Chapter Forty-Eight: The Intercepted Strike

After settling the accounts, Zhou Changwang had spent a total of 137 low-grade spirit stones.

Seeing the maid Xiaowei finally display a sincere smile, Zhou Changwang handed over the spirit stones with a pained expression.

“Such extravagance, such extravagance... With this much spent, how many years of farming spirit fields will it take to recoup my costs?” Zhou Changwang cried inwardly, realizing he could no longer simply rely on farming as before. After toiling away for a year, he had earned only a few dozen low-grade spirit stones from selling spiritual rice, and nearly lost everything due to price fluctuations. He could never allow such a thing to happen again.

Even if he didn’t give up the profession of spirit farmer, he had to grow something with higher value.

After leaving Six Directions Pavilion, Zhou Changwang had no intention of returning home yet. He walked a while longer and arrived at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall of the marketplace.

Despite its name, the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall managed a wide range of matters, including the leasing and sale of houses.

Upon entering, Zhou Changwang quickly found an overseer, a middle-aged man known as Steward Bai. He stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, “Steward Bai, I am Zhou Changwang. I wish to rent a house within the market. Are there any suitable residences available?”

“Inner city or the outskirts? How large an area?” asked Steward Bai, his face pale and beardless, his tone calm.

“Inner city. I’d like to rent a house with its own spirit field. The location can be remote, that’s fine,” Zhou Changwang replied at once.

“There are houses with spirit fields, but those in the western district have already been rented out. Only two remain in the southern district. However, as you know, the southern district is close to the spiritual vein, so rents are higher.

“One has five mu of high-grade spirit fields and comes with a spiritual gathering array. It used to belong to a spiritual cultivator named Lu, but he recently joined the Pure Source Sect as an inner disciple and now has access to their superior fields, so he no longer values this house. The minimum rental term is three years, at four hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones per year.

“The other has seven mu of spirit fields and also a gathering array. It previously belonged to a high-level cultivator named Li. The lease expired three months ago, but he hasn’t renewed it, nor has he been seen since, so it's back on the market. There are still some of his spiritual herbs growing there—since some aren’t ready to harvest, we haven’t removed them. If you rent it, they’ll be yours. The rent is higher—three years minimum, at six hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones per year.”

Steward Bai seemed unconcerned with Zhou Changwang’s cultivation level and straightforwardly introduced the options.

Zhou Changwang’s expression froze with embarrassment. “Isn’t there anything cheaper? I don’t need a spirit field, that’s fine, too.”

Four hundred and fifty, six hundred and twenty—his entire fortune wasn’t much more than that. To spend it all on rent? He’d have to be mad.

“There are houses without spirit fields, of course, but with the recent influx of people into the market, the cheap ones have mostly been rented out. Only a few remain...”

…

Zhou Changwang walked out of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, feeling a little heavy-hearted.

He had thought himself somewhat well-off now, but hadn’t expected the rent in the inner city to be so exorbitant.

Even ordinary residences cost over a dozen low-grade spirit stones per month. If the house came with a cultivation room, the rent was over thirty per month. And if it happened to sit on a spiritual vein node, the price could reach a hundred low-grade spirit stones...

It was madness!

He was reminded of the terror of being shackled by a mortgage. But here, it was even more insane.

And this was just to rent, not even to buy.

Nevertheless, the expense wasn’t without reason.

For in the inner city, there was one resource that could hardly be found on the outskirts—spiritual energy.

Built atop a spiritual vein, the inner city’s spiritual energy was far richer than the outskirts. Anywhere you cultivated here, it was at least twice as effective as outside; if you were on a spiritual node, three times as effective.

For those with cultivation ambitions—seeking to advance to mid or high level, or even to build their foundation—the temptation was irresistible.

No wonder that as soon as the Bai family’s patriarch met with misfortune, others couldn’t wait to stir up trouble. The annual rent collected from this marketplace alone was considerable, not to mention all the industries and resources...

Zhou Changwang’s heart pounded at the thought.

Of course, as a mere itinerant cultivator, such matters were just idle fancy for him.

…

“I heard Zhou Changwang killed an Ironhide Boar and sold it for over a hundred low-grade spirit stones. With his spirit field harvest, he pocketed dozens more—he’s quite wealthy. Sure enough, I just saw him leave Six Directions Pavilion and head into the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall...”

In a shadowy corner, a pallid young man watched Zhou Changwang emerge from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, his eyes cold and resentful. “I wonder how many spirit stones he just spent in those places? All of that should have been mine.”

Gnashing his teeth, the youth followed Zhou Changqing from a distance.

Within the inner city, he dared not act.

…

Not only were there more high-level cultivators here, but patrols of the law enforcement team roamed constantly.

He, too, was a low-level itinerant cultivator and dared not be reckless.

“I’ve heard Zhou Changwang is quite skilled at pest control, and his mastery of the Geng Metal Finger is not low. Since he managed to kill an Ironhide Boar, he must have a few tricks up his sleeve. I must be cautious... Looks like I’ll have to pay a heavy price,” the youth muttered, watching Zhou Changwang step out the city gates into the outer area. He quickly followed, producing an object from his sleeve—a spirit talisman.

A Groundspike Talisman.

Though a low-level talisman, it was crafted by a renowned master among itinerant cultivators, and its power reached sixty percent of the actual spell.

…

Zhou Changwang had always been a cautious man.

Even when the fortune-teller had warned him of a looming car accident, though he hadn’t believed it, he still chose to walk on the edge of the sidewalk... Now, in the perilous world of cultivation, he was all the more vigilant.

He might appear at ease on the surface, but this was the market’s outskirts—teeming with all sorts of people and would-be robbers.

Recently, mysterious cultivators from all over had arrived, and Zhou feared he might become someone’s target.

So he kept one hand hidden in his sleeve, fingers tightly gripping a spirit talisman.

Suddenly, a surge of powerful earth-element spiritual energy erupted beneath his feet.

“A robber cultivator?” Zhou’s heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he activated the talisman he’d been gripping. Instantly, a shield of golden light flared up before him—the Golden Shield Talisman he’d just bought at Six Directions Pavilion.

Though only a low-grade talisman, this one was crafted by a renowned artisan and, when activated, could unleash seventy percent of the original spell’s power.

At that moment, sharp earthen spikes erupted from the ground, shooting up and striking the golden shield.

The shield trembled violently and quickly dimmed, but it held, protecting Zhou Changwang until the spikes faded away.