The Myriad Immortals Association in Name Only?

The first—and only—matter Luo Chen inquired about concerned the Star Demon Hunters. "According to cultivators in Shenyuan City and the regions north of the Northern Sea, Star Demon Hunters enjoy quite a reputation. Why is it that I have rarely heard of this... vocation anywhere else?" Zhang Jiadi was momentarily taken aback; he had not expected Luo Chen's question to be so simple. After a brief hesitation, he explained, "It is likely because the Star Demon Hunter system was established so recently—only within the past century or so, in fact. On top of that, rogue cultivators are unwilling to get involved in the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions across the Northern Sea, avoiding it like the plague. As a result, Star Demon Hunters rarely wander far afield, so it is only natural that cultivators elsewhere know little of the vocation." Luo Chen nodded. Such an explanation was reasonable enough. The Northern Sea was vast, its waters and land sharply distinct, encompassing a domain even grander than other great prefectures. Even a merchant ship like the Langya, sailing directly toward a clear destination, had taken a full year just to reach Giant Whale Port. For an ordinary rogue cultivator to travel from the Myriad Immortals Association to other lands, the journey would take far longer. Teleportation arrays were fast, but as far as he knew, the arrays in major cities were prohibitively expensive, starting at over a million spirit stones per use—something no rogue cultivator could ever afford. "A century has passed in the blink of an eye since the Yuan Demon Sect fell, and quite a few novelties have cropped up!" Luo Chen remarked with a sigh. Zhang Jiadi nodded in agreement. Demon hunters had once been commonplace—merely cultivators who made a living hunting demon beasts. Yet the Star Demon Hunters of the Myriad Immortals Association clearly carried a different connotation. "Well then, back to the point. Tell me in detail: what benefits come with becoming a Star Demon Hunter?" Zhang Jiadi's expression grew solemn, and he answered earnestly, "The benefits are naturally numerous. First is the change in status. "Once you become a Star Demon Hunter, you are no longer an ordinary rogue cultivator. Within the Myriad Immortals Association, your status is automatically higher than that of regular rogue cultivators. Even upon leaving the association to travel elsewhere, you receive preferential treatment. For example, the most common perk is that the entry fees required by major immortal cities—as well as the costs for an extended stay—can be waived entirely. "Second, Star Demon Hunters are treated with courtesy by all three major factions. The war between the orthodox and demonic factions is raging fiercely, but should one inadvertently stumble into a battle, presenting a Star Demon Hunter waist token will often prompt either side to grant passage, depending on the circumstances." As he spoke, Zhang Jiadi presented his waist token to Luo Chen. It was a black waist token surrounded by coiling blood-red clouds, with a crescent moon hanging at the very top. Between the blood clouds and the crescent moon sat two white five-pointed stars. "A Two-Star Demon Hunter?" Luo Chen swept his gaze over Zhang Jiadi. Even though the man had concealed his late Foundation Establishment cultivation to some degree, he could not hide it from Luo Chen. Luo Chen frowned slightly. According to what he understood, the Star Demon Hunters of the Myriad Immortals Association were divided into nine stars, corresponding to the three stages of Foundation Establishment, the three stages of Golden Core, and standout figures of each realm. The final seventh, eighth, and ninth stars, in particular, could only be attained by formidable Arch-Cultivators. In other words, a cultivator's superficial realm was usually lower than their star rank. Yet Zhang Jiadi was the reverse; his cultivation realm was actually higher than his star rank. Did that not imply his strength was insufficient to secure a higher rank, or even the relatively normal status of a Three-Star Demon Hunter? Something was amiss. The rich baleful aura clinging to him was hardly that of a weakling. Luo Chen cast a glance at him, and Zhang Jiadi lowered his head with an unnatural stiffness. His lips twitched as he muttered, "The courtesy extends beyond just that. According to discussions among some of the high-ranking cultivators in the Myriad Immortals Association, once the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions concludes, no matter who emerges victorious, the Star Demon Hunters of the association will not face post-war reckonings." Luo Chen gave an acknowledging hum. After all, they were resisting the demon beast invasion on