The moment she saw the peak he indicated, Shi Lan hesitated.
"Senior Luo, are you interested in Danxia Peak?"
Luo Chen nodded. "I heard that besides being a spiritual ground, Danxia Peak also has a first-order earth fire vein."
"That is true. What's more, this earth fire is coiled deep underground, so it doesn't affect the upper reaches of the mountain."
Rather than hiding anything, Shi Lan laid out the virtues of Danxia Peak in full detail.
"It has a quiet and secluded location, with its back toward Azure Pill Valley. The mountain stands tall and lofty, easily ranking among the top five peaks in the Tianlan Mountains.
"There used to be several hundred plots of first-order spiritual farmland on the mountain, and below lies Biyou Valley, which serves as a natural defensive gateway.
"Because of all this, its rental price has always remained very steep."
Listening to her description, Luo Chen grew even more intrigued.
"How much?"
"In the past, it was fifteen thousand spirit stones a year, with a ten-year minimum lease."
Seeing Luo Chen's interest, Shi Lan was sorely tempted to push for a sale, but after all, this customer had been introduced by Xu Jingnian. She couldn't recklessly fleece him.
Gritting her teeth, she spoke candidly. "I actually wouldn't recommend that Senior choose this place as your sect base."
"Are there hidden complications?"
"Yes, quite a few. A century ago, Danxia Peak was the seat of the Min family, famed for their array Dao."
This came as no surprise. Luo Chen and his companions had long known that Min Longyu's clan had originally resided on Danxia Peak. They had later fallen on hard times, become unable to afford the rent, and moved away.
Shi Lan sighed. "Later, the Min family provoked a formidable enemy, who attacked their mountain gates. The Min family wasn't weak, either; relying on their grand array, they held out for an entire year.
"A year later, the array shattered, and the Min family's Foundation Establishment cultivators perished.
"Normally, that wouldn't have been a big deal. At worst, Tianlan Immortal City would simply lease the ground to someone else.
"Who could have anticipated that the Min family's grand array had been deeply intertwined with the mountain's topography? When the array broke in that battle, the mountain's geomantic flow was ruined, causing the grade of the spirit vein to drop slightly. Most of the reclaimed spiritual farmland was destroyed as well.
"It was precisely because of that disaster that Tianlan Immortal City revoked the Min family's leasing eligibility."
Luo Chen frowned.
In confusion, he asked, "When we rent cave dwellings, you provide protection. Why doesn't Tianlan offer protection when someone leases a spiritual ground, instead letting outsiders lay siege to the mountain and wipe out entire clans?"
Shi Lan spread her small hands helplessly.
"We can't possibly manage all that!
"Though the external spiritual grounds belong to Tianlan Immortal City, in truth, we only collect the rent.
"Just the endless affairs inside the city are enough to give a major sect a massive headache. Where would anyone find the time to police the spiritual grounds out in the wild?"
Fair enough.
They only cared about taking the money, with zero after-sales service.
Luo Chen shook his head. In truth, he could understand their stance.
On one hand, they genuinely lacked the manpower to supervise everything.
On the other hand, wasn't this also a tacit encouragement of outside conflicts? When external factions rose and fell, taking turns upon the stage, wasn't the governing body of Tianlan Immortal City the ultimate beneficiary? Anyone wishing to move in had to pay up in spirit stones, after all.
"There's one more thing!"
Shi Lan tapped the vivid illusion with her jade ruler. "Over the past century, because Danxia Peak was damaged and the rent was exorbitant, most factions avoided choosing it.
"As time went on, many reckless, audacious rogue cultivators gathered and entrenched themselves there.
"Among them, there are even Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators!"
Hearing this, Sima Huiniang could not resist asking, "Don't you do anything about them? No matter what, they ought to pay rent!"
Shi Lan smiled bitterly. "How could we possibly keep track of them all?"
A shortage of manpower was the core issue. Tianlan Immortal City was already overflowing with lucrative profit; if an external spiritual ground was occupied by a single faction, it was easy to manage, but extracting rent from scattered rogue cultivators one by one was nearly impossible.
"Most of those rogue cultivators are completely broke. Unable to afford cave dwellings inside the immortal city and lacking spiritual grounds for cultivation, they took the risk.
"Moreover, many of them don't stay long.
