Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

However, the commerce associations cultivate more like angel investors, not binding the family or sect within the Celestial Cyan Domain. It focuses on results rather than the process and doesn’t measure success or failure by loyalty, only balancing interests on both sides.

It’s rare for enmities to result.

It is said that among the strongest in the Central Ten Domains of the Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, there are figures sponsored by the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain Commerce Association.

This is the foundation upon which the Eighteen Merchants Association of the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain stands, and also the core confidence allowing them to trade across myriad domains.

Three months later, escorted personally by Master Yuxiao, Li Ji’an and his party arrived smoothly at the headquarters of the Si Shui Commerce Association on the Treasure Bottle Continent—Cold Smoke Immortal City.

Though not as magnificent as the Floating Immortal City of the Five Blessings Commerce Association, with a mere Tier Three Middle Grade Spirit Vein, its commercial atmosphere and scale are in no way lacking.

The headquarters of the Si Shui Commerce Association is nestled at the northernmost part of the Immortal City, between a cold pond over a hundred zhang deep, connected to underground tunnels, with cold air continuously rising and condensing above.

The water attribute spiritual qi here is exceptionally abundant, with an icy attribute, most beneficial for cultivators with an Anomalous Ice Spirit Root.

However, Anomalous Spirit Roots are one in ten thousand, and currently, no one in the Dao Field has a compatible Ice Spirit Root.

On the day Li Ji’an and his companions arrived at the Si Shui Commerce Association, the entire Cold Smoke Immortal City celebrated.

Initially, Li Ji’an thought there would be a grand feast lasting three months, only to find a city-wide carnival shopping festival with twenty percent discounts on all goods.

The commerce association simply used the joyous occasion of welcoming old friends as a gimmick and did not even have Li Ji’an and his companions make a public appearance.

However, internally, Master Yuxiao gathered the senior members of the association to introduce them: ”Wanzhi, this is our Vice President of the association, Hao Zhengnian, Jia Yuanqing.”

”I’ve met Vice President Hao, and Vice President Jia.” Guo Wanzhi bowed gracefully.

”Is this the esteemed disciple of that gentleman? Upper Grade Alchemy Skill at Second Tier, indeed a master produces fine disciples, excellent!” Hao Zhengnian returned the bow solemnly, eyes gleaming with delight.

”Alchemist Guo, there’s no need for formality; in the commerce association, we’re all one family. In the future, you don’t need to stand on ceremony.” Jia Yuanqing also expressed ample goodwill.

For a time, Guo Wanzhi was like the moon among the stars, greatly welcomed.

In comparison, Li Ji’an and Yao Rui were less prominent, not ignored but not given much attention either.

After all, in Master Yuxiao’s introduction, ”Huang Jie,” although another esteemed disciple, had only an Early Period Talisman Art at Second Tier, and Yao Rui lacked skill, possessing only moderate talent.

After the internal welcome banquet, Guo Wanzhi was personally brought to the Dao Field at the center of the cold pond by Master Yuxiao, while Li Ji’an and Yao Rui were separately arranged by the Grand Chief Steward Yuan Shouren.

During the exchange, Li Ji’an learned about the general structure of the Si Shui Commerce Association.

Back then, the Si Shui Commerce Association was a leader in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, but due to competitive conflicts with the Jinhua Commerce Association, it fragmented, forcing the primary vein of the Yuan Family to seek refuge in the Celestial Cyan Domain.

The remaining branches struggled in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.

Until a hundred years ago, during the outbreak of the righteous and demonic war in the Central Ten Domains, Master Yuxiao, through lobbying within the Business Alliance, finally secured a chance.

With supply routes for spirit talismans and spirit resources, it also served as an internal assessment for the Business Alliance.

Fortunately, Master Yuxiao spared no effort, exhausted his resources, especially after befriending that mysterious gentleman, a Third Tier Talisman Master within the Celestial Cyan Domain, ultimately completing the Business Alliance’s internal assessment to Perfection.

Finally, he was able to rejoin the Business Alliance and returned to the commerce association’s old site.

Upon returning, Master Yuxiao rapidly gathered the former branches of the commerce association, and after over a century, stabilized his position again.

However, now the commerce association’s trade is no longer confined to spirit talismans and encompasses all manner of business like other commerce associations.

”Yellow Rune Master, the President has instructed that, as a distinguished disciple of the gentleman, our Si Shui Commerce Association is your home now. The President specifically stated that, in light of your master’s kindness, Yellow Rune Master need not undergo any assessments, nor follow skill progressions, and can directly become a First-Class Honored Guest Elder in our commerce association, enjoying First-Class Honored Guest Elder privileges. Here is your Jade Token, regarding the Dao Fields, you can freely choose among these available ones.” The Grand Chief Steward kindly and respectfully accorded Li Ji’an the highest respect.