the front lines, rendering great service to the human race. "Go on." Seeing that Luo Chen did not press him about the matter of his star rank, Zhang Jiadi visibly sighed with relief. He looked up, organizing his thoughts, and proceeded step by step. "Finally, there are the well-known perks of demon hunters. After becoming a Star Demon Hunter, whenever you encounter a bottleneck or barrier, you may request assistance from the Myriad Immortals Association. Each star rank corresponds to aid appropriate for a specific realm, with detailed provisions for every level. Typically, we save these opportunities for major realm breakthroughs—such as Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, or what you Golden Core seniors care most about, Nascent Soul condensation! "Of course, that is merely an overview. In truth, there is still much regarding this final benefit that the outside world does not know. "For instance, we enjoy discounts on internal resource exchanges within the Myriad Immortals Association." Luo Chen listened attentively, especially to that last point. Like any attentive listener, he interjected at the appropriate moment, "Which resources?" "Many! It encompasses virtually everything!" Zhang Jiadi perked up and began rattling off a list for Luo Chen like an expert appraiser. The resources offered by the Myriad Immortals Association were indeed diverse. Magical instruments, magic treasures, medicinal pills, talismans, formation compasses, secret arts, cultivation methods, spirit pets, spirit plants, fine wine, delicacies, human cauldrons, maidservants... Anything a cultivator could possibly need, from mortal trifles to rank-four treasures, was nearly all available. Luo Chen was amazed as he listened, yet doubts surfaced in his mind. "Can the Myriad Immortals Association really sustain such a sprawling supply of resources? Where do all those things come from?" Zhang Jiadi smiled. "Master Luo might not know, but our Myriad Immortals Association is hailed as the grand alliance of myriad immortals, a sacred land for rogue cultivators. Naturally, diverse resources are in abundant supply. After all, there are plenty of talents among rogue cultivators; those who manage to cultivate to Foundation Establishment or Golden Core would never have reached such heights without some specialized skill. "Formidable talisman masters, artifact refiners, formation masters, and even physicians and spirit chefs are plentiful within our association. "As for high-grade resources, many are provided by the Perfected Persons above. Things useless to them are often tremendously beneficial to us. "Furthermore, due to our proximity to Shenyuan City, the Tianyuan Business Alliance also conducts trade with the Myriad Immortals Association, so high-end resources are not in short supply." *So that's how it is!* As Zhang Jiadi explained in detail, Luo Chen's thoughts drifted. From this model, he detected a distinct sense of familiarity. The Myriad Immortals Association? The Luotian Association! Was this not the very model of the Luotian Association he had founded during his Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment days? Recruiting rogue cultivators from all sides, putting every type of talent to proper use, while simultaneously cultivating good relations with major factions, taking resources those large powers looked down upon—along with things he no longer needed after advancing his cultivation—and feeding them back into the organization. The Luotian Association was merely a scaled-down version of the Myriad Immortals Association. And because his ties to the Luotian Association had grown increasingly deep, he had eventually disbanded the association to establish a sect, founding the Luotian Sect to pass down his legacy. Thinking of this, Luo Chen felt a measure of kinship toward the Three Hermits who had founded the Myriad Immortals Association, even though he had never met them. They had walked the same path; they were fellow travelers. Having covered the broad advantages, what remained were the disadvantages. Or, to put it another way: Having discussed the privileges enjoyed, it was time to address the duties a Star Demon Hunter owed to the Myriad Immortals Association. When turning to this subject, Zhang Jiadi's expression grew solemn indeed. "First, once you pass the assessment and become a Star Demon Hunter of the Myriad Immortals Association, the foremost rule is this: whenever you encounter remnants of the Yuan Demon Sect, you must slay them!" "Hm?" Given Luo Chen's depth of composure, hearing this rule still left him stunned, unable to react for several moments. "Wait. You just said the Myriad Immortals Association maintains ties with all three major factions, and that when an insurmountable beast tide strikes, the three factions