Free Trade Province

Having quietly altered his appearance, Li Fan sat in a corner, listening attentively to the conversation among the cultivators inside the fortress. "Have you heard? The Alliance doesn't seem to be planning to build a floating city here in Jiushan Province." "Oh? What makes you say that?" "It's all because of the spatial instability here. Even though the Heavenly Venerable's dharma manifestation thoroughly plowed Jiushan Province from end to end, it didn't change the underlying properties of space. The teleportation arrays still can't be used reliably." At these words, the surrounding cultivators nodded in sudden comprehension. "Not building a floating sky city... Surely the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals won't just abandon such a massive swath of territory, will they?" "Hard to say. Before, they could rely on the geographic advantage of the Nine Mountains and build cities along the mountains. Now it's a flat expanse of open plains with no natural defenses whatsoever. Most importantly, teleportation arrays can't be used, so if they're surrounded, they can't get rapid reinforcements. In terms of both cost and effectiveness, defense is just too poor." "You don't know shit! The Five Elders Association was beaten so badly by our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals that they came right to our doorstep begging for peace. Would they actually dare to launch an invasion? What danger could there possibly be?" "Fellow Daoist, you're being far too naive. Haven't you heard that the balance of strength has never been fixed since ancient times? How can one judge a hero by a single victory or defeat? The only reason we achieved that victory last time was because our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals caught them off guard and struck where they were unprepared. In my view, if the two sides clash again, the outcome is still anyone's guess!" "When our Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals lost before, that wasn't what you were saying." ... The cultivators inside the fortress were exceedingly enthusiastic about discussing the state of the Xuanhuang Realm. Each clung to their own view, arguing ceaselessly, none willing to yield to another. It was bustling and lively. Li Fan glanced around and noticed that besides himself, there was another cultivator who was merely listening intently without taking part in the debate. This man appeared to be only in his thirties, clad in a black robe with his silver-white hair tied up. Listening to the crowd's discussion, a hint of disdain showed in his eyes. Clearly, he did not agree with the views of the cultivators present. Li Fan gave a faint smile, purchased a pot of fine spirit wine, and sat down across from him. "How may I address you, Fellow Daoist?" Li Fan asked with a smile as he poured a cup for the silver-haired cultivator. "Hm?" The silver-haired cultivator was quite guarded against Li Fan's unsolicited attentiveness. Rather than answering Li Fan's question, he narrowed his eyes and repeatedly sized up this overly familiar cultivator before him. "Hehe, Fellow Daoist, there is no need to be suspicious. At first glance, I could tell that you possess an extraordinary bearing, far from ordinary, with great depth and vision in your mind. Furthermore, I am exceedingly curious about the future situation of Jiushan Province, so I took the liberty of asking for your thoughts." Looking at Li Fan's sincere expression, the silver-haired cultivator hesitated for a long moment before letting down his guard. Draining the spirit wine in one gulp, the silver-haired cultivator sent via voice transmission with a chuckle, "Hehe, you've asked the right person!" "My name is Xin Hongzhang. When it comes to well-informed sources, none of these people here can hold a candle to me!" Hearing this, Li Fan hurriedly poured another cup for Xin Hongzhang. Xin Hongzhang was very pleased with Li Fan's demeanor and transmitted, "Seeing as we are fated to meet, I'll disclose a little bit to you. Mind you, do not spread this to others." Li Fan nodded repeatedly. "In truth, those people are right about one thing: the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals indeed does not plan to build a floating city in Jiushan Province. However, that doesn't mean the Alliance is giving up on this place." "On the contrary, the Alliance has decided to establish the first free trade province in history right here." "Oh? A free trade province?" Seeing his grave, solemn manner, Li Fan's interest was genuinely piqued. "What does that mean?" Xin Hongzhang said smugly, "You know the Wanfa Merchant Guild, right? The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association have been at odds for years, mutually banning the flow of goods between them. Meanwhile, the Wanfa Merchant Guild in Jiushan Province was situated in a buffer zone between the two, beyond the control of either the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals or the Five Elders Association. As a result, the Wanfa Merchant Guild was able to openly sell all sorts of rare treasures. Although they set exorbitant prices, cultivators still flocked from thousands of miles away in an endless stream to make purchases." "However, that's ancient history now. When the Heavenly Venerable's dharma manifestation unleashed its might, the entire Jiushan Province was flattened to the ground. Though the Wanfa Merchant Guild wasn't wiped out completely, they suffered catastrophic losses. If they want to return to how things were before, it'll be tough..." Xin Hongzhang shook his head. "Even so, the leader of the Wanfa Merchant Guild is truly a remarkable figure. He actually managed to convince the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals to lift trade restrictions right here in Jiushan Province. Cultivators from both the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association will be permitted to trade freely for the supplies they need here, paying only a modest tax." "Spearheaded by the Alliance and assisted by the experienced Wanfa Merchant Guild. It's said they have already secretly reached an agreement with the Five Elders Association, ensuring that even if hostilities break out again in the future, neither side will choose to fight in Jiushan Province..." "Tell me, do you know what guaranteed safe, free trade signifies?" Xin Hongzhang stared at Li Fan. Li Fan nodded, his eyes showing a look of excitement. "You can imagine that Jiushan Province, though still a desolate wasteland right now, will soon become incomparably prosperous—perhaps even surpassing the four major provinces of the heartland. If one can seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one could definitely defy the heavens and change one's fate..." Xin Hongzhang downed another cup of spirit wine vigorously, venting the excitement within him. "If not for this, why else would I travel tens of thousands of miles to this remote borderland?" Li Fan lowered his head and fell silent for a long while, seemingly processing this shocking news. Then, lifting his head, he said to Xin Hongzhang with deep gratitude, "Such critical insider news, and yet Fellow Daoist has shared it so casually with a stranger met purely by chance..." Xin Hongzhang waved his hand. "Heh, if you hadn't come over to strike up a conversation and ordered a pot of good wine, I wouldn't have told you about this." "In truth, this isn't some top secret either. The Alliance's public announcement should be coming out before long. You and I are merely getting a slight head start." "By the way, Fellow Daoist, if you have plenty of contribution points to spare, you might want to keep a close eye on the purchase eligibility for cave residences in Jiushan Province these days." "I'd bet that within ten years, cave residence prices here will at least double! Tripling or quadrupling wouldn't be an issue at all. If you can buy a few cave residences right at the start and flip them not long after..." "It's practically a venture of minimal capital and colossal profit!" Xin Hongzhang transmitted secretly once more. "Fellow Daoist Xin is truly far-sighted!" Li Fan slapped his forehead, looking as though he had just awakened from a dream. "How did I not think of that?" Right then, he showered him with continuous flattery. Having drunk quite a bit of spirit wine, and listening to Li Fan's flattering words, Xin Hongzhang could not help feeling a bit light-headed with pride. Suddenly, he saw Li Fan appear to hesitate over something. At last, as if having made up his mind, Li Fan transmitted with an air of mystery, "Fellow Daoist Xin has treated me so well; I cannot be stingy either." "To tell you the truth, I possess a secret art called 'God Descends upon the Body.' If Fellow Daoist does not mind, I can impart it to you." Seeing Li Fan being so grave and solemn, Xin Hongzhang smiled, not taking it to heart.