dì yī qiān bā bǎi wǔ shí wǔ zhāng lín xuān jié shàn yuán
第一千八百五十五章林轩结善缘
Chapter 1855: Lin Xuan's Kind Deed
jìn rù dǎo yǔ yǐ hòu ， lín xuān yī xíng rén bìng wèi tíng liú ， hěn kuài ， yī zuò huī hóng de xióng chéng ， jiù yìng rù le yǎn lián zhōng 。
进入岛屿以后，林轩一行人并未停留，很快，一座恢宏的雄城，就映入了眼帘中。
After entering the island, Lin Xuan and his companions did not linger. Soon, a magnificent city came into view.
lín xuān liǎn shàng shén qíng dàn dàn de ， rán ér nèi xīn shēn chù ， què yōu yōu de tàn xī ， jǐ bǎi nián guò qù ， zì jǐ zài cì lái dào zhè lǐ ， lín hǎi chéng yì lì rú xī ， kě xī tā de zhǔ rén ， rú jīn yǐ bù zài zhè lǐ 。
林轩脸上神情淡淡的，然而内心深处，却悠悠的叹息，几百年过去，自己再次来到这里，临海城屹立如昔，可惜牠的主人，如今已不在这里。
Lin Xuan’s expression was indifferent on the surface, but deep within, he sighed softly. Centuries had passed, and here he was again, standing before the same coastal city that once stood tall. Alas, its master no longer resided there.
zhè yī cì ， rù chéng dǎo shì fēi cháng de shùn lì ， chéng chí de jìn zhì yě méi yǒu kāi qǐ ， bì jìng wài dǎo yǐ yǒu fáng hù ， rú guǒ zhè lǐ de hù pài dà zhèn yě háo bù tíng xī ， nà jiù bú shì jǐn shèn ， ér shì bài jiā làng fèi jīng shí 。
这一次，入城倒是非常的顺利，城池的禁制也没有开启，毕竟外岛已有防护，如果这里的护派大阵也毫不停息，那就不是谨慎，而是败家làng费晶石。
This time, their entry into the city went smoothly. The city's禁制 had not been activated; after all, the outer island already had protective measures in place. If this city’s protective array continued to run without pause, it would be considered reckless rather than prudent, wasting crystal stones.
shèng chéng suī shì páng rán dà wù ， dǐ yùn shēn hòu yǐ jí ， rán ér xiāng yìn de ， xū yào huā fèi jīng shí de dì fāng yě shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， gù ér gāi jié yuē de dì fāng yě jué bù kě làng fèi de 。
圣城虽是庞然大物，底蕴深厚以极，然而相印的，需要huā费晶石的地方也数不胜数，故而该节约的地方也绝不可làng费的。
Though the Holy City was vast and rich with history, there were countless places that required spending crystal stones. Therefore, saving where necessary was a must.
chéng chí lǐ miàn ， jiē dào yì rú jì wǎng de kuān kuò ， rán ér xiū shì de shù liàng ， què míng xiǎn zēng jiā le xǔ duō ， zhè qí zhōng ， jì yǒu pī jiān zhí ruì de xiū xiān zhě ， yě yǒu dǎ bàn gè yì ， shèn zhì chuān dé xī qí gǔ guài de sàn xiū 。
城池里面，街道一如既往的宽阔，然而修士的数量，却明显增加了许多，这其中，既有披坚执锐的修仙者，也有打扮各异，甚至穿得稀奇古怪的散修。
The streets inside the city remained as wide as ever, but the number of cultivators had significantly increased. Among them were both seasoned martial cultivators in battle gear and scattered cultivators dressed in various odd outfits.
xī xī rǎng rǎng ， lín xuān shén shí suí biàn sǎo guò ， zhè xiē rén de jìng jiè ， yě shì cēn cī bù qí de 。
熙熙攘攘，林轩神识随便扫过，这些人的境界，也是参差不齐的。
Crowds thronged about, and Lin Xuan’s divine sense swept across the scene. The cultivators’ cultivation levels varied widely.
