qiǎo rán jiān biàn huàn le róng mào de lǐ fán ， zuò zài jiǎo luò lǐ ， liú shén tīng zhe bǎo lěi nèi xiū shì men de tán huà 。
悄然间变换了容貌的李凡，坐在角落里，留神听着堡垒内修士们的谈话。
Li Fan, whose appearance had subtly changed, sat in a corner, carefully listening to the discussions among the cultivators inside the fortress.
“ tīng shuō le ma ， xiān méng sì hū bù dǎ suàn zài zhè jiǔ shān zhōu jiàn fú kōng chéng le 。”
“听说了吗，仙盟似乎不打算在这九山州建浮空城了。”
"Have you heard? The Immortal Alliance doesn't seem to plan on building an aerial city here in the Nine Mountains State."
“ ó ？ cǐ huà zěn jiǎng ？”
“哦？此话怎讲？”
"Oh? Why's that?"
“ hái bú shì yīn wèi zhè lǐ de kōng jiān bù wěn dìng nào de 。 suī rán tiān zūn fǎ xiàng bǎ jiǔ shān zhōu chè dǐ lí le yī biàn ， dàn què bìng méi yǒu gǎi biàn kōng jiān tè zhì 。 chuán sòng zhèn yī rán méi yǒu bàn fǎ wěn dìng shǐ yòng 。”
“还不是因为这里的空间不稳定闹的。虽然天尊法相把九山州彻底犁了一遍，但却并没有改变空间特质。传送阵依然没有办法稳定使用。”
"It’s because the spatial stability here is unstable. Even though the Heavenly Sage Dharmic Form swept through the entire Nine Mountains State, it didn’t change its spatial characteristics. Teleportation arrays still can’t be used stably."
cǐ yán yī chū ， zhòng xiū shì fēn fēn huǎng rán 。
此言一出，众修士纷纷恍然。
This statement caused many of the cultivators to suddenly understand.
“ bù jiàn fú kōng tiān chéng …… nà zhè me yī dà kuài dì pán ， wàn xiān méng zǒng bù kě néng bù guǎn le ba ？”
“不建浮空天城……那这么一大块地盘，万仙盟总不可能不管了吧？”
"Then they won't build an aerial city... But with such a vast area, how could the Immortal Alliance not manage it?"
“ bù hǎo shuō 。 zhī qián hái néng zhàng zhe jiǔ shān dì lì ， yī shān ér jiàn chéng chí 。 xiàn zài zhè lǐ yī mǎ píng chuān ， gēn běn wú xiǎn kě shǒu 。 zuì guān jiàn de shì chuán sòng zhèn méi bàn fǎ shǐ yòng ， yí dàn bèi bāo wéi 、 bù néng dé dào kuài sù zhī yuán 。 wú lùn shì fáng yù chéng běn 、 hái shì xiào guǒ ， dōu tài chà le 。”
“不好说。之前还能仗着九山地利，依山而建城池。现在这里一马平川，根本无险可守。最关键的是传送阵没办法使用，一旦被包围、不能得到快速支援。无论是防御成本、还是效果，都太差了。”
"It’s uncertain. Before, we relied on the Nine Mountains' geographical advantages and built cities along the mountains. Now that this place is flat, there's no natural defense. The most critical issue is that teleportation arrays can’t be used; if surrounded, quick reinforcements won't arrive. Both the cost and effectiveness are too poor."
“ nǐ men dǒng gè pì ！ wǔ lǎo huì dōu bèi wǒ men wàn xiān méng dǎ dī qīn zì shàng mén qiú hé le ， nán bù chéng tā men hái gǎn zhǔ dòng jìn fàn ？ néng yǒu shén me wēi xiǎn ？”
“你们懂个屁！五老会都被我们万仙盟打的亲自上门求和了，难不成他们还敢主动进犯？能有什么危险？”
"You’re just a fool! We forced the Five Elders of the Immortal Alliance to come seeking peace, so how could they dare attack us? What danger is there?"
