Chapter 32 : The Azure Fish and the Sunward Market

"I've heard that many cultivators, upon arriving in Yu County, make tasting my Chen Family's Azure Spirit Fish their very first order of business."

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

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

He gathered one hundred and thirty of them. Thirty were destined for the Clan Treasury, one hundred would be sold at the Sunward Market, and the remaining thirty-plus he kept for his own cultivation and to entertain guests.

Early the next morning, Eldrin Chen bid farewell to Old Granduncle and the two siblings, then set off with Lucius Chen and the others towards Spirit Isle Lake.

As they needed to transport live fish to the Sunward Market, the group was slowed by the rented Fiery Cloud Horse pulling the fish cart. The journey was not swift, taking over ten days 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, great and small, within the county, along with thousands of scattered rogue cultivators, all relied on this market to trade their wares.

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

However, sixty years ago, the Chen Family suffered a sudden decline and lost the capacity to station a Foundation Establishment Cultivator there. Consequently, the Chen Family's share of the Yuyang Market tax revenue was forfeited.

It must be understood that the Yuyang Market generated immense profits. Its annual tax revenue alone exceeded five thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. Even divided equally among the Six Great Clans, each would receive nearly one thousand Spirit Stone.

Alas, precisely because the profits of the Yuyang Market [a major trading hub for cultivators] were so immense, the slightest misstep could attract the covetous gaze of Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who use unorthodox, often malevolent methods] and wandering rogue cultivators from afar. Therefore, it was imperative to station a significant force of powerful individuals for its defense.

Within Yu County, the Six Great Clans [the six most powerful cultivation families in the region], with the exception of the Chen Family, each dispatched one Foundation Establishment Cultivator [the second major stage of cultivation, where one solidifies their Dao foundation] to garrison the market. Since the Chen Family contributed neither personnel nor resources, they naturally forfeited their share of that vast stream of tax revenue.

This was, in fact, Eldrin Chen's first visit to the Sunward Market [another name for the Yuyang Market]. He gazed upon the bustling Sunward Market with a look of keen curiosity.

Noticing his expression, Lucius Chen explained at his side, "Do not underestimate this Yuyang Market."

"The Sunward Market is garrisoned by five Foundation Establishment cultivators and over five hundred Vital Essence Refinement [the first stage of cultivation, refining one's vital energy] cultivators. When they join forces to activate the Heavenly Sword Demon-Slaying Grand Formation [a powerful defensive and offensive array], even an ordinary Violet Sanctum [the third major stage of cultivation] demon or monster would find it difficult to prevail."

Chatting as they walked, the two soon arrived at the Chen Family's Evergreen Pavilion [a shop owned by the Chen Family].

The Chen Immortal Clan [a respectful term for a powerful cultivation family] currently retained three shops within the Yuyang Market, one of which was leased out to a smaller Immortal Clan.

The two they used themselves were the Evergreen Pavilion and the Evergreen Hall [a tavern owned by the Chen Family]. The Evergreen Pavilion was the family's shop for procuring cultivation resources like elixirs [spiritual pills] and magical treasures [enchanted artifacts]. The Evergreen Hall was one of only three major taverns within the city walls.

Ever since the Chen Family developed Spirit Isle Lake over a decade ago and began harvesting the Azure Spirit Fish [a spiritually infused fish considered a delicacy], business at the Evergreen Hall tavern had flourished, gradually surpassing its two competitors.

Especially in recent years, with the increased yield of Azure Spirit Fish, the annual profit in Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] earned by the Evergreen Hall had surpassed three hundred Spirit Stones.

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

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 [plants cultivated for their medicinal or spiritual properties] the clan had been tending for centuries, the family's deficit had been steadily erased. Not only had they achieved a balance between income and expenditure, but they now also enjoyed a slight surplus.

If the Spirit Vein [a natural concentration of spiritual energy within the earth] 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 well reach 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," Eldrin Chen remarked.

