I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

Chapter 220: Negotiations with the Merchant Association

Upon recognizing the identity of the veiled long-haired woman, Lan Chang'an's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

He recalled what Li Congren had mentioned about the Jiuchen Merchant Association:

"The demonic sect gives this merchant association some leeway. Even if they encounter the demonic sect, they can pay off their troubles and avoid being wiped out."

At the time, Lan Chang'an had merely thought that the Jiuchen Merchant Association had considerable influence, managing to navigate between both righteous and demonic paths.

Now, however, he had the distinct feeling that he had boarded a “pirate ship.”

Who would have expected that the veiled woman, boarding midway, would turn out to be a direct disciple of the Demonic Sect’s leader?

"So, Fairy Shi ultimately decided to release this woman."

Lan Chang'an mused silently. Given the increasingly chaotic situation at the borders in recent years, the demonic sect, which had been recuperating for decades, had now become a force to be reckoned with, wielding significant influence in the surrounding regions.

The identity of Lady Wei carried even more weight than that of a direct disciple from one of the major sects in this area.

Fairy Shi’s decision made sense to Lan Chang'an. Even if she had killed Lady Wei, it wouldn't have erased the threat. Once the demonic sect discovered her death, they would certainly seek revenge, as she was a direct disciple of their leader.

Even if she hadn’t killed Lady Wei, Lan Chang'an had already erased her memories of the events within the ancient ruin. Allowing her to leave had likely involved making her swear a heart demon oath.

Even if the truth came to light one day, Fairy Shi—being a third-rank formation master—would be a highly sought-after talent by major forces.

Even as a Fake Dan cultivator, a third-rank formation master had a status comparable to that of a True Dan cultivator. In such a case, it wouldn’t be easy for the demonic sect to move against her, and they might even consider recruiting her instead.

"I wonder if Fairy Shi took my advice and destroyed the core formation of the ancient ruin, triggering the collapse of the treasure vault before leaving."

Back in his cabin, Lan Chang'an was curious about this. If Fairy Shi had managed to become a third-rank formation master, she would have had the ability to set off a chain reaction in the ancient formation and accelerate its destruction.

The woman who had just boarded the spirit ship, Lady Wei, would likely know the answer to this question.

In the past, Lan Chang'an had casually held Lady Wei's life in his hands, but now, he dared not reveal his identity to question her directly.

From Lady Wei’s treatment, he suspected that the Jiuchen Merchant Association had deep ties with the demonic sect.

Decades ago, although the demonic sect had suffered defeat in the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, they had learned from their mistakes and appeared to have gained a foothold in the neutral cultivation nation of Jing. There, they had likely infiltrated the Merchant Alliance.

The structure of Jing’s cultivation world differed from that of the Liang Kingdom.

In the Liang Kingdom, sects held supreme power and absolute authority.

In Jing, however, the Merchant Alliance was incredibly powerful, even capable of standing on equal footing with the kingdom’s sects.

The Merchant Alliance was a coalition of various merchant associations that banded together for mutual benefit. They upheld a belief in trade and freedom, controlling most of the immortal cities and marketplaces across the kingdom.

Compared to the sects, the Merchant Alliance had a more flexible attitude toward the demonic sect and was more profit-driven.

"If the Jiuchen Merchant Association is indeed collaborating with the demonic sect, that might not be entirely bad for this cross-border journey."

After thinking it over for a moment, Lan Chang'an felt a bit more at ease with the situation.

...

Two days later.

The Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship had returned to its intended course and was gradually leaving the Liang Kingdom’s borders.

Lan Chang'an sensed the spiritual energy outside the ship growing increasingly thin, to the point of near depletion.

Under such conditions, the effectiveness of many spells would be severely diminished.

With slow flight speeds and difficult mana recovery, traveling alone during these chaotic times would indeed be dangerous and uncertain.

At the very least, the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship had the strength to ward off the various robbers and bandits that plagued the borderlands.

Looking out the window of his cabin, Lan Chang'an gazed back in the direction of the Liang Kingdom. The desolate landscape filled his view, stirring a complex mix of emotions.

He was now 142 years old, having spent over 120 years cultivating in the Liang Kingdom. He inevitably had some ties to the people and places in that land.

However, Lan Chang'an had obtained a complete opportunity for Core Formation, including spiritual items, and now needed a stable environment to cultivate.

He planned to reach the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage before seeking out a third-rank spiritual vein to form his Core.

His departure had been relatively smooth, having met with old friends and successfully traded for a Core Dissolution Technique.

