The crisp sound of a jade chime rang out from within the cave abode.
The stewards of Chessboard Mountain were all startled.
Then, twelve streaks of rosy light descended before the cave abode where Zhou Yuan had been in seclusion.
Boom!
The cave abode opened.
A voice drifted out.
"Enter."
The twelve beings exchanged glances before respectfully entering the cave abode.
They merely raised their heads slightly and saw that the azure-robed Daoist seated upon the Dao platform radiated an awe-inspiring rosy glow.
Clearly, his divine abilities and Dao cultivation had improved again.
The beings' hearts trembled, and they hurriedly lowered their heads, not daring to look further.
"We pay respects to the Great Master."
"Congratulations to the Great Master on leaving seclusion. Your divine abilities and Dao cultivation have advanced another step."
Zhou Yuan swept his gaze across the twelve Celestial and Divine beings and nodded slightly.
These twelve Celestial and Divine beings came from twelve races within the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.
All were individuals who cultivated self-restraint and purity, rarely tainted by karmic slaughter.
After he had occupied Chessboard Mountain, he had relied greatly on these twelve beings to manage the Daoist grounds, allowing him to cultivate in peace.
Zhou Yuan briefly asked about any suspicious major events within the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.
After receiving a negative answer, he let the matter pass.
"You have managed the affairs of Chessboard Mountain diligently and conscientiously."
"I gained a little upon leaving seclusion this time, so I shall share and discuss it with you."
With that, Zhou Yuan ignored the excited expressions of the stewards below.
He began explaining Divine Abilities and Mystical Arts, as well as the ways of artifact refinement and alchemy.
Although his cultivation was only at the True One Realm, with the help of the Myriad Dao Book, his understanding of divine abilities and techniques was profound enough.
As he explained everything in detail, the twelve Celestial and Divine beings gained greatly from it and silently felt grateful.
Three days later, Zhou Yuan stopped his sermon.
After bestowing some spiritual treasures and pills upon the twelve beings, he instructed them, "The Chessboard Mountain Marketplace is about to open. Many beings will be arriving this time, so tell the members of your clans to make preparations early."
"Under no circumstances may you be negligent."
"The Chessboard Mountain Marketplace shall be jointly overseen by your twelve clans in rotation, changing hands every twelve years. Each year, you may take half a percent of its profits."
The stall fees, entrance fees, and proceeds from pills, magical treasures, and spiritual treasures sold in the pill shops and artifact shops were by no means a small sum when added together.
Even half a percent was a considerable amount for these clans.
The Celestial and Divine beings replied with excitement, immediately thumping their chests. "We shall not fail the Great Master's trust. We will surely manage the marketplace well and ensure no trouble arises."
"We shall gather more Daoist texts and inheritances for the Great Master."
Zhou Yuan nodded faintly. They were teachable.
His primary purpose in opening this marketplace was to collect Dao essence.
The marketplace's profits were cultivation sustenance, and while they were important as well, they still ranked behind Dao essence.
These True One Realm cultivators were not foolish.
If one wished to take, one must first give.
This way, he would not need to worry that they would fail to put forth their full effort.
"Dao Brother, you have truly accomplished something remarkable."
At the summit of Chessboard Mountain.
Guizhenzi, clad in a black Daoist robe, gazed at the Chessboard Mountain Marketplace, teeming with beings and alive with activity. He could not help inwardly admiring Dao Brother Taiyuanzi's skill in managing affairs.
With the Chessboard Mountain Marketplace bringing in wealth every day, the Chessboard Mountain lineage would no longer lack cultivation resources.
Yet within the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range, only Taiyuanzi could establish such a marketplace.
First, his strength was formidable and his methods decisive. Two thousand years ago, he had cleanly dealt with a mountain lord on Chessboard Mountain, an Innate Being at the True One Realm.
Second, his potential was extraordinary, and many Grand Unity Great Sages were willing to give him face. When the two Great Divine Ability Users of Phoenix Perch Mountain in the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range had given a sermon, he had comprehended an Innate Yin-Yang Greater Divine Ability. With such exceptional comprehension, so long as he did not perish, attaining Grand Unity Great Sagehood was all but certain.
Third, this Daoist friend had somehow comprehended methods of artifact refinement and alchemy that were truly profound. Even a True One Realm cultivator like him could not help coveting the Houtian Spiritual Treasures he refined. That was the core advantage that allowed the Chessboard Mountain Marketplace to gain a foothold.