Li Ji’an was very pleased with this arrangement.

From what he understood, within the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, although all trades are in demand, competition is much fiercer.

An ordinary Second Tier Early Period Talisman Master could, at most, become a dedicated Talisman Master at a large commerce association like the Si Shui Commerce Association, akin to a worker, and it was tough to become an Honored Guest Elder, let alone a First-Class Honored Guest Elder.

The benefits of being a First-Class Honored Guest Elder at its Si Shui Commerce Association are quite substantial, with permanent residency rights at a Lower Grade Tier Three Spirit Vein Dao Field, an annual stipend of three thousand Spirit Stones, and a perpetual fifty percent discount on purchases, equivalent in status to a Vice President.

These are the explicit benefits, with many more hidden perks behind the scenes.

Holding the Honored Guest Elder status from the Eighteen Merchants Association in the Business Alliance, he could traverse nearly unimpeded throughout the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.

Especially the top-level Dao Fields within the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain require membership and referrals, to which he now had access.

The Dao Field at the Business Alliance Headquarters, though just a Tier Three Upper Grade Dao Field, is said to be so well-appointed that it greatly enhances breakthroughs for each Great Realm.

Li Ji’an thanked the Grand Chief Steward and ultimately chose a relatively remote Dao Field.

Regarding Yao Rui, due to her decent talent and connections with Guo Wanzhi, she received a cultivating soul contract for Core Formation True Man.

Soul Contract Terms: Si Shui Commerce Association provides cultivation with Second-Tier Spiritual Talent. If Core Formation succeeds, post-Formation debt repayment depends on the Formation’s quality.

If it’s a Fake Pill, duty to the association for fifty years, then free thereafter.

With Lower Grade True Pill, continued support to Core Formation Middle Stage, then service for a hundred years.

With Mid Grade True Pill and above, continued support to Late-stage Core Formation Ascendant, and guarding the path of the association for two hundred years afterward.

As for Immortal Golden Core, full support up to Nascent Soul, and upon successful transformation into the Nascent Soul, only required to fulfill three tasks for the association, with no other restrictions.

The soul contract seems full of expectations, but in truth, the terms are very strict.

After all, the risk for an angel investor is high, and to minimize the risk, much consideration is given to the levels of the soul contract.

It’s much stricter compared to Sect trials.

The soul contract offered to Yao Rui is actually not much different from the True Disciple resources at the Biyun Sect, the only difference being the strength of the Biyun Sect’s Sect Treasure Vault dictating the abundance of True Disciple Spiritual Talent.

If the Biyun Sect were in a strong phase, its sect’s spiritual talent surpasses the commerce association.

However, for the past hundred years, the Biyun Sect has suffered from continuous warfare, leading to a significant depletion of its sect’s heritage, making it unlikely to provide even a Core Formation Spirit Treasure.

As the Grand Chief Steward led Yao Rui to select a Dao Field, Li Ji’an entered his own Dao Field using the Jade Token.

The Dao Field he chose was on an isolated island on a cold pond, not large, merely a three-courtyard mansion and a bamboo forest in the backyard.

He chose this Dao Field not only because of its seclusion but because it was relatively rich in Wood Spiritual Qi within the entire cold pond spirit vein Dao Field and was also the former residence of an Honored Guest Elder Talisman Master.

Since that Talisman Master transformed into the Dao, it has remained vacant.

Its Talisman Room is luxuriously equipped, the Spirit-Gathering Array and Spirit-Summoning Array are both Tier Three, with even the Talisman Platform being a natural slab of Ten Thousand Years Cold Ice.

Drawing Spirit Talismans here makes the Divine Soul clearer and calmer, benefiting the induction of the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism.

Upon a careful inspection of the entire Dao Field, Li Ji’an was very satisfied.

Though not matching the Chief True Disciple treatment at the Biyun Sect, he could cultivate here with peace of mind.

Furthermore, he need not expend effort daily for Dao Field or Spiritual Talent as ordinary loose cultivators in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.

Before long, Yao Rui proactively sent a message, informing him of her Dao Field location.

As an Immortal Seedling, Yao Rui’s Dao Field was not in the same place as Li Ji’an as an Honored Guest Elder, offering a more suitable Spirit Vein environment for cultivation.

In contrast, since parting after the banquet, there was no message from Guo Wanzhi for half a year.

And it was half a year later on this day, Yuan Yishui visited, and only then did Li Ji’an learn from his mouth the possible reason he was not favored by Master Yuxiao.

”Face reading! So it is, this saves me quite a bit of trouble.” Li Ji’an felt greatly relieved.

As long as there was no threat to his life, having a place and spiritual talent provided, this lack of attention was the best state.

He could finally immerse himself calmly in cultivation.