yě yǒu sǒng duō xiū shì jìn jìn chū chū ， kàn shàng qù fēi cháng máng lù 。
也有耸多修士进进出出，看上去非常忙碌。
There were also many cultivators coming and going, making the place seem very busy.
lín xuān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， hěn kuài jiù suǒ dìng le zì jǐ xiǎng yào xún zhǎo de jiàn zhù ， huà wèi yī dào qīng hóng 。 fēi rù le yī zuò jīng měi de dà diàn zhī zhōng 。
林轩将神识放出，很快就锁定了自己想要寻找的建筑，化为一道青虹。飞入了一座精美的大殿之中。
Lin Xuan released his spirit sense and quickly pinpointed the building he wanted to find. He transformed into a streak of green light and entered a magnificent hall.
suī rán wù shí chéng xiàn zài àn cháo xiōng yǒng ， dàn duì yú dà duō shù xiū shì lái shuō ， què shì mò bù guān xīn de 。 ér zhè lǐ yòu shì yǒu míng de xiū liàn shèng dì 。 suǒ yǐ lái líng xū diàn xún zhǎo dòng fǔ de rén luò yì bù jué 。
虽然晤石城现在暗潮汹涌，但对于大多数修士来说，却是漠不关心的。而这里又是有名的修炼圣地。所以来灵虚殿寻找洞府的人络绎不绝。
Although Wushishi City was currently turbulent, most cultivators didn't care much about it. And since this was a famous cultivation圣地, people came here constantly in search of their own caves.
yī jìn rù dà diàn ， jiù yǒu shù yǐ bǎi jì de xiū shì yìng rén yǎn lián ， ér zài bèi hòu de qiáng bì shàng miàn 。 zé xiāng qiàn zhe yī kuài jù dà de zhèn pán ， huǎn huǎn xuán zhuǎn ， yī fù jī hū kě yǐ jiǎ luàn zhēn de huà juàn 。 bèi tóu shè chū lái 。
一进入大殿，就有数以百计的修士映人眼帘，而在背后的墙壁上面。则镶嵌着一块巨大的阵盘，缓缓旋转，一副几乎可以假乱真的画卷。被投射出来。
Upon entering the hall, hundreds of cultivators were immediately visible. Behind the walls was an enormous array disk that slowly rotated, projecting a nearly lifelike scroll depicting mountains and rivers—likely a map of Wushishi City's surroundings, with bright dots marking potential cave sites.
yǒu shān yǒu shuǐ ， jìng rán shì dǔ shí chéng zhōu biān de dì tú ， shàng miàn nà shǎn liàng de guāng diǎn ， yīng gāi jiù shì biāo shí chū de ， kě yǐ kāi pì dòng fǔ de líng dì le 。
有山有水，竟然是睹石城周边的地图，上面那闪亮的光点，应该就是标识出的，可以开辟洞府的灵地了。
Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows in interest. But soon, a cultivator wearing an officer’s uniform approached: "Greetings, senior. May I ask if you are looking for a permanent residence here and seeking a cave?"
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， liǎn shàng lù chū gǎn xìng qù zhī sè ， dàn hěn kuài ， jiù yǒu yī míng shēn chuān zhí shì fú zhuāng de xiū shì zǒu guò lái le ：“ cān jiàn qián bèi ， gǎn wèn nín kě shì xiǎng zài běn chéng cháng zhù ， yīn ér xún zhǎo dòng fǔ ？”
林轩眉头一挑，脸上露出感兴趣之色，但很快，就有一名身穿执事服装的修士走过来了：“参见前辈，敢问您可是想在本城常住，因而寻找洞府？”
"Indeed, do you have any good locations?" Lin Xuan said with a cold expression.
“ bù cuò ， kě yǒu hǎo de líng dì me ？” lín xuān miàn róng lěng dàn de shuō 。
“不错，可有好的灵地么？”林轩面容冷淡的说。
"Yes, yes! Senior, your presence is highly welcome in our city. Please follow me to the third floor," the officer said joyfully.