“ zhè wèi dào yǒu zhēn shì tài tiān zhēn le 。 qǐ bù wén qiáng ruò zhī shì 、 gǔ wú dìng zé 。 qǐ kě yǐ yī shí zhī shèng fù dìng yīng xióng ？ shàng cì néng qǔ dé shèng guǒ ， yě zhǐ shì wǒ men wàn xiān méng chū qí bù yì gōng qí bù bèi bà le 。 yī wǒ kàn ， rú guǒ shuāng fāng zài zhàn ， shèng fù yóu wèi kě zhī yě ！”
“这位道友真是太天真了。岂不闻强弱之势、古无定则。岂可以一时之胜负定英雄？上次能取得胜果，也只是我们万仙盟出其不意攻其不备罢了。依我看，如果双方再战，胜负犹未可知也！”
"This friend is truly naive. Haven’t you heard that strength and weakness change over time, with no fixed rules? How can one’s victory or defeat determine their worth? Our previous success was merely due to catching them off guard. If we fight again, the outcome remains uncertain!"
“ zhī qián wǒ men wàn xiān méng zhàn bài de shí hòu ， nǐ kě bú shì zhè me shuō de 。”
“之前我们万仙盟战败的时候，你可不是这么说的。”
"Didn't you say something different when we lost before?"
bǎo lěi nèi xiū shì shí fēn rè zhōng yú tǎo lùn xuán huáng jiè jú shì 。
堡垒内修士十分热衷于讨论玄黄界局势。
The cultivators inside the fortress were very enthusiastic about discussing the situation in Xuanhuang World.
gè zhí yī cí 、 zhēng lùn bù xiū ， shuí yě bù fú shuí 。 hǎo bù rè nào 。
各执一词、争论不休，谁也不服谁。好不热闹。
They argued and debated with each other, none willing to back down, creating a lively scene.
lǐ fán guān chá le yī quān ， fā xiàn chú le zì jǐ zhī wài ， hái yǒu yī wèi zhǐ shì cè ěr qīng tīng 、 bìng bù cān yù tán lùn de xiū shì 。
李凡观察了一圈，发现除了自己之外，还有一位只是侧耳倾听、并不参与谈论的修士。
Li Fan observed the room and noticed another cultivator who was merely listening intently without participating in the discussion.
cǐ rén kàn shàng qù bù guò sān shí duō suì mú yàng ， hēi sè cháng shān ， yín bái sè fā shù 。 tīng zhe zhòng rén de tǎo lùn ， yǎn shén zhōng fú xiàn chū yī sī bù xiè 。
此人看上去不过三十多岁模样，黑色长衫，银白色发束。听着众人的讨论，眼神中浮现出一丝不屑。
This person looked no more than thirty years old, wearing a black long robe and silver-white hair tied up. His eyes showed a hint of disdain as he listened to everyone’s discussions.
xiǎn rán bìng bù zěn me rèn tóng zài chǎng xiū shì de guān diǎn 。
显然并不怎么认同在场修士的观点。
Clearly, he didn’t agree with the views of the other cultivators.
lǐ fán wēi wēi yī xiào ， mǎi le hú shàng hǎo de líng jiǔ ， zuò zài le duì fāng miàn qián 。
李凡微微一笑，买了壶上好的灵酒，坐在了对方面前。
Li Fan smiled slightly and bought a fine spirit wine, sitting in front of the man.
“ dào yǒu zěn me chēng hū ？” lǐ fán xiào mī mī wèi yín fā xiū shì zhēn le yī bēi ， wèn dào 。
“道友怎么称呼？”李凡笑眯眯为银发修士斟了一杯，问道。
"How should I address you?" Li Fan asked, smiling as he poured some wine for the silver-haired cultivator.
