The first thing Luo Chen asked about was the matter of star-ranked demon hunters. "I've heard from cultivators in Divine Origin City and further north that star-ranked demon hunters are quite famous. So how come I've barely heard of this... line of work elsewhere?"

Zhang Jiadi was taken aback; he hadn't expected such a simple and direct question. After a brief pause for thought, he explained, "It's probably because the whole system's still pretty new. It's been around for less than a century. Also, most rogue cultivators want nothing to do with the war and avoid it if they can. And since star-ranked demon hunters rarely leave the area, people elsewhere haven't really heard of them."

Luo Chen nodded at the explanation. The Northern Sea was vast, the largest of the five territories by a good margin. Even a big merchant ship like Resonant Jade took a full year to reach Giant Whale Harbor. For ordinary rogue cultivators, traveling from the Myriad Immortal Society to elsewhere would take even longer. Although there were teleportation formations that could offer them instantaneous speed, they came at a steep price. In major cities, a single use could cost millions of spirit stones, and rogue cultivators simply could not afford such an expense.

"It's only been a century since the Primordial Devil Sect fell, and already so many new things have popped up..." mused Luo Chen.

Zhang Jiadi nodded in agreement. Demon hunters were absolutely common in all territories; the name literally just meant someone who focused on hunting demonic beasts. But the Myriad Immortal Society's star-ranked demon hunters were as different from normal demon hunters as diamonds were from sand.

"Alright, back to the point. Tell me, what do you actually get from becoming a star-ranked demon hunter?"

Zhang Jiadi's expression turned serious. "There are quite a few benefits. First is status, obviously. Once you take up that position, you're no longer just another rogue cultivator. Within the Myriad Immortal Society, you're above your peers, and even outside, you get certain privileges. For example, entry fees and long-term stay costs in large immortal cities can be reduced or even waived. Second, you will be treated with respect by the other three major forces. Even with the war going on right now, this token will let you pass safely almost everywhere."

As he spoke, Zhang Jiadi showed his token. It was black in color, with blood-colored clouds swirling across its surface. A crescent moon hung at the top, and between the clouds and the moon were two white stars.

A two-star demon hunter? Luo Chen glanced at him. Even if Zhang Jiadi tried to conceal it, his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation could not escape Luo Chen's notice.

Luo Chen frowned. From what he had heard from Liu Fu, star-ranked demon hunters were divided into three tiers. The first three-star tier corresponded to the three stages of Foundation Establishment and the second to the three stages of the Golden Core Realm, as well as to the most exceptional of Initiates. As for the final tier, that was reserved for truly powerful cultivators, those who truly stood out even among exceptional Adepts.

Typically, a cultivator's realm would be lower than their star rank. Yet Zhang Jiadi was the opposite; his cultivation would have entailed a three-star rank. Did that mean his strength was not up to par? That might have made sense, except... the dense blood fiend qi surrounding him suggested anything but weakness.

Luo Chen glanced at him. Zhang Jiadi lowered his head awkwardly. "The preferential treatment goes beyond that. From what some high-tier cultivators in the Myriad Immortal Society have said... once the war's over, no matter who wins, star-ranked demon hunters won't be targeted afterward."

Luo Chen gave a soft nod of acknowledgement. After all, these people were the ones holding the line against the demon races and had contributed greatly to humanity as a whole. It would be ridiculous for them to be attacked afterward.

"Go on then."

Seeing that Luo Chen did not press further about his star rank, Zhang Jiadi relaxed noticeably. He raised his head and gathered his thoughts before continuing, "Lastly, there are the benefits everyone talks about. Once you become a star-ranked demon hunter, you can ask the society for support when you hit a bottleneck. Each star rank will grant you rewards for the corresponding level of cultivation, and they've got clear rules for that. Most of us save those chances for major breakthroughs like Foundation Establishment, Core Formation... or Nascent Soul, indeed. Of course, that's just the big picture. There are a lot of details that people don't know. For example, we also get discounts when exchanging for resources within the society."

Luo Chen was listening carefully, and the last part caused him to perk up. "What kind of resources?"

"All kinds! Pretty much everything!"

Zhang Jiadi started listing the options very enthusiastically. It seemed that the resources offered by the Myriad Immortal Society were practically limitless: artifacts, pills and alchemy cauldrons, talismans, formation blueprints and discs, techniques, spirit plants, fine wine and food, spirit pets, even servants and cultivation furnaces... From mundane to fourth-tier items, nearly everything a cultivator could possibly need was available.

