16: Market 2

The outline of the Huangsha Islands continuously expanded in their vision, eventually transforming into a sprawling archipelago scattered across the azure sea. As the colossal ship sailed into the main island's deep-water port, Lin Feng and Lin Jianghe stood at the bow, like Mortals stepping into the Immortal Realm for the first time, their minds utterly captivated by the sight before them, so awestruck they were almost speechless.

Huangsha Market!

A majestic, towering city rising from the sea, built upon natural colossal rocks! Its city walls were lofty, constructed from massive 'Profound Adamantite' that shimmered with an earthy yellow Spiritual Qi, with runes flowing upon them, subtly revealing powerful defensive Formations.

Countless buildings, some splendid, others ancient, were built into the mountain, layer upon layer, reaching straight into the clouds. It was dusk, and myriad lights illuminated one after another, casting the entire city as a brilliant star disc suspended above the sea, with Spiritual Qi coalescing into clouds and auspicious glow flowing through them.

The port's masts were like a forest, with various colossal ships and treasure vessels docked; some resembled giant whales, others looked like pavilions, and even Cultivators riding exotic Spirit Beasts walked upon the waves. A clamorous roar assailed them, mixed with different regional dialects, the cries of Spirit Beasts, the hum of Magical Artifacts, and the shouts of vendors, converging into a vibrant and wild ocean.

In the sky, various streaks of light constantly shuttled, like meteor showers streaking across the twilight. Qi Refining Cultivators controlled Flying Swords and Talismans, while Foundation Establishment experts manipulated Spiritual Artifacts, leaving long trails of light, showcasing the prosperity and unfathomable depth of this place.

"My goodness... this... this is Huangsha Market?" Lin Jianghe's mouth hung open, his eyes wide and round, as he tugged on Lin Feng's sleeve, his voice filled with incredulous excitement, "Brother Feng! Look! Quickly look at that pavilion ship! And that gourd flying in the sky! Good heavens, a Foundation Establishment expert!"

Lin Feng took a deep breath; the salty and rich Spiritual Qi surged into his lungs, causing the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian to stir slightly. The scene before him far exceeded his meager imagination.

The solitude of Black Reef Island and the orderliness of Azure Wave Island seemed so insignificant in the face of the current uproar, grandeur, and infinite possibilities.

An unprecedented surge of ambition surged within his chest, like a dormant volcano suddenly awakening!

The Dao of Immortality should be this magnificent! This boundless world is the battlefield where we Cultivators can roam freely! He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with a light more intense than the lamps, his Dao Heart completely ignited at this moment, becoming unprecedentedly firm.

"Yes, Brother Jianghe, this is truly a corner of the Cultivation World," Lin Feng's voice was deep and powerful, carrying a hint of imperceptible longing.

The Azurewave slowly approached the shore, and a Cultivator from the Market's piloting office came to greet them. The Lin Family's team, led by an eighth-level Qi Refining deacon, disembarked in an orderly fashion, merging into the surging crowd of the port. They did not immediately disperse but first proceeded to inspect and hand over the Family's various properties within the Market.

...

A salty, damp sea breeze, mixed with the scent of fish, seaweed, and countless unfamiliar Cultivators, rushed over, instantly enveloping him. Before him was an endless forest of masts; colossal ships were like crouching steel beasts, and the shouts of unloading, the calls of vendors, and the low growls of Spirit Beasts intertwined into a deafening roar. Streaks of light constantly swept across the sky, and the Spiritual Artifacts wielded by Foundation Establishment Cultivators left dazzling trails, reminding them of the unfathomable depth of this colossal city.

Under the guidance of Family Uncle Lin Yaohui, everyone moved through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, eventually turning into an alley relatively on the outskirts of the port area.

At the alley's entrance, a slightly old blue-and-white sign swayed in the wind—"Lin's Spirit Fish."

