https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-228-Inventorying-the-Spoils-of-War-A-Bountiful-Harvest/12920575/
Chapter 229: Foundation Establishment Negotiations, Scarlet Peak, Langqi Flying Boat, Immortal City
Chapter 229: Foundation Establishment Negotiations, Scarlet Peak, Langqi Flying Boat, Immortal City Racing
The moment Shi Lan saw this mountain peak, she hesitated.
"Senior Luo Chen, are you interested in Crimson Peak?"
Luo Chen nodded.
"I heard that besides being a Spirit Vein Land, there's also a first-grade Earth Fire Vein on Crimson Peak."
"That's true. Moreover, this Earth Fire Vein is buried deep underground, not affecting the upper part of the mountain."
Shi Lan didn't hide anything and frankly listed the advantages of Crimson Peak.
"The location is tranquil, facing away from Qingdan Valley, and the peak is lofty. Among the Tianlan Mountain Range, it can definitely rank among the top five."
"There used to be hundreds of first-grade Spirit Fields on the mountain, and below the mountain is Green Mist Valley, which can serve as a defensive gateway."
"So, the rental price for this mountain has always been high."
As she spoke, Luo Chen became increasingly interested.
"How much is it?"
"It used to be 15,000 spirit stones per year, with a minimum lease of ten years."
Seeing Luo Chen's interest, Shi Lan really wanted to promote it, but after all, he was recommended by Xu Jingnian.
She couldn't overcharge him.
So, she gritted her teeth and spoke frankly, "I don't recommend choosing this place as your sect's base."
"Are there any hidden dangers?"
"Yes, indeed. A hundred years ago, Crimson Peak was the residence of the Min Clan, experts in Formation Arrays."
This wasn't surprising; Luo Chen and the others had known that Min Longyu's family originally lived on Crimson Peak.
Later, they fell from grace.
Unable to afford the rent, they had to move away from Crimson Peak.
Shi Lan sighed, "Later, the Min Clan provoked a powerful enemy and was attacked at their mountain gate. The Min Clan wasn't weak; they relied on their grand array to hold out for a full year."
"After a year, the array was broken, and the Min Clan's Foundation Establishment Cultivators perished."
"Originally, this wasn't a big deal; at most, our Tianlan Immortal City would just re-rent it."
"Unexpectedly, the Min Clan's grand array was connected to the mountain's energy. In that battle, when the array was broken, the mountain's energy was also damaged, slightly lowering the grade of the Spirit Vein. The Spirit Fields cultivated on the mountain were mostly destroyed."
"It was because of this incident that Tianlan Immortal City canceled the Min Clan's lease."
Luo Chen frowned.
"We provide protection when renting cave mansions, but why doesn't Tianlan provide protection for Spirit Vein Lands, allowing others to destroy the mountain and annihilate the clan?"
Shi Lan spread her hands.
"We can't manage it all!"
"Although the Spirit Vein Lands outside belong to Tianlan Immortal City, in reality, we only collect rent."
"Just dealing with the many matters within the city is enough to keep a major sect busy; where's the time to manage the Spirit Vein Lands outside?"
Alright then!
They only collect money and don't provide after-sales service.
Luo Chen shook his head; he could understand this.
On one hand, it was indeed unmanageable.
On the other hand, it also encouraged external conflicts.
This way, as one power rose and fell, and another took its place, the ultimate beneficiary was still the Tianlan Immortal City's management.
They had to pay spirit stones to live there!
"There's one more thing!"
Shi Lan pointed at the lifelike image with her jade ruler, "Over the past hundred years, because of the damage to Crimson Peak and the high rent, most sects choose not to settle here."
"As a result, many daring Loose Cultivators have occupied the place."
"Some are even Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators!"
Hearing this, Sima Huiwang beside her couldn't help but ask, "Don't you manage them? No matter what, they should pay rent!"
Shi Lan smiled bitterly, "How can we manage them all?"
The lack of manpower was the biggest issue.
Tianlan Immortal City already had plenty of income, and it was manageable if the Spirit Vein Lands were occupied by individual sects. But it was difficult to collect rent from Loose Cultivators.