“ lín xiōng ， bù rú wǒ men xiān zhǎo zhù chù ， yī huì er zài qù dà tīng guǎng chǎng ， kàn yǒu shén me hé shì de rèn wù 。”
“林兄，不如我们先找住处，一会儿再去大厅广场，看有什么合适的任务。”
"Brother Lin, why don’t we find a place to stay first? We can go to the main hall later to see if there are any suitable missions."
huáng tíng zōng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān zì rán sī háo yì yì yě wú ， yú shì yī xíng rén xiàng běi chéng zǒu qù le 。
黄庭宗的声音传入耳朵，林轩自然丝毫异议也无，于是一行人像北城走去了。
The voice of Huang Tingzong entered his ears. Lin Xuan had no objections and led the group towards the northern city.
cǐ chéng céng shù yì qí zhǔ ， xiān shì luò zài dú lóng lǎo mó de shǒu lǐ ， hòu lái yòu bèi shèng chéng zhàn qù ， shù bǎi nián jiān ， jīng lì liǎo wú shù de xīng fēng xuè yǔ ， zhè gé jú ， yǔ yǐ qián xiāng bǐ ， zì rán shì dà wèi bù tóng dì 。
此城曾数易其主，先是落在毒龙老魔的手里，后来又被圣城占去，数百年间，经历了无数的腥风血雨，这格局，与以前相比，自然是大为不同地。
This city had changed hands multiple times. Initially, it fell into the clutches of an Old Demon Dragon, then was reclaimed by the Holy City. Over centuries, it endured countless storms. The layout now differed greatly from its former state.
rú jīn gēn jù yòng tú ， běi chéng wán quán huà gěi sàn xiū jū zhù ， miàn jī yě shì dōng nán xī běi sì chéng zhōng zuì dà de 。
如今根据用途，北城完全划给散修居住，面积也是东南西北四城中最大的。
Currently, the northern city was entirely allocated for scattered cultivators to reside in. It was the largest among the four cities—east, west, north, and south.
chéng zhōng méi yǒu jìn kōng jìn zhì ， dàn què zǎo yǐ xià le yán lìng ， bù xǔ xiū xiān zhě fēi xíng ， yǐ qián huò xǔ yǒu xiū xiān zhě shì zhè ge guī jǔ wèi wú wù ， dàn zì cóng tiān fēng mó jūn shòu fá yǐ hòu ， jiù zài yě méi yǒu nǎ ge xiū shì gǎn yǐ shēn shì fǎ le ， bì jìng xiǎo mìng zhǐ yǒu yí gè ， wán wán le ， jiù kū dōu méi dì ér kū 。
城中没有禁空禁制，但却早已下了严令，不许修仙者飞行，以前或许有修仙者视这个规矩为无物，但自从天风魔君受罚以后，就再也没有哪个修士敢以身试法了，毕竟xiǎo命只有一个，玩完了，就哭都没地儿哭。
There were no restrictions on flying within the city, but a strict order had been issued: no aerial travel by cultivators. While some lower-ranked cultivators might have ignored this rule before, none dared test it since the punishment meted out to Heavenly Wind Demon Sovereign. After all, one life was enough; playing with fire meant no place to cry.
hǎo zài yǒu shòu chē dài bù ， ér qiě jià qián shì fēi cháng gōng dào de ， yú shì chéng zhōng de jiē dào shàng ， jiù kě yǐ kàn jiàn wǔ yán liù sè de shòu chē ， bèi gè zhǒng qí xíng guài zhuàng de zhēn qín yì shòu lā zhe ， zài dà jiē shàng bēn chí ， hái yǒu jiù shì yī duì duì shēn zhe zhì shì kǎi jiǎ ， zài dà jiē shàng jǐng jiè xún luó de xiū shì 。
好在有兽车代步，而且价钱是非常公道的，于是城中的街道上，就可以看见五颜六sè的兽车，被各种奇形怪状的珍禽异兽拉着，在大街上奔驰，还有就是一队队身着制式铠甲，在大街上警戒巡逻的修士。
Fortunately, they could use animal-drawn carriages, which were quite affordable. So, colorful animal-drawn carriages pulled by various exotic creatures roamed the streets, along with teams of cultivators in uniform patrolling for security.
