I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 225

## Chapter 222: Negotiating with the Chamber of Commerce

Guessing the long-haired female cultivator’s identity, Lu Changan felt a slight chill in his heart, somewhat surprised.

He couldn’t help but recall Li Congren’s description of the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce:

“Even the Devil Cult would give the Chamber of Commerce some face. Even if you encounter them, you can pay them off to avoid disaster, they won’t go as far as to exterminate you.”

At the time, Lu Changan had only thought that the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce was powerful and had connections with both the righteous and the wicked.

Now, however, he felt like he had boarded a pirate ship.

Who could have imagined that the long-haired female cultivator who had joined them halfway and whose face was veiled in gauze, would be the direct disciple of the Devil Cult’s leader?

“Shi Xianzi ultimately spared this woman.”

Lu Changan pondered inwardly.

Over the past two years, with the border situation becoming increasingly chaotic, the Devil Cult, having nurtured its strength for many years, had finally gained momentum and held significant influence in the surrounding area.

Wei’s identity, in this region, was more intimidating than a sect’s direct disciple.

Lu Changan understood Shi Xianzi’s choice.

Even if they had killed Wei, it wouldn’t have eliminated the hidden danger. Once the Devil Cult found out, as the leader’s direct disciple, they wouldn’t let it go.

If they hadn’t killed Wei, Lu Changan had already erased her memories of the secret realm.

Letting her go must have involved her making a heart demon oath.

Even if it was exposed one day in the future, Shi Xianzi, as a third-order Formation Master, would definitely be a target for recruitment by major forces.

Even a third-order Formation Master with only False Core cultivation, their status and position would be comparable to a True Core cultivator.

At that time, the Devil Cult wouldn’t easily dare to act against Shi Xianzi, and they might even have the desire to recruit her.

“Before leaving the relic, I wonder if Shi Xianzi followed my suggestion and destroyed the core formation of the relic, causing the collapsing space there to shatter.”

Back in his room, Lu Changan was curious about this.

Shi Xianzi had only become a third-order Formation Master, capable of doing this, and it would require using a clever trick to trigger a chain reaction of the ancient remnant formation.

This answer, the Wei, who had just boarded the spirit ship, might know.

Lu Changan had casually held Wei’s life in his hands before, but now he didn’t dare to reveal his identity and ask directly.

Looking at Wei’s treatment, he suspected that the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce and the Devil Cult were deeply intertwined.

Decades ago, although the Devil Cult had been defeated in Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, they had learned from their past mistakes and seemed to have flourished in the neutral cultivation nation of Jing Kingdom, at least infiltrating the Commerce League.

The cultivation world’s structure in Jing Kingdom was different from Liang Kingdom.

In Liang Kingdom, sects were the supreme power, holding absolute dominance.

But in Jing Kingdom, the Commerce League was incredibly powerful, even challenging the sects of the nation for control.

The Commerce League in Jing Kingdom was a united front of big and small chambers of commerce, seeking mutual benefit, valuing trade and freedom, controlling most of the nation’s immortal cities and market channels.

Compared to sects, the Commerce League was less hostile to the Devil Cult and more focused on profit.

“If the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce and the Devil Cult are indeed colluding, it wouldn’t be entirely bad news for this cross-border trip.”

After a moment, Lu Changan figured out the connections.

…

Two days later.

The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship had returned to its regular course, gradually leaving Liang Kingdom’s border.

Lu Changan sensed that the spiritual energy outside the spirit ship became increasingly thin, almost non-existent.

In this situation, the power of many spells would be greatly reduced.

Flying speed was slow, and spiritual energy recovery even harder.

Plus, during wartime, with the chaos between the two nations, it was indeed difficult to be safe travelling alone.

With the protective power of this spirit ship belonging to the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce, it could at least prevent any robbers.

Lu Changan looked out the window of his room, gazing back at the direction of Liang Kingdom, seeing a desolate landscape, his heart filled with complex emotions.

Now, he was one hundred and forty-two years old, having cultivated in Liang Kingdom for over one hundred and twenty years, he naturally felt some attachment to the land and the people there.

However, Lu Changan had obtained a complete Foundation Establishment breakthrough opportunity, including the breakthrough spirit object, and he needed a stable cultivation environment.

