Hsu Su had brought a total of six attendants with him. They carried a total of eleven trunks containing feng shui array discs, objects to secure fortune, and six statues of golden toads and pixiu[1].

The group followed Wei Yuan into Yong’an City, making their way to the commercial district in the eastern part of the city. At the moment, the so-called “commercial district” consisted of only a few roads and a patch of weeds. Not a single shop or tavern had been established yet.

Over a hundred people in ragged clothes were digging ditches along both sides of the road, while another laid strips of cut limestone at the bottom. Once done, they built up the walls of the ditches. Several cultivators who had already attained great completion in the Body-tempering stage were acting as supervisors and offering guidance. From time to time, they would roll up their sleeves and help with the work themselves.

The caravan attendants watched the scene with some curiosity. Those who had attained great completion in the Body-tempering stage held a certain status. Even if they had no hope of attaining a Dao Foundation, they could still secure a minor ninth-rank position in the mortal world such as a head honcho of the yamen runners of a county, a prison warden and so on. Why would they lower themselves to perform such menial labor?

Hsu Su stopped in his tracks and carefully examined the ditches and piles of dressed stone for a moment. Only then did he continue on his way.

After surveying the commercial district, Hsu Su quickly selected the location for the merchant...