To prevent a lackluster grand opening, Ren Xingzhou had specially invited his friends from within the Five Elements True Spirit Sect.

Although he had married into the Liu Family, Liu Yuhuan’s special status afforded him far more freedom than other sons-in-law of Noble Families. Thanks to his generous and forthright nature, he had made quite a few friends within the Sect.

They included both Inner and Outer Sect Disciples.

They had assumed Ren Xingzhou was hired by some small shop. In the Celestial Square Marketplace, it was common for Foundation Establishment Clans from out of town to hire Foundation Establishment Disciples from the Five Elements True Spirit Sect to have on their side. This gave them backing and someone to step in and resolve any trouble they encountered as they tried to establish a foothold.

The annual payment for this service ranged from several hundred to about a thousand Spirit Stones, enough to purchase two bottles of Tier Two Five Elements Pills.

"Senior Brother Ren, the Liu Family actually put you in charge of this shop? It looks like Master Liu is really planning to groom you for success."

A young man dressed in the somewhat shabby robes of an Outer Disciple remarked.

"This Magical Artifact is actually a Tier Two Spiritual Artifact."

As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and an Inner Sect Disciple, his eye was far more discerning than a Qi Cultivator’s. He could tell at a glance that the Token displayed in the cabinet was a Tier Two Spiritual Artifact.

For Cultivators like them, who had no family support, it would take twenty to thirty years of saving to accumulate enough Spirit Stones to purchase a single Spiritual Artifact.

After all, a Cultivator’s top priority was always advancing their Cultivation, so most of their income was spent on Spirit Pills.

Then, other Cultivators began to notice the various Tier Two Spirit Pills in the display cases. Most of them were the specific Spirit Pills required for the Cultivation Techniques of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect.

The prices were even slightly cheaper than at other shops.

"Not quite. The Liu Family has already sold this shop to someone else. I’m just managing it for them."

Ren Xingzhou said quickly.

Yang Jing was so busy researching the Ghost Book and the Refining of the Gourd Spiritual Artifact that he didn’t even attend the grand opening of the True Spirit Lineage. Ren Xingzhou assumed he didn’t wish to reveal his identity, so he hadn’t advertised his connection.

’Such immense wealth, to be able to buy out a prime property like this outright.’

A few of Ren Xingzhou’s friends knew that his relationship with Yang Jing was unusual. However, they all knew Yang Jing had started as an Independent Cultivator. They figured that even if he had reached the Golden Core Realm, he couldn’t possibly produce so many Spirit Stones at once.

Just as they were marveling at the superior quality of the merchandise in the True Spirit Lineage, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator arrived at the entrance, leading several Qi Cultivators.

Ren Xingzhou’s friends assumed it was a competitor coming to cause trouble and were about to step forward to back him up. But to their surprise, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator called out in a loud voice:

"The Zuoqiu Family congratulates the True Spirit Lineage! May your business prosper across the lands, and your fortune flow like mighty rivers!"

As soon as the Foundation Establishment Cultivator finished his proclamation, the Qi Cultivators he led carried a seven-foot-tall Blood Jade Coral into the shop. This Coral was a treasure from the sea that had the effect of organizing and purifying Spiritual Qi. A Blood Jade Coral of this size was worth at least eight thousand Spirit Stones.

What shocked the Cultivators in the shop even more was the man’s identity as a member of the Zuoqiu Family. Although the Zuoqiu Family showed signs of decline in the Western Continent, to Inner and Outer Sect Disciples of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect like them, the family was still a behemoth they could only look up to in awe.

The more well-connected among them recognized at a glance that this Foundation Establishment Cultivator was not one of the Zuoqiu Family’s Guests, but a scion of their Direct Lineage, and were inwardly shocked.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator found Ren Xingzhou, exchanged a few warm pleasantries, and then departed with the Qi Cultivation Disciples.

Before Ren Xingzhou and the others could regain their composure, another announcement rang out from the entrance:

"The Wang Family congratulates the True Spirit Lineage! A grand foundation for a brilliant future! May you open new sources of wealth and realize your great ambitions!"