send reinforcements. You even said that once the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions ends, Star Demon Hunters will receive preferential treatment no matter who wins or loses." "Yes, this junior did say that." "Then explain this to me: among the three major factions, the Moluo Stream harbors vast numbers of Yuan Demon Sect remnants. By your telling, isn't that a direct contradiction? Are the Yuan Demon Sect remnants in the Moluo Stream fools, feeding and clothing you while letting you slaughter them at will?" At this, Zhang Jiadi scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat bewildered himself. "This junior doesn't know either, but that is simply the rule. Perhaps when carrying it out, there is room for flexibility depending on the disparity in strength between friend and foe, but in short, the Myriad Immortals Association and the remnants of the Yuan Demon Sect are utterly incompatible." At that point, Zhang Jiadi lowered his voice and added, "This rule is likely tied to the Three Hermits who founded the Myriad Immortals Association. It is said that all three share enmities with the Yuan Demon Sect. Back when the Yuan Demon Sect still existed, they huddled together for warmth to resist its manhunts." Luo Chen frowned slightly. He truly had not heard this piece of gossip before. Yet the Three Hermits were renowned far and wide; he had heard of them even as far away as Lengguang Island. Back when those three were at the mid Nascent Soul stage, they were said to fear no late Nascent Soul Arch-Cultivator. Thinking about it now, the Northern Sea cultivation world did not possess many late Nascent Soul Arch-Cultivators in total, so where could such rumors have originated? They must have clashed with late Nascent Soul Arch-Cultivators and managed to survive, allowing such exploits to be praised. And a century ago, the majority of the Northern Sea's late Nascent Soul Arch-Cultivators had been concentrated within the sacred ground of the Yuan Demon Sect. Perhaps there truly was a grudge? Shaking his head, Luo Chen stopped dwelling on such murky legends surrounding the Perfected Persons. "Continue!" "Understood!" Zhang Jiadi immediately stated the second rule. This time, Luo Chen was hardly surprised. The second rule was nothing more than a mandate that, whenever a beast tide occurred, Star Demon Hunters of the Myriad Immortals Association had to answer the call to arms and take to the battlefield. Ordinary rogue cultivators faced far fewer constraints, often sent to the front lines only once every few calls. "Is there more?" "One final rule," Zhang Jiadi said vaguely. "All spoils obtained by a Star Demon Hunter from hunting demon beasts must be sold through the Myriad Immortals Association; private sales to outsiders are strictly forbidden." Luo Chen understood at once. This was similar to the old model of the Luotian Association; there was nothing unusual about it. Back then, the rogue cultivators of the Luotian Association—whether it was the weapons forged by Duan Feng, the medicinal pills refined by subordinate alchemists, or the crops grown by internal spirit plant masters—had to submit their goods to the association to be sold through Gu Caiyi's Gold Hall. Only after spirit stones were earned would profits and stipends be distributed to the subordinates according to their shares. *Wait!* Luo Chen scrutinized Zhang Jiadi with a subtle look, making the man's scalp tingle. Cultivators of the Luotian Association had only surrendered their production output; unexpected windfalls were mostly theirs to dispose of. Here at the Myriad Immortals Association, however, all spoils from demon hunting were forcibly required to be handled by the association. And as for the business of demon beast resources... the room for manipulation was immense. In a single transaction, the profits involved could easily amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of spirit stones. For a rogue cultivator, that was no small sum. Luo Chen had tasted the hardships of life as a rogue cultivator, pinching every penny for a few spirit stones and comparing prices across three shops whenever he bought or sold anything. Having middlemen skim off the top was something he never would have tolerated. Zhang Jiadi possessed decent cultivation and was steeped in dense baleful aura, yet his star rank was so low. What did that signify? *Sure enough!