Chapter 146: Chapter 142: Qingyuan Small Building, Obtaining Essence Blood Again

Yunjian Que!

Lin Changheng thought for a moment and made his choice.

He also realized, ’Birds of a feather flock together. There’s some truth to that.’

’No wonder the brokerage went to such seemingly unnecessary trouble, and the tenants of the courtyards developed this way. It all comes down to the same principle.’

"Alright! Yunjian Que happens to have just one courtyard left. It was vacated three months ago. The previous tenant was a Brewer—what a coincidence."

Fang Daming nodded briskly and immediately took a register from his Storage Bag. After wetting his finger with his lips, he began flipping through it on the spot. He quickly looked up and asked, "Senior, if you’re free now, how about we go take a look at the property?"

"If you like it, we can settle on it quickly and avoid any unforeseen problems."

Lin Changheng remained unfazed, refusing to be rushed. He asked casually, "What’s the rent?"

"Seventy-two Lower Grade Spirit Stones a year."

Fang Daming had tried a small ploy, but seeing that Lin Changheng hadn’t taken the bait, he didn’t dare press his luck and answered honestly.

"Why isn’t it a round number?"

Lin Changheng frowned slightly.

"The extra is the brokerage’s commission," Fang Daming said, scratching his head without trying to hide it.

Lin Changheng certainly didn’t expect the brokerage to be a charity or a free service, so he accepted the explanation. He nodded. "Alright. Lead the way, let’s go have a look."

"You got it."

Fang Daming’s face lit up. He turned to grab a Magic Contract and quickly led the way.

Noticing Lin Changheng’s slight confusion, he quickly explained, "If you like the place, Senior, I’ve brought the contract so we can sign it right then and there. You can rent it and move in immediately, saving you a trip back to the brokerage."

"I see."

Lin Changheng gave a noncommittal response, but inwardly, he was impressed. ’As expected of an Immortal City,’ he thought. ’The services for cultivators are truly impeccable—far beyond what the Marketplace could offer.’

One walking behind the other, the two hurried through streets teeming with people and buzzing with a cacophony of voices.

This was the commercial district. The air was thick with the endless sounds of transactions, vendors hawking their wares, and customers haggling over prices. It was a chaotic and crowded place.

Soon, after turning three corners, they arrived in a lush, tree-lined area.

The crowds had thinned out considerably, and the clamor of voices faded into the background.

They could even hear the gentle rustling of wind through the leaves.

"Senior, this area here is Yunjian Que. It’s a residential district."

"Not bad."

Lin Changheng surveyed his surroundings and nodded in satisfaction.

On either side of the bluestone path, more than twenty elegant courtyards were tastefully arranged.

The residences were all constructed from gray Spirit Bricks, with upturned eaves and dark-tiled roofs. In front of each gate grew two or three Spirit Wood trees, their branches hinting at unripe Spirit Fruits hanging within the foliage.

The courtyards did not adjoin one another, leaving a good amount of space between them. This offered a sense of openness rather than confinement and ensured a high degree of privacy.

The walls were about ten feet high and faintly emanated fluctuations of Spiritual Power, clearly indicating the presence of a simple Protection Array.

Since Lin Changheng had already negotiated the price and made his preferences clear, this minor detail wasn’t a significant issue.

"As long as you’re satisfied, Senior. The courtyard we’re here to see is right here."

After walking forward another hundred paces, Fang Daming pointed to a courtyard with a tightly shut gate and said with a smile.

Lin Changheng looked up. The courtyard was much like the others, except the plaque above the gate was completely blank, unlike the neighboring ones which bore inscriptions.

"Once you move in, Senior, you can give it a name."

Fang Daming was exceptionally skilled at reading people. After his brief explanation, he took out a Restriction Token and stepped forward to open the gate.

Lin Changheng inspected the property inside and out, noting it had a rather large front courtyard and a smaller, narrow one in the back.

The main house sat in the middle, facing south. Its three rooms were arranged in a triangular formation, completely separating the front and back courtyards.

After his inspection, Lin Changheng was satisfied. Without any hesitation, he told Fang Daming he wanted to sign the Magic Contract and finalize the lease.

Fang Daming hadn’t expected him to be so decisive and was overjoyed. This meant his five-Spirit-Stone commission was in the bag, and he eagerly began processing the paperwork.

While signing the Magic Contract, Lin Changheng made a point to check the property’s ownership. It actually belonged to the Floating Immortal City itself.

Fang Daming was merely acting as an agent.

This gave him some peace of mind. As long as the Immortal City stood, he wouldn’t have to worry about being suddenly evicted or the landlord skipping town.

The Magic Contract was for a five-year term, with rent paid annually. The terms were two years’ rent as a deposit and one year’s rent paid upfront.

If he were to break the lease before the five years were up, the deposit would be forfeited.

Handing over more than two hundred and ten Spirit Stones at once made even Lin Changheng feel the pinch.

"Congratulations on your new home, Senior. This courtyard now has an owner."

Fang Daming accepted the Spirit Stones, handed over the Restriction Token, his courtesy impeccable to the last.

As Lin Changheng saw Fang Daming out, he casually let slip his identity as a Tier One Upper Grade alchemist.

He intended for the man to spread the word.

He had no intention of joining a faction or shop, only to be ordered around. Once word of his status as a Pill Master got out, pill seekers would naturally come to him. Given his understanding of the Alchemy Dao and his high success rate in alchemy, he figured it would only take a few years to build a significant reputation.

By then, Pill Seekers would be numerous.

Not only would he be able to earn Spirit Stones to fund the bottomless pit of his expenses—acquiring Demon Beast Essence Blood, preparing for Foundation Establishment, and advancing his Body Refining—but he would also gain access to more cultivators, Pill Formulas, and medicinal materials.

Upon learning this, Fang Daming became even more deferential. If his prior respect had been for a client with Spirit Stones, it was now amplified by the possibility that he might need a favor from the alchemist in the future.

...

He closed the courtyard gate.

Lin Changheng glanced at the Defense Array enveloping the courtyard. It was rather crude. Shaking his head, he immediately set about modifying it.

He took out an Array Plate and Array Flag and laid out the Tier One Upper Grade Defense Array, the Liangyi Dust Array, along the courtyard walls, hiding it within the existing crude defense array.

This was one of Jin Geng’s proudest creations. Its power was considerable—even an Early Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would be unable to slip inside undetected.

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