Gou in the world of comprehension

Chapter 1426 is simply a heaven-defying prodigy.

Time flies like an arrow; three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Since most of the cultivators at the Refinement Realm in the market joined the Elders' Council, the cave market quickly stabilized.

In addition, Su Fan abolished the poll tax and various exorbitant taxes, and the rent for inns and cave dwellings was directly halved. The market town is now a thriving place.

In just three years, the number of cultivators gathered in the cave market has exceeded 30,000.

Most of these newly recruited cultivators were independent cultivators scattered in the nearby mountains. Unable to withstand the old demon's exploitation, they had originally sought a secluded place in the deep mountains to cultivate in seclusion, but now they have all gathered here.

As the number of settled cultivators gradually increased, Cai Songlin, after discussing with the Void Refinement Realm cultivators of the Elder Council, decided to expand the Cave Market.

The construction capabilities of the cultivation world have always been astonishing. Even in this underground cave, with all sorts of engineering puppets working together, the expansion speed is still incredibly fast.

The area of ​​the market town has nearly doubled, and a large number of new shops, inns and cave dwellings have sprung up.

As a result, even though Su Fan reduced the poll tax, miscellaneous taxes, and rent, the market's revenue not only did not decrease, but increased year after year.

Su Fan was completely unaware of these changes.

He secluded himself in his cave every day to heal his injuries, spending almost all his time recuperating except for eating.

After three years of unremitting efforts, Su Fan's soul injury has finally improved significantly, and it seems that he will be fully healed soon.

Unfortunately, injuries to the soul are always the most difficult to treat. Once damaged, they can only be slowly treated and recovered through painstaking effort.

Fortunately, the injuries to his soul have mostly healed and he will be fully recovered soon.

What Su Fan didn't know was that his ability to reach "New Guangtian" alive was entirely due to his already powerful divine soul, coupled with the fact that he had experienced a mutation in his divine consciousness.

If it were anyone else who had been sucked into that star gate, they would probably have died long ago.

Unfortunately, although his soul injury has recovered to about 70-80%, he still cannot lift the restrictions on the secret realm with the spiritual sense he can currently mobilize.

That day, Su Fan had just finished cultivating the "Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs Embryo Origin Inner Nourishing Heart Seal Scripture" when several young female cultivators carried in dinner.

There was no way around it; his appetite was truly astonishing. Every time they brought him food, it took more than a dozen people to lift the food box.

However, these girls were clearly specially trained, and the spiritual food they made tasted quite good. If the ingredients were of even higher quality, the food would certainly be even better.

As Su Fan was eating, a young female cultivator walked in from outside, bowed, and reported, "Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, the Pine Forest Heavenly Lord requests an audience..."

Su Fan frowned immediately. He had specifically instructed that unless it was something extremely important, no one should disturb him during his seclusion.

After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Let him in..."

After a while, Cai Songlin hurriedly walked in from outside and bowed.

"This junior pays respects to the Heavenly Venerable..."

Su Fan waved to him and said, "Old Cai, come sit down. Haven't eaten yet? You can grab a bite here..."

Old Cai did as instructed and sat down at the lower seat, shaking his head and saying, "I've already eaten..."

After saying that, his face darkened, and he said solemnly, "Senior, I inadvertently overheard some news today..."

Seeing how serious Old Cai was, Su Fan asked, "What news?"

"It is said that when the 'Northern Tomb Demon' founded this market, a heretical old demon at the Integration Realm once came here..."

After hearing what Lao Cai said, Su Fan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled nonchalantly.

"I thought it was something serious. Are you afraid that old devil will come back? If he really comes, then you can die..."

Su Fan's soul has now recovered most of its strength. Although his consciousness is still slightly affected during battles, it is more than enough to deal with an evil old demon.

Upon hearing Su Fan's explanation, Old Cai was speechless.

Ever since he heard the news, he'd been as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but to his surprise, this guy didn't take it seriously at all.

"Senior, we still have to be careful about this. After all, we are in the open while he is in the shadows. If that old devil causes trouble in the market, our losses will be enormous..."

Su Fan smiled and waved his hand: "It's alright, just let him come..."

Back then, he killed the "Northern Tomb Demon" with his physical body alone. Now that his soul injury has recovered to almost 70-80%, he is naturally confident in dealing with an evil cultivator.

Seeing Su Fan's certainty, Cai Songlin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This man is indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. He once heard Xie Feng say that Su Fan broke into the cave of the "Northern Tomb Old Demon" alone and killed the old demon in a short time.

He's an absolutely monstrous genius.

Moreover, when faced with a group of evil cultivators at the Nascent Soul and Void Refinement realms, he slaughtered them all as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

“Senior, I also heard that a few members of the Elders Council arrived early. They already knew about this matter, but they never mentioned it to you…”

Upon hearing this, Su Fan secretly sneered.

