After Senior Brother Chu left, Li Fan reflected on the man's words, a playful look on his face.
Recalling his memories, there seemed to be many peers from the Ji Clan sent into different sects. Li Fan was almost certain that claiming to have had no contact for years was merely a smokescreen.
Ji Zhaoxuan was definitely a spy sent by the Ji Clan to the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Perhaps using the word "spy" was not entirely appropriate, as the World Chamber of Commerce had no real hostility toward the Heavenly Sword Sect.
"Engaged in business across the world, confidential intelligence of every kind is paramount. It is likely through such means that the Ji Clan can swiftly learn of everything happening across the Xuanhuang Realm, thereby reaping profits.
"Looking at it this way, the news that the Heavenly Sword Sect is forging the Boundary-Splitting Divine Weapon might not end up universally known. After all, hiking prices on the spot and chasing only profit are the true nature of merchants.
"Taiyuan Fine Gold..."
Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.
To bring an end to a Fallen Immortal Realm scenario, one had to find the master sustaining this timeline of lingering memories and resolve his obsession.
From the clues gathered so far, it seemed Ji Zhaoxuan was the target.
"What is his obsession?"
Calming his mind, Li Fan reflected on the various emotions clinging to this body.
When recalling the Ji Clan, deeply buried resentment and desires for vengeance were keenly caught by Li Fan.
"Forced to leave home since childhood, thus harboring resentment in his heart?
"I can try testing this first."
Thoughts flashing through his mind, Li Fan instantly conceived a way to take revenge on the Ji Clan.
The next day, Li Fan contacted Senior Brother Chu again.
"Oh, Junior Brother Ji, you've finally seen reason?" The other man appeared rather excited.
Li Fan nodded.
"That's more like it! We're all family—what grudge couldn't be let go? I'll go get ready right now and return with you to the World Chamber of Commerce headquarters.
"When the time comes and you successfully become sect master, Junior Brother, don't forget about me." Casting aside his former arrogance, Senior Brother Chu actually became somewhat fawning.
Before long, using the pretext of heading out to search for Taiyuan Fine Gold, the two left the Heavenly Sword Sect's mountain gate and headed toward the Ji Clan.
To avoid detection, at Senior Brother Chu's suggestion, they intentionally took a detour.
Half a month later, they finally arrived at their destination.
A city in the sky crafted entirely from supreme-grade spirit stones.
It floated above a bustling marketplace. Cultivators and vendors came and went in an endless stream, and whenever they looked up at the spirit stone city in the sky, envy showed in all their eyes.
The World Market was enveloped in a formation: cultivators could not fly, and entering required paying a certain fee.
Stepping into the market, extremely pure spiritual energy washed over them, even richer than back in the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Senior Brother Chu couldn't help praising, "As expected of the world's number one merchant chamber—what grandeur!"
Leading Li Fan past countless shops, he arrived before a magnificent mansion at the very center of the market.
On the plaque above, four large characters were carved: Ji Across the World.
Seeing the two approach, a Golden Core cultivator in brocade robes came forward from the gate to intercept them.
With an affable expression, he asked, "Do you two Daoists have an invitation?"
Senior Brother Chu snorted coldly. "An invitation? Where are your eyes! Who needs an invitation to return to his own home?"
The brocade-robed cultivator froze, scrutinizing Senior Brother Chu closely.
"Why are you looking at me? It's the one beside me!" he said, displeased, pointing at Li Fan.
Only then did the brocade-robed cultivator shift his gaze.
Instead of taking offense, he frowned slightly, appearing deep in thought.
A moment later, an expression of shock surfaced on his face.
"Please wait a moment, you two."
With that, he hurriedly went into the Ji Residence.
Before long, a middle-aged cultivator with a square jaw led a squad of cultivators out.
His gaze fell upon Li Fan, his square-jawed face showing no change in emotion.
"Zhaoxuan, why have you returned? Could it be that you broke sect rules and were expelled from the mountain?" Rather than the joy of relatives reuniting after a long separation, he rebuked him directly.
Senior Brother Chu was about to smooth things over, but Li Fan retorted right away, "And who are you? I've been away from home too long; I don't recall!"
The square-jawed cultivator's expression changed furiously. "Insolent son! How dare you speak to your father like that!"
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, his expression unchanging. "How can you prove it?"
The square-jawed cultivator's face instantly flushed bright red.
The aura of pressure radiating from him seemed ready to erupt like a volcano.
Behind him, the Ji Residence cultivators all wore strange expressions, appraising Li Fan.
Yet Li Fan was utterly fearless. Exhaling softly, over a hundred streaks of sword qi in various colors flared out, circling around him.
Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Senior Brother Chu said repeatedly, "A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! Let's not be impulsive!
"I am Chu Zongyin, a true disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. This time, I am out on a mission with Junior Brother Ji, and we happened to pass by the World Market. Remembering that this is Junior Brother Ji's home, we decided to drop by and visit along the way." He hurriedly explained.
Ji Zhaoxuan's father paused slightly upon hearing this. Looking at the hundred-plus streaks of sword qi swirling around Li Fan, a strange gleam appeared in his eyes.
Slowly reining in his aura, he snorted, "Come inside!"
Chu Zongyin finally let out a breath of relief, took hold of Li Fan, and followed him into the Ji Residence.
Winding their way forward, they eventually reached an inner hall deep within the compound.
Ji Zhaoxuan's father sat upright in the seat of honor. Dismissing the others, he asked in a deep voice, "Speak. What is the purpose of your visit?"
Chu Zongyin was about to reply, but Li Fan stopped him.
"You are not qualified. Fetch the ancestor!" Li Fan said expressionlessly.
Having returned to the Ji Clan, dusty memories seemed to be gradually awakening.
Li Fan knew that this father of Ji Zhaoxuan before him, Ji Shiwen, was merely a supervisor in charge of the World Market.
He held little real power within the Ji Clan.
The true authority in the Ji Clan lay with their ancestor, Ji Wangxian.
Ji Wangxian had already reached the Dao Integration realm countless years ago, single-handedly founded the World Chamber of Commerce, and possessed cultivation beyond measure.
"You..." A flash of irrepressible rage passed through Ji Shiwen's eyes.
Yet looking into Li Fan's emotionless gaze, an involuntary shiver ran through his heart.
Pondering for a long while, he ultimately suppressed his anger.
"Wait here."
With a snort, he stamped his foot heavily and turned into a streak of light, flying toward the spirit stone city in the sky.
"Junior Brother Ji, he is your father after all. By doing this, aren't you..." Chu Zongyin asked in a low voice.
Li Fan smiled faintly and said, "Doesn't doing this make us look all the more confident?"
Seeing Li Fan's utterly indifferent attitude, Senior Brother Chu gave a forced laugh and refrained from saying more.
While waiting in the hall, Li Fan noticed that the patterns inside the room looked somewhat familiar.
"Hmm? They seem rather similar to the totem of the Wanfa Merchant Guild in reality. Though there are slight differences."
Li Fan pondered inwardly.
"It appears there should be some connection between the two."
Before long, Ji Shiwen returned.
"Follow me," he said with a dark expression.
Chapter 733