"These Loose Cultivators are mostly penniless. They can't afford the cave mansions in the Immortal City, and lacking Spirit Vein Lands to cultivate, they take the risk."
"Moreover, many don't stay for long."
"As long as they don't set up flags or occupy land to establish a sect, we turn a blind eye."
Sima Huiwang frowned, "If that's the case, if we rent this Crimson Peak, will you send people to clear out those Loose Cultivators?"
Shi Lan thought for a moment and nodded.
"That's possible. We can send the Law Enforcement Team to take care of it."
After saying this, she looked at Luo Chen.
"Senior, are you interested in this mountain?"
As she spoke, she felt quite expectant.
If it was rented out, it would earn much more than the other smaller places.
It might even earn her spirit stones for several years!
Renting a cave mansion was nothing compared to renting a mountain; the money came in much faster!
Luo Chen first made a sound of acknowledgment.
Before the other party could rejoice, he frowned deeply.
"I like it, but the price is indeed a bit high."
Shi Lan replied without hesitation, "If Senior truly wants to rent it, I can give you a thousand less per year."
Luo Chen looked at her deeply and smiled inwardly.
However, he sighed on the surface.
"As you said, after the great battle a hundred years ago, the grade of the Spirit Vein has slightly decreased, so it shouldn't be worth the rent from a hundred years ago!"
Shi Lan slightly opened her mouth, feeling that something was amiss.
However, the price of Crimson Peak had indeed been internally adjusted.
Currently, it was still far from the bottom price.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "That's right, I can give you a little more discount."
"You mentioned that if we were to rent it, the Tianlan Law Enforcement Team would help us clear out the Loose Cultivators inside?" Luo Chen feigned curiosity and asked again.
Shi Lan naturally replied, "Of course. Renting it out and leaving it idle are two different things. Helping you clear out a peaceful area is something we should do."
"May I ask, what cultivation realm are most of the cultivators in the law enforcement team at?"
"That's no problem. Anyone can find out with a simple inquiry."
Shi Lan proudly said, "Currently, the Tianlan Law Enforcement Team is led by my Ice Fortress Master, Dan Taiyu, who is a late-stage Foundation Establishment Master!"
"Within the team, there are also four early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators, all of whom are geniuses from the Seven Sects of Jade Cauldron!"
"With such a large-scale operation, a group of rabble would flee at the mere sight of us!"
"Senior, you don't need to worry about this."
Luo Chen nodded.
Then, he fell silent.
Shi Lan was puzzled. At this point, was there still something to hesitate about?
Suddenly, Luo Chen spoke up.
"Inviting so many experts is a bit extravagant and wasteful."
"If we clear it out ourselves, can we lower the rent to ten thousand spirit stones per year?"
Shi Lan's mouth hung open.
Her small head was filled with exclamation marks!
She finally realized the reason for the previous uneasiness.
After all this time, Luo Chen, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, had been haggling with her!
Unbeknownst to her, she had been unconsciously lowering the price.
Especially with that last statement.
Deploying a late-stage Foundation Establishment Master and four Foundation Establishment Cultivators seemed to come at a cost, and a high one at that.
This was quite normal.
Hiring a Foundation Establishment Cultivator often required a commission of thousands or even tens of thousands of spirit stones, which was common in the cultivation world.
Not hiring them meant not having to pay that amount of spirit stones.
But!
This was a reasonable request for help!
Moreover, they would only need to make a round and the enemies would flee at the sight of them.
There was no value in it at all.
"Senior, you're really..."
Shi Lan felt like crying but had no tears.
"Senior, the price is too low. I have to go ask my mother-in-law."
"Hmm, go ahead!"
Watching Shi Lan rush downstairs, Luo Chen added with a smile, "I truly have my eye on Crimson Peak."
Visibly, the girl's figure staggered.
...
Even after leaving Bing Lan Palace, Sima Huiniang still found it hard to believe.
Looking at Luo Chen's carefree and composed profile, she felt a sense of strangeness, yet a sense of familiarity.