The only regret was that he hadn’t been able to meet Zhao Siyao.

When he arrived at Jin Yun Valley, Zhao Siyao was still in seclusion, preparing for her own Core Formation.

Even her disciple, Zhao Tan, had been stationed on the frontlines, assisting in the war effort.

...

“Fellow Daoist Wu.”

The restriction on his door was touched, and the purple-faced man from the neighboring cabin had come to visit.

This burly man had been injured and had begrudgingly spent three thousand spirit stones to move into a cabin next to Lan Chang'an’s.

Carrying a heavy murderous aura, he didn’t mingle much with the other cultivators on the ship, but he seemed to get along with Lan Chang'an.

“Please, come in, Fellow Daoist Fang.”

Inside the cabin, the two chatted for a while about the ongoing war.

During their conversation, the purple-faced man revealed his dissatisfaction with the upper echelons of the Liang Kingdom’s sects.

“If the sects of the Liang Kingdom hadn’t rashly started the war by invading another country, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

“The Green Underworld Mysterious Realm was supposed to open in another three or four years. That was an important opportunity for many Foundation Establishment cultivators to gain access to Core Formation resources…”

The purple-faced man’s tone was bitter, and there was a hint of hatred in his eyes.

Because of the war, he had been forced to the frontlines and had nearly lost his life. Later, he became a deserter and was now wanted by his sect.

Had it been peacetime, he would have had another few years to reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment and could have participated in the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm, where his strength would have been among the top.

“Because of the war, I fear the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm may not open as planned,” Lan Chang'an sighed, unsure of the situation himself.

Given the war’s developments, he had long since made his decision, opting to explore the ancient ruins instead of waiting for the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm.

There was one thing he didn’t mention to the purple-faced man.

Even if the sects of the Liang Kingdom hadn’t invaded Feng, war would have eventually come their way. That much had been clear from the intelligence reports Lan Chang'an had obtained from Tian Zhi Pavilion.

...

“Cultivators from the sect patrol!”

As they chatted, a commotion erupted from the rear of the spirit ship.

Lan Chang'an and the purple-faced man stepped out of their rooms to investigate.

Two spirit boats, each about ten meters long, were approaching from behind the ship.

On each boat sat a Fake Dan cultivator, leading a team of twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“Spirit ship ahead, prepare to be inspected!”

The two spirit boats moved much faster than the larger spirit ship, making it impossible to escape.

The Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship didn’t resist and came to a stop.

Unless they were prepared to cease all trade, spirit ships from Jing would typically comply with routine inspections from the Liang Kingdom’s sects.

High-ranking True Dan cultivators from the sects patrolled the border, and the sect patrol cultivators could send out emergency distress signals if they encountered resistance.

“Two venerable seniors, our spirit ship was already inspected when we left Zijing Immortal City,” a middle-aged man in a scholar’s robe stepped forward, smiling but maintaining his composure.

The scholar-robed man was a Fake Dan cultivator stationed on the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship.

In fact, the ship had been given free passage since leaving the Liang Kingdom, and this was the first inspection it had encountered.

“We’ve received new information suggesting that fugitives from the sect may have boarded your ship.”

“Rest assured, we’re only here to apprehend fugitives. We have no intention of causing trouble for your guild.”

The sect patrol cultivators were still relatively respectful toward the Jiuchen Merchant Association.

After all, the three great merchant associations of Jing were backed by True Dan cultivators, with immense financial power and significant influence.

“Our Jiuchen Merchant Association will cooperate with the investigation. However, we ask that you avoid disturbing the important guests on the upper decks,” the scholar-robed man said as he opened a passage through the ship’s protective formation.

One of the sect patrol’s Fake Dan cultivators led a team of Foundation Establishment cultivators aboard the spirit ship to conduct their search.

...

“Fellow Daoist Wu, I’ll return to my room for now.”

The purple-faced man, his heart trembling and his legs growing weak, forced himself to remain calm as he hurried back to his neighboring cabin.

The purple-faced man wasn’t the only one who seemed nervous.

Of the dozens of Liang Kingdom cultivators who had boarded the ship, many were fugitives or had identities they couldn’t reveal.

The next hour was a nerve-wracking ordeal for many of the passengers.

The only good news was that the sect patrol cultivators didn’t conduct a thorough search. They only asked a few simple questions in each room.

Most of the cabins were occupied by cultivators from the Jing Merchant Association.

Only a portion of the passengers were Liang Kingdom cultivators.

Soon, two patrol cultivators entered Lan Chang'an’s room, their expressions wary.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Wu Fan.”