The group brought the Spirit Fish [fish that have absorbed spiritual energy, making them valuable for consumption] to Evergreen Pavilion, where Mordecai Chen came out to greet them.

With a smile, he directed everyone to release the Spirit Fish into the rear courtyard's fishpond for rearing, as these prized catches would not be sold off in a single day.

Compared to ordinary demon beast meat, the Azure Spirit Fish [a specific, high-quality breed of Spirit Fish] was not only exquisitely tender but also always freshly slaughtered, making it far more delicious.

Many cultivators within Yu County longed to taste this delicacy. However, the supply of Azure Spirit Fish was limited, so Evergreen Pavilion could only offer it for sale in restricted quantities every ten days. One simply could not purchase it outside of those designated periods.

After releasing the fish, Eldrin Chen visited the Evergreen Pavilion once more. He consigned one hundred Spiritual Peach [peaches imbued with spiritual energy, often used in alchemy or as a delicacy] for sale, 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 direct sales and expanded the family's commercial ventures—a mutually beneficial arrangement.

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

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

Although the Mu Family had never produced a Purple Mansion Ancestor [a cultivator who has reached the Purple Mansion realm] in those six centuries, they had consistently nurtured Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] generation after generation. Through their diligent management over the ages, they had developed the largest Spirit Herb Garden [a garden for cultivating spiritually infused plants] in 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 imbued with spiritual energy for cultivation], and the Spirit Herb [plants infused with spiritual energy used in alchemy and cultivation] they grew were several times more abundant than those of the Chen Family. Relying on this Spirit Herb Garden cultivated over centuries, they had fostered the only Second-Rank Superior [a high-grade classification for alchemists] alchemist in Yu County.

Even the higher echelons of Heavenly Ruins Mountain and the Green Sun Sect sometimes required their high-grade Spirit Herb.

Precisely because of this, the Mu Family always had ways to procure Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious pill that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation]. Counting the three Mu Family members who had reached Foundation Establishment [the realm of solidifying one's cultivation base] on the Green Sun Sect side, their clan boasted a total of seven Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Their clan patriarch, Xander Mu, was also a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment 8th Tier [the eighth level within the Foundation Establishment realm], second in strength within Yu County only to the mightiest Lin Immortal Clan.

Eldrin Chen was currently lacking a specific supplementary herb to advance his alchemy skills, so his first thought was of this Xuanming Pavilion.

A cultivator with such exceptionally distinguished features was often quite conspicuous. Coupled with his snow-white robes, a demeanor that could be described as divinely handsome like jade, and an aura of peerless elegance, he drew the shopkeeper's attention the moment he stepped into the Xuanming Pavilion.

Similar to the Celestial Ruins Pavilion, a Spirit Herb shop like the Xuanming Pavilion saw very few customers throughout the day. Those who purchased Spirit Herb were usually regular patrons, so at this moment, the shop contained only the shopkeeper.

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 visit to the Sunward Market?"

"Indeed," Eldrin Chen nodded. "I am a junior of the Chen Family from Verdant Chariot Mountain. This is my first time at the 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 Family. My apologies for the lack of recognition."

A flicker of disappointment crossed the woman's face. Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan whose patriarch has reached the Foundation Establishment realm] like the Chen Family typically maintained their own Spirit Herb Garden [a garden dedicated to cultivating spiritual plants] and thus rarely purchased Spirit Herb from outsiders.

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

The former generally referred to Spirit Herb of Second-Order [a rank corresponding to the Foundation Establishment realm] or above, which the Mu Family 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 looking to purchase?"

"For a certain elixir I am refining, I am still missing one portion of Bellheart Grass."

"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 seventeen or eighteen summers enter.

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

The youth glanced at Eldrin Chen. Seeing his Baelon [extraordinary and imposing] demeanor and unfathomably deep cultivation, he mistook him for the proprietor of the Xuanming Pavilion. He cautiously approached and whispered,

"Shopkeeper, do you purchase alchemical recipes?"