Master Shixiang, Three Incenses and Four Flavors

"Do you know where they rent out cave dwellings in this city?" He didn't ask "if" there were any. He went straight to asking where. This was only natural. Tianlan Immortal City was such a magnificent metropolis, purportedly home to a million cultivators. There had to be places suitable for cultivation. And without doubt, such prime cultivation grounds would be jointly monopolized by the seven major sects. Yet Tianlan Immortal City was not the sacred mountain seat of any of the seven sects; leaving those spirit-rich lands vacant would be an utter waste. Therefore, leasing them out was indisputably the most sensible solution. Xu Xiaoliu wasn't surprised in the least. He answered immediately, "I do! Senior, do you want to go take a look now?" Luo Chen glanced back. The inn Xu Xiaoliu had found for them was indeed great value for money. It had accommodated more than a hundred people with plenty of room to spare. By now, most of the Luotian Association's cultivators were settled in. The Nangong family was settled as well. Only over on the Li family's side, Li Yixian's face was flushed red as she stood alone, haggling with the innkeeper over something. Seeing this, Xu Xiaoliu smiled wryly. "You can't blame me for this. This is already the cheapest inn in the entire city. Ten days for one person costs just five spirit stones, and they even throw in a free meal of spiritual rice! "Senior Li has so many people with her, so she might be feeling the pinch of that expense!" Luo Chen said nothing. He understood the Li family's situation. Their foundation had been relatively decent. However, to prepare for danger, Li Yixian had spent a massive fortune buying a low-grade magic treasure, gutting nearly half the family's assets. The spirit stones she had left should not have been a trivial amount. Yet ever since arriving in Tianlan Immortal City, spirit stones had been flowing out like water, rushing away in torrents. Even if she had rarely managed family finances before, she knew that continuing like this would sooner or later exhaust their wealth completely. She had no idea how to generate new income yet. Cutting costs, however, was already underway. Unfortunately, having grown up under the protective care of her family, she had focused solely on cultivation her entire life. How could she be skilled at mundane worldly bargaining? After haggling for a while, she only succeeded in making the innkeeper impatient. Even Li Ao, standing beside her, had a face flushed red with embarrassment—looking exactly like a child mortified while watching his parent haggle over prices in a shop. In the end, the bargaining failed. She had no choice but to accept the price set by the proprietor and arrange rooms for all the Li clansmen. Still, this meant shelling out several hundred spirit stones on the spot. Li Yixian naturally knew that many eyes were watching her during this scene. Yet... "I've made a fool of myself before you, Fellow Daoist," Li Yixian said to Luo Chen with a self-deprecating smile. Luo Chen shook his head, not showing the slightest hint of mockery. On the contrary, he admired her willingness to put her pride aside. When one was in humble straits, pride was often the cheapest, least valuable thing. He, too, had once stood before humble street stalls like a naggy old fishwife, grinding down prices half a spirit stone at a time. As Nangong Jin walked over, Luo Chen got straight to the point: "I plan to go check out the cave dwellings. Do you two want to come along?" "Cave dwellings?" "Places on a second-order spirit vein?" Meeting their questioning gazes, Luo Chen nodded. Nangong Jin immediately replied, "Naturally, I'll go with you!" Li Yixian pondered for a moment, then gritted her teeth. "I'll go take a look as well!" However, before setting off, she turned around and sent a voice transmission to Li Ao. By the entrance of the inn, Li Ao, who had been about to head out for a stroll, received the transmission and instantly wore a face as bitter as a gourd. She was ordering him to stay behind at the inn and watch over the clan members. Over on the Luotian Association's side, Sima Huiniang had long since issued the rules. On the first day, no one was permitted to leave; everyone was to rest and recover. Starting tomorrow, small groups would be sent out in shifts to familiarize themselves with Tianlan Immortal City. Furthermore, they wouldn't be wandering aimlessly. They had to proceed cautiously and safely under the guidance of Xu Xiaoliu. ... "A carriage is coming!" Under a pavilion by the roadside, Xu Xiaoliu leapt out and waved his arms vigorously at the street. When a giant, vividly patterned tiger vehicle pulled up to a stop, Xu Xiaoliu turned around. "Three Seniors, please board!" Looking at the giant tiger carriage, Luo Chen showed a faint trace of surprise. Unlike the fully enclosed Black Python carriage, this one before them was open-air. Sitting on it, one had an unobstructed view of the scenery outside. However, seating was limited, appearing to accommodate only a dozen or so people. At this moment, the passengers already aboard were eyeing the three newcomers with curiosity. Without hesitation, Luo Chen paid two spirit stones and boarded the carriage. Xu Xiaoliu was in the back row, hastily wiping down the cushioned seats with his sleeve. "Senior, sit here!" "Mm, thank you." Luo Chen sat down, and Li Yixian and Nangong Jin took their seats in the same row. "Binglan Palace is quite far from Yuelu Street, and there are only two carriage routes heading that way. This giant tiger carriage is one of them," Xu Xiaoliu explained. Hearing his words, Luo Chen asked curiously, "Why aren't the carriages in Tianlan Immortal City standardized?" Xu Xiaoliu scratched his head. "That, I wouldn't know." "Then how many of these carriages are there in Tianlan Immortal City?" "Oh, that I do know! Five beast carriages—two Black Pythons and three Giant Tigers. Those are puppet carriages produced by the Luoyun Sect. In addition, there are three Cloud-Drifting Long Carriages, which are magical artifacts introduced by the Flame Alliance, and two Iron Mountain Seats from Mount Ailao." Luo Chen paused, then stroked his smooth chin in thought. This meant the transit business in Tianlan Immortal City was currently monopolized by these three sects. Though the fare seemed modest, running multiple trips every day across the city would yield a massive revenue of spirit stones. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at his two companions. Nangong Jin sat with eyes closed, resting his mind, seemingly indifferent to anything going on outside. Yet Luo Chen knew he had been gravely injured earlier. What he needed most right now was a safe cultivation ground rich in spiritual energy to nurse his wounds. Li Yixian was gazing out of the window, her eyes shimmering with wonder, occasional expressions of amazement flitting across her face. This lively display made her look just like a young girl visiting a great metropolis for the first time. It was a world away from the penny-pinching clan head who had haggled with the innkeeper just moments ago. Perhaps this was who she truly was. Luo Chen turned his attention to the sights beyond the carriage as well, particularly the towering buildings and storefronts. "So many magical robes?" "Senior, that's Yuyi Tower. They specialize in magical robes, especially those tailored for female cultivators. The backer behind them is the Chen family of Tianyi Workshop." "The Chen family of Tianyi Workshop?" "Yes, a cultivation clan. They have three Foundation Establishment True Cultivators and close ties to Ice Fort, plus they're situated near Tianlan Immortal City. That's why they were able to open Yuyi Tower in such a prime location." Luo Chen realized. A cultivation family like that was very similar to the Huo family and the Duan family, who both had ties, to varying degrees, with the Flame Alliance and Luoyun Sect. However, the Chen family of Tianyi Workshop possessed strength far beyond either of those two. His gaze fell upon another building. Faintly, a pungent yet mind-clearing fragrance drifted toward them. "What does that place sell?" "Shixiang Pavilion. An organization that specializes in researching all sorts of exotic fragrances. The Three Incenses and Four Flavors they sell are wildly popular among cultivators." "Three Incenses and Four Flavors?" "The Three Incenses refer to three kinds of incense: Soul Beckoning Incense, Fierce Spirit Incense, and Exotic Body Incense." Luo Chen grew intrigued. "What do these three incenses do? Why are they so popular among cultivators?" Beside him, Li Yixian, who had been taking in the city sights, turned to listen with curiosity. Even Nangong Jin opened his eyes. Stared at by three Foundation Establishment cultivators at once, even someone as thick-skinned as Xu Xiaoliu felt a bit of pressure. Composing himself, he explained in detail, "Soul Beckoning Incense, as the name implies, can beckon souls. "Generally speaking, when a cultivator dies, if they haven't reached the Nascent Soul stage, their divine soul will disperse in the outside environment." Luo Chen nodded. This was common knowledge in the cultivation world. Once a cultivator died, their soul returned to the Netherworld to plunge once more into the cycle of reincarnation. Only after reaching the Nascent Soul realm could one barely break free of this shackle, achieving a state where as long as the divine soul remained intact, the person would not perish. Other than that, exceptions only occurred under extraordinary death conditions. For instance, during the battle at Dahe Market, three ghost kings had fallen simultaneously, corrupting the land into a ghost domain. The cultivators who died within that ghost domain, constrained by its bizarre environment, had their souls mutate into yin souls and vengeful wraiths instead, lingering in the world. "However, if one possesses Soul Beckoning Incense and ignites it using their own blood, there is a very high chance of summoning back a soul connected by bloodline or deep karmic ties. "Generally, it's clan cultivators who purchase this incense. "If a clansman falls in battle, they ignite the incense, relying on shared blood to guide the fallen soul back to the family's spirit grounds to let it peacefully dissipate. "That way, there is a very high probability that the cultivator will be reincarnated into the family in the future! "If their fortune is profound enough, they might even awaken a portion of their past-life memories!" Having finished explaining, Xu Xiaoliu couldn't help letting out a long breath of relief. Nangong Jin looked visibly moved. "Does it truly possess such miraculous efficacy?" Xu Xiaoliu pursed his lips. "I only heard this through hearsay. For the exact details, Seniors will have to inquire inside the shop yourselves." Nangong Jin turned his head and took a deep, lingering look at Shixiang Pavilion, as if trying to etch the shop's location into his memory. Xu Xiaoliu glanced at Luo Chen. Seeing him nod, he continued: "As for Fierce Spirit Incense, I'm quite certain about that one. "It's a cultivation aid similar to Spirit Calming Incense. "However, unlike the balanced and gentle nature of the incense from Spirit Herb Pavilion, Fierce Spirit Incense has extremely potent effects. Only those with sufficiently profound divine soul foundations can endure using it. "Normally, only late Foundation Establishment cultivators buy it." A cultivation