Chapter 1048: Five Years of World-Shaking Change
Nine Mountains Prefecture.
After five years of development, Nine Mountains Prefecture, the sole free-trade zone within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, had undergone a truly earth-shaking transformation.
Once desolate and uninhabited, it was now a thriving hub of prosperity.
As far as the eye could see, the rolling plains were now dotted with cultivator estates, all encircling the central Nine Mountains Trade City.
After several expansions, the city had grown to nearly ten times its original size, yet it still struggled to meet the ever-increasing demands of commerce.
Every newcomer to the city wore an expression of excitement and curiosity, quickly becoming lost amidst the dazzling array of goods that filled the streets.
Zhao Xian knelt, bowing respectfully to a faceless stone statue shrouded in the shadows above him.
He then emerged from the secret chamber, opened the doors to his shop, and began his first day of business after a new shipment had arrived.
There was no need for him to advertise. Before long, his shop was bustling with cultivators eager to make a purchase.
There was no haggling. In Nine Mountains Prefecture, goods were often snatched up moments after being put on display, selling out almost instantly.
Of course, this was partly because the items sold here were rare specialties from various prefectures.
But the most fundamental reason was...
Zhao Xian maintained a broad smile, but inwardly he sighed, No wonder everyone wants to come to Nine Mountains Prefecture. They say even a pig could get rich just by lying around here, and it's absolutely true.
Three years ago, the trading functions of the Heavenly Profound Mirror were abruptly shut down, leaving cultivators unable to trade freely. But the demand for commerce didn't just vanish. As a result, five major trade cities quickly sprang up across the land, struggling to fill the void left by the Mirror.
And Nine Mountains Prefecture is the largest of them all, with the greatest variety of goods.
It's not just cultivators from the Alliance's various prefectures who come to trade; even members of the Five Elders Council are here, selling their unique wares and purchasing supplies.
Gazing at the endless stream of customers, Zhao Xian's heart swelled with gratitude. It's all thanks to the Emissary's help. Otherwise, how could a minor Nascent Soul cultivator from the Cong Yun Sea like me ever afford property here?
Even though he had to hand over half of his profits, the rate at which he earned contribution points was still far faster than back in his homeland.
If I just save up for ten years, I'll not only pay off all my debts, but I might even be able to purchase a Soul Transformation technique and the [World Birthing Change] from the Association at a discount!
If I can reach the Soul Transformation stage, my status will change completely!
Even if I fail at everything else, I could always return to the Cong Yun Sea and become a guest elder—that's a sure thing. After all, the entire Cong Yun Sea only has two Soul Transformation cultivators watching over it.
As Zhao Xian envisioned this bright future, a fervent heat filled his gaze.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed when the sale of a particular item on display jolted him from his reverie.
It was a seemingly ordinary white jade statue. A simple decorative piece, it had no special functions. If there was anything remarkable about it at all, it was the face of the woman it depicted.
Her beauty was otherworldly, the carving breathtakingly lifelike.
However, due to its outrageous asking price of two hundred thousand contribution points, it had remained on display for over two years without a buyer.
But today, someone had actually bought it. This was significant—the statue was tied to the mission the Emissary had given him!
Suppressing his excitement, Zhao Xian hurried forward. "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment!"
A cultivator clad in a black Daoist robe, their face obscured by shadows, paused.
However, they paid him no mind, turning and leaving without a word.
Zhao Xian didn't pursue them.
Instead, a knowing smile touched his lips as he slipped quietly back into the secret chamber below.
He knelt once more before the faceless stone statue.
"Emissary, the white jade statue has been sold."
Even though this wasn't the first time he had reported to the Emissary, Zhao Xian's heart was still pounding with tension. He held his breath, focusing his mind and daring not to let a single stray thought intrude.
After finishing his report, Zhao Xian waited patiently.
Before long, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
"I am aware."
With that single sentence, the voice fell silent.
But Zhao Xian keenly felt a sacred aura descend upon him for a moment before vanishing.
In that instant, his cultivation surged, growing stronger without any warning.
Joy flooded his expression. Zhao Xian hurriedly bowed his head again, pressing it to the floor several times.
With the Emissary's blessing, even with my limited aptitude, I could probably reach the Soul Transformation stage within a century, he thought.
Those so-called prodigies who walk around with such arrogance are nothing compared to me.
Filled with smug satisfaction, Zhao Xian resolved to handle his duties for the Federation of All Worlds with even greater diligence.
...
Spirit Wood Realm.
Li Fan had already locked onto the location of the cultivator who purchased the white jade statue.
"So it's him," Li Fan mused. "I'm surprised he's still alive."
The cultivator's disguise was useless against Li Fan's perception. After a quick mental comparison against his list of persons of interest, he swiftly confirmed the man's identity.
Jia Yiyuan. He had once been a guide at the Myriad Immortals Alliance Headquarters.
He had been on duty at the time of the great upheaval at the Alliance headquarters.
After the incident, Jia Yiyuan's entire family was wiped from existence. All three hundred and forty-two of its cultivators at the Golden Core stage or higher were executed, with no exceptions.
Jia Yiyuan himself had vanished without a trace.
To think he would reappear today in Nine Mountains Prefecture.
After a moment's thought, Li Fan understood why he would purchase the statue.
Li Fan had crafted the white jade statue himself, and it was true that the object itself held no special power.
The figure it depicted, however, was anything but ordinary. She was a person of great importance whom Li Fan had been investigating in secret for years.
Following the upheaval at the headquarters, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had initiated a bloody purge.
Countless cultivators were targeted, and many innocent people were tragically caught in the crossfire.
But where there is oppression, there will be resistance.
Certain cultivators within the Alliance refused to stand idly by and watch the slaughter, choosing instead to extend a helping hand to the innocent.
They were incredibly powerful and resourceful, managing to save a great number of cultivators despite the Alliance's relentless pursuit.
The woman depicted in the white jade statue was one of these "saviors."
She seemed to have appeared out of thin air; the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance knew nothing of her origins.
Yet she knew the Alliance intimately, often learning of top-secret orders before they were even issued.
She would swoop in and rescue people just before the axe fell.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, furious and frustrated, placed a massive bounty on her head, but to no avail.
They couldn't even determine what she looked like.
The only reason Li Fan knew her appearance was because he had performed a soul search on a cultivator she had rescued.
Unfortunately, the man knew little about his savior.
From the man's memories, Li Fan had seen only a glimpse of a peerless face.
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