After moving into Wanhua Pavilion, Ye Zhenzhen lived a life of absolute ease.
His food and lodging were free, and every day he enjoyed free baths and free performances at the Sizhu Club.
Of course, if he wanted to engage in dual cultivation with the female cultivators of Wanhua Pavilion, he still had to spend spirit stones.
There were quite a few female cultivators living inside Wanhua Pavilion, and Ye Zhenzhen was currently the person with the highest cultivation level among them.
Every day, pretty female cultivators cast amorous glances at him, trying to seduce him in the hope of gaining his protection.
Unfortunately, he was all show; the moment he had intimate contact with a female cultivator, his true cultivation level would be exposed.
Facing female cultivators who threw themselves into his arms, Ye Zhenzhen could only play the role of Liu Xiahui, remaining completely virtuous even with a beauty sitting on his lap.
If not for the occasional cries of slaughter and misery echoing from outside, he might have been under the illusion that the outside world was filled with joy and laughter.
Meanwhile, the situation within Mianzhu Mountain Market was rapidly deteriorating.
Eager to gather spirit stones for the Lin Family Patriarch and unable to seize them from the Resisters' Alliance, the Rune Masters Guild turned its vicious fangs toward the rogue cultivators.
A few days earlier, the rogue cultivators had run to the Rune Masters Guild's headquarters to thank them.
Now, the Rune Masters Guild had turned around and bared its naked fangs at them—how utterly ironic.
The Rune Masters Guild decreed that all rogue cultivators renting accommodations within Mianzhu Mountain Market must pay one year's rent in advance.
Anyone unable to pay the rent was forced to join the Rune Masters Guild as cannon fodder for the attacks against the Resisters' Alliance.
In an instant, the crowds of rogue cultivators were ruthlessly exploited by the Rune Masters Guild.
Coupled with the skyrocketing prices of goods within the market, the rogue cultivators had neither spirit stones nor food, and order inside the market completely collapsed.
The main streets were in utter chaos, with starving and desperate rogue cultivators wandering like living corpses.
Fighting over supplies in melee combat had left the rogue cultivators' clothes in tatters.
For a single piece of moldy dry rations, a group of people would violently brawl, clawing, grabbing, and biting one another.
An elderly and frail cultivator attempting to find something edible in a garbage heap was kicked away by several young and robust rogue cultivators.
The once-bustling market was now a scarred ruin stained with blood.
Corpses lay scattered haphazardly across the streets, uncollected and emitting waves of foul stench.
To survive, some rogue cultivators did not hesitate to turn on their former friends, all for the sake of grabbing a pitiful scrap of resources.
Some rogue cultivators tried to flee the market, only to be ruthlessly slaughtered by the protective formation enclosing it, terrifying the others and ensuring no one dared approach the perimeter again.
Amidst this chaos, Ye Zhenzhen felt a deep sense of unease within Wanhua Pavilion.
Looking at the chaos outside his window, his heart was heavy with worry.
Although he was temporarily in a safe place, he knew that if this situation continued, even Wanhua Pavilion might not be able to stay out of trouble indefinitely.
One day, Ye Zhenzhen heard a commotion outside his room.
It turned out that several rogue cultivators were trying to break into Wanhua Pavilion to seek shelter, but the guards of the pavilion blocked them at the door.
"Please, let us go in! There's no way to survive out there anymore!"
The rogue cultivators pleaded at the top of their lungs, their voices filled with despair and terror.
"No way! Without spirit stones, nobody gets in!" the guards refused mercilessly, the weapons in their hands flashing with cold light.
Hearing all this, Ye Zhenzhen frowned deeply.
He knew that this turmoil was escalating rapidly, and he had to figure out a way to carve out a path of survival in these troubled times.
There were four people inside Wanhua Pavilion who had reached Qi Condensation Level 9.
The person with the highest cultivation level was Ye Zhenzhen, who was at the Great Circle of Qi Condensation and currently went by the pseudonym Chu Liuxiang.
One was the sword cultivator Li Jianxiong, and another was a tall man wielding a large saber named Liu Houji.
The last one was the Body Cultivator Mu Tiezhu, whose weapon was a pair of gauntlet Dharmic Instruments.
The four of them had nothing to do all day and could only gather together to listen to music.
The sword cultivator Li Jianxiong sighed and said, "Right outside Wanhua Pavilion, slaughter is happening every moment. It's like the end of the world."
A subtle ripple stirred in Ye Zhenzhen's heart. Only a triangle formed a stable structure.
An idea came to him—an idea that could not only save some rogue cultivators,
but also strengthen their own faction, and perhaps even allow them to reap massive benefits in the process.
