Sun Yi conducted a rapid audit of several local vendors, but the results were underwhelming. The inventory was comprised entirely of legacy hardware and low-grade consumables.

To the average rogue cultivator, these resources were treasures. To Sun Yi, whose standards had been calibrated by high-end system architecture, they were barely worth the disk space.

The local market is saturated with junk, Sun Yi noted. I need to find the premium sector.

“Shopkeeper,” Sun Yi addressed the owner of the last store. “Where can I find the highest-tier assets in the Red Fire Market?”

The shopkeeper didn’t hesitate to point the way.

Following the directions, Sun Yi arrived at the central business district. He paused, looking up at a seven-story pagoda that dominated the skyline.

The Seven Star Tower.

It was an impressive structure, radiating wealth. The architecture was opulent, and the security detail at the entrance consisted entirely of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Sun Yi nodded in approval. High-end branding. Professional security protocols. This is a legitimate enterprise.

He walked towards the entrance. However, just as he reached the threshold, a guard stepped forward, blocking his path with a cold, practiced indifference.

“Restricted access,” the guard stated flatly. “Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage are denied entry to the Seven Star Tower.”

The commotion drew the attention of the passing foot traffic. A crowd of cultivators slowed down, smirking as they recognized the familiar scene of a newbie getting bounced.

“Tsk. Another Qi Refining noob trying to crash the VIP lounge,” one bystander sneered. “Must be his first time in Red Fire Market.”

“He lacks situational awareness,” another laughed. “Does he think the Seven Star Tower is a public park? Know your place, kid.”

“Watch him do the walk of shame in three, two…”

Sun Yi ignored the peanut gallery. Their opinions were irrelevant noise. In fact, the exclusivity only confirmed that this establishment held inventory worth his time.

He looked the guard in the eye. “I refuse to believe a commercial enterprise turns away paying customers based solely on specs. What are the liquidity requirements for a Qi Refining user to override the restriction?”

The guard looked Sun Yi up and down, his expression skeptical. “If you lack a senior escort, you must provide proof of funds. The minimum capital requirement is fifty thousand Spirit Stones. Do you have that kind of liquidity?”

“Fifty thousand? That’s the barrier to entry?”

Sun Yi’s expression didn’t flicker. That’s pocket change.

He pulled a Storage Bag from his belt and tossed it casually to the guard.

“Audit that.”

The guard caught the bag, annoyed. He opened it, intending to glance and dismiss the kid.

His eyes widened. His annoyance vanished, replaced by a look of sheer terror.

“My apologies, Young Master!” The guard bowed low, his posture transforming instantly from arrogance to servility. “I failed to recognize your status. Please, do not take my rudeness to heart. Enter!”

He handed the bag back with both hands, stepping aside like a doorman at a five-star hotel.

Sun Yi retrieved his capital and walked inside without a backward glance. Typical. The interface is always buggy until you input the cheat codes.

Outside, the crowd was stunned. The mocking laughter died in their throats.

“What just happened? The system bugged out?”

“Why did they let a Qi Refining scrub inside?”

A knowledgeable bystander whispered, his voice trembling. “You didn’t hear? To bypass the level restriction, you need to show fifty thousand Spirit Stones in cash.”

“Fifty thousand?!”

The crowd erupted.

“How does a Qi Refining cultivator have that kind of cash flow?”

“I’m a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator, and my liquid assets are barely three thousand!”

Greed flickered in the eyes of several lurkers. Sun Yi had just painted a massive target on his back.

Inside the Seven Star Tower, the lobby was a marvel of retail organization. It was spacious, categorized into clear sectors: Raw Materials, Spirit Pills, Herbs, Manuals, Artifacts, Talismans, and Arrays.

Seven distinct counters, each stocked with neatly arranged products.

Sun Yi decided to engage a sales representative to optimize his search time. He approached a female attendant nearby.

“Excuse me. I require a rundown of your current inventory.”

The attendant, an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, scanned Sun Yi’s aura. Seeing only Qi Refining specs, her interest dropped to zero.

Low ROI client. Not worth the commission time.

“I’m currently occupied with high-priority tasks,” she said dismissively, not even pretending to be polite. She immediately turned and walked toward a Foundation Establishment mid-stage customer who had just entered, her face lighting up with a practiced, predatory smile.

Sun Yi watched her go. Terrible UX. Customer service protocols are non-existent.

“Um… hello? Do you… do you need assistance?”

A timid voice came from his left.

Sun Yi turned. A young female cultivator in a green dress stood there, looking nervous. She was also at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but unlike her colleague, she lacked the arrogance.

“Are you a new hire?” Sun Yi asked. She had ‘Intern’ written all over her.

“H-how did you know?” The girl blinked, surprised.

Sun Yi smiled faintly. “Just a guess. I’m unfamiliar with this platform. Give me the orientation.”

“Yes, Young Master! You can call me Xiao Yue,” she stammered, eager to please. “The Seven Star Tower is a subsidiary of one of the largest merchant alliances on the Tianyuan Continent. Our headquarters is located in the Heavenly Saint Commandery. We have branch offices in every major market within the Chaos Demon Commandery.”

Sun Yi’s eyebrows raised slightly.

Heavenly Saint Commandery? That’s a Tier-1 zone.

This wasn’t just a shop; it was a multinational conglomerate. This changed things. If he wanted to scale the Qingyun Sect, he would need supply chain partners. A trade agreement with a giant like Seven Star Tower could be a massive strategic asset.

Future M&A target or strategic partner. Filed for later.

“Show me the floor,” Sun Yi commanded.

“Right this way!”

Xiao Yue led him through the first floor. Despite being a new employee, her product knowledge was solid. She explained the specs of every item with enthusiasm.

An hour passed.

Sun Yi had scanned the entire first-floor database.

Result: Disappointing.

The inventory was certainly better than the street vendors, but it was still consumer-grade trash. The body-refining pills were low-potency. The cultivation manuals were inefficient algorithms. The artifacts were mass-produced junk that wouldn’t survive a serious stress test.

He didn’t find a single asset worth acquiring.

“Oh, look who it is,” a shrill voice cut through the air. “The Qi Refining ‘Young Master’ is still loitering? Haven’t you wasted enough oxygen?”

Sun Yi frowned and turned.

It was the snobbish sales rep from earlier. She was looking at him with open disdain, clearly annoyed that he was still taking up space on the sales floor.

She turned her glare on Xiao Yue, adopting the tone of a toxic middle manager.

“Xiao Yue, I’ve told you before. Your lead qualification skills are garbage. Stop wasting company time on window shoppers who can’t afford the merchandise. You’re damaging the brand image.”