Chapter 287: Chapter 190: Resolving the Petition, Weichuan’s Clarity Over Ten Thousand Miles

It simply incited envy and jealousy among these hundred or so True Men towards his master.

While he slowly moved forward to solve problems, the other True Men did not leave, allowing their disciples to work in the quiet rooms nearby while they gathered to taste the tea brought by Li Ye.

"Nephew Li’s perception is truly extraordinary."

"Indeed, I even suspect he might be the reincarnation of an ancient ancestor."

"Alas, his sharpness in a path that isn’t even his focus... Oh, is it about time for the Golden Core Spirit Plant Master examination?"

——These last words were spoken by Su Yu.

The True Men exchanged glances.

Indeed.

A year after reaching the Golden Core stage, Li Ye had to participate in the Golden Core-level Spirit Plant Master examination, which was extremely stringent.

Not only must he learn all the Golden Core magic, but he also needed to independently construct a marketplace. Where would Li Ye establish this marketplace?

Could they send disciples to assist?

Li Ye, who was being watched by the True Men, didn’t know what they were thinking. He had just resolved applications for more than one hundred True Men, covering pills, artifact refining arrays, spirit plants, beast taming...

The earlier tasks were indeed quite painful for him, but the latter ones were relatively easier since spirit plants and beast taming were his fortes.

However, with the last dozen True Men, things became complicated again.

Take, for example, this True Man Du before him.

This True Man’s family, in the Four Seasons Sect, was neither too large nor too small and had been entrusted by the sect to serve as guardians over three marketplaces.

Li Ye’s gourd, Kansheng Potato, Potato Flood Dragon, and the mutated Xiguang Rice were all excellent spirit plant crops, not only rare but also extremely valuable, and most importantly, they could impact certain areas. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

For these cultivators who cared for their families, bringing in these crops was their priority.

"Nephew."

True Man Du was very sincere and straightforward: "Our water vein is abundant, and I wish to ask Nephew to designate the Dongyan Marketplace as an experimental field.

Just the two, Potato Flood Dragon and Xiguang Rice, would suffice.

All future profits from these crops could be shared with Nephew... one-thousandth!"

Hearing him say this, the few True Men behind immediately thought this guy was sly—a thousandth!

It meant Li Ye only needed to provide the title of an experimental field and the seeds, and in the future, all profits would grant Li Ye a thousandth share.

Moreover, Dongyan Marketplace’s location was unique, with its vast lake being almost endless, frequented by many cultivators, even faster than extracting Spirit Stones from a Spirit Stone ore.

Usually, it would be one ten-thousandth.

Yet this guy straight away offered one-thousandth, leaving them without room to negotiate.

A percent?

Li Ye had also looked into some of this.

He frowned: "Uncle Master Du, this is too much, though I love Spirit Stones, I must ensure your side can cultivate and plant the Potato Flood Dragon and Xiguang Rice.

Your offer with such a strange distribution ratio makes me suspect, is there some unspeakable matter involved?"

As a Golden Core True Man, his clear eyes emitted an unyielding brilliance, causing some pressure on True Man Du, who was also at the Golden Core level.

"Alas."

True Man Du cupped his hands: "Indeed, it cannot be hidden from Nephew."

"Everyone says my Du Family occupies the Dongyan Marketplace, with its plentiful fish harvest and water spirit objects beyond count each year.

But they do not know that the two other marketplaces the Du Family manages depend entirely on Dongyan Marketplace’s income for purchasing grain.

Those two marketplaces have essential arrays and palaces of the sect, the surrounding lands must be kept unchanged and cannot be farmed.

So I am indeed in great need of new grain crops."

He took out a jade scroll and handed it to Li Ye.

After reading it, Li Ye was somewhat moved, because it contained the annual income from Dongyan Marketplace and every expenditure on grain purchases, with the sect’s markings ensuring its authenticity.

A rough count showed nearly seventy percent was spent on purchasing grain.

Moreover, this food had to be transported for free to the other two marketplaces and distributed, including to the mortals in the Mountain and River Realm.

Let’s not mention whether the Du Family had income other than the marketplaces; managing these three marketplaces was barely maintaining financial balance.

Should anything happen, they would immediately lose money.

This was indeed beyond what Li Ye had expected.

These were marketplaces!

Dongyan Marketplace was a lively one, second only to those directly controlled by the sect. Logic dictated it should be a golden-egg-laying Flood Dragon, but why was this happening?

He felt a bit troubled.

The straightforward data displayed here was truly clear.

But even so, he did not agree immediately but suddenly stood up and addressed the True Men waiting behind: "Uncle Masters, why not submit your applications to me?

I won’t hide it; I need to see firsthand before deciding.

If possible, I certainly wouldn’t hold back."

The few True Men sighed softly.

They also knew this was the best result, so they all handed their applications to Li Ye.

"Then we trouble you, Nephew."

"If you need to go anywhere, just summon us."

"Rest assured, Nephew, what you see will certainly be the truth!"

They promised unanimously.

During this time, Li Ye glanced over briefly; most had their own difficulties.

In this regard, the Four Seasons Sect had strict requirements, saying it was impossible to use marketplaces for profiteering.