The following day, Shen Xian changed into a plain-colored long robe. He even tucked the dragon-shaped jade pendant gifted by his mother inside his belt, rendering his entire appearance simple and unassuming.

The city was a melting pot where dragons and snakes mingled. If one was too flashy, they would either be viewed as a fat sheep ripe for slaughter or attract the gaze of those with malicious intent.

Keeping a low profile was the golden rule for amassing wealth in silence.

Once prepared, Shen Xian stepped out of the courtyard.

On the road, as expected, he was met with the sneers and sarcastic remarks of several Ye Family disciples. They held not a shred of respect for this second legitimate son of the Shen Family.

Of course… the deciding factor was that the Fourth Young Master of the Ye Family had personally expressed his dissatisfaction with Shen Xian just yesterday. Naturally, these family disciples followed their master’s lead.

Shen Xian paid them no mind.

You cannot speak of ice to a summer insect. He already existed on a different level than these people, so there was no need to argue. Moreover, this was their territory; there was even less reason to act on impulse.

Leaving the main family district, Shen Xian headed straight for the city’s largest trading hub.

This immortal cultivation metropolis, known as Thousand Leaf City, was the crown jewel of the Ye Family’s territory, boasting a population of two million.

However, the vast majority were ordinary mortals. Only a hundred thousand were cultivators, and among those, Foundation Establishment Realm practitioners and above numbered a mere twenty or thirty thousand.

After all, those with spiritual roots were one in ten thousand. Producing so many cultivators required a massive population base. Furthermore, possessing a spiritual root was no guarantee of soaring to the heavens. Cultivators with low-grade spiritual roots, like Shen Xian, were far from rare.

The path of cultivation was long and arduous. Most who embarked upon it dared not slacken in the slightest, practicing diligently day and night just to walk a little further and live a little longer.

Years ago, when Shen Xian realized his lack of talent, he had seen through the vanity of it all. Rather than toiling for a lifetime chasing an elusive immortality, he preferred to live this life happily and joyfully.

Even now, with the boons of the Marriage Blessing System, his priority remained living comfortably, unbound by the obsessive pursuit of eternal life.

The streets of Thousand Leaf City bustled with activity, cultivators of all stripes weaving through the crowds. As the city center, this area attracted a high concentration of practitioners.

Navigating the throngs, Shen Xian arrived at the city’s largest market—Hundred Treasures Plaza.

This place was a gathering ground for countless people: rogue cultivators setting up street stalls, chamber of commerce stewards sourcing materials, and idle wanderers like himself here for “treasure hunting.”

The plaza was a cacophony of voices, with stalls lined up row upon row. Spirit herbs, magical artifacts, talismans, demon beast materials—if it existed, it was likely here.

Shen Xian quietly retrieved the Mystic Universal Talisman from his system inventory and channeled his spiritual power to activate it.

Although the talisman’s fortune-guidance range depended on the user’s spiritual power, scanning just this trading plaza didn’t require an excessive expenditure of energy.

As the talisman activated in his palm, it transformed into a wisp of blue smoke that silently merged into his body.

In that instant, his vision shifted dramatically. Across the entire Hundred Treasures Plaza, countless streams of spiritual light—some bright, some dim—flowed between various items.

Most spirit objects on the stalls emitted only faint glows. However, in the northwest corner, at an inconspicuous small stall, a blinding pillar of red-gold light shot skyward.

“Interesting…” A slight smile touched Shen Xian’s lips as he feigned a casual amble in that direction.

The stall owner was an old cultivator with a weathered face, sitting with his eyes closed, appearing to rest.

Shen Xian didn’t approach immediately.

Merchants in places like this were all shrewd characters. If he carelessly revealed his target, he would be marking himself as a fat sheep waiting to be fleeced. Although Shen Xian was a legitimate son and carried plenty of spirit stones, he had no desire to be played for a fool.

So, he deliberately browsed other small stalls first, purchasing a few worthless trinkets before finally arriving in front of the old cultivator’s stall.

When Shen Xian’s gaze fell upon an ordinary-looking gold-red necklace on the display, his eyes shone brilliantly. For a split second, a faint phantom of a spreading-winged phoenix seemed to coalesce within his vision.

“This is…” A flicker of emotion stirred in Shen Xian’s heart.

He recalled that his wife possessed the Ancient Divine Phoenix Bloodline. This necklace would be a perfect match for her.

But he wasn’t in a hurry to pick it up. Instead, he simply asked, “Boss, I’m looking for a gift for my Dao Companion. Any recommendations?”

The old cultivator opened his eyes, wearing an amiable smile. “Yes indeed, young brother.”

He had already observed this customer picking out various trinkets that women liked at nearby stalls. Hearing these words confirmed his guess.

“Young brother,” he said enthusiastically, pointing at a different item on his stall. “Take a look at this jade pendant. It’s known as the ‘Harmonious Phoenix Jade.’ Wearing it long-term is extremely beneficial for cultivation…”

“How many spirit stones?” Shen Xian asked directly, barely sparing it a glance.

“Three. If you don’t sell, I’m leaving,” Shen Xian said.

“Huh?” The old cultivator looked shocked.

He had heard of slashing the price in half, but this guy’s slash cut off a whole zero! That was too exaggerated!

Shen Xian, however, made a gesture to walk away.

Having finally found a potential buyer for this thing, the old cultivator quickly grabbed him, his face piled with a placating smile. “Five. Treasures belong with beauties. Young brother, you look talented and poised, surely either rich or noble. To win a smile from your Dao Companion, you surely wouldn’t care about a few Spirit Stones.”

Seeing that the other party had given his bottom line, Shen Xian acted as though he was in a difficult spot and handed over five ordinary Spirit Stones.

Seeing that he had sold an ordinary necklace for five Spirit Stones, the old cultivator smiled with immense joy.

Little did he know, Shen Xian’s heart was blooming with even greater joy.