Chapter 72: Managing the Spirit Herb Pavilion
Could it be that the higher-ups of the Immortal Market really remained indifferent to such actions, as I had suspected?
"Didn't you already have your suspicions? Why ask me?" Wei Fan handed He Song a cup of tea with a faint smile.
Over the past half-month, Wei Fan had been observing the changes in the Immortal Market.
However, the impact had mainly been on the outer regions of the Immortal Market, and as a cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refinement Realm, it hadn't affected him much.
What's more, He Song, someone close to him, had already left the Immortal Market before the Immortal City Enforcement Squad arrived. Naturally, while he was aware of the plight of the outer-region cultivators, he didn't particularly care.
In the mortal world, people often believe that human life is cheap. What they don't realize is that, in the world of cultivation, the lives of cultivators are equally worthless.
Hearing Wei Fan's rhetorical question, He Song shook his head and didn't press further.
A guess is just a guess, but facts are facts.
More than half a month ago, upon hearing that the Immortal City Enforcement Squad was coming, He Song had already predicted what might happen in the Immortal Market. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to leave immediately, opting to stay outside the Immortal Market in a place with sparse spiritual energy rather than remain within.
But when reality unfolded before him, even though He Song had anticipated it, he still wanted to confirm what had happened from Wei Fan.
However, Wei Fan's rhetorical response made He Song realize something.
What's done is done.
Whatever transpired in the Immortal Market over the past half-month, it no longer resembled its former state. The bodies of cultivators who perished in the Immortal Market had probably already been disposed of. In time, the outer-region buildings would be repaired, and the once-deserted streets would once again bustle with activity.
With time, everything fades into obscurity.
Rather than dwelling on it, it was better to take this as a lesson—to remain vigilant and act more cautiously in the future.
Only then could he avoid crises and evade death.
As someone seeking longevity, one must always be more cautious than ordinary cultivators.
Having come to this realization, He Song clasped his hands in thanks to Wei Fan.
"Thank you, Brother Wei, for clarifying. By the way, you mentioned having important matters to discuss earlier."
Although he hadn't learned much about the events in the Immortal Market over the past half-month, He Song no longer minded. He had plenty of time in the future to find out.
For now, he was more interested in what Wei Fan wanted to discuss, having summoned him back with a sense of urgency.
After all, in the transmission talisman, Wei Fan had said that upon He Song's return to the Immortal Market, he should immediately seek him out regarding an important matter.
This "important matter"—what could it be?
"Would you be interested in taking on the role of Spirit Herb Pavilion Manager?" Wei Fan didn't immediately reveal his intentions but posed a question to He Song instead.
"Manager of the Spirit Herb Pavilion?" He Song raised an eyebrow but quickly understood what Wei Fan was hinting at.
Could it be...
"If you're willing, I can submit a request to the higher-ups. With your cultivation at the fifth level of Qi Refinement Realm and your status as a Spirit Plantert, your chances are quite good." Wei Fan continued, seeing that He Song had grasped the idea.
"Three days ago, one Spirit Herb Pavilion steward and two managers were killed within the pavilion. Their positions are now vacant."
Hearing this, He Song suddenly understood.
No wonder.
No wonder Wei Fan had wasted no time in summoning him back once the Immortal City Enforcement Squad had left.
It turned out that a steward and two managers of the Spirit Herb Pavilion had been killed, leaving their positions vacant.
After living in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market for more than a decade, He Song was familiar with its rules.
The Spirit Herb Pavilion, Spirit Techniques Pavilion, and Spirit Builder Pavilion—these establishments responsible for the Immortal Market's operation—each had structured roles.
Roles like Spirit Plantert in the Spirit Herb Pavilion, receptionist in the Spirit Techniques Pavilion, and receptionist in the Spirit Builder Pavilion were open to any cultivator. These were the Immortal Market's lowest-level positions.
Managers in these pavilions, however, required higher standing within the Immortal Market, belonging to its middle tier.
Finally, positions such as steward in the Spirit Herb Pavilion, Spirit Techniques Pavilion, and Spirit Builder Pavilion required cultivation at the late stage of Qi Refinement Realm. These were high-tier roles in the Immortal Market.
Of course, the highest tier in the Immortal Market would always be the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
For anyone below the Foundation Establishment Realm, no matter their position—steward, manager, or otherwise—they could never attain the highest tier.
Take Wei Fan, for instance. As a late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator and steward of the Spirit Builder Pavilion, he was considered part of the Immortal Market's upper echelon.
Meanwhile, someone like Meng Guan in the past—a mid-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator and manager of the Spirit Herb Pavilion—belonged to the middle echelon.
And as for He Song, though a mid-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, he remained a Spirit Plantert, occupying the lowest level in the Immortal Market.
There were exceptions, of course.
For example, someone like Ping'er in the Spirit Techniques Pavilion had reached the manager level while still in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement Realm.
He Song wasn't sure why but assumed there must have been some reason behind it.
In any case, manager roles required a certain level of status. While He Song's cultivation had reached mid-stage Qi Refinement Realm, he had mostly kept to himself, focusing on cultivation and spell practice. This made him nearly invisible within the Spirit Herb Pavilion.
As such, remaining a Spirit Plantert was unsurprising.
However, if He Song's cultivation advanced to the late stage of Qi Refinement Realm, he would automatically qualify for a steward position in any pavilion he chose.
In a small Immortal Market like Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivation was already considered high.
This was why Wei Fan, as a late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, lived so comfortably here.
Small Immortal Markets like this needed to retain late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivators for management roles, offering them higher status and benefits.
Otherwise, these cultivators would leave for larger Immortal Cities, leaving the Immortal Markets unmanaged.
"Brother Wei, do you know why they were killed?" He Song asked, showing little enthusiasm for the manager position despite the opportunity.
In truth, the role of Spirit Herb Pavilion Manager wasn't much different from being a Spirit Plantert; otherwise, he would've sought it out long ago.
What concerned He Song more was the reason behind the deaths of a Spirit Herb Pavilion steward and two managers.
Stewards, after all, were late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivators and part of the Immortal Market's high echelon.
Yet even so, they were killed—inside the pavilion, no less.
This... He Song didn't need to think too hard to guess that someone from the Immortal City Enforcement Squad must have been involved.
Otherwise, the deaths of a steward and two managers would've caused a major uproar within the Immortal Market.
But now?
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