“ ń ？” duì yú lǐ fán wú gù de xiàn yīn qín ， yín fā xiū shì hái shì chōng mǎn jǐng tì de 。
“嗯？”对于李凡无故的献殷勤，银发修士还是充满警惕的。
"Hmm?" The silver-haired cultivator was still wary of Li Fan's sudden attentiveness.
bìng méi yǒu huí dá lǐ fán de wèn tí ， ér shì mī qǐ yǎn jīng ， bù duàn dǎ liàng zhuó yǎn qián zhè wèi zì lái shú de xiū shì 。
并没有回答李凡的问题，而是眯起眼睛，不断打量着眼前这位自来熟的修士。
Without answering Li Fan’s question, he narrowed his eyes and kept scrutinizing this familiar face in front of him.
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu wú xū duō yí 。 wǒ yī yǎn jiù kàn chū dào yǒu qì yǔ xuān áng 、 bù shì cháng rén ， xiōng zhōng zì yǒu gōu hè 。 yòu duì jiǔ shān zhōu wèi lái jú shì hào qí de jǐn ， gù ér xiǎng mào mèi wèn wèn dào yǒu de yì jiàn 。”
“呵呵，道友无需多疑。我一眼就看出道友器宇轩昂、不似常人，胸中自有沟壑。又对九山州未来局势好奇的紧，故而想冒昧问问道友的意见。”
"Ha ha. You needn’t be suspicious. I can tell you’re someone with a noble demeanor; not like ordinary people. Your chest is filled with wisdom. And you seem very curious about the future situation of the Nine Mountains State, so I thought I’d ask for your opinion."
yín fā xiū shì kàn zhe lǐ fán nà zhāng zhēn chéng de miàn kǒng ， yóu yù le bàn shǎng hòu ， hái shì fàng xià le xīn zhōng de jǐng tì 。
银发修士看着李凡那张真诚的面孔，犹豫了半晌后，还是放下了心中的警惕。
The silver-haired cultivator hesitated for a moment before lowering his guard after seeing Li Fan's sincere face.
jiāng líng jiǔ yī yǐn ér jǐn ， yín fā xiū shì chuán yīn dào ：“ hē hē ， suàn nǐ wèn duì rén le ！”
将灵酒一饮而尽，银发修士传音道：“呵呵，算你问对人了！”
Draining the wine in one go, he whispered telepathically: "Ha ha, you’re right to ask me! My name is Xin Hongzhang. In terms of information, none here can match my knowledge!"
“ wú míng xīn hóng zhāng ， ruò lùn xiāo xī de líng tōng chéng dù 、 zài chǎng zhè xiē rén wán quán méi bàn fǎ gēn wǒ bǐ ！”
“吾名辛宏章，若论消息的灵通程度、在场这些人完全没办法跟我比！”
Hearing this, Li Fan hurriedly poured another cup for Xin Hongzhang.
lǐ fán wén yán ， lián máng yòu gěi xīn hóng zhāng zhēn le yī bēi 。
李凡闻言，连忙又给辛宏章斟了一杯。
Xin Hongzhang was pleased with Li Fan’s attitude and whispered telepathically: "Considering our good fortune, I’ll share a little bit with you. Don’t spread it around."
xīn hóng zhāng hěn shì mǎn yì lǐ fán de tài dù ， chuán yīn dào ：“ kàn zài nǐ wǒ yǒu yuán de fèn shàng ， wǒ jiù shāo wēi xiàng nǐ tòu lù xiē 。 nǐ qiè jì bú yào wài zhuàn 。”
辛宏章很是满意李凡的态度，传音道：“看在你我有缘的份上，我就稍微向你透露些。你切记不要外传。”
Li Fan nodded repeatedly.
lǐ fán lián lián diǎn tóu 。
李凡连连点头。
"In fact, those people are right; the Immortal Alliance indeed doesn't plan on building an aerial city here in the Nine Mountains State. However, this doesn’t mean they’re giving up on the area."
