Wang Yu had taken a major step forward. With only 500 drops of true essence remaining before reaching the mid-Foundation peak of 2,000, he estimated he'd break into late Foundation Establishment within two years.
At that point, progress would slow again—just like back in the Qi Refining stage.
He had already prepared the Dual-Pattern Essence Condensation Pill.
Once his [True Essence Spring] advanced to a [True Essence Lake], his essence capacity would multiply several times over, greatly enhancing endurance.
—
Emerging from his secluded chamber—
The Fragrant Pavilion at the corner of the City Lord's Manor was bustling. Unlike the first Fragrance Gathering, which needed Wang Yu to rally attendees, this time the crowd had gathered on its own.
Beyond the alliance members—
Powerful Foundation cultivators like Dragon-Tiger Wanderer, Nine-Curve Talisman Master, and Rainflower Daoist had arrived early, introducing their guests.
Wang Yu's arrival drew immediate attention.
"City Lord Wang, this is Daoist Jinshi, whom I invited. I hope he's welcome?"
Jinshi, like Dragon-Tiger Wanderer, was a rogue cultivator. His appearance was plain and dark-skinned, but his cheeks bore golden eye symbols—likely a secret technique. His cultivation was late Foundation Establishment.
Wang Yu welcomed him warmly. The more powerful guests, the greater the prestige of the Fragrance Gathering—and the more effective the Treasure Exchange.
"Brother Dragon-Tiger jests. Anyone attending the Fragrance Gathering is a friend. Daoist Jinshi, welcome."
"Greetings, City Lord."
The atmosphere was cordial. Clearly, they'd been briefed beforehand. Seeing this, Rainflower Daoist and Nine-Curve Talisman Master approached with their own guests.
All were here to join the gathering. As a benefit-driven platform, it had no strict requirements.
Rainflower Daoist gestured to the woman beside him.
"City Lord Wang, this is my Dao companion—Windflower. Her cultivation surpasses mine. She's at the peak of Foundation Establishment."
A strong female cultivator paired with a weaker male wasn't unusual in Crimson Kite Territory.
Windflower was graceful and mature, with a dignified beauty. Wang Yu couldn't help but glance twice.
She greeted him with poise.
"Greetings, City Lord of Spiritridge."
"No need for formality. Rainflower has attended before—let him show you around. The gathering begins this afternoon."
Nine-Curve Talisman Master, seeing the others had finished, introduced his guest—this one with a much higher profile. The old man even bowed slightly.
"City Lord Wang, everyone… This is Little Talisman Lord Luo Chen, City Lord of Three-Mao City—a Core Formation cultivator."
Everyone was stunned.
No one expected the youthful, handsome Luo Chen to be a Core cultivator. His mastery of aura concealment was impressive.
Wang Yu, however, knew more. Over the past five years, he'd met Luo Chen through Han Jia's Tianbao Pavilion connections. He'd personally invited him.
"Brother Luo, long time no see."
"Junior Brother Wang, your Spiritridge is truly impressive. Had I known, I'd have hosted a Talisman Appreciation Gathering myself."
"Haha! Brother Luo, you jest. Please—allow me to personally welcome you."
"Gladly!"
As the two left, Nine-Curve Talisman Master looked puzzled. He operated in Three-Mao City and didn't understand the Blood Reversal Sect's network.
Little Talisman Lord Luo Chen—
Disciple of the [Black Sky Talisman Lord] of Evil Sword Peak, one of the Nine Peaks. Not yet a hundred years old, he had already formed his Core. Among his peers, his talent was exceptional.
He possessed a rare Yin Heavenly Root.
Thus, he earned the title "Little Talisman Lord." His talisman mastery had reached mid-tier-three—surpassing even his cultivation. A true prodigy.
Stronger than elite disciples like Su Zhenchuan or Wei Zhong. A Nascent Soul candidate. His status in Evil Sword Peak was comparable to Jin Miaoshan's in Goldfull Pavilion.
The [Black Sky Talisman Lord] was the husband of a female elder from the Zhuo Clan. He'd married into the Ghostfang Zhuo Clan in his youth and was nurtured by their resources.
That elder was also Zhuo Shouqing's aunt. Their branches were closely tied. In terms of status, Luo Chen outranked Wang Yu by two levels—worthy of utmost respect.
Three-Mao City, Yunyan City, and Spiritridge were all prime territories under the Zhuo Clan—used to cultivate talented juniors.
Though Yunyan's City Lord was a rival of Zhuo Shouqing.
Thus, Wang Yu quickly built rapport with Luo Chen and planned to establish trade routes and resource exchanges.
While Wang Yu accompanied the VIP, his four "tool disciple" assistants and Xu Ruozhou handled guest reception. Qingyang oversaw the third floor of Fragrant Pavilion.
He would only appear for Core cultivators.
—
The Fragrance Gathering's growth far exceeded Wang Yu's expectations. Even veterans like Dragon-Tiger Wanderer seemed a bit overwhelmed.
