Chapter 32: The Secrets of the Immortal Market  

These were things He Song hadn't known before. 

Although he had known Wei Fan for five years, during their previous gatherings, the three of them had mostly shared interesting stories and strengthened their bonds. 

As for today, where Wei Fan specifically told He Song about the inner workings of the Immortal Market, it was truly the first time. 

As He Song followed Wei Fan around to familiarize himself with the environment, he quickly gained his own understanding of the Zhushan Immortal Market. 

The Zhushan Immortal Market was under the jurisdiction of the Qingyuan Immortal City, which belonged to the Golden Core sect, the Thick Earth Sect. 

Within the Zhushan Immortal Market, internal personnel came from two sources. 

The first type was like He Song—a rogue cultivator who was noticed and then invited to join the Immortal Market, becoming an internal cultivator. 

The second type was like Wei Fan and Meng Guan, who came from the Thick Earth Branch Academy. 

The Thick Earth Branch Academy was a place specifically established by the Thick Earth Sect to screen disciples. 

In the Thick Earth Branch Academy, if one failed to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining by a certain age and become an outer disciple of the Thick Earth Sect, they would be assigned to various Immortal Cities or Immortal Markets to take up positions. 

If they performed well and their cultivation progressed quickly, these cultivators from the Thick Earth Branch Academy could rejoin the Thick Earth Sect as disciples. 

However, within the Zhushan Immortal Market, there was almost no significant difference in status between the two types of cultivators. 

Next was the issue of treatment within the Zhushan Immortal Market. 

At the early stage of Qi Refining, most internal cultivators could only freely use twenty to thirty spirit stones after a year of hard work. 

However, due to their low cultivation level, simply absorbing the spiritual energy within the Immortal Market could rapidly improve their cultivation. 

This was an unspoken rule present in almost all Immortal Markets. 

As for its purpose, it was naturally to screen out cultivators with perseverance, determination, and foresight. 

If one couldn't endure it, they could leave at any time. 

Rogue cultivators earned more, and without entering the Immortal Market, they didn't have to pay rent, making them naturally wealthier than early-stage Qi Refining cultivators within the Immortal Market. 

As for the ten spirit stones per month rent threshold, it was also specifically designed. 

The purpose was to drive away rogue cultivators without any skills, making them retreat in the face of difficulty. 

At the same time, it attracted skilled rogue cultivators, allowing them to contribute to the construction of the Immortal Market. 

At the early stage of Qi Refining, only by joining the Immortal Market and becoming an internal cultivator could one live in the Immortal Market without being affected. 

Some relied on their annual salary, while others had their accommodation directly covered. 

Even though the spirit stones they received were few, being able to live in the Immortal Market was itself a huge benefit. 

At the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the resources internal cultivators could obtain would no longer be as scarce as at the early stage. 

Cultivators who could cultivate to the mid-stage of Qi Refining within the Immortal Market would more or less master some techniques for earning spirit stones. Combined with the annual salary provided by the Immortal Market, their lives were manageable. 

At this point, cultivators who could endure the monotonous and tedious cultivation at the early stage of Qi Refining had truly passed the most difficult hurdle in cultivation. 

Those lacking perseverance, determination, and foresight would have already been washed away like sand in a wave during the early stage of Qi Refining, becoming rogue cultivators with extremely high mortality rates. 

And this was exactly what the major Immortal Markets wanted to see. 

By separating the wheat from the chaff, the cultivators who remained would inevitably have their own strengths. 

As for late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, they were the backbone of the Immortal Market. They received more resources, and as long as they were in the Immortal Market, they served as a deterrent to evil cultivators. 

Moreover, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators would generally strive for Foundation Establishment, requiring significant resources. 

Naturally, they could obtain more resources. 

Under Wei Fan's explanation, He Song understood many things he hadn't known before. 

At the same time, he felt more motivated to improve his cultivation. 

When he reached the mid-stage or even the late stage of Qi Refining, his life would undoubtedly be better than it was now. 

After Wei Fan showed He Song around the courtyard, arranged for him to stay in one of the secondary bedrooms, and assigned him a meditation room, the sky gradually darkened. 

"Today was a bit rushed, so I can only ask you to make do with a simple meal. Tomorrow, I'll go buy some good wine and food to properly welcome you!" At the dining table, Wei Fan poured He Song a cup of wine, apologizing as he spoke. 

However, beside him, He Song looked at the sumptuous dishes before him, glanced at the fragrant spirit rice in his bowl, and sensed the spiritual wine in his cup, feeling somewhat helpless. 

Indeed, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator lived a much better life than an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator like himself. 

What Wei Fan called a "simple meal" consisted of spirit rice, spiritual wine, and spiritual dishes made from spirit ingredients and demon beast meat. 

Such a luxurious meal was something He Song had only eaten once before at the Osmanthus Tower. 

That time, it was when Lin Cong had broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining and treated him to a meal. 

To be honest, He Song only occasionally ate spirit rice. As for spiritual wine, spirit ingredients, and demon beast meat, these were things a small early-stage Qi Refining cultivator like him couldn't afford. 

However, having learned about the treatment at the mid-stage and even the late stage of Qi Refining, He Song didn't feel much envy. 

These things would come as his cultivation improved. 

Cultivation had this advantage—as long as one's cultivation improved, their strength, status, identity, and power would all see a qualitative improvement. 

As long as one's cultivation reached a certain level, anything was possible. 

This was also why He Song could maintain a calm mindset. 

As long as he lived long enough, his cultivation would eventually improve. 

When it came to longevity, He Song wasn't afraid of anyone. 

"Come, come, let's drink!" Ignoring Wei Fan's apologies, He Song picked up his wine cup and clinked it with Wei Fan's. 

With a *ding*, the two cups touched. 

Soon, laughter and cheerful voices filled the courtyard. 

He Song settled into Wei Fan's courtyard. 

The spirit fields he had visited every morning were no longer on his schedule. 

Before the crisis at the Chiling Gold Mine erupted, He Song didn't even want to step half a foot outside the Immortal Market. 

This was his inherent caution at work. 

At the same time, he was worried that evil cultivators might take advantage of the situation, forcing him to take this precaution. 

However, as a spirit farmer of the Immortal Market, failing to complete the tasks assigned by the Immortal Market would result in penalties. 

If the harvest from the five acres of spirit fields didn't meet the standard, the shortfall in spirit rice would have to be borne by the spirit farmer. 

Reluctantly, He Song paid twenty spirit stones to a familiar spirit farmer, asking him to take care of his spirit fields. 

Earning an extra twenty spirit stones naturally made the spirit farmer happy. 

His work only increased from originally casting the Spirit Rain Technique for half an hour to casting it for an hour. 

Earning an additional twenty spirit stones was an unexpected windfall. 

Thus, with this worry off his mind, He Song began to immerse himself in cultivation within Wei Fan's courtyard. 

The spiritual energy in Wei Fan's courtyard was much denser than in He Song's previous residence. 

This allowed He Song's cultivation speed to increase, and the spiritual energy within his body began to grow bit by bit. 

At the same time, without neglecting his cultivation, He Song also began to study the introductory chapter of array formation in his mind every day. 

(End of Chapter)