Mo Xuan's requested items were rare commodities; they were not easy to obtain. Through his jade disk, he confirmed that such items did exist, but their owners were seeking other rare materials in exchange. This was perfectly normal.
Many immortals had to conduct a dozen intermediary trades before finally acquiring what they truly wanted.
Mo Xuan's foundation, however, was still too thin. Without sufficient treasures on hand, he could not circulate goods repeatedly to engineer a deal. All he could do was wait patiently, hoping that the few immortals who needed his materials would also be willing to engage in multi-step exchanges.
He carefully browsed through the listed trade goods, gaining a clearer understanding of market values. He absolutely could not afford to fall into the same pit twice.
The trading gathering lasted three days—short for immortals, yet time still slipped away second by second. Before long, an entire day had passed.
Few participants had successfully secured the items they urgently needed. Every immortal carried a mental scale, weighing profit and loss, all hoping to earn just a little more.
Originally, Kong Jian had intended to spend heavily to acquire wood-water energy crystals. To his surprise, Mo Xuan had already offered two exceptional ones. Seeing Mo Xuan's needs, Kong Jian quietly helped him facilitate intermediary trades behind the scenes.
As time wore on, anxiety spread. Those in desperate need began lowering their standards, swallowing small losses just to secure a deal.
At last, Mo Xuan completed his first transaction. In exchange for a slightly smaller wood-water energy crystal, he acquired a full set of twenty-four formation flags capable of assembling the Rising Wind and Gathering Clouds Formation. Its defensive strength was average, but it could gather spiritual energy—highly beneficial for cultivating spiritual crops.
Soon, the third day arrived.
Juye Tianxian inserted a small auction midway through the event.
Several immortal swords, spirit artifacts, and formations he personally refined were sold at high prices or exchanged for treasures of equal value.
After the auction ended, little time remained. Those still lacking essentials grew increasingly restless, raising their offers.
Mo Xuan was frequently approached. Many immortals urgently needed wood-water or metal-water energy crystals. Yet he remained firm—he would trade only for the specific items he required.
The gathering entered its countdown phase.
Mo Xuan struck another deal, exchanging a metal-water energy crystal for a crucial piece of immortal soil required to establish an Immortal Garden. It resembled a dull gray chocolate brick, palm-sized—yet it weighed over a hundred tons. This soil was refined from fertile Grade-A spiritual farmland. It was not an exotic heavenly treasure, but its refinement required great effort and spiritual power. Most immortals used it to expand their own gardens and rarely traded it away. Mo Xuan had not expected to obtain such a large piece and happily stored it within the Immortal Garden materials section of his storage pearl.
Soon after, he exchanged another wood-water energy crystal for a glass bead known as a Crystal Dome—another essential component for an Immortal Garden. Because an Immortal Garden possessed limited gravity, it could not retain atmosphere effectively without such a dome to seal in moisture and air.
Though it appeared thin and fragile, the dome could contain tens of thousands of tons of garden mass. However, it had limits. When upgrading a garden into a full Immortal Realm, a stronger dome would eventually be required—but that was a distant concern. For now, Mo Xuan was delighted. His Immortal Garden blueprint was steadily taking shape.
At last, the trading gathering concluded.
Mo Xuan had not completed additional deals. With a quiet sigh, he resigned himself to purchasing the remaining materials directly from the academy—though they would cost considerably more.
Still, he had made a small side gain. Over three days, he discreetly pocketed all sixteen spirit fruits from his table's basket, intending to bring them home to his parents and grandparents. The fruits would greatly benefit their health.
Immortals bowed to Juye Tianxian and departed in a steady stream.
Mo Xuan boarded his striking Hongwu Warship and was the first to depart.
Those without warships watched with envy. Even many Earth Immortals did not own one.
Kong Jian had gained modestly from the gathering. He handed Mo Xuan two additional sets of formation flags.
"My family cannot simply settle on your island without contribution. Take these."
Mo Xuan, knowing his teacher's temperament, accepted them with a sheepish grin. He also discovered four extra spirit fruits slipped in—courtesy of his master.
After escorting Kong Jian home, Mo Xuan hurried to the academy's Points Exchange Hall.
There, guided by Old Immortal Li, he purchased formation arrays, spirit trees, thunder bamboo, dragon fruits, spiritual carp, spirit sea fish, magnetic warming stones for a hot spring, and even a spiritual well.
When all was said and done, Mo Xuan checked his balance.
Remaining points: 3.
He blinked in disbelief.
He had started with over 128,000 points. Now—three.
Just like that, he had returned to poverty.
Yet as he looked at the storage pearl filled to the brim with supplies for his island's future prosperity, he nodded. It would be worth it.
Within ten years, that island would become a paradise.
Still… three points.
He suddenly missed Yi Tiao. If the crane had not died, perhaps he could have refunded it for six hundred points.
"My eight-hundred-point crane…" he muttered mournfully.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ba shivered without knowing why.
Half an hour later, the massive Hongwu Warship descended upon Huanxi Village.
The enormous vessel caused an immediate uproar. Villagers stared wide-eyed at the colossal hull and its terrifying cannons. Children hid behind their elders yet peeked curiously.
Mo Xuan stepped out with a smile, greeting his family and neighbors.
A snot-nosed child burst into the workshop, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Sister Que'er! Great-Grandfather is back! He brought an even bigger flying ship—so big!"