“ qí shí nà xiē rén shuō de méi cuò ， wàn xiān méng dí què bù dǎ suàn zài jiǔ shān zhōu jiàn zào fú kōng chéng le 。 bù guò zhè bìng bù dài biǎo zhe xiān méng yào fàng qì zhè lǐ 。”
“其实那些人说的没错，万仙盟的确不打算在九山州建造浮空城了。不过这并不代表着仙盟要放弃这里。”
"On the contrary, the Immortal Alliance has decided to establish the first free trade state here."
“ xiāng fǎn ， xiān méng jué dìng yào zài cǐ chù jiàn lì shǐ shàng dì yí gè zì yóu mào yì zhōu 。”
“相反，仙盟决定要在此处建立史上第一个自由贸易州。”
"Oh? A Free Trade State?" Li Fan, intrigued by Xin Hongzhang’s serious tone, asked, "What does that even mean?"
“ ó ？ zì yóu mào yì zhōu ？” kàn zhe duì fāng shà yǒu jiè shì de yàng zi ， lǐ fán yě bù jīn zhēn de lái de xìng qù ，“ zhè shì shén me shuō fǎ ？”
“哦？自由贸易州？”看着对方煞有介事的样子，李凡也不禁真的来的兴趣，“这是什么说法？”
Xin Hongzhang proudly explained: "Do you know the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce? The Five Elders of the Immortal Alliance have been in conflict for years, prohibiting each other's goods from circulating. However, the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce is located between them as a buffer zone, beyond both the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders' control. Thus, it can openly sell various precious treasures despite charging high prices. Despite this, merchants still flock here from afar."
xīn hóng zhāng dé yì de shuō dào ：“ wàn fǎ shāng huì zhī dào ba ？ wàn xiān méng wǔ lǎo huì zhī jiān duì lì duō nián ， hù xiāng jìn zhǐ gè zì de shāng pǐn liú tōng 。 ér jiǔ shān zhōu de wàn fǎ shāng huì ， wèi yú èr zhě zhī jiān de huǎn chōng dì dài ， wú lùn shì wàn xiān méng hái shì wǔ lǎo huì dōu guǎn bú dào tā 。 yú shì wàn fǎ shāng huì dé yǐ guāng míng zhèng dà de fàn mài gè zhǒng zhēn xī bǎo wù 。 suī rán zuò dì qǐ jià ， dàn bù yuǎn qiān lǐ qián lái gòu mǎi de xiū shì réng rán shì luò yì bù jué 。”
辛宏章得意的说道：“万法商会知道吧？万仙盟五老会之间对立多年，互相禁止各自的商品流通。而九山州的万法商会，位于二者之间的缓冲地带，无论是万仙盟还是五老会都管不到它。于是万法商会得以光明正大的贩卖各种珍惜宝物。虽然坐地起价，但不远千里前来购买的修士仍然是络绎不绝。”
"But that’s all history now. With the Heavenly Sage Dharmic Form's display of power, the Nine Mountains State was completely flattened. Although the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce isn’t entirely gone, they suffered heavy losses. It will be hard to return to their previous state..."
“ bù guò zhè xiē dōu shì lǎo huáng lì le 。 tiān zūn fǎ xiàng xiǎn wēi ， zhěng gè jiǔ shān zhōu bèi yí wéi píng dì 。 wàn fǎ shāng huì suī rán méi yǒu wán quán sǐ jué ， què yě sǔn shī cǎn zhòng 。 xiǎng yào zài xiàng zhī qián nà bān ， nán gē ……” xīn hóng zhāng yáo le yáo tóu 。
“不过这些都是老黄历了。天尊法相显威，整个九山州被夷为平地。万法商会虽然没有完全死绝，却也损失惨重。想要再像之前那般，难咯……”辛宏章摇了摇头。
"However, the leader of the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce is indeed a formidable figure. He convinced the Immortal Alliance to lift trade restrictions here in the Nine Mountains State. Both Immortal Alliance and Five Elders cultivators can freely trade goods here by paying only a small tax."
