I run a casino in the immortal realm.

half a month later.

Qingyun Sect, Yingxian Lake.

The horizon was completely obscured by a dense array of flying boats and swords.

Multicolored streaks of light fell like a meteor shower towards the huge mooring area on the lakeside.

Mirage opens today.

The Southern Wilderness was in complete uproar.

Almost all the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators from the hundreds of sects under the Xuantian Sect with any assets came out in droves.

Countless disciples from cultivation families, especially those in the Qi Refining stage, flocked to join the excitement.

As for the lowest-level independent cultivators, they don't come very often.

Yingxian Lake is located in the heart of the Qingyun Sect, too far from the outlying markets. The low-level rogue cultivators cannot use flying boats or swords, nor can they afford the high fees for riding them. They can only satisfy their craving by reading the Qingyun Daily in the local tavern.

But this does not diminish the popularity of Yingxian Lake in the slightest.

"Queue up! One low-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for an entry jade token!"

Zhang Biao led 500 uniformed security guards to set up a cordon around Baiyu Square.

The crowd surged in like a tidal wave.

In less than two hours, the number of tickets collected, which were just one spirit stone each, had already exceeded one hundred thousand!

Above Yingxian Lake, deep in the clouds.

A jet-black warship floated silently.

"Master, there are too many people, and they're a mixed bag."

Hu Jingpeng stood at the edge of the deck, looking down at the sea of ​​people below, his eyes filled with envy: "The Xu family has made over ten thousand yuan just from collecting admission fees today! These peasants are insane!"

Zeng Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes cold: "Let them take it. After the opening ceremony, I will go down personally. If that little bastard Zheng Yifei dares to show his face, arrest him immediately! I want to see if Xu Zhengkun dares to stop the Enforcement Hall's blade!"

"Thump—"

A melodious chime emanated from the main building of the mirage, drowning out the noise in the square.

On the white jade platform, Zheng Yifei, with the aloof and arrogant face of "Xu Zhengyun," slowly walked out.

He wore a dark gold brocade robe, and his spiritual pressure, typical of someone in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, was released without any concealment.

Behind him, Xu Zhengkun, dressed in a blue sect leader's robe, strode forward.

Following closely behind were ten Golden Core stage elders from the Qingyun Sect.

Eleven golden pills of pressure shot into the sky, instantly silencing the once noisy square.

"Gentlemen."

Zheng Yifei's gaze swept across the entire room, his voice, imbued with spiritual energy, clear and distinct: "I am Xu Zhengyun, the general manager of Mirage. Today..."

"Wait!"

In the clouds, Zeng Feng sneered, just about to urge the warship to land and forcibly interrupt the commencement ceremony.

Suddenly, an extremely terrifying pressure surged in from the horizon.

This oppressive force lacked any of the gentleness typical of those at the Golden Core stage; instead, it was like a tangible Mount Tai pressing down, instantly enveloping the entire Yingxian Lake!

"Nascent Soul stage?!"

Zeng Feng's expression changed drastically, and the foot he had taken a step on froze in place.

In the sky, a giant flying sword, hundreds of feet long, pierced through the air and arrived.

At the tip of the sword, an old man with a white beard, dressed in the robes of an inner sect elder of the Xuantian Sect, stood with his hands behind his back, with Xu Zhenghai standing beside him, his face full of arrogance.

"Old Madman Wan? What's he doing here!"

Zeng Feng gasped, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

Wan Tianxiang, a fifth-order array master and a Nascent Soul elder of the Xuantian Sect, is known for his protectiveness and volatile temper. Although his strength is not as great as the Grand Elder, he is still not someone that a Golden Core steward like Wan Tianxiang can afford to offend.

The giant sword hovered above the high platform.

Wan Tianxiang glanced at the black warship deep in the clouds and snorted coldly.

This cold snort exploded in Zeng Feng and Hu Jingpeng's ears like a thunderclap, making their blood surge and almost causing them to fall headlong off the warship.

