Even if only a small group of people refined flying cars, the patent royalties collected would be more than enough to make Lu Yang rich beyond measure.
Previously, Lu Yang had assumed the patent was still pending approval and flying cars had not yet entered mass production, so he had put the matter of royalties out of his mind.
Yet with flying cars cruising so glaringly overhead, one could hardly say the patent had not been approved.
"Could it be that the Fifth Elder is a smiling wolf who embezzled my royalties?"
The thought flashed through his mind and was promptly dismissed.
The Fifth Elder would hardly stoop to coveting such petty gains.
"Forget it. I'll just ask the Fifth Elder when I see him," Lu Yang decided, putting the matter to rest.
The old horse pulled the carriage, bringing Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou to the foot of the mountain, where a newly erected inn stood.
The Grand Qingzhou Festival lasted seven days every year, and cultivators could hardly be expected to sleep rough in the elements for the entire week; that would be beneath their dignity.
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had arrived relatively early, so there were still vacant rooms.
"Give us two of your best rooms!"
"Certainly, two Heaven-grade guest rooms. May I ask if you need to book a room for your horse as well?"
Meng Jingzhou was taken aback. Could the innkeeper have seen that their old horse was unfathomably powerful and decided to treat it like a person?
The innkeeper smiled and explained, "Honored guest, it is like this: our inn provides free care for spiritual beasts, but space is limited, so we house all the beasts together in the rear courtyard. However, high-ranking powerhouses often bring high-tier spiritual beasts to the Grand Qingzhou Festival. Keeping those high-tier spiritual beasts penned in the courtyard inevitably disturbs the other beasts to some degree. If you do not mind your spiritual beast being disturbed, we can care for it free of charge."
Meng Jingzhou thought it over. While he did not know the old horse's exact strength, for the clan to send it out as a Dao Protector meant its cultivation realm had to be quite high; it was already good enough if it didn't bully others.
However, considering the old horse's penchant for seducing young mares, it was indeed wiser to give it a separate room.
"Then book a room for the horse as well."
"Right away, three Heaven-grade rooms!"
"Old horse, level with me. What cultivation realm are you actually in? I promise I'll pretend I don't know," Meng Jingzhou whispered.
The old horse shot Meng Jingzhou a side-eye and gave a snort, not believing a word of his nonsense.
After Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou went upstairs, another group arrived to check in, though they were nowhere near as wealthy and ostentatious as Meng Jingzhou.
"Innkeeper, give us three Mortal-grade rooms."
"My apologies, honored guest, we have no Mortal-grade rooms here."
The man was stunned. "Are the Mortal-grade rooms already sold out?"
He calculated his traveling funds, which were barely sufficient. "Then give us two Earth-grade rooms."
They could squeeze in and manage with two rooms.
"My apologies, honored guest, we only have Heaven-grade rooms left."
"What?"
They were merely in the Qi Refinement stage; how could they possibly afford such luxurious accommodations?
"Senior Brother, let's find another inn."
The innkeeper said with a smile, "If you will pardon my bluntness, the other inns only have Heaven-grade rooms left as well."
Their faces darkened. Were they going to have to sleep on the streets on the very first day of the festival?
The innkeeper was well used to this reaction. "It is not what you think. Because fights regularly broke out over Heaven-grade guest rooms at the opening of every past festival, the Qingzhou yamen instructed us to upgrade all guest rooms to Heaven-grade while keeping the price equal to Mortal-grade rooms. The yamen subsidizes the difference."
Compared to the chaos and disruption of public order caused by brawling cultivators, the Qingzhou government preferred to spend a few extra spirit stones to nip the risk in the bud.
***
Meng Jingzhou had no idea that the Heaven-grade room he was staying in was actually dirt cheap; he had never had any concept of such petty sums.
"Lu Yang, once you're done freshening up, come out for a stroll! I hear there's a street on the mountain selling all kinds of antiques and magical treasures."
"Lu Yang, once you're done freshening up, come out for a stroll! I hear there's a street on the mountain selling all kinds of antiques and magical treasures."
"Coming!"
Lu Yang had little to unpack. Fatigued from the journey, he stripped off his clothes. Since he did not know the Body-Cleansing Incantation, he could only rely on the formation inside the room to wash himself down. He then changed into fresh, neat clothes and headed out.
