The cultivation world was rich with resources. In the past, during chaotic times, the way cultivators obtained resources was mostly through competition and plunder. Killing to rob treasure, stealing valuables, these behaviors were common, described in four words as “survival of the fittest.”
Later, as large sects and factions arose to protect themselves and their weaker disciples, they formed the Immortal Alliance.
From then on, there were laws in the cultivation world. Those actions became illegal. The legitimate way to obtain resources became purchase through trade.
Merchant associations were born out of this need. Currently, the four major merchant associations known in the cultivation world were Wantong, Xingxiao, Jinxiu, and Yunshui.
Wantong and Xingxiao were old-established merchant associations, existing for many years with long-standing reputations. They primarily conducted offline sales with stable channels and customers.
Jinxiu and Yunshui, by contrast, had risen to prominence in recent years, leveraging glass mirror spirit networks to develop new online sales methods, quickly capturing market share.
The four merchant associations were in a four-way standoff, outwardly calling each other “friendly merchants” with apparent affection. In reality, behind the scenes they never stopped tripping each other up.
Watching Yunshui fall into trouble, the other associations nearly laughed out loud, waiting for a good show on the sidelines while taking the opportunity to kick them while they were down and divide up the spoils.
“Boss, bad news. Just now, Xiaowu’s people found out some troubling information.”
Wantong’s Third-in-Command rushed in anxiously. The Big Boss was leisurely drinking tea when he glanced at him: “Sit down, Third. I’ve told you before to stay composed. Meeting trouble without panic, that’s how Wantong operates. What happened?”
Third-in-Command wiped sweat from his brow: “Apparently, Yunshui’s head has figured out who the real culprit is and has already secretly sent people to find their hideout.”
The Big Boss’s brow furrowed: “Second has been staking out Beiwan. Today he personally saw the Immortal Alliance take away someone from Yunshui’s headquarters.”
He clicked his tongue and set down his tea cup: “Looks like that woman has nerves of steel. Instead of going to Beiwan herself, she just sent people to handle it.”
Third-in-Command grew anxious: “Big Boss, if Yunshui catches the real culprit and rescues the missing people, won’t their suspicions be cleared?”
“Why panic? First check if the information is accurate.”
The Big Boss waved his hand, calling over his subordinates to scatter and investigate. After some checking, they received a useless piece of information—Yunshui had made no moves and was conducting business as usual.
Third-in-Command scratched his head: “No news. Does that mean it’s false?”
“Quite the opposite. The more quiet things are, the more there’s something fishy.”
The Big Boss pointed to the information his subordinates had brought: a seemingly insignificant transaction. “Beast hide materials. Hunting demons naturally requires manpower. With so many eyes watching at such a critical time, that old woman would naturally not dare act openly.”
Third-in-Command sighed: “But even if we know, what can we do? If the real culprit isn’t Yunshui and they’re cleared, they’ll be back to competing with us for resources.”
The Big Boss smiled and stroked his beard sinisterly: “That’s not necessarily true. If we get a recording of Yunshui’s people together with the real culprit and release it…”
Third-in-Command suddenly understood: “By then, the suppliers currently holding back will break their contracts with Yunshui. The Immortal Alliance needs at least half a month to investigate. By the time they uncover the truth, Yunshui’s reputation will be so ruined, there’s no way they can recover.”
The Big Boss waved his hand: “Third, you handle this. Make sure to be discreet.”
“Understood.”
Third-in-Command took his orders and left, exiting the luxurious restaurant, using the jade tablet the Big Boss gave him to call together a team in a dark alley.
The subordinates took their orders and dispersed. The alley emptied.
Third-in-Command’s back suddenly went slack, leaning against the wall, clutching his abdomen as he slowly slid down.
After crouching there a while, he pulled out a yellow talisman from his sleeve, stuck it on his body to change his appearance, and walked toward another restaurant.
“This formation has an absolute-spirit array set up. Combined with these traces we just discovered…”
The female cultivator in pink robes turned, looking at the gentle youth, “Brother, Songbiao’s directions were good. This cave dwelling really is where the criminals hid the missing female cultivators.”