The strangeness came from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator being so skilled at bargaining.
The familiarity was because, in her memory, Luo Chen had done this before, more than once.
Back then, at the Zhenlong Black Market, the other party clearly valued the Runming Pearl Liquid highly, but he managed to restrain himself from bidding.
Then, when no one else showed interest, he bought it at cost price.
Was this an innate ability etched into his bones? She couldn't help but give in.
"From 150,000 to 100,000 spirit stones, President, you are truly..."
"Too what?" Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat, hoping it wasn't too cool.
"Too amazing!"
The woman gave a thumbs up, her eyes filled with admiration.
Luo Chen's body stiffened, feeling that something was amiss.
"It's not about being amazing or not. If you spread it out monthly, it's only a few hundred spirit stones less."
"Moreover, Crimson Peak is just sitting there, and Heavenly Wave Immortal City isn't earning anything from it. Renting it out at a lower price means a loss for Heavenly Wave Immortal City and a gain for Ice Fortress."
"They will definitely rent it."
Sima Huiniang pondered the words, "Heavenly Wave loses, and Ice Fortress gains?"
"Alright, let's go inside Ten Thousand Treasure Tower and take a look!"
"Hmm?" Sima Huiniang followed behind, curious, "Shouldn't the sect have enough Magical Tools?"
"It's not that we don't have enough, but that we have too many."
Understood!
Ten Thousand Treasure Tower had always been known for its tradition of recycling second-hand Magical Tools.
Currently, Luo Tianhui possessed an excess of Magical Tools.
The two walked out of the tranquil Bing Lan Palace, and the crowd became denser and more bustling.
Occasionally, iron-skinned vehicles and puppet vehicles passed by.
The nearby commotion presented a liveliness that had never been seen in Da He Fang.
This seemed to be the true cultivation world.
Finally, their footsteps stopped in front of a massive building.
Three enormous golden sail flags hung high outside the building.
Gazing at the three gigantic sail flags, Luo Chen felt a sense of longing.
"Are these the symbols of the three Nascent Soul Cultivators of Tian Fan City?"
"I wonder if my reputation will one day spread to the outer realms as well."
...
Upon entering Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, Luo Chen, being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, was soon attended by a charming maid.
Luo Chen didn't hesitate and openly inquired about the prices of various Magical Tools.
The answers he received were not surprising.
The prices of Magical Tools, when sold individually, were indeed on a continuous rise.
They were even higher than the prices during the Da He Fang and Tai Shan Fang eras.
However, the price offered for recycling second-hand Magical Tools caught Luo Chen off guard.
"You don't accept them anymore?"
"Yes, Senior. Starting three years ago, Ten Thousand Treasure Tower has stopped recycling Magical Tools."
This was strange.
If it were about lowering the price, he could understand.
But to completely stop recycling them, what was the logic behind it? However, this was their way of doing business, and he couldn't interfere, only feeling it was a pity.
The Luo Tianhui had endured numerous battles, and although many of their magical tools were damaged, they had also captured a significant number.
Their plan was to set aside a collection of high-quality magical tools and reward them to fellow cultivators within the sect based on their merits.
The remaining magical tools would be sold.
This way, they could also recoup a substantial amount of funds.
After renting Crimson Peak, the Luo Tianhui's liquid assets, which had initially been 130,000, plummeted to 30,000 in an instant.
If they wanted to rebuild Crimson Peak in the future, they would undoubtedly face substantial expenses.
Even if they had to sell in bulk at the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, it would be acceptable, even if the price was slightly lower.
However, the other party refused to buy them.
Luo Chen shook his head, and his gaze fell upon a model of a flying vessel.
"What's this?"
The maid's eyes lit up, "Senior, you truly have a keen eye!"
"This is the newly launched Langqi Flying Boat from Tianfan City in recent years. It's an exquisite magical tool!"
"The shipment just arrived today!"
Luo Chen glanced at her, impressed by her enthusiastic promotion.
After all, exquisite magical tools were often the by-products of failed attempts to create treasures, so how could they be intentionally created?
