📖 Chapter 1027 - Interstellar Market!

17 Jul, 2023

With Wang Baole’s assent, Xie Haiyang’s smile became even wider. Indeed, it was just as Wang Baole thought; this interstellar market had happened upon them not by coincidence but due to Xie Haiyang’s prior arrangements.

Given Xie Haiyang’s status in the Xie Family, it was impossible for him to mobilize an interstellar market. After all, ferrying people through the interstellar market was one of the Xie Family’s main businesses. Thus, powerhouses from the Xie Family were stationed in each interstellar market all year round, and they only listened to the orders of the Xie Family’s patriarch.

However… with Xie Haiyang’s father’s influence, although he couldn’t forcibly change the interstellar market’s route, it was still possible to make it stop for a few days in a certain spot along its predetermined path.

After all, the Xie Family’s interstellar markets had never been known for precise punctuality. Interstellar travel involved long spans of time as well as vast distances, so it was common for unforeseen issues to crop up and cause a delay. Thus, after Xie Haiyang paid a certain price, this interstellar market that was going to Planet Heaven’s Mandate appeared in front of Wang Baole’s fleet.

Naturally, this arrangement was all for the sake of letting Xie Haiyang show some value. He was extremely clear that his greatest advantage was his identity as a member of the Xie Family, which controlled endless resources.

Xie Haiyang himself held a certain degree of ownership over these resources. Aside from using them normally, he could trade them in to the family and raise his status. He could also sign contracts within the range of his authority, and even use his own long-term shares of the family’s resources as collateral.

If the collateral wasn’t enough, he could still use his father’s shares, and he could even make deals on credit, taking on debt. There were too many ways for him to go beyond his own means. In fact, after the Xie Family had grown to its current extent, such things were inevitable. As its businesses grew bigger and bigger, it was only natural for financial loopholes to appear.

It wasn’t that the Xie Family didn’t want to close such loopholes, but rather that they couldn’t. Once they did, the entire Xie Family would collapse. If they left the loopholes around, even if that caused wealth to drain out like rivers, they could still last as long as the incoming revenue was like an ocean.

As a member of the Xie Family, Xie Haiyang was naturally aware of these loopholes. In the past, he wouldn’t have dared to touch them. However, his father was in danger, and the family wasn’t providing much help. In fact, many people held attitudes of watching the fun from the sidelines, causing Xie Haiyang’s heart to be full of dissatisfaction. Moreover, he was intent on pleasing Wang Baole and improving his status in the Raging Flame Galaxy, so he didn’t hesitate to go all out.

‘Isn’t it just spending resources? Even if I don’t have anything else, I have lots of money!’ Bright light flashed in Xie Haiyang’s eyes as the interstellar market neared. No matter how much it cost, as long as he could establish a good relationship with the Raging Flame Galaxy and Chen Qingzi, everything would be worth it.

With such thoughts in mind, he naturally couldn’t let Wang Baole feel any discomfort after they entered the interstellar market.

In the market formed by more than a dozen planet-sized ships, half was filled with various shops, while the other half was filled with the cultivators who had bought tickets. As a result, the market was extremely lively and bustling, like a tiny civilization all on its own.

At the same time, aside from a few first-rate forces, most cultivators attending Reverend Heaven-Learned’s birthday celebration were traveling on interstellar markets just like this one. Thus, the interstellar markets heading for Planet Heaven’s Mandate at this time had a special giant ship that sold various rare items which could be bought as birthday gifts.

The countless cultivators here came from a myriad of different backgrounds. Aside from the humanoid cultivators, there were beast cultivators and even plant cultivators. For example, as soon as he stepped onto a ship, Wang Baole saw a bunch of sunflowers passing by… At the same time, he saw some people whose bodies seemed to be made up of natural laws. For example, there was a stoneman and a man made of fire. Moreover, he even saw someone who had a human’s body but a fish’s head.

There were many people who had wings on their backs, or multiple heads and multiple arms. There were also some strange people who were dressed in black robes. Looking carefully, it could be seen that there was nothing underneath their robes, but when they floated past, they gave off fluctuations that caused Wang Baole’s heart to pound.

“Those were cultivators from Planet Death Apostle. It’s not that they don’t have bodies, but because our levels are too low, we just can’t see them. Only once your cultivation base reached the Eternal Star Realm will you be able to see their true appearance.

