I'm a Middleman in the Immortal Realm

The down-on-his-luck young man Li Rongtao unexpectedly binds himself to a portal that lets him travel between modern-day Earth and the world of immortal cultivation. He soon discovers a massive “information gap” between the goods in the two worlds: Water-Gathering Talismans, common as dirt in the immortal realm, are miraculous tools for solving Earth’s water crisis, while industrial glass from Earth is “flawless colored glass” on par with the finest crystal in the immortal realm. Quick-witted, he immediately seizes the business opportunity. Starting with a box of glass cups in exchange for seed money, he launches a wild cross-dimensional wholesale business: trading white sugar and spicy snacks for cultivation techniques and spirit stones, opening an “internet cafe” in the immortal realm with solar panels, and holding an “immortal realm barbecue festival.” He makes a fortune. But his immense wealth and the unusual flow of goods soon attract the attention of powerful forces in both worlds. Earth’s GRS Corporation tries to capture and control him, while the immortal realm’s artifact-crafting guild and rival sects covet his sources of supply. With help from veteran soldier Shi Meng and reporter Su Rui, Li Rongtao deftly navigates the dangers and escapes disaster time and again. As his strength and capital grow, his business expands. He begins to “reverse the flow,” bringing spirit plants and low-risk spirit beasts from the immortal realm to Earth, inadvertently heralding the spiritual qi revival across the globe. This completely reshapes the world order and draws him into the heart of an even greater storm. In the end, Li Rongtao successfully withstands the final counterattack by the forces of both worlds and brings about formal diplomatic relations and cooperation between Earth and the immortal realm. He grows from an insignificant peddler into the “Sovereign Merchant of the Boundary Sea,” controlling trade between the two worlds and driving a transformation of the times.