They were clearly trying to sell it at a high price!
"What functions does it have?"
"This boat has numerous functions! In the sky, it can be a large flying vessel, and on land, it can move like a boat, with its size adjustable at will, and it's as swift as the wind. Its special material makes it collision-resistant with exceptional defensive capabilities!"
The materials used for crafting treasures would undoubtedly be of high quality.
Luo Chen was curious, "It can adjust its size at will and even move on land?"
"Yes, after all, this new flying boat was personally crafted by the Jingting Mountain True Person of Tianfan City. The ability to adjust its size is just a basic standard for treasures."
A True Person!
Luo Chen's expression turned solemn.
That was a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator!
"As for its ability to move on land, it's extremely practical. It can save you from the hassle of waiting for public transportation within the Immortal City."
"If you have urgent matters, you wouldn't want to lose your composure by dashing around, right?"
The maid glanced at Sima Huiwang.
"If you have this boat and a beautiful companion by your side, traveling within the city would be..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Luo Chen interrupted.
"I'll buy it!"
There was no room for negotiation when it came to the price.
This was the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, and the exquisite magical tool was personally crafted by a Nascent Soul True Person!
It was worth the price.
Moreover, what Luo Chen valued most were the size adjustment and land movement capabilities.
The maid was right.
In the Heavenly Wave Immortal City, the most troublesome aspect was traveling.
Although one could abandon decorum and dash across the ground with the Wind Riding Technique, it was still too cumbersome.
With the Langqi Flying Boat, everything would be a breeze.
"I guess this is like buying a private sports car!"
After acquiring the item, Luo Chen couldn't help but smile.
The price, however, astonished Sima Huiwang, who was standing nearby.
A whopping 8,000 Inferior Spirit Stones!
With that amount, one could purchase an exquisite defensive magical artifact.
Oh, and this money was paid by the Luo Tianhui, not from Luo Chen's personal funds.
The reason was simple.
The Heavenly Eagle Flying Ship was almost scrapped, and they needed a new large flying vessel.
Moreover, whether there was a reason or not didn't matter.
After leaving the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, Luo Chen didn't hesitate.
He immediately released the Langqi Flying Boat.
"Get in, let's take it for a spin?"
Sima Huiwang didn't hesitate and boarded the flying boat.
Luo Chen activated the concealment array according to the instructions on the jade slip.
Then...
Buzz... Whoosh!
The Langqi Flying Boat swiftly took off, skimming the ground at a considerable speed.
While not exceptionally fast, it was by no means slow.
It could match the full-speed flight of a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator using the Wind Riding Decision.
This scene quickly attracted the attention of passersby, who looked on with surprise, curiosity, and envy.
"Is this the new public transportation in Heavenly Wave Immortal City?"
"It's too small to be that!"
"Is it privately owned?"
"So fast!"
"Wow, if I had a flying vehicle like that, traveling within the city would be so much more convenient!"
"Goodness, where did they buy it, and how much did it cost?"
"If the price is below 1,000, I'd like to buy one too."
"It seems to have come from the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower. Is it a new magical tool from Tianfan City?"
"Let's go and take a look!"
Unbeknownst to Luo Chen, his joyride within the city served as free promotion for the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower.
He only knew that buying the Langqi Flying Boat was a worthwhile investment!
Glancing at Sima Huiwang, whose face was flushed with excitement, Luo Chen smiled and said, "Now you won't regret it, right?"
Sima Huiwang nodded repeatedly.
She could see the envious expressions on the faces of the cultivators making way for them.
This was a way to show off in public.
"But won't we be too ostentatious?" She still maintained her cautious and meticulous personality.
Luo Chen tugged at the corners of his mouth, "Don't worry, I activated the Illusion Barrier Array when I came here, so no one knows our appearance."
"Hold on tight, we're leaving the city!"
"Leaving the city?"
"Yes! We're about to move to a new place, so we should at least go and see the previous tenants!"
Sima Huiwang's heart skipped a beat.
Were they going to Crimson Peak?
Just the two of them?
(End of Chapter)
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