I run a casino in the immortal realm.

At the end of the official road appeared a huge city.

A towering, ten-zhang-high (approximately 33 meters) bluestone city wall stretched across the plain, its surface covered with intricate array patterns, faintly shimmering with spiritual light. The city gate was wide enough to allow four beast-drawn carriages to pass side by side.

This is Sujiafang Market.

It was more than ten times larger than Heishan Market, and its structure was that of a county town in the mortal world.

A long queue formed at the city gate, with two rows of cultivators dressed in uniform black outfits standing guard on both sides, responsible for inspection and collection.

Zheng Yifei stood in the line, his gaze sweeping over the guards.

They were all at the fifth level of Qi Refining. In Black Mountain Market, the fifth level of Qi Refining was enough to be a minor leader, but here they could only guard the gate.

"Entry fee: one low-grade spirit stone per person. Three spirit stones for the beast-drawn carriage."

The guard announced the price without any expression.

The few rogue cultivators at the front of the line looked pained and reluctantly took out their spirit stones.

It was Zhao Wenyuan and his sister's turn. Zhao Wenyuan gritted his teeth, paid two spirit stones, and received two wooden passes.

Zheng Yifei stepped forward and handed over a spirit stone. The guard tossed him a wooden plaque and waved him through.

As you pass through the city gate, a cacophony of noise hits you.

The street was five zhang wide, paved with smooth bluestone slabs. Shops lined both sides, their signs gleaming.

They sell everything from daily necessities and elixirs to magical artifacts and array plates.

Most of the cultivators walking on the street were at least in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, and occasionally one could sense the aura of a few late-stage Qi Refining cultivators passing by.

"Brother Zheng."

Zhao Wenyuan turned around and pointed to the street to the west: "My second uncle's restaurant is on Chang Le Street, called Zhao's Restaurant. After you settle in, be sure to come and have tea with me."

"it is good."

Zheng Yifei nodded.

Zhao Ling'er followed behind her brother, waved to Zheng Yifei, and the two quickly disappeared into the crowd.

The Zhenwei Escort Agency's trucks were to go directly to the handover point. Chief Escort Zhou dismissed the other escorts and independent cultivators, and walked alone to Zheng Yifei.

"Brother Zheng, do you have a place to stay?"

"Haven't looked yet."

"Come on, let me take you for a drink, and I'll tell you about the rules of Suzhou while I'm at it."

Chief镖周 patted Zheng Yifei on the shoulder and strode ahead.

Zheng Yifei followed; he did indeed need a guide in Sujiafang City.

The two arrived at a tavern called "Drunken Immortal Pavilion".

The three-story wooden building had upturned eaves and corners, and the door was guarded by servants who all had the cultivation level of the second stage of Qi Refining.

I went up to the second floor and found a seat by the window.

Zhou, the镖头 (bodyguard), familiar with the place, ordered a pot of green bamboo wine, four catties of red-armored pork, and a dish of spirit beans.

The servant brought out wine and dishes. The aroma of the wine filled the air, and the atmosphere was vibrant.

Chief Escort Zhou poured Zheng Yifei a cup of wine: "A pot of Green Bamboo Brew costs one spirit stone, and a pound of Red Armor Pork costs one spirit stone. The prices here are unimaginable to people in Black Mountain Market."

Zheng Yifei picked up his wine glass and took a sip. The wine went down his throat and transformed into a warm spiritual energy that spread throughout his body.

"Brother Zhou."

Zheng Yifei put down his wine glass and got straight to the point: "With your Qi Refining Level 9 cultivation, you're a top expert in Black Mountain Market. Why don't you build your own market instead of working for someone else as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort)?"

Zhou Biaotou picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it.

He looked at Zheng Yifei, smiled, and there was a hint of helplessness in his smile.

"Build a market town? You think a market town can be built by simply erecting a thatched hut?"

Chief镖周 held up two fingers and tapped them on the table.

"First, spiritual veins. In the cultivation world, there is no water without roots. Wherever a market can be built, there must be a spiritual vein underground."

Even though Black Mountain Market is so dilapidated, there is still a first-grade low-level spiritual vein underground. Otherwise, how could the spiritual rice grow?

The Su family's place is a first-grade, high-quality spiritual vein.

"Secondly, a powerful backer."

Zhou Biao Tou retracted one finger: "Once you have a spiritual vein, you have to be able to protect it. What gives those three families in Black Mountain Market, the Zhao family, the Wang family, and the Liu family, the right to monopolize that low-grade spiritual vein?"

"Because these three families have direct descendants who have joined the Qingyun Sect and become inner disciples, this status serves as a deterrent to the surrounding rogue cultivators who dare not attempt to rob them."

Zheng Yifei listened quietly. This information was completely absent from the original owner's memories; lower-level spiritual farmers had no access to it.