“But it seems to be only part of it, not the ones the Immortal Alliance is focusing on. And we came too late, they’ve already moved.”
Songbiao elegantly stood on an Immortal Alliance disciple’s shoulder, licking its paw, looking around: “So which disciple was doubting whether Songbiao exists?”
Xu Baishen crouched down, and his fingertip traced some pink soil: “Little Xuan, you first go back and report the situation to the Immortal Alliance.”
Xu Xuan flicked her glass mirror: “I can just report it on the spirit network. Why would I need to go back? You just don’t want to take me with you!”
Xu Baishen felt a bit helpless: “Little Xuan, this case is serious, not something to joke about. Although we don’t know what the culprits want with these female cultivators, currently whether from Jade Pool or other factions, the missing female cultivators are all young ones like you.”
Xu Xuan knew her brother was worried about her safety, and pouted slightly: “Fine, I’ll go back. But next time you absolutely have to take me, brother.”
“You two don’t leave just yet.”
Songbiao, seeing them about to leave, swished its tail and quickly spoke up: “I have important information!”
Xu Xuan stopped, eyes sparkling.
“I heard those people talking while I was asleep. They said tonight, tonight…”
After thinking hard for a long time without remembering, Songbiao scratched its ear and pulled out a small slip of paper, unfolding it, then unfolding it again, then unfolding it once more.
Xu Xuan: “…Songbiao, what’s with this cheat sheet?”
Songbiao said matter-of-factly: “My memory isn’t great, okay?”
“They arranged to meet here at the hour of Xu.”
Xu Xuan calculated the time and was delighted: “That’s just a quarter hour away! They’re moving so hastily, the message probably hasn’t been relayed yet.”
She immediately had some Immortal Alliance disciples disguise themselves and wait in the cave, with others setting up ambushes, hiding around and waiting.
When the time came, sure enough they saw a group with hidden auras sneaking around, cautiously checking the cave situation in the distance.
Just as the Immortal Alliance disciples were about to make their move, another group of people appeared. Xu Xuan was startled, there were two groups coming to meet?
Never mind, just arrest them all.
Songbiao stepped on an Immortal Alliance disciple’s head, its claws fiddling with the latest model glass mirror hanging from its neck, adjusting the lens toward both groups of people.
Soon both groups of suspicious people were captured. After searching them, they found jade plaques on the leaders. These two groups of people were actually from Wantong and Xingxiao Merchant Associations.
Xu Xuan frowned: “I never expected, not only Yunshui, but you two merchant associations are birds of a feather too!”
Both merchant associations’ people were caught completely off guard and hastily denied: “That’s impossible, Immortal Lord! We have nothing to do with Yunshui!”
Xu Xuan’s words were sharp: “Then why are you here? This place is where the criminals hid the missing female cultivators.”
Both merchant associations were at a complete loss for words. How could they possibly be the criminals? But they couldn’t admit they’d come here to kick Yunshui while it was down [1]drop stones on someone who’s fallen in a well (luo jing xia shi, 落井下石) (Idiom), to take advantage of someone’s misfortune to hurt them further jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3389869_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3389869_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); and frame it…their reputations would be ruined!
They could only grit their teeth and swallow the humiliation [2]knock out one’s own teeth and swallow them with the blood (da luo yachi he xue tun, 打落牙齒和血吞) (Idiom), to endure a painful injustice in silence without any way to retaliate jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3389869_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3389869_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, stubbornly insisting they were just passing through, dryly denying any collusion with the criminals.
Xu Xuan coldly snorted and took out silver shackles: “Tell it to my cuffs!”
#Shocking! Wantong and Xingxiao Merchant Associations are this conscience-less#
#Exposing the dark truth of old-established merchant associations#
#Jade Pool Immortal Maidens viciously exploited by these people#
Late at night, a recording suddenly went viral on the spirit network, showing the Immortal Alliance ambushing a human trafficking site and arresting people from the two merchant associations on the spot.
It turned out the mastermind behind the recent Jade Pool disappearance case was two old-established merchant associations!
Before, Yunshui had only public speculation without concrete evidence, but these two had actual video evidence. With the Immortal Alliance’s credibility, everyone who saw this recording believed it absolutely.
