How About Setting Up a Mystic Gate Immortal Market in the Kunlun Mountains? Convincing Sect Master Tongtian

"Senior Disciple Brother is here!"

"We greet Senior Disciple Brother..."

Outside the Inspection Department.

The many Jie Sect Disciples all bowed upon seeing Qingyuan.

Qingyuan returned their greetings one by one.

He first went to the dungeon and released Qiushou Xian and the other captured Jie Sect Disciples. After comforting them, he summoned the Inspection Department's higher-ups and immediately announced an important decision: the Inspection Department's authority would be transferred to Daoist Duobao, while the disciples under Qingyuan would withdraw from their posts within the department. The Inspection Department, which enforced the law, would be placed entirely under Daoist Duobao's control!

The moment those words came out.

Even Yun Zhongzi and the others were stunned.

They had not expected their master to hand such an important Inspection Department over to Daoist Duobao the moment he returned.

Holding a post in the Inspection Department allowed one to receive the unseen Fortune Blessing of the Interception Sect for cultivation, along with many hidden benefits. Their master was simply handing the Inspection Department away like that?

Unfortunately, Qingyuan was determined.

He had Golden Hoop Immortal, who served as the head of the Punishment Section within the Inspection Department, bear witness.

He left the Inspection Department's chief seal behind and then departed the Inspection Department, as though he truly felt no attachment whatsoever.

Yun Zhongzi and the others were somewhat downcast.

Only the carefree Great Peng Bird strode through the Interception Sect with his head held high. From time to time, he whistled at female Jie Sect Disciples who were also birds, utterly casual and completely unaware of just how important the Inspection Department was within the Interception Sect.

"Master, why did you hand the Inspection Department over so readily?"

Yun Zhongzi still could not understand and asked the question.

Qingyuan said calmly, "The Inspection Department has its importance, but I am about to establish a force with influence even greater than the Inspection Department. Have you ever heard of an Immortal Market?"

"An Immortal Market?"

Yun Zhongzi and the others looked at one another, all utterly confused.

What was an Immortal Market?

They had never heard of it.

"It is only natural that you have not. Go back to Serene Peak and wait for me first. I will visit my master and the others to discuss it, then come find you."

"Yes!"

Although they did not understand.

They obeyed Qingyuan without question and headed back toward Serene Peak.

Meanwhile, Qingyuan flew toward Shangqing Peak.

When he arrived outside Shangqing Hall, he saw a little boy with twin horn braids sitting against a pillar outside the hall, dozing off. Smiling, he took out a spirit fruit from his Storage Artifact and held it before him.

Water-Fire Boy drooled in his sleep.

He instinctively bit forward.

But he bit at empty air and woke up.

Only then did he see the Interception Sect's most "terrifying" Senior Disciple Brother. He hurriedly sprang to his feet in fright, not even daring to wipe the drool from his mouth as he stammered, "S-Senior Disciple Brother, hello!"

"It has been a long time. Have you been well lately?"

Qingyuan smiled and placed the spirit fruit in his hand.

"There has not been much to do, but the days on the mountain are rather dull and tedious. I do not even know where to go to have fun."

Water-Fire Boy accepted the spirit fruit but did not dare eat it.

"You will soon have somewhere to have fun. Is Master inside?"

"He is..."

"Good."

Qingyuan nodded, then bowed toward Shangqing Hall. "This disciple requests an audience with Master!"

"Come in."

"Yes."

The great hall before him suddenly opened, only closing again after Qingyuan entered.

No sound could be heard from within.

Water-Fire Boy no longer dared slack off and stood perfectly straight.

"This disciple greets Master. May Master's sacred path advance ever further and gallop through the myriad Dao!"

Qingyuan entered the hall and paid his respects to Sect Master Tongtian.

"Hahaha, 'sacred path advance' is well said. I have indeed gained quite a bit over these years, but I would not dare claim to gallop through the myriad Dao."

Sect Master Tongtian watched Qingyuan and said, "You have gained much from your years outside. You actually cultivated both Mystic Art and Primordial Art to Golden Nature Immortality. Even throughout the Mystic Gate, such talent is rare."

"You flatter me, Master. I came to ask you for a favor today."

Qingyuan got straight to the point. "Master, this disciple wishes to establish an Immortal Market. It will be a free-trade area where both Mystic Gate disciples and beings from outside may trade freely after arriving. Spirit pills and wondrous medicines, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, immortal pills and divine medicines, divine materials and immortal gold, Great Medicine Spirit Roots, cultivation methods and secret manuals, crafting materials and techniques..."

"No matter what it is, as long as one comes to the Immortal Market, one will be able to buy it and exchange what one has for what one lacks!"

