Wuji Market

In the vast plaza, a large number of cultivators had gathered, many whispering among themselves, their voices rising and falling in a constant hum.

When Qin Lu arrived, he noticed a wooden stage erected in the center.

On the stage stood over a dozen figures. Four of them were seated on chairs, each flanked by several cultivators standing behind them.

Li Qingdu was nowhere to be seen.

Qin Lu scanned the crowd carefully and recognized several familiar faces.

The two who had ambushed the Yu family patriarch that day were sitting right in the middle—the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wei Family and Sunset Valley.

Beside them sat the Green Mountain Sect patriarch, the man who had effortlessly dispatched two late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators in the Slums.

Beyond these three, a middle-aged man sat on the far right, eyes closed, seemingly in meditation. As expected, this was Wu Zheng, the sect master of the Xuanyang Sect.

“Tsk tsk, the leaders of the four major forces have actually all shown up…”

“This is truly a rare sight!”

“Li Qingdu’s personality is so different from Sun Jing’s—he loves putting on such a grand display! Truly youthful and impetuous!”

“If you became a Foundation Establishment cultivator in your thirties, you’d act the same! Besides, what kind of young person isn’t impetuous?”

Cultivators in the crowd discussed quietly amongst themselves.

But Qin Lu paid little attention to the chatter. His gaze was fixed entirely on the figure standing behind Wu Zheng of the Xuanyang Sect, his expression one of utter bewilderment.

Standing right there was someone he knew all too well.

Lu Anchen!

“Holy shit, how did Old Lu’s son end up standing there?!”

Qin Lu was astonished. He never imagined Lu Anchen would have such significant connections. To stand behind a Foundation Establishment cultivator at an event like this surely meant he was a close confidant.

Lu Xian had never revealed exactly what Lu Anchen did for work, and Qin Lu had assumed it must be something shady, so he’d never pressed. Who could have guessed Lu Anchen was so closely aligned with the Xuanyang Sect?

“Wait a minute… wasn’t Wanbao Pavilion, where Old Lu works, actually a shop owned by the Xuanyang Sect…?”

“Huh? Yueman Tower, too!”

“No wonder he was able to get Xiao Meng hired there and even arrange for someone to look after her—so that’s the connection!”

Realizing this, Qin Lu’s heart skipped a beat. He looked up at the cold-faced youth on the stage, a warm smile spreading across his face.

It seemed people still looked out for each other after all.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a figure clad in signature blue robes streaked swiftly through the air, landing gracefully atop the wooden stage.

This person was tall and straight, bearing a hint of arrogance in his brow and exuding an air of carefree elegance.

It was Li Qingdu.

“Everyone!” he bellowed, his voice amplified by spiritual energy, booming out in all directions.

Instantly, the clamor ceased, and the crowd fell completely silent.

Li Qingdu surveyed the quiet scene, nodded with satisfaction, and spoke again in a clear, resonant voice.

“Due to the unfortunate passing of Senior Brother Sun Jing at the hands of a petty thief, I shall henceforth serve as the resident Immortal Master of Wuji Market!”

“To ensure the livelihoods of all cultivators here, as well as the smooth operation of business, I urge everyone to abide by the market’s regulations!”

“First, the market has established a patrol team empowered to deal immediately with any cultivator who violates these rules. Anyone who dares challenge the authority of the Wuji Sect will be executed on the spot!”

“Second…”

Li Qingdu began reciting the market’s various regulations one by one.

Everyone listened quietly, occasionally murmuring low responses.

As the new rules were announced, Qin Lu realized they weren’t much different from those under Sun Jing’s rule—except for a few new additions. Specifically: rent increases, fees for setting up stalls, and heavier taxation.

Each regulation pointed directly toward Spirit Stones, leaving many struggling cultivators grimacing, their anger bottled up, unable to speak out.

Qin Lu himself felt little impact; he no longer cared much about a few Spirit Stones.

However, he sensed from Li Qingdu’s announcements that the new leader wasn’t particularly strict about punishing disputes within the market—and even seemed to subtly encourage fighting. This worried Qin Lu somewhat.

Next, Li Qingdu introduced the four Foundation Establishment cultivators seated on the stage, urging them to cooperate closely to develop Wuji Market into the most prosperous hub in the region.

The four leaders, who had profited greatly from the recent chaos, all eagerly agreed, their faces beaming with smiles.

Finally, Li Qingdu spoke about the market’s upcoming arena tournament.

Held once every ten years, this year’s tournament was scheduled for the first day of the sixth lunar month—just four months away. Since even Loose Cultivators could register, this news excited many who were eager to showcase their skills. After all, past tournaments had always offered incredibly rich rewards.

As he spoke, Li Qingdu dropped another bombshell.

“In three days, a caravan will arrive here, led by my sect’s Master Zheng. Any cultivator wishing to leave the market, please prepare yourselves!”

This announcement immediately sparked a huge reaction among the crowd.

Many cultivators burst into tears, covering their faces in grief. Others wore expressions of excitement, brimming with anticipation.

But Qin Lu’s expression changed dramatically, Zhang Meng’s face flashing vividly in his mind.

He was no stranger to caravans, having often heard about them from various Loose Cultivators.

A caravan was a massive procession, usually led personally by a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Wuji Sect, traversing thousands of miles of desolate wilderness to reach the market.

Each caravan brought a wealth of goods, predominantly mundane items: clothing, bedding, porcelain, glassware, spices, gems, gold, ironware, musical instruments, common tea, household utensils, and more.

Accompanying the caravan were also numerous mortals.

Among them were princesses and princes from various dynasties, martial arts masters yearning for the celestial realm, and those who had found fortuitous opportunities to seek immortality. Of course, there were also some exceptionally beautiful ordinary people.

These mortals were, in essence, commodities, open to bidding by cultivators, either to perform tasks that cultivators themselves disliked or to form families.

What truly moved many cultivators to tears wasn’t the goods the caravan brought, but the rare chance it offered to leave the market.

Perhaps they had initially arrived at Wuji Market full of hope, intending to carve out their own place in this world, but time had cruelly awakened them to reality. They realized that with their current cultivation levels, remaining in this bottomless pit of a market only meant risking their lives at any moment.

In such circumstances, it was far better to return to the mortal realm, become a respected Immortal Master, and spend their remaining years in peace.

Yet, since the area around the market was utterly desolate and teeming with demonic beasts, ghosts, and malevolent spirits, travel was impossible without a Foundation Establishment cultivator leading the way or flying magical artifacts.

Thus, the caravan was their sole opportunity to escape.

And Qin Lu knew—Zhang Meng had also been contemplating leaving with the caravan.