Chapter 32 : The Sunward Market's Return

"I've heard that many cultivators, upon arriving in Yu County, make tasting our Chen Clan's Azure Verdant Spirit Fish their very first priority."

Eldrin Chen listened with a smile and began the task of harvesting the Spiritual Peach.

The Spiritual Peach Tree had grown swiftly, reaching the upper-grade of the first rank this year and bearing over one hundred and sixty Spiritual Peach.

He gathered one hundred and thirty of them, planning to deposit thirty into the Clan Treasury, sell one hundred at the Sunward Market, and keep the remaining thirty-plus for his own cultivation and to entertain guests.

Early the next morning, Eldrin Chen bid farewell to the Old Granduncle and the two siblings, then followed Eternal Land Chen and the others towards Spirit Isle Lake.

As they needed to transport live fish to the Sunward Market, the group was forced to lead rented Fiery Cloud Horse pulling carts laden with fish. Their pace was therefore not swift, and it took them over ten days of travel before they finally arrived at the Sunward Market.

This Sunward Market was the sole cultivation market within tens of thousands of Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] of Yu County. The hundreds of cultivation families, large and small, within the county, along with several thousand scattered rogue cultivators, all relied on this market to trade goods and resources.

This market had always been jointly managed by the Six Great Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, and by rights, the Chen Clan was one of them.

However, sixty years ago, the Chen Clan declined precipitously overnight, losing the capacity to station a Foundation Establishment Cultivator here. Consequently, the Chen Clan's share of the market's tax revenue was forfeited.

It must be understood that the Sunward Market generated immense profits; its annual tax revenue alone exceeded five thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. Even divided equally among the Six Great Clans, each would receive nearly one thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. Find this and other novels at audio_novel.com.

Alas, precisely because the profits of the Sunward Market are so immense, the slightest misstep could attract the covetous gaze of Demonic Cultivators [practitioners of malevolent cultivation arts] and rogue cultivators from afar. Therefore, it necessitates a formidable garrison of powerful cultivators for its defense.

Among the Six Great Clans of Yu County, every major family, except for the Chen Clan, has dispatched a Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has solidified their spiritual foundation] to stand guard here. Since the Chen Clan contributed neither personnel nor resources, they naturally forfeited their share of this substantial source of tax revenue.

This was, in fact, Eldrin Chen's first visit to the Sunward Market. He gazed upon the bustling market with a look of keen curiosity.

Noticing his expression, Eternal Land Chen explained at his side, "Do not underestimate this Sunward Market."

"Within this Sunward Market, there are five Foundation Establishment cultivators and over five hundred Vital Essence Refinement [the initial stage of cultivation, focusing on refining one's vital energy] cultivators stationed. Should they join forces to activate the Heavenly Sword Demon-Slaying Grand Formation [a powerful defensive and offensive array], even an ordinary Violet Sanctum [the realm after Foundation Establishment, where one opens their spiritual sea] demonic entity would struggle to gain any advantage."

As they conversed, the two continued walking and soon arrived at the Chen Clan's Evergreen Pavilion [the Chen Clan's tavern].

The Chen Immortal Clan currently retains three shops within the Sunward Market. One of these is leased out to a smaller Immortal Clan [a family of cultivators].

The two shops for their own use are the Evergreen Pavilion and the Evergreen Repository [the Chen Clan's shop for cultivation resources]. The Evergreen Repository is the clan's shop for procuring cultivation resources like elixirs and magical treasures [enchanted artifacts]. The Evergreen Pavilion is one of only three taverns within the city walls.

Ever since the Chen Clan developed Spirit Isle Lake over a decade ago and gained access to the exquisite Mortal Realm [the world of ordinary humans] delicacy known as the Azure Verdant Spirit Fish, the business of the Evergreen Pavilion has flourished increasingly, gradually surpassing its two competitors.

Especially in recent years, with the rising yield of Azure Verdant Spirit Fish, the annual profit in Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] earned by the Evergreen Pavilion has exceeded three hundred Spirit Stones.

This single item alone accounted for thirty percent of the clan's annual income.

Coupled with the increased yield of Spirit Rice [a type of grain infused with spiritual energy] from Spirit Isle Lake in recent years, and the gradual maturation of the Spirit Herb [spiritually infused medicinal plants] the clan had cultivated for centuries, the family's deficit had been steadily erased. Not only had they achieved a balance between income and expenditure, but they now even had a slight surplus.

If the Spiritual Vein [a concentrated underground flow of spiritual energy] beneath Great Verdant Mountain had not been mortgaged, and if the clan could still operate the business of transporting Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] to Heavenly Ruins Mountain, then the annual surplus in the Clan Treasury might have reached seven or eight hundred Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

"It seems this year's harvest is truly bountiful," he remarked.

The group brought the Spirit Fish [spiritually nourished fish, a delicacy for cultivators] to Evergreen Pavilion, where Second Elder came out to greet them.

With a warm smile, he instructed them to release the Spirit Fish into the rear courtyard's pond for rearing, as these fish would not be sold off in a single day.

Compared to ordinary demon beast meat, the Azure Verdant Spirit Fish [a specific, highly prized breed of spirit fish] was not only exquisitely tender but also slaughtered fresh, making it far more delectable.

