The franchise rights for our XingKong Near Sight Spirit product in the smaller regions were secured through open auction, Hezhou Gang. However, due to production capacity constraints, we have no immediate plans to auction the rights for the Greater China region." Liu Hui stated calmly.

"If obtaining your agency required an auction, I wouldn't have needed to come in person today. Let me be direct: for your products to be sold domestically, they must receive our approval. If your distributor isn't Huaxia Pioneer Pharmaceutical Group, your medicine has zero chance of approval. This is our collective decision, not my personal opinion," Deputy Director Xia declared without politeness.

"Oh, is that so? Since our current production is struggling to meet market demand anyway, we might as well forgo the domestic market. I was actually feeling some internal unease about not satisfying consumers in the domestic market, and you've just helped solve my dilemma," Liu Hui smiled.

"Are you really going to give up such a massive market? I find that hard to believe," Deputy Director Xia wasn't worried at all.

"There's nothing that can be done, and look at our company's current strategy—we truly have no intention of covering the domestic market," Liu Hui was equally unhurried.

"You," Deputy Director Xia sputtered. He hadn't expected Liu Hui to reply this way; it was completely out of their calculations, leaving him speechless.

"Boss Liu, we can certainly discuss the specifics! Huaxia Pioneer Pharmaceutical Group is very sincere, and we will meet all your requirements for a regional general agent," the beautiful woman named Wang Yuyan quickly interjected to ease the tension when she saw the situation turning sour.

Liu Hui glanced at Wang Yuyan and smiled, "Miss Wang, we genuinely have no plans to venture into the domestic market right now, so I must apologize."

Li Zhi, watching from the side, saw Liu Hui give her a look. She immediately understood, stood up, and announced, "Gentlemen, our boss has an urgent meeting about to commence. We can discuss this agency matter another time!"

Deputy Director Xia had likely never encountered a pharmaceutical enterprise that dared to treat him this way. Unfortunately for him, Liu Hui wasn't under his direct jurisdiction now, so he wasn't beholden to him. The Deputy Director was momentarily unable to react, rising silently before walking out. Wang Yuyan politely bid Liu Hui farewell before hurrying after him.

Once the two had left, Li Zhi asked, "Boss, why wouldn't you give them the agency rights?"

"I have significant future use for the General Agency rights of the Greater China region, so I cannot grant them just yet. In the future, if any other domestic pharmaceutical companies approach you about agency rights, delay them. Do not refuse, but do not agree either; try to push the confirmation date back by at least two months. This is very important to me," Liu Hui instructed without offering an explanation.

"Understood, Boss."

"Oh, and has the payment for the four agents arrived yet?"

"A total of 11 billion US dollars—it has all been deposited into the company account."

"That's good that it's in. We have already produced four million units of the medicine. Contact them shortly and prepare the shipments. By the way, is our advertising ready?" Liu Hui inquired.

"I will arrange the shipments immediately. That advertisement is currently being filmed; the advertising department told me today is the final day of shooting," Li Zhi replied.

"Where are they filming?"

"They are filming in Tai Mo Shan Country Park."

"I see. You can go now," Liu Hui said.

After Li Zhi left, Liu Hui remained alone in his office and suddenly let out a cold laugh. He murmured, "The agency rights for Greater China are such a massive piece of fat meat, and people are already impatient to devour it. But if they cannot stand by me during the future crisis and become my allies, how could I possibly hand over that meat for free?" Liu Hui's objective was simple: the proprietary formula of the Han Tang Hospital was on the verge of exposure, and he planned to use the 'fat' of the Greater China agency rights for XingKong Near Sight Spirit to secure a firm ally. This ally needed to be capable of stepping forward to help him resolve the lingering issues of the Han Tang Hospital. This was the trump card Liu Hui had prepared for himself, so naturally, he wouldn't give up the agency rights now. Although the domestic retail price for XingKong Near Sight Spirit was only one thousand RMB per unit, the potential patient pool of four hundred million still represented a colossal market. How could Liu Hui truly abandon it? Furthermore, considering the subsequent Hepatitis B and diabetes medications, the domestic market was an immensely vast prospect that could never truly be given up.

