249: Chapter 247 Immortal Abode

When Yun Ming walked into Xianke Residence, there were already seven or eight tables of guests in the main hall. Most were Cultivators, with cultivation levels ranging from Foundation Establishment to the Golden Core Stage. They were eating, drinking, and chatting; their voices weren't loud, but when mixed together, they created a constant hum.

A shop assistant came forward to greet them with a beaming smile. "How many in your party, honored guest?"

"Two," Yun Ming said. Ah Yuan followed behind him, cradling the fox.

"The main hall or a private room?"

"The main hall. Is there a seat by the window?"

"Yes! This way, please."

The assistant led them to a table by the window, pulled out the chairs, and poured tea. Yun Ming sat down, and Ah Yuan sat opposite him. The fox jumped from her arms onto the table and lay down at the corner, its nine tails hanging down and swaying gently.

"What would the honored guest like to eat?" The assistant handed over a menu. The menu was made of a Jade Slip; once Divine Sense was projected into it, the dishes and prices became clear at a glance.

Yun Ming scanned through it. The names of the dishes were quite fancy: 'Azure Dragon Reclining on Snow', 'Vermilion Bird Spreading Wings', 'Golden Jade Filling the Hall', 'Spirit Spring Tofu', and 'Jade Marrow Lotus Seed Soup'. The prices weren't cheap either; even the simplest spiritual vegetable dish cost one High-Grade Spirit Stone. He picked five signature dishes, ordered a pot of spiritual tea, and returned the Jade Slip to the assistant.

"Please wait a moment, honored guest. The food will be out shortly." The assistant turned to leave, but Yun Ming called him back.

"Wait a moment. I’d like to ask you about something."

The assistant turned back, smiling broadly. "Of course, honored guest. Please, go ahead."

"This is my first time in Tianyuan City, and I’m not familiar with it. Could you give me an introduction? Tell me where to go to buy things, where to find people, and where to have some fun."

The assistant's eyes lit up. These out-of-town Cultivators who had just arrived in Tianyuan City were the easiest to talk to and the most willing to spend money. He cleared his throat and began his introduction.

"To buy things, go to 'Tianbao Market'. That is the largest market in Tianyuan City, covering hundreds of acres with over a thousand shops inside. They have everything: Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, Talismans, Formations, Spirit Beasts, and Materials. From low-end to high-end, they have it all. If you want to buy the really good stuff, go to the 'Wanzhen Pavilion' deep within Tianbao Market. It’s the largest treasure house in the city; you can basically find anything below the fifth rank there. It's said the Pavilion Master of Wanzhen Pavilion has connections with the palace, so their background is very formidable."

Yun Ming nodded.

"To find work or a place to stay, go to 'Chengen Street'. There are 'Agencies' there that specialize in brokerage. Houses in Tianyuan City aren't easy to buy; you need connections, and the agencies are those connections. You can find them for renting or buying houses, or even leasing shopfronts. The manager of the Yahang is named Hou San, commonly known as 'Hou Yazi'. He’s been around Tianyuan City for decades and has all sorts of connections."

"What about buying people?" Yun Ming asked. "Maids, servants—where can I buy them?"

The assistant chuckled. "To buy people, you go to the 'Human Market' in the South City. There are 'Brokers' there who specialize in that business. There are Mortals and low-level Cultivators; it depends on what you need. The prices aren't too expensive; a well-trained maid without any cultivation only costs a few dozen Low-Grade Spirit Stones. However—" the assistant lowered his voice, "the waters at the Human Market are deep. Some Brokers are dishonest, and the people they sell come from questionable sources. If you want to buy someone, it’s best to have an acquaintance introduce you."

Yun Ming took a sip of tea. "And for fun? Where to go?"

The assistant's eyebrows twitched, and the corners of his mouth curled into a suggestive arc. "For fun, you have to go to 'Paradise'."

Yun Ming frowned. "Paradise? What kind of place is it?"

The assistant's smile deepened, and a hint of unintentional mockery flashed in his eyes, as if he were looking at a country bumpkin who knew nothing. "Honored guest, Paradise is the largest gold-consuming hole in Tianyuan City. Inside, there are gambling dens, theaters, spirit food restaurants, and... the 'Gentle Country'. But none of these are the essence of Paradise. The essence of Paradise is—" the assistant paused and leaned in closer, "the 'Tianle Market'. The musicians kept in Tianle Market are no ordinary musicians; they are all Cultivators who follow the Dao of Music. Their zither music can lead one into a dream, and in that dream, you can have everything you desire: wealth, power, beauties, cultivation—whatever you want. A single dream can cost anywhere from a few hundred to over ten thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones."