“What’s your purpose in traveling to Jing?”

“I’m just a wandering merchant, traveling between the two nations to do some small business.”

Lan Chang'an spoke calmly, showing no signs of nervousness.

Strictly speaking, loose cultivators weren’t subject to the same oversight as sect members.

The two patrol cultivators studied Lan Chang'an for a moment, finding nothing suspicious, and left his room.

They didn’t even bother searching the luxury cabins.

When two Foundation Establishment cultivators approached Young Master Wang’s cabin, they seemed to receive a voice transmission of some sort, and immediately bowed and withdrew.

An hour later, the sect patrol completed their search.

They apprehended seven fugitives and suspicious individuals, one of whom resisted and was killed on the spot.

The Jiuchen Merchant Association not only did nothing to stop the arrest but even assisted in maintaining order.

Of the seven arrested cultivators, two had been staying in cabins, while five had been in the cargo hold.

Whew!

The purple-faced man in the neighboring room let out a long breath, his back drenched in cold sweat as he watched the patrol cultivators leave.

Lan Chang'an visited his room to inquire about the situation, but the purple-faced man’s answers were vague.

In truth, Lan Chang'an’s spiritual sense had already revealed the truth.

The purple-faced man, heavily injured and carrying a strong murderous aura, had drawn suspicion. When questioned by the sect patrol, he had bribed the cultivators with a large sum of money to escape arrest.

“The cabins offer a private space with formation restrictions, making it possible for bribes and negotiations to take place discreetly,” Lan Chang'an thought to himself.

Half the cultivators on the ship were crammed into the cargo hold, while the other half had cabins.

Of the seven arrested, five had been taken from the cargo hold, while only two had been taken from cabins.

In the cargo hold, under the watchful eyes of others, it was impossible to openly offer bribes.

Once you became a primary suspect, you would be arrested, with little room for maneuvering.

Moreover, the patrol cultivators were selective in whom they targeted.

Those staying in cabins were typically wealthier and more powerful. Some tough individuals, with hidden trump cards like talismanic treasures, could pose a real threat if they fought back, risking injury to the patrol.

Of course, staying in a cabin didn’t guarantee safety, but it did give passengers more control over their fate.

Not all patrol cultivators were open to bribery, and some might not be so easily swayed.

Lan Chang'an even suspected that each patrol might have a quota for arrests.

...

The sect patrol’s inspection was just a minor episode for the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s crew. They were used to such interruptions and didn’t pay it much mind.

However, over the next two days, several cultivators from the cargo hold approached the guild, hoping to pay spirit stones to move into the cabins.

It had become clear that staying in a cabin offered greater safety and a higher chance of successfully reaching Jing.

“What! Six thousand spirit stones to move into a cabin? It was only three thousand before!”

The Liang Kingdom cultivators who tried to negotiate felt a chill in their hearts.

The price of the cabins had doubled!

“I won’t lie to you all, the cabins are nearly full.”

“The price increase is simply a fair way to screen those who can afford it,” the guild’s steward said nonchalantly.

Most of the cultivators in the cargo hold were strapped for cash. After paying to board the ship, they had little left.

In the end, only a handful of cultivators could afford to pay six thousand spirit stones to move into a cabin.

To put it into perspective, a supreme-grade magic weapon was worth only two thousand spirit stones.

Among Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were very few who could afford the kind of wealth that someone like Lan Chang'an possessed.

...

In the following half month, the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s spirit ship sailed smoothly.

There were no further patrols from the sect, and no bandits dared to target the ship.

During this period, the lives of many Liang Kingdom cultivators aboard the ship took a turn.

Especially those in the cargo hold.

Some of them, skilled in certain arts, signed indenture contracts with guild members in exchange for safety and a legitimate status in Jing.

For example, they might agree to work for a guild for twenty years, earning a legal identity and safe passage to Jing.

Some female cultivators from the cargo hold even resorted to selling their bodies to wealthy passengers in the cabins to scrape together enough spirit stones to move out of the hold.

In the Liang Kingdom, a Foundation Establishment female cultivator might have been regarded as a high and noble figure, perhaps even the head of her clan.

Yet now, they humbled themselves and served at the feet of others.

Even Lan Chang'an’s door had been knocked on by such a female cultivator.

“Fleeing to another country, the journey is perilous, and it feels like lambs being led to slaughter. This path is truly unsuitable for ordinary cultivators…”

Lan Chang'an sighed to himself.

While the cultivators in the cargo hold struggled for survival, Young Master Wang on the third deck was enjoying a life of luxury. Even as he fled to another country, he had beautiful maids attending to his every need.