“ bù guò nà wàn fǎ shāng huì de kuí shǒu yě dí què shì gè rén wù ， jū rán shuō fú le wàn xiān méng 、 yào zài zhè jiǔ shān zhōu ， jiě chú mào yì xiàn zhì 。 wàn xiān méng yǔ wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì ， jiē kě yǐ lái zhè lǐ zì yóu jiāo yì suǒ xū wù zī 。 zhǐ xū yào jiǎo nà shǎo xǔ de shuì kuǎn jí kě 。”
“不过那万法商会的魁首也的确是个人物，居然说服了万仙盟、要在这九山州，解除贸易限制。万仙盟与五老会修士，皆可以来这里自由交易所需物资。只需要缴纳少许的税款即可。”
"The Immortal Alliance will lead this effort, with the experienced Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce assisting. It’s rumored that they’ve secretly reached an agreement with the Five Elders to ensure that if another war breaks out, neither side would choose to fight in the Nine Mountains State..."
“ xiān méng zhǔ dǎo ， yóu jīng yàn fēng fù de wàn fǎ shāng huì xié zhù 。 jù shuō yǐ jīng gēn wǔ lǎo huì àn zhōng dá chéng le xié yì ， què bǎo jīn hòu jiù suàn zài qǐ zhàn duān ， shuāng fāng yě dōu bú huì xuǎn zé zài jiǔ shān zhōu kāi zhàn ……”
“仙盟主导，由经验丰富的万法商会协助。据说已经跟五老会暗中达成了协议，确保今后就算再启战端，双方也都不会选择在九山州开战……”
"Speaking of which, do you know what confirming safety for free trade means?" Xin Hongzhang stared at Li Fan.
“ huà shuō nǐ zhī dào néng gòu què rèn ān quán de zì yóu jiāo yì yì wèi zhe shén me ba ？” xīn hóng zhāng dīng zhe lǐ fán 。
“话说你知道能够确认安全的自由交易意味着什么吧？”辛宏章盯着李凡。
Li Fan nodded and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
lǐ fán diǎn tóu ， mù lù jī dòng zhī sè 。
李凡点头，目露激动之色。
"One can imagine how the once barren Nine Mountains State will soon become incredibly prosperous. It might even surpass the four major states in the hinterland. If one seizes this rare opportunity, they could change their fate..." Xin Hongzhang also drank another cup of spirit wine, expressing his inner excitement.
“ kě yǐ xiǎng xiàng ， rú jīn hái shì yī piàn huāng liáng de jiǔ shān zhōu ， bù jiǔ hòu jiù huì biàn dé fán huá wú bǐ 。 shèn zhì kě néng yào chāo guò fù dì de sì dà zhōu yù 。 ruò shì néng zhuā zhù zhè ge qiān zǎi nán féng de jī yù ， dìng rán néng nì tiān gǎi mìng ……” xīn hóng zhāng yě shì yòu hěn hěn hē le yī bēi líng jiǔ ， xuān xiè zhe nèi xīn de jī dòng 。
“可以想象，如今还是一片荒凉的九山州，不久后就会变得繁华无比。甚至可能要超过腹地的四大州域。若是能抓住这个千载难逢的机遇，定然能逆天改命……”辛宏章也是又狠狠喝了一杯灵酒，宣泄着内心的激动。
"If not for this reason, I wouldn’t have traveled so far to this remote border."
“ ruò fēi zhè ge yuán yīn ， wǒ yòu huì bù yuǎn wàn lǐ 、 lái cǐ piān yuǎn biān jìng zhī dì 。”
“若非这个原因，我又会不远万里、来此偏远边境之地。”
Li Fan lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, digesting the shocking news. Then he raised his head and said gratefully to Xin Hongzhang: "Such crucial insider information; you casually told me this stranger..."
lǐ fán dī tóu chén mò le xǔ jiǔ ， sì hū shì zài xiāo huà zhe zhè lìng rén zhèn jīng de xiāo xī 。
李凡低头沉默了许久，似乎是在消化着这令人震惊的消息。
Xin Hongzhang waved his hand dismissively: "Ha ha, if not for your proactive approach and buying another cup of good wine, I wouldn’t have shared it with you."
