Born with immortal seed

Chapter 54 Fangshi
Baiyulou, main hall.

"During my period of seclusion, has anything significant happened within the sect?"

As Bai Zichen emerged from the training room, Peng Jinhu was casting a spell to clear away the weeds in the cave, lest they crowd out the growing space of several rare flowers.

He then called Su Lie over and questioned him.

"Reporting to Young Master Bai, there are no major events within the sect, and the sect leader is still in seclusion. It is said that the great battle between the righteous and demonic paths outside has subsided, as a Nascent Soul True Monarch intervened to mediate, and both sides had no choice but to cease hostilities."

Su Lie was clearly prepared and had a plan in mind. He took out a silk scroll filled with regulations from his sleeve and handed it over.

"True Lord Yuanying?"

Bai Zichen frowned and asked, "Where did this Nascent Soul True Monarch come from within Mizhou? That number one demonic cultivator, Blood God True Man, is only at the Perfect Core Formation stage!"

If a Core Formation Realm cultivator is considered a high-level combatant in Mizhou, they could completely turn the tide of the local situation and determine the prosperity of a sect or clan.

That Nascent Soul True Monarch was a pure case of dimensional reduction; he didn't even need to take action himself, just a few words were enough to change the course of the great war between the righteous and demonic paths.

"I am of low status and cannot find out the specific details. These are all things that I heard from the outer disciples when they were chatting."

"Some speculate that the Supreme Elder from the Qishan Sacred Lotus Sect has intervened. After all, this war between the righteous and the demonic has already affected more than ten sects across three states, so it's possible that the Sacred Lotus Sect has stepped in to mediate."

Bai Zichen tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingers, lost in thought and remaining silent.

The consequences of a single thought of a Nascent Soul True Monarch can affect thousands of cultivators, but this level is too far removed from them, and the information they transmit is all based on the speculation and imagination of lower-level cultivators.

"Let's talk about something else."

"Right now, the disciples inside the sect are most concerned about the sect's minor competition. Some people have already started betting on it privately, and I've copied down the names of the top five outer sect disciples with the best odds."

"Last month, a handyman disciple went out to collect herbs and actually found a thousand-year-old golden crown Ganoderma. After handing it over to the sect, he was promoted to an outer disciple and given a generous reward... All the handyman disciples went crazy and almost hollowed out that mountain."

"Among the inner disciples, two sent messengers with their visiting cards, requesting a meeting with Young Master Bai when he has time. A total of seven outer disciples came to visit..."

Su Lie reported on each item in a well-organized manner.

If Bai Zichen was interested in any particular point, Su Lie could immediately elaborate and describe it in detail.

For example, we should pay attention to the character, conduct, and past deeds of the two inner disciples who sent the visiting cards.

What are the cultivation levels of the seven outer disciples? What are their relationships within the sect? Do they have the potential for advancement?

Obviously done enough homework.

Judging from this, Bai Zichen did not make the wrong choice; such an attendant can save him a lot of trouble.

"Reply to the two inner disciples and suggest a small gathering later this month. Let them choose the date... As for the outer disciples, just ignore them. If they come to visit again, just refuse them."

As fellow inner disciples, Bai Zichen was willing to spend some time making friends with them, and also to get a sense of where his own strength ranked.

He had no time to bother with the outer disciples.

In the world of cultivation, great power ultimately comes from within oneself; those skilled in manipulation and strategizing have limited room to maneuver.

Even if you manage to gather a group of outer disciples who cheer for you, it won't help you advance to the level of a true disciple.

“Well done. In the future, we can use this template to collect information. The focus should still be on the clan.”

It's not that external information is unimportant, but for someone at Su Lie's level, the intelligence he gathers is hard to verify, unlike the information from within the sect, which always has clues to follow.

"By the way, how much do you know about the sect's market?"

Bai Zichen changed the subject and asked about the market he had been curious about for a long time.

"So that Young Master Bai may know that before I joined the Qingfeng Sect, I made a living in the market and worked as a greeter at Wanbaoge for several years."

Su Lie's spirits lifted. As a bodyguard, the greater the value he demonstrated, the more trust he would gain from the inner disciples who followed him.

……

Qingfengmen Market.

It is about 500 miles away from Qingfengmen Benshan, located at a key pass for entering and exiting Heishan.

Although named after a market town, it has grown to be about the size of a town after hundreds of years of development.

What started as just a dozen or so buildings has now become four streets and a continuously expanding market plaza.

Some independent cultivators even built residences on the outskirts, and the Qingfeng Sect did not interfere. Gradually, more and more people gathered, and it can be said that more than half of the independent cultivators from Black Mountain were gathered there.

There are also descendants of rogue cultivators who have no spiritual roots, who also multiply and thrive in the vicinity, all relying on the large group of cultivators for survival.

Therefore, when Bai Zichen arrived at the market on his sword, he saw a scene that was completely different from what he had imagined.

The buildings are chaotic and densely packed, resembling countless matchboxes stacked on top of each other when viewed from the air.

Further in, there is a long, narrow, circular square where many independent monks, unable to afford to rent shops in the market, set up stalls and sell their goods.

A huge crowd gathered in the square, selecting their favorite items from the stalls.

In many cases, spirit stones are not used for trading; instead, barter is used.

The most central area is naturally comprised of four well-organized, intersecting streets, forming the true Qingfeng Gate Market.

A thin layer of mist enveloped the entire market town.

This is the protective array of the market. The Qingfeng Sect has arranged for two Foundation Establishment elders to be stationed here, which shows how important it is to them.

By controlling this market, all the cultivators in the entire Black Mountain County are essentially working for the Azure Maple Sect. Countless spirit stones and massive amounts of cultivation resources are gathered here, generating profits for the sect.

The market's annual revenue is still growing rapidly.

"Wanbaoge and Wuxingmen Trading Company... these two really do occupy good locations. I wonder where the Bai family's shop is located. Judging from Fatty's tone, it should be in a corner."

At the main entrance of the market, several disciples of the Qingfeng Sect were on guard, but they did not question the cultivators coming and going.

According to Su Lie, at night, apart from Qingfeng Sect disciples, only three types of people can stay: those who own shops in the market, those who are employed by shops on a long-term basis, and those who spend a considerable amount of spirit stones to stay in Qingfeng Sect's inns.

Everyone else must leave the market.

It wasn't like Bai Zichen imagined, where all the shops in the market belonged to the Qingfeng Sect.

In addition to the exclusive Di Dian store, Qingfengmen has opened seven or eight other stores, all in prominent locations, covering almost every industry.

The remaining shops were sold to various cultivation families, and some independent cultivators even pooled their life savings of spirit stones to buy a small shop with others.

After all, there is a policy in the market that allows any independent cultivator with spiritual roots and a good credit history to pay a 30% down payment first, and the remaining spirit stones plus interest can be paid off slowly over a period of up to sixty years.

There are two other shops in the market, located in the most prominent position at the street intersection.

Wanbaoge and Wuxingmen Trading Company are branches of two Core Formation level forces located in Qingfengmen Market.

(End of this chapter)