CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 0530: OFFICIALLY STARTING WORK, LET’S GET GOING.

"The three of you can rest assured. There’s no treasure beyond the reach of our Immortal Treasure Pavilion."

The old man exuded confidence. The Immortal Treasure Pavilion had been renowned in the Immortal Realm for countless years, guarded by powerful beings, and its reputation was nothing short of impeccable. Be it Immortal Monarchs or Immortal Kings, they were all willing to entrust their unused treasures here for auction.

They had even achieved the remarkable feat of:

Powerful figures not physically arriving but directly sending their treasures across tens of thousands of miles through the Void. This was the Immortal Treasure Pavilion’s greatest pride.

Look at that!

Such was the trust others had in them. This level of trust had to be maintained forever.

"Watch the shop. I shall escort these three esteemed guests to a VIP room in the back," the old man instructed before smiling warmly. "Please, noble guests, this way. There are too many eyes and ears here; inside is quiet and elegant—no one will disturb you."

"Alright."

Walking through long, winding corridors with a few twists and turns, they soon arrived at their destination.

The surrounding environment was refined and serene, akin to an immortal paradise.

Lin Fan noticed that many mighty beings were concealed in the vicinity. Though they remained unseen, their presence was palpable, their auras blanketing the area. Their purpose was dual: to protect the place and deter others.

The message was clear:

It was a warning to those present—discard any reckless thoughts. The Immortal Treasure Pavilion was not as simple as it seemed. Any attempt to cause trouble would result in terrifying consequences, beyond what anyone could bear.

"Please, take a seat," the old man said with a polite smile.

Lin Fan smiled back. "The Immortal Treasure Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation. If ordinary people stir up trouble here, they likely wouldn’t even know how they died. And what grand methods! Three Immortal Kings, nine Immortal Monarchs."

Upon hearing this, the old man’s expression flickered ever so slightly, a hint of astonishment crossing his features.

He hadn’t expected the other party to notice.

This...

Was unfathomable.

He realized he had somewhat underestimated these three Immortals. When Lin Fan accurately stated the number of powerful figures present, the old man was indeed taken aback.

"Remarkable, Daoist friend," the old man praised.

Lin Fan’s mention wasn’t meant to provoke. It was merely to signal that while the Immortal Treasure Pavilion was undoubtedly formidable, they themselves weren’t to be dismissed.

Inside the room.

Lin Fan glanced around, noting just how lavishly appointed it was.

The old man soon got down to business. "Rest assured, this place is completely secure. If you have any treasures, feel free to reveal them. I am not just the steward of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion but also a trained appraiser of treasures."

Qin Yang and Xiang Fei weren’t paying attention to the negotiations. Instead, they moved to a corner of the room, whispering to one another.

"Do you think this place is reliable?" Qin Yang asked in a low voice. He had heard the earlier statement from Brother Lin about the three Immortal Kings and nine Immortal Monarchs. Such a presence was terrifying, to say the least.

If something went wrong...

The very thought sent a chill down his spine.

"Don’t worry. The Immortal Treasure Pavilion’s reputation is solid. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have lasted so long in the Immortal Realm," Xiang Fei replied.

While the two were still conversing, an exclamation came from Lin Fan and the old man’s direction.

"What an incredible treasure!"

"Oh! And this one too—another rare gem. Daoist friend, are you really planning to sell all of these?"

The old man’s initial expectations hadn’t been particularly high.

But when Lin Fan began taking out one treasure after another, it became impossible for him to remain composed. His face flushed with excitement as he examined the items carefully, finding each to be authentic with no traces of forgery.

The old man was an experienced professional.

Though he prided himself on maintaining his composure regardless of the treasures presented, Lin Fan had produced nearly twenty pieces, each of a different type—truly a rare sight to behold.

Lin Fan didn’t take out more nor did he say much.

What was displayed was already sufficient. Now it was up to the Immortal Treasure Pavilion to decide how to proceed.

Gradually.

The old man composed himself and asked, "Daoist friend, are you certain you wish to sell all of these? If so, how do you wish to conduct the transaction—do you prefer Immortal Stones, or do you have other terms in mind?"

Lin Fan replied, "I don’t need Immortal Stones. I’d like to exchange these treasures for others. My requirements are simple: just some common Immortal Artifacts and Immortal Pills."

So, it was a barter.

The old man immediately understood, yet he froze for a moment, staring at Lin Fan in disbelief. The request was unusual—using such treasures to exchange for common Immortal Artifacts and Immortal Pills?

What was this about?

Did he mishear?

"My junior brothers and sisters number quite a lot. The treasures I’ve collected aren’t enough to satisfy them, so I want to exchange for some basic Immortal Artifacts and Pills. There shouldn’t be any issue with that, right?" Lin Fan casually fabricated an explanation.

The old man sighed in admiration. "Daoist friend’s junior disciples are truly fortunate."

After all, in all his years in the trade, he had never seen someone exchange valuable treasures for less valuable ones.

"So, can the Immortal Treasure Pavilion handle this?" Lin Fan asked.

He still had a few treasures he deemed less worthwhile but didn’t bother taking them out. It wasn’t necessary. When the Secret Realm opened, it would be unremarkable at first, attracting only ordinary Immortals. Providing them with modest rewards was good enough.

There was no need to let them obtain anything truly precious—it would only lead to a loss.