How could he not know what these people were thinking? Anyway, he was now the master of the market. Even if that evil old demon in the Integration Realm came to kill him, it wouldn't be a loss for them. At worst, they could just change masters again.

In any case, he had already wiped out all those evil cultivators. For the sake of the market's stability and prosperity, that old demon of the Integration Realm had no one he could trust. In the end, he would have to rely on these Void Refinement Realm cultivators.

Now that his soul injury is almost healed, Su Fan is too lazy to bother with them.

But if anyone dares to betray us, then don't blame me for being impolite.

The most urgent task at present is to retreat and heal.

Once his soul injury is fully healed, he will not be afraid of anything, not even a demonic old man in the Integration Realm, or even a large army of alien beasts pressing in.

"Just pretend you don't know anything about this. Have some trustworthy people monitor them, and if they find anyone betraying them, I'll kill them all..."

"Don't worry, senior, I'll arrange it as soon as I get back..."

Old Cai chatted with Su Fan for a while longer before getting up to say goodbye.

Watching Cai Songlin's departing figure, Su Fan couldn't help but shake his head.

After all, he was just a cultivator at the Refinement Realm. Guarding such a large market would inevitably attract the covetousness of others, even without that evil old demon at the Integration Realm.

Although he killed "Old Demon of the North Tomb", no one witnessed it with their own eyes, especially those who coveted the market, who were certainly skeptical.

In this world of cultivation, defeating enemies of a higher level is extremely rare.

To be honest, Su Fan didn't care about this shabby little place at all.

He wouldn't have come here at all if he hadn't been looking for a quiet place to heal his wounds.

Despite the bustling prosperity of the market now, once the war between the "Mountain and Sea Realm" and "New Guangtian" ends, most of the cultivators in the market will instantly disperse.

If it weren't for the invasion of the "Mountain and Sea Boundary", who would come to this godforsaken place?

With Lao Cai making such a fuss, Su Fan lost the will to continue sitting quietly and healing.

Since my spiritual injuries have mostly healed, I might as well take a break today and go for a stroll in the market outside.

Thinking of this, Su Fan got up from the futon, patted the wrinkles on his robes, and turned to leave the cave.

As he walked down the dark tunnel to the entrance and stepped out through the heavy stone door, the sight before him startled him.

Although the cave market in my memory was quite prosperous, it was always shrouded in the shadow of the "Old Demon of the Northern Tomb" who levied exorbitant taxes, and the air was filled with an inescapable sense of oppression.

But the market in front of us seems to have been infused with a vibrant spirit.

The shops, lined up one after another, hung brand-new banners, and the streets were bustling with people. Even a few unknown wild grasses sprouted from the cracks in the stones, exuding a vibrant warmth.

Just by looking at the expressions of the cultivators on the street, one could tell that each face was beaming with a relaxed and carefree smile, and their steps carried a sense of positive energy, no longer showing the fear they once had. Su Fan strolled around the street for a while before realizing with surprise that the scale of this cave market was almost half again as large as before.

The streets paved with bluestone extended outwards, and rows of wooden buildings were erected in the newly developed areas. Even the rock walls were carved out with many new cave dwellings, and the number of cultivators more than doubled.

Needless to say, the shops along the street were packed with stalls, which nearly burst the streets. The stall owners shouted their wares, displaying a dazzling array of spiritual herbs, ores, and talismans. The sounds of bargaining rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere like a pot of boiling water.

Su Fan was secretly amazed. Even in the pre-war "Guangwutian", such a prosperous market was rare.

It must be said that Cai Songlin's management style is indeed quite effective.

In just a few years, they have managed to make the cave so successful, even sweeping the cracks in the stone path clean.

He strolled leisurely, occasionally spotting several cultivators patrolling in uniform robes, their tokens gleaming faintly at their waists, their expressions solemn yet not arrogant.

After Su Fan had explored the entire market, he couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings of emotion and reflection).

No wonder Old Cai was so anxious just now; the cave market is no longer what it used to be.

Judging from the daily turnover of those shops, it's no exaggeration to say they're making a fortune every day.

With such a large, fragrant cake in front of him, and considering that he was only a cultivator at the Void Refinement Realm, he was probably already being watched by countless eyes.

What right do you, a mere cultivator at the Refinement Void Realm, have to possess such a treasure trove that brings in money every day?

Let alone outsiders, even the Void Refinement Realm cultivators in the neighborhood elders' council must feel a little resentful.

It's possible that in the past few years, someone has already contacted people outside and spread the news about what's happening here.

After all, it's human nature, and cultivators are generally quite wild; small favors and small benefits simply won't appease them.

