Chapter 13: What Defines a Major Event?

The Demon-Trapping Star trading market is located on the Blood-Stained Plain, a vast expanse that glows with a somber, dark red hue. Legend has it that the final decisive battle of the great war between immortals and demons took place here, raging for three full months. Countless beings from both sides perished; the earth of the plain could not fully absorb such a deluge of blood, and thus a sea of gore was formed. Even after eighty million years, the crimson stain has yet to fade.

Zhang Sanfeng, Guan Zhiheng, and Guan Xiaoyun entered the market. In truth, the trading hub is simply a massive formation. Three million years ago, as "Immortal Cliffs" began to surface sporadically in the area, a loose trading post gradually took shape. Recognizing the business potential, several prominent merchant magnates of the Immortal Realm collaborated with hundreds of smaller firms to form a joint chamber of commerce. They built a formal market and commissioned Jiang Yin—a legendary master of arrays at the time, and now the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Mystery Sect—to lay down the protective formations.

The market is divided into five zones. The North, South, East, and West districts are dedicated to: Immortal Artifacts (weapons, armor, helmets, and other standard gear); Immortal Medicines (staples such as Bone-Strengthening Pills, Essence-Cultivating Pills, and Soul-Condensing Pills); Raw Materials; and the Miscellaneous District. The latter is split into two sections: one for array components like bases, flags, and discs, and another for peculiar, rare, or unidentified items. In the center lies a circular venue serving as a simple auction house. Markets of this kind are common in the Immortal Realm, found on many prosperous planets. For instance, the Guan family’s own Guan Yue Star boasts such a facility, and it is far more luxurious than this one.

"Not bad. Although this place is somewhat remote and the venue isn't as grand as the one on Guan Yue Star, the foot traffic is quite impressive," Zhang Sanfeng remarked to Guan Zhiheng and Guan Xiaoyun as they strolled through the Miscellaneous District.

"That is only to be expected, Master. This place offers Immortal Cliffs. If one could procure a piece the size of a thumb, I could upgrade my Silver-Light Sword to the next grade. Everyone covets such treasures," Guan Zhiheng replied.

"If you were to trade the ring you are wearing, would it be enough to secure the Immortal Cliff you desire?" Zhang Sanfeng asked.

"That might not be quite enough. If I used two, I think it would be fine! But Master, I only have this one ring left, and I am reluctant to part with it. Besides, you gave it to me, so I certainly cannot trade it away," Guan Zhiheng said, sounding pained at the thought.

"Exactly, Master of the Third Young Master. How could you trade something given to you by your elder?" Guan Xiaoyun chimed in.

"I understand. I did not intend for you to trade your own. I have plenty more of these rings. Although the quality and functionality might be slightly inferior to the ones you have, they are still quite decent," Zhang Sanfeng said nonchalantly. Both Guan Zhiheng and Guan Xiaoyun felt their hearts skip a beat. Just then, a thunderous shout erupted nearby.

"Hmph! I saw this piece of Immortal Cliff first. It belongs to me!" A young nobleman, dressed in the latest fashion of the Immortal Realm with flowing, trendy hair, flicked his folding fan with one hand while keeping the other behind his back. His face was pale and clean-shaven, his eyes wide as he glared at a burly man standing before the stall.

The burly man, with disheveled hair and a dark, bearded face, opened his massive mouth: "Roar! Just because you say it’s yours, it’s yours? Did you pay a deposit? I say it’s mine, so it’s mine!"

"Old Man Sun, the item is yours. Tell us! Who are you selling it to?" the pale-faced nobleman turned to ask the vendor.

"This... this..." In truth, the vendor was filled with regret. With his cultivation only at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm, he had been living in constant fear ever since he obtained this piece of Immortal Cliff. He had accidentally found the thumb-sized shard on an uninhabited planet in the Demon-Trapping star system and had traveled with great caution, hoping to be safe once he reached the market. He had underestimated the allure of the item, which had now attracted two Great Golden Immortals. The gap in cultivation level was massive; this was the first great hurdle of the Immortal Realm. Millions of years of history showed how many immortals had been trapped here, with half of them perishing—or, more accurately, remaining stuck at the Heavenly Immortal stage forever due to insufficient aptitude.

"Speak! Stop stammering and tell us!" the dark-faced man growled at the vendor.

Old Man Sun broke into a cold sweat, his face turning deathly pale. He felt utterly miserable. Although he was safe within the market, the merchant alliance didn't care what happened to him once he stepped outside. He had spent most of his life’s savings on the stall rent, and it was clear these two were now venting their fury on him. What was he to do? Just then, Zhang Sanfeng pushed through the crowd and said to the vendor:

"How about this? Watching the two of you bicker is exhausting. Why not sell it to me? That way, everyone will be satisfied!"

"What?" the pale-faced nobleman and the dark-faced brute shouted in unison.

"Where did this old fellow crawl out from? A mere early-stage Heavenly Immortal daring to snatch items from me? Are you tired of living? Do you believe I can slap you all the way to the Polar Abyss of Demons? Hahahaha..." The dark-faced man saw through Zhang Sanfeng’s cultivation level at a glance and burst into laughter.

"Heh, indeed. You, at the early stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm, shouldn't be stirring up trouble here, or you'll be in for big trouble!" The pale-faced nobleman looked smug. He assumed that because Zhang Sanfeng appeared to be in his forties, he must have mediocre aptitude and had taken a long time to reach the early Heavenly Immortal stage. If he knew that Zhang Sanfeng had ascended less than four years ago, his expression would surely be different.

"Big trouble? What is 'big trouble'? I have decided that this piece of Immortal Cliff is mine," Zhang Sanfeng said calmly.

"Hmph, are you sure you want to compete with me? I don't even need to lift a finger to make your end very ugly," the nobleman's lackeys puffed out their chests at these words.

"Heh, others might fear you, Zhe Sheng, the young master of the Demon-Trapping star system, but I, Kuang Liang, have no such fear. Your Zhe family may have vast assets, but I am not someone to be trifled with either," the dark-faced man retorted dismissively.

"Enough of this useless talk. What do you want? Let's settle this!" Zhang Sanfeng swept his gaze over the two of them.

Guan Zhiheng and Guan Xiaoyun stepped behind Zhang Sanfeng. To the two powerful immortals, their late-stage and early-stage Earth Immortal cultivation levels were nothing.

Just as Kuang Liang was about to speak, someone in the crowd shouted, "Go to the dueling platform! Whoever wins gets to buy it, and the vendor won't be in a bind, right?"

"Heh, the dueling platform it is. If you want to settle this, let’s go there!" Zhe Sheng rolled his eyes and seized the opportunity, intending to openly use his superior cultivation to crush Zhang Sanfeng.

"The dueling platform?" Zhang Sanfeng replied. "Fine! But for the sake of time, you two should come at me together! Let's go, let's get this over with quickly."

"What?" Not only were Zhe Sheng and Kuang Liang stunned, but the entire crowd was left in a daze. Was this man crazy, or was he truly out of his mind?