“ yǒu ， yǒu ， qián bèi zhè yàng de gāo rén lái běn chéng jū zhù ， wǒ men huān yíng zhī zhì ， qǐng suí rén qù sān lóu 。” nà zhí shì shí fēn huān xǐ de kāi kǒu 。
“有，有，前辈这样的高人来本城居住，我们欢迎之至，请随人去三楼。”那执事十分欢喜的开口。
"Hmm." Lin Xuan nodded and followed him.
“ ń 。” lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， gēn zài tā de shēn hòu 。
“嗯。”林轩点了点头，跟在他的身后。
On the second level, there were dozens of cultivators all at the Condensation Core stage. The foremost was an elderly man wearing a law enforcement official’s attire, standing before a stone table where other cultivators were bidding on various items.
dì èr céng yě yǒu jǐ shí míng xiū xiān zhě ， quán shì níng dān qī de ， zuì qián miàn zhàn zhe yī míng shēn chuān zhí fǎ shǐ fú shì de lǎo zhě ， miàn qián bǎi zhe shí zhuō ， ér nà xiē xiū shì zé bù tíng de jǔ pái pāi mài zhe shén me 。
第二层也有几十名修仙者，全是凝丹期的，最前面站着一名身穿执法使服饰的老者，面前摆着石桌，而那些修士则不停的举牌拍卖着什么。
Lin Xuan couldn't help but show surprise in his eyes.
lín xuān yǎn zhōng bù yóu de lù chū jīng qí zhī sè 。
林轩眼中不由得露出惊奇之色。
"Haha, senior, this is your first time visiting our city, right? These cultivators are auctioning off caves," the guide explained with a chuckle.
“ hē hē ， qián bèi shì dì yī cì lái dào běn chéng ba ， zhè xiē xiū shì shì zài pāi mài dòng fǔ 。” nà dài lù zhī rén xiào hē hē de jiě shì qǐ lái le 。
“呵呵，前辈是第一次来到本城吧，这些修士是在拍卖洞府。”那带路之人笑呵呵的解释起来了。
"Auctioning off caves?"
“ pāi mài dòng fǔ ？”
“拍卖洞府？”
"Yes. I believe you know that most of us here are free-lancers. For outsiders who wish to reside in the city, there are three ways to obtain a cave."
“ bù cuò ， xiǎng bì nín yě qīng chǔ ， běn chéng sàn xiū jū duō ， ér wài lái de tóng dào xiǎng yào zài běn chéng jū zhù ， yǒu sān gè fāng shì kě yǐ huò dé dòng fǔ 。”
“不错，想必您也清楚，本城散修居多，而外来的同道想要在本城居住，有三个方式可以获得洞府。”
"Oh, tell me more." Lin Xuan said with interest.
“ ó ， shuō shuō 。” lín xuān gǎn xìng qù de kāi kǒu le 。
“哦，说说。”林轩感兴趣的开口了。
"The first is what you saw below—basically, cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage don't need top-notch locations. The city has plenty of caves available around it. They can choose their spots and pay in crystal stones for temporary use, usually for thirty to fifty years depending on the quality of the surrounding qi."
“ dì yí gè jiù shì nín gāng cái zài xià miàn jiàn dào de 。 zhù jī qī xiū shì ， zhè zhǒng céng cì de dào yǒu ， bù xū yào duō hǎo de líng dì ， běn chéng zhōu biān ， yǒu dà piàn de dòng fǔ kě yǐ tí gōng ， tā men zài nà piàn dì tú shàng kàn hǎo le ， zhǐ xū yào jiāo nà jīng shí ， biàn kě yǐ zàn shí zū yòng ， zū qī yì bān shì sān shí nián zhì wǔ shí nián ， gēn jù dòng fǔ zhōu biān líng qì de hǎo huài 。 jīng shí cóng liǎng bǎi dào bā bǎi bù děng
“第一个就是您刚才在下面见到的。筑基期修士，这种层次的道友，不需要多好的灵地，本城周边，有大片的洞府可以提供，他们在那片地图上看好了，只需要交纳晶石，便可以暂时租用，租期一般是三十年至五十年，根据洞府周边灵气的好坏。晶石从两百到八百不等
"Hmm, that's not too expensive."