Before even entering, a strong and fresh fishy smell had already permeated their nostrils. This was a three-story wooden building, with a modest facade, but there were many customers coming and going. Several large water tanks were placed at the entrance, filled with various sea fish containing faint Spiritual Qi, lively and jumping, their scales shimmering with silver-blue or golden-red light under the faint glow penetrating the door.

Several clerks, wearing the Lin Family's uniform short coats and waterproof leather aprons, were skillfully scooping fish for customers, weighing them, and scaling and gutting them. In the adjacent ice chest, neatly arranged processed fresh-frozen sea fish released wisps of cold air.

"Uncle Yaohui! Cousin Jianghe! Cousin Feng! You've had a long journey! Please come in!" A slightlyfat, smiling middle-aged man, also wearing a Lin Family short coat, quickly came out to greet them. He was Lin Jiangyuan, the fish store manager.

He wiped his hands with a towel draped over his shoulder while enthusiastically ushering everyone inside.

The light inside the shop was a bit dim, and the floor was wet, feeling somewhat sticky to the touch. The air was filled with a stronger smell of fish, seawater, and a faint scent of blood.

Against the wall were rows of larger aquariums and ice chests, with labels affixed: "First-Grade Low Grade Silverline Fish, 2 Spirit Stones/jin," "First-Grade Medium Grade Red Scale Sea Bream, 8 Spirit Stones/fish," "Fresh-frozen Bluefin Spirit Fish Belly, 15 Spirit Stones/piece"... In the corner, fishing nets, floats, harpoons, and other tools were piled, and some kelp-like Spirit Algae were drying.

Family Uncle Lin Qinghui looked around, his brow subtly furrowing, clearly dissatisfied with the slippery and somewhat messy floor, but he did not show it, only asking in a deep voice: "Nephew Jiangyuan, how has the harvest been this year? Judging by the customer flow, business seems to be decent?"

The smile on Lin Jiangyuan's face immediately faded a bit. He led everyone away from the busy clerks to a relatively drier spot behind the counter and sighed: "Alas, Uncle Qinghui, you don't know, this business looks lively, but in reality... it's difficult!" He pointed outside, "As you've seen, what can be caught near the coast are mostly these First-Grade Low Grade Silverline Fish and Greenback Shrimp, which don't fetch much money. Slightly better Red Scale Sea Bream and Bluefin Spirit Fish are becoming scarcer and harder to find in coastal waters. Last year's storm season was also fierce, damaging two small Spirit Boats, and repairs alone cost nearly a thousand Spirit Stones!"

He paused, his voice tinged with bitterness: "The Family invested in several Spirit Algae fisheries near 'Sea Serpent Reef', hoping to stably produce 'Spirit-Infused Algae' to feed high-value Spirit Fish fry. But this year, for some unknown reason, they suffered a 'Bone-Corroding Snail' disaster; large areas of Spirit Algae were completely devoured, and the fishery's output dropped by more than twenty percent! Hiring people to remove pests and replant Spirit Algae seedlings was another huge expense."

Lin Jiangyuan picked up an abacus, rattling the beads, his brows furrowed into a knot: "You calculate, rent, labor wages, boat and fishing gear wear and tear, Spirit Algae fishery maintenance, pest control, plus the 'tribute' to the Market management office... After all these deductions, the net profit that can be handed over to the Family this year... Alas, if I can scrape together ten thousand Spirit Stones, I'll have to burn high incense! And that's thanks to the price of Low Grade Spirit Fish not dropping this year."

Lin Feng listened silently, his gaze sweeping over the low-value Silverline Fish struggling in the tanks, then looking at the slightly higher-priced but fewer Red Scale Sea Bream in the ice chest.

The pillar industry upon which the Family relied for survival was actually so fragile, struggling to survive in the unpredictable vast sea and the meager profit margins. He gained a more intuitive understanding of the Family's predicament. The strong salty smell in the air now seemed to carry a hint of heaviness.

...