Chapter 818: Jinyanfang Market

A Core Formation cultivator shouldn't have to speak obsequiously to those with lower cultivation. However, given Huang Fugui's demeanor, it seemed there were no major conflicts of interest.

The woman in white rolled her eyes at Huang Fugui's antics, appearing speechless.

The old man in red robes scrutinized the woman in white, then said with some uncertainty, "You must be Fairy Song Xiruo, right?"

Song Xiruo is the foremost among the Three Flames' Five Talents, a key cultivation target of the Three Flames Palace. Her great-granduncle is an executive elder of the Three Flames Palace. She is a favored daughter of heaven, with countless admirers, known as the Three Flames Palace's most beautiful woman, and a strong contender for the next Palace Master.

Song Xiruo was a favored daughter of heaven, while Huang Fugui was an unaligned cultivator. Their statuses and appearances were vastly different, and the old man in red robes couldn't understand why they were together.

"Yes. Why? Do you know me, fellow cultivator? Do you have some advice?" Song Xiruo replied, her tone indifferent, as if keeping everyone at arm's length.

"Fellow cultivators, we encountered this Fire Crow. It should belong to us, right?" Huang Fugui asked with a fawning smile.

"Fellow Daoist Huang, you jest. This Fire Crow was hunted by you, so it naturally belongs to you. Are there any other third-tier Fire Crows here?" the old man in red robes said with a smile, his tone sincere but with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"I don't know, you can look for yourselves." Song Xiruo put away the frozen Fire Crow and strode out.

Wang Mingren and the two others exchanged glances and quickly retreated from the cave, avoiding a confrontation with Song Xiruo.

Song Xiruo transformed into a streak of white light and flew out of the mining cave. Huang Fugui cupped his hands towards Wang Mingren and the two others, grinning to reveal his yellow teeth, and said, "Farewell, fellow cultivators." With that, Huang Fugui transformed into a yellow streak of light and pursued her.

"Song Xiruo? I remember she's the foremost of the Three Flames' Five Talents. How could she be involved with Huang Fugui?" Wang Mingren said, somewhat curious. The difference in status between Huang Fugui and Song Xiruo was immense; it was truly strange to see them appear together here.

"I don't know. It's none of our concern. Since we're already here, let's search thoroughly. If there are any other third-tier Fire Crows, we'll eliminate them."

The old man in red robes and his two companions continued forward, searching for third-tier demon birds.

A day later, they emerged from the mining cave. They had searched most of the cave but found no trace of any third-tier Fire Crows.

"Let's go! Since there are no third-tier Fire Crows, we should head back!" The old man in red robes released his flying magical artifact, carrying his companions as they flew back the way they came, disappearing into the horizon.

---

Central Plains, Great Yan Dynasty.

Jin Yan City, located in the central part of the Great Yan Dynasty, is one of the large markets controlled by the imperial family. Merchants and cultivators from the Eastern Wilderness, Southern Sea, and Northern Frontier cultivation realms pass through here, making it a bustling and prosperous commercial hub.

The Spirit Puppet Hall was a newly opened shop. Its manager, Wang Yue, was a man in his early thirties at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. The Spirit Puppet Hall primarily dealt in the sale of puppet beasts, offering both first and second-tier puppet beasts.

In the backyard, Wang Tianwen was speaking with some clan members. Wang Tianwen had served in the Myriad Immortal Division for many years, befriending many fellow cultivators. He used his connections to rent a small shop in Jin Yan City, providing a place for his clan members to settle down.

Wang Tianwen had brought fifteen Qi Condensation clan members to the Great Yan Dynasty, and he still possessed 50,000 spirit stones. Having lost their territory, they had to earn spirit stones to support themselves.

The Great Yan Dynasty's household registration management was extremely strict, meticulously recording the number of households in each village and the number of people in each household. It was not easy for the Wang clan to quietly establish themselves in the Great Yan Dynasty. Furthermore, the dynasty's management of mortals was quite stringent; cultivators regularly visited the mortal world to test mortals for spiritual roots. Mortals found to possess spiritual roots were given priority selection by the imperial family, and no other force was allowed to interfere.

Only after the imperial family made their selections would it be the turn of the royal clans. This meant that if the Wang clan were to settle in the Great Yan Dynasty, any clan members born with spiritual roots could not remain with the family. Over time, the clan members' sense of belonging to their family would weaken, replaced by a strong sense of loyalty to the imperial family. Where there is sustenance, there is loyalty, a crude but accurate saying.

Once those with spiritual roots entered the cultivation world, they began receiving stipends from the imperial family and were indoctrinated with the ideology of loyalty to the imperial family. Over time, they would naturally become loyal to the imperial family, which benefited the Great Yan imperial family's rule.

To acquire territory and develop in the Central Plains cultivation world, there were only two paths: either pledge allegiance to a royal clan or to the imperial family. Only by performing great services for a royal clan or the imperial family could one acquire territory. However, even with territory, one would still have to obey the orders of the imperial family and royal clans. Comparatively, the Great Yan Dynasty's regulation of merchants and travelers was more relaxed.

The Great Yan Dynasty had many merchant alliances and associations. Both the imperial family and royal clans had their own merchant alliances and associations, and some of these associations were even cultivation families themselves.

Puppet beasts were the foundation of the Wang clan's livelihood. The Wang clan, drawing upon the concepts of the Qianji Sect, developed their own puppet formations. Other forces also successively researched and developed their own puppet formations, each with their unique strengths. Besides puppet formations, there were also various battle formations.

Wang Tianwen taught his clan members how to craft puppet beasts, enabling them to support themselves. He felt somewhat fortunate that he knew how to refine artifacts and craft puppet beasts; otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to support over a dozen clan members.

Of course, Wang Tianwen's branch had not become entirely independent. The clan would still send people to contact him and provide financial and personnel support, though the clan would not contact them in the short term. As long as high-ranking members like Wang Changsheng were still alive, they would be their spiritual pillars, and they would not forget their roots.

"Alright, that's all for today. Practice more. I'll find a way to get a Foundation Establishment Pill to help Wang Qi reach the Foundation Establishment stage first."

To conceal their identities, aside from Wang Tianwen, the fifteen Wang clan members had dropped their generational names. Wang Qi, whose original name was Wang Mengqi, was a first-tier high-grade artifact refiner. If he advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, he could create more benefits for the clan.

Since their assets had been plundered and they lacked Foundation Establishment Pills, it was quite difficult for them to cultivate Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Uncle Tianwen, you've worked hard, having to rent a shop and also help me get a Foundation Establishment Pill." Wang Mengqi said, a little abashed.

"We are family, so don't be so polite with me. Remember, we were forced to leave our homeland. Do not forget the blood feud. All of you must cultivate diligently so that one day, you can return to the Eastern Wilderness with me and avenge yourselves."

Wang Qi hesitated slightly, then carefully asked, "Uncle, can we really go back and fight our way in?"

"Of course we can. Your Seventh Granduncle and the others are still alive, so our Wang clan still has hope. I can tell you confidentially that the clan will continuously provide us with funds and personnel. However, we need to hold out for a while. Once we get through this period, everything will improve." Wang Tianwen's words were filled with confidence.

"Yes, Uncle Tianwen."

"Alright, I have other matters to attend to, so I won't stay longer. Don't cause trouble and manage the Spirit Puppet Hall well."

After a few more instructions, Wang Tianwen left.