Chapter 576: Caravan

Several days later.

A caravan was winding its way forward.

The beasts pulling this caravan were "Dragon-Scale Horses," a hybrid demonic horse with several scales along its flanks, said to possess extraordinary endurance.

Inside the carts behind, all manner of goods were piled high.

Besides daily supplies, there were rare cultivation items, books, and magical implements, radiating spiritual light and dazzling the eyes.

From above, the caravan did not travel in a straight line, but zigzagged erratically—sometimes detouring in a wide arc despite clear, flat land ahead.

This was because what appeared to be solid ground ahead were in fact hidden swamps; stepping onto them could trap one deeply.

Even some places deliberately avoided were either demonic beast nests or harbored terrifying toxins.

Finally, ahead appeared a slope, with faint shadows of bamboo visible.

"This damned place, at last—we won't need to consume Anti-Toxin Pills anymore… These Green Spirit Bamboos are truly meritorious…"

In the caravan, a young manager sighed: "Besides this place, only the Fei family has such resources—using spiritual plants to purify the land is the only long-term strategy… The Xu, Yin, and White Bone Alliance rely on heretical paths. The Song family is better, but their 'Fish-Stink Willows' are still years away from true usability; they still rely on arrays to sustain them, and nearly all profits from shellfish farming have been poured into this… From this perspective, the Song family's spiritual planters are nowhere near as numerous as those of Poison Dragon Slope."

"Sixteenth brother speaks wisely."

The leader of the Qiao caravan was named Qiao Wuyong. He looked at his younger cousin, whom he had brought along this trip to broaden his horizons: "Then in your view, will Poison Dragon Slope eventually surpass Green Water Bay?"

The sixteenth brother thought, then shook his head: "I only said Poison Dragon Slope's spiritual planters are better… The Seven Righteous Brothers of the Song family are much like the Five Cloud Friends—both are sworn brothers—but the Seven Righteous Brothers have all changed their surnames to Song and founded the Song family, while the Five Cloud Friends remain scattered, with one still wandering outside. For now it's fine, but after two or three generations, without major upheaval, they'll surely collapse… and by then, merging will be too late."

"Exactly, exactly…" Qiao Wuyong nodded repeatedly: "As merchants, we must maintain good relations with every local power… In the Qingli Marsh, the first family to cultivate ties with is the Fei family. The other five currently depend on us—that's why we can charge exorbitant prices and reap huge profits… But for those with great potential, we mustn't offend them too much, or we'll face embarrassment later."

"So this means we can moderately reduce current profits for the sake of long-term income?" The sixteenth brother's eyes lit up.

"Hehe, no matter how much we cut, we still must make money—and substantial profits! Otherwise, who'd do this trade?"

Qiao Wuyong dismounted from the Dragon-Scale Horse and stretched.

To travel across regions as merchants, the caravan must have elite protectors.

He himself was no ordinary man, possessing Qi Sensing Seventh Layer cultivation.

Qiao Wuyong arrived at the front of the caravan and saw a group approaching from Poison Dragon Slope. The leader had white hair and dressed like a wealthy squire. He stepped forward, clasped his fists in greeting, and smiled: "To have Master Lü personally greet us—how humbling, how humbling."

"Hehe, Master Qiao is too kind. You've delivered countless resources to Poison Dragon Slope; I merely came to greet you—what is that?"

As the saying goes, environment alters one's bearing, nourishment alters one's physique. Now, Old Lü looked nothing like the impoverished haggler of the marketplace—he radiated elegance.

"I've prepared a feast—please, come!"

Old Lü immediately led Qiao Wuyong and several caravan managers into a refined pavilion on East Peak.

Major transactions were also conducted here.

Meanwhile, other caravans casually set up stalls, shouted sales, or made purchases…

These were small-scale deals, sometimes involving goods personally smuggled by caravan members.

Some cultivators joined caravans without wages, relying solely on their own carried goods to earn spirit coins while traveling.

Others even worked as laborers in exchange for passage.

…

Inside the hall.

After the feast, Old Lü had maidens serve clear tea.

Qiao Wuyong glanced around curiously: "Where are Master Song and Master Fang? The last time Master Song asked me to procure 'The Correct Intent of Qi Refinement'… I haven't delivered it yet."

"My fifth sister is at home, teaching Yunyun to read."

Old Lü sighed: "My sworn sister is excellent in every way, but she dotes on her daughter like her own eyes—forgive me for the indulgence. Master Fang Xing dislikes crowds. If you wish to trade in bamboo paper or bamboo slats, go find him in the bamboo grove yourself."

"I see. Master Song's devotion to his daughter—I've always admired it."

Qiao Wuyong's eyes flashed with insight. He discussed several major deals with Old Lü, entrusted him with the books, then headed for the bamboo grove.

…

Shush-shush!

The bamboo shadows swayed, exuding tranquility and calming the spirit—once seen, worries vanished.

As Qiao Wuyong arrived, a black snake as thick as a water barrel slithered out.

"Qi Sensing Late Stage demonic beast!"

He and the managers tensed—then heard Fang Xing's voice: "Ah, Master Qiao has arrived."

"Master Fang… you?"

Qiao Wuyong stared at Fang Xing, uncertain: "Have you broken through again?"