"What about the Su family?"

Zheng Yifei asked.

"The Su family?"

Zhou, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), lowered his voice: "The Su family has five Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, and the Grand Elder is even in the late Foundation Establishment stage. The Su family not only controls this first-grade high-quality spiritual vein, but also governs a territory within a hundred miles."

Places like Heishan Market are nominally vassals of the Su family, and they have to pay tribute to the Su family every year.

Five foundations were built, covering an area of ​​a hundred miles.

Zheng Yifei mentally constructed a map of power, with Heishanfang Market being equivalent to a village or town, and Sujiafang Market being equivalent to a county town.

"What about the Su family?"

"Qingyun Sect".

A hint of awe flashed in Zhou Biaotou's eyes: "A true Golden Core sect. They have a Golden Core ancestor presiding over the sect, ruling over a territory of two thousand miles. The Su family also has to pay tribute to the Qingyun Sect every year."

As for the Qingyun Sect and beyond... those are Nascent Soul giants from the Southern Wilderness Region, too far removed from us to even mention.

Zheng Yifei picked up the wine pot and filled Zhou Biaotou's cup.

"Brother Zhou, you're only one step away from Foundation Establishment at the ninth level of Qi Refining. You've been a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) for so many years, haven't you ever thought about taking a gamble?"

Chief镖周's hand, which was holding a wine glass, paused.

He stared at the wine in the glass and remained silent for a full ten breaths.

"Just one step away?"

Chief Escort Zhou downed his cup of wine in one gulp: "Brother Zheng, Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment are not just one step apart, they are insurmountable barriers."

He put down his wine glass, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse.

"During the Qi Refining stage, whether you're at the first or ninth level, frankly speaking, you're just doing menial tasks."

Spiritual energy can only circulate within the body, and spells can only be cast a few dozen feet. True cultivation begins with the Foundation Establishment stage.

Upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, spiritual energy liquefies, and divine sense is released outward, allowing one to use divine sense to control magical artifacts to fly and kill people from a hundred feet away.

"Only those who can use storage bags to carry things and whose lifespan can be extended to three hundred years—that's what makes someone an immortal."

Chief镖周 pointed to his own nose.

"I've been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining for six years. I have dual metal and wood spiritual roots, but without resources, I can't break through that barrier on my own. If I want to establish my foundation, there's only one way: take Foundation Establishment Pills."

Zheng Yifei looked at him: "Are Foundation Establishment Pills very expensive?"

"expensive?"

Chief镖师 Zhou sneered, "The Wanbao Pavilion in Su Family Market sells Foundation Establishment Pills. Guess how much they cost?"

Zheng Yifei remained silent.

"Fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones."

Chief镖周 (Zhou the镖头) uttered the number slowly and deliberately.

The restaurant was noisy, but Zheng Yifei's table was quiet.

Fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones.

A low-level spirit farmer in Heishan Market can only save less than ten spirit stones a year from farming.

Even if we don't eat or drink, we will still cultivate the land for five thousand years.

Even a master like Zhou, who is at the ninth level of Qi Refining, can earn a few dozen spirit stones by risking his life on a single escort mission.

He could never save up 50,000 yuan in his lifetime.

"For a low-level cultivator to want to buy Foundation Establishment Pills is just a pipe dream."

Zhou Biaotou grabbed his chopsticks and stabbed a spirit bean hard: "All those resources are controlled by families and sects. In this cultivation world, the social hierarchy has long been fixed. Rogue cultivators are born as worthless grass and die as worthless grass."

After Zhou Biaotou finished speaking, he seemed to have released his pent-up frustration and poured himself another glass of wine.

Zheng Yifei leaned back in his chair, his expression calm, not even raising an eyebrow.

He finally saw the whole picture of this world.

With social stratification, it's incredibly difficult for even the most unaffiliated cultivators at the bottom to achieve Foundation Establishment and ascend to the heavens.

Fifty thousand spirit stones.

This is a number that could drive any independent cultivator to despair, completely blocking any path to advancement.

But Zheng Yifei was thinking about a completely different logic.

In his previous life, he managed a gambling operation involving hundreds of millions of dollars.

The plate containing 50,000 spirit stones did not bring him despair; instead, it filled him with a long-lost excitement.

The madness of a gambler began to resurface in his blood.

"Brother."

Zheng Yifei raised his wine glass and clinked it against Zhou the镖头's (bodyguard's) glass: "Thank you for your guidance."

The meal lasted an hour. After Zhou, the head镖师 (bodyguard), paid the bill, the two said goodbye at the entrance of the restaurant.

When Chief Escort Zhou had to return to the escort agency's post to report, Zheng Yifei gave him ten spirit stones to take back to his parents, and the two parted ways.