The old man smiled. "Of course, that won’t be a problem at all. Our Immortal Treasure Pavilion can certainly manage this."

Afterward.

The old man busied himself. Based on the treasures Lin Fan had taken out, the value of each could exchange for five to ten Immortal Artifacts—or even more.

However, this value was always measured in terms of Immortal Stones.

There was no other way around it.

Lin Fan was thrilled with the results. The twenty Immortal Emperor-level treasures he had exchanged amounted to over two hundred items. To an Immortal Emperor, these might seem a bit lowly. But for ordinary Immortals, they were coveted treasures.

Once everything was finalized.

The old man respectfully escorted Lin Fan and his companions out of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion. "Safe travels, Daoist friends. If you ever have more treasures, don’t hesitate to come here."

He was in an excellent mood.

They had made significant gains.

His performance metrics had shot up dramatically.

After all, who would use high-grade treasures to trade for lower-grade ones?

Lin Fan was very pleased with the quantity of items exchanged.

"Brother Lin, I can’t shake this feeling... That old guy seemed to treat us like fat pigs waiting to be slaughtered. Did you notice the way he looked at us? It felt... different," Qin Yang remarked.

"You’re only realizing this now?"

Xiang Fei couldn’t even muster a response. Did he really need to ask? It was as obvious as it could get, wasn’t it?

Swapping high-value treasures for low-grade ones—regardless of the quantity—was clearly a lopsided deal. Once exchanged, there was no getting them back. That was plain as day.

"Why bother dwelling on it? Those treasures were of no use to us anyway. Our current focus is ensuring the success of the Chaos Secret Realm. Everything else is secondary."

"Come on, let’s grab some food. The little girl hasn’t been out in a while; she’s probably feeling stifled," Lin Fan suggested.

The little girl: So you *do* remember me. I thought you’d totally forgotten about me.

A few days later!

They were still in the West Plain Desert.

At the moment, they were in an area shaped by a dried-up riverbed that had evolved into a series of craggy ridges leading off in all directions. It wasn’t exactly mountainous but was a vast network of deep fissures exuding desolate energy.

The atmosphere evoked an ancient and weathered charm.

"This location isn’t bad at all," Lin Fan remarked.

Qin Yang and Xiang Fei surveyed their surroundings and exchanged a look. "Are you sure this place is actually good?"

Lin Fan blinked in surprise. "Don’t you think it’s great? The atmosphere here has a certain allure. Plus, didn’t we already scout this area earlier? Within a radius of ten thousand miles, there are sects and schools. Plenty of disciples will pass through here."

"Traffic, ambiance—you don’t think it’s perfect?"

Qin Yang, ever the staunch believer in Lin Fan, nodded without hesitation. Right or wrong didn’t matter to him; who said it was what counted.

It was that simple.

"Yes, I think you’re absolutely right," Qin Yang agreed.

Xiang Fei shot him a sidelong glance, as if to silently say, *Could you at least try not to seem so much like a simp?*

Lin Fan unleashed the Chaos Secret Realm and placed the Vital Dragon in its deepest recesses.

He had already planned out the layout of the Secret Realm.

It was straightforward:

The entrance to the Secret Realm would seem deceptively easy at first. But as one ventured deeper, the experiences would grow increasingly daunting—not to claim lives, but to make it obvious that this Secret Realm was extraordinary.

For instance, there would be an Immortal Treasure glowing with brilliance ahead, but it would be inaccessible, obstructed by daunting restrictions.

What would an Immortal treasure-hunter do then?

The answer was simple.

They’d seek out stronger allies to assist them.

After all, who didn’t know a few powerful friends?

One rumor would lead to ten, then ten to a hundred. Just envisioning the scene made Lin Fan burst into hearty laughter. *Truly, this was a stroke of genius.*

Qin Yang and Xiang Fei watched Lin Fan laughing to himself out of nowhere, a little dumbfounded.

It was unnerving.

What kind of thought could make him laugh so... mischievously?

It sent chills down their spines.

Lin Fan had already mapped out the folklore of the Secret Realm. Random infighting wouldn’t do. If combat seemed deliberately engineered, it might make Immortals suspicious and raise their guard.

Every Secret Realm needed to offer a taste of sweet success to tempt people into exploring further.

Lin Fan scattered the exchanged Immortal Treasures throughout various spots in the Secret Realm, weaving heart-stirring legends—tales that would make those who heard them want to weep and press on.

Each story had an enticing continuation, and all paths led to one conclusion:

*Journey deeper, and you will learn everything.*

Lin Fan retreated with his companions to the farthest reaches of the Secret Realm, quietly waiting. Activating an omniscient perspective, he prepared for the arrival of those destined to find their way here.

The next day!

A figure strode across the wilderness, leisurely performing the Cloud Soaring Technique to drift from a great distance.

"Ah, I wonder if my junior sister will accept my love."

The Immortal’s cultivation level was that of a Heavenly Immortal. His talent was decent, and he had always practiced diligently, hoping to show his junior sister his hidden brilliance so she might look at him differently—perhaps even fall for him, leading to pleasant outcomes.

But he wasn’t very confident.

After all, his junior sister had many exceptional peers vying for her attention.

As he drifted along, lost in thought.

Suddenly.

His gaze fell on a peculiar sight.

"Huh? What is that? I don’t recall anything like that being here before."

"How could there be a Secret Realm in this place?"