"As long as they don't hoist their own banners or seize the land to establish a sect, we simply turn a blind eye."
Sima Huiniang furrowed her brows. "If that's the case, should we lease Danxia Peak, will you send people to purge those rogue cultivators?"
Shi Lan pondered briefly, then nodded.
"That can certainly be arranged. We just need to ask the law enforcement squad to make a trip."
With that, she turned her eyes toward Luo Chen.
"Senior, are you truly set on this mountain?"
As she asked, her heart brimmed with anticipation.
If this place was rented out, it would earn far more than those smaller sites. She might even earn several years' worth of spirit stone commissions in one go!
Renting out cave dwellings could never match the swift windfalls of leasing an entire spiritual mountain!
Luo Chen first gave a noncommittal hum.
Before she could celebrate, his brows furrowed deeply.
"I do quite like it. However, the price is genuinely a bit steep."
Shi Lan said without hesitation, "If Senior truly wishes to lease it, I can decide on my own authority to knock off one thousand spirit stones per year."
Luo Chen gave her a penetrating look, a faint smile surfacing in his heart.
On the outside, however, he let out a sigh.
"Just as you said, this place endured a great battle a century ago, and the spirit vein's grade declined slightly. Surely it shouldn't command the same rent it did a hundred years ago?"
Shi Lan parted her lips slightly, vaguely sensing that something wasn't quite right.
Still, the price for Danxia Peak had indeed been internally adjusted. The current offer was nowhere near the rock-bottom rate.
After thinking it over, she replied briskly, "That is fair. We can appropriately reduce it a bit more for you."
"You mentioned earlier that if we lease it, Tianlan's law enforcement squad would help clear out the rogue cultivators inside?" Luo Chen asked, feigning casual curiosity to reconfirm.
Shi Lan replied naturally, "Of course. A rented ground naturally receives different treatment than an idle one. Clearing out a peaceful, clean territory for you is our proper duty."
"May I ask what realm most of the cultivators in the law enforcement squad possess?"
"Oh, there's no secret in that. Anyone can ask around and find out."
Shi Lan stated with pride, "Currently, the Tianlan law enforcement squad is led by Martial Aunt Tantai Jin of our Ice Fort. She is a late-stage Foundation Establishment great cultivator!
"Within the squad, there are also four early-stage Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, all of them elite talents from the Seven Jade Cauldron Sects!
"When a force of this scale mobilizes, those mere rabble will flee at the first sight of them!
"Senior, you needn't worry about that at all."
Luo Chen nodded.
Then he fell silent.
Shi Lan was bewildered. After reaching this point, why was he still hesitating?
Suddenly, Luo Chen spoke.
"Calling upon so many experts for such a minor task is overly lavish and wasteful.
"If we purge them ourselves, could the rent be reduced to ten thousand spirit stones a year?"
Shi Lan's mouth fell wide open.
A giant exclamation mark seemed to pop up above her petite head!
She finally realized why she had felt something was off earlier.
All along, this attained True Cultivator Luo Chen had been haggling with her!
Yet she hadn't caught on at all, unwittingly letting him drag her bottom line down step by step.
Especially with that last point.
A late-stage Foundation Establishment great cultivator marching out alongside four Foundation Establishment True Cultivators certainly carried a hefty price on paper. In the cultivation world, hiring a single Foundation Establishment cultivator easily cost thousands or tens of thousands of spirit stones. Forgoing their services meant sparing that enormous expense.
However!
That was a service naturally bundled with the lease! And they only had to take a casual stroll out there without lifting a finger, and the enemy would scatter before the wind. There was practically zero real cost involved.
*This senior is truly...*
Shi Lan wanted to cry, but had no tears.
"Senior, that price is far too low. I must go ask my grandmother for instructions."
"Mm, go ahead!"
Watching Shi Lan scurry downstairs in a fluster, Luo Chen added with a grin, "I truly have my heart set on Danxia Peak, you know!"
The young woman's figure noticeably stumbled.
***
Even after stepping out of Binglan Palace, Sima Huiniang still felt a sense of disbelief.
Looking at the easygoing, composed profile of Luo Chen's face, she found him both unfamiliar and strangely familiar.
He felt unfamiliar because a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator was actually this adept at bargaining. Yet he felt familiar because in her memory, Luo Chen had done this more than once.
