Chapter 734

Chapter 734: The Fall of Immortal Crystals

Upon hearing that Fang Lie planned to stay for such a long time, the pale young man was immediately taken aback and hurriedly said, "Senior, you must be joking, right?"

"Hm?" Fang Lie frowned and replied, "What’s so funny about that? Can I not stay here?"

"Not that," the pale young man quickly explained with a wry smile, "This place is not like other towns. It’s extremely difficult to find lodging here. Without the status and means of a Thunder Tribulation Immortal, it’s basically impossible to afford it!"

Clearly, he realized that Fang Lie was not a Thunder Tribulation Immortal and was likely a Core Inner Gate Disciple from a major sect. Such a person usually came here to buy a few items and perhaps take a chance in the Land of Star Fragments before leaving quickly. Hardly anyone would consider staying long-term. That’s why he questioned Fang Lie’s intentions.

Fang Lie smiled slightly and said, "Hey, don’t underestimate me. Although my cultivation level isn’t impressive, when it comes to making money, I’m top-notch. I can surely pay for my lodging here. So tell me, what are the options for staying?"

The pale young man kept his expression neutral but secretly scoffed, thinking that Fang Lie was just putting on a brave face.

However, in order to avoid offending a customer, he held back his disdain and said calmly, "According to the City Lord’s orders, no residents here may accommodate outsiders. All visiting cultivators can only rent one of the thirty-six designated treasure villas. These thirty-six places are divided into three levels: the lowest costs one thousand small spirit pearls, the middle one costs three thousand small spirit pearls, and the highest costs ten thousand small spirit pearls!"

Fang Lie’s expression changed immediately, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, "You can’t be talking about the price for a single day, can you?"

"That’s exactly right!" the pale young man nodded sympathetically.

"What the heck? That’s daylight robbery!" Fang Lie shouted angrily. "At that rate, if I wanted to stay in the best place for ten years, wouldn’t that amount to thirty-six million small spirit pearls?"

It’s worth mentioning that since Fang Lie rose to prominence, the Mo Sect’s income had surged. Yet even so, the entire sect only had an annual cash income of around sixty to seventy million.

Of course, this does not include resources and treasures. Even so, thirty-six million small spirit pearls was an astronomical sum, nearly the cost of half an Eighth-Rank Treasure!

Such a huge expense could buy ten cities of a hundred miles outside, but here, it would only cover ten years of lodging which seemed excessive. Mo Qianxun probably couldn’t afford it either!

The pale young man shrugged and said with a bitter smile, "This place is just that expensive!"

"Why is it so expensive?" Fang Lie asked. "Is there a reason behind this?"

"Of course! Those who pay ten thousand are considered VIPs in our city and enjoy many privileges that other guests cannot access!" the pale young man quickly explained.

"What kind of privileges?" Fang Lie pressed curiously.

"Firstly, the accommodations are different. VIPs stay in cave dwellings that have a radius of ten miles, incredibly luxurious, and rich in Spiritual Energy, sufficient for a Semi-Immortal’s cultivation needs," the pale young man replied.

"That doesn’t matter. Who comes to this remote place just to cultivate? Besides, a Semi-Immortal needs large spirit pearls for their cultivation; they won’t use your thin Spiritual Energy," Fang Lie scoffed.

"Hehe," the pale young man shyly smiled and continued, "Aside from that, VIPs can attend all auctions for free. Others wanting to attend must pay considerable fees. Moreover, VIPs enjoy a twenty percent discount on shopping and gambling on stones. Especially when gambling on stones, that’s the biggest expense."

"Gambling on stones?" Fang Lie frowned in question.

"The esteemed guests may not know," the pale young man quickly clarified, "The meteorites that fall in the Land of Star Fragments often manifest as round stone orbs. When passing through the Ninth Heavens Fierce Heavenly Winds, they burn up and form these special orbs."

"These stone orbs vary in size, some can be over ten feet, while small ones are about the size of peanuts. Most contain solid waste stone, but occasionally, they include Immortal Crystals, Immortal materials, or even finished treasures. Legend has it that my city lord’s two Ninth-Rank Treasures were cut from these stone orbs," the pale young man explained. "Gambling on stones means buying these orbs and cutting them open. If they contain Immortal Crystals or other treasures, you hit the jackpot; if not, you suffer a substantial loss."

"Wow, really?" Fang Lie said, intrigued. "You mean you get those stone orbs from the Land of Star Fragments?"

"Yes, did you see those demons and armored men around? They are specially trained and focus on strengthening their bodies, with incredible strength that allows them to bring these stone orbs back from the Land of Star Fragments," the pale young man explained.

"I see. But I’ve heard the Land of Star Fragments is dangerous. What are the casualties like?" Fang Lie inquired with curiosity.