Yun Ming's frown deepened. "A single dream? For ten thousand Spirit Stones?"

The assistant straightened up, his smile unchanged. "Honored guest, that is no ordinary dream. The musicians of Tianle Market are at least Cultivators of the Golden Core Stage. Their music can directly enter the Divine Soul, allowing you to experience an entire lifetime within a dream. That feeling is more real than reality itself. Someone once had a dream in Tianle Market and broke through their Bottleneck upon waking. Tell me, is that not worth ten thousand Spirit Stones?"

Yun Ming was silent for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took another sip. "Are there any other places for entertainment?"

The assistant thought for a moment. "There is also 'Xiaoyao Terrace'. Xiaoyao Terrace is in the north of Tianyuan City; it’s a platform suspended in mid-air where various competitions are held. Duels, beast fights, chess matches, pill-refining contests—they have everything. Spectators can place bets, and if you win, you can earn quite a few Spirit Stones. The owner of Xiaoyao Terrace has a very deep background; it’s said to be the property of a certain prince. It's packed every day, so if you want to go, you have to book a seat three days in advance." The assistant said all this in one breath, and seeing that Yun Ming had no intention of asking more, he took the initiative to continue.

"Honored guest, if I may be so bold. Tianyuan City is prosperous, but its waters are deep. There are places you can go and places you cannot. There are people you can offend and people you cannot. Since you’ve just arrived, let me give you a warning."

Yun Ming glanced at him. "Go on."

The assistant leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "First, you must not offend the imperial relatives. This is the Zifu Immortal Dynasty, at the feet of the Emperor; the imperial family is supreme. If you offend them, no matter your cultivation, don't expect to leave Tianyuan City alive." He paused and gave an example, "Last year, there was a Nascent Soul Stage Loose Cultivator who, relying on his high cultivation, got into a conflict with a drunken young man in a tavern and gave him a beating. It turned out the young man was the Crown Prince's nephew. The next day, that Loose Cultivator's corpse was hanging at the city gate. There wasn't a single wound on his body, but his Divine Soul was utterly destroyed. No one knows who did it, but everyone knows it was the imperial family."

Yun Ming nodded.

"Second are the Disciples of the Soul Transformation Sects. The Shenduan Sect, Xuanhuang Pill Mansion, and several other Soul Transformation Sects from other continents all have strongholds in Tianyuan City. Their Disciples act overbearingly; if you encounter them, avoid them if you can. Don't get into conflicts with them; you can't afford to provoke them." The assistant gave another example, "Two years ago, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Shenduan Sect fought with someone over a Magical Artifact in the street and seriously injured the other party. That person was an Elder of a mid-sized Sect and a Cultivator at the Late Golden Core Stage. He went to the government to complain, but they wouldn't take the case. He went to the Shenduan Sect’s stronghold to demand an explanation and was thrown out. In the end, the matter was dropped, and that Elder left Tianyuan City dejectedly, never to return."

Yun Ming nodded again.

"Finally, there are the people from the underground forces."

Yun Ming frowned. "At the feet of the Emperor, there’s still an underworld?"

The assistant gave a bitter smile, his voice dropping even lower. "There is. Not only is there one, but there are many. The waters of Tianyuan City are deep. There are three underground forces that are the most powerful and cannot be offended."

"Which three?"

The assistant held up three fingers. "The first is 'Xuanming Hall'. The Hall Master is surnamed Zhao and comes from a military background. He was later dismissed for an offense and brought a group of brothers to make a name for themselves in Tianyuan City. The people of Xuanming Hall act ruthlessly but follow rules. Last year, a shop owner offended someone from Xuanming Hall; that very night, his shop was trashed and his legs were broken. The owner went to report it, but after investigating for a few days, the government said there was 'no evidence' and closed the case."

"The second is the 'Vermilion Tower'. The Tower Master is a woman surnamed Liu, known as 'Madam Liu'. The Vermilion Tower deals in the flesh trade and has over a dozen brothels in Tianyuan City, but they don't just do that. Their intelligence network spans the entire city; they can find out any piece of news. If you offend the Vermilion Tower, your every move will be under their eyes, which is even more troublesome than offending the government. The year before last, an out-of-town merchant caused trouble at a Vermilion Tower establishment and hit one of the girls. The next day, several business deals he had lined up all fell through, and even his residence in Tianyuan City was reclaimed by the landlord. In the end, he left Tianyuan City dejectedly, without even knowing why."

