Su Yuan wasn't in a hurry to address the issues with Shi Shi'an's condition. This matter could wait.
He continued, "You can rest assured and continue your cultivation. However, without experiencing the Immortal Ascension Tribulation, your potential will diminish. Therefore..." With a wave of his hand, he condensed a talisman and handed it to Shi Shi'an.
"Tear this talisman when you feel ready, and you'll be able to undergo the Immortal Ascension Tribulation again!"
Shi Shi'an imdiately bowed in delight. "Many thanks, Patriarch!"
Su Li, standing nearby, struggled to suppress her laughter. The irony was too amusing - Shi Shi'an was supposed to be the patriarch, yet now he had to bow to Su Yuan as his patriarch! She recalled Shi Shi'an's utterly shocked expression when he first returned to the sect and couldn't help but smirk.
Ten Jue Wanderer felt increasingly awkward under Su Li's amusent, silently grumbling that the little fox had forgotten her old master after finding a new one.
Suddenly, Su Yuan turned his gaze beyond their realm. He had detected the aura of an unfamiliar Golden Immortal. The other party had concealed their presence well - previously undetectable, but now that Su Yuan had broken through to Golden Immortal stage with greatly enhanced Nascent Soul cultivation, his perception had reached unprecedented heights.
After hesitating, Ten Jue Wanderer bowed deeply. "Shi Shi'an humbly requests the Patriarch to accept this disciple!"
Su Yuan snapped back to attention, looking at Ten Jue Wanderer with an extrely peculiar expression. Even Su Li stared in shock.
She exclaid, "Old man, what are you doing?"
Ignoring her, Shi Shi'an spoke solemnly, "Patriarch, throughout my cultivation journey, I've been groping in the dark without proper guidance. I'm lost regarding my future path. I beseech you to accept as your disciple and illuminate my way forward. This disciple vows to serve you faithfully in all matters!"
From a corner, Green Ox shot a sidelong glance at Shi Shi'an, inwardly sneering at his audacity. Did this old man really think he could beco the master's disciple? If he had offered to be a servant or steward, the master might have considered it. But a disciple? Pure fantasy! Clearly still clinging to his pride.
Su Yuan chuckled lightly. "That won't be necessary. I've already placed my complete teachings in the Floating Light Secret Realm for you to study. Soon, I'll organize so cultivation thods from the Immortal Realm - you can explore them to find the path most suitable for you. Let's forget about the disciple matter."
Shi Shi'an froze, his expression darkening. Green Ox snorted loudly - exactly as predicted!
Ten Jue Wanderer regretfully withdrew from the cave dwelling, while Su Li remained behind, curiously asking, "Su Yuan, what's your current cultivation level now?"
"? Golden Immortal," Su Yuan replied casually.
Su Li pouted. "I don't believe it! Just twenty years ago you'd only just broken through to Human Immortal realm. There's no way you could leap past Earth Immortal, Heaven Immortal, True Immortal, and Xuan Immortal realms straight to Golden Immortal in two decades! The old man told it usually takes millions, even hundreds of millions of years just to reach Xuan Immortal, and comprehending Golden Immortal requires tens of billions of years!"
Su Yuan ruffled Su Li's head. "You've already reached Earth Immortal artifact level - not bad at all!"
"Of course! With a Golden Immortal Lord's fortune blessing , of course my grade improves quickly!" Su Li said happily.
"Then feel it now - how's your current advancent speed?" Su Yuan asked.
Su Li imdiately checked the Floating Light Pot's condition and was shocked to discover her grade was improving several tis faster under the fortune's influence. How was this possible?
The sect's fortune actually couldn't exploit Su Yuan's benefits - he had rely distributed so feedback to the sect, causing Seven Stars Sect's fortune to surge dramatically.
"Alright, go back and properly receive the fortune's baptism. The faster you advance, the more you can help ," Su Yuan said.
"Hmph!" Su Li rolled her eyes at him before scampering off.
Su Yuan then flashed beyond the Seven Stars Realm.
At that mont, on the void island hosting the Seven Stars Market, nurous cultivators were engaged in trade. Among them were demonic cultivators, immortal cultivators, even demonic beast cultivators, divine cultivators, and ghost cultivators!
Though these practitioners harbored mutual hostility, the market's rules kept them from acting out, maintaining orderly transactions.
What surprised Su Yuan was their cultivation levels - the weakest were at Great Ascension Realm, while the strongest included True Immortals and Xuan Immortals!
Rather than imdiately inquiring about Song Cai and others, Su Yuan blended into the market as an ordinary trader, displaying a late-stage Human Immortal cultivation - a common level among participants.
