Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

Chapter 586 Challenges For Astral Jade City

Despite the unwavering support of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion, building Astral Jade City wasn't without its challenges. The sheer scale of the project – a multi-star metropolis – was daunting. Coordinating the influx of resources, managing the diverse workforce, and ensuring a smooth flow of construction across four celestial bodies were logistical nightmares.

One of the biggest challenges was the construction materials. Traditional jade, while aesthetically pleasing, wasn't strong enough for the city's infrastructure. Wang Jian, ever the problem solver, delved into his vast knowledge of rare materials. He procured a unique substance called "Starlight Jade." Harvested from the core of dying stars, Starlight Jade possessed incredible strength and resilience while retaining the opalescent beauty of regular jade.

Another hurdle was the workforce. Skilled artisans accustomed to working with jade struggled with Starlight Jade's alien properties. To address this, Wang Jian set up training sessions with the disciples and elders of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion as instructors for those artisans.

Several of Wang Jian's Mistresses, beautiful elders of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion with extensive experience in cultivation and material manipulation, stepped up to the challenge.

One, renowned for her mastery of elemental energies, taught the artisans how to manipulate the Starlight Jade's internal structure.

Another, with a keen understanding of spatial techniques, provided tips on efficient construction methods.

Together, these formidable women ensured a smooth knowledge transfer, significantly accelerating the construction process.

Other disciples and elders, each with their own expertise, shared their knowledge on array formations, material manipulation, and even the unique properties of Starlight Jade itself.

This comprehensive training program ensured the artisans quickly mastered the intricacies of working with this exotic material, significantly accelerating the construction process.

Wang Jian himself contributed a unique architectural style. Inspired by the intricate formations in ancient cultivation manuals, he designed buildings that functioned as both living quarters and training grounds.

These structures incorporated spatial arrays that channeled natural celestial energy into specific chambers, enhancing cultivation speeds.

Word of this revolutionary architecture spread like wildfire, further bolstering Astral Jade City's allure.

However, the biggest challenge remained – attracting residents. The Eastern Cosmos was vast, and options for cultivators were plentiful. Wang Jian needed a powerful incentive. After much deliberation, he devised a clever scheme: resident loyalty.

Everyone who became a citizen of Astral Jade City would receive a special emblem. This emblem granted them a 50% discount on all purchases within the city.

This was a significant perk, considering the Heavenly Jade Pavilion planned to establish trading houses offering a vast array of resources – rare herbs, powerful artifacts, even high-grade spirit stones.

But here's the twist. To maintain residency, each citizen had to pay a monthly tax in Divine Spirit Stones, the universal currency for cultivators.

Though the discount was substantial, the tax ensured a steady income stream for the city. It was a win-win situation; residents got cheaper access to resources, and Astral Jade City built its treasury.

Wang Jian didn't stop there. He devised a system of reputation points. Citizens received points for participating in city maintenance, contributing to trade, or even simply recommending others to live there.

These points could be redeemed for exclusive benefits – access to restricted training grounds, rare cultivation manuals, or even personal audiences with the Pavilion Mistress, Cui Lan.

News of these incentives spread like wildfire. Cultivators flocked to Astral Jade City, enticed by the prospect of cheaper resources, faster cultivation, and the chance to rise within the city's hierarchy. Slowly but surely, Astral Jade City began to teem with life. Artisans hammered on Starlight Jade, merchants stocked their wares, and cultivators of all walks of life roamed the bustling streets.

The city itself was a marvel. Buildings shimmered with an otherworldly glow, their architecture channeling celestial energy like a living organism. Training grounds buzzed with focused energy as cultivators honed their skills, and bustling market squares resonated with the din of bartering and negotiation.

With each passing day, Astral Jade City grew into a beacon of opportunity. The Heavenly Jade Pavilion's backing, the promise of resources and security, and Wang Jian's innovative systems – all combined to create a city unlike any other in the Eastern Cosmos.

It was a testament to Wang Jian's ingenuity and strategic foresight, a city poised to become a pivotal player in the ongoing power struggle that gripped the cosmos.

As Astral Jade City rose like a phoenix from the cosmic dust, its vibrant trade network and innovative policies started casting a long shadow over competing settlements. Crimson Star Settlement, led by the fiery Baroness Xia Li, and Azure Pearl Settlement, governed by the stoic Lord Han Ming, began witnessing a drastic decline in their trade. Cultivators, lured by Astral Jade City's alluring discounts and exceptional resources, flocked to the new metropolis.