Liu Hui stayed in his office for a while, feeling stuffy. He decided to leave and went to the office building of XingKong Security. He asked Wu Yuanjia to arrange two bodyguards for him, one male and one female, and then left the company with them driving.

Having just heard from Li Zhi that the advertising production company was filming in Tai Mo Shan Country Park, Liu Hui, feeling a bit bored, decided to visit the set, as he was curious about how the commercial filming process worked.

Tai Mo Shan Country Park, Hong Kong’s highest peak, features a winding mountain road leading to the summit. However, few people visited this area usually. Its scenery was breathtaking, making it a frequent location for numerous film and television crews shooting on site.

Liu Hui's car ascended the mountain road until it reached the mid-slope. As he rounded a bend, he saw a red Ferrari convertible parked ahead, and a woman wearing sunglasses waved at his car, signaling him to stop.

"Boss!" the female bodyguard driving looked at Liu Hui.

"Stop," he ordered.

The car pulled over. Liu Hui rolled down his window and looked at the woman in sunglasses outside, saying, "Miss, is there something..."

"Sir, my car broke down—it's dead on the road. And my phone has no signal here. I can't find anyone to help. I have an urgent matter requiring me to reach the summit immediately; could you possibly give me a ride?" the woman in sunglasses pleaded pitiably.

Liu Hui checked his phone and confirmed there was indeed no signal at that location. He opened the car door and said, "We are going to the summit as well, so we can give you a lift!"

"Thank you so much," the woman in sunglasses retrieved a bag from her sports car and got into Liu Hui's vehicle, sitting beside him.

The car continued toward the summit. Inside, the woman in sunglasses curiously examined Liu Hui. She asked, "Sir, what is your surname?"

"My surname is Liu."

"Mr. Liu, what are you going to the summit for? As far as I know, there are no events happening up there today," the woman in sunglasses inquired curiously.

"I'm going to check on an advertisement shoot. And what about you, going to the summit?" Liu Hui countered.

The woman in sunglasses removed her sunglasses and smiled, "Do you recognize me, Mr. Liu?"

Liu Hui looked closely and replied, "You look a bit familiar. Are you..."

"What a failure, Mr. Liu doesn't recognize me. I am Ouyang Shafei, Mia Shafei." Ouyang Shafei looked at Liu Hui playfully.

"Ouyang Shafei? Are you the Ouyang Shafei, the famous movie star?" Liu Hui looked at her in surprise. He had found her familiar but hadn't realized she was the renowned Hong Kong film actress.

"Heh heh, that's me. Has Mr. Liu Hui watched my movies?" Ouyang Shafei chuckled.

"How do you know my name?" Liu Hui asked foolishly.

"Recently, Mr. Liu Hui has been featured prominently in Hong Kong news reports. Your photos were in all the papers. Who in Hong Kong doesn't know you now? Otherwise, why would I so readily get into your car?" Little Ouyang Shafei explained with a smile.

"Am I that famous now?" Liu Hui stroked his chin, then continued, "Miss Ouyang, why are you going up to the summit?"

Although Liu Hui hadn't been a fan before, he had seen some movies starring Ouyang Shafei. She was only twenty now and was rumored to be the purest beauty in Hong Kong history. Her sweet smile had conquered countless young men and women, with the young men treating her as their dream girl. Ouyang Shafei herself maintained an impeccable reputation, with virtually no scandals, making her a popular artist with a very clean image.

"I have a booking that requires me to shoot a sequence of scenes at the summit. Who knew my sports car would break down halfway up the mountain? And there was no cell service there! If I hadn't met Mr. Liu Hui, I don't know what I would have done," Ouyang Shafei said, clasping her hands together in front of her chest, looking gratefully at Liu Hui.

"Miss Ouyang is too kind; it was just a small favor. So, you're going up for filming too? My company also has an advertisement being shot up there," Liu Hui said humbly.