It was another top-tier Noble Family from the Five Elements True Spirit Sect. Because the Wang Family’s Nascent Soul Ancestor still had six hundred years of his lifespan remaining, their current standing within the Sect was even higher than that of the Zuoqiu Family.

By the time the next few Noble Families arrived bearing gifts, Ren Xingzhou was already growing numb to it all.

At this point, his friends finally believed that the True Spirit Lineage wasn’t opened by the Liu Family. Even with the Liu Family’s standing, boasting three Golden Core members, they didn’t have enough prestige to make all the great Noble Families of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect come and offer congratulations.

However, a moment later, they realized their shock had come too soon.

"The Dragon Taming Dong Family congratulates the True Spirit Lineage! May your enterprise grow deep roots and broad leaves, and its rivers of fortune run long and deep!"

The Dragon Taming Dong Family! This was a top-tier Noble Family of the Western Continent, far beyond what the Zuoqiu and Wang Families could compare to. More importantly, while the Dong Family had many members, not just anyone could act in the family’s name.

For this person to offer congratulations in the name of the Dong Family, he had to be a scion of the Direct Lineage. They just didn’t know which of the "Three Dongs" he represented.

After that, several more top-tier Noble Families from the Western Continent came to offer their congratulations. Even their competitors, the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower, sent their own Shopkeepers—both with Foundation Establishment Cultivation—to personally deliver gifts.

In a single day, Ren Xingzhou had met more important figures than in his entire life. The various precious gifts nearly filled the entire shop.

It was only now that he had a tangible sense of Yang Jing’s current standing in the Western Continent. As for his friends, they no longer dared to ask who the true owner of the True Spirit Lineage was.

The continuous stream of formal announcements naturally attracted a huge crowd from the Celestial Square Marketplace. The merchandise Yang Jing had prepared—enough to last for a month—was completely sold out within a single day, leaving only a single Tier Two Flying Sword.

Tier Two Flying Swords were the most expensive of all Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts. Furthermore, without a corresponding Sword Dao Cultivation, one could not unleash the Flying Sword’s full power, making them notoriously difficult to sell.

Ren Xingzhou took a quick inventory of the Spirit Stones in his Storage Bag and found he couldn’t sit still for a moment longer. He paid the exhausted shop assistants a bonus out of his own pocket, then boarded the Flying Boat back to the Sect with his friends, his heart pounding in his chest the entire way.

The moment he returned to the Sect, he bid farewell to his friends and rushed to Yang Jing’s Cave Mansion to request an audience.

Yang Jing was sitting under the canopy of the Pure Yang Apricot Tree, dividing his attention between two tasks: cultivating his True Yang Body and deciphering the Ghost Book. Piles of Jade Paper covered in strange, esoteric writing were stacked around him.

Ren Xingzhou accidentally glanced at the Ghost Book and was immediately hit with a wave of dizziness. Realizing its dangerous nature, he quickly averted his gaze and dared not look again.

"Brother Yang, many powerful factions visited today. They left all sorts of precious Spiritual Objects. This is the gift list I recorded."

He handed the gift list to Yang Jing.

The value of these Spiritual Objects amounted to tens of thousands of Spirit Stones; he couldn’t afford to be careless with them.

Yang Jing swept the list with his Divine Sense and pointed out a few Spiritual Objects that were useful to him.

"Have these sent to my Cave Mansion. Leave the rest at the True Spirit Lineage, so the shop’s inventory isn’t too one-dimensional."

He knew why these Noble Families were so eager. For one, he now controlled the Great Five Elements Divine Light Prohibition, granting him an extraordinary status within the Five Elements True Spirit Sect. For another, the Seven Nations Ticket Shop was developing at an incredible pace, and as its founder, he wielded immense influence there.

Ren Xingzhou nodded.

"Also, the merchandise we had prepared has been completely sold out. The True Spirit Lineage is empty now. I also received a commission for the Refining of a Spiritual Artifact."

