5: The Immortal Dynasty seems too modern.

Lu Xian weighed the Spirit Stones in his arms.

Forty stones—he could directly upgrade the [Immortal Cave], [Cultivation Chamber], and [Spirit Field] all at once.

But he was missing a few things.

He scanned the panel; one of the upgrade Materials for the Cultivation Chamber was something called a "Tranquility Stone" that he hadn't heard of, and he didn't know where to find it.

As he passed by a luxuriously decorated pavilion, his eyes lit up.

Treasure Gathering Pavilion!

"Welcome! Hello, customer. Is there anything I can help you with?" A shop assistant stepped forward, his smile warm yet cautious.

Sensing that the other party was just a Mortal, Lu Xian couldn't help but think of his former self, who had been the same way at the Hundred Pill Pavilion.

Earning a monthly salary of less than 1 Spirit Stone, walking with extreme caution for fear of encountering some psychotic Cultivator who might cut him down with a single blow.

He said politely, "I need a Tranquility Stone. Do you have any in stock?"

"One moment, I'll check for you." With that, the assistant took out a Formation Plate and began searching with his eyes closed.

A moment later.

"Customer, I found it. We have five types of Tranquility Stones in stock, all of which assist in calming the mind and entering meditation. Would you like me to take you to see them?"

"No need. What is the price of the cheapest one?"

"6 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Bring it to me."

The assistant turned toward a shelf and took out a stone that was slightly cool to the touch and had a lustrous sheen.

"Customer, please pay at the front desk," the assistant said.

Lu Xian took the Tranquility Stone and felt a trace of coolness spread from his palm; the calming effect was indeed weak.

But for five Spirit Stones, what more could he expect? Anyway, it should be enough as an upgrade material.

The person at the front desk was a manager surnamed Zhang.

Lu Xian couldn't see through his cultivation level.

"Hello, that's 6 Low-Grade Spirit Stones in total. Cash or transfer?" Manager Zhang said with a chuckle.

"Transfer?" Lu Xian was stunned.

Seeing his confusion, Manager Zhang understood that he must be a novice in the world of cultivation, so he explained patiently:

"If you have deposited Spirit Stones in the 'Huifeng Bank' jointly established by the eight major merchant houses, you can complete the payment directly through your quasi-immortal jade token with the help of a special Formation."

So that's how it is! No wonder the person who issued the certificate said the jade token had endless uses.

Isn't this just swiping a card?

The Immortal Dynasty seems a bit too modernized.

Depositing Spirit Stones in a bank?

One must know that Spirit Stones are not only the circulating currency of the cultivation world but also cultivation resources.

"Then... aren't you afraid the bank will swallow the Spirit Stones? Or that the jade token will be lost or stolen?" Lu Xian continued to ask.

Manager Zhang's expression turned solemn. "Young friend, do not speak such nonsense! Huifeng Bank is jointly backed by the eight major merchant houses and the Immortal Dynasty's Imperial Family; it's practically semi-official. The Spirit Stones deposited can be withdrawn at a 1:1 ratio at any time. As for being stolen?"

"When you first deposit Spirit Stones, the bank records your Divine Sense and mana characteristics. It will verify them again during a transfer to ensure security!"

Lu Xian became interested and asked another question: "Then does the quasi-immortal jade token have a method for long-distance communication?"

"Of course, isn't that the most basic function? As long as you are in an area covered by the Spirit Net, you can access bounties, recruitment, and acquisition information for almost anything."

Manager Zhang glanced at Lu Xian with surprise and suspicion. This kid couldn't have just come from the countryside, could he?

"Spirit Net?"

Manager Zhang continued to explain,

"The Spirit Net was constructed under the auspices of His Majesty, the Wanxu Immortal Emperor. It is a massive communication Formation that links every quasi-immortal jade token in the world! It allows every Fellow Daoist to understand the world's affairs from home! You can even post insights on the path of immortality and exchange experiences... You just need to go to the 'Cultivator Affairs Office' to activate the permissions."

Lu Xian finally understood—it was the cultivation version of the internet!

Did I transmigrate to the wrong place? Why is the style a bit different... Lu Xian was dumbfounded.

Actually, he had noticed something was off before. This world wasn't the purely ancient one he had imagined.

There were already mechanical creations powered by spiritual energy.

All sorts of ridiculous policies and immortal regulations... Can you believe there's even 2N compensation for layoffs?

But he hadn't expected it to be this advanced.

Even a network has been developed; the Wanxu Immortal Emperor is a great talent.

Then again, the Dao of Formations in the cultivation world is very impressive; it would be strange if they couldn't achieve this.