Back at the Zhenlong Black Market, he had clearly valued the Moisturizing Pearl Liquid, yet he had held back from bidding. Then, once no one showed interest, he had bought it at base cost.
Was this an instinct etched into his very bones?
In the end, she couldn't hold it back.
"From one hundred and fifty thousand down to one hundred thousand spirit stones... President, you are truly too..."
"Too what?" Luo Chen's heart gave a sudden thump. *Please don't let it be 'too cool'!*
"Too incredible!"
The woman gave him a thumbs-up, her eyes shining with admiration.
Luo Chen's posture stiffened slightly, feeling that something was somehow off.
"It's nothing remarkable. Spread across the months, it only reduces the cost by a few hundred spirit stones each month.
"Besides, leaving Danxia Peak sitting idle brings zero revenue to Tianlan Immortal City. Renting it out cheaply means a loss for Tianlan Immortal City, but pure profit for the Ice Fort.
"They will definitely agree to the lease."
A loss for Tianlan, but profit for the Ice Fort?
Sima Huiniang fell into thoughtful silence.
"Alright, let's head into Wanbao Tower and take a look!"
"Hm?" Sima Huiniang followed behind, puzzled. "Right now, our association shouldn't be lacking dharma artifacts, should it?"
"We aren't lacking them; we have far too many."
Understood!
Wanbao Tower had always maintained a tradition of buying back second-hand dharma artifacts, while the Luotian Association currently held an overflowing surplus.
The two made their way outward from the quiet Binglan Palace. The crowds grew denser and more surging with every step. From time to time, iron-clad carriages and golem carriages crossed paths along the way. The bustling clamor around them revealed a liveliness they had never seen back in Dahe Market.
This seemed like the true cultivation world.
Eventually, their steps halted before an immense, towering building.
Three gigantic golden sail-banners hung high outside the structure.
Gazing at those three massive sails, Luo Chen felt a stir of yearning in his heart.
"Are those the emblems of Tianfan City's three Nascent Souls?
"I wonder if there will come a day when my name can also spread to distant outer domains."
***
Upon entering Wanbao Tower, a charming maidservant swiftly came forward to attend to them due to Luo Chen's status as a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator.
Luo Chen acted naturally and unreservedly inquired about the prices of various dharma artifacts.
The answers he received held no surprises. The prices of individual dharma artifacts were indeed steadily climbing, even higher than they had been during their time in Dahe Market and Taishan Market.
However, the buyback prices for second-hand dharma artifacts completely defied Luo Chen's expectations.
"You don't buy them back anymore?"
"Yes, Senior. Beginning three years ago, our Wanbao Tower ceased repurchasing used dharma artifacts."
This was odd indeed. If they were driving down buyback prices, he could understand it, but refusing them entirely made little sense.
Still, that was their way of doing business, and he was in no position to criticize. He merely felt it was a pity.
The Luotian Association had weathered numerous fierce battles. Although many dharma artifacts had been damaged, far more had been seized. He had planned to keep a batch of premium artifacts to reward deserving cultivators in the association based on their merits, and sell off the rest. That would have helped recover a sizable amount of liquid capital.
After leasing Danxia Peak, the Luotian Association's liquid funds would instantly plunge from one hundred and thirty thousand spirit stones to just thirty thousand. Rebuilding Danxia Peak in the days ahead would inevitably require substantial expenditure. If they could offload surplus artifacts in bulk at Wanbao Tower, even at slightly discounted prices, it would have been perfectly acceptable.
Yet the tower no longer accepted them at all.
Shaking his head, Luo Chen's gaze fell upon a model of a flying boat.
"What is this?"
The maidservant's eyes lit up. "Senior truly possesses discerning vision!
"This is a new model specially introduced by Tianfan City in recent years—the Langqi flying boat, a supreme-grade dharma artifact!
"The shipment only arrived today!"
Luo Chen glanced at her. She certainly knew how to boast! A "specially introduced new model"? Any supreme-grade dharma artifact was merely the byproduct of a failed attempt to forge a magic treasure; there was no such thing as an intentional, mass-produced "new model." She was simply trying to justify an exorbitant price tag.
"What functions does it have?"
