Pearl City was a commercially successful City.
With the profitability of the Hundred Plants and Herbs dimension, this shouldn't come as a surprise. But it being a subsidiary City of the famed Martial Alliance Academy further boosted its reputation.
Wealthy and powerful cultivations chose to settle down in the City and have families.
Over time, Clans formed from these families and go on to monopolize the resources circulating in the City.
However, these local Clans, despite their power within the City, had to bow their heads to the owners of a popular restaurant chain, a popular Spirit Treasure Store chain, a popular gambling chain, and a few other popular chains in the City.
Why would they as powerful Clans bow their heads to these successful but seemingly ordinary chain owners?
Well, it's because these 'store chains' were actually run by the Six Holy Sects and the Five Great Clans.