ér hòu tái qǐ tóu ， mǎn shì gǎn jī de duì xīn hóng zhāng shuō dào ：“ rú cǐ zhòng yào de nèi mù xiāo xī ， dào yǒu jìng rán suí biàn jiù gào sù wǒ zhè píng shuǐ xiāng féng de lù rén ……”
而后抬起头，满是感激的对辛宏章说道：“如此重要的内幕消息，道友竟然随便就告诉我这萍水相逢的路人……”
"In fact, this isn’t a secret. The Immortal Alliance’s announcement should come out soon. We just get to beat others by a little bit."
xīn hóng zhāng bǎi le bǎi shǒu ：“ hē hē ， ruò bú shì nǐ zhǔ dòng shàng qián dā huà ， yòu diǎn le hú hǎo jiǔ 。 wǒ yě bú huì jiāng cǐ shì gào zhī yú nǐ 。”
辛宏章摆了摆手：“呵呵，若不是你主动上前搭话，又点了壶好酒。我也不会将此事告之于你。”
"By the way, if you have ample contribution points, pay attention to purchasing qualifications for caves in the Nine Mountains State recently."
“ qí shí ba ， cǐ shì yě suàn bù dé shén me jué mì 。 xiān méng de gōng gào yīng gāi bù jiǔ hòu jiù huì chū lái le 。 nǐ wǒ bù guò néng zhàn jù xiē xǔ xiān jī ér yǐ 。”
“其实吧，此事也算不得什么绝密。仙盟的公告应该不久后就会出来了。你我不过能占据些许先机而已。”
"I bet that within ten years, the price of these cave dwellings will at least double! Perhaps even triple or quadruple. If one buys several cave dwellings early on and sells them later..."
“ duì le ， dào yǒu nǐ rú guǒ shǒu tóu gòng xiàn dù kuān yù de huà ， zuì jìn bù fáng shí kè liú yì zhe jiǔ shān zhōu de dòng fǔ gòu rù zī gé 。”
“对了，道友你如果手头贡献度宽裕的话，最近不妨时刻留意着九山州的洞府购入资格。”
"It’s a no-risk, high-profit deal!"
“ wǒ gǎn dǎ dǔ ， shí nián zhī nèi ， cǐ dì dòng fǔ jià gé zuì shǎo yě yào fān bèi ！ shèn zhì zhǎng gè sān sì bèi dōu bù chéng wèn tí 。 ruò shì néng zài yī kāi shǐ jiù mǎi shàng jǐ zuò dòng fǔ ， rì hòu bù jiǔ zài tuō shǒu ……”
“我敢打赌，十年之内，此地洞府价格最少也要翻倍！甚至涨个三四倍都不成问题。若是能在一开始就买上几座洞府，日后不久再脱手……”
Xin Hongzhang whispered again.
“ jiǎn zhí jiù shì wú běn wàn lì de mǎi mài ！”
“简直就是无本万利的买卖！”
"Friend Xin has such foresight!" Li Fan seemed to wake up from a dream and patted his head, "Why didn’t I think of this?"
xīn hóng zhāng yòu qiāo qiāo chuán yīn dào 。
辛宏章又悄悄传音道。
He then continued praising Xin Hongzhang.
“ xīn dào yǒu zhēn shì tài yǒu yuǎn jiàn le ！” lǐ fán yī fù rú mèng chū xǐng de mú yàng ， pāi le pāi zì jǐ de nǎo dài ，“ wǒ zěn me jiù méi xiǎng dào ne ？”
“辛道友真是太有远见了！”李凡一副如梦初醒的模样，拍了拍自己的脑袋，“我怎么就没想到呢？”
Drunk on spirit wine, listening to Li Fan’s flattery, Xin Hongzhang felt somewhat intoxicated.
dāng xià yòu jiē lián bù duàn chuī pěng 。
当下又接连不断吹捧。
Suddenly, he noticed that Li Fan was hesitating about something.
