With a curious fascination for the so-called magnetism, Yu Ci was inspecting his surroundings, a tad slow to respond. By the time he turned around, Wan Quan had already feigned realization and hurriedly said with a smile, "I was too presumptuous. In this forsaken land of the North Wilderness, it's rare for people to use their real names. Most adopt nicknames, and that's how they're remembered..."

Yu Ci couldn't help but laugh silently, not bothering to explain. Wan Quan was being overly cautious; stating his name now seemed pointless. Instead, Yu Ci inquired, "And yours is...?"

With a giggle, Wan Quan replied, "This 'Wan Quan' of mine serves as both my real name and my nickname. It signifies meticulousness in my dealings and an all-encompassing consideration in business."

"Oh, what kind of business do you do?"

"I'm a middleman," Wan Quan said. "I facilitate connections, bridge gaps. Thanks to the patronage of various seniors, I make a living. Guiding you just now was part of my job... alas, it was a real blow to my reputation."

Yu Ci's interest was piqued. "How about you make a connection for me?"

Wan Quan thumped his chest confidently. "Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have sought to restore my good name. Say no more; I'll lead the way and guarantee to find you a top-notch establishment. It won't be like that deceptive merchant, of course. But please, bear with me. If word of today's mishap spreads, Little Wan will become the butt of jokes among the middleman agencies."

Watching Wan Quan bow and scrape with a pleasing smile, Yu Ci laughed, "It would be great to strike a profitable deal, but I'm talking about a different kind of business."

Wan Quan paused, but quickly responded, "Ah, may I ask if you're looking to buy or sell? To commission? To guarantee? Or perhaps..."

"Introduce me to a job."

As he spoke, Yu Ci traced a complex symbol in the void, its twists and turns dizzyingly intricate, leaving Wan Quan utterly bewildered. "Could you please clarify, Senior?"

Yu Ci smiled. "Do you have any business involving summoning spirits or capturing ghosts?"

Wan Quan was taken aback.

But the surprise soon shifted to Yu Ci.

Wan Quan demonstrated his skills by leading Yu Ci down two hundred zhang beneath Black Sand City. It was only then that Yu Ci discovered the city above was almost entirely hollowed out, forming a vast cavernous nest. Inside lay a dense network of underground tunnels, dimly lit yet intricately interconnected in all directions.

According to Wanquan's description, places like Black Sand City, constantly battered by the unique "black storms" of the North Wilderness, are harsh and resource-scarce environments where only low-level Cultivators tend to settle. Those with any status, however, primarily congregate in the ten underground cities carved deep beneath the North Wilderness, and Yin Cave City, where they were headed, was one of these.

Wanquan added, “Yin Cave City is a hundred times more comfortable to live in than Black Sand City, but if you're looking for work, Black Sand City and other surface cities offer more opportunities. The ten great cities of the North Wilderness may seem ungoverned at a glance, but you could inadvertently cross paths with the big factions at any moment, and the risks are much higher.”

“Factions?”

Wanquan replied, “In the North Wilderness, the two great cities in the far north fall under the influence of the Northern Land Demon Sect, where the Sect's power is considerable. Elsewhere, power is held by various factions, large and small. Here, it’s not that a Sect necessarily controls a faction, but rather that factions often envelop several Sects, large and small. It's quite different from other places.”

Yu Ci nodded slowly, grasping the concept. The power dynamics in the North Wilderness bore some resemblance to the secular world's underworld. Regardless of strength, their cohesiveness might be questionable... Of course, he would need to observe further to understand the specifics.

True to his role, Wanquan proved to be an adept middleman. Even as he guided Yu Ci, he didn't waste a moment, releasing a creature known as the "Gnawless Yin Mouse," which scurried ahead into the depths of the Underground Tunnels to gather information from his own Middleman Agencies.

“The Red Tooth Store, where the junior generation is based, honestly isn't much in the middleman business, but it's well-informed. If there's something suitable, we'll compile it first, and then use my little Gnawer to send it back for the senior's review, saving quite a bit of effort.”

Little Gnawer was that very Gnawless Yin Mouse, outwardly resembling an ordinary grey-furred mouse, but with a comically elongated cuboid-shaped snout that was conspicuously toothless. Yu Ci watched the spot where the Gnawless Yin Mouse had vanished for a while before smiling and asking, “Does the little creature understand the Escape Technique?”

Caught off guard, Wanquan gave Yu Ci a thumbs-up, “Senior has a keen eye. The Gnawless Yin Mouse may not be good for much else, but it's naturally adept at the art of earth evasion, moving rapidly underground, making it ideal for message delivery. The junior generation spent seven hundred Dragon Palace Shells on this one – not a small price, but well worth the value.”

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Indeed, quite swift..."

It was as if in the blink of an eye, ten miles had passed by; had he been flying in the sky, it would not have been much different.

"Eh? Little Wan! Isn't it said that timing can beat early starts..."

A voice suddenly broke the silence. Yu Ci furrowed his brows; within his range of perception, there was no sign of this person. It was only when he followed the sound waves that he caught sight of a hollow circular opening at the corner of the passage, from where the voice had emanated.

Wan Quan was unfazed: "Ah, it's Old Cane. I have a guest with me today."

"No rush, just bring something back later as usual."

Wan Quan acknowledged with a response and led Yu Ci down another fork. Before Yu Ci could inquire, he explained with a chuckle: "This is a checkpoint set up here by the Great Hammer Hall of Yin Cave City. If you're traveling from Black Sand City to Yin Cave City, you don't need to bother with it. But if you're heading north along another path, you're expected to pay Peace Money. Of course, if you choose not to pay, Old Cane's frame alone couldn't stop you. But once the Mechanism records your appearance, the Great Hammer Hall wouldn't let you off easily."

