Suiyang Immortal Market

After searching for most of the day, Chen Ganliu came upon a stretch of mountain forest. The woods were dense and lush, veiled in drifting white mist. Gazing from afar, he saw the air brimming with spiritual beauty. Once he entered the forest and led the white deer several hundred steps, the view before him suddenly opened wide. Comparing it with what his senior apprentice-sister had said back then, he immediately knew this was where the Suiyang Immortal Market lay.

A mighty senior had used magic to seal off this Immortal Market. Any mortal who entered the forest would lose his way, circle around a few times, and eventually walk back out, never finding the market. Only those with magical power could avoid being misled by the formation and enter at their leisure.

Although the Immortal Encounter Sect was the state religion of the Great Gan Dynasty, it did not act tyrannically and allowed other sects to establish mountain gates within Great Gan territory. There were three sects near the Suiyang Immortal Market: the Little Moon Sect, the Golden Bell Sect, and the Jade Mountain Sect.

The first two were merely ordinary small sects, but the Jade Mountain Sect was a branch of the Immortal Encounter Sect. Judging by the date, Daoist Five Willows should still have been cultivating at the Jade Mountain Sect.

Because of these three nearby sects, the Suiyang Immortal Market was quite large, ranking among the six great Immortal Markets in Great Gan.

This Immortal Market was divided into large and small markets. Whenever one was held, disciples of the three sects and itinerant cultivators from all around would come to Suiyang Immortal Market. Some sold magic treasures they had refined, some sold Spirit Medicine they had grown, some sold pills or talismans, and some even sold various ingenious curiosities, all in exchange for things useful in cultivation. Even when neither market was in session, resident itinerant cultivators kept the place from becoming deserted. It was practically a small town resembling a paradise beyond the mortal world.

The large market was held once every three years and lasted no more than a month. Immortals from all over would come, making it even livelier and bringing a greater variety of goods. The small market was held once every six months. Though it could not compare with the large market, several hundred immortals still came to trade.

Today happened to be the day of a small market, and it was far livelier than usual. One or two hundred stalls had been casually arranged throughout the forest, scattered in orderly disorder. There were also seventeen or eighteen houses, sparse as stars, while several hundred cultivators came and went, occasionally stopping to exchange a few words with the stall owners. Everyone spoke softly, and the atmosphere was peaceful. There was none of the vulgar merchants' coppery stench. Some departed with their heads held high, while others traded goods, each leaving pleased. Though the place lacked the dense crowds and worldly splendor of a mortal bazaar, the immortals conducted business with carefree elegance and far less mundane bustle. Often, after half a day of feasting and drinking, they would conclude a deal. It had a charm all its own.

The Suiyang Immortal Market had no one managing it. The Little Moon Sect, the Golden Bell Sect, and the Jade Mountain Sect had merely established a set of rules. As long as no one violated them, everyone was free to do as they pleased. If anyone broke the rules and a fight broke out, cultivators from the three sects would naturally step in and administer a light punishment.

That opportunity was supposed to arise two or three years later, but the Green Jade Stone containing the White Emperor's Legacy might have fallen into this place long ago. Thus, Chen Ganliu planned to stay here for the time being, cultivating while accumulating Talisman Coins.

Ordinary cultivators preferred quiet and could not stand the bustle here. They came to trade their goods and left at once.

Chen Ganliu was different. He preferred an environment like this. Though it was an Immortal Market, it was not lacking in ordinary mortal necessities, making life extremely convenient. It was also the only place where an itinerant cultivator could communicate with fellow Daoists and inquire about all kinds of news.

He gazed eagerly at several nearby stalls. He wanted to go take a look, but then thought that even if he found that Green Jade Stone, he had no Talisman Coins to buy it, much less the ability to snatch it by force. As he racked his brains over how to find the Green Jade Stone and what method he could use to obtain it, a clear voice suddenly called out, "Little Daoist, how did you come to the Suiyang Immortal Market too?"