Mutual sensing of strength within Qi Sensing stages was vague, unless one practiced special divine-eye techniques.

But Qiao Wuyong, having traveled far and wide, had cultivated such perception. Now he sensed Fang Xing was extraordinary—his aura was immensely vigorous, lush and dense, coalescing into a serpent shape!

"Indeed, recently I've made slight progress in Qi Refinement…"

Fang Xing smiled in confirmation, causing Qiao Wuyong to grow solemn.

Among the five families pioneering the Qingli Marsh, each had only one or two Qi Sensing Seventh Layer combatants.

Especially Poison Dragon Slope—they originally relied entirely on their sacred guardian beast, until later opening a Sha vein, when Old Lü spent heavily to buy a breakthrough pill, allowing Iron Luo the Hermit to ascend to Qi Sensing Seventh Layer.

But now?

'Poison Dragon Slope now has three Qi Sensing Late Stage combatants. If not for the Fei family holding them back, they'd have tried swallowing the others long ago…'

Qiao Wuyong thought.

Weakness, infighting—none of it mattered before absolute power!

Poison Dragon Slope had three Qi Sensing Late Stage combatants; the Song family had only one. Poison Dragon Slope clearly had the brighter future.

Fang Xing didn't think so deeply. He led Qiao Wuyong to a storage room filled with stacks of finished bamboo paper.

The bamboo paper was pure white, faintly glowing with a green hue—suitable for cutting into talisman paper or for practicing paper-folding techniques.

Paper-folding techniques were widespread; though the Blood Shadow Sect's were most authentic, even wandering cultivators knew basic versions.

No mistake—content is one!

Just as alchemy and talisman drawing were practiced by both orthodox and heretical cultivators.

Beside them were bundles of bamboo slats, used as skeletons for paper dolls.

Fang Xing wasn't worried these goods would reach the Blood Shadow Sect—not only was the journey long, he didn't fear arming the enemy.

The Blood Shadow Sect's "Blood Paper" was far superior; even their spirit coin talisman paper surpassed bamboo paper.

Moreover, the Blood Shadow Sect was one of the Top Ten Orthodox-Heretical Sects, with countless Yin Spirit True Cultivators—would they care about resources from a few Qi Sensing cultivators?

"Excellent, excellent. Younger brother, your bamboo paper and slats are high quality and cheap—sales are strong everywhere."

Qiao Wuyong smiled: "Give me a hundred more healing berries. Too bad their shelf life is short—if they lasted longer, I'd buy them all!"

Fang Xing smiled without speaking—he'd already made progress on "berry wine."

But as always: small-scale experimentation was fine; actual production would steal the livelihoods of senior alchemists and draw attention from Green Wood Ridge. With his current strength, he couldn't afford such prominence.

"As previously agreed: ten spirit coins per blade of bamboo paper, five spirit coins per bundle of slats—total is…"

Qiao Wuyong counted the inventory and named a figure.

Fang Xing nodded in agreement.

This price was cheaper than the marketplace—since he came to collect, he owed the buyer some profit.

"Did you find the items I asked you to look for last time?"

Fang Xing asked casually.

"Of course."

Qiao Wuyong solemnly pulled a dull leather pouch from his robe: "This is a 'Flying Squirrel Pouch,' made from the hide of a spiritual squirrel—its interior can hold a cubic space…"

Fang Xing took it, infused a thread of spiritual energy—and immediately sensed an interior space the size of a dining table: "Too bad—it's still too small…"

"Hehe, Flying Squirrels are exceedingly rare. Such storage artifacts are expensive—only Qi Sensing Late Stage cultivators can afford one or two…"

Qiao Wuyong said: "But rumors say that if a Flying Squirrel's bloodline regresses, it may give birth to a 'Flower Fox Weasel'—its storage artifacts have enormous capacity… but those require Dao Foundation or even Yin Spirit True Cultivators to use."

"This Flying Squirrel Pouch is sufficient for now. Thank you, Master Qiao. As for price, deduct it from this shipment's payment."

Fang Xing toyed with the gray leather pouch, feeling a surge of emotion: 'Hard-won… finally have a storage artifact…'

"Excellent. Here is the 'Qi Concealment Technique' you requested last time… Altogether, you still owe five hundred and seventy-two spirit coins."

Qiao Wuyong grinned.

Fang Xing was speechless—this was the classic industrial-agricultural scissors gap. He grabbed a handful of berries and handed them over: "Will these do?"

"Enough, enough."

Qiao Wuyong cheerfully accepted them, chatted a few more moments, then added with deliberate meaning: "Do you know… the Fei family is about to change masters?"

"Oh? What happened to Fei Tianbao?"

Fang Xing remembered meeting him five years ago—he didn't look like a dying man.

"Hehe, the Fei family has a rule: when the master reaches Qi Sensing Ninth Layer and the Primordial Qi circulates fully, he must step down and devote himself entirely to Dao Foundation—this barrier is as hard as climbing heaven; one misstep and death follows."

Qiao Wuyong said: "Thus, the Fei family is preparing to replace their master. Several candidates are now vying fiercely…"

A change of Fei family master was a major event for the five pioneering families.

Qiao Wuyong was leaking intelligence—offering a favor.

(End of Chapter)