"Cough, kid, are you going to buy it or not? All of this is written clearly in 'Common Knowledge of the Immortal Dao'. You're not here to make fun of me, are you?"

Manager Zhang said with a suspicious look.

"I haven't had time to read that book carefully. I'll buy it, I'll buy it. Cash payment."

Lu Xian quickly took out six Spirit Stones, then cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Manager, for clearing up my doubts today. I will definitely visit often in the future."

Manager Zhang took the Spirit Stones, and the smile returned to his face.

"Take care."

...With the Tranquility Stone in hand, Lu Xian then went to the Cultivator Affairs Office in the city and activated his Spirit Net permissions.

Just as the manager had said, the Spirit Net covered almost every city and its surroundings in the Immortal Dynasty. Cultivators within range could use their quasi-immortal jade tokens to communicate, although there was a monthly fee of 5 Spirit Stones.

Lu Xian paid the Spirit Stones and decided not to delay any further.

It was more important to buy some Mortal Chickens and then head home to upgrade the buildings.

He would explore the other functions of the quasi-immortal jade token slowly in the future.

On his way back, he passed the entrance of the Household Department courtyard and found it crowded with Mortals.

There were youths with eyes full of hope and old men with numb expressions.

Right, today should be the day the "Quasi-Immortal Certificate" results are posted, which happens once every ten days.

He used to come here often as well.

Every time, a hundred slots were released, but most were handled through backroom deals. Less than twenty were truly distributed randomly, yet over ten thousand Mortals were packed in layers outside the door.

Of course, more slots were available at the Wujian Workshop.

Clearly priced at one hundred Spirit Stones each.

I used to be one of them too. It's a pity I have a cheat now... Lu Xian felt emotional and walked away.

Suddenly, a violent commotion broke out in the crowd!

"Aha! Good! I passed! I passed... Hahaha!"

An old man with white hair and a white beard rushed out of the crowd as if he were possessed, dancing and gesticulating wildly, with tears and snot streaming down his face.

Some people around him watched coldly, and no one stopped him, wishing the old man would go completely insane so that perhaps his slot would be redistributed to them.

But most were filled with envy and jealousy!

Lu Xian shook his head; he hadn't even been this happy when his own System appeared.

Seeing that the old man's hair was almost entirely white and his figure was stooped, he had probably been waiting bitterly under this board for decades. No wonder he lost his mind once his wish was finally granted.

"Wait, he looks a bit familiar? Isn't this the old man who sold me the chicken with a trace of Jade Marrow Bloodline last year?"

Lu Xian hesitated for a moment and then flickered closer to him.

He took out the Clear-Heart Stone he had just obtained and pressed it against the old man's feverish forehead.

Spiritual items were extremely effective on Mortals.

Instantly, the blood-red color in the old man's eyes faded, and his mind regained clarity.

"I... what happened to me?"

Song Chengping's aged voice murmured. A moment later, he realized what had happened and fell to his knees with a thud. "Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving my life! I... just now..."

He felt a wave of lingering fear. Just now, when he saw that he had been selected on the board, the blood had rushed to his head, causing him to lose his senses.

"Do you still remember me?" Lu Xian smiled slightly.

Song Chengping had a decent memory and said in surprise, "You're the young man Lu who bought the chicks last year—no, you're Immortal Master Lu now!"

Lu Xian was about to say something when a powerful pressure suddenly descended, enveloping the entire area!

The aura of Foundation Establishment!

"Silence! Cease your noise!" A majestic voice thundered.

The noisy crowd instantly became as quiet as chickens.

It was the Registrar of Qingyun County himself!

"Those whose names are on the list, enter quickly to receive your Quasi-Immortal Certificates! The rest of you, disperse within half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Those who violate this order will be executed!"

The Mortals fled in a hurry; they didn't dare to disobey the government's decrees in the slightest.

Lu Xian looked at the old man and said, "I want to buy some mature Mortal Chickens. I'll wait for you at the alley entrance over there."

Song Chengping: "Yes, yes!"

Half an hour later.

Song Chengping clutched the warm quasi-immortal jade token, unable to stop smiling.

He came over and performed a deep bow again, with blurry tears in the corners of his eyes. "Immortal Master Lu, if it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have missed my Opportunity today and waited fifty years in vain."

"Sigh..."

Lu Xian opened his mouth but didn't tell him how long and arduous the path of cultivation was.

Entering the Dao at an old age—how difficult it would be to achieve anything.

The old man had lived for over seventy years; he likely understood this and probably just wanted to fulfill a dream.