“ ń ， zhè dào bù guì 。”
“嗯，这到不贵。”
"That is indeed the case," the guide said with a slight smile, proud of his city: "Wushishi City is a sanctuary for free-lancers. We understand that compared to sect members, your financial resources are thinner. Thus, while our cave offerings are of high quality, their prices are among the lowest in all of Yanzhou. Moreover, if some of you truly need it, we can recommend tasks that will allow you to use a cave for free."
“ nà shì dāng rán 。” dài lù zhī rén zuǐ jiǎo wēi wēi shàng qiào ， liú lù chū yī sī zì háo ：“ wǒ men dǔ shí chéng ， nǎi sàn xiū shèng dì ， yě zhī dào gè wèi sàn xiū tóng dào yǔ zōng mén jiā zú de xiū shì xiāng bǐ ， shēn jiā yào qiǎn bó yī xiē ， suǒ yǐ jǐn guǎn tí gōng de dòng fǔ ， pǐn zhì dōu bù cuò ， dàn jià gé zhī dī lián ， zài zhěng gè yún zhōu què shì dǎ zhe dēng lóng yě zhǎo bú dào de 。 ér qiě bù mán qián bèi nín shuō ， rú guǒ yǒu de tóng dào què shí shǒu tóu jǐn ， wǒ men hái kě yǐ xiàng tā tuī jiàn yī xiē rèn wù ， wán chéng le jiù kě yǐ miǎn fèi shǐ yòng dòng fǔ 。”
“那是当然。”带路之人嘴角微微上翘，流露出一丝自豪：“我们睹石城，乃散修圣地，也知道各位散修同道与宗门家族的修士相比，身家要浅薄一些，所以尽管提供的洞府，品质都不错，但价格之低廉，在整个云州却是打着灯笼也找不到的。而且不瞒前辈您说，如果有的同道确实手头紧，我们还可以像他推荐一些任务，完成了就可以免费使用洞府。”
Lin Xuan was impressed by this and began to understand why Wushishi City could survive amidst the three major forces. It wasn't just about mutual checks and balances; his own strength was considerable too. Otherwise, if only the fat profits were at stake, the three factions might have reached an agreement to divide him.
lín xuān tīng dào cǐ chù ， yě bù yóu de kāi shǐ pèi fú zhì dìng zhè xiē guī jǔ de rén le ， shōu mǎi rén xīn ， guài bù dé wù shí chéng shēn chù sān dà shì lì de jiā fèng zhī zhōng ， yī rán néng gòu shēng cún ， dào bìng bù jǐn jǐn shì sān pài hù xiāng qiān chě ， tā běn shēn de shí lì yě gòu qiáng de ， fǒu zé ， rú guǒ guāng shì féi ròu ， sān pài yě kě yǐ dá chéng xié yì ， jiāng qí guā fēn le ， zǒng hǎo guò shuí yě yǎn chán chī bù zhe 。
林轩听到此处，也不由得开始佩服制定这些规矩的人了，收买人心，怪不得晤石城身处三大势力的夹缝之中，依然能够生存，倒并不仅仅是三派互相牵扯，他本身的实力也够强的，否则，如果光是肥肉，三派也可以达成协议，将其瓜分了，总好过谁也眼馋吃不着。
In matters like renting caves, while they saved on crystal stones, it won them the approval of free-lancers from other regions. They wouldn't scatter in times of danger but would provide support. A Foundation Establishment cultivator wasn’t much, but if there were tens of thousands, even the three major sects would have to think twice.
xiàng zhè dòng fǔ de zū jiè shàng ， suī rán shǎo shōu le yī xiē jīng shí ， dàn què yíng dé le nà xiē wài lái sàn xiū de rèn kě ， bié de bù shuō ， chú le wù shí chéng ， tā men nǎ lǐ qù zhǎo zhè me pián yi de dòng fǔ ， rú cǐ yī lái ， wù shí chéng yù jiàn wēi xiǎn ， tā men yě bú huì zuò niǎo shòu sàn ， ér shì fèn lì tí gōng zhī yuán 。
像这洞府的租借上，虽然少收了一些晶石，但却赢得了那些外来散修的认可，别的不说，除了晤石城，他们哪里去找这么便宜的洞府，如此一来，晤石城遇见危险，他们也不会作鸟兽散，而是奋力提供支援。
"What about the second method?" Lin Xuan asked with a raised eyebrow.
