The Eastern Sea, Purple Mansion Continent.
Purple clouds had poured eastward all year round, and immortal islands dotted the area. It was a famous paradise in the Primordial World.
As the dojo of the newly appointed Head of Male Immortals, Purple Mansion Continent had recently been enjoying boundless prestige, with immortals flocking to pay homage.
Yet inside the grandest Pure Yang Hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
East King Duke sat high upon the Pure Yang Throne, a symbol of supreme power. He wore the Nine-Dragon Imperial Robe and the Peace Crown. His expression was dignified, but a sinister edge lurked beneath it.
In his hand, the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure bestowed upon him by Dao Ancestor Hongjun—the Dragon Head Cane—was now being used as a paperweight, pressing heavily upon an imperial decree that radiated boundless golden light.
"Hmph! Taiyuan of the Western Lands."
East King Duke muttered the name in a low voice, each word squeezed through clenched teeth, brimming with hatred and relish. "Last time, outside Purple Sky Palace, you relied on your numbers and even joined forces with those uncivilized Witch Clan barbarians, making me lose face. I haven't forgotten that grudge for a single day!"
"This time, I'd like to see how long your so-called 'wealth' can last when you're trapped in a barren wasteland where no one's around and nothing is for sale!"
"With all trade cut off, let's see what you'll use to fill the bottomless pit that is Mount Sumeru!"
With a sweep of his hand, the decree, imbued with the will of the Head of Male Immortals, instantly transformed into countless dazzling golden streaks. Like a meteor shower, they shot toward every corner of the Primordial World.
Every sizeable reclusive cultivator's abode and every small faction under Purple Mansion Continent's sway received this unquestionable order:
"Pass this command down! Effective immediately, no male immortal under Purple Mansion Continent's jurisdiction, nor any unaffiliated cultivator in the Primordial World, may trade spiritual materials, pills, or magic treasures with the Western Lands!"
"Whether buying or selling, even if it's a single blade of grass or a scrap of iron—anyone who sells so much as a thing to the Western Lands, or buys a piece of their junk, will be making an enemy of me and defying the Head of Male Immortals! When the time comes, don't blame the Dragon Head Cane in my hand for showing no mercy!"
"I'll make Mount Sumeru a completely isolated island! They can sit atop a pile of junk and still be unable to buy even the most basic Qi Replenishment Pill! I'll make that so-called Western Sect starve to death on its own mountain of gold!"
The moment the decree was issued, it caused an uproar throughout the Primordial World.
Countless unaffiliated cultivators who had hoped to try their luck in the Western Lands and see if they could trade for something good had no choice but to stop in their tracks.
Though they grumbled inwardly that the Head of Male Immortals was petty and underhanded, most chose to keep their heads down, wary of his "official title" and the cane that could kill a Grand Unity Golden Immortal. They publicly declared that they were cutting off all ties with the Western Lands.
In no time, the Western border, which had once seen the occasional caravan, became deserted. Even passing birds gave it a wide berth.
Sun Star, Sun Palace.
Scorching True Sun Fire blazed, illuminating two towering imperial thrones.
Di Jun and Tai Yi sat upon them, watching the scene unfold with knowing smiles.
"East King Duke may be a brainless fool, but this economic blockade is an interesting move."
Tai Yi held a piece of white silk in his hand, gently polishing the Chaos Bell, which radiated an aura of chaos. His tone was playful. "Doesn't Taiyuan love doing business? Doesn't he like trading that junk blood essence for our Sun Essence Gold? Let's see how he manages now. If he can't hold out and comes begging our demon race..."
A glint flashed in Tai Yi's eyes. "Elder Brother, shouldn't we take the chance to bleed him dry? Make him hand over that divine creation ability?"
"No rush."
Di Jun waved a hand. A flash of wisdom shone in his eyes, deep as the starry sky. "Let the dust settle a little longer. We won't back East King Duke's ban, but we won't step in to help, either. We'll just sit back and watch."
"Once Taiyuan is truly at the end of his rope, the price of Myriad Monster Blood Essence won't be what it is now. We might even be able to make his Western Sect a vassal of our demon race."
These two future Heavenly Emperors had a clever scheme in mind.
The demon race wasn't the only one reacting. The Three Pure Ones on Mount Kunlun also had their own thoughts. Primordial Heavenly Lord sneered, convinced that Taiyuan had brought this upon himself; Sovereign of Heaven was somewhat worried, but he also wanted to see how capable this brother Taiyuan really was.