"Is it for your XingKong Near Sight Spirit commercial? That’s wonderful! I’ve been near-sighted for several years now and truly hope your product launches soon so my vision can be treated," Ouyang Shafei exclaimed happily.

"Miss Ouyang, don't worry; the product will launch shortly. We are just waiting for this advertisement now," Liu Hui smiled.

"That's great! I truly miss the feeling of clear vision," Ouyang Shafei sighed. The two chatted pleasantly inside the car, and before they knew it, they had reached the summit. At the entrance to the summit, two young women were anxiously peering down the road.

"Mr. Liu Hui, thank you for your help. My team is waiting for me," Ouyang Shafei pointed to the two who were looking out.

Liu Hui got out of the car to open the door for Ouyang Shafei and smiled, "It was my honor to assist Miss Ouyang."

Ouyang Shafei elegantly stepped out and smiled, "Mr. Liu Hui, you have such gentlemanly demeanor."

The two staff members were stunned to see Ouyang Shafei descend from Liu Hui's car. They couldn't understand why Ouyang Shafei, who usually paid close attention to her image, would emerge from a stranger's car. It could cause major trouble if paparazzi discovered it.

"It’s fine. My car broke down, and I owe Mr. Liu Hui a great deal of help for not being late," Ouyang Shafei explained.

"Miss Ouyang, goodbye," Liu Hui closed the car door.

"Mr. Liu Hui, could you give me a business card?" Ouyang Shafei smiled, extending her fair, slender hand.

Liu Hui smiled, took a card from his bag. It simply read: XingKong Group, Liu Hui, followed by a phone number. He handed the card to Ouyang Shafei.

Ouyang Shafei took the card with a light laugh, then pulled a notepad from her handbag, scribbled down a string of numbers with an eyebrow pencil, and handed it to Liu Hui. She smiled, "Mr. Liu Hui, this is my private number. Please keep in touch often!"

"Miss Ouyang, how can you casually hand out your private number?" one of the staff members started to step forward to intervene.

"Sister Wang, it’s alright. Mr. Liu Hui is a good friend of mine," Ouyang Shafei quickly stopped the staff member. Then, she said sweetly, "Mr. Liu Hui, goodbye."

Liu Hui held the perfumed note with the string of digits—likely Ouyang Shafei's private number. He slipped the note into his pocket, nodded to Ouyang Shafei, and instructed the bodyguards to drive on.

Liu Hui's car continued its journey and soon arrived at the advertising filming location. He stepped out only to find the advertising crew packing up their equipment.

A staff member from the sales company spotted Liu Hui and hurried over—

"Why am I seeing them packing up?"

"Boss, the filming for this commercial concluded yesterday. All that remains is post-production," the staff member explained.

"Oh, I see." Liu Hui felt a touch of regret that he hadn't witnessed the filming firsthand. He spotted Xiao Yao and her mother resting nearby and walked over.

"Sister-in-law Gao," Liu Hui greeted them.

"Boss, hello," Sister-in-law Gao immediately stood up upon seeing Liu Hui, pulling Xiao Yao up with her.

Xiao Yao stood shyly beside her mother, looking vulnerable. Today, thanks to the makeup artist's design, Xiao Yao looked exceptionally cute, especially her large eyes, which were mesmerizing, drawing one in completely.

"Xiao Yao, was filming tiring?" Liu Hui smiled and greeted her.

Xiao Yao immediately hid behind her mother, not answering, only peeking out with her eyes to observe Liu Hui.

"Boss, Xiao Yao is a bit shy with strangers, please don't be angry," Sister-in-law Gao quickly explained.

"Heh heh, Sister-in-law Gao, I actually really like Xiao Yao; why would I be angry? I plan to establish a school near our factory area, where employees who worry about their children can send them to study. This would save you the time spent taking them to and from school. What do you think?" Liu Hui smiled.

"Boss, if that were true, it would be wonderful! Honestly, I am quite worried about Xiao Yao going to school alone," Sister-in-law Gao was overjoyed. "I will have the group company take charge of this matter. Consider it a company benefit," Liu Hui stated.

