Wang Changqing, upon hearing Han Li's question, replied, "The Master is being too kind. While the various storage bags of the Masters are indeed numerous, they are treasured beyond measure and would never be lent to us commoners for mere everyday items. Moreover, each transaction between the islands involves entire ships' worth of goods—large-scale and substantial. Even though the storage bags are marvelously effective, they can only hold so much. The Masters certainly would not undertake such humble tasks of transporting goods!" Wang Changqing carefully explained to Han Li. The elder, upon hearing these refusals, had his face grow pale at once. Then he urgently pleaded with Han Li, saying, "Master, please help my master! You must know that Master Gu has already spent a great deal—both on ships and on personnel—to secure this business. Moreover, to gain the right to challenge, Master Gu has invested a substantial amount of spiritual stones. Without the qualification to trade among the major islands, the Gu family would surely go bankrupt. Our laborers would lose their jobs and would have to seek new employment." The elder's face was full of earnest appeal. "Indeed, my cultivation level is rather mediocre, and I am not inclined to create any disputes right from the start upon my arrival at the Kuixing Island!" Han Li shook his head calmly, refusing with firm determination. Seeing that Han Li had made up his mind and that his tone had grown more serious, Wang Changqing dared not offer any further advice, and instead managed to maintain his spirits, engaging in a conversation with Han Li about local customs and other matters that Han Li urgently needed to know. Half an hour later, seeing the elder growing somewhat weak, Han Li asked him to return home and rest, and come back the next day to learn some of the local language. Wang Changqing had already felt weary. Seeing Han Li so considerate, he gladly stepped back without further hesitation. Han Li watched the elder walk out and respectfully close the wooden door behind him, then sighed gently. Though he carried some tonic herbs that could invigorate him and even benefit ordinary bodies, he made no move to offer them to the elder. In a foreign place, it was always better not to reveal one's wealth—otherwise, one might easily attract unwelcome trouble, even face one's own demise. With this thought in mind, Han Li settled himself cross-legged on the bed and withdrew a bottle of "Yellow Dragon Pills" from his robes, poured out one pill, placed it in his mouth, and began to cultivate his qi. He had to recover his cultivation level as soon as possible. After all, in any realm of immortals, strength always spoke the loudest. Yet, just after a brief period of meditation, faint footsteps were heard outside. Though Han Li did not open the door, his awareness had already drifted out, fully capturing the scene beyond in his mind. It was the elder Wang Changqing who had returned, accompanied by Gu Dongzhǔ, who appeared deeply troubled. Han Li's brow furrowed slightly. It seemed trouble had arrived. Clearly, Gu Dongzhǔ still harbored hopes of pressing his case further. If this were still in the southern lands, Han Li would have silenced him with a cold word, preventing the two from entering at all. But now, being newly arrived in a foreign place, he wished to remain more approachable and less aloof. With this thought in mind, Han Li did not wait for either of them to knock, but calmly transmitted: "Please come in— the door is not locked!" Upon hearing Han Li's voice, Gu Dongzhǔ and Wang Changqing were startled at first, but quickly realized it was the master of the inner pavilion summoning them to enter. Thus, he quickly straightened his robe, bowed respectfully, and gently pushed open the door to enter. Han Li had already gotten off the bed and was standing inside the room, arms crossed behind his back. "Master, Gu Dongzhong wishes to personally meet with you to discuss matters. Would you kindly grant him the opportunity?" Wang Changqing, having previously interacted with Han Li, knew that the latter was not easily deceived, so he directly stated his purpose. Upon hearing this, Han Li glanced at the elder and smiled warmly, saying, "Of course. However, I would advise Gu Master not to place too much hope on this." Han Li gave off a composed, indifferent air. Upon hearing this, Wang Changqing looked slightly embarrassed but still explained the matter truthfully to the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man's expression changed immediately, but then he spoke seriously to the elder, saying several sentences. Wang Changqing was momentarily stunned, his face now expressing a sense of bewilderment. Han Li stood by, observing silently, with no visible change on his face. "Master! Our master has stated that as long as Master is willing to lend a hand, regardless of the outcome, Gu's family will be ready to pay a substantial sum of spiritual stones as compensation. Should Master truly secure the trading privileges for Gu's family on the large island, Master's master would even serve as a guarantor for Master—this island outsider—ensuring Master's official