He would first cultivate to the peak of Foundation Establishment, then find a third-order spirit vein to break through to Core Formation.

This departure, seeing old friends and trading for the Core Transformation secret technique, had been quite satisfactory overall.

The only regret was not seeing Zhao Siyao.

When he arrived at Jin Yun Valley, Zhao Siyao was in closed cultivation, preparing to break through to Core Formation.

Even Zhao Siyao’s disciple, Zhao Tan, had gone to the front lines to defend.

“Wu Daoyou.”

The restriction on the door was touched, the purple-faced, strong man from the next room came to visit Lu Changan.

The purple-faced strong man had been injured, but at the time, he had also taken out three thousand spirit stones in pain, staying in the room next to Lu Changan.

This man was full of killing intent, not very sociable, and on the spirit ship, only Lu Changan could chat with him.

“Fang Daoyou, please come in.”

In the room, they chatted about the war.

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

“If Liang Kingdom’s sects hadn’t recklessly started the war, invading another country first, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“The ‘Qing Ming Secret Realm’ was supposed to open in another three or four years. It was a chance for many Foundation Establishment cultivators to get a breakthrough opportunity…”

The purple-faced strong man’s tone was fierce, his eyes filled with hatred.

Because of the war, he had been forced to the front lines, nearly dying, later becoming a deserter, hunted by the sect.

If it had been peacetime, in a few years, he would have cultivated to the peak of Foundation Establishment, perfect for participating in the Qing Ming Secret Realm, with strength in the top ranks.

“Affected by the war, the ‘Qing Ming Secret Realm’ might not be able to open successfully.”

Lu Changan sighed, uncertain about this.

Because of the war situation, he had already made a choice, opting to conquer the ancient relic, giving up the Qing Ming Secret Realm.

There was one thing that Lu Changan didn’t tell the purple-faced strong man.

Even if Liang Kingdom’s sects hadn’t invaded Feng Kingdom first, the flames of war would have come to them eventually.

This was a conclusion Lu Changan had drawn from the intelligence from the Tian Zhi Lou.

“Sect patrol cultivators!”

As they were chatting, a shout came from the back of the spirit ship, a slight commotion.

The two of them walked out of the room.

Two spirit boats, about ten meters long, were flying towards the back of the spirit ship.

On each of the spirit boats, a False Core cultivator was in charge, leading a team of twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“Spirit ship ahead, submit to inspection!”

Those two spirit boats, with their smaller size compared to the huge spirit ship, were much faster and couldn’t be evaded.

The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship didn’t resist and stopped.

Unless they didn’t want to do business, all spirit ships from Jing Kingdom passing through would cooperate with Liang Kingdom’s routine inspections.

There were True Core cultivators stationed at the border, in case of a tough opponent, the patrol cultivators could contact them through an emergency transmission.

“Two cultivators, our spirit ship was already inspected when we left Zi Jing Immortal City.”

Inside the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship, a middle-aged man in a Confucian scholar’s robe smiled and stepped out, neither humble nor arrogant.

The Confucian scholar was the False Core cultivator stationed on the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship.

In fact, after leaving Liang Kingdom, the spirit ship had been given the green light all the way, this was the first time they had been investigated.

“We received new clues, there might be sect deserters sneaking onto your Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship.”

“Don’t worry, we are only catching deserters, we don’t want to cause trouble for your Chamber of Commerce.”

This team of sect patrol cultivators was relatively polite to the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce.

The three major chambers of commerce in Jing Kingdom’s Commerce League, each had a True Core cultivator stationed, with vast wealth and great influence.

“The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce is willing to cooperate with the investigation. I hope that after you board, you won’t disturb the esteemed guests on the upper decks of the spirit ship.”

The Confucian scholar raised his hand, opening a passage in the spirit ship’s formation.

One of the sect’s False Core cultivators, accompanied by over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, entered the spirit ship for inspection.

…

“Wu Daoyou, Fang will return to his room first.”

The purple-faced strong man’s heart skipped a beat, his legs weak, he forced himself to be calm and returned to his neighboring room.

It wasn’t just the purple-faced strong man who was terrified.

The dozens of Liang Kingdom cultivators who had boarded the ship were essentially stowaways, many of them with hidden identities.

For the next hour.

It was a torment for the Liang Kingdom cultivators on the spirit ship.