Zhou Yuan glanced at the old turtle and smiled. "You flatter me, Dao Brother."
"I am trapped amid the mundane affairs of Chessboard Mountain. I cannot compare to Dao Brother's carefree ease."
Guizhenzi pointed at Zhou Yuan and laughed heartily. "Dao Brother, you are quite humorous."
The two chatted and laughed for a while.
Zhou Yuan knew why Guizhenzi had come, so he did not delay. A flash of black spiritual light passed through his hand, and a delicate tortoise shell appeared upon his palm.
The tortoise shell shimmered with flowing light and countless rosy rays. Faintly, the Two Forms and Four Images evolved within it, revealing endless heavenly secrets.
The moment it appeared, it seized Guizhenzi's attention.
"I have finally fulfilled Dao Brother's request."
"After several hundred years, this Houtian Spiritual Treasure, the Two Forms Mysterious Tortoise Shell, has finally been forged."
"This item uses the ancient Mysterious Tortoise shell provided by Dao Brother as its primary material, supplemented by Five Elements essence gold and Sun, Moon, and Star Three Luminaries spiritual water. I then nurtured it with Innate Yin and Yang Qi."
"It possesses neither offensive power nor defensive capability. Yet it is indeed an Exotic Treasure for calculating heavenly secrets and investigating the greater trends."
"I wonder whether it meets Dao Brother's approval."
Guizhenzi laughed heartily, picked up the Mysterious Tortoise Shell, and secretly activated his divine ability. A mysterious aura enveloped his Primordial Spirit Consciousness Sea.
After a long while, the old man clapped his hands and praised it. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"
"Dao Brother's artifact refinement methods are truly exquisite."
"If I did not know Dao Brother's origins, I might have thought you were a disciple of that Dao Lord of Kunlun Mountain."
This Mysterious Tortoise shell was the remains left behind by an ancestor of his clan who had fallen during the Dragon-Han Tribulation.
Over the years, his clan had searched throughout the four seas, wishing to find a renowned Artifact Master to forge it into a spiritual treasure.
Yet every artifact refiner's proposal had been to forge this Mysterious Tortoise shell into a supreme defensive treasure.
His clan had rejected them all.
Only Taiyuanzi had taken another path and turned it into a heavenly-secret treasure suited to his Dao.
"This tortoise shell will greatly aid this old man's cultivation."
"I have troubled Dao Brother to act this time."
Guizhenzi looked at Zhou Yuan with considerable gratitude.
"Dao Brother expended much in refining this treasure."
"Please accept this Innate Spirit Fire."
With that, Guizhenzi carefully took out a fiery red tail feather that shimmered with flowing light.
The wisp of pure white flame upon the tail feather appeared incomparably gentle, yet Zhou Yuan sensed a Great Terror within it.
This fire...
Zhou Yuan's eyelid twitched as he looked at Guizhenzi in surprise. "If I am not mistaken, this flame is Southern Bright Leaving Fire?"
Southern Bright Leaving Fire could be warm or scorching. Though it appeared gentle, it was in truth incomparably violent. Once it burned to its utmost limit, it became pure white, capable of incinerating the six directions and eight wildernesses. Nothing could withstand its flames.
It was far more precious than the ordinary Innate Spirit Fire they had agreed upon.
Guizhenzi stroked his beard and smiled. "The Two Forms Mysterious Tortoise Shell refined by Dao Brother suits this old man's Dao and is of great use to my cultivation."
"How could an ordinary Innate Spirit Fire express this old man's gratitude?"
"Only the Southern Bright Leaving Fire upon this tail feather left behind when an ancient Vermilion Bird underwent nirvana can barely convey my feelings."
"Please do not refuse, Dao Brother."
His race was close to water essence. Though Southern Bright Leaving Fire was precious, using it to deepen his bond with Zhou Yuan was clearly more worthwhile.
Seeing the old turtle's sincerity, Zhou Yuan considered it briefly. With a sweep of his sleeve, he put away the Vermilion Bird tail feather. Grasping Guizhenzi's arm, he laughed heartily and led him toward the cave abode.
"Please enter, Dao Brother. During my recent seclusion and contemplation of the Dao, I gained a little insight into the arts of heavenly secrets and calculations."
"If Dao Brother does not mind, let us exchange insights."
Guizhenzi's eyes lit up. "Excellent!"
This Southern Bright Leaving Fire had truly been given at the right time.
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