"Furthermore, the Immortal Market will provide lodging: ordinary inns, high-end hotels, premium cave abodes, blessed lands, grotto-heavens, spirit platforms... As long as one pays Money, one can obtain the living environment one desires for cultivation!"

"There will also be auctions. Master, do you not usually enjoy refining small formations and little Dharma treasures? You can auction off the ones you do not need. With the name of Sect Master Tongtian, they will certainly fetch a high price. And if other disciples wish to sell something but fear being cheated, they can bring their items to the auction house, where the highest bidder wins!"

"As well as bounties, jobs, entrepreneurship..."

Within Shangqing Hall.

Qingyuan spoke at great length.

Everything he said was part of his envisioned blueprint for the Immortal Market.

Suddenly.

Qingyuan stopped. Looking at Sect Master Tongtian's slightly dazed face, he was somewhat speechless. "Master, what are you thinking about? Do not tell me you did not take in a single thing I just said?"

"I was thinking about how many years it has been since you were as lively as you are today."

Sect Master Tongtian looked immensely gratified. "Seeing you return to your former irreverent self has put my mind at ease."

"..."

Qingyuan broke into a cold sweat, unable to respond.

Thinking back, when he had first become Sect Master Tongtian's disciple, he truly had possessed many strange and ingenious ideas.

Unfortunately, too many of them could not be realized.

Later, he had been crushed by his own mediocrity, which was why he had gradually become more and more withdrawn.

"Hahaha, do whatever you wish to do. You have your own Dao to walk, and others have their own Dao to walk as well. You have never obstructed anyone else's Dao, and in that regard, you have done well."

Sect Master Tongtian gave his approval.

Looking at Sect Master Tongtian's face, Qingyuan revealed his true purpose. "Master, the reason this disciple wants to establish this Immortal Market is that our Interception Sect has far too many disciples. Too many have nothing to do, causing chaos throughout the Kunlun Mountains. That is why I want to create a place where most disciples can keep busy, so they will not trouble Senior Grandmaster Uncle and Second Martial Uncle."

"I know." Sect Master Tongtian continued smiling and did not press further.

"But..."

Qingyuan furrowed his brow and finally asked what had long troubled him. "Master, you should know that most disciples who join the Interception Sect possess Stubborn and Wicked Nature. They are brutal and lawless, even fond of killing, truly demons and monsters. Yet why do you accept them all without distinction and refuse to discipline them?"

Sect Master Tongtian did not answer immediately.

Instead, he asked, "In your heart, what are good and Evil?"

"I..." Qingyuan thought for a moment before organizing his words. "Those who commit excessive Slaughter and wicked deeds are Evil. Such people easily become entangled in karma and bring disasters of collapse."

"Is Slaughter Evil?"

Sect Master Tongtian smiled. "If Slaughter is Evil, then all things in the Primordial Wilderness coexist and restrain one another. For instance, the armored pangolin loves to eat ants, consuming countless ants over its lifetime. Would that count as taking life?"

"Likewise, with herbivores and carnivores, if either were absent, heaven and earth would fall out of balance."

"In truth, when one speaks of good and Evil natures in this world, it merely means that living beings hold different values."

"Mayflies are born at dawn and die at dusk; summer cicadas know nothing of spring and autumn. The temperaments and dispositions of all beings differ, and they act according to their true hearts."

"All beings have their own Dao, and the Dao each walks differs. For those fated to enter my Interception Sect, I am willing to grant them methods and point out the great Dao for their cultivation. But whether they can hold fast to their hearts, see through falsehood, transcend it, and attain the Dao upon the path of cultivation depends on their individual fortune."

"I am willing to open a sliver of life for all beings, to intercept heaven and earth's vitality. But whether they can seize that opportunity depends on their own destiny."

Hearing those words.

Qingyuan fell silent, then deeply bowed to Sect Master Tongtian. "This disciple understands. But this disciple will not give up on changing the direction of the Interception Sect's future development."

"You may."

Sect Master Tongtian nodded without refusing. "Now tell me your true reason for coming."

"Master, truly nothing can be hidden from you!"

Qingyuan praised him, then said, "With the reputation of Sect Master Tongtian behind the Immortal Market, there is no need to worry that it will fail to take off. It is simply that we lack something everyone can accept and use for transactions within the Immortal Market."

"Bartering indeed has many drawbacks. What you mean is that you want to create an item recognized by everyone, is that it?"

"Master, you are exactly right!"

Qingyuan grinned. "Since it is to be used for trade, why not call it currency? What do you think? Let us call the thing we create Money."

"Hmm... Money is too vulgar. Why not call it Immortal Crystals?"