status as a resident of Kuixing Island. Most importantly, no matter whether Master assumes any official position on the island in the future, Gu's family will commit to donating thirty percent of their profit from trade transactions to Master over the next three years." When Wang Changqing finished speaking, his expression seemed somewhat dazed, as though he had just heard promises from Gu's master that were truly beyond ordinary expectations. Han Li was slightly taken aback, stroking his chin, and asked with a touch of curiosity: "Wait—wouldn't it be sufficient just to reside on Kuixing Island? I didn't recall hearing that a guarantor was needed before!" Although Master Han spoke very gently, it still made Wang Changqing break into a cold sweat, and he quickly opened his mouth to explain: "Master has misunderstood! There are generally two types of external immortals who reside on Kuixing Island. One type stays on the island temporarily and does not hold any official position; after living there for several years, they decide whether to stay or leave based on their personal preferences. The other type has a prominent local family serving as a guarantor, which allows them to obtain permanent residency status. These immortals pay significantly less spiritual stone annually than the first group, and only they are eligible to hold official positions on the island and to participate in the island's decennial spiritual land competition. Those who rank higher in the competition receive training grounds with varying degrees of spiritual energy concentration. Since it is not easy for outsiders to find such guarantors on a large island like Kuixing, I have momentarily overlooked mentioning this matter to Master! Wang Changqing was afraid that Han Li might misunderstand, so he hurried to explain everything in detail. Upon hearing this, Han Li's expression grew increasingly gloomy. "Are all cultivators who do not settle on Quixing Island unable to secure a place for cultivation?" Han Li said, somewhat doubtful. "That's not exactly the case.仙 masters who reside on the affiliated islands are also eligible to participate in such competitions. However, they can only compete for cultivation sites on Quixing Island itself. Quixing Island holds the status of the main island precisely because its spiritual meridians are the most abundant and potent among the surrounding sea areas. The spiritual meridians on the other islands are considerably less impressive," the elder explained. After hearing all this, Han Li's expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty. These regulations clearly served as a strategy to retain more advanced cultivators on the main island. After all, who among cultivators wouldn't desire a place with rich, vibrant spiritual energy? Even if they cultivate medicinal herbs or for their own practice, a more potent source of spiritual energy would always be preferable. Han Li frowned, walked back and forth several times inside the room, then looked up at the middle-aged man named Gu, whose face was filled with hopeful anticipation. Seeing the man's expression, Han Li sighed and slowly said, "Tell me in detail about the Daoist masters who wish to challenge us. If they truly pose a threat, then I'll make an exception and step in personally." Han Li displayed a touch of resignation, giving the two guests a most respectful demeanor. Wang Changqing was delighted and immediately explained the matter to the middle-aged man, who in turn beamed with excitement. After speaking, Han Li quietly thought to himself: "If these Daoist masters don't have any Foundation-stage cultivators among them, then even with my current level, relying on the agility of my puppets and artifacts, I should be able to handle them without much difficulty. This way, I'll be able to begin practicing the Three-Transformations Heavy Yuan Technique on Quixing Island. Of course, I'll also need to continue refining my outer body manifestation and the Daxian Decision—these will be vital for my future survival." ... Four days later, the great ship finally arrived at Qiuxing Island, greeted with cheers from the crew. Han Li, accompanied by Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing, eagerly handled the necessary formalities for his arrival on the island. After all, when an unfamiliar immortal traveler arrives, it's essential to notify the port authorities so that the visitor isn't treated as an unwelcome intruder. However, as Han Li silently observed everything at the port, following behind the two, he was struck by a sense of sheer scale—the port was enormous! Both in terms of the number of vessels and their size, it far surpassed the small wharfs of Tiannan. Remarkably, even the exceptionally large ship of Gu Dongzhu was joined by six or seven others docked at the pier. The number of smaller vessels was even more numerous. Though Han Li didn't count them precisely, the entire harbor likely hosted around two or three hundred ships. And the crowds moving in and out, boarding and disembarking, were even more extensive. For the first time, Han Li truly felt what it meant to have a steady flow of people, like a tide.