He sounded surprised.

According to the unwritten rules among Artifact Refiners, if the Refining of a Spiritual Artifact fails, the client is usually not compensated for the cost of the Spiritual Materials. Because of this, Cultivators are extremely cautious when commissioning a Spiritual Artifact, always choosing renowned and well-established Artifact Refiners.

He hadn’t expected someone to commission Artifact Refining from the True Spirit Lineage on its very first day of business.

"Understood. Brother Ren, do you recall which Spirit Pills sold out the fastest? Go have my disciple Iron Head refine a new batch. As for the Spiritual Artifact commission, put it on hold for a few days. Have Ji Feng refine more Tier Two Magical Artifacts to fill out our stock for now. And for Spirit Talismans, Yinjiao will take care of drawing them."

With Ji Feng’s current Artifact Refining skill, she could mass-produce seven or eight Tier Two Magical Artifacts in a single batch. The Spiritual Materials for Tier Two Magical Artifacts were also simpler and could be purchased directly from the Celestial Square Tower.

Ren Xingzhou was inwardly alarmed. He hadn’t expected Yang Jing to delegate the task of Refining Spirit Pills and Magical Artifacts to his disciples. ’A disciple’s skill can’t possibly be as refined as their master’s. If they make a mistake, won’t it ruin the True Spirit Lineage’s reputation?’

He had always assumed that the Spirit Pills, Spiritual Artifacts, and Talismans were all personally made by Yang Jing. The childlike appearances of Iron Head and the others were simply too deceptive.

Ren Xingzhou suppressed his doubts and said nothing. He knew that Yang Jing’s Cultivation was the top priority; everything else came after.

Those powerful factions hadn’t come bearing gifts because they admired the shop’s exquisite merchandise.

"As you command."

He rose and took his leave, no longer wishing to disturb Yang Jing’s cultivation.

Although Yang Jing still addressed him as a peer, Ren Xingzhou now fully regarded himself as a subordinate.

"Oh, and if you have any difficulties with your Cultivation, feel free to ask Iron Head for guidance. His mastery of the Five Talisman Scripture is no less than my own."

Yang Jing added, watching Ren Xingzhou’s departing figure.

Because he was still an Outer Sect Disciple, Iron Head was still practicing the Five Talisman Scripture and had not switched to the Tai Shi Five Elements True Talisman Scripture.

However, the Five Talisman Scripture and the Tai Shi Five Elements True Talisman Scripture were part of the same lineage, so one could switch between them at any time. Some disciples even cultivated the Five Talisman Scripture all the way to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment before they were promoted to True Disciple and granted the Tai Shi Five Elements True Talisman Scripture.

Yang Jing planned to wait until Iron Head was promoted to True Disciple, then use Spirit Stones to power-level the Tai Shi Five Elements True Talisman Scripture to its maximum rank for him.

Judging by the precedent set by the Supreme Nine Transformations of the Dragon Scripture and the Black Death Seven Tribulations Scripture, the amount of Spirit Stones required would be astronomical. However, the Tai Shi Five Elements True Talisman Scripture was his Main Cultivation Method; it would be worth it, no matter the cost.

Yang Jing set down the Jade Paper in his hand and let out a long breath.

’Looks like I’ll have to work my disciples a little harder,’ he thought.

Hearing Yang Jing’s words, Ren Xingzhou stopped in his tracks. The fact that he was destined to one day become a Golden Core Cultivator, surpassing many talented disciples with superior Spirit Roots, naturally meant he possessed his own hidden brilliance.

Ren Xingzhou’s strength was his exceptional insight. He had managed to condense the Five Elements Wheel in only three years, despite practicing the Five Talisman Scripture, a technique far more complex and difficult than other Foundation Establishment Techniques.

When it came to understanding the Five Talisman Scripture, he was confident that he was second to none.

Though he felt a bit unconvinced, Ren Xingzhou still turned back and replied.

"Thank you, Brother Yang. I will certainly take the time to properly discuss the intricacies of the Five Talisman Scripture with Iron Head."