Approaching one stall, a hooded black-clad vendor whispered, "Fellow star traveler, interested in Purifying Blue Demon Crystal? Precious spirit material from the Demon Realm that purifies demonic contamination, cleanses immortal souls, and suppresses inner demons!"
Su Yuan noted with surprise that this was actually a demonic cultivator. "Such good rchandise shouldn't have trouble selling, should it?"
The stall owner chuckled. "You must be new to Seven Stars Market."
"Indeed. Is there so significance to this?"
"Heh, with the ongoing war between Immortal and Demon Realms, trade routes between them now carry 114% additional tariffs - too high for any profit. Many goods can no longer be sold to the Immortal Realm."
Su Yuan nodded in understanding.
"Exactly! So accumulated stock must find alternative outlets. Fortunately, I ca to Seven Stars Market. My Purifying Blue Demon Crystals are fairly priced - you won't get a better deal!" the vendor rasped.
"How much?"
"Not expensive - just 29,999 star stones per piece! Extrely reasonable!"
Su Yuan's lips curled. "The price is indeed acceptable. But shouldn't your 'Purifying Blue Demon Crystals' actually be called 'Demonic Red Crystals'?"
The vendor stiffened. From beneath his hood ca a low laugh. "Haha, fellow traveler, you're mistaken!" With lightning speed, he replaced the Demonic Red Crystals with genuine Purifying Blue Demon Crystals.
Su Yuan took ten crystals and handed over 300,000 single-grade star stones. "Keep the change." He departed gracefully with his purchase, leaving the dismayed vendor who dared not protest for fear of market enforcers. The crystals should have sold for at least 40,000 - 30,000 barely covered costs.
Continuing his stroll, Su Yuan noticed many specialties from both Immortal and Demon Realms in the market, explaining its current vibrancy - mainly due to blocked trade between the two warring realms.
With a gesture, Su Yuan summoned a small cauldron - the Myriad Treasures Heaven-Earth Cauldron, its supre-grade immortal artifact aura flashing briefly.
"Old Qian, how many treasures have you devoured to reach supre-grade immortal artifact status?" Su Yuan suddenly sensed sothing amiss.
Su Qian replied calmly, "Master, I rely refined the treasury you seized, the spoils of war, and most of Seven Stars Market's profits over the years."
Su Yuan's eye twitched. "Those were all hard-earned collections of mine!"
"Master needn't worry - my consumption wasn't wasteful. Firstly, my grade has improved, and with my transformative abilities, I can simulate any immortal artifact you require. Secondly, I can now produce many specialty items daily, generating substantial profits!" Su Qian quickly justified.
Channeling his magic power into the cauldron, Su Yuan observed its profoundly intricate core restrictions and vastly deepened foundation, finally relaxing his expression.
Shifting his gaze from the cauldron, Su Yuan looked toward the market center - specifically the Seven Stars Pagoda's summit.
There, Hidden Star Immortal Lord faced two Golden Immortal experts with grave solemnity. "Fellow Daoists, welco to Seven Stars Market. We engage solely in comrce, uninvolved in Immortal-Demon conflicts. If you've co to trade, I'm delighted. For other purposes... I must decline."
The two Golden Immortals eyed each other warily. Both had been investigating the market while concealing their auras, unaware of each other's presence until Hidden Star summoned them simultaneously.
One represented the Immortal Realm, the other the Demon Realm.
The demonic cultivator spoke first. "I am Demon Realm's Ferry Demon Monarch, representing Feilian Legion, inviting the master of Seven Stars Market to join our Demon Realm and Feilian Legion!"
Hidden Star frowned, turning to the other.
"I am Immortal Realm's Kong Ming Immortal Monarch. Your market's operations disrupt Immortal-Demon comrcial order and affect regional war balance. I demand you imdiately shut down Seven Stars Market and surrender all illicit profits to the Immortal Realm!"
Hidden Star shook his head. "Seven Stars Market and Seven Stars Sect will neither join the Demon Realm nor cease operations. We maintain neutrality in your conflicts. Please leave."
He felt puzzled - shouldn't the Demon Realm be making threats while the Immortal Realm extended invitations? Their approaches seed reversed.
Ferry Demon Monarch's expression darkened. "The Demon Realm extends goodwill, yet you refuse outright? Do you scorn Feilian Legion?"
anwhile, Kong Ming added, "Continued operation is permissible if you register with the Immortal Realm and pay proper taxes. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee your market's safety."
These follow-up statents actually reassured Hidden Star - this alignnt made more sense. The Demon Realm led with courtesy before potential force, while the Immortal Realm applied pressure first then offered options. The latter seed more palatable.
Then Su Yuan's voice whispered in his ear: "Refuse them both! Seven Stars Market remains neutral!"
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