“Oh, those are cultivators from Planet Serotti. Planet Serotti is home to a sea that is said to hold the power to corrode anything and everything. Cultivators born in that sea have a natural affinity for the law of water. None of them are weak!” As Wang Baole glanced around, Xie Haiyang hurriedly introduced the various races with a low voice.

“As for those with multiple heads and multiple arms, most of them are somewhat related to the Never-Ending Clan. As you know, the Never-Ending Clan is the overlord of the Never-Ending Dao Domain. They have so many clan members, so after mixing and multiplying with outsiders over the years, these strange-looking descendants appeared…”

As he listened to Xie Haiyang’s words, Wang Baole felt that his eyes had been opened. After leaving the Federation and stepping into the wider starry sky, he had seen many strange things. But even still, he felt that his horizons had really been broadened after entering the Xie Family’s interstellar market.

Soon, Wang Baole stopped gawking at the diversity of the interstellar market. With Xie Haiyang and the eight Eternal Star Realm Dao Protectors following behind him, he strolled around the market for a while before finally entering a shop.

This was a shop specializing in the sale of medicinal pills. There were two floors, and their selection of medicinal pills was extremely comprehensive. Whether for someone in the Eternal Star Realm or in Qi Condensation, there were all sorts of pills, and there were even some precious items that were almost impossible to find in the outside world. Moreover, in the center of the first floor, there was an enormous pill furnace giving off wisps of green smoke.

This smoke was capable of stimulating the immortal qi in a person’s body. If a person inhaled the smoke for a long period of time, it would be extremely beneficial for their cultivation. Incense sticks that produced such smoke were extremely expensive, but here it was being provided for free. It could be seen from this that this shop had a deep background, and it was also one of the reasons there were so many customers milling about. Transactions were completed with almost every passing moment.

Both the customers and the shop assistants inside looked quite busy.

However, when Wang Baole entered this clearly extraordinary shop, Xie Haiyang coughed lightly, and an old man rushed out from inside. This old man’s cultivation base was at the Eternal Star Realm, and when he saw Xie Haiyang, he flashed a slight smile. Xie Haiyang stepped forward and bowed toward the old man.

“Greetings, Old Yao.”

The old man nodded in response and looked at Wang Baole, who smiled and saluted the old man with cupped hands. After returning the salute, the old man seemed to unintentionally glance at the eight Eternal Star Realm cultivators behind Wang Baole. A bright smile appeared on his face, and he turned around, speaking to the rest of the shop in a clear voice.

“Fellow Daoist, please exit the premises. Our shop will be closed for the next hour in order to receive this honored guest!”

The moment his words rang out, all the cultivators in the shop turned to look at Wang Baole with changing expressions. At the same time, the shop assistants executed the old man’s orders and politely escorted everyone out.

Although some cultivators were displeased, there was nothing they could do. Soon, aside from Wang Baole and his party, there were no customers remaining in the shop. As the door swung shut, Wang Baole felt shaken.

In fact, this was his first time receiving such treatment. It made him feel extremely satisfied deep in his heart. But he showed no such expression on the surface; instead, he frowned slightly and shot Xie Haiyang a profound look.

“Yang’er, what’s all this about?”

“Honorable Sixteenth Sect Uncle, Yang’er was worried that you would be disturbed by other people. That’s why I went ahead and made this arrangement without permission. Sect Uncle, please punish me!” Regardless of his true thoughts, Xie Haiyang’s expression was undeniably sincere.

“You… don’t let it happen again.” Wang Baole shook his head and sighed lightly. Then, he turned to the shopkeeper, Old Yao.

“Many thanks, Senior Yao.”

Originally, Old Yao had only given such special treatment due to Xie Haiyang. Now, seeing that Wang Baole was so polite despite obviously having an extraordinary status, Old Yao felt very happy. Thus, after nodding in response, he summoned two female disciples, both of whom had excellent figures and faces, and instructed them to accompany Wang Baole to look at the shop’s wares.

These two female disciples were extremely curious about Wang Baole. After all, he had Young Master Xie Haiyang next to him, and his appearance caused the shop to close down and service him exclusively. All of this showed that Wang Baole’s identity wasn’t simple.

Thus, they smiled sweetly and spoke in gentle tones, orchid-like breath escaping their mouths as they introduced the different medicinal pills. Soon, they discovered that Wang Baole didn’t even need to speak at all; as soon as he gave a pill a few more glances, Xie Haiyang would immediately pick it up and put it in a storage pouch.