In an instant, rumors spread far and wide. Masses of suppliers came to break contracts with the merchant associations. Suddenly, no one paid attention to Yunshui anymore. Countless cultivators came to boycott the two associations, pounding on doors to return goods.
The two associations didn’t even dare open their doors.
When Wantong’s Big Boss found Third-in-Command, he was dead asleep at home.
How could he not have realized by now he’d been set up? His teeth were ground to dust, and he was handling this mess frantically.
A glass mirror dinged twice. He picked it up to look.
Yunshui Merchant Association: 【Many thanks to our friendly merchant association for their righteous assistance】
Yunshui Merchant Association: 【(laughing face)】
The glass mirror shattered with a crack.
This sinister, cunning old woman!!
The most handsome Songbiao in the cultivation world: 【Glass mirrors are so fun. I put up a selfie and so many cute female cats chat with me hehe. Wait a bit more while I play and I’ll give it back to you】
Sang Ying leaning against the wall: 【No need to return it. This is your reward. You worked hard tonight.】
“Hey, which division are you from? Still slacking off here? The outside help the Immortal Alliance requested is about to arrive. The division chief said to hurry up and greet them.” A female cultivator said in a rush.
“Okay, coming now.”
Sang Ying, wearing a young girl’s face, holding a glass mirror, gave a bashful smile: “Haven’t contacted home in so long. They keep hounding me with questions.”
The female cultivator sighed and patted her shoulder: “You look so young, just joined the Immortal Alliance recently? This kind of day is long coming. Slowly adapt.”
Sang Ying softly hummed an acknowledgment: “What outside help did the Immortal Alliance request?”
“Not sure. But I heard it’s from Wuwenzong. Quite prestigious.”
Sang Ying understood. The people from Wuwenzong would be that Xu Baishen and Xu Xuan that Songbiao ran into, the Grand Elder’s son and daughter. Their names were indeed impressive.
When they arrived, the people hadn’t come yet. These junior disciples were just brought to fill out the numbers, standing far apart in the outer hall. The important figures were waiting in the inner hall.
The female cultivator and Sang Ying stood in a corner, completely lost in the crowd.
The female cultivator, bored, started chatting with Sang Ying: “I have a friend in the information division. Privately told me the Immortal Alliance is taking this disappearance case so seriously because the missing people’s identities aren’t ordinary.”
She whispered near Sang Ying’s ear: “Jade Pool’s successor Saint Maiden, and the daughters of the heads of the four major families.”
Sang Ying showed a surprised expression while agreeing, though she had already guessed. It wouldn’t be such a big commotion just for a few Jade Pool immortal maidens.
She asked curiously: “If that’s the case, why don’t these factions investigate themselves? Why seek help from the Immortal Alliance?”
The female cultivator looked around and whispered: “I heard from friends searching in Beiwan that this case involves demons. The investigation found these female cultivators were actually transported to the demon realm.”
Sang Ying suddenly understood. Due to historical issues, relations between the demon realm and cultivation world were terrible, practically hostile. Borders still see occasional conflicts.
If these families all sent large forces into the demon realm to search…one could imagine what would happen.
Sang Ying suddenly paused. Wait, if that’s the case, Immortal Alliance disciples are also human cultivators. Going to the demon realm, they’d be the vermin every demon wanted dead on sight [3]a rat crossing the street, everyone shouts to beat it (guo jie laoshu ren ren han da, 過街老鼠人人喊打) (Idiom), someone universally reviled, unable to move without being attacked jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3389869_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3389869_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, unable to take a single step. So why would the Immortal Alliance take action, and even request outside help from Wuwenzong?
Demons…wait!
Suddenly thinking of something, Sang Ying’s heart tightened, praying there was still time to leave. “I suddenly remembered something urgent. I need to leave…”
A pale-blue sword light landed at the Immortal Alliance’s outer hall entrance.
The surrounding Immortal Alliance disciples suddenly erupted in commotion, the atmosphere stirring.
“He’s here! He’s here!”
“No mistaking it, it’s Qingyu Sword Sovereign!”
Sang Ying: “…”
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