yí gè zhù jī qī xiū shì bù suàn shén me ， dàn rú guǒ yǒu shí wàn bā wàn ， biàn shì nà sān dà zōng mén ， yě dōu yào hǎo hǎo de diān liáng yī fān 。
一个筑基期修士不算什么，但如果有十万八万，便是那三大宗门，也都要好好的掂量一番。
"The second is what you are seeing now—suitable for Condensation Core stage cultivators. After forming their golden cores, they become high-ranking cultivators. The city naturally provides caves with better qi, but not just any location can be chosen; it’s an auction, and the highest bidder wins," the guide explained cautiously.
“ nà dì èr gè fāng shì ne ？” lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， dàn dàn de xún wèn dào 。
“那第二个方式呢？”林轩眉头一挑，淡淡的询问道。
"Even those at the Condensation Core stage have to bid? What about us, at the Core Formation stage?" Lin Xuan said with a slightly grim face.
“ dì èr gè ” biàn shì qián bèi xiàn zài suǒ kàn jiàn de ， shì hé níng dān qī xiū xiān zhě ， jīn dān níng chéng yǐ hòu ， yǐ shì gāo jiē xiū shì ， běn chéng zì rán huì tí gōng líng qì jiào hǎo de dòng fǔ ， bù guò què fēi xiǎng yào nǎ kuài dōu kě yǐ ， ér shì cǎi yòng pāi mài de fāng shì ， jià gāo zhě dé 。” nà lǐng lù zhī rén xiǎo xīn yì yì de jiě shì le 。
“第二个”便是前辈现在所看见的，适合凝丹期修仙者，金丹凝成以后，已是高阶修士，本城自然会提供灵气较好的洞府，不过却非想要哪块都可以，而是采用拍卖的方式，价高者得。”那领路之人小心翼翼的解释了。
"This, I am unaware of. When you reach the third floor, the elders will explain it to you."
“ níng dān qī dōu yào pāi mài ， nà wǒ men yuán yīng jí de yòu yīng gāi rú hé ？” lín xuān liǎn sè yǒu xiē yīn chén de shuō 。
“凝丹期都要拍卖，那我们元婴级的又应该如何？”林轩脸色有些阴沉的说。
"Hmm."
“ zhè ge ， wǎn bèi yě bù bù zhī xiǎo ， qián bèi dào le dì sān céng ， zì rán huì yǒu zhǎng lǎo dà rén xiǎng nín jiě shuō 。”
“这个，晚辈也不不知晓，前辈到了第三层，自然会有长老大人想您解说。”
Lin Xuan nodded and remained silent as they ascended to the third level.
“ ń 。
“嗯。
This layer was much larger but far less bustling than the previous two levels.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， bù zài kāi kǒu 。 suí tā lái dào le dì sān céng shàng 。
林轩点了点头，不再开口。随他来到了第三层上。
In the small living room, only a few people were present. But Lin Xuan couldn't help but take in a deep breath of cool air; all of them were Core Formation stage cultivators.
zhè yī céng yào de duō ， rán ér fán huá chéng dù què yuǎn fēi qián liǎng céng kě yǐ xiāng bǐ de 。
这一层要得多，然而繁华程度却远非前两层可以相比的。
There were men and women, five in total.
xiǎo qiǎo de kè tīng zhī zhōng ， zhǐ yǒu liáo liáo shù rén ér yǐ ， dàn lín xuān què àn zì xī le yī kǒu liáng qì 。 jū rán quán shì yuán yīng qī xiū shì 。
小巧的客厅之中，只有寥寥数人而已，但林轩却暗自吸了一口凉气。居然全是元婴期修士。
Upon their arrival, these individuals naturally cast their gazes over him as well.
