’s responsibilities, and bind their salary, bonuses, and even promotions to their work results — that is, their KPI completion rate!”
Murong Xue’s breath hitched.
“For example, as a director, my KPIs should include ‘corporate culture completion rate,’ ‘employee satisfaction improvement rate,’ and ‘team-building activity success rate,’ among others!”
“If I complete them, I should be rewarded!”
“If I fail, I should be punished!”
“Only this way can we unlock the potential of management and eradicate laziness and inertia!”
Zhao Wuji spoke passionately, spittle flying with every word.
He had figured it out.
Yesterday, when he saw that look in Murong Xue’s eyes — it hadn’t broken him. It had enlightened him.
Rather than being passively toyed with by that devil Chu Feng like a clown, it was better to leap into the game voluntarily — to study its rules, master them, and even… use them!
Why had he, a Golden Core cultivator, ended up so miserable?
Because he didn’t understand this game.
He had still been thinking with that outdated “might makes right” mentality — and had hit wall after wall.
Why had Murong Xue thrived instead?
Because she understood the rules — and created new ones.
So, Zhao Wuji would learn too.
He would also become… a rule-maker!
Even if it was only for a tiny rule!
These words plunged Murong Xue into complete silence.
She stared at Zhao Wuji, her heart surging with turmoil.
That flicker of pity she once felt for him now seemed utterly ridiculous.
This man wasn’t driven insane.
He was adapting — evolving — in a way she couldn’t comprehend!
Chu Feng’s system was a massive cauldron of poisonous alchemy, tossing in cultivators of all kinds.
Some were poisoned to death.
Some went mad.
And some — like Zhao Wuji — were transforming from traditional “cultivators” into a new kind of being, radiating the aura of performance and metrics — a professional manager!
Terrifying. Utterly terrifying.
Meanwhile, at the main peak of the Qingyun Sect, in Chu Feng’s private courtyard.
The spiritual energy was so dense it almost condensed into visible mist, flowing gently through the courtyard.
Chu Feng sat cross-legged at the center of a massive Spirit Gathering Formation.
Before him floated hundreds of jade bottles — each filled with high-quality Qi Nourishing Pills meticulously refined by Leng Yanran, who had been working overtime.
His cultivation method could be summarized in one word:
Extravagant.
Ever since the annexation of the Heishan Sect, all mining resources had been funneled toward him alone.
Leng Yanran’s alchemy factory ran at full capacity, and the pills flowed out like water.
Any one of these pills, if sold outside, would cause Qi Refining disciples to fight to the death for it.
But here, they were nothing more than Chu Feng’s snacks.
Crunch.
Chu Feng picked up a pill the size of a longan, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance, and popped it into his mouth like candy, chewing with a crisp sound.
The pill instantly shattered upon contact with his tongue.
A surge of potent medicinal power transformed into pure spiritual energy, rushing through his limbs and bones without needing refinement.
If an ordinary Qi Refining Fifth Level cultivator tried that, there would be only one result — instant explosion.
But Chu Feng was different.
He felt like a bottomless pit.
The larger the “Group’s plate” became, the more stable his foundation grew.
Every time the miners, stewards, even Zhao Wuji and Murong Xue created value for the Group — every slogan shouted, every KPI completed — a faint, indescribable stream of “Fortune” crossed space and gathered upon him, the CEO.
This “Fortune” was not illusory.
It physically strengthened his body and meridians.
His physique became unnaturally resilient, his efficiency in absorbing and refining spiritual energy reaching unbelievable levels.
He didn’t need to comprehend some vague Heaven’s Dao.
Nor did he need some rare moment of epiphany.
He just needed to pop pills!
As long as the Group’s business grew, his cultivation could soar — even while sitting on his flying sword!
“Qi Refining Fifth Level peak… still not enough.”
Feeling the spiritual energy raging within him, Chu Feng grabbed another handful of pills and shoved them into his mouth.
He had to raise his strength quickly.
He knew well that everything he was doing now depended on the tacit approval of the Sect’s upper management — and the absence of stronger forces intervening.
Once a true powerhouse appeared — one who didn’t play by “business rules” — his entire empire could be crushed with a single slap.
Just as he was about to push for the Qi Refining Sixth Level, the communication jade slip at his waist lit up.
His divine sense swept across it.
Chu Feng’s movements paused, and a playful smile appeared on his face.
It was a confidential report from Wu Hao — detailing Zhao Wuji’s entire “performance proposal” presentation to Murong Xue.
“Interesting. Very interesting.”
Chu Feng chuckled.
That salted fish Zhao Wuji hadn’t just flipped himself over — he’d even learned to pick up the spatula, and was trying to fry himself in oil for extra flavor.
His awareness had exceeded expectations.
“Seems it’s time to turn up the intensity… for the management.”
Chu Feng stood, brushing off his robes, eyes gleaming with excitement.
He was going to the mining area himself.
To witness this historic moment!