My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1048: Five Years of Change

Following five years of rapid expansion, the only free trade zone within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had experienced a radical transformation.

Once a desolate and empty wasteland, the region had evolved into a thriving, bustling hub of activity.

Sprawling in every direction, the vast plains were now covered by the cave dwellings of cultivators, all centered around the heart of the territory: the Nine Mountains Trade City.

Despite several rounds of expansion that increased its size tenfold, the trade city still struggled to keep pace with the exploding demands of commerce.

Newcomers to the city often wore looks of pure amazement and curiosity, their senses overwhelmed by the staggering variety of treasures on display.

Inside a quiet chamber, Zhao Xian knelt upon the floor, offering a respectful bow to the Faceless Stone Statue that loomed in the shadows above.

He then departed the secret room to open his shop, beginning the day's business after finishing his inventory restock.

He didn't need to lift a finger to attract customers; in moments, the store was packed with cultivators eager to spend.

Each item was clearly labeled with its description and cost, allowing the patrons to finalize their transactions independently without needing the shopkeeper's help.

There was no room for bargaining here, as goods in Nine Mountains Prefecture were typically snatched up the second they hit the shelves.

This high demand was partially due to the inventory consisting of rare local specialties gathered from various distant prefectures.

However, the true reason was deeper...

While maintaining a polite, professional smile, Zhao Xian thought to himself: "It's no wonder the world is flocking to Nine Mountains Prefecture. They say even a pig can get rich just by sitting still here, and that isn't an exaggeration."

"Ever since the Tianxuan Mirror's trading feature was abruptly disabled three years ago, cultivators have been unable to trade freely. Since the demand for resources didn't just disappear, five major trade hubs rose across the world to fill the void left by the Tianxuan Mirror."

"Among those five, Nine Mountains Prefecture is the most massive and boasts the widest selection of goods."

"Not only do we see cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's various provinces, but even members of the Five Elders Association come here to sell their unique wares and make purchases."

Watching the tireless flow of people through his doors, Zhao Xian felt a wave of appreciation: "I owe this to the Emissary's guidance. Without it, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator like me from the Congyun Sea could never have dreamed of owning property in a place like this."

Even though he had to surrender half of his earnings, the rate at which he accumulated contribution points was still vastly superior to anything he could achieve back home.

"If I can keep this up for ten more years, I'll not only clear my debts but also be able to purchase a Soul Transformation technique and the [Heavenly Life-Transformation of Birth] at a discounted rate from the Alliance!"

"Once I reach the Soul Transformation stage, my standing in the world will be completely transformed!"

"At the very least, I could return to the Congyun Sea and be guaranteed a position as a guest elder. After all, that entire region only has two Soul Transformation cultivators overseeing it."

Zhao Xian’s gaze grew intense as he fantasized about his glittering future.

He lost track of time until the sudden notification of a high-value sale snapped him back to reality.

The item sold was a seemingly standard white jade statue. It was a simple ornament with no practical utility. If there was anything remarkable about it, it was the likeness of the woman it depicted.

She was a beauty of another world, carved with such detail that she seemed almost alive.

Because the price tag was set at an absurd two hundred thousand contribution points, the statue had collected dust on the shelf for over two years.

Yet today, someone had finally bought it. This was significant because the statue was a key part of the mission given to him by the Emissary!

Fighting back his nerves, Zhao Xian hurried toward the customer: "Fellow Daoist, please wait!"

A figure clad in a black Daoist robe, his features cast in shadow, paused briefly.

Ignoring Zhao Xian entirely, the man turned and walked away without a second glance.

Zhao Xian didn't try to follow him.

Instead, a knowing smile touched his lips as he retreated to the subterranean secret chamber.

He knelt once more before the Faceless Stone Statue.

“Lord Emissary, the white jade statue has been purchased.”

Despite having reported to the Lord Emissary many times before, Zhao Xian still felt a crushing tension. He held his breath and cleared his mind, terrified of letting a single disrespectful thought slip through.

He waited in silence after delivering his message.

Eventually, a frigid voice resonated within his consciousness.

“I am aware.”

Following that brief acknowledgment, the silence returned.

However, Zhao Xian felt a divine aura wash over him briefly before it faded away.

In that instant, his cultivation level spiked unexpectedly.

Beaming with joy, Zhao Xian kowtowed repeatedly against the floor.

“With the grace bestowed by the Lord Emissary, even with my mediocre talent, I might actually reach Soul Transformation within a century.”

“Those arrogant 'geniuses' who look down on others won't be able to hold a candle to me.”

Filled with newfound pride, Zhao Xian resolved to work even harder for the Federation of All Worlds.

...

Spiritwood Realm.

Li Fan had already tracked the location of the man who bought the jade carving.

“So it's him; he managed to survive after all.”

The buyer's disguise was useless against Li Fan’s perception. By checking against his mental records, Li Fan quickly identified the man.

It was Jia Yiyuan, a former receptionist at the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

He had been on duty during the time the strange anomalies struck the headquarters.

In the aftermath of that event, Jia Yiyuan’s entire lineage had been wiped out. Over three hundred family members at the Golden Core stage and above were executed without exception.

Jia Yiyuan himself had simply vanished.

It was a surprise to see him resurface now in Nine Mountains Prefecture.

After a moment of thought, Li Fan realized why the man had purchased that specific statue.

Li Fan had carved the white jade statue himself, and it truly possessed no hidden power.

However, the image carved into the stone was not random; it depicted a vital figure Li Fan had been investigating in secret for years.

Following the chaos at the Alliance headquarters, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance had initiated a violent internal cleansing.

Multitudes of cultivators were hunted down, and many innocents were caught in the purge.

But where there is slaughter, there are those who fight back.

A few powerful individuals within the Alliance had refused to watch the massacre, choosing instead to protect the innocent.

Using their immense strength, they managed to save many lives despite being hunted by the Alliance's elite forces.

The woman depicted in the white jade statue was one of these "saviors."

She had appeared out of nowhere, her past a complete mystery to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

Yet she seemed to know the Alliance's every move, predicting top-secret commands before they were even carried out.

She was always there to rescue victims just before the executioners arrived.

The Alliance was enraged and put a massive price on her head, but they never caught her.

They hadn't even been able to confirm what she looked like.

Li Fan only knew her appearance because he had performed a soul-search on a cultivator she had once rescued.

Regrettably, that survivor knew almost nothing about her.

The only thing Li Fan had recovered from that mind was a single image of a face possessing incomparable beauty.