The only good news was, the team of sect cultivators didn’t inspect too thoroughly, they simply asked a few questions when they entered each room.

Many of the rooms on the spirit ship belonged to Jing Kingdom cultivators from the Commerce League.

Liang Kingdom cultivators only occupied a small portion.

Before long.

Two sect cultivators, with guarded expressions, entered Lu Changan’s room.

“What is your name, esteemed guest?”

“My name is Wu Fan.”

“What are you doing in Jing Kingdom?”

“I am Wu, a solitary wandering merchant, travelling between the two countries, doing some small business.”

Lu Changan said calmly.

Strictly speaking, solitary cultivators were not under the sect’s control.

The two cultivators looked at Lu Changan for a while, finding nothing unusual, and left his room.

This team of sect cultivators didn’t go to the upper-class rooms for investigation.

Two of the Foundation Establishment cultivators had just approached the ‘Wang Gongzi’s’ room when, seemingly receiving a message, they suddenly bowed and retreated.

After an hour.

The team of sect cultivators finished their inspection.

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

The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce not only didn’t stop them, they assisted in the capture and maintained order.

The seven unlucky cultivators, two from the rooms, and five from the cargo hold.

In the cargo hold, in full view of everyone, there was no room for overt bribery.

Once they became a target of suspicion, they would be captured, with little room for manipulation.

Furthermore, the sect cultivators also looked at people differently.

Cultivators staying in the rooms had more wealth and strength. Some tough ones, if they fought back, had符宝 (Fu Bao, talismans) as a backup, they would also face the risk of backlash.

Of course, staying in a room didn’t guarantee safety, it just offered more chance to control their fate.

Not every patrol cultivator was easy to talk to or bribe.

Lu Changan even suspected that there might be a performance target for each trip.

…

The sect cultivator’s inspection was something the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s cultivators were used to, like a minor incident, not worth much attention.

But for the next two days.

Many of the cultivators staying in the cargo hold, all negotiated with the Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce, hoping to spend spirit stones to move to the rooms.

It was obvious that staying in a room was safer, with a better chance of survival when stowing away in Jing Kingdom.

“What! It costs six thousand spirit stones to stay in a room? It was three thousand before.”

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

The price of a room had doubled!

“To be honest with you, the rooms are indeed almost full.”

“The price increase is actually a fair way to screen everyone.”

The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s steward said nonchalantly.

The cultivators in the cargo hold were mostly in a tight spot, after spending money to board the ship, their spirit stones had been mostly squeezed out.

In the end, only a few cultivators could afford six thousand spirit stones for an upgrade.

They should know that a top-grade magic weapon only cost two thousand spirit stones.

In the Foundation Establishment stage, there were only a few cultivators in all of Liang Kingdom with wealth like Lu Changan.

For the next half a month.

The Jiu Chen Chamber of Commerce’s spirit ship was peaceful.

After that, there were no more sect cultivators coming to inspect; and the robbers on the road, didn’t dare to target this spirit ship.

During those half a month, many of the Liang Kingdom cultivators’ fates changed.

Especially the cultivators in the bottom cargo hold.

Some skilled workers, in order to gain safety, signed indentures with some cultivators from the Chamber of Commerce on the ship.

For example, working for a certain chamber of commerce for twenty years, becoming a member of that chamber of commerce, thereby obtaining a legal identity, which could ensure their safe arrival in Jing Kingdom.

There were also female cultivators in the cargo hold who, in order to raise spirit stones to stay in a room, engaged in selling their bodies on the spirit ship.

Foundation Establishment female cultivators, in a small place in Liang Kingdom, were considered high-ranking fairies, even ancestors of a clan.

Now, however, they had to put down their noble status and bow at the feet of others.

Lu Changan’s door had also been knocked on by such female cultivators.

“Moving to another country, the journey is arduous, like lambs being slaughtered. This path is truly not suitable for ordinary cultivators…”

Lu Changan sighed inwardly.

Compared to the struggles of those in the cargo hold.

Wang Gongzi on the third floor of the spirit ship lived a life of luxury and pleasure, even when fleeing to another country, he had beautiful maidservants by his side.

Lu Changan was curious, who exactly was this Wang Gongzi, who could prevent sect patrol cultivators from entering his room for inspection.

He had once thought of using his divine sense to investigate his true appearance, but finally, he held back.