"The third is the 'Shanhai Society'. The President is surnamed Qian and is a businessman. On the surface, he does legitimate business, but in the shadows, he does everything. Lending Spirit Stones, smuggling Spirit Medicine, selling intelligence—there’s nothing they won't touch. The people of the Shanhai Society are the most sinister; if you offend them, you won't even know how you died. Last year, a Golden Core Cultivator owed Spirit Stones to the Shanhai Society and couldn't pay them back, so he tried to run. As a result, his body was found in the river outside the city. There were no wounds on him, but the Spirit Stones and Magical Artifacts in his Storage Pouch were all gone. The government said he drowned, but everyone knows what really happened."

After finishing, the assistant took a step back and looked at Yun Ming. "Honored guest, those are the three. If you run into them, avoid them if you can. Whatever you do, don't get into a conflict."

Yun Ming picked up his teacup and took another sip. "I see. You can go now; see if the food is ready."

The assistant acknowledged and turned to go to the kitchen.

Yun Ming leaned back against his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table. Xuanming Hall, Vermilion Tower, Shanhai Society. He didn't care. He wouldn't start trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either. As long as these people didn't come looking for trouble with him, he would act as if he had never heard of them.

Ah Yuan sat opposite him, curiously observing everything. The fox lay on the table with its eyes squinted, as if it had fallen asleep.

The food arrived. Azure Dragon Reclining on Snow, Vermilion Bird Spreading Wings, Golden Jade Filling the Hall, Spirit Spring Tofu, and Jade Marrow Lotus Seed Soup. Five dishes filled the entire table. The presentation was excellent, with color, aroma, and taste all present; just the smell alone made one feel as if they were filled with spiritual power. Yun Ming picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of Azure Dragon Reclining on Snow—it was a dish with Spirit Snake Meat as the main ingredient. The meat was tender and melted in the mouth; the Spiritual Qi exploded in his mouth, flowing down his throat and into his Dantian, so comfortable it made him want to sigh.

Ah Yuan also picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of tofu, and put it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up, and her chopsticks moved even faster. She ate quickly, but her manners weren't bad; she was just a bit hurried. She had been hungry for too long.

The fox smelled the aroma, opened its eyes, looked at the dishes on the table, and then looked at Yun Ming. Yun Ming picked up a piece of Spirit Spring Tofu and placed it before the fox. The fox lowered its head to sniff it, licked it once with its tongue, and then turned its head away, refusing to eat. It only ate Spirit Fruit and spirit spring water, not these greasy foods. Yun Ming smiled, took the tofu back, and ate it himself.

As the three of them were eating, a chaotic noise suddenly came from the entrance.

Someone was cursing, someone was smashing things, and someone was trying to mediate. The noise was loud and echoed throughout the main hall. The diners all turned their heads to look at the entrance. The shop assistant ran out from the kitchen, his face a bit pale, and hurriedly went to meet them.

Yun Ming also turned his head to look at the entrance.

Seven or eight people were standing at the entrance. Leading them was a burly middle-aged man wearing a black brocade robe, with a large saber hanging from his waist, its scabbard inlaid with gems. His face was broad, his cheekbones high, his eyes small and cloudy, and the corners of his mouth were turned down in a look of great displeasure. His cultivation was not low—Late Golden Core Stage—and his aura was thick, with his Spiritual Pressure released without concealment, pressing down so hard that the nearby low-level Cultivators didn't dare to breathe.

Behind him followed seven or eight subordinates, all dressed in black martial attire with swords and sabers at their waists, their cultivation levels ranging from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core. One of the subordinates was grabbing a street vendor by the collar, dragging him in from the door and throwing him onto the ground. The vendor lay on the floor trembling, the Spirit Fruits from his Storage Pouch rolling everywhere.

"Great Master, have mercy! Great Master, have mercy! This little one didn't do it on purpose, I really didn't..." The vendor kowtowed like a chick pecking grain.

The black-clad leader kicked him aside. "Scram." The vendor scrambled away, not even daring to pick up his Spirit Fruits.

The shop assistant went up to meet him with a forced smile. "Lord Zhao, you've arrived. Your usual spot is reserved for you, the private room upstairs. This way, please—"

The black-clad leader ignored him. His gaze swept across the main hall and over the diners. The diners all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. The corners of his mouth turned down even further; he was clearly in a very foul mood.

His gaze swept from table to table, finally landing on Yun Ming's table. To be precise, it landed on the fox lying at the corner of the table. Pure white fur, nine tails, curled into a ball with its eyes squinted, as if it were sleeping.

The black-clad leader's eyes lit up. He pushed the shop assistant aside and strode toward Yun Ming.