Liu Hui had intended to observe the filming site, but he arrived too late; everything was finished. He decided to head back. On the return journey, he spotted the film crew involving Ouyang Shafei still shooting. Ouyang Shafei looked even more pure and lovely after meticulous makeup.

That evening, in his room, Liu Hui sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. He carefully guided the spiritual energy (Ling Qi) within the cushion into his body, expanding and clearing his meridians. His internal meridians were almost completely unblocked; once all were cleared, Liu Hui would officially have entered the path of Cultivation.

The spiritual energy gathering array on the cushion slowly refined the Ling Qi from the spirit stones, which Liu Hui then guided into his meridians. Unknowingly, he entered a state of trance. Suddenly, Liu Hui's meridians surged violently, as if shattering some kind of restraint. The rate at which Ling Qi flowed into his body accelerated sharply, then quickly circulated once inside him.

Liu Hui awoke with a start. Upon checking himself, he realized he had successfully expanded and opened all his body's meridians. The Ling Qi now entering his body could form a complete cycle, after which it would sink into his Dantian, accumulating there. Liu Hui was overjoyed; he knew he had finally achieved entry-level Cultivation.

Liu Hui immediately began extracting large amounts of Ling Qi from the cushion to strengthen the energy in his Dantian. Before, he felt the cushion's spiritual energy was vast, and absorbing even a little too much would cause his meridians discomfort. But now that his entire meridian system was connected, he realized the maximum output rate of the cushion's Ling Qi was agonizingly slow. After half a day, his Dantian had only gained a single wisp more spiritual energy.

The next day, Liu Hui went to the basement and contacted the Immortal Cultivation realm figure, Xiaoyaozi, who appeared quickly.

"Young Friend, what do you need from me?"

"Senior, please examine my current state."

"Oh? So you have already achieved entry-level Cultivation, congratulations!" Xiaoyaozi looked closely, and after clearly assessing Liu Hui's condition, he felt genuinely happy for him.

"Senior, after entering the entry stage, how should we cultivators continue our practice?" Liu Hui inquired.

"The cushion I made for you earlier was specifically designed for those who haven't yet entered the path; it strictly controls the rate of spiritual energy diffusion. Using it now will yield little benefit. Now that you are cultivating, you can use spirit stones directly to absorb the Ling Qi within them," Xiaoyaozi explained.

"Generally, how long do we cultivators spend in the entry stage?" Liu Hui asked.

"The entry stage takes up a very short period in a cultivator's journey. As long as the supply of spirit stones is sufficient, it won't last longer than three years," he replied.

"Compared to the experts at the peak of the Xiantian Realm in the mortal world, who is stronger than an entry-level cultivator?"

"Fundamentally, an entry-level cultivator is as powerful as a Xiantian Realm master. The only difference is that the entry-level cultivator uses Ling Qi, while the Xiantian master uses Xiantian True Qi. However, once a cultivator breaks through to the Foundation Establishment stage, they far surpass Xiantian masters."

Liu Hui pulled out ten Level Four Demonic Beast Crystal Cores and traded them to Xiaoyaozi, saying, "Senior, please immediately help me convert these ten attribute crystals into spirit stones."

Xiaoyaozi accepted the demonic beast crystal cores, looking troubled. "Converting them into spirit stones for you isn't an issue, but I've been feeling unwell recently. It might take a long time before I can help you with the conversion."

"Senior, just say what you want to get my help," Liu Hui had long seen through Xiaoyaozi's intentions.

"Well... if you gave me two more attribute crystal cores, I might be able to finish it for you right away," Xiaoyaozi’s spirits lifted.

"Impossible. I can give you one more at most."

"Deal. I'll have them converted for you in half an hour." Xiaoyaozi seemed quite eager.

Liu Hui reluctantly traded one more Level Four Demonic Beast Crystal Core to Xiaoyaozi. After receiving it, Xiaoyaozi swiftly vanished.