—
"Today is truly lively."
"Who could deny it?"
On the second floor of Fragrant Pavilion, the expanded main hall seated over a hundred cultivators—mostly Foundation level, with a few Core cultivators.
As the gathering began, professionally trained attendants from Clouddream Pavilion served incense burners and fragrances—ascending in grade for gradual appreciation.
During this, whispers filled the air as guests discussed notable figures.
"That's Old Demon Earth Puppet from Demon Valley. He's here? Didn't he have a feud with the Guan Clan?"
"Shh! Careful!"
"Look over there—Yellow Sand Elder. Rumor says he reached Core Formation third layer and plans to found a sect nearby."
"Whoa…"
"And that's He Valley Master—a cultivator from Scorpion City. He came all this way?"
"Four Core cultivators already, plus many peak Foundation ones."
"Not just that—look at the main seat beside City Lord Wang. That's Little Talisman Lord Luo Chen—a Nascent Soul candidate!"
Wang Yu heard it all.
The second Fragrance Gathering had drawn nearly all elite cultivators within 3,000 kilometers—and even some from farther regions.
This meant opportunity. Many peak Foundation cultivators likely came hoping to trade for Core Formation treasures.
Wang Yu welcomed it.
He didn't fear ambition—only apathy. Once this became routine, Spiritridge would naturally become the region's hub.
Rare and exotic treasures would flow into the city. When the time was right, Wang Yu could offer Core Formation items to acquire what he needed.
Of course, that was still a ways off. He'd wait until he reached peak Foundation and had more Core-level strength before baiting the hook.
—
The time had come.
Without prompting, as dancers and musicians entered, the hall quieted. Light refreshments and candied fruits were served.
Some sat upright. Others reclined. A few lounged bare-chested.
Occasionally, someone lifted a burner and inhaled deeply—faces melting into bliss. A thousand expressions. Wang Yu wanted them to savor the experience.
Whether they gained anything from the Treasure Exchange didn't matter.
After this, they'd never forget it. Even the incense contained subtle mood-enhancing powders.
Beside him, Luo Chen murmured:
"Junior Brother Wang, your business acumen surpasses your cultivation talent."
Wang Yu's expression turned odd.
With his crippled spiritual roots and demonic fetus, he couldn't argue. His "talent" was a joke compared to Luo Chen's Yin Heavenly Root.
He couldn't help but envy it.
If only he could devour it…
"Slurp…"
"Junior Brother Wang, what are you thinking?"
"Nothing. Didn't you ask about business strategy? It's simple."
"Oh? Do tell."
Luo Chen leaned in. He'd accepted Wang Yu's invitation partly to learn from his methods.
Three-Mao City was rich—but had been drained by multiple disciples of the Black Sky Talisman Lord. Its population and strength lagged behind Spiritridge.
Only a handful of Foundation rogue cultivators and two talisman clans remained—both dwindling. After paying sect tribute, Luo Chen barely had enough for cultivation.
He couldn't host lavish events like the Fragrance Gathering.
Wang Yu had learned much over the years. He spoke seriously, tailoring his advice to Crimson Kite and Yunling's environment.
After a pause, he said:
"The noble path is slow and risky. Expand outward—seek new resources.
"Internally, share profits. Let your people hold spirit stones. You just need to control the supply of essentials—food, shelter, combat, exploration. The stones will flow back to you."
Luo Chen frowned.
"That won't work. I'll only hold the City Lord seat for 200 years. I need enough resources to reach peak Core Formation."
Wang Yu: "…"
"Then try this: Three-Mao has a Tianbao Pavilion branch. Use your connections to invite Goldfull Pavilion to open a branch too.
"These merchant giants bring capital. Use it to grow the city guard, build trade routes. Tax revenue could increase by 50%."
Luo Chen nodded—then shook his head.
"That's risky. Might offend both merchants. Isn't there a way to earn spirit stones directly?"
Wang Yu: "…"
Honestly, he was stumped. Economics wasn't his major—he studied physical education in his past life.
Spiritridge's current prosperity wasn't just the result of clever planning—it was the product of multiple strokes of luck, favorable timing, and his own willingness to take bold risks.
He understood Luo Chen's mindset well: he didn't want the profits to trickle down to others. He wanted to keep the spirit stones in his own hands.
But that was a paradox.
To grow a city, the people had to be numerous and prosperous. If the market was barren and the populace poor, where would the tax revenue come from?
Wang Yu sighed inwardly.
Still, he didn't say more. Some things had to be experienced to be understood. He'd already laid out the paths—whether Luo Chen could walk them was up to him.
The music in the hall shifted to a softer rhythm. The incense grew richer, more layered. The guests, lulled by the atmosphere, leaned back in their seats, eyes half-lidded, expressions content.
The second Fragrance Gathering had reached its peak.
(End of Chapter)