Lin Xiao had always wanted to improve the lives of the villagers while ensuring they could maintain their familiar environment and lifestyle. This way, those content with their current way of life would have a place to stay, while those eager for advancement could step out and pursue their ambitions.
Xiushui City was vast and could accommodate many people. Naturally, it could also hold a small, peaceful area like Xiushui District.
Although Liu Yunan didn't relay Lin Xiao's thoughts word for word, he made it clear that the setup of Xiushui District wasn't meant to restrict anyone from venturing out. Villagers with aspirations to leave and explore would have the freedom to do so.
Liu Yunan continued to carefully explain all the various changes to the villagers. Not only Xiushui Village but all the villages now under Xiushui City's jurisdiction had Lingxian Sect disciples assigned to explain the new developments.
Thanks to Lingxian Sect's meticulous planning and organization, the establishment of Xiushui City went smoothly. Any initial confusion among the people was quickly addressed, and soon, everyone was settled.
Next, the management team for the city, which Lingxian Sect had planned in advance, would take over.
Disciples who had been sent to the various villages to reassure the residents returned to the City Lord's Mansion, where Lin Yun was waiting for them. Village Chief Du of Xiushui Village, along with ten young men he had selected, also awaited them in the mansion's meeting hall.
After Lin Yun was assigned the responsibility of managing Xiushui City by Lin Xiao, he immediately contacted Village Chief Du to select suitable candidates for city management.
Additionally, Lin Yun recruited ten disciples from Lingxian Sect's General Affairs Hall to assist in managing Xiushui City. These disciples were the ones who had returned today after visiting the villages.
Moving forward, the ten disciples would handle all matters related to cultivators in Xiushui City. Based on their performance within the sect, Lin Yun had already appointed two of them as supervisors—Yuan Jinsheng and Xuanyuan Haoyue.
Yuan Jinsheng, a Golden Core cultivator, was highly respected among the younger disciples. Xuanyuan Haoyue, one of the top disciples who had started with no prior foundation, was known for his meticulous nature and excellent interpersonal skills.
However, since Xiushui City wasn't limited to just cultivators and also included several villages needing oversight, Lingxian Sect couldn't allocate too many of its members for city management. That's why Lin Yun worked with Village Chief Du to select reliable young villagers to assist.
Naturally, this kind of job—well-paid and with some authority—was considered highly desirable, so Lin Yun prioritized candidates from Xiushui Village.
After all, one of the founding principles behind establishing Xiushui City was to provide greater opportunities for the villagers.
Lin Yun had also been in contact with the imperial court to discuss the appointment of an official to represent the government within Xiushui City.
Since the city was built on Pusi Kingdom's territory, the court requested to send an official to establish a presence there, facilitating communication between the city and the government.
Lingxian Sect had a good relationship with Pusi Kingdom, so there were no objections. However, Lin Yun requested that the sect have the authority to select this official, to which the court agreed.
The appointed official would be Tong Shuzheng, the former governor of Liaoju Prefecture. After the New Year's holiday, he would officially take up his position in the city.
After the Lingxian Sect disciples had finished explaining all the details to the villagers within the city's boundaries, the village chiefs led everyone back to their homes to settle in.
The villagers excitedly wandered through their new homes, marveling at the changes. They cautiously tried out the new amenities according to the instructions given by the immortals.
Once Lin Xiao confirmed through his divine sense that everything in the city was running smoothly, he returned to the Trade Affairs Center.
The small estate had been seamlessly integrated into the city's design. While its exterior remained largely unchanged, its functionality had expanded greatly.
Registering trade transactions was just one of its basic functions.
Inside the Trade Affairs Center, a large area had been opened up, with various sections allocated for different purposes. The largest section was the auction house.
To protect the identities of cultivators—especially those carrying valuable treasures but lacking the strength to defend them—the auction house had been outfitted with special formations. These formations masked the appearance, voice, scent, and spiritual energy fluctuations of anyone entering, making them completely unrecognizable.
As a result, no one entering the auction house could determine the identity of those around them.
This level of anonymity was crucial for an auction house. It attracted both buyers and sellers by providing security and confidentiality.
Other, smaller sections of the center were reserved for cultivators who wished to set up stalls but didn't want to reveal themselves. While there were designated areas for stalls in the city, this space offered a more discreet alternative.
Typically, such areas were referred to as a "black market."
Lin Xiao didn't oppose the existence of a black market. In fact, he saw it as necessary.
The reputation and nature of a black market depend entirely on how it is managed.
The black market itself was meant to offer convenience to cultivators who didn't want to be seen. However, the anonymity it provided also made it easier for fraud and illegal activities to occur.
Given that Xiushui City would soon become a trading hub, Lin Xiao believed it was only a matter of time before a black market appeared. Rather than allowing someone else to establish an uncontrolled black market, he decided to take charge from the outset.
After all, while the black market and auction house would appear to be completely anonymous to others, Lin Xiao, as the creator of the city, would be able to monitor everything.
He had even granted the authority to monitor city activities to the City Lord's Mansion.
However, only Lin Yun had the power to access this information.
To protect the privacy of ordinary cultivators, Lin Yun couldn't use this power freely. He was limited to three uses per month.
In the event of a serious issue, Lin Yun could use his identity token to request emergency access. Any such requests would be forwarded to Lin Xiao through the system for approval.
Though the black market was an additional feature, the auction house would be the primary, legitimate attraction for outsiders. Thus, Lin Xiao decided to officially name the space the Auction House.
The entrance to the auction house was located beneath the trees lining the road outside the Trade Affairs Center.
However, its exit wasn't fixed. It would randomly appear in various public areas of Xiushui City, specifically in less populated spots.
Each exit was hidden by a small illusionary formation, so even if someone happened to pass by, they would hardly notice anyone emerging from the auction house.