I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

After passing Huailai City, the road ahead was smooth.

This wasn’t to say there were no factions along the way, just none that were particularly powerful or chaotic.

Paying tolls to pass was a matter of course, and Du Youqian had no intention of trying to travel the entire way without spending a single coin.

As long as the rates were reasonable, there was no issue.

After just under half a month, the caravan arrived in the central region of the Endless Desert Sea’s Four Great Domains—the very place where Du Youqian had once attended an auction.

This region was rather hostile toward the Demon Race.

To prevent the Long-tailed Golden Chickens from being stolen, butchered, and roasted, Du Youqian had them disguise themselves as servants.

The Long-tailed Golden Chickens didn’t find this insulting in the slightest. On the contrary, with food to eat and a place to sleep, they were quite content.

Du Youqian had the caravan settle down here temporarily while he took a few of the mid-level managers and traveled back toward Huailai City along different routes.

After several such trips, he finally identified the most cost-effective and safest route, and also planned two backup routes in case any problems arose on the primary one.

Throughout this process, Du Youqian also carefully observed the mid-level managers. Based on their performance, both past and present, he planned to select a caravan leader and a deputy from among them.

By the time the route from the Immortal City Alliance to the central region of the Four Great Domains was completely sorted out, half a year had passed since their departure.

Of course, future trade runs wouldn’t take this long.

During this time, the Long-tailed Golden Chickens did nothing but eat and sleep. Living in a daze, they barely moved, and each one grew a size bigger, to the point they could hardly fly.

However, when Du Youqian returned and the caravan set off again, he mercilessly drove them out to flap their wings.

Du Youqian was actually eager to return to the Western Domain immediately and reclaim his authority over the Four Principles Sect.

But he suppressed this impulse and instead led the caravan toward the Southern Domain.

The Southern Domain was nearly as prosperous as the Eastern Domain, and its political landscape was just as complex. Even for the local powers, it was difficult to tell who was a proxy for whom, and who was merely a front propped up by another.

The Southern Domain also had many Nascent Soul Masters operating openly, so the caravan proceeded slowly and kept a low profile. They paid taxes when required and avoided dangerous areas when necessary. Their main strategy was a single word: caution.

When you’re a merchant, there’s no shame in being cautious.

After another half a year, the caravan had identified several good routes for future ventures deep into the Southern Domain to purchase local specialties and sell goods.

If they could successfully complete a few trips in the future, Ruihan City’s would be the first caravan to extend its trade routes into the Southern Domain. The prospect filled everyone in the caravan with excitement.

However, in Du Youqian’s plan, once the caravan reached the central region in the future, only a small contingent would branch off to the Southern Domain. The main force, after resting, would proceed directly to the Western Domain.

In truth, the straight-line distance between the Southern Domain and the Immortal City Alliance was shorter.

But between the southern part of the Southern Domain and the Immortal City Alliance lay a massive Forbidden Land.

Legend had it that when the Ancient Celestial Court fell, the Immortal Slaying Platform was left behind here, rendering the entire area barren and incapable of supporting life.

It was said that the Immortal City Alliance had previously dispatched caravans to try and chart a direct route to the Endless Desert Southern Domain, but without exception, every last one was wiped out. Eventually, they had to abandon the idea.

Du Youqian wasn’t reckless enough to barge into that Forbidden Land. ’Maybe I’ll check it out after I achieve immortality,’ he thought.

The caravan returned to the central region, rested, and then set off toward the Western Domain.

As for the Northern Domain, Du Youqian had no plans to develop that poor backwater for the time being.

’I’ll consider it when the need arises in the future.’

To the north of the Endless Desert Sea were several large Human Race kingdoms and Demon Race kingdoms, all in a constant state of war.

If, at some point, he discovered it was profitable and Ruihan City was strong enough to seize those benefits, Du Youqian wouldn’t mind leading the caravan to open up that trade route as well.

As the caravan traveled west, Du Youqian felt a subtle excitement building within him.

Under his guidance, the caravan took almost no detours.

Even though a hundred years had passed and many factions had changed...

...one thing remained the same: there were no Nascent Soul cultivators in the Endless Desert Western Domain.

And in a place with no Nascent Soul cultivators... a Golden Core Master was king.

The caravan could travel here unimpeded.

Even if they had to pay tolls along the way, the fees would be merely symbolic.

It wouldn’t add much to their costs.

Du Youqian’s familiarity with the route sparked many hushed whispers.

He could have put on an act—pretending to find one place familiar, then another, feigning a slow recovery of past-life memories with lines like, ’Oh, I feel like I’ve been here before,’ or, ’I seem to have met this young lady somewhere.’

That would have explained a lot and dispelled much of the suspicion.

But there was no need.

He was the patriarch of the Sui Family... the one with the highest cultivation in the entire family.

’Who would dare demand an explanation from me?’