The old horse had little to unpack either. Fatigued from the journey, it shook off its saddle. Since it knew the Body-Cleansing Incantation, it washed itself clean without needing the room's formation. It then expanded its divine sense to check if any young mares had checked in.
"Foundation Establishment Pills! Foundation Establishment Pills with pill patterns! Guaranteed to help you establish your foundation, full refund if unsuccessful!"
"Demon beast pelts! Pelts from demon beasts at the peak of Qi Refinement, prime material for refining magical treasures!"
"Demon beast barbecue! Roasted demon beast meat at the peak of Qi Refinement, freshly sourced from next door!"
"*Solid Essence Art*, *Flowing Cloud Sword Technique*, *Secret Scripture of the Pure Sound*... all kinds of cultivation methods and spells, everything you could ever want!"
"The most complete star chart! Personally observed from the night skies and painstakingly drafted over twenty years of hard labor! An essential chart for cultivating star-attribute techniques!"
"Phoenix Blood Stones! Yang-boosting Phoenix Blood Stones! Tai-patterned stones to enhance swords and sabers! Gold-attracting lodestones capable of pulling raw gold!"
Hawking and peddling echoed relentlessly along the street, creating an extraordinarily lively scene.
The moment Lu Yang stepped into the cultivator market, he felt a sense of suppression. It suppressed not cultivation realms, but divine sense.
After all, with things like cultivation techniques, a single sweep of divine sense would reveal the contents, so what would the peddlers have left to sell?
"They even have the *Flowing Cloud Sword Technique*?" Lu Yang was astonished. The Flowing Cloud Sword Technique had been created two thousand years ago by True Monarch Flowing Cloud; it was exceedingly rare and had never circulated on the open market.
In this regard, Meng Jingzhou was far more experienced than Lu Yang. "Don't trust the cultivation manuals here. The sword art written by True Monarch Flowing Cloud can be called the *Flowing Cloud Sword Technique*, but any random sword art you scribble down can also be called the *Flowing Cloud Sword Technique*. The buyers have never seen the real *Flowing Cloud Sword Technique* anyway. Even if they take it home and spot flaws, they can't claim you sold them a fake.
"After all, new techniques are created every day. It's perfectly normal for manuals to share the same name."
Lu Yang came to a sudden realization. He had not expected so many tricks here.
"You have a star chart here?" Lu Yang noticed what the peddler was calling out.
The techniques he cultivated had nothing to do with stars, but he could buy one and try guessing which stars were Eldest Senior Sister's Golden Core.
"Honored guest, you have an eye for quality! This star chart was drafted using a far-seeing magical tool. My own cultivation technique is also tied to eyesight. To map this star chart, I poured my heart and soul into it, persevering through endless toil until I finally completed it!"
"May I take a look?"
Upon hearing this, the peddler immediately turned guarded. "No. I cannot see through your cultivation realm. Even though divine sense cannot be used here, what if you have opened your spiritual space and can memorize the star chart in a single glance without buying it?"
Lu Yang chuckled in amusement. Naturally, he harbored no such intentions.
"How many spirit stones? I'll buy it."
"There is only one such chart in this world. Two thousand spirit stones, non-negotiable."
Two thousand spirit stones was not expensive for Lu Yang. Just as he was about to produce the payment, a delighted voice rang out from behind him:
"Senior Brother, look quickly! There's a star chart here!"
"What?"
The senior brother was overjoyed. He had a legacy senior sister who cultivated a technique related to the stars and needed a star chart.
To win Senior Sister's favor, this star chart was an absolute necessity.
Seeing that Lu Yang had a gentle, pleasant face and looked easy to talk to, he mentally rehearsed: *Senior Brother, this star chart is an item used in cultivation by a senior sister I admire. Would you be willing to part with it?*
*Senior Brother, this star chart is an item used in cultivation by a senior sister I admire. Would you be willing to part with it?*
After reciting it twice, he felt the wording and tone were flawless. Suppressing his nervous flutter, he cupped his fists toward Lu Yang and said:
"Senior Sister, this star chart is an item used in cultivation by a senior brother I admire. Would you be willing to part with it?"
Lu Yang turned his head, confirmed his own gender, verified the other party's gender, and silently took two steps back.
Chapter 348