yǒu nán yǒu nǚ ， gòng wǔ rén zhī duō 。
有男有女，共五人之多。
Lin Xuan’s expression remained blank, his magical power not concealed at all.
jiàn lín xuān shàng lái ， zhè xiē rén de mù guāng zì rán yě zài tā de shēn shàng sǎo guò 。
见林轩上来，这些人的目光自然也在他的身上扫过。
The others couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. They hadn’t expected this unremarkable young man to be a Core Formation stage expert.
lín xuān shén sè mù rán ， hún shēn de fǎ lì méi yǒu sī háo shōu liǎn 。
林轩神色木然，浑身的法力没有丝毫收敛。
But soon, their expressions calmed down. While there weren’t many anti-aging techniques suitable for men, they did exist.
nà xiē rén bù yóu de dà wèi jīng hài ， xiǎng bú dào zhè mào bù jīng rén de shào nián ， jū rán shì yī yuán yīng zhōng qī de lǎo guài 。
那些人不由得大为惊骇，想不到这貌不惊人的少年，居然是一元婴中期的老怪。
It was normal for strangers to size each other up, and Lin Xuan didn't recognize these five powerful figures either. However, when one of them cast his gaze over him, Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted, and both the infant in his dantian and the demonic infant in his core opened their eyes simultaneously.
dàn hěn kuài ， tā men de biǎo qíng yòu píng jìng le xià lái 。 shì hé nán xiū de zhù yán gōng fǎ suī rán bù duō 。 dàn yě bìng fēi méi yǒu de 。
但很快，他们的表情又平静了下来。适合男修的驻颜功法虽然不多。但也并非没有的。
A sense of extreme danger.
yuán běn mò shēng zhī rén hù xiāng dǎ liàng yī xià shì zài zhèng cháng bù guò de shì qíng ， ér zhè wǔ míng lǎo guài wù 。 lín xuān yě quán bù rèn shí ， kě yǒu yī dào mù guāng zài tā shēn shàng sǎo guò shí ， lín xuān què tóng kǒng wēi suō 。 dān tián qì hǎi zhōng xiū liàn de yuán yīng yǔ mó yīng gèng shì bù yuē ér tóng de zhēng kāi shuāng yǎn le 。
原本陌生之人互相打量一下是再正常不过的事情，而这五名老怪物。林轩也全不认识，可有一道目光在他身上扫过时，林轩却瞳孔微缩。丹田气海中修炼的元婴与魔婴更是不约而同的睁开双眼了。
Lin Xuan was startled but kept a composed exterior. He gave a slight bow to the five before sitting down on an empty chair.
yī zhǒng jí dù wēi xiǎn de gǎn jué 。
一种极度危险的感觉。
Then he began to casually observe them.
lín xuān dà chī yī jīng ， bù guò yǐ tā de chéng fǔ 。 biǎo miàn shàng què shì sī háo yì sè bù lù ， chōng wǔ rén bào le bào quán ， jiù shén sè rú cháng de zǒu dào yī zhāng kōng yǐ zi shàng zuò le xià lái 。
林轩大吃一惊，不过以他的城府。表面上却是丝毫异色不露，冲五人抱了抱拳，就神色如常的走到一张空椅子上坐了下来。
One female cultivator with white hair, extremely old with wrinkles crisscrossing her face. Lin Xuan couldn’t help feeling slightly surprised—her appearance should not be so aged even without anti-aging techniques. Could it have something to do with the powers she practiced?
suí hòu lín xuān cái zhuāng zuò bù jīng yì de dǎ liàng qǐ wǔ rén lái 。
随后林轩才装作不经意的打量起五人来。
A Taoist carrying a wooden comb.
yī míng tóu huā bái de nǚ xiū ， cāng lǎo yǐ jí 。 zhòu wén duī qì zài yì qǐ ， lín xuān bù yóu de lüè lüè gǎn dào yǒu xiē jīng yì ， jiù suàn gōng fǎ méi yǒu zhù yán xiào guǒ ， yě bù gāi rú cǐ xiǎn lǎo de ， mò fēi yǔ cǐ rén xiū liàn de shén tōng yǒu shén me guān xì 。
一名头花白的女修，苍老以极。皱纹堆砌在一起，林轩不由得略略感到有些惊异，就算功法没有驻颜效果，也不该如此显老的，莫非与此人修炼的神通有什么关系。
Two monks who seemed like brothers.