líng jiǔ hē duō le ， tīng zhe lǐ fán de fèng chéng ， xīn hóng zhāng bù yóu yǒu xiē piāo piāo rán 。
灵酒喝多了，听着李凡的奉承，辛宏章不由有些飘飘然。
Finally, it seemed like he made up his mind and whispered mysteriously: "Friend Xin treats me so well; I can’t be stingy either."
hū de ， tā kàn jiàn lǐ fán sì hū shì zài yóu yù shén me 。
忽的，他看见李凡似乎是在犹豫什么。
"Frankly speaking, I have a secret technique called [Divine Presence]. If you’re not averse to it, I can teach it to you."
zuì hòu fǎng fú xià dìng le jué xīn ， shén shén mì mì de chuán yīn dào ：“ xīn dào yǒu rú cǐ dài wǒ ， wǒ yě bù néng xiǎo qì le 。”
最后仿佛下定了决心，神神秘秘的传音道：“辛道友如此待我，我也不能小气了。”
Seeing Li Fan’s serious demeanor, Xin Hongzhang smiled and didn’t take him seriously.
“ shí bù xiāng mán ， wǒ yǒu yī mén mì fǎ ， míng wèi 【 shén lín shēn 】。 ruò shì dào yǒu bù xián qì ， wǒ kě jiāng qí chuán shòu gěi nǐ 。”
“实不相瞒，我有一门秘法，名为【神临身】。若是道友不嫌弃，我可将其传授给你。”
(The chapter ends here)
Li Fan, whose appearance had subtly changed, sat in a corner, carefully listening to the discussions among the cultivators inside the fortress.
"Have you heard? The Immortal Alliance doesn't seem to plan on building an aerial city here in the Nine Mountains State."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"It’s because the spatial stability here is unstable. Even though the Heavenly Sage Dharmic Form swept through the entire Nine Mountains State, it didn’t change its spatial characteristics. Teleportation arrays still can’t be used stably."
This statement caused many of the cultivators to suddenly understand.
"Then they won't build an aerial city... But with such a vast area, how could the Immortal Alliance not manage it?"
"It’s uncertain. Before, we relied on the Nine Mountains' geographical advantages and built cities along the mountains. Now that this place is flat, there's no natural defense. The most critical issue is that teleportation arrays can’t be used; if surrounded, quick reinforcements won't arrive. Both the cost and effectiveness are too poor."
"You’re just a fool! We forced the Five Elders of the Immortal Alliance to come seeking peace, so how could they dare attack us? What danger is there?"
"This friend is truly naive. Haven’t you heard that strength and weakness change over time, with no fixed rules? How can one’s victory or defeat determine their worth? Our previous success was merely due to catching them off guard. If we fight again, the outcome remains uncertain!"
"Didn't you say something different when we lost before?"
...
The cultivators inside the fortress were very enthusiastic about discussing the situation in Xuanhuang World.
They argued and debated with each other, none willing to back down, creating a lively scene.
Li Fan observed the room and noticed another cultivator who was merely listening intently without participating in the discussion.
This person looked no more than thirty years old, wearing a black long robe and silver-white hair tied up. His eyes showed a hint of disdain as he listened to everyone’s discussions.
Clearly, he didn’t agree with the views of the other cultivators.
Li Fan smiled slightly and bought a fine spirit wine, sitting in front of the man.
"How should I address you?" Li Fan asked, smiling as he poured some wine for the silver-haired cultivator.
"Hmm?" The silver-haired cultivator was still wary of Li Fan's sudden attentiveness.
Without answering Li Fan’s question, he narrowed his eyes and kept scrutinizing this familiar face in front of him.
"Ha ha. You needn’t be suspicious. I can tell you’re someone with a noble demeanor; not like ordinary people. Your chest is filled with wisdom. And you seem very curious about the future situation of the Nine Mountains State, so I thought I’d ask for your opinion."