lín xuān děng rén gù le yī liàng shòu chē ， xiàng yì guǎn de fāng xiàng fēi lüè ér qù le 。
林轩等人雇了一辆兽车，像驿馆的方向飞掠而去了。
Lin Xuan and his companions hired a carriage and headed towards the inn.
yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu yǐ hòu ， chuān guò zhū duō jiē dào ， yī pái pái shì yàng jīng měi de gé lóu ， yìng rù le yǎn lián zhōng 。
一盏茶的功夫以后，穿过诸多街道，一排排式样jīng美的阁楼，映入了眼帘中。
After a short while, they passed through numerous streets and arrived at a row of beautifully designed pavilions.
jīng měi yǐ jí ， biǎo miàn hái bèi wǔ yán liù sè de guāng mù ， fēn gé chéng yī dòng yī dòng de 。
jīng美以极，表面还被五颜六sè的光幕，分隔成一栋一栋的。
These were the reception halls for high-ranking cultivators above the元婴期.
zhè lǐ biàn shì zhāo dài yuán yīng qī yǐ shàng ， gāo jiē xiū shì de huì guǎn le 。
这里便是招待元婴期以上，高阶修士的会馆了。
Contrary to low-rank cultivators who stayed in inns, the reverence and envy on the faces of passing cultivators indicated that this was a place of status.
yǔ dī jiē xiū shì jiè sù zài kè zhàn zhōng jié rán bù tóng ， cóng lù guò xiū shì liǎn shàng de jìng wèi yǔ xiàn mù ， jiù zhī dào zhè lǐ shì shēn fèn de xiàng zhēng le 。
与低阶修士借宿在客栈中截然不同，从路过修士脸上的敬畏与羡慕，就知道这里是身份的象征了。
Of course, condensation core and foundation establishment stage cultivators could also stay here, but under much stricter conditions. The same buildings required ten times more crystal stones than those for元婴期 cultivators.
dāng rán ， níng dān qī yǔ zhù jī qī xiū xiān zhě yě bú shì yí dìng bù néng gòu rù zhù ， rán ér tiáo jiàn què yào kē kè dé duō ， tóng yàng de jiàn zhù ， suǒ xū yào huā fèi de jīng shí ， què shì yuán yīng jí bié de shí bèi yǐ shàng 。
当然，凝丹期与筑基期修仙者也不是一定不能够入住，然而条件却要苛刻得多，同样的建筑，所需要huā费的晶石，却是元婴级别的十倍以上。
Such terms were supposed to deter low-rank cultivators from even considering it. After all, their purpose in coming here was to earn crystal stones; spending ten times the amount would be sheer foolishness.
àn lǐ ， zhè yàng de tiáo jiàn zú yǐ jiāng nà xiē dī jiē xiū shì de shē wàng zǔ xià diào le ， bì jìng tā men lái dào cǐ chù ， mù dì běn jiù shì wèi le zhuàn qǔ jīng shí lái de ，huā shí bèi de jīng shí rù zhǔ ， nà bú shì bài jiā shì shén me ？
按理，这样的条件足以将那些低阶修士的奢望阻吓掉了，毕竟他们来到此处，目的本就是为了赚取晶石来的，huā十倍的晶石入主，那不是败家是什么？
Wouldn’t that go against their original intent?
qǐ bù shì yǔ chū zhōng bèi dào ér chí le ？
岂不是与初衷背道而驰了？
However, as they say, there are no limits to human ingenuity. From a rational standpoint, this situation should not have occurred, yet it did—more than once. Among these pavilions, three-tenths of the cultivators were below the元婴期, with one even at the peak of the灵动期, which was laughable.
rán ér sú huà shuō ， shì jiè zhī dà ， wú qí bù yǒu ， cóng qíng lǐ lái shuō ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng què shí bù yīng gāi chū xiàn de ， kě tā piān piān ， jiù chū xiàn le 。
然而俗话说，世界之大，无奇不有，从情理来说，这种情况确实不应该出现的，可他偏偏，就出现了。
Yet no one dared to provoke them. Considering their weak cultivation levels, they could only be either mentally unstable or backed by powerful allies, such as descendants of a scattered sect’s old master.
