Qingshi Marketplace, Opens! (Seeking Readership)

"Esteemed seniors, regarding this market transaction... might I be permitted to speak a word?"

Yang Shi puffed out his chest, projecting his voice with the full force of his Body Tempering Sixth Level cultivation, his words echoing through the street.

Seeing Yang Shi speak, the Xuan Shi Sect disciples and rogue cultivators present gave him face and fell silent.

Yang Shi clasped his hands.

"I have a thought. Let everyone hear it and judge whether it is correct."

"All of you come to this market to trade. After exchanging for Spirit Stones or a coveted magic artifact, would you be willing to have it snatched away by some higher-realm cultivator?"

The crowd immediately erupted in agitation.

"Of course not!"

"A treacherous scoundrel like that—I would never coexist with him under the same sky!"

"Everyone has the right to slay him!"

Yang Shi nodded and continued:

"If you saw a cultivator weaker than yourself carrying a treasure that could be easily taken, would you be willing to claim it for yourself?"

At this, most of the rogue cultivators fell silent.

A minority shouted out:

"I wouldn't steal!"

"I'm a good person. I never oppress others."

"Stealing another's treasure is the work of demonic cultivators!"

A closer look revealed these were all low-level rogue cultivators.

Roughly on par with Jiang Xiaobai, within the Fetal Breath Third Level or below.

The others did not directly answer this question.

Seeing this, Yang Shi spread his hands:

"From this, it seems no one wants to be plundered by higher-realm cultivators, yet no one dares to promise they won't plunder those weaker than themselves. Why is that?"

The rogue cultivators stammered, momentarily unable to refute him.

Bai Heyu's three junior brothers and sisters didn't quite understand either.

"Isn't it just a bit of Spirit Stones and magic artifacts? What's there to fight over? The sect gives them out every month."

"The Eldest Senior Sister says they're impoverished cultivators."

"Then why don't they ask themselves—after all these years of cultivation, why can't they save up Spirit Stones? Have they worked hard to tend their spirit fields? They could sell any spirit beasts they catch that they don't need."

"Ah," Bai Heyu sighed. He had spent the most time with rogue cultivators these past days and had come to understand the true plight of those at the very bottom.

"If there were enough cultivation supplies to distribute, there would be no demonic path."

Ding Zhen, the demonic cultivator, scoffed at this question.

"Hmph! Heaven and earth destroy those who don't look out for themselves! Cultivation is a struggle against heaven and against men. If I don't take it, some other cultivator will. I might as well claim it for myself and aid my path to immortality!"

"In my eyes, I respect my seniors, keep my distance from peers, and seize from ants!"

"If your skill is lacking, accept being robbed. To sum it up with a phrase I just learned: if you're bad, just practice more!"

His words drew agreement from many cultivators.

Yang Shi had anticipated this and smiled at Ding Zhen. "Senior, you are a Qi Refinement stage immortal, correct?"

"That's a term for mortals. How could a mere Qi Refinement cultivator dare to call himself an immortal? Boss Yang's family has already stepped into the cultivation world—just call me a cultivator."

The other rogue cultivators nodded. In their eyes, Yang Shi was their peer, and no one looked down on him.

A man who could invent so many novel amusements must have a powerful backer!

That Eldest Senior Sister of the Xuan Shi Sect, whose cultivation was profoundly deep, wouldn't even spare a glance for Qi Refinement rogue cultivators. So why did she personally oversee the teahouse every day?

Surely not just for a sip of that mortal drink?

Clearly, she held Yang Shi in special regard.

Yang Shi clasped his hands. "Senior is a Qi Refinement stage cultivator with profound cultivation, capable of seizing treasures from other cultivators. But are you certain you are the strongest? What if that inconspicuous beggar on the ground is a Qi Refinement cultivator even more advanced than you?"

Qiao Laoqi, sipping his coffee, shot Yang Shi a glare.

What a comparison you've made, kid!

If you weren't a mere mortal, I'd think you'd seen through my identity.

Ding Zhen frowned. He believed that aside from Bai Heyu, no one present was his match. But was that really true?

His Blood Soul Valley was not skilled in detection techniques.

Yang Shi continued: "Senior cannot even be sure whether a higher-realm cultivator is present. How can you assume you won't be the ant in someone else's eyes?"

"Even if Senior's cultivation suppresses the entire scene, what if the other cultivators join forces to fight you?"

Ding Zhen's frown deepened. Though he was at Qi Refinement Seventh Level, if several Qi Refinement cultivators ganged up on him, he might not come out ahead in a fight. Who knew what strange magic artifacts the others might have?

Besides Ding Zhen, everyone else followed Yang Shi's train of thought, wondering if anyone could truly claim an undefeated position—had the brothers who drank and celebrated together yesterday secretly allied with others?

An old rogue cultivator, having weathered such situations many times, let out a sigh.

"Boss Yang speaks reason, but this Rogue Cultivator Marketplace has always been this way. We can only tread carefully and extricate ourselves as quickly as possible. If we're robbed, it's simply the fate we're dealt."