The silver-haired cultivator hesitated for a moment before lowering his guard after seeing Li Fan's sincere face.
Draining the wine in one go, he whispered telepathically: "Ha ha, you’re right to ask me! My name is Xin Hongzhang. In terms of information, none here can match my knowledge!"
Hearing this, Li Fan hurriedly poured another cup for Xin Hongzhang.
Xin Hongzhang was pleased with Li Fan’s attitude and whispered telepathically: "Considering our good fortune, I’ll share a little bit with you. Don’t spread it around."
Li Fan nodded repeatedly.
"In fact, those people are right; the Immortal Alliance indeed doesn't plan on building an aerial city here in the Nine Mountains State. However, this doesn’t mean they’re giving up on the area."
"On the contrary, the Immortal Alliance has decided to establish the first free trade state here."
"Oh? A Free Trade State?" Li Fan, intrigued by Xin Hongzhang’s serious tone, asked, "What does that even mean?"
Xin Hongzhang proudly explained: "Do you know the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce? The Five Elders of the Immortal Alliance have been in conflict for years, prohibiting each other's goods from circulating. However, the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce is located between them as a buffer zone, beyond both the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders' control. Thus, it can openly sell various precious treasures despite charging high prices. Despite this, merchants still flock here from afar."
"But that’s all history now. With the Heavenly Sage Dharmic Form's display of power, the Nine Mountains State was completely flattened. Although the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce isn’t entirely gone, they suffered heavy losses. It will be hard to return to their previous state..."
"However, the leader of the Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce is indeed a formidable figure. He convinced the Immortal Alliance to lift trade restrictions here in the Nine Mountains State. Both Immortal Alliance and Five Elders cultivators can freely trade goods here by paying only a small tax."
"The Immortal Alliance will lead this effort, with the experienced Ten Thousand Methods Chamber of Commerce assisting. It’s rumored that they’ve secretly reached an agreement with the Five Elders to ensure that if another war breaks out, neither side would choose to fight in the Nine Mountains State..."
"Speaking of which, do you know what confirming safety for free trade means?" Xin Hongzhang stared at Li Fan.
Li Fan nodded and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
"One can imagine how the once barren Nine Mountains State will soon become incredibly prosperous. It might even surpass the four major states in the hinterland. If one seizes this rare opportunity, they could change their fate..." Xin Hongzhang also drank another cup of spirit wine, expressing his inner excitement.
"If not for this reason, I wouldn’t have traveled so far to this remote border."
Li Fan lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, digesting the shocking news. Then he raised his head and said gratefully to Xin Hongzhang: "Such crucial insider information; you casually told me this stranger..."
Xin Hongzhang waved his hand dismissively: "Ha ha, if not for your proactive approach and buying another cup of good wine, I wouldn’t have shared it with you."
"In fact, this isn’t a secret. The Immortal Alliance’s announcement should come out soon. We just get to beat others by a little bit."
"By the way, if you have ample contribution points, pay attention to purchasing qualifications for caves in the Nine Mountains State recently."
"I bet that within ten years, the price of these cave dwellings will at least double! Perhaps even triple or quadruple. If one buys several cave dwellings early on and sells them later..."
"It’s a no-risk, high-profit deal!"
Xin Hongzhang whispered again.
"Friend Xin has such foresight!" Li Fan seemed to wake up from a dream and patted his head, "Why didn’t I think of this?"
He then continued praising Xin Hongzhang.
Drunk on spirit wine, listening to Li Fan’s flattery, Xin Hongzhang felt somewhat intoxicated.
Suddenly, he noticed that Li Fan was hesitating about something.
Finally, it seemed like he made up his mind and whispered mysteriously: "Friend Xin treats me so well; I can’t be stingy either."
"Frankly speaking, I have a secret technique called [Divine Presence]. If you’re not averse to it, I can teach it to you."
Seeing Li Fan’s serious demeanor, Xin Hongzhang smiled and didn’t take him seriously.
(The chapter ends here)