Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 7 Marketplace

The Li family was no longer under the thumb of the Beast Taming Sect, meaning they were no longer obligated to sell off raw materials for a pittance.

A thoughtful silence filled the room after Li Zhirui shared his suggestion. The prospect was undeniably alluring; the chance to increase their harvest of Spirit Stones and accelerate the clan's growth was something no one could easily dismiss.

Still, several hurdles remained, the most pressing being the Li family’s total lack of Spirit Food recipes.

Just as an Alchemist requires Pill Recipes, an Artificer needs blueprints, or a master of Formations relies on Array Patterns, Spirit Food cannot be prepared through simple mortal cooking methods; it necessitates a specialized cookbook.

Securing these recipes was merely the opening move. Much like the training of Alchemists, a Spirit Chef must undergo grueling practice to successfully produce a dish of adequate quality.

This path would undoubtedly drain a mountain of Spirit Stones. While a successful venture would eventually return the investment, the risk remained that no one in the clan possessed the necessary aptitude for the craft.

How would they obtain these recipes? Unlike Bailang County, where the Beast Taming Sect maintained a strict monopoly, Yunping State was more open. The Li family could purchase Spiritual Cookbooks at a marketplace and then select clan members to focus their Cultivation on becoming Spirit Chefs as quickly as possible.

Despite having a history spanning over three centuries, the Li family’s foundation in Cultivation Skills was unremarkable. They held second-tier inheritances in Beast Taming, Formations, and Spirit Plant cultivation, while their knowledge of Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Talisman making was limited to the first tier.

When it came to niche professions like Spirit Chef or Puppet Master, they possessed no inheritance at all.

Consequently, many senior members felt hesitant, fearing they would pour Spirit Stones into a void without ever seeing a return.

"What are your thoughts on this proposal?" Li Shiqing’s inquiry ignited a spirited debate. Meanwhile, Li Zhirui, the one who had brought the idea forward, remained quietly in the background.

Li Shiqing watched the discussion unfold without interference until the supporters began to outweigh the skeptics. At that moment, he signaled for silence by tapping the armrest of his chair.

"Since most of you are in favor, we shall proceed with a trial."

Beyond being the Clan Leader, Li Shiqing was the family’s most powerful Cultivator and the savior of the clan. His word carried such weight that the opposition fell silent immediately.

"Shiren and Zhirui will be tasked with buying the Spiritual Cookbook from the market," Li Shiqing announced, offering Li Zhirui a smile. "You shall take the lead on this project."

Li Zhirui looked up, visibly stunned. He hadn't anticipated that Li Shiqing would grant him such authority, effectively making Li Shiren—a Foundation Establishment cultivator—his assistant for the task.

The rest of the assembly shared his shock, yet none dared challenge the Clan Leader's decree, leaving a strange tension hanging in the air.

"Zhirui will not let the family down!" Realizing there was no turning back, Li Zhirui accepted the responsibility with firm resolve.

The meeting concluded shortly after, as the remaining topics were of little consequence.

Once the hall emptied, Li Zhirui approached his elder. "Uncle Ren, shall we depart for the marketplace tomorrow?"

"That works for me," Li Shiren replied with a nod.

He harbored no resentment about playing a secondary role to a junior. On the contrary, he felt a sense of pride.

Li Zhirui had been his student for years.

Seeing his nephew rise in prominence and earn Li Shiqing’s trust made the uncle feel honored to have played a part in his growth.

...

Back at his newly constructed residence, Li Zhirui’s first priority was checking on the Cloud Fish. Though they still seemed sluggish, they showed improvement since the previous day, which brought him a sense of relief.

To guarantee their survival, he had situated his courtyard in a shaded area of the mountain, away from the main clan hub. He had even requested Li Shiren’s help to install a Cloud Mist Formation for them.

"The Jade Slip notes that Cloud Fish take a year to reach maturity, and each spawn results in fewer than ten fry. It will likely take two years of breeding before we can even think of eating them..."

Though his mouth watered at the thought of the legendary delicacy, Li Zhirui maintained his discipline. He forced himself to look away and retired to his meditation room to begin his daily Cultivation.

——

The following morning, Li Shiren arrived at the meeting point just as Li Zhirui did.

"Time to go," Li Shiren said briefly. He summoned his Spirit Beast, the Jade Beak Eagle, and the two set off toward the Yunqing Marketplace.

The eagle was a second-tier Spirit Beast at the Foundation Establishment Stage and was the only one Li Shiren possessed.

According to the Wanling Sutra, a cultivator can form a contract with a new Spirit Beast at every major breakthrough, providing significant advantages.

However, few actually did so because the cost of spiritual resources was immense. If a cultivator struggled to provide for themselves, they could hardly afford to sustain multiple Spirit Beasts.

In the Li family’s three-hundred-year history, Li Zhirui knew of only a few ancestors who had ever managed to raise a second Spirit Beast after reaching Foundation Establishment.

The Jade Beak Eagle was incredibly swift, crossing the two hundred li distance in a mere fifteen minutes.

"You did well," Li Shiren said, patting his beast and rewarding it with a piece of Spirit Fish jerky before returning it to its Spirit Beast Bag.

Li Zhirui stood at the entrance, observing the constant flow of cultivators. The sheer scale of the market surpassed anything he had imagined.

To be honest, Li Zhirui’s experience was limited; none of the markets run by the Beast Taming Sect could rival the vibrant energy of the Yunqing Marketplace.

"Uncle Ren, look at the crowds! If we actually open a tavern, the Spirit Stones will come pouring in!" Li Zhirui remarked with excitement.

Li Shiren chuckled. "We don't have a single recipe or a trained Spirit Chef yet, and you're already planning the grand opening of a tavern."

As they strolled through the gates, they were greeted by a long row of shops. The signs made it easy to identify their wares.

Eventually, they stepped into a shop called "Xuanfa Pavilion," which specialized in cultivation techniques and various mystical arts.

A clerk in long robes approached them with a professional smile. "Welcome. How may I assist you today?"

"Do you carry any Spiritual Cookbooks?" Li Shiren inquired.

The clerk blinked, surprised by the unusual request. However, he quickly regained his composure. "Indeed. Xuanfa Pavilion currently stocks twenty-seven cookbooks of the first tier and eight of the second tier."

Anything of a higher tier was a rarity beyond this shop's reach, and far beyond the Li family’s current needs anyway.

"We would like to examine the first-tier collection," Li Shiren stated.

"Right this way, please," the clerk replied, gesturing for them to follow.

He ushered them into a private room and served them tea before departing to gather the catalogs and descriptions of the Spiritual Cookbooks.

He returned shortly with a Jade Slip in hand. "The information you requested is all contained here, esteemed customers."