Lan Chang'an had been curious about Young Master Wang’s identity and how he could command such deference from the sect patrol cultivators.

At one point, he had considered using his spiritual sense to probe Young Master Wang’s true face, but ultimately, he refrained.

If the other party carried any special treasures that could sense the probe, it would only cause unnecessary trouble.

...

One day.

A trade fair was held in the assembly hall on the second deck of the spirit ship.

All cultivators staying in the cabins were eligible to participate.

The Liang Kingdom cultivators made up only a small portion of the attendees. Most of the participants were from the various merchant associations of Jing.

Now that the ship was far from the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, there was no need to worry about another sect patrol.

Lan Chang'an and the purple-faced man, Fang, attended the trade fair together.

After bribing the patrol during the last inspection, Fang had few spirit stones left.

He attended the trade fair mainly to make connections with cultivators from the merchant associations of Jing or to curry favor with influential Liang Kingdom cultivators.

The assembly hall was spacious, with dozens of wooden tables set up for the participants.

Cultivators could sell or purchase various items at these tables.

During the fair, Lan Chang'an spotted Young Master Wang and Lady Wei.

Young Master Wang’s table had attracted quite a crowd, including both Jing merchants and Liang Kingdom cultivators.

Lady Wei, however, wasn’t selling anything. She wandered through the trade fair, occasionally pausing at a table to inspect its offerings.

From what Lan Chang'an could see, Lady Wei still hadn’t fully recovered from her injuries.

It seemed that after leaving the ancient ruins, she had encountered some trouble and sustained further injuries along the way.

...

“Fellow Daoist Wu, have you considered the offer I made last time?”

As Lan Chang'an passed by a table, a sharp-eyed, wiry old man in his fifties smiled and greeted him.

This old man, surnamed Jia, was a steward of the Xinyue Merchant Association.

The Xinyue Merchant Association was the Jing guild that had sponsored Lan Chang'an’s passage aboard the spirit ship.

Of course, this had been arranged by Li Congren in secret. The contact person was someone else entirely.

The steward Jia before him had no idea who Lan Chang'an truly was; he only knew that the Xinyue Merchant Association had recommended this “Wu Fan” as a Jing cultivator.

“I’m just a wandering cultivator, Fellow Daoist Jia. I’m used to my freedom and have no desire to sign a twenty-year contract to serve under someone else,” Lan Chang'an replied frankly, declining the offer.

A few days earlier, Steward Jia had approached him with a proposal to sign a twenty-year indenture contract to work as a guard for the Xinyue Merchant Association.

During the contract period, the guild would provide him with access to spiritual veins and cover his basic needs, such as spirit stones and spiritual rice.

The biggest benefit of the offer was a legitimate guild identity, ensuring his safe passage to Jing.

“Think it over carefully, Fellow Daoist Wu. Today is your last chance. I’m offering you this opportunity out of goodwill, seeing as you’re connected to our Xinyue Merchant Association,” Steward Jia said, his expression turning cold.

“If your guild is willing to offer me a position as a guest elder, then I might consider it,” Lan Chang'an said after some thought, not rejecting the offer outright.

A guest elder position offered a higher status and much more freedom.

Since Lan Chang'an planned to stay in Jing and cultivate to the peak of Foundation Establishment, he would need access to a second-rank spiritual vein for quite some time.

For his Core Formation attempt, he would require a third-rank spiritual vein.

If he could establish good relations with one of Jing’s merchant associations, it could benefit his Core Formation plan.

“A guest elder?” Steward Jia blinked in surprise, then asked, “What skills do you possess?”

“If you’re a second-rank mid-grade alchemist or formation master, or if your skills in any other field reach the second-rank superior grade, then we might be able to negotiate. However, you would still need to sign a twenty-year contract.”

Lan Chang'an considered his options. Among his various abilities, only his puppet mastery and talisman-making skills had reached second-rank superior grades.

“I possess a second-rank low-grade skill. I’m not insisting on becoming a guest elder, but I’m willing to serve as an external contractor for your guild. The contract should not exceed ten years, and it cannot restrict my personal freedom.”

Lan Chang'an replied after some deliberation.

Steward Jia chuckled dryly, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, and he didn’t bother responding further.

...

At the trade fair, Lan Chang'an negotiated with two other guilds, but the terms they offered were just as harsh.

Lan Chang'an began to suspect that these merchant associations felt confident in their ability to corner him, as if they weren’t worried about him rejecting their offers.

...