122: The Philosophy of Selling Shovels and Seclusion

West side of Qiyuan Island, abandoned mining area, underground secret chamber.

Zhou Wannian (Old Man Han) had already transformed this place into a veritable fortress. The surrounding rock walls were densely engraved with "Lesser Mount Sumeru Obscuration Formations" and "Isolation Restrictions," such that even the Divine Sense of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator would only see a pile of abandoned rubble.

In the center of the secret chamber, a huge stone table was piled high with spoils "pinched" from the Young Master of the Six-Link Palace.

"We're rich, we're really rich..."

Li Feiyu looked at the pile of glittering Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, his eyes shining. He had never seen so much money in his life; twenty thousand Spirit Stones was enough to buy half of an ordinary small cultivation Family.

"Dazzled by just this much money?"

Zhou Wannian calmly put away the Spirit Stones, setting aside five thousand and tossing them to Li Feiyu.

"Take this and re-equip the brothers. Replace those pieces of junk Magical Artifacts with standard-issue 'Red Copper Dharma Swords' and 'Black Iron Shields.' Although our Green Robe Tower does the dirty work, our equipment shouldn't be too shabby."

He then picked up the top-grade defensive Magical Artifact, the [Water Cloud Veil].

This was a light blue gauze garment thin as a cicada's wing. Once infused with spiritual power, it could transform into a layer of water curtain capable of withstanding a full-strength blow from an Early Golden Core Stage Cultivator.

"Young City Lord, this is for you."

Zhou Wannian casually tossed this priceless treasure to Ling Yunxiao.

"For me?!"

Ling Yunxiao held the gauze garment, his face full of disbelief. "Old Man Han, this is a top-grade defensive Magical Artifact! Aren't you going to use it?"

"I don't need it."

Zhou Wannian patted his dusty-looking robes (which were actually covered in Second-Tier top-grade Vajra Talismans on the inside, with an inner lining of soft armor made from Tier Three Thunder Whale skin).

"You are the 'Tower Lord' of the Green Robe Tower, the public face. In the future, when dealing with major powers, you need to maintain appearances and also guard against assassination. As for me, a miserable old man, I'm actually safer hiding behind you."

Ling Yunxiao was so moved his eyes reddened. How could he know that Zhou Wannian was treating him as a "fire-drawing MT (Meat Tank)"?

The distribution of spoils was complete.

Zhou Wannian spread out the precious [Six-Link Palace Internal Sea Chart], tapping his finger lightly on it.

"Money is only temporary; this path is the long-term one."

"Starting tomorrow, our 'antique recovery' business will be suspended."

"We are going to open a new business—[Star Sea Guide]."

"Guide?" Li Feiyu scratched his head. "Old Man Han, we haven't even familiarized ourselves with this sea area yet. How can we lead others?"

"Stupid."

Zhou Wannian pointed to the five "resource points" marked in green on the sea chart.

"It clearly states here that these places are rich in 'Deep Sea Cold Iron,' 'purple light algae,' and 'monster-accompanying grass,' and the Yao Beast Ranks are generally not high (around Tier Two)."

"But on the public sea charts outside, these places are either unexplored areas or marked as 'dangerous'."

"This is an information gap."

Zhou Wannian's eyes sparkled with the light of a shrewd businessman.

"We don't need to mine or gather herbs ourselves; that's too tiring and the risk is too high."

"We only need to package this 'safe and rich' information and sell it to those Yao-hunting squads who want to strike it rich like headless flies."

"Or, we can directly act as team leaders and take them there. Once we arrive, they do the work of fighting monsters and gathering herbs, and we take a cut."

"This is called... selling shovels."

"In a gold rush, those digging for gold don't necessarily make money, but those selling shovels and maps definitely do."

Ling Yunxiao and Li Feiyu listened, dumbfounded.

This "getting something for nothing" business model simply refreshed their outlook on cultivation.

"But Old Man Han, what if they get there and don't want to share the money, wanting to double-cross us?" Ling Yunxiao asked worriedly.

"Double-cross us?"

Zhou Wannian gave a cold laugh and pointed to "Iron Pillar," who stood behind him like an iron tower.

"Then we'll let them know why the flowers are so red."

"Furthermore, besides the green resource points, there are three red 'forbidden zones' on the sea chart."

"If some disobedient troublemakers or hostile forces (like the Six-Link Palace) come knocking..."

"We'll 'accidentally' lead them the wrong way and bring them into these red circles."

"Killing with a borrowed knife—I've taught you this trick before, haven't I?"

Hiss—

The two of them simultaneously sucked in a breath of cold air.

How is this a guide? This is clearly King Yama's roll call book!

...After arranging everything.

Zhou Wannian announced his seclusion.