Luo Chen was amazed but also puzzled. "Can they really sustain something on that scale? Where do all those resources even come from?"

Zhang Jiadi smiled. "This is where the name of Myriad Immortal Society starts to make sense. You may have heard that it's a Holy Land for rogue cultivators, and that part is entirely true. People gathering there are for the most part outstanding ones among rogue cultivators, especially Initiates and Adepts. They would not have made it that far without real skills. Alchemists, talisman makers, artisans, formation masters, and even healers and spirit chefs—we've got plenty of them. And naturally, where enough people gather, all kinds of resources naturally come together as well. As for high-tier resources, many come from the Sages. Things they do not need anymore are still valuable to us. And since we're close to Divine Origin City, we trade with the Heaven Origin Trade Alliance as well. So high-tier resources aren't really in short supply."

Zhang Jiadi explained in detail, and Luo Chen followed closely. As he listened, his thoughts drifted. This model felt familiar. The Myriad Immortal Society... the Luo Tian Society. Was this not the same model he had created during his Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment days?

His force gathered rogue cultivators, made full use of their talents, maintained ties with major forces, and redistributed surplus or unwanted resources back to its members. The difference was simply scale, nothing more. Of course, Luo Chen had felt more and more connected to his comrades, so he had eventually gone further and established the Luo Tian Sect in order to leave behind a proper legacy. At this thought, Luo Chen felt a faint sense of kinship toward the Three Hermits who had founded the Myriad Immortal Society. Though they had never met, they walked a similar path.

With the advantages laid out, what remained were the drawbacks... or rather, the obligations that star-ranked demon hunters owed in return. At this point, Zhang Jiadi grew serious. "First, once you pass the assessment and become a star-ranked demon hunter, there's one rule above all else. Any and all remnants of the Primordial Devil Sect are to be killed on sight!"

"Hm?" Even Luo Chen was caught off guard for a moment. "Wait, what? You just said the Myriad Immortal Society is tied to the other three major forces. When the demon armies attacked, they sent reinforcements, and after the war, star-ranked demon hunters will be favored regardless of the outcome."

"Yes, I did say that."

"But Devil's Snare is filled with remnants of the Primordial Devil Sect. So how does that make sense? They help you grow while letting you hunt them at the same time?"

Zhang Jiadi scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat confused. "I... don't really have an answer to that, Senior. That's the rule. Maybe in practice there's some flexibility? But in any case, the Myriad Immortal Society and the heirs of the Primordial Devil Sect don't mix at all."

At this point, he lowered his voice. "This probably goes back to the Three Hermits who founded the society. From what I've heard, they all have grudges against the Primordial Devil Sect. Back when it was still around, the three of them banded together just to survive being pursued by the sect."

Luo Chen frowned. He had not heard of this before. Still, the Three Hermits were quite famous. He had heard of them even back on Coldlight Island. As middle-stage Sages, they were said not to fear late-stage Sages. Now that he thought about it, the number of such figures in the Northern Sea was limited. Such a reputation could not have come from nothing, so it likely stemmed from the trio fighting against the Primordial Devil Sect and surviving. A century ago, most late-stage Sages in the Northern Sea had gathered within the Primordial Devil Sect. Perhaps there truly had been some enmity.

He shook his head, set aside these vague tales, and said, "Go on!!"

"Alright!" Zhang Jiadi went straight to the second rule—as expected, when a beast tide occurred, star-ranked demon hunters were to respond to the call and fight. Meanwhile, ordinary rogue cultivators faced far fewer obligations. They only went to battle once the bloodiest part of the fight was over, if they even needed to participate at all.

"Anything else?"

"There's one more..." Zhang Jiadi said vaguely, "Anything you get from demon hunting has to be sold through the society. You can't sell it on your own."

Luo Chen understood. This was similar to the Luo Tian Society's model and not unusual. Back then, whether it was Duan Feng's artifact business, the spirit medicines, or the spirit plants, everything had to be handed over to the society. It would then be sold through Gu Caiyi's Gold Hall. Only after the profits were collected would they be distributed according to shares and salaries.