Western Lands, Mount Sumeru.
The clearing in front of the Bamboo Hut should have been a scene of peaceful farming, but now it was clouded by a hint of anxiety.
Daoist Liuguang stared at the few Messaging Jade Talismans in his hand, returned after the other party canceled their orders. He was sweating profusely, and his gray robe was soaked through.
"Great Lord! We're in real trouble this time!"
"The loose cultivator alliance from the east, the one that had agreed to come buy Spirit Grass, has canceled everything! They even gave up their deposits, saying they're afraid Purple Mansion Continent will settle accounts with them!"
"And those demon kings in the north don't dare come, either. They said Di Jun hasn't given the word, so they don't dare make a move."
"If we can't sell all the spiritual materials we just collected, they'll be stuck in our warehouse! We worked so hard for these... No, I mean, you worked so hard to build up this fortune!"
Zhunti was so furious he kicked over a stone stool carved from innate jade. It rolled a long way across the ground.
"This is outrageous! That old bastard wants to trap us and starve us out! Elder Brother, let's stop putting up with this and attack Purple Mansion Continent! Its spiritual leyline looks pretty good, too. We can dig it up and use it to fill our pool!"
Taiyuan, however, remained sprawled in the Carefree Chair that made everyone envious, idly turning over a crystal-clear droplet that glimmered with faint golden merit light.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves and fell across his face. There wasn't a trace of panic in his expression. Instead, he wore a mocking smile, as if he were watching a troupe of clumsy monkeys put on a show.
"Why kill anyone? All this fighting and killing is so uncivilized."
Taiyuan stretched lazily. "Besides, even if he wants to impose a blockade, he still needs a lock in his hands. The Primordial World is vast, and people are greedy. What makes East King Duke think a worthless piece of paper can control everyone's desires?"
Taiyuan stood and flicked the droplet in his hand with a finger.
This droplet was none other than the Eight Treasures Merit Pool Water coveted by countless people.
It fell to the ground and instantly turned into a cool mist. Several nearby Spirit Grass plants, which had been wilting from neglect, were revived at once. Their leaves unfurled, and they radiated even richer spiritual energy.
"Liuguang, take down the 'Quiet, Please' sign outside our mountain gate."
"Put this one up instead."
Taiyuan waved a hand, and a massive sign, three zhang tall and glittering with golden light, appeared out of nowhere. It crashed onto the ground with a resounding boom.
Seven large characters were written across it in bold, sweeping strokes. Each character seemed to hold an irresistible allure:
[Western Specialties Exhibition].
"Also, spread the word."
A shrewd glint flashed in Taiyuan's eyes. "Tell everyone that, in response to the ailments that plague cultivators throughout the Primordial World—'demonic heart afflictions,' 'baleful energy clinging to the body,' and 'bottlenecks that won't break'—the Western Lands have specially developed a groundbreaking new product: [Low-grade Eight Treasures Merit Pool Water]."
"This water is made by diluting the essence of Mount Sumeru's central Merit Pool. It can instantly cleanse baleful energy that has built up in the body over the years and dispel hidden demonic influences. Drink it regularly to improve your complexion and prolong your life. It can even help you break through bottlenecks."
"Most importantly, this exhibition accepts no junk! We only take hard currency! Top-grade Spiritual Materials, rare ores, or young spirit beasts that can work—all can be traded!"
"Limited quantity, first come, first served! No extensions!"
Daoist Liuguang stared at the sign, then at the so-called "low-grade" Merit Water—which was actually just spiritual spring water diluted many times over—and hesitated. "Great Lord, will this really work? East King Duke made a serious threat. Who'd dare offend the Head of Male Immortals just for a little water?"
Taiyuan gave a cold laugh, his eyes full of confidence born of seeing through the world.
"In this world, there are no eternal friends, and no eternal enemies."
"Only eternal interests."
"When the temptation is strong enough, they won't just ignore the ban from some Head of Male Immortals. Even with a knife at their throats, they'll come crawling to beg for medicine."
"What do cultivators cultivate? Their lives! Without their lives, what good is some Head of Male Immortals or some ban? It's all bullshit!"
"Go set up the stalls. We'll just wait and count the money."
Before you continue