Chen Ganliu looked up and saw a familiar little figure perched in a nearby tree. The girl stepped lightly across the treetops, her body swaying gently like willow fluff. This time, she had changed into a lake-green dress, which set off her crystalline skin even more. Her pretty, melon-seed-shaped face was framed by smoke-blue brows, as though painted with ink.

He could not help laughing. "Little Fox Immortal! We meet again."

"Did you come to the Suiyang Immortal Market to buy things too?"

The girl hopped down with a giggle, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You're not allowed to call me Little Fox Immortal. You have to call me Third Ancestor Hu."

"Of course I came to buy some things. I just don't know whether the Suiyang Immortal Market has them."

Chen Ganliu's heart stirred. He thought of seven or eight reasons he could use to persuade the girl to purchase Green Jade Stone, but none seemed entirely reliable. Then he heard the girl say, "Do you want to come shopping with me?"

Chen Ganliu laughed. "Of course I'm willing to accompany Third Great-Grandmother. But shouldn't I at least have something to call you?"

The girl tilted her head and thought for a while. "Forget it. You should just call me Little Fox Immortal!"

Chen Ganliu knew the girl did not want to reveal her identity, so he did not say anything more. Just as he was about to find a place to tie up the white deer, the girl flicked her small sleeve. With a bleat, the white deer shrank into a ball and was drawn into her sleeve. She said with a grin, "I'll hold on to this stupid deer for you first."

Chen Ganliu was intensely curious. He pinched open the girl's sleeve and peered inside. Sure enough, he saw a tiny white deer lying quietly within, completely unharmed.

The girl's face flushed. She spat and said, "What are you looking at? Don't you know that men and women shouldn't touch each other?"

Chen Ganliu's face reddened too. Fortunately, he had only been reincarnated for nine years, and the girl looked no more than eleven or twelve. They were not yet at an age when strict gender boundaries mattered. He hurriedly apologized and said, "I've never seen such miraculous magic, so I was a little rash. Little Fox Immortal, please don't blame me."

The girl giggled. "All right! I won't blame you."

With both hands clasped behind her back and an air of venerable maturity, she led Chen Ganliu, her little tagalong, around the Suiyang Immortal Market.

Chen Ganliu kept thinking about that Green Jade Stone. Whenever he passed a stall, he glanced over to see whether the owner had placed one on display. But after visiting more than a dozen stalls with the girl, his eyes gradually grew hot with longing. There were so many things he wanted; he only hated that he had no Talisman Coins.

When the girl passed a stall, she gave a soft "Huh?"

Chen Ganliu glanced over. The stall belonged to a lazy old beggar, who had spread out a filthy mat and piled it with a heap of blackish stones. Seeing none of what he was looking for, Chen Ganliu did not want to look any longer.

The girl, however, squatted down and asked, "How are these Spirit Medicines being sold?"

The old beggar replied weakly, "Five hundred Talisman Coins apiece."

The girl frowned slightly. "That's expensive! These are all unrefined raw stones. How could they be worth five hundred Talisman Coins?"

The old beggar sneered. "If they were refined, how could you buy one without two or three thousand Talisman Coins?"

As the two haggled over the price, Chen Ganliu's mind wandered far away. He was thinking about how he could obtain a large sum of Talisman Coins to buy the Green Jade Stone containing that opportunity.

Suddenly, he heard someone arguing loudly. He looked over and saw an old Daoist quarreling with a stall owner. After listening for a few moments, he realized the old Daoist wanted to buy the stall owner's Flying Sword but did not have enough money. Seeing many people looking over, the two hurriedly lowered their voices.

In his previous life, Chen Ganliu had cultivated for several decades without ever owning a Flying Sword. His senior apprentice-sister did have one, but she was chronically ill and hardly ever used it. In the several decades they had been married, he had seen his wife use it only twice in total.

He sighed and forced himself not to look or listen.

It turned out the book had another working title: Immortal Lord, So Poor...

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