Free Web NovelChapter 554: Chapter 1: Return to One’s Homeland
When Li Ji’an was seventy-six, he first boarded the cross-domain spirit ship of the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, but at that time he was coming from the Celestial Cyan Domain to the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.
Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and now he boards the same spirit ship again, but this time it is a return journey.
Both the Immortal Dynasty before Li Ji’an entered the cultivation world and the desert he first entered belong to the Celestial Cyan Domain, so the Celestial Cyan Domain can be said to be the genuine hometown after Li Ji’an’s crossing.
Accumulating more than three hundred and eighty years of life in the Celestial Cyan Domain across six lifetimes, he naturally has some affection, mainly for the local customs and cultivation environment he is more familiar with.
Thus, at the moment he boarded the spirit ship, a sense of anticipation and ease rose unexpectedly in Li Ji’an’s heart, like a traveler embarking on the road home.
After being promoted to True Pill Master, with his magical power, he can already fly to the Nine Heavens.
The Nine Heavens is the cultivation world’s generic term for reaching a certain height in the sky. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even Fake Pill cultivators, can only fly below a thousand miles in the sky, as going further up confronts fierce winds and thunderclouds.
The magical power of cultivators below True Pill cannot withstand the tearing force of the fierce winds.
However, the magical power of True Pill Masters can withstand the fierce winds of the Lower Three Floors, and by leveraging the power of the fierce winds, can significantly boost their escape speed.
Thus, ordinary True Pill Masters choose to fly into the Nine Heavens for long-distance travel.
However, ever since the Celestial Cyan Domain was completely controlled by the Boundless Domain, normal cultivators in the domain have not been targeted, but the Holy Palace Sect remains a target for settlement.
Among them, many high-level elders have fled, becoming fugitives hunted under the orders of the Golden Puppet Holy Monarch, with high rewards offered.
For the sake of high rewards, many have committed acts of killing good to claim merit.
As such, the Nine Heavens above the outskirts of the Celestial Cyan Domain is now frequently covered by strong figures laying nets.
Li Ji’an, who has now regained his true form, is also the True Inheritor of the Biyun Sect, and can easily be mistaken for a merit.
Though with his current cards, he doesn’t fear mid-stage Core Formation True Men head-on; even if he encounters a Core Formation Ascendant, he is confident of escaping, unless the Golden Puppet Holy Monarch himself arrives.
To avoid unnecessary troubles, he instead chose the commercial spirit ship already determined to have trade relations with the Corpse Puppet Sect.
"True Man Li, I, Meng, have come uninvited, hope you’ll forgive me." Shortly after the spirit ship set sail, Five Blessings Commerce Association’s Master Meng respectfully came to the VIP suite for a visit.
The Ten Thousand Merchants Domain boasts countless prodigies, along with many strong individuals returning from the Central Ten Domains as tributors or fulfilling spirit contracts, making True Pill Masters not particularly prestigious.
However, once outside the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, especially on the way to the Celestial Cyan Domain, True Pill Masters are very rare.
When Li Ji’an expressed his desire in Fuyun City to return home via the spirit ship, he immediately received hospitality from the Five Blessings Commerce Association, who proactively offered the top-tier VIP suite and waived all expenses, even arranged for a personal maid to serve him on the journey.
The aim was clear: hoping that in case of emergency, Li Ji’an could represent the association to deter enemies.
They didn’t expect him to act, just needed to reveal his True Pill aura, alongside another True Pill tributor from the Five Blessings Commerce Association.
After all, although they’ve reached trade agreements with the Corpse Puppet Sect, each sect under its control wouldn’t act against them, but the Corpse Puppet Sect doesn’t strictly control other cultivators within the domain like the former Ten Thousand Laws Palace, and even advocates a jungle law.
Therefore, it’s hard to ensure not encountering daring tribulation cultivators along the way.
This trip to the Celestial Cyan Domain still hasn’t confirmed market conditions, and the association couldn’t dispatch too many True Pill tributors for escort either.
"No worries, Master Meng, please come in." Li Ji’an nodded gently.