As they continued, they passed several more forks. According to Wan Quan, some of the Underground Tunnels even led tens of thousands of miles away. These paths were generally controlled by major factions, and even had Forbidden Magic Mechanisms laid within. To pass through, one had to pay a significantly higher Peace Money.

As he spoke, Wan Quan began to sing half in jest: "Don't be fooled by the myriad paths under heaven, for Cultivators can traverse the earth and soar the skies. No one bothers elsewhere, but in North Wilderness, they recognize Peace Money."

Yu Ci listened, astonished, then burst into laughter: "I thought North Wilderness was the realm of Lone Cultivators, always lawless and untamed."

"Senior is not wrong in saying that. North Wilderness is indeed the domain of Lone Cultivators, and it truly is a place without laws or heaven."

Wan Quan nodded in agreement: "All the factions are formed by Lone Cultivators coming together. As long as you have a major faction behind you, or if your own Cultivation Level is formidable, no one in North Wilderness will meddle in your affairs. As for the rest..."

He chuckled and deftly changed the subject. "That Old Cane we just met, he's a bit of a penny-pincher, but a decent fellow nonetheless. Getting involved in this business could offend some great power. Even if one were as stealthy as a cat, there's still risk involved. And then there's the matter of facing the gang's scrutiny upon return. So, if he asks for a little liquor or something of the sort, I make sure to bring it for him... Heh, I'm also hoping he'll look out for me in the future."

Yu Ci pondered for a moment, slowly nodding in understanding. Wan Quan let out a silent sigh of relief; this kind of talk had a name—it was called "reassuring words." It referred to the act of speaking from the heart, showing goodwill, which could easily bridge the gap between two people and dispel any wariness.

So far, everything was going smoothly, yet his confusion deepened... This man did indeed seem to be a newcomer to the North Wilderness, but could it be that Lord Hong had made an unfounded claim?

※※※

"Please come again," the shop assistant said with a forced smile, ushering Yu Ci and Wan Quan out the door. Once they merged with the crowd outside the shop, Yu Ci curled his fingers around three dark golden objects in his hand, rotating them with satisfaction before tucking them away.

These three Dark Golden Silkworm Cocoons were precisely what he needed for the coming period. Their value was at least forty percent of the beast bones and demon elixir cores he could hunt in two years. Wan Quan, however, who was quite skilled as a Toothman, had managed to reduce the price by half through several transactions, significantly easing Yu Ci's financial burden.

The North Wilderness was resource-poor but thriving in trade. Many major merchants from the south had branches here, and the underground cities were teeming with business guilds. Yu Ci had originally planned to consign his goods at the Random Heart Pavilion, but Wan Quan, with his professional insight, advised against it:

"The Random Heart Pavilion's business in Yin Cave City is being squeezed by the Maritime Trade Association. It's struggling to stay afloat and is rumored to be relocating to Thousand Banner City in the coming days. Therefore, they won't be too keen on purchasing raw materials, but they are more generous when it comes to clearing stock. On the other hand, the Maritime Trade Association is in the midst of expansion, eager for raw materials, yet their retail capabilities can't match Random Heart Pavilion. There's quite a margin to be had in the trade-offs between them. If Senior doesn't mind, perhaps Little Wan could exert some effort on your behalf?"

Yu Ci had an air of indifference, suggesting they let the young cultivator have a try. To his surprise, the cultivator with the youthful visage indeed possessed some skill. After a few trades involving his beast bone and demon elixir core, the Random Heart Pavilion's Ruyi Money, the Maritime Trade Association's Dragon Palace Shell, and a mishmash of other trinkets, he actually succeeded. It was a moment that made Yu Ci marvel at the specialization of skills, confirming the ancient adage that there is truth in specialization.

While Yu Ci was lost in his thoughts, Wan Quan was equally astonished.

This amiable man had managed to collect beast bones and demon elixir cores of exceptional quality. The mere dozen or so Ghost Monkey Sharp Teeth, without any further work, were equivalent to top-tier artisanal tools. In the hands of a skilled craftsman, a little effort could transform them into a piece worthy of years of refining artifacts. If only he could take them back to the Red Tooth Store...

Shaking his head, Wan Quan dismissed the impractical thought and became even more cautious.

Ghost Monkeys were ferocious beasts that lived in packs. In Sky Rift Valley, even an ordinary Golden Elixir cultivator would take a detour to avoid them!

Regardless of whether Lord Hong had mistaken the person, the situation seemed destined for a grim outcome.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Yu Ci gestured for him to extend his hand and slapped something into his palm. Wan Quan's scalp tingled at the sight—it was the very same Ghost Monkey Sharp Teeth he had been drooling over!

And not just a few, but at least fifteen, nearly too many to grasp—this was a mid-grade magical instrument!

"Consider this as a commission," Yu Ci said with a slight smile. "You handle matters to satisfaction, Wan. I'll need your help again in the future."

"Senior, you're too kind... This is really more than necessary," Wan Quan responded, feeling confirmed in his belief that the senior was indeed generous. Yet, with fifteen Ghost Monkey Sharp Teeth in hand, he found it difficult to refuse. As he was wrestling with the decision, he overheard someone speaking:

"Wan has quite the skill, landing a job upon arrival. But I'm a stranger in these parts and wouldn't want to lose my way or delay Wan's business for a couple of days. How about you act as a guide for me?"

Wan Quan hesitated, but Yu Ci didn't give him the chance to decline. Closing his fingers inward, he made the deal: "This way you won't have to bother with two tasks at once, and it should give you some peace of mind, right?"