"This boat possesses an abundance of functions! In the sky, it serves as a large flying boat, while on the ground, it can cruise like a carriage. It expands and shrinks at will, advancing and retreating like the wind. Most importantly, its materials are extraordinary; it fears no collisions and offers exceptionally outstanding defensive capabilities!"
Anything capable of serving as raw material for a magic treasure would naturally be of remarkable quality.
Luo Chen was intrigued. "It can actually expand and shrink at will, and even cruise across land?"
"Indeed. After all, this was personally forged by Perfected Jingting Shan of our Tianfan City. Expanding and shrinking at will is merely a baseline standard for magic treasures."
A Perfected Person!
Luo Chen's expression grew solemn. That meant a Nascent Soul cultivator!
"As for cruising on land, it is exceptionally practical. It spares you the agonizing wait for public carriages within the immortal city. Should Senior have urgent business, surely you wouldn't want to sprint on foot and compromise your dignity, would you?"
The maidservant stole a glance at Sima Huiniang. "With this boat in hand, galloping through the immortal city accompanied by a fair beauty, it would surely be..."
Before she could finish, Luo Chen cut in.
"I'll take it!"
As for the price, there was no room for bargaining anyway. This was Wanbao Tower, and the item was a supreme-grade dharma artifact personally crafted by a Nascent Soul Perfected Person. It was worth every stone.
Moreover, what Luo Chen valued most were precisely those two functions: shrinking and expanding at will, and cruising over land.
The maidservant was right. In Tianlan Immortal City, traveling about was the greatest nuisance. Though one could forgo dignity and cast the Wind Control Art to race along the ground, it was still far too troublesome.
With this Langqi flying boat, all of that would cease to be an issue.
*I suppose I've just bought myself a private sports car!* Luo Chen couldn't help but chuckle inwardly once the transaction was complete.
The price, however, left Sima Huiniang secretly breathless.
A full eight thousand low-grade spirit stones!
That sum was enough to purchase a supreme-grade defensive dharma artifact. Of course, the expense came out of the Luotian Association's funds rather than Luo Chen's personal pocket.
The justification was simple: the Heavenly Eagle flying boat was practically falling apart and needed a replacement. Besides, whether there was a valid justification or not hardly mattered.
Stepping out of Wanbao Tower, Luo Chen did not hesitate.
He released the Langqi flying boat right there on the street.
"Hop in. Care to take a spin?"
Facing Luo Chen's invitation, Sima Huiniang stepped into the vessel without hesitation.
Following the instructions recorded on the jade slip, Luo Chen activated the concealing formation.
Shortly after...
*Buzz... whoosh!*
The Langqi flying boat began skimming swiftly just above the ground.
Its speed wasn't blistering, but it was by no means slow either. It easily rivaled a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator flying at full tilt with the Wind Control Art.
Such a sight promptly caught the attention of passing pedestrians.
Gazes filled with surprise, curiosity, and envy landed upon the vessel.
"Is that a new public carriage introduced by Tianlan Immortal City?"
"It's so small, there's no way!"
"A private vehicle?"
"Look how fast it goes!"
"*Hiss*, if one owned a flying carriage like that, wouldn't traveling through the city become endlessly more convenient?!"
"Good heavens, where was that bought, and how much did it cost?"
"If it doesn't cost more than a thousand spirit stones, I'd like to buy one too."
"It seemed to come out from Wanbao Tower over there. Could it be a new dharma artifact from Tianfan City?"
"Come on, let's go check it out!"
Unbeknownst to Luo Chen, his joyride through the city streets had served as a free advertisement for Wanbao Tower.
All he knew was that this Langqi flying boat was worth every stone!
Glancing at Sima Huiniang, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, he smiled. "Not feeling heartbroken over the cost anymore, are you?"
Sima Huiniang nodded repeatedly.
She could see the plain envy painted across the faces of the cultivators stepping aside outside. This could well be considered basking in public glory.
"Still, isn't this a bit too flashy of us?" In the end, she couldn't help reverting to her cautious, prudent nature.
The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched into a smirk. "Don't worry. I activated the obscuring array the moment we got on; no one can see our faces.
"Sit tight. We're heading out of the city!"
"Out of the city?"
"That's right! We're moving to a new home soon, so we might as well pay a visit to the current tenants first!"
Sima Huiniang's heart skipped a beat.
*Are we going to Danxia Peak? Just the two of us?*
Chapter 228