His current cultivation was at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage Peak, just a step away from the Middle Stage. With a large amount of resources and Medicinal Pills in hand, a Breakthrough was a natural progression.

More importantly, he intended to use the fragment of "star gold" he had just acquired to begin refining his first lifebound Flying Sword.

In the deepest part of the secret chamber.

Zhou Wannian sat cross-legged, with the purple-mist-shrouded "thunder spirit pearl" floating before him.

"The Five Elements Thunder Light Sword Formation requires Five Elements spiritual Materials as the foundation and a thunder spirit as the guide."

"I currently have Geng Gold (Metal), heavy water (Water), and the thunder spirit pearl (Thunder/Earth mutation) in my hands. I'm still missing top-tier spiritual Materials of the Wood and Fire attributes."

"However, I can first refine a 'primary sword'."

He took out the palm-sized piece of star gold.

This material was incredibly heavy and possessed its own stellar gravity, making it an excellent medium for refining a sword embryo.

"Ignite."

Zhou Wannian opened his mouth and spat out a glob of pure Pill Fire (although he hadn't reached Core Formation yet, with the support of a Formation, the temperature was enough to melt gold and iron).

The star gold slowly softened in the Pill Fire, gradually elongating into the prototype of a three-inch-long small black sword.

"Fuse Thunder!"

Zhou Wannian's hand seal changed, forcibly pressing the thunder spirit pearl into the sword embryo.

Boom!

In that instant, thunderous light erupted within the secret chamber.

The gravity of the star gold and the violence of the thunder spirit pearl repelled each other, and the sword embryo trembled violently as if it might explode at any moment.

"Suppress for me!"

Zhou Wannian bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, while his Divine Sense transformed into countless fine "Cloud Seal Runes," forcibly merging the two forces together.

This refining process lasted for three whole months... Three months later.

Qiyuan Island, West Street Market.

Nowadays, the busiest shop on West Street was no longer those old-fashioned Medicinal Pill stores, but a new storefront named "Green Robe Tower Guide Agency."

"Tower Lord Ling! I heard you have a new route to the purple light algae production area? I'll pay five hundred Spirit Stones for the information!"

"Go away! You want to buy it for just five hundred Spirit Stones? Our 'Gale Squad' will pay a thousand! And we want to hire Senior Iron Pillar of the Green Robe Tower for escort!"

The shop entrance was crowded with people.

After several months of operation, the Green Robe Tower had gained a great reputation among the Loose Cultivator circles by virtue of several "precise leadings" (taking people to several rich mining spots; although the commission was high, it was indeed safe and profitable).

Ling Yunxiao, dressed in green robes and waving a folding fan, sat behind the counter, handling everything with ease.

"Everyone, don't worry, today's slots are all filled. If you want to go to sea, please come early tomorrow."

"Also, it hasn't been peaceful at sea lately. I heard the Six-Link Palace is frantically hunting down the remnants of the Blood Shark Squad, so everyone be careful when going to sea."

While counting money, he calmly spread news to muddy the waters.

Just then.

A startling Spiritual Pressure surge suddenly came from the backyard.

Buzz—

A pale purple Sword Qi soared into the sky. Although it lasted only for an instant, that extremely sharp and terrifying aura, which seemed capable of slicing through space, made the scalps of all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators present tingle.

"What was that?!"

"Such strong Sword Intent! Could it be that the Green Robe Tower has a Core Formation Old Ancestor presiding over it?"

Everyone was filled with doubt and alarm.

Ling Yunxiao, however, was ecstatic in his heart.

He knew that Old Man Han had emerged from seclusion.

Backyard secret chamber.

Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes, and it seemed as if a bolt of lightning flashed deep within his pupils.

Floating before him was a three-inch-long small black sword. The sword's body was simple and unadorned, without any fancy patterns, but if one looked closely, they would find the space around the sword slightly distorting, as if unable to bear its weight.

At the hilt, the thunder spirit pearl was embedded, occasionally emitting a flicker of purple electric arcs.

[Lifebound Treasure Prototype · Star-Thunder Sword (Tier One)].

Although only one had been completed, and it was still just a prototype.

But Zhou Wannian could feel that the power of this sword was enough to instantly kill any top-grade Magical Artifact. Combined with his "Heavy Water Yin Thunder" and Formations, even if he encountered someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage Late Stage Peak, he could slay them with a single sword strike.

"Foundation Establishment mid stage, achieved."

Zhou Wannian stood up, his bones making a series of popping sounds like crackling beans.

"My cultivation has increased, and the sword is complete."

"Next..."

He pushed open the door of the secret chamber and looked at the bustling scene outside, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"It's time to go meet the Six-Link Palace... the ones who have turned the Outer Sea upside down."

"Since you are looking for the 'culprit'..."

"Then I might as well... give you an even bigger 'surprise'."