Back when they were being exploited by "Old Demon of the Northern Tomb" like a bone-sucking fungus, these people were all terrified and didn't dare to utter a single word.

Now, Su Fan has not only exempted the market from the head tax and miscellaneous taxes, but also cut nearly half of the rent and stall fees.

That's not all; he also waived their rent and allowed them to participate in the market's profit sharing.

Even so, would they be grateful to him? He was really overthinking it.

What the hell...

Su Fan certainly understood this principle; he did what he did back then simply to stabilize the market as quickly as possible.

All I wanted was to buy myself a few years of peace so I could heal my wounds quietly.

I'm rich, why would I care about such a small amount of money?

Despite Su Fan's disdain for this place, the problem is, who the hell would believe him if he said that?

As a result, there will likely be no shortage of trouble in the market in the future.

Whether I'll be able to focus on healing then is another matter entirely.

Thinking of this, Su Fan's lips curled into a cold smile, a sneer that flashed like a poisoned blade.

Since some people want to die, then I'll grant their wish.

Just then, a commotion arose in the distance, and all the cultivators on the street rushed towards that direction.

Su Fan frowned immediately. What kind of trouble was going on in this wretched place now?

He thought for a moment, then stepped into the dense crowd, his figure appearing and disappearing among the surging heads.

When I got closer, I saw that the intersection ahead was completely blocked, with layers upon layers of people forming an impenetrable wall.

Even through the shadows of many people, he could hear the shouts and curses coming from the street corner ahead.

Su Fan listened intently for a moment, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

It turned out that two groups of ignorant cultivators were fighting over territory and were facing off with swords drawn.

Although he looked down on this tiny, run-down place, he was still nominally the master of this market.

Now look what's happened, these bastards dare to fight for territory in his own market.

Su Fan knew that the Void Refinement Realm cultivators in the neighborhood elders' council were also vying for power and profit on a daily basis.

"Old Demon of the Northern Tomb" has only been dead for a few years, and these people have already started to create criminal gangs in the market.

I reckon they've started collecting protection money from roadside vendors now.

They opposed "Old Demon of the Northern Tomb" not because he was tyrannical and extorting money, but because he did evil without taking them with him.

Thinking of this, Su Fan's eyes flashed even colder, and his sneer became even more sinister.

I was just looking for an excuse to teach these guys a lesson, so they wouldn't keep causing trouble under my nose every day.

This is an opportunity, so I'm buying it now.

Su Fan lightly touched the ground with his toes, his figure leaping up like a startled swan, sweeping past the layers of people like a dark cloud.

With a loud thud, it crashed into the center of the street, cracking several fine lines on the bluestone slab beneath its feet.

At this moment, the two groups of cultivators, who were on the verge of exchanging blows, were stunned when they saw a figure descending from the sky. They were all dumbfounded, as if they had been frozen in place.

Before they could even react, they felt an overwhelming pressure of divine power crushing them like Mount Tai, and everything went black before their eyes, leaving them frozen in place.

Although Su Fan's soul has not fully recovered, he is more than capable of dealing with this group of scoundrels.

The leader of the two groups confronting each other at the street corner was only at the Nascent Soul Realm, and was as vulnerable as paper in the face of Su Fan's soul attack.

Su Fan walked forward expressionlessly, raised his hand, and flicked his fingers twice at the two stunned Nascent Soul cultivators.

“Puff…Puff…”

Two condensed, almost tangible, sword-like energy beams shot out from the air, precisely piercing through the heads of the two men.

"Boom...bang..."

Dark, gaping holes appeared in the two skulls, from which warm blood gushed. The two corpses collapsed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Immediately afterwards, Su Fan's eyes narrowed sharply, and his spiritual energy exploded.

"Boom...boom..."

The heads of the dozens of cultivators involved in the standoff exploded almost simultaneously, like watermelons being crushed by an invisible force. Crimson blood mixed with white brain matter splattered everywhere, instantly staining the bluestone slabs at the street corner a dazzling crimson.

From the moment he made his move to the moment he killed dozens of people, it only took a few breaths.

The cultivators who had gathered at the street corner to watch the spectacle were so terrified by this ruthless and merciless method that they froze on the spot, forgetting even to breathe.

After a moment of stunned silence, someone let out a terrified scream, jolting everyone awake. They turned and ran frantically, wishing their parents had more legs.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the once dense crowd of onlookers had all fled, leaving only corpses scattered all over the street corner and the pungent smell of blood.

“Cai Songlin…”

Su Fan's roar exploded like thunder, making the surrounding houses buzz.

In no time, Old Cai appeared stumbling at the street corner, his face still showing lingering fear.

Before he could even begin to explain, Su Fan pointed to the corpses scattered all over the ground, his voice as cold as ice.

"I entrusted the market to you, and you just let these bastards run rampant here..."

(End of this chapter)