Dao Companions Help Me Live Forever

Chapter 83: Observations at the Market

One month later.

Shangyang Market.

This is the only market in Shangyang City.

As for why the commercial atmosphere in Shangyang City is not strong, it is because there are too few people.

The total population of the entire city is only about ten thousand, including both permanent residents and transient population, which does not exceed twenty thousand.

On the other hand, there are more than five hundred thousand people living in the shantytowns outside of Shangyang City, mostly ordinary mortals.

As mentioned before, the spiritual veins have a limited capacity.

Therefore, in order to drive away the excess population in a gentle manner, the cost of living in Shangyang City is extremely high, and not many people can afford to stay in the city for long.

Let's not even consider clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

Just based on the basic spiritual energy tax, those who have permanent residency rights need to pay twelve spiritual stones per year, while those without permanent residency rights need to pay twenty-four.

It should be noted that Yu Xian's income from farming for a year was only three spiritual stones.

It can be imagined that whether it is twelve or twenty-four, it is a huge amount for ordinary cultivators.

In this context.

Even the aristocratic families in the city will only leave the most elite part of their descendants to live in the city.

Otherwise, if one person pays twelve stones per year, one hundred people would be twelve hundred stones. Which family can afford such a bloodletting?

There are eight major aristocratic families in the city, but the permanent population of each family does not exceed two hundred.

So each family has its own family residence outside of Shangyang City, while the families living in Shangyang City are considered the main branch by each family.

"So there is a big boss above the eight major families?"

Yu Xian sat in the VIP room of Yingxian Pavilion, chatting with a steward named Zhao.

He had just sold thirty Cloud Mist Formation Plates to Steward Zhao for one hundred and eighty spiritual stones, and used the same amount of spiritual stones to purchase Qi Refining Pills.

With these two transactions, he was granted the privilege of half an hour of small talk.

This information was obtained from Steward Zhao.

Steward Zhao was a handsome middle-aged man in his fifties, with gray hair at his temples, but he was well-groomed and had a good figure, without any signs of aging.

He smiled and exclaimed, "Friend Yu is indeed a formation master, with quick thinking. You guessed it so quickly."

"That's right, if the eight major families were the true owners of Shangyang City, there would be no room for other wandering cultivators in the city. They would have taken all the spots for their own descendants long ago."

"The true master of Shangyang City is Dan Yang Zhenren on Shangyang Mountain. He is the sky of Shangyang City."

"Dan Yang Zhenren?"

Yu Xian's heart skipped a beat.

Although he had no grievances with this Dan Yang Zhenren, the existence of a Gold Core cultivator itself posed a threat to him.

When he encountered someone like Elder Jiang, who was at the peak of Foundation Building, he could rely on the Turtle Breath Technique to hide his aura.

But who knows what methods a Gold Core cultivator would have?

"I wonder where this Dan Yang Zhenren comes from? He allows the eight major families to settle in the city. Does he not have a family of his own?"

Steward Zhao's face showed a hint of admiration.

"It is said that Dan Yang Zhenren was originally a wandering cultivator, but he broke through to the Gold Core stage with his own talent and fortuitous encounters. He also joined Xuan Yang Sect as a guest elder."

"You should know that Xuan Yang Sect is a major sect in the immortal cultivation world, with a Nascent Soul True Immortal presiding over it. Even in the entire Jiuyang Domain, it is considered prominent."

"Unfortunately, Dan Yang Zhenren is only a wandering cultivator and is not valued by the sect. He was finally sent to Shangyang City as the guardian cultivator."

"But even so, he is the most formidable person we can come into contact with."

This was the first time Yu Xian had a simple understanding of the world he was in.

His thoughts kept flying as Steward Zhao spoke, and his gaze seemed to soar higher and higher.

The Kingdom of Yue, the Jiang family, Shangyang City, Xuan Yang Sect, Jiuyang Domain...

He seemed to see a vast and magnificent world.

Both he and the entire Shangyang City seemed small and insignificant in front of this world.

"Is Jiuyang Domain the region where we live?"

Yu Xian thought of the Taiyin Demon Domain, the place where the Blood Demon Technique and its subsequent cultivation methods were located.

It seemed that these two places were quite far apart.

No wonder this cultivation method could reach the peak of Gold Core. Ordinary Foundation Building cultivators didn't have the ability to cross a domain to find an inheritance.

It's not easy to go on a long journey these days. Along the way, there are demons and monsters, and calamities for cultivators. It's easy to die in a foreign land.

Steward Zhao shook his head and said, "Unless there are unexpected circumstances, we will never leave Shangyang City in our lifetime. It is fortunate enough to see Xuan Yang Sect."

"I have only heard of the name Jiuyang Domain from others. After all, it is too far away from us."

"That's true."

Yu Xian nodded in agreement.

But in reality, if nothing unexpected happens, he will definitely reach the peak of this realm.