Ye Zhenzhen stood up and said, "Everyone, the confrontation between the Rune Masters Guild and the Resisters' Alliance is intensifying."
"Our group gathered here in Wanhua Pavilion has effectively become the most powerful third party."
"Currently, the Rune Masters Guild has six experts at Qi Condensation Level 9, while the Resisters' Alliance has eight experts at Qi Condensation Level 9."
"With the true immortal Lin Aocang being held back, whichever side we lean toward will gain the power to crush the other."
"With such a prime opportunity, we shouldn't keep cowering inside Wanhua Pavilion."
"We should take the initiative; perhaps we can fish in troubled waters amidst this massive chaos and reap huge rewards."
Ye Zhenzhen's words made the eyes of the other three light up instantly.
Indeed!
With such a great opportunity, if played right, a crisis could be turned into an opportunity.
As rogue cultivators, who among them didn't lack spirit stones?
As long as the four of them joined forces, getting spirit stones would be as easy as reaching out and taking them.
Li Jianxiong asked in a deep voice, "Brother Chu, tell us your plan so we can all discuss it!"
Liu Houji and Mu Tiezhu also looked at Ye Zhenzhen with eager eyes, clearly very interested in his plan.
Ye Zhenzhen smiled warmly: "What do those rogue cultivators outside need the most?"
"Safety!"
Mu Tiezhu replied with an unwavering and resolute tone.
Ye Zhenzhen praised, "Correct. What they need most is safety. If the four of us unite, we can offer them protection."
"However, this protection is not free. To obtain our protection..."
"Late-stage Qi Condensation is free, mid-stage Qi Condensation costs ten spirit stones, and early-stage Qi Condensation costs five spirit stones."
"In this way, not only can the four of us harvest a large batch of spirit stones, but we can also absorb a large number of subordinates, greatly strengthening our power."
"At that time, at the right moment, we can choose to join one side and thoroughly defeat the other."
"By then, each of us four can harvest at least a few thousand spirit stones, and if we're lucky, getting over ten thousand spirit stones is entirely possible."
Hearing that they could get over ten thousand spirit stones, the other three instantly widened their eyes, their breathing growing ragged.
After all, a Foundation Establishment Pill could be bought for ten or twenty thousand spirit stones, and now that they had cultivated to Qi Condensation Level 9, which of them didn't harbor ambitions for Foundation Establishment?
Li Jianxiong said excitedly, "Brother Chu's idea is wonderful, but how should we recruit those rogue cultivators, and how do we avoid being targeted by the Rune Masters Guild and the Resisters' Alliance?"
Ye Zhenzhen answered with absolute confidence: "First, we'll send people to quietly spread the word among the rogue cultivators, letting them know that such a sanctuary exists."
"Then, we'll set up a temporary stronghold outside Wanhua Pavilion, sending people to observe in secret and select rogue cultivators who have strength and are willing to pay spirit stones."
"As for the Rune Masters Guild and the Resisters' Alliance, they are currently overwhelmed with their own problems and may not notice our actions right away."
"As long as we act carefully and swiftly, by the time they notice, we will have already gathered a large number of rogue cultivators."
"By then, they won't be able to do anything to us or suppress us; they will only be able to try to buy us off."
Liu Houji frowned and said, "But if we get discovered, wouldn't we become the target of public criticism?"
Ye Zhenzhen smiled: "Wealth is sought in danger. As long as we handle this properly, we can rapidly grow our strength."
"Even if we are discovered, the three parties will check and balance each other, and out of fear of the consequences, they won't dare to make a move against us lightly."
"We aren't seeking to take over Mianzhu Mountain Market; we can negotiate with one side at the appropriate time, join them, and plot greater benefits."
Mu Tiezhu slapped his thigh: "Let's do it! Opportunities like this are rare, and as the saying goes, wealth is sought in danger. Let's take a gamble!"
Ye Zhenzhen continued with his suggestions: "To gather enough rogue cultivators, we must have an appealing banner to attract them."
"We will gather the rogue cultivators under the banner of neutrality and establish the Neutrals Alliance."
"That is a great banner!" Li Jianxiong shouted in support.
"Indeed! This banner is very attractive to rogue cultivators!" Liu Houji also spoke up in support.
Mu Tiezhu was somewhat stirred: "I think Brother Chu makes sense. We'll follow Brother Chu's instructions!"
With that, the four of them made a blood pact on a Contract Spirit Talisman and began busy preparations, quietly setting in motion a plan that would stir up the winds and clouds in the market.