’Who *could* demand an explanation from me!’

’Suspicions?’

’Suspect all you want.’

’What can any of you do about it!’

It was just like when he had deliberately left numerous clues and flaws after killing Rong Xiuxin and Bian Churen.

And yet, to this day, no one had dared to demand an accounting from him.

Because any intelligent person could see that it was bait he had set...

...to eliminate unstable elements.

Whoever took the bait would die.

Now, Du Youqian was being deliberate again, waiting to see who would jump out and question him.

Who would spread rumors in private.

If no one questioned him, he would arrange for a trusted subordinate to do it intentionally.

Anyone who chimed in, thinking there was safety in numbers, would be joining the chorus of doubters and providing a perfect opportunity to purge more unstable elements.

Those who were absolutely loyal to him would not question him.

And if loyalty wasn’t absolute... then it was absolute disloyalty.

This trade route held too many secrets related to him; he would not allow anyone disloyal to remain in the caravan.

In the end, no one jumped out.

Du Youqian was very pleased by this. It showed that his authority was already deeply ingrained.

As for the Long-tailed Golden Chickens, Du Youqian had figured them out. The species had no cunning and lacked curiosity. Even if secrets were laid bare before them, they would turn a blind eye. They were truly excellent transporters.

With the well-traveled Du Youqian leading the way, the caravan arrived at Four Principles Mountain just one month after departing from the central region.

This was mainly because Du Youqian didn’t linger along the way, not even to visit the Split-Ear Sand Fox clan or the people from the Qingxu Commerce Association.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Du Youqian had a trusted subordinate go forward and present a formal calling card.

A reply came back quickly: Master Sui Xiao was invited up the mountain as a guest.

Of course, Du Youqian hadn’t written on the card, ’I am your founding patriarch, hurry and welcome me back to reclaim my authority.’

’Things like this must be handled slowly.’

Du Youqian led the entire caravan up the mountain.

Four Principles Mountain hadn’t changed much in a hundred years, but none of the disciples he saw along the way looked familiar.

The ones Du Youqian had known had either successfully reached Core Formation or had already returned to the earth.

According to information gathered along the way, Four Principles Mountain was currently home to six Core Formation cultivators, making it a premier power in the vicinity.

This was even more astonishing considering the Four Principles Sect had only been founded a hundred years ago.

Unfortunately, Li Fei was not among the six Core Formation Masters.

’Calculating her age, Li Fei must have already passed away.’

Du Youqian felt a flicker of melancholy at this but experienced no great emotional upheaval.

’Over thousands of years, most of the people I’ve known have died. What is there to be sad about?’

’On the path of the Great Dao, loneliness is the norm.’

"The presence of Master Sui Xiao, Lord of Ruihan City from the Immortal City Alliance, brings splendor to our humble sect. Master, this way, please!" Three Core Formation Masters greeted Du Youqian halfway up the mountain.

Du Youqian glanced at them. Unsurprisingly, they were all familiar faces. They could be considered Li Fei’s disciples, or his own; both he and Li Fei had taught them.

However, in his previous life, Du Youqian hadn’t taken any Direct Disciples at the Four Principles Sect. While that batch of disciples was decent, they still fell short of the standards he had for a disciple he would personally mentor.

’To be my Direct Disciple, never mind anything else, they must be clever and bright, right?’

’Astounding Comprehension is a must, isn’t it?’

’Celestial Spirit Roots are too rare, and Earth Spirit Roots are a matter of sheer luck, but they should at least have a Top Grade Spirit Root, shouldn’t they?’

But none of those disciples had met all his conditions.

Their Comprehension was lacking, or their Spirit Root was a bit subpar.

Perhaps in a few hundred years, after the Four Principles Sect’s fame had spread and it could recruit from a wider area, a disciple might appear who could truly move Du Youqian’s heart and make him want to take them under his wing.

Du Youqian gave them a small smile and offered a simple, conventional salute.

The Four Principles Sect politely offered to host a welcome banquet for him, and Du Youqian did not refuse.

He separated from the caravan to rest. Naturally, the treatment for a Golden Core Master was different from that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

A lovely female disciple was assigned to attend to him. She had a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivation and wasn’t very old—only a little over 130, if Du Youqian recalled correctly.

As she brought him tea, Du Youqian called out her name. "Xiaoli, bring me a cup of Moxiang Siming Tea."

The female disciple looked up at him in disbelief, almost thinking she had misheard.

Du Youqian smiled and said softly, "I’m back."

Xiaoli asked with a trembling voice, "You... Who are you?"

Du Youqian didn’t answer, only saying, "Go and get Zhou Muzhi for me."

If anyone else had said that, Xiaoli would have certainly corrected them indignantly, "You must not address our Sect Leader by his full name."

But now, utterly flustered, Xiaoli just gave Du Youqian a deep look, turned, and left.