The crowd nodded in unison. That was wisdom born of experience.

Outside, Yang Genshuo, who had been watching the situation unfold, clenched his fists!

[Divine Manifestation]!

"Just because it's always been this way, does that make it right?"

Yang Shi declared loudly: "Just because it's always been this way, does that make it right!?"

The rogue cultivators' hearts jolted, and all eyes turned to Yang Shi standing on the stone table.

"Slaughter and plunder are a pit you can never escape. In the end, no one profits."

"If everyone could trade what they don't need for what they do, then everyone would gain."

"Friendliness, mutual benefit, and reciprocity—that's the path that benefits all rogue cultivators of the Da Nai Dynasty!"

"I have a dream! To return the marketplace to its purest original purpose!"

Yang Shi read each word of Yang Genshuo's Divine Manifestation aloud, stirring even himself into a fervor.

All the rogue cultivators seemed to see a spiritual giant in Yang Shi, one who crushed them in enlightenment.

After the initial shock, the cultivators came back to their senses.

"What Boss Yang says makes sense, but... once we go to the Bai Shui River Marketplace, who can guarantee everyone will follow through?"

Yang Shi pointed at the wooden stalls lining the streets of Qingshi County.

"Who says the Rogue Cultivator Marketplace has to be at the Bai Shui River? People make the marketplace. Since you've all gathered in Qingshi County, why not trade right here, exchanging what you desire?"

"With a Xuan Shi Sect Foundation Establishment senior overseeing things, what do you still have to fear?"

The third-floor window of Yang's Board Game Tea House swung open. The icy Murong Ziyan raised her hand, and a silver talisman streaked through the air like a flowing light, landing in Yang Shi's hand.

On it were written four large characters:

"Xuan Shi Walker."

The rogue cultivators were stunned!

The Xuan Shi Walker was a credential representing the Xuan Shi Sect for local governance—holding this talisman could command a prefectural governor!

Could it be that this Xuan Shi Sect disciple had been here all these days specifically to back Yang Shi?

Was the Xuan Shi Sect planning to take over the Rogue Cultivator Marketplace?

After some deliberation, the crowd actually found that Yang Shi's vision of a regulated, secure marketplace wasn't half bad!

Since a new marketplace was to be established, Qingshi County, backed by the Xuan Shi Sect, was indeed a fine location!

Seeing many rogue cultivators already nodding, Yang Shi pressed his advantage:

"Today, my Yang Family will host the first-ever 'Qingshi Marketplace' right here in Qingshi County!"

"Our slogan is: Standardized, Transparent, and Supervisable!"

"We humbly invite all seniors to oversee us!"

"Today, the marketplace officially opens! Please proceed to the stalls I've prepared for you and sell your goods."

The rogue cultivators hesitated only a moment before scattering in a rush to find the best stalls.

The Yang Family-led Qingshi Marketplace was successfully established!

"Nice! It worked!"

All of Yang Genshuo's plans had been executed flawlessly!

He had brought the Rogue Cultivator Marketplace to Qingshi County and struck a non-aggression pact with the cultivators.

From hosting the competition to gather crowds and build prestige, to the seamless speech at the end, Yang Shi's execution once again impressed him.

"We're both amazing!" he laughed, his mouth wide open.

Yang Shi walked gratefully to the third floor, gently knocked on the door, and bowed to Murong Ziyan inside.

"Thank you, senior, for your support."

Murong Ziyan replied coldly:

"I have granted you the title of Xuan Shi Walker. Do not tarnish the reputation of my Xuan Shi Sect. Run this Qingshi Marketplace well, and never let demonic influence seep in again."

"If you encounter trouble, activate this talisman. Nearby Xuan Shi Sect disciples will naturally come to your aid."

Yang Shi bowed: "Disciple understands."

At the same time.

Thirty li west of Qingshi County, at the Bai Shui River.

Staring at the sparse ten or so stalls scattered about, the rogue cultivator organizers looked utterly baffled.

"What? Where is he?"

In the Green Bamboo Forest, the Ge Family.

Patriarch Ge Xiangying led over a fierce, massive wolf and handed it to Ge Tan, who had just broken through to the Qi Refinement stage.

"This is the Iron Spine Azure Wolf, at the first layer of Qi Refinement. Its body is as hard as steel, impervious to blades, possessing immense strength. It can also carry a rider at great speed, running as fast as lightning when at full tilt. Take it as your aid on this journey."

Ge Tan mounted the Iron Spine Azure Wolf, his entire demeanor turning ferocious along with the beast. He waved a hand at Ge Xiangying, who had come to see him off.

"With this spirit beast, I can reach Qingshi County in three days."

"Heh, a mere Innate Grandmaster—having me and the Azure Wolf join forces is already more than he deserves."

"I will retrieve the Grain-abstinence Biscuit formula for the family."

To celebrate the title change, here's an extra chapter. Two more to come shortly.