ér qiě hái bú shì yí gè liǎng gè ， zài zhè piàn lóu gé zhī zhōng ， yǒu sān chéng xiū shì de jìng jiè ， dōu zài yuán yīng qī yǐ xià de ， zuì kuā zhāng de yí gè ， jū rán shì líng dòng qī dà yuán mǎn de xiū xiān zhě ， ràng rén kū xiào bù dé 。
而且还不是一个两个，在这片楼阁之中，有三成修士的境界，都在元婴期以下的，最夸张的一个，居然是灵动期大圆满的修仙者，让人哭笑不得。
It seemed more likely that it was the latter. Until his identity was confirmed, no one would dare act rashly. After all, killing and looting required absolute certainty; acting recklessly would only bring disaster.
rán ér què méi yǒu rén gǎn zhāo rě ， xiǎng xiǎng yě shì ， zhè me ruò de xiū wèi ， què gǎn rú cǐ zhǔ mù ， yào me shì nǎo dài yǒu wèn tí ， yào me jiù shì yǒu shì wú kǒng ， bǐ rú shuō shì mǒu sàn xiū lǎo guài de zhí xì hòu rén 。
然而却没有人敢招惹，想想也是，这么弱的修为，却敢如此瞩目，要么是脑袋有问题，要么就是有恃无恐，比如说是某散修老怪的直系后人。
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced. The information had been revealed by the carriage driver just now. They were already in front of the pavilion, where a cultivator dressed in green greeted them with a respectful bow: "Cui'er pays respects to the seniors. Do you wish to stay here?"
zěn me kàn ， dōu shì hòu miàn yī zhǒng kě néng xìng dà diǎn ， zài nòng qīng chǔ tā de shēn fèn yǐ qián ， shì méi yǒu rén gǎn qīng jǔ wàng dòng de 。
怎么看，都是后面一种可能xìng大点，在nòng清楚他的身份以前，是没有人敢轻举妄动的。
"Of course," replied Zhuo Tianyuan. "Otherwise, why would we be here? How much does it cost?"
shā rén qiǎng bǎo yě yào yǒu jué duì de bǎ wò ， mào mào rán xíng dòng gēn běn jiù shì zhāo zāi rě huò 。
杀人抢宝也要有绝对的把握，冒冒然行动根本就是招灾惹祸。
"A single pavilion is akin to a miniature mansion, fully equipped. Renting for one year requires ten thousand lower-grade crystal stones." The cultivator’s gentle voice echoed.
lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， zhè xiē xiāo xī ， dōu shì gāng gāng nà chē fū tòu lù， cǐ shí tā men yǐ jīng lái dào lóu gé de qián miàn le ， zì rán yě yǒu fù zé jiē dài de xiū xiān zhě 。
林轩脑海中念头转过，这些消息，都是刚刚那车夫透lù，此时他们已经来到楼阁的前面了，自然也有负责接待的修仙者。
"What? So expensive?" Zhuo Tianyuan’s expression changed dramatically. The other three members of the Yanshan Four Friends shared similar looks. In their city, renting such a mansion would cost them for decades.
shì yī shēn chuān qīng yī de shìnv， xiū wèi bù zhí yī tí ， dàn róng mào hái suàn tǎo xǐ 。
是一身穿青衣的shìnv，修为不值一提，但容貌还算讨喜。
"Hahaha, seniors don’t know that with so many fellow daoists flooding our city, prices naturally rise," the cultivator explained calmly.
tā shǒu zhōng ná zhe yī jiàn fǎ qì ， zài lín xuān jǐ rén shēn shàng yī sǎo zhī hòu ， biǎo qíng dùn shí biàn dé gōng jìng yǐ jí ：“ cuì ér gěi jǐ wèi qián bèi jiàn lǐ ， bù zhī dào nǐ men shì fǒu yào rù zhù zhè lǐ ？”
她手中拿着一件法器，在林轩几人身上一扫之后，表情顿时变得恭敬以极：“翠儿给几位前辈见礼，不知道你们是否要入住这里？”
The Yanshan Four Friends exchanged glances, their expressions grim. Indeed, misfortunes never come alone; they were already in financial trouble...