Many cultivators within Yu County yearned to taste this delicacy. However, the supply of Azure Verdant Spirit Fish was limited. Therefore, Evergreen Pavilion could only sell them in limited quantities every ten-day period; one could not purchase them outside the designated days.

After releasing the fish, Eldrin Chen made another trip to the Evergreen Repository. He consigned one hundred Spiritual Peach [peaches imbued with spiritual energy, prized for cultivation] there, which were valued at four hundred and fifty Spirit Stone.

He had conducted this business for several years now. Although he conceded ten percent of the Spiritual Peach profits to the clan, it saved him the trouble of selling them personally while simultaneously expanding the clan's commercial ventures. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

After completing all these tasks, he had an acquaintance guide him to the Xuanming Pavilion.

The Xuanming Pavilion was a business of the Mu Clan, one of the six great Immortal Clan [powerful cultivation families] within Yu County. The Mu Clan was the oldest family in Yu County, with a lineage stretching back over six hundred years.

Although the Mu Clan had not produced a Violet Sanctum Patriarch [a cultivator who has reached the Violet Sanctum realm] in those six centuries, they had never lacked for Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] generation after generation. Through their diligent management over the ages, the Mu Clan had established the largest Spirit Herb Garden [a garden for cultivating spiritually potent plants] in all of Yu County.

It was said they possessed nearly one hundred Mu-area [one Mu-area equals six hundred sixty-six point six seven square meters] of Spiritual Field [land infused with spiritual energy for cultivation]. The Spirit Herb [plants imbued with spiritual energy used in alchemy and cultivation] they grew numbered several times that of the Chen Clan. Relying on this Spirit Herb Garden cultivated for centuries, they had nurtured the only Second Rank High-Grade [a high level of proficiency within the Second Rank] alchemist in Yu County.

Even figures like Patriarch Jiang from Heavenly Ruins Mountain and the upper echelons of the Verdant Sun Sect sometimes required their high-grade Spirit Herb.

Precisely because of this, the Mu Clan always had ways to procure Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious pill that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation]. Counting the three Foundation Establishment [the realm of solidifying one's cultivation foundation] cultivators from their branch within the Verdant Sun Sect, their clan boasted a total of seven Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Official source: audio-novel.com (official site). Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Their clan leader, Declaring Brightness Mu, was also a Foundation Establishment 8th Tier [the eighth level within the Foundation Establishment realm] great cultivator, second in strength within Yu County only to the mightiest Lin Immortal Clan.

Eldrin Chen was currently lacking one auxiliary medicinal ingredient to advance his alchemy skills, so his thoughts immediately turned to this Xuanming Pavilion.

A cultivator with such outstandingly handsome features as his often drew attention. Coupled with his snow-white robes, a countenance as refined as jade, and an aura of exceptional grace, his entrance into the Xuanming Pavilion immediately caught the shopkeeper's eye.

Similar to the Heavenly Ruins Pavilion, a Spirit Herb shop like the Xuanming Pavilion saw few customers throughout the day. Those who came to buy Spirit Herb were usually regulars. Thus, at this moment, the shop contained only the shopkeeper himself.

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged female cultivator. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Eldrin Chen, mistaking him for a major client, and she hurried over to attend to him.

"You seem unfamiliar, Fellow Daoist. Is this your first time visiting the Sunward Market?"

"Indeed," Eldrin Chen nodded. "I am a disciple of the Chen Clan from Green Chariot Mountain. This is my first visit to Xuanming Pavilion, and I wish to purchase some Spirit Herb [plants imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy and cultivation]."

"So you are a cultivator from the Chen Clan. My apologies for the lack of recognition."

A flicker of disappointment crossed the woman's face. Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans [powerful cultivation families with elders at the Foundation Establishment realm] like the Chen Clan typically maintained their own Spirit Herb Gardens [enclosed gardens for cultivating spiritual plants] and thus rarely purchased Spirit Herbs in bulk from outsiders.

If they did buy, it was usually only high-grade Spirit Herbs or a few specific herbs to fill gaps in their own stock.

The former were generally Spirit Herbs of Second Rank [a classification for spiritual herbs of significant potency] or higher, which the Mu Clan was reluctant to sell casually. The latter, however, seldom brought substantial profit.

Despite her disappointment, the woman maintained a courteous smile.

"What might our guest be seeking to purchase?" she inquired.

"For the elixir I am refining, I am still missing one portion of Bellheart Grass [a spiritual herb known for its bell-shaped flowers and heart-strengthening properties]."

"Please wait a moment, honored guest. I shall fetch it for you now."

As she spoke, the female shopkeeper turned and went to the back room to retrieve the Bellheart Grass.

While waiting for the female cultivator to fetch the herbs, Eldrin Chen sat in the main hall, sipping tea. It was then he noticed a youth of about seventeen or eighteen years old enter.

The young man was clearly a rogue cultivator on his first journey, his cultivation level merely at the Vital Essence Refinement 2nd Tier. As he stepped into the medicinal shop, a trace of timidity was evident in his expression.

The youth glanced at Eldrin Chen. Seeing his Extraordinary bearing and unfathomably deep cultivation, the youth mistakenly took him for the proprietor of the Xuanming Pavilion. He cautiously approached and whispered,

"Shopkeeper, do you purchase alchemical recipes?" Support the author by reading on audio–novel.com.