There's no way around it, confident people are like this.

Of course, the premise is that he lives well and doesn't become too arrogant, so as to avoid encountering misfortune.

"Haha, talking about such distant topics is meaningless. Today, I have to thank Fellow Yu for coming. With your order, I finally have the time to relax."

Zhao Steward saw that the atmosphere was a bit dull, so he laughed, dispelling the slight depression from earlier.

Yu Xian said, "I also have to thank Steward Zhao for your generous guidance. Otherwise, as a rural cultivator, I wouldn't have known about the vastness of the world."

Steward Zhao boasted, "I'm just older and have seen more things. If I guess correctly, Fellow Yu is still young, right?"

Yu Xian replied, "To be honest, I'm already thirty-eight this year, about to turn forty."

Steward Zhao's eyes immediately lit up, "Fellow Yu is not even forty yet. May I be so bold as to ask about Fellow Yu's cultivation level?"

He could only vaguely sense that Yu Xian's cultivation was at the late stage of Qi Refining, but the specific level wouldn't be written on someone's forehead.

Yu Xian smiled bitterly, "Just barely at the ninth level of Qi Refining, still a long way from Foundation Building."

Steward Zhao slapped his thigh, his attitude becoming more enthusiastic:

"Fellow Yu, don't underestimate yourself. You're only thirty-eight years old and already at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and you're also a formation master. Even among the noble families in the city, such talent is considered outstanding."

"To be honest, I have a distant niece who is twenty years old, with outstanding looks and at the fifth level of Qi Refining, still single."

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Yu Xian couldn't help but cough a few times.

He immediately thought, "What the hell is going on? This doesn't fit the plot development. Wasn't it agreed not to reveal wealth?"

To prevent being targeted by the Immortal Pavilion, he intentionally only sold thirty formation discs, so as not to arouse too much greed.

Otherwise, he would be forced to fight back.

After all, he was currently using his real name, and after killing someone, he would have to run away.

But the other party not only showed no intention of killing for treasure, but also didn't even look down on him as a rural cultivator. Instead, they chatted politely, answered questions, and were like a caring older brother.

And now they even wanted to introduce their niece to him.

What the hell is going on?

Yu Xian suppressed his urge to complain, "Um, I already have a wife, so I'm not considering marrying another one at the moment."

With ordinary women, they could exchange skills and compensate each other afterwards. It would be a win-win situation.

But with someone like Steward Zhao, who knows what important figures he might know. In the end, for the sake of a woman, it would only bring trouble.

He could clearly distinguish between what was more important.

"It's okay, you can be a concubine."

Steward Zhao directly took a forceful stance.

"A real man having three wives and four concubines is common. Those Foundation Building cultivators and Gold Core experts, which one of them doesn't have a dozen or so concubines? Even many high-level female cultivators have multiple lovers."

Steward Zhao was willing to chat with Yu Xian for so long not only because of the one hundred and eighty spirit stones order, but also because he genuinely admired him.

Young, handsome, talented, high cultivation level, and most importantly, he had no background.

Such a good man had to be captured quickly and become one of their own. Otherwise, he would be unworthy of his identity as a businessman.

Seeing that Yu Xian wanted to say something, Steward Zhao waved his hand, "Fellow Yu, don't rush to refuse. Just give me face and meet each other first, get to know each other. If you're not satisfied, then we can talk about it."

"In addition, although I, Zhao Dechun, am just a small steward of the Immortal Pavilion, my ancestor is a disciple of Dan Yangzi."

"Dan Yangzi is the number one alchemy master in Shangyang City. Every once in a while, he will refine a batch of Foundation Building Pills."

"Fellow Yu, you are now at the ninth level of Qi Refining, with Foundation Building right in front of you. You should still lack a Foundation Building Pill, right?"

Yu Xian's eyes lit up, "Steward Zhao, can you give me a Foundation Building Pill?"

A Foundation Building Pill was worth several thousand spirit stones, or even more than ten thousand, and it was not available on the market.

Although Steward Zhao's niece would cause a bit of trouble in the future, sacrificing his own innocence for a Foundation Building Pill was acceptable.

And from Steward Zhao's words, it seemed that his niece was quite good-looking.

Steward Zhao looked stunned, "Fellow Yu, don't joke with me. I'm just a small steward, where would I have the capital to give away a Foundation Building Pill?"

"What I mean is, if you become one of us, you can purchase a Foundation Building Pill at a fair price through the channels of my Zhao family."

Yu Xian's interest suddenly waned. He couldn't freeload.

"Steward Zhao, I am fully devoted to cultivation and have no interest in matters between men and women. I truly feel guilty for your kindness."

Although Yu Xian declined again, Steward Zhao didn't like it in his heart, but he sighed on the surface.

"It's my niece who is not fortunate enough."

Yu Xian couldn't continue the conversation, so he had to take his leave.

(End of this chapter)