“ bù cuò ， fǒu zé wǒ men lái zhè lǐ zuò shén me ， fáng qián zěn me suàn de ？” zhū gě tiān yuán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， bù guò liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng dào hái chōng dàn píng hé 。
“不错，否则我们来这里做什么，房钱怎么算的？”诸葛天元的声音传入耳朵，不过脸上的表情倒还冲淡平和。
Lin Xuan’s expression turned slightly odd. He was skilled at reading people and knew that these four must be at least元婴期; it seemed unlikely that they couldn’t afford a few thousand crystal stones.
“ yī dòng gé lóu xiāng dāng yú yī zuò wēi xíng dòng fǔ ， lǐ miàn suǒ yǒu de dōng xī ， yī yīng jù quán ， yǐ yī nián zuò wéi zū qī ， xū yào yī wàn xià pǐn jīng shí 。” nà shìnv wēn wǎn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“一栋阁楼相当于一座微型dòng府，里面所有的东西，一应俱全，以一年作为租期，需要一万下品晶石。”那shìnv温婉的声音传入耳朵。
"Ha ha, Brother Lin, I think this place isn’t very suitable for us. Why don’t we stay in the city’s inns? What do you say?" Huang Tingzong’s voice carried an awkward tone.
“ shén me ， zhè me guì ？”
“什么，这么贵？”
"Yes, little brother also thinks the inn is better; perhaps it will be cheaper," Yu Miaorong added, his words honest and straightforward.
zhū gě tiān yuán bó rán biàn sè， yān shān sì yǒu qí yú sān rén de biǎo qíng yě chà bu duō ， zhè ge jià gé ， zài qí xiān chéng lǐ ， zū tóng yàng de dòng fǔ ， shí nián bā nián dōu méi yǒu wèn tí le 。
诸葛天元勃然变sè，燕山四友其余三人的表情也差不多，这个价格，在其仙城里，租同样的dòng府，十年八年都没有问题了。
"No need, I think this place suits us well. Let’s get five independent pavilions connected." Lin Xuan smiled as he waved his sleeve, sending out five sparkling crystal stones.
“ hē hē ， qián bèi bù xiǎo de ， wǒ men lín hǎi chéng lǐ ， rú jīn dà liàng tóng dào yǒng rù ， zhè rén yī duō ， yì guǎn de jià gé ， zì rán yě jiù shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo le 。”shìnv liǎn shàng sī háo yì sè yě wú ， wěi wěi de jiě shì chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“呵呵，前辈不晓得，我们临海城里，如今大量同道涌入，这人一多，驿馆的价格，自然也就水涨船高了。”shìnv脸上丝毫异sè也无，娓娓的解释传入耳朵。
"High-grade crystal stones," the cultivator’s eyes lit up, impressed by the generous offer.
yān shān sì yǒu miàn miàn xiāng qù ， biǎo qíng dōu nán kàn wú bǐ ， zhēn shì wū lòu piān féng lián yè yǔ ， kě lián tā men zhèng náng zhōng xiū sè ……
燕山四友面面相觑，表情都难看无比，真是屋漏偏逢连夜雨，可怜他们正囊中羞涩……
"Haha, fellow daoists, we share a common spirit; several thousand crystal stones are nothing. If you refuse, I won’t consider you friends." Lin Xuan waved his hand with great ease.
lín xuān de biǎo qíng yǒu xiē gǔ guài le ， tā zì rán shàn cháng chá yán guān sè， zhè sì rén ， zěn me shuō ， yě shì yuán yīng jí bié de ， gāi bú huì lián qū qū jǐ wàn jīng shí yě méi yǒu ？
林轩的表情有些古怪了，他自然擅长察言观sè，这四人，怎么说，也是元婴级别的，该不会连区区几万晶石也没有？
"Fellow daoist, since you say so, the four of us will be honored to accept," Huang Tingzong’s eyes flashed with determination and he no longer refused.