"This Astral Jade City!" Baroness Xia Li spat, her voice tinged with frustration as she paced before a holographic map of the Eastern Cosmos. "They've practically choked the life out of our trade routes!"

Lord Han Ming, his beard bristling, chimed in, "Indeed! We must find a way to curb their influence before they dominate the entire cosmos!"

Their anger was echoed across the Eastern Cosmos. Leaders of various settlements, from the bustling Jade Lotus Settlement led by the shrewd Elder Wu to the remote Skyforge Settlement ruled by the enigmatic Lord Feng, all felt the pinch of Astral Jade City's success. A sense of unease permeated the cosmos as these leaders began plotting their next move.

They knew a direct confrontation was out of the question. The recent war against the devil tribes had left the human sects, including the Heavenly Jade Pavilion's long-standing rivals, the Star Cloud Sect and Azure Gale Sect, severely weakened. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Jade Pavilion, untouched by the war, had emerged even stronger. Picking a fight with Astral Jade City meant facing the full might of the most powerful human sect in the cosmos.

Thus, they turned to the shadows. Whispers reached the ears of the ancient cultivation families, powerful clans that had long existed alongside the sects. The Jiang Family, the Nangong Family, and the Ming Family, were all approached.

The families were receptive. They saw Astral Jade City's rise as a threat to their own influence. A clandestine meeting was arranged, a gathering held within a hidden dimension accessible only to those with specific bloodlines. Here, the disgruntled leaders of various settlements met with representatives of the ancient cultivation families.

"We can't allow the Heavenly Jade Pavilion to control the cosmos through this Astral Jade City," declared Elder Jiang Wu, his eyes glowing with a sinister light.

Nangong Ying, a woman with a calculating glint in her eyes, laid out a plan. "We'll target their two most important pillars – trade and security."

The details were discussed in hushed tones. The Jiang Family agreed to use their illusions to create fake merchant caravans, luring potential Astral Jade City residents to their settlements with promises of even lower prices. The Nangong Family planned to manipulate trade routes, subtly redirecting traffic away from Astral Jade City. The Ming Family, ever the masters of manipulation, would sow discord through carefully crafted rumors. They would paint Astral Jade City as a haven for criminals and rogue cultivators, tarnishing its reputation for safety.

Nearly ten days had passed since the Jiang Family, the Nangong Family, and the Ming Family put their plan in motion. Subtle changes in the flow of trade had begun to occur. Here and there, reports trickled in of merchant caravans offering suspiciously low prices for rare resources.

Discontent began to simmer amongst some Astral Jade City residents, a subtle unease fueled by whispers of lax security measures and an influx of dubious characters.

Wang Jian wasn't oblivious to these developments. He monitored the situation with a contemplative gaze, his mind sifting through the data. The decline in trade volume was minimal, barely a blip on the radar compared to the city's booming economy.

However, the rumors about security were more concerning.

Astral Jade City's reputation for safety was a cornerstone of its success, and any erosion of trust could have a significant impact.

"My love," he said to Su Xian, who sat gracefully beside him, "it seems our little city is attracting some unwanted attention."

Su Xian, her eyes sharp as ever, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, husband. There seems to be a coordinated effort to discredit both our trade and security measures."

A mischievous glint flickered in Wang Jian's eyes. "Fear not, my dear. We'll play their game, but by our own rules."

He summoned one of his most trusted confidantes, Elder Baozhai. Despite her youthful appearance, with skin as smooth as porcelain and eyes that shimmered like amethysts, Elder Baozhai was one of the most senior elders of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

Her sharp mind and vast experience, honed over centuries of cultivation, made her invaluable to Wang Jian.

Though her official title was Elder, she also served as Wang Jian's personal maid, a testament to the trust and respect he held for her.

"Elder Baozhai," Wang Jian began, "we need to counter these covert attacks. Let's introduce a new feature – trade verification tokens."

Elder Baozhai's eyes, the color of polished jade, sparkled with understanding. "A brilliant idea, Master! Each legitimate Astral Jade City merchant will possess a unique token infused with your divine essence. This token can be used to verify the authenticity of their goods and differentiate them from the fakes."