"According to the City Lord’s orders, anyone who survives for over a hundred years or obtains treasures above Immortal Crystals can stay in the city peacefully for their later years," the pale young man replied lightly. "But the success rate is terrifyingly low. My father, grandfather, and ancestors for generations have never returned safely; they’ve all died in the Land of Star Fragments. If I weren’t so physically weak and unable to leave the city, I might have already perished!"

Hearing this, Fang Lie recognized that this was also a pitiful person. So he shifted the conversation. "What about the auctions?"

"In addition to the stone orbs, the Land of Star Fragments also drops fragments of Immortal weapons and scattered Immortal Crystals, most of which are picked up by our people. Anything that can’t be used in the city is auctioned off, roughly every three years, with at least one Immortal Crystal appearing each time. There are also many private auctions, though I can’t say much about those," the pale young man stated. "However, competition at the big auctions is intense; an Immortal Crystal means that a Thunder Tribulation Immortal can break through their bottleneck and gain a realm, essentially adding a thousand years to their lifespan! Many Thunder Tribulation Immortals with limited lifespan come to join in the fun, and they fight fiercely."

"Hm?" Fang Lie’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly asked, "So how much is one Immortal Crystal?"

"Generally, they are regarded as precious treasures, and sometimes lower-grade Eighth-Rank Treasures appear as well," replied the pale young man.

"What effect do they have?" Fang Lie asked curiously.

"They’re enough to help a mid-stage Thunder Tribulation cultivator break through to the later stage," the pale young man explained. "As far as I know, there has never been a failure, and the success rate is astonishingly high, with no side effects. Thus, even the ninth-rank spirit pills that aid breakthroughs can’t match their value!"

"Wow!" Fang Lie exclaimed in surprise. "If it’s one Immortal Crystal every three years, you must be making a fortune!"

"Not really. The expenses in this city are enormous. Just keeping the protective array running costs no less than a hundred thousand small spirit pearls daily. If we don’t make some money, we simply can’t sustain it!" the pale young man explained.

"That’s true," Fang Lie nodded, then declared, "Alright, I’ve made up my mind—I’ll go for the best treasure villa."

Currently, Fang Lie didn’t lack money. Let alone a daily fee of ten thousand small spirit pearls; even a daily fee of a hundred thousand wouldn’t faze him. The spirit liquid he casually burns would far exceed that price.

Hearing this, the pale young man was shocked and couldn’t help but exclaim, "Guest, are you serious? You want to stay in the best room for ten years?"

"Maybe even longer!" Fang Lie replied with a smile.

"Oh my! It turns out I’m the real fool here; you’re even wealthier than those Thunder Tribulation Immortals and even Semi-Immortals!" the pale young man said excitedly. "Please follow me quickly. It is my lifetime honor to guide you!"

Saying this, he took the lead, and Fang Lie followed him while chuckling, "Is it really that exaggerated?"

"Of course! You may not know, our guides receive commissions. The more a guest spends, the more we earn. If I get to handle your transaction, I won’t have to worry about food for life!" the pale young man gleefully said. "I might even become a bit wealthy and probably even marry a wife! You are truly my big benefactor!"

"Is that so?" Fang Lie’s face twitched as he struggled to find the words.

Meanwhile, the pale young man grew increasingly enthusiastic, saying, "You don’t know this, but originally, our guides rotate to serve guests. The person assigned to you wasn’t me; it was another guy who looked down on you, believing you had no money, so he pushed me forward. I couldn’t argue and just took it, but to my surprise, you are the real wealthy patron! I guarantee that guy is regretting it now and is probably slapping his own face!"

As he spoke, he proudly glanced to the side.

Sure enough, Fang Lie looked over and saw a big, brawny man repeatedly slapping his own face.

Fang Lie and the pale young man’s conversation had not been concealed, and those who were paying attention could clearly hear everything. He surely realized he had missed out on a great opportunity, which explained his regret.

The pale young man was elated and, finding the situation amusing, Fang Lie couldn’t help but laugh along.

Soon on their way, Fang Lie asked about various things, like where to gamble on stones, where to hire help, and other places for refining tools, alchemy, and trading items, and he found out everything clearly.

He also learned that unless he left, the pale young man would continue to serve him. At the same time, he learned the pale young man’s name—Li Qing.

Although on paper he was free, Fang Lie planned to give a bit of a tip anyway; he didn’t mind spending some small change.

Before long, the two arrived at a giant Treasure Tower near the center of the city, standing three thousand feet tall, one of the most luxurious towers around.

Under Li Qing’s guidance, Fang Lie entered the hall, where an alluring lady with high cultivation in the Wind Tribulation realm came out to greet him.