* After Luo Chen inquired further into how one became a Star Demon Hunter and how ranks were promoted, he understood the true reason behind the man's nervousness. This junior was breaking the rules! He had been privately selling his hunting spoils through channels outside the Myriad Immortals Association. Under Luo Chen's half-smiling gaze, Zhang Jiadi's legs trembled, cold sweat pouring down his skin, until he was on the verge of falling to his knees. Suddenly, a hand reached out and rested on his shoulder. A pair of gentle yet steadfast eyes met Luo Chen's gaze. "Senior Luo, having just arrived at the Myriad Immortals Association, you are likely unfamiliar with many matters. My husband and I have lived within the association for decades and possess a fair number of connections; minor trifles are easily handled. If it pleases Senior Luo, why not allow the two of us to serve as your guides and run errands on your behalf?" It was Zhang Jiadi's Dao companion, Wen Xiu. Her cultivation realm was not high, hovering around the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment, yet her courage was extraordinary. Beneath Luo Chen's shifting gaze, she remained neither servile nor overbearing. Luo Chen's gaze dropped to her belly, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. Finally, he nodded. "Then I shall trouble you two." *** Half a month later. "Everyone, we have arrived at Thousand Stars Island! This is already the territory of the Myriad Immortals Association. Those wishing to disembark may register with the steward and leave directly. "Next, we shall head to Longyuan City, beneath the Fulong Mountain Range in the heart of the Myriad Immortals Association, which should take roughly a day and a half. Fellow Daoists intending to travel there, please prepare in advance! "We will dock for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then depart immediately!" On the deck, Luo Chen watched the rogue cultivators eagerly disembarking one after another. Without turning his head, he asked, "Are we getting off?" Behind him, Zhang Jiadi and his wife stood respectfully. Hearing the question, the pair exchanged a glance, and Wen Xiu spoke up, "There is no need. Although Thousand Stars Island also has a demon hunter outpost, it only handles registration for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators. For a Golden Core Master like Senior, only Longyuan City is qualified to register you and issue assessment tasks." "Do you have a residence in Longyuan?" "We do—a small courtyard. Though not large, it can easily accommodate three to five people." "Then let us go straight to Longyuan!" Standing before the railing, Luo Chen was in high spirits, feeling a touch of anticipation. As the primary city of a major power, it surely could not be lacking. Perhaps his future cultivation grounds would be situated right inside Longyuan City. Buoyed by this anticipation, the Gao clan's merchant vessel surged rapidly forward. Roughly a day and a half later, as dusk tinted the horizon, it arrived at a wharf. The moment he stepped onto land, Luo Chen could not wait to cast his gaze toward a distant, towering metropolis. His exceptional vision allowed him to see the grand city's appearance with crystalline clarity, even from dozens of li away. However... A single glance made him involuntarily knit his brows. He turned around and asked in disbelief, "Are you certain this is the main city of the Myriad Immortals Association?" Viewed from afar, it appeared majestic and imposing. Yet upon closer inspection, the colossal city was dilapidated beyond measure. Countless creeping vines draped over the walls, and a large portion of one wall had completely collapsed. Even where the other walls remained intact, the mottled, patchy gray-and-white stone could hardly be associated with solemn magnificence—it looked just like an old garment covered in patchwork. What was more, the cultivators and flying boats entering and exiting did so in utter chaos, devoid of the slightest sense of order. Although spiritual energy was abundant within, clearly well-suited for low-level cultivators to practice, the overall impression fell far short of the awe Luo Chen had felt when first laying eyes on Tianlan Immortal City. Zhang Jiadi gave a wry smile. "A sacred land for rogue cultivators—that's just how it is." Luo Chen took a deep breath, gestured to Tianxuan, and rode a cloud of magic power toward Longyuan City. Tianxuan released a ribbon of magic power to sweep up Zhang Jiadi and his wife, following swiftly behind. As they drew closer to Longyuan City, Luo Chen's heart sank steadily. When he reached the battered city gate, before even stepping inside, his sweeping divine sense detected the distribution of spiritual energy within. Though abundant, the spiritual energy was extremely disordered. The strongest concentration lay deep in the heart of the city, its richness reaching rank four! Yet everywhere else, the highest level peaked at upper rank two. This was hardly suitable for a Golden Core cultivator's practice! *Could it be that I came to the wrong place?* For a moment, standing at the city gate, Luo Chen began to question his very reality.