What if the other party had some special treasure that could sense and detect investigations? That would be purely a hassle.

…

One day.

The second floor hall of the spirit ship held a trade fair.

All cultivators staying in the rooms were eligible to participate.

The cultivators from Liang Kingdom only made up a small portion. The majority were from the major chambers of commerce of the Jing Kingdom Commerce League.

Now, the spirit ship was far away from Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world, they didn’t have to worry about sect cultivator inspections.

Lu Changan and the purple-faced strong man, Fang, participated in the trade fair together.

After the bribe that time, the purple-faced strong man actually didn’t have much left in spirit stones.

He came to the trade fair mainly to meet cultivators from Jing Kingdom’s Commerce League, or build relationships with the influential Liang Kingdom cultivators.

The hall was not small, with dozens of wooden square tables set up.

The cultivators present could sell or purchase items on these tables.

At the trade fair, Lu Changan saw Wang Gongzi and Wei.

Wang Gongzi’s table was surrounded by many people, including Jing Kingdom merchants and Liang Kingdom cultivators.

Wei didn’t sell anything, she simply strolled around the trade fair, occasionally glancing at a certain table for a short time.

Lu Changan could tell that Wei’s injuries hadn’t healed completely.

It seemed that after leaving the ancient relic, she had encountered something along the way and got injured again.

“Wu Daoyou, what did you think of what Jia mentioned last time?”

As he walked past a certain table, a sharp-eyed, lean old man of about fifty, with a smile on his face, looked at Lu Changan.

The lean old man’s surname was Jia, he was the steward of the Xin Yue Chamber of Commerce.

The Xin Yue Chamber of Commerce was the Jing Kingdom chamber of commerce that had introduced Lu Changan onto the ship.

Of course, this was planned by Li Congren secretly, the person he contacted wasn’t the same.

Jia, the steward in front of him, didn’t know Lu Changan’s identity, he only knew he was a Jing Kingdom cultivator introduced to the ship by their chamber of commerce.

“I, Wu, am a solitary cultivator, I’m used to being free, I really don’t want to sign that contract, being controlled by someone for twenty years.”

Lu Changan directly refused.

A few days ago, Jia, the steward of the Xin Yue Chamber of Commerce, had contacted him, wanting Lu Changan to sign a twenty-year indenture to work as a bodyguard for their chamber of commerce.

During the contract period, they would provide a spirit vein cultivation ground, as well as basic spirit stones and spirit rice.

The biggest reward was to give Lu Changan a legal identity in the chamber of commerce, ensuring his safe arrival in Jing Kingdom.

“Wu Daoyou, think carefully, today is your last chance. I’m willing to do this out of kindness because you have a connection with the Xin Yue Chamber of Commerce.”

Jia, the steward, said with a cold expression.

“If your esteemed chamber of commerce is willing to offer a retainer position, I, Wu, could consider it.”

Lu Changan thought for a moment, not completely rejecting it.

A retainer position would have higher status and more freedom.

Lu Changan’s trip to Jing Kingdom, to cultivate to Foundation Establishment nine levels, would take several years, he would need a second-order spirit vein.

To break through to Core Formation, he would need a third-order spirit vein.

If he could build good relations with a local chamber of commerce, it would be beneficial to his Core Formation plan.

“Retainer?” Jia, the steward, was stunned for a moment, he asked, “What skills do you have, esteemed guest?”

“If a丹师 (Dan Shi, Alchemist) or Formation Master reaches the middle stage of second-order, or other skills reach the upper stage of second-order, we can discuss it, but you still have to sign a twenty-year contract.”

Lu Changan thought for a moment, his only skills that reached the upper stage of second-order were Puppet Master and符师 (Fu Shi, Talisman Master).

“I, Wu, have a lower stage of second-order skill, I don’t insist on a retainer position, I can become a hired cultivator for your esteemed chamber of commerce. But the contract signed shall not exceed ten years, and shall not restrict my personal freedom.”

Lu Changan pondered and said.

Jia, the steward, laughed sarcastically, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, he ignored Lu Changan.

At the trade fair.

Lu Changan also negotiated with two other chambers of commerce, the conditions he offered were equally harsh.

Lu Changan had a feeling that these chambers of commerce seemed confident, not worried that he would not accept.

(End of chapter)

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