"Thank you, True Man Li." Master Meng clasped a hand with a salute.
After taking a seat, Master Meng first tentatively inquiries about the situation of the Biyun Sect.
Before ascending the spirit ship, Li Ji’an had already undergone identity verification from the Five Blessings Commerce Association.
He did not conceal his identity and claimed to be the Chief True Inheritor of the Biyun Sect.
However, his whereabouts for the past ten years were handled using memory fragments of that Fake Pill Sword Cultivator.
Although the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain doesn’t have Tier Four Spirit Veins, Tier Three Spirit Veins are widely distributed. There are numerous Core Formation Dao Fields following a principle of interest first. Except for impressive places like the Feihong Dao Field, many Dao Fields don’t care about the visitor’s identity as long as they pay sufficient Spirit Stone.
Furthermore, to attract clients who prefer anonymity, many Core Formation Dao Fields offer refined services to ensure clients’ information isn’t leaked.
So, Li Ji’an claims he missed the opportunity to ride the Business Alliance spirit ship ten years ago, and had no choice but to venture alone through the Vast Spirit Starved Land, experiencing near-death before finally reaching the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.
He concealed his identity in one of the border cities, entered seclusion for cultivation, and finally, fortunately, achieved Core Formation.
After relying on the spiritual resources sponsored by the Biyun Sect, surprisingly reaching Core Formation, he was impoverished, yet because of holding the sect dear, didn’t want to sign a spirit contract with the association, making his cultivation journey difficult.
Now that the old domain has stabilized, he must return to the sect to contribute to its prosperity and stability.
Five Blessings Commerce Association doesn’t actually care about his past ten years, nor whether he is speaking the truth.
As long as he isn’t the one possessing immense fortune, "True Man Huang," then he is irrelevant to them.
They care only about his True Core cultivation, and the association’s founding president’s persistent interest in "visitors from the heavens."
"True Man Li, even though your sect hasn’t been settled by the Golden Puppet Holy Monarch, I’m afraid the situation might not be ideal, apart from the sect’s Spirit Vein Dao Field, it might be difficult to provide more support for True Man’s cultivation." After probing around, Master Meng finally revealed his true purpose.
Five Blessings Commerce Association has two expectations for Li Ji’an.
The first is the basic deterrence application of True Pill.
The second is to see if there’s potential to recruit him into the Five Blessings Commerce Association.
Since the Five Blessings Commerce Association is based at the border of the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, overlooking the Celestial Cyan Domain, if the Celestial Cyan Domain stabilizes, they plan to focus on developing trade routes with the Celestial Cyan Domain.
Li Ji’an not only has sufficient cultivation but also is very familiar with the Celestial Cyan Domain, an ideal candidate.
"Master Meng needn’t persuade more, since childhood, I have been cultivated by the sect. Ten years ago, unable to share its fortunes and hardships, I’ve already felt deeply ashamed. Now I finally have the qualification to reciprocate the sect, how could I abandon justice for profit? Master Meng, forgive me, the gap between sect cultivators and domain cultivators still exists." Li Ji’an firmly stated.
This was also to completely dispel the idea in question.
"Very well, True Man Li’s noble character and sense of gratitude are truly admirable and exemplary among cultivators. I, Meng, admire greatly." Master Meng was unsurprised, smiling in agreement, knowing well that most sect cultivators, groomed from an early age, follow this nature.
However, he quickly added: "True Man Li, irrespective of anything, my Five Blessings Commerce Association’s doors are always open to you. Not only can the Biyun Sect provide you with Tier Three Upper Grade Spirit Vein Dao Field, our association can offer ample spiritual resources for advancing to mid-stage and even late-period True Core."
Li Ji’an waved his hand: "Do not speak of this again!"
"Indeed, indeed, then, True Man Li, may I ask if you’re aware of a female cultivator named Guo Wanzhi?" Master Meng nodded in agreement, soon shifting the topic.
The Five Blessings Commerce Association’s focus on "Huang Jie’s" master even surpasses the legend that "Huang Jie" might possess heaven-defying fortune.