“ hē hē ， lín xiōng ， wǒ kàn zhè ge dì fāng ， huán jìng yě bú shì hěn hǎo ， bù rú wǒ men gǎi tóu chéng zhōng de kè zhàn ， bù zhī dào yǒu yǐ xià rú hé ？” huáng tíng zōng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǐ miàn dài zhe jǐ fēn gān gà zhī sè。
“呵呵，林兄，我看这个地方，环境也不是很好，不如我们改投城中的客栈，不知道友以下如何？”黄庭宗的声音传入耳朵，里面带着几分尴尬之sè。
"As it should be."
“ shì a ，xiǎo dì yě jué de kè zhàn bù cuò ， xiǎng bì nà lǐ de jià gé ， duō shǎo yīng gāi yě huì pián yi yī xiē 。” yú miào róng de shēng yīn yě chuán rù ěr lǐ ， zhè gē men er dǎo shì bú huì sā huǎng dì 。
“是啊，xiǎo弟也觉得客栈不错，想必那里的价格，多少应该也会便宜一些。”鱼妙容的声音也传入耳里，这哥们儿倒是不会撒谎地。
Lin Xuan’s face showed satisfaction. Over centuries, he had seen all kinds of cultivators—crafty ones and honest ones. These four clearly fit into the latter category; a few thousand crystal stones were nothing compared to their status.
“ bù yòng le ， lín mǒu kàn zhè lǐ huán jìng jiù hěn bú cuò ， gěi wǒ men lái wǔ dòng dú lì de gé lóu ， yào lián zài yì qǐ de 。” lín xuān wēi xiào zhe shuō ， suí hòu xiù páo yī fú ， wǔ kuài jīng guāng càn làn de jīng shí fēi lüè ér chū 。
“不用了，林某看这里环境就很不错，给我们来五栋独立的阁楼，要连在一起的。”林轩微笑着说，随后袖袍一拂，五块jīng光灿烂的晶石飞掠而出。
PS: Fellow daoists, the double-time period is almost over with just a few hours left. Help me out by voting for my monthly tickets! This is the second update today, aiming for 9000 words. Please support me with your votes!
Chapter 1855: Lin Xuan's Kind Deed
After entering the island, Lin Xuan and his companions did not linger. Soon, a magnificent city came into view.
Lin Xuan’s expression was indifferent on the surface, but deep within, he sighed softly. Centuries had passed, and here he was again, standing before the same coastal city that once stood tall. Alas, its master no longer resided there.
This time, their entry into the city went smoothly. The city's禁制 had not been activated; after all, the outer island already had protective measures in place. If this city’s protective array continued to run without pause, it would be considered reckless rather than prudent, wasting crystal stones.
Though the Holy City was vast and rich with history, there were countless places that required spending crystal stones. Therefore, saving where necessary was a must.
The streets inside the city remained as wide as ever, but the number of cultivators had significantly increased. Among them were both seasoned martial cultivators in battle gear and scattered cultivators dressed in various odd outfits.
Crowds thronged about, and Lin Xuan’s divine sense swept across the scene. The cultivators’ cultivation levels varied widely.
"Brother Lin, why don’t we find a place to stay first? We can go to the main hall later to see if there are any suitable missions."
The voice of Huang Tingzong entered his ears. Lin Xuan had no objections and led the group towards the northern city.
This city had changed hands multiple times. Initially, it fell into the clutches of an Old Demon Dragon, then was reclaimed by the Holy City. Over centuries, it endured countless storms. The layout now differed greatly from its former state.
Currently, the northern city was entirely allocated for scattered cultivators to reside in. It was the largest among the four cities—east, west, north, and south.