yī bèi zhe mù guā de dào shì 。
一背着木刮的道士。
These few individuals, despite their striking appearances and attire, drew his attention. However, Lin Xuan’s apprehension was precisely directed at the last person.
liǎng gè hé shàng ， sì hū shì shī xiōng dì de yàng zi 。
两个和尚，似乎是师兄弟的样子。
He was a cultivator in his forties, with a square face and large ears, exuding righteousness. Yet, for some reason, Lin Xuan felt that extreme danger emanating from him.
zhè jǐ rén bù lùn zhǎng xiàng hái shì dǎ bàn ， dōu pǒ wèi yǐn rén zhù yì ， rán ér lín xuān yǎn shén suī rán wàng zhe tā men ， rán ér xīn zhōng jì dàn de què qià qià shì zuì hòu yí gè rén 。
这几人不论长相还是打扮，都颇为引人注意，然而林轩眼神虽然望着他们，然而心中忌惮的却恰恰是最后一个人。
Moreover, there was something familiar about it, as if he had encountered this man before. But the face and body were entirely unfamiliar—could it be an illusion?
nà shì yī sì shí lái suì de xiū shì ， yī zhāng guó zì liǎn kǒng ， fāng miàn dà ěr ， kàn shàng qù mǎn shēn de zhèng qì ， kě bù zhī wèi hé ， lín xuān qià qià shì cóng tā shēn shàng gǎn shòu dào de nà jí dù wēi xiǎn de gǎn jué 。
那是一四十来岁的修士，一张国字脸孔，方面大耳，看上去满身的正气，可不知为何，林轩恰恰是从他身上感受到的那极度危险的感觉。
The other party had hidden his true appearance.
ér qiě nbsp;nbsp;， shèn zhì yǒu xiē shú xī ， jiù fǎng fú zì jǐ céng yǔ zhè rén yǒu guò jiāo jí ， kě nà miàn kǒng 。 nà shēn cái ， yòu míng míng mò shēng wú bǐ ， nán dào shì huàn shù ？
而且nbsp;nbsp;，甚至有些熟悉，就仿佛自己曾与这人有过交集，可那面孔。那身材，又明明陌生无比，难道是幻术？
Especially perplexing to Lin Xuan was that while the infant in his dantian was slightly better off, the demonic infant within his core trembled slightly.
duì fāng jiāng zhēn zhèng de yàng mào yǐn cáng qǐ lái le 。
对方将真正的样貌隐藏起来了。
How could that be? Back then, even facing the ancient demon Garo and the spirit fragments of Jinchu, he hadn’t experienced such a situation.
There were also many cultivators coming and going, making the place seem very busy.
Lin Xuan released his spirit sense and quickly pinpointed the building he wanted to find. He transformed into a streak of green light and entered a magnificent hall.
Although Wushishi City was currently turbulent, most cultivators didn't care much about it. And since this was a famous cultivation圣地, people came here constantly in search of their own caves.
Upon entering the hall, hundreds of cultivators were immediately visible. Behind the walls was an enormous array disk that slowly rotated, projecting a nearly lifelike scroll depicting mountains and rivers—likely a map of Wushishi City's surroundings, with bright dots marking potential cave sites.
Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows in interest. But soon, a cultivator wearing an officer’s uniform approached: "Greetings, senior. May I ask if you are looking for a permanent residence here and seeking a cave?"
"Indeed, do you have any good locations?" Lin Xuan said with a cold expression.
"Yes, yes! Senior, your presence is highly welcome in our city. Please follow me to the third floor," the officer said joyfully.
"Hmm." Lin Xuan nodded and followed him.
On the second level, there were dozens of cultivators all at the Condensation Core stage. The foremost was an elderly man wearing a law enforcement official’s attire, standing before a stone table where other cultivators were bidding on various items.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but show surprise in his eyes.