aid similar to Spirit Calming Incense? Luo Chen turned the phrase over in his mind, intending to find time to look into it. He considered his divine soul foundation to be far from weak, surpassing his peers. He just didn't know whether it could rival a late Foundation Establishment cultivator's, and whether he could withstand using Fierce Spirit Incense. "Exotic Body Incense is simple. It has nothing to do with cultivation—it's just something that, once used, produces a scent that perfectly matches a cultivator's physique. "Female cultivators are the main buyers. "It's said that the resulting body fragrance can linger for months without fading!" Li Yixian's eyes brightened. Then, as if remembering something, her gaze dimmed again. "That covers the Three Incenses. The Four Flavors refer to sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy... "Although most of them aren't cultivation items, because of their unique effects, Shixiang Pavilion's goods are extremely popular in Tianlan Immortal City." Xu Xiaoliu offered this concluding summary. Hearing this, Luo Chen and the other two were immensely intrigued. These were novelties they could never have encountered in a backwater like Dahe Market. Several items piqued their interest, making them eager to obtain and examine them. If nothing else, Soul Beckoning Incense was already at the top of Li Yixian's and Nangong Jin's must-buy lists! Luo Chen asked curiously, "From what you say, Shixiang Pavilion does phenomenal business, raking in hundreds of thousands of spirit stones a year. Does no one look on with envy?" By "envy," he meant coveting, plundering, counterfeit imitation, cutthroat competition, and the like. Such things were far from uncommon. Take himself as an example. Because the profit margins on pills were astonishingly high, during the period he produced mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills, his gross annual profit alone reached over a hundred thousand spirit stones. Because of that, nearly every Foundation Establishment cultivator in Dahe Market had lusted after it. There was no reason Shixiang Pavilion, earning even more than he had, could run its business in peace without interference. To his surprise, Xu Xiaoliu merely grinned. "Who would dare? "Nobody dares. "Shixiang Pavilion is the property of Master Shixiang herself!" Master! Luo Chen's expression turned solemn. Under Xu Xiaoliu's explanation, he learned that Shixiang Pavilion was the personal enterprise of a Golden Core elder from Hundred Blossoms Palace. She was an exceptionally formidable female cultivator whose Daoist title was Master Shixiang. Across the entire Jade Cauldron Domain, apart from the two current Nascent Soul Perfected Persons, most figures had to show her considerable deference. Afterward, as the giant tiger carriage rumbled forward, Luo Chen and his companions spotted an ever-growing variety of establishments. Among them were enterprises backed by Nascent Soul super-sects, such as Wanbao Pavilion and Spirit Herb Pavilion! However, unlike the previous shops that specialized in a single category of resource, the branches of Wanbao Pavilion and Spirit Herb Pavilion in Tianlan Immortal City were unquestioned behemoths! Their premises alone were towering complexes spanning several mu of land! Comparing them, Luo Chen reached a conclusion: Yuyi Tower and Shixiang Pavilion were like specialty boutiques, dealing only in one specific type of resource. Wanbao Pavilion and Spirit Herb Pavilion, on the other hand, were massive comprehensive supermarkets, not limited to any single specialty. Cultivators with specific, niche needs would naturally choose the specialty shops. Those without particular demands, merely wanting to browse and select what suited them best, would wander into the massive supermarkets to look around and make purchases. A question surfaced in the minds of all three cultivators: If I am to put down roots in Tianlan Immortal City, how will I make a living? Nangong Jin remained impassive. His clan had barely a dozen survivors left; arranging their livelihood would be easy enough. Worst came to worst, he could find odd jobs for the clansmen to scrape by and survive for the time being. Li Yixian's expression, on the other hand, was utterly bleak. The Li family's greatest strength was unquestionably spirit beast rearing. Yet along the way, she had already seen several shops in Tianlan Immortal City doing that exact business. There were shops selling monster beast meat, shops dealing in beast pelts and furs, and even shops openly selling infant spirit beasts. As for Luo Chen, his face showed hesitation and deliberation. He felt neither panic nor bewilderment. He was skilled in alchemy, and he had numerous cultivators from the Luotian Association under his command. If he engaged in large-scale pill crafting, supporting himself would certainly pose no problem. The only question that gave him pause was what kind of pill to craft and sell! After all, he had not conducted any market research. Whether his specialty, the Jade Marrow Pill, was popular in Tianlan Immortal City remained entirely unknown. "Once we get back, I'll have Huiniang look into it." Only by doing proper research first and targeting growth deliberately could he avoid losing everything. While each of the three was lost in thought, time slipped swiftly by. The giant tiger puppet carriage had crossed most of the city and finally arrived before a white palace. Xu Xiaoliu hopped down. "Seniors, we've arrived at Binglan Palace!" Stepping down from the carriage and looking up at the ice palace before him—radiating a bone-chilling cold, appearing as though sculpted entirely from millennium ice—Luo Chen straightened his robes slightly. Then, he strode inside.