Luo Chen examined Zhang Jiadi carefully, which made him uneasy. In the Luo Tian Society, only production output had to be handed in, while any incidental gains were usually kept by the cultivators themselves. But here, all spoils from demon hunting had to be turned over and handled by the organization. The trade in demonic beast resources was highly profitable, which meant there was plenty of room to skim off the top. The profit involved with each haul could easily reach tens of thousands of spirit stones. For rogue cultivators, that was no small amount. He had lived that life before and had once counted every spirit stone and compared prices everywhere he went. He would never tolerate losses caused by middlemen.

Still... Zhang Jiadi had strong cultivation and a dense killing aura, yet his star rank was low. What did that imply? Nothing good, really. Because of that, Luo Chen pressed on to ask how he had become a star-ranked demon hunter and how one could advance through the ranks. At last, he found out the real reason for Zhang Jiadi's unease—the man had broken the rules. He had sold the spoils of demon hunting through private channels instead of going through the society.

Under Luo Chen's half-smiling gaze, Zhang Jiadi trembled as cold sweat broke out and he nearly dropped to his knees. All of a sudden, a hand came to rest on his shoulder. A pair of gentle yet steady eyes met Luo Chen's. "Adept Luo, you've just arrived at the Myriad Immortal Society, and you're probably not familiar with the place yet. My husband and I have been here for decades, and we've got our share of connections. If you don't mind, we could act as your guides and help take care of a few things for you."

The one who had spoken was Zhang Jiadi's Dao companion, Wen Xiu. She seemed to be only around the fifth stage of Foundation Establishment, yet she carried herself with calm confidence even in front of an Adept. She met Luo Chen's gaze without a trace of fear or deference.

Luo Chen's gaze lowered for a moment and settled on her abdomen. A faint smile touched his lips. In the end, he nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you."

*** 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Half a month later, a voice rang out across the deck. "Everyone, we've arrived at Thousand Star Island. We have officially crossed the border, and we are on the territory of the Myriad Immortal Society. Those who wish to get off, report to the steward. Next, we will head to Dragon Abyss City beneath the Hidden Dragon Mountain Range, which is about a day and a half away. If you're heading there, be ready as well! We dock for one incense stick's time before we set off again."

Luo Chen watched rogue cultivators hurry off the ship eagerly and asked without turning, "Are we getting off?"

Behind him, Zhang Jiadi and his wife stood respectfully. The two exchanged a glance, then Wen Xiu replied, "Not yet. Thousand Star Island does have a station for demon hunters, but it only handles Qi Refinement cultivators and Initiates. Only Dragon Abyss City can register Adepts and assign them trials."

"Do you have a place in Dragon Abyss?"

"We do own a small courtyard. It's not big, but it can fit four or five people without a problem."

"Then let's head straight to Dragon Abyss!"

Luo Chen stood by the railing in high spirits, and a trace of anticipation showed on his face. As the main city of a major force, it could not be lacking, and perhaps his future cultivation base would be there.

Amid such high expectations, the Gao family's merchant ship resumed its journey. After about a day and a half, they reached a dock. As soon as Luo Chen stepped onto land, he looked toward a towering city in the distance. Even from dozens of li away, and in the dim light of dusk, his keen eyesight allowed him to see it clearly.

Yet at the very first glance, he frowned. He turned back with uncertainty in his eyes. "Are you sure this place is the main city?"

From afar, the city looked grand and imposing. Yet it was immediately obvious to Luo Chen that everything there was actually worn and dilapidated. Vines clung to its walls, and part of the main defensive structure had collapsed. Even the intact sections showed mottled gray patches that stripped away any sense of majesty. It looked more like a garment that had been repeatedly patched together.

The scene inside the walls was no better. Cultivators and flying boats moved without order. The spirit energy was rich and well-suited for low-tier cultivators, yet the overall impression fell far short of what Luo Chen had felt at the first sight of Tianlan.

Zhang Jiadi gave a bitter smile. "A rogue cultivator Holy Land is like that..."

Luo Chen took a deep breath and beckoned to Heavenjade. He then rose on a cloud of mana and headed toward Dragon Abyss City. Heavenjade extended a strand of mana, sweeping Zhang Jiadi and his wife along as she followed. As they drew nearer, Luo Chen's heart sank. When he reached the broken city gate, he spread his divine consciousness to sense the distribution of spirit energy within. Spirit energy was abundant, but it was scattered and disordered. The highest concentration lay at the core of the city, and it reached the fourth tier. In other areas, however, the highest level was only top-grade second-tier. Such conditions were not suitable for Adepts.

Luo Chen stood at the gate and even began to doubt himself. Did I come to the wrong place?