"Haha, senior, this is your first time visiting our city, right? These cultivators are auctioning off caves," the guide explained with a chuckle.
"Auctioning off caves?"
"Yes. I believe you know that most of us here are free-lancers. For outsiders who wish to reside in the city, there are three ways to obtain a cave."
"Oh, tell me more." Lin Xuan said with interest.
"The first is what you saw below—basically, cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage don't need top-notch locations. The city has plenty of caves available around it. They can choose their spots and pay in crystal stones for temporary use, usually for thirty to fifty years depending on the quality of the surrounding qi."
"Hmm, that's not too expensive."
"That is indeed the case," the guide said with a slight smile, proud of his city: "Wushishi City is a sanctuary for free-lancers. We understand that compared to sect members, your financial resources are thinner. Thus, while our cave offerings are of high quality, their prices are among the lowest in all of Yanzhou. Moreover, if some of you truly need it, we can recommend tasks that will allow you to use a cave for free."
Lin Xuan was impressed by this and began to understand why Wushishi City could survive amidst the three major forces. It wasn't just about mutual checks and balances; his own strength was considerable too. Otherwise, if only the fat profits were at stake, the three factions might have reached an agreement to divide him.
In matters like renting caves, while they saved on crystal stones, it won them the approval of free-lancers from other regions. They wouldn't scatter in times of danger but would provide support. A Foundation Establishment cultivator wasn’t much, but if there were tens of thousands, even the three major sects would have to think twice.
"What about the second method?" Lin Xuan asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The second is what you are seeing now—suitable for Condensation Core stage cultivators. After forming their golden cores, they become high-ranking cultivators. The city naturally provides caves with better qi, but not just any location can be chosen; it’s an auction, and the highest bidder wins," the guide explained cautiously.
"Even those at the Condensation Core stage have to bid? What about us, at the Core Formation stage?" Lin Xuan said with a slightly grim face.
"This, I am unaware of. When you reach the third floor, the elders will explain it to you."
"Hmm."
Lin Xuan nodded and remained silent as they ascended to the third level.
This layer was much larger but far less bustling than the previous two levels.
In the small living room, only a few people were present. But Lin Xuan couldn't help but take in a deep breath of cool air; all of them were Core Formation stage cultivators.
There were men and women, five in total.
Upon their arrival, these individuals naturally cast their gazes over him as well.
Lin Xuan’s expression remained blank, his magical power not concealed at all.
The others couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. They hadn’t expected this unremarkable young man to be a Core Formation stage expert.
But soon, their expressions calmed down. While there weren’t many anti-aging techniques suitable for men, they did exist.
It was normal for strangers to size each other up, and Lin Xuan didn't recognize these five powerful figures either. However, when one of them cast his gaze over him, Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted, and both the infant in his dantian and the demonic infant in his core opened their eyes simultaneously.
A sense of extreme danger.
Lin Xuan was startled but kept a composed exterior. He gave a slight bow to the five before sitting down on an empty chair.
Then he began to casually observe them.
One female cultivator with white hair, extremely old with wrinkles crisscrossing her face. Lin Xuan couldn’t help feeling slightly surprised—her appearance should not be so aged even without anti-aging techniques. Could it have something to do with the powers she practiced?
A Taoist carrying a wooden comb.
Two monks who seemed like brothers.
These few individuals, despite their striking appearances and attire, drew his attention. However, Lin Xuan’s apprehension was precisely directed at the last person.
He was a cultivator in his forties, with a square face and large ears, exuding righteousness. Yet, for some reason, Lin Xuan felt that extreme danger emanating from him.
Moreover, there was something familiar about it, as if he had encountered this man before. But the face and body were entirely unfamiliar—could it be an illusion?
The other party had hidden his true appearance.
Especially perplexing to Lin Xuan was that while the infant in his dantian was slightly better off, the demonic infant within his core trembled slightly.
How could that be? Back then, even facing the ancient demon Garo and the spirit fragments of Jinchu, he hadn’t experienced such a situation.