"I'm accompanying my disciple back to his hometown today. Anyone who dares to cause trouble here, I'll chop them down!"

Wan Tianxiang's voice, like a resounding bell, echoed throughout the surrounding fields.

The warships in the clouds kept their presence tightly concealed, not daring to utter a single sound.

On the high platform, Xu Zhengkun smiled.

He made the right move. With Wan Tianxiang as a powerful figure to keep things under control, Qin Cang would have to think twice before resorting to violence.

"The auspicious time has arrived!"

Without wasting words, Zheng Yifei turned around and, together with Xu Zhengkun, grasped the mallet and slammed it heavily against the giant bronze bell behind them.

"Thump—!"

The bells tolled, and the ten-zhang-tall glazed gate of the mirage suddenly swung open.

"Welcome!"

Three thousand maids and stewards shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

One hundred thousand cultivators poured into the gate like a floodgate opened.

Everyone was stunned as soon as they stepped into the main building lobby.

Beneath your feet lies transparent deep-sea glass, where fish swim underwater; above your head hang dazzling crystal chandeliers; and the walls around you are inlaid with fist-sized luminous pearls.

But what drove them wildest was the intense spiritual energy in the air, so dense it almost condensed into water droplets.

"A top-grade third-tier spiritual vein! It truly possesses the spiritual energy of a top-grade third-tier spiritual vein!"

A rogue cultivator who had been stuck in the early stages of Foundation Establishment for many years was so excited that he trembled all over.

He turned his head sharply and stared at a smiling maid carrying a tray beside him: "Miss, is what you're saying in the newspaper true?"

I've paid a spirit stone to come in. As long as I don't leave, I can stay as long as I want.

The surrounding monks all pricked up their ears.

This is their biggest concern.

The maid maintained a perfect eight-tooth smile and bowed slightly: "Replying to the guest, it is absolutely true. The Mirage has no rule about inviting guests. As long as you do not leave this door, whether you wish to cultivate here for ten or a hundred years, we will not interfere and will not charge any extra fees."

"hiss--"

A collective gasp filled the hall.

"The Xu family has gone mad!"

"This isn't doing business, this is doing charity!"

"Quick! Find a corner and sit cross-legged. Don't waste your spiritual energy! Even if I die here today, I won't step out the door!"

Countless low-level cultivators and impoverished rogue cultivators were overjoyed and danced wildly, sitting cross-legged in the corners of the hall, the corridors, and even under the pillars, afraid that they would miss out if they were even a second late.

The main building's top floor houses the chief manager's study.

Zheng Yifei stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the densely packed meditating cultivators in the hall below, a mocking smile curving his lips.

"Bang!"

The study door was pushed open roughly.

Xu Muyao stormed in, followed by Su Wanqing, who remained calm but whose gaze swept across the room like a hawk.

"Xu Zhengyun!"

Xu Muyao rushed to Zheng Yifei and pointed at the rogue cultivators below: "Are you out of your mind? Look down there! Tens of thousands of people are trying to get spiritual energy from there! Do you run a gambling den or a charity?"

"You think you can recoup your investment of 1.2 billion with just one spirit stone's worth of admission ticket?!"

Zheng Yifei turned around and glanced at Xu Muyao indifferently.

Xu Muyao was stunned for a moment by that face and that arrogant expression.

In her memory, her cousin was a quiet, unyielding man who wouldn't utter a word even after being hit with a stick. When did he develop such a condescending aura?

"Cousin, please sit down."

Zheng Yifei walked to the tea table and poured three cups of spiritual tea: "When doing business, you need to have a long-term vision."

Su Wanqing walked to the tea table and sat down, picking up her teacup, but her gaze was fixed on Zheng Yifei's eyes: "Junior Brother Xu's business skills have really opened my eyes, but this kind of loss-making business is something my Su family has never seen in all these years of doing business."

Zheng Yifei picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, without a trace of emotion, "Losing money? You think they're getting something for free?"