After a brief reintroduction.
Shangguan Feng piloted the treasure ship, and the group flew towards the South Huai Prefecture.
On the flight route.
Fu Changsheng quickly reviewed the intelligence information Shangguan Hongyu had sent him not long ago.
The entire South Huai Prefecture governs seven counties, corresponding to the seven Ninth-Grade Noble Families: the Shangguan Family, Ping Family, Lin Family, Liang Family, Qii Family, Hongg Family, and Cao Family.
Besides the seven families, there are also three Eighth-Grade Noble Families.
The Shangguan Family and Liang Family are under the jurisdiction of the Eighth-Grade Nangong Family.
As Yunshan County has not yet been officially settled by a Ninth-Grade Noble Family, it is temporarily under the direct jurisdiction of the World Suppression Bureau when he takes residence.
The World Suppression Bureau is set up by the dynasty to oversee the noble families and is located in the Wanning Marketplace.
Wanning Marketplace was jointly established by the South Huai Families. Half of the shops in the marketplace belong to the Eighth-Grade Noble Families, while the remaining half is divided among the seven Ninth-Grade Noble Families based on their strength. So Ninth-Grade Families can acquire three shops, while others might not even get one, like the Lin Family of Lin Tianfu and his wife, who have only recently been promoted to a Ninth-Grade Family.
Of course.
In Wanning Marketplace.
There is also a unique presence, the branch of the Wanning Comrce Association.
He asked Shangguan Hongyu about it, but even she didn’t know the origins of the Wanning Comrce Association. It is only known that they have branches in various state capitals and can openly auction off Foundation Establishnt Pills.
Since it’s his first ti coming to Wanning Marketplace.
Fu Changsheng mostly paid attention to the terrain along the way, occasionally making notes on the terrain map sent by Shangguan Hongyu.
The treasure ship flew for several days.
Soon, a noticeable increase in passing cultivators could be observed. Foundation Establishnt Cultivators, rarely seen in Anyang County, could occasionally be spotted passing by in a hurry here.
The entire Wanning Marketplace is situated above the Taiqiu Mountain Range.
Clouds and mist swirl among the mountains.
At the mountain gate entrance, a diamond-shaped mirror stands there. Cultivators use their tokens to enter and exit, passing through the mirror’s inspection regardless of entry or exit.
The checkpoint is guarded by two Qi Cultivators maintaining order, and a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator sitting nearby, whom Fu Changsheng had not seen for years—Shangguan Chen.
According to Shangguan Hongyu’s introduction, the Ten Great Families of the South Huai Prefecture need to assign a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator to guard the entrance of Wanning Marketplace for a year every decade. This rotation is a mutual agreent.
When Shangguan Chen saw Shangguan Feng appear, he greeted him from a distance, and his gaze fell on Fu Changsheng. He raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Elder Council had ntioned Fu Changsheng only recently broke through to Foundation Establishnt, yet within less than half a year, he had reached the Second-Layer Foundation Establishnt—truly unexpected.
It should be noted.
He himself only broke through to the Third-Layer Foundation Establishnt last year.
But he had broken through ten years earlier than Fu Changsheng.
Remarkable indeed!
If Hongyu and this young man could unite, perhaps the Shangguan Family could take advantage of this to rise even further. Unfortunately, a few stubborn elders in the clan are firmly against this union, always eager to curry favor with the higher-ranking Nangong Family.
Shangguan Chen waved his sleeve.
A Passage Order floated towards Fu Changsheng:
"Fu Clan Leader, leave your spiritual mark on it. With this token, you can freely enter and exit Wanning Marketplace."
Originally, obtaining such a permanent passage token required a hundred low-grade Spirit Stones, but Shangguan Chen did not ntion it.
Nevertheless, Fu Changsheng was aware of the practice and imdiately handed a box containing Spirit Stones to Shangguan Chen:
"Thank you, Master Chenn."
As they passed through the diamond-shaped mirror.
A yellow light shot out from the mirror, scanning him swiftly.
Passing through the array entrance, wooden towers ca into view, constructed from Tier One Top-Grade Cyan Spirit Wood, with four planned streets lined with bustling shops on both sides of the main street.
Compared to Nanyang Marketplace, it seed much more lively.
"If only I could own a shop here, it would be a goldmine."
Fu Changsheng was tempted by the thought.
Besides shops.
Wanning Marketplace also has a residential zone. The South District comprises courtyards for renting by Qi Cultivators, while the North District contains individually partitioned cave mansions with Spiritual Qi comparable to a Tier Two Spirit Vein, typically rented by Foundation Establishnt Cultivators.
On West Street.
A narrow street is reserved.
It’s intended specifically for cultivators to set up stalls and, despite being less glamorous than the ornate shops, sees more foot traffic, primarily Qi Cultivators.
And the World Suppression Bureau is situated on the East Street.
A three-mile radius around it is inaccessible without cause, and a defensive array is specifically set up there.
Shangguan Feng looked up at the sky and said:
"The World Suppression Bureau people have already left for the day. Tonight we’ll stay at the Cloud Travelers’ Inn, and proceed with the formalities tomorrow morning. What do you all think, fellow Daoists?"
No one objected.
Fu Changsheng also planned to take this opportunity to visit the vendors on West Street to acquire that demonic seed first.
The Cloud Travelers’ Inn was established by the Eighth-Grade Nangong Family.
Shopkeeper Nangong recognized Shangguan Feng and his three companions from afar, personally welcoming them and arranging room numbers with a smile.
Having never seen Fu Changsheng before, and with Fu Changsheng concealing his cultivation aura at the Peak of Qi Cultivation, being perceived as a young man in his twenties, it was naturally assud he was accompanying Shangguan Feng or Elder Liang on an expedition, and hence assigned a shared room.
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