There were no restrictions on flying within the city, but a strict order had been issued: no aerial travel by cultivators. While some lower-ranked cultivators might have ignored this rule before, none dared test it since the punishment meted out to Heavenly Wind Demon Sovereign. After all, one life was enough; playing with fire meant no place to cry.
Fortunately, they could use animal-drawn carriages, which were quite affordable. So, colorful animal-drawn carriages pulled by various exotic creatures roamed the streets, along with teams of cultivators in uniform patrolling for security.
Lin Xuan and his companions hired a carriage and headed towards the inn.
After a short while, they passed through numerous streets and arrived at a row of beautifully designed pavilions.
These were the reception halls for high-ranking cultivators above the元婴期.
Contrary to low-rank cultivators who stayed in inns, the reverence and envy on the faces of passing cultivators indicated that this was a place of status.
Of course, condensation core and foundation establishment stage cultivators could also stay here, but under much stricter conditions. The same buildings required ten times more crystal stones than those for元婴期 cultivators.
Such terms were supposed to deter low-rank cultivators from even considering it. After all, their purpose in coming here was to earn crystal stones; spending ten times the amount would be sheer foolishness.
Wouldn’t that go against their original intent?
However, as they say, there are no limits to human ingenuity. From a rational standpoint, this situation should not have occurred, yet it did—more than once. Among these pavilions, three-tenths of the cultivators were below the元婴期, with one even at the peak of the灵动期, which was laughable.
Yet no one dared to provoke them. Considering their weak cultivation levels, they could only be either mentally unstable or backed by powerful allies, such as descendants of a scattered sect’s old master.
It seemed more likely that it was the latter. Until his identity was confirmed, no one would dare act rashly. After all, killing and looting required absolute certainty; acting recklessly would only bring disaster.
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced. The information had been revealed by the carriage driver just now. They were already in front of the pavilion, where a cultivator dressed in green greeted them with a respectful bow: "Cui'er pays respects to the seniors. Do you wish to stay here?"
"Of course," replied Zhuo Tianyuan. "Otherwise, why would we be here? How much does it cost?"
"A single pavilion is akin to a miniature mansion, fully equipped. Renting for one year requires ten thousand lower-grade crystal stones." The cultivator’s gentle voice echoed.
"What? So expensive?" Zhuo Tianyuan’s expression changed dramatically. The other three members of the Yanshan Four Friends shared similar looks. In their city, renting such a mansion would cost them for decades.
"Hahaha, seniors don’t know that with so many fellow daoists flooding our city, prices naturally rise," the cultivator explained calmly.
The Yanshan Four Friends exchanged glances, their expressions grim. Indeed, misfortunes never come alone; they were already in financial trouble...
Lin Xuan’s expression turned slightly odd. He was skilled at reading people and knew that these four must be at least元婴期; it seemed unlikely that they couldn’t afford a few thousand crystal stones.
"Ha ha, Brother Lin, I think this place isn’t very suitable for us. Why don’t we stay in the city’s inns? What do you say?" Huang Tingzong’s voice carried an awkward tone.
"Yes, little brother also thinks the inn is better; perhaps it will be cheaper," Yu Miaorong added, his words honest and straightforward.
"No need, I think this place suits us well. Let’s get five independent pavilions connected." Lin Xuan smiled as he waved his sleeve, sending out five sparkling crystal stones.
"High-grade crystal stones," the cultivator’s eyes lit up, impressed by the generous offer.
"Haha, fellow daoists, we share a common spirit; several thousand crystal stones are nothing. If you refuse, I won’t consider you friends." Lin Xuan waved his hand with great ease.
"Fellow daoist, since you say so, the four of us will be honored to accept," Huang Tingzong’s eyes flashed with determination and he no longer refused.
"As it should be."
Lin Xuan’s face showed satisfaction. Over centuries, he had seen all kinds of cultivators—crafty ones and honest ones. These four clearly fit into the latter category; a few thousand crystal stones were nothing compared to their status.
PS: Fellow daoists, the double-time period is almost over with just a few hours left. Help me out by voting for my monthly tickets! This is the second update today, aiming for 9000 words. Please support me with your votes!