270: Chapter 270 Robbing Money

Su Mo's brows furrowed slightly.

This was indeed a bit difficult.

If it were merely a war between Mortal kingdoms, the blockade might be lifted in ten days or half a month.

But this was a conflict between two Great Immortal Dynasties. The participants were all Cultivators, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas. Once a full-scale war broke out, it was common for it to last for years, decades, or even centuries.

He could not afford to wait here for so long.

Just as he was considering other options, he suddenly caught something out of the corner of his eye.

Several Cultivators who had been discussing most loudly in the crowd earlier were now being led into a secluded, empty alleyway by a person wrapped tightly in a heavy grey cloak, their face completely hidden.

The anxiety and dissatisfaction on those Cultivators' faces instantly transformed into unconcealable joy after hearing a few whispered words from the grey-cloaked figure.

This expression stood out conspicuously among the surrounding crowd.

A way out?

Su Mo's heart stirred, and a hint of curiosity arose.

He moved his feet nonchalantly and followed silently, hiding in the shadows of the alley entrance and concealing all his aura.

He heard deliberately lowered voices coming from inside the alley:

"Do you really have a way out?"

A gruff male voice asked urgently, with a tone of disbelief.

"Correct."

The voice beneath the grey cloak was hoarse and low:

"I indeed know of a secret path that can bypass the city gates and the city-protecting grand array, leading directly outside the pass."

"Really?!"

Another voice exclaimed in delight:

"Quick, tell us, what are the conditions?"

The grey-cloaked person seemed to chuckle, their voice becoming even lower:

"As for the price, ten thousand immortal essence stones per person."

The gruff male voice from before seemed to breathe a sigh of relief:

"Ten thousand Low Grade immortal essence stones? Though not cheap, it's worth it if we can get out!"

"Heh heh..."

The grey-cloaked figure let out an ambiguous low laugh,

"Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. What I said was ten thousand... Medium Grade immortal essence stones."

"What?!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"How is this any different from robbery?!"

A chorus of sharp intakes of breath, suppressed gasps, and angry rebukes immediately rang out in the alley.

One Medium Grade immortal essence stone was equivalent to one hundred Low Grade immortal essence stones; ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones were equivalent to one million Low Grade immortal essence stones.

For the vast majority of True Immortal and even Profound Immortal Loose Cultivators, this was definitely a massive sum that would severely deplete their resources.

Hardly anyone could afford this price.

Su Mo listened from the alley entrance, a look of realization flashing in his eyes.

He wasn't worried about the immortal essence stones.

Several mineral veins within the Zhang Clan Immortal Family and the Li Clan Immortal Family were essentially his.

However, he wouldn't be a sucker either.

Once they were out through the secret passage, it wasn't certain who would be giving immortal essence stones to whom.

Inside the alley, the argument between the Cultivators and the grey-cloaked person grew more heated.

"Fellow Daoist, ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones is simply too outrageous! How about five thousand, five thousand Medium Grade?"

"Exactly, no one can afford this price. Lower it a bit. If several of us go together, it'll be easier for you as well, won't it?"

"Doing this kind of business where your head is on the line has high risks, but the price should still be reasonable!"

However, no matter how much the Cultivators tried to wheedle and pester him.

The grey-cloaked person only shook their head, their voice hoarse but firm:

"Everyone, stop haggling. Ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones per person, no exceptions. In this business of mine, if I'm caught by the City Defense Bureau, I'll end up having my Soul extracted and refined. This price buys your convenience, and it also buys my own head!"

Seeing that he was impervious to persuasion and wouldn't budge an inch, two of the Cultivators spat indignantly, cursed under their breath, and ultimately turned to leave in frustration.

For them, this price was indeed unbearable.

Three people remained in the alley, looking at each other with expressions of struggle.

One of them grit his teeth, seemingly the leader, stepped forward, and whispered:

"Fellow Daoist, ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones... we can't scrape it all together right now. How about this? The three of us will each pay you three thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones as a deposit, and the rest... we'll pay in full once we've safely left the city!"

Hearing this, the shadow beneath the grey cloak seemed to move, as if sizing them up.

After a moment, he let out a low chuckle:

"Fine. However, words alone are no proof."

With that, he flicked his sleeve, and three dark-golden talismans emitting faint Soul fluctuations floated out, hovering before the three people.

"Sign this Soul Contract. If the balance isn't paid within seven days of leaving the city, your immortal body will crumble and your Soul will dissipate. How about it?"

The three looked at the Soul Contract emitting an ominous aura, their expressions changing, but they eventually nodded with difficulty, prepared to sign.

Just then, a calm voice came from the alley entrance:

"How about adding me as well?"

Everyone was startled and whipped their heads around.

They saw Su Mo standing at the alley entrance at some point, his expression indifferent.

The grey-cloaked person sized him up warily and asked hoarsely:

"Do you know the rules? Ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones per person. Do you have enough?"

Su Mo didn't answer directly. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled up into a slight smile.

His aura circulated slightly, and dao rhymes of six colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and blue—quietly emerged.

Though they vanished in an instant, that pure fluctuation of dao rhyme caused everyone in the alley to catch their breath.

Six-colored dao rhyme! This meant the person before them had refined at least six top-grade origin fruits!

Someone capable of refining six top-grade origin fruits was either a scion of a frighteningly powerful prominent family or a core true disciple of some super Sect.

Either way, they certainly wouldn't be short on money!

Ten thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones was an astronomical figure to ordinary Cultivators, but for someone like this, it was just pocket change.

The grey-cloaked person's attitude instantly underwent a 180-degree turn. Their previous arrogance and vigilance vanished, replaced by an almost fawning enthusiasm, and they even unconsciously bowed their waist a bit lower:

"Oh! Please forgive my blindness for not recognizing an esteemed guest's arrival! My apologies, my apologies! It's enough, absolutely enough! It is my honor to have your patronage!"

Rubbing his hands together, he hurriedly took out another identical Soul Contract and respectfully presented it to Su Mo:

"esteemed guest, please take a look. The rules remain the same. Once you sign this contract, I will lead you out of the city!"

The three Cultivators who had arrived first looked at Su Mo, their eyes filled with envy, awe, and a hint of complexity.

Su Mo didn't even glance at the Soul Contract, merely saying flatly:

"Lead the way."

"This is a deposit. Once you lead me out, I'll give you another fifty thousand Medium Grade immortal essence stones."

He casually tossed a storage ring to the grey-robed Cultivator; it contained one million Low Grade immortal essence stones.

The grey-robed Cultivator instinctively caught the storage ring Su Mo threw. Probing inside with his Divine Sense, the mountain-like pile of immortal essence stones almost blinded him.

He was ecstatic, the fawning smile on his face growing even wider as he instantly tucked the prepared Soul Contract back into his sleeve.

"The esteemed guest is so straightforward! Thank you for your trust!"

He bowed deeply, his attitude incomparably respectful.

The Cultivators he sought were all those who appeared wealthy, yet he only managed to find three in the end. But even combined, those three were nowhere near as big a catch as this esteemed guest.

Once this job was done, it would be enough for him to live in carefree comfort for a long time.