"Master, what do you mean?" Qiong Sea King's astonishment was evident in his voice. "Did something crop up with the teleportation array in the Immortal Continent? Should we return to investigate?"
The teleportation array mentioned by Wu Yuan was their sole gateway to the Summerpeak World. If it no longer functioned and the connection was severed, it implied that they were stranded here, unable to return to the Summerpeak World!
"Don’t worry," Wu Yuan reassured him with a calm voice. "I’m deliberating on a solution. My physical refiner self is in the Middle Land, so it’s not an urgent matter. Let us enter the Redmoon Immortal Tower first. We’ll discuss it further within the grotto."
"Okay," Qiong Sea King nodded.
The duo entered the bustling Redmoon Immortal Tower, where the sight of numerous cultivators left the Qiong Sea King breathless.
Despite the hubbub around them, Wu Yuan remained composed.
The Redmoon Immortal Tower was an establishment under the Redmoon Immortal Hall that provided grotto rental, artifact trading, and various other services for leisure and entertainment, all integrated into one place.
Fengchuan City had a large territory, and its population of tens of millions was widely dispersed across the land. As a result, much of its territory was unpopulated, instead filled with desolate mountain ranges or other natural formations.
On the contrary, the Redmoon Immortal Tower was a hive of activity. From high-end recreational venues to ordinary artifact stalls, it catered to every desire, including culinary delights and extravagant fireworks displays.
Naturally, it was a money sink, attracting large volumes of Golden Core Superiors and Qi Sea cultivators, with even the occasional visit from Amethyst Cradle Reverends.
If Fengchuan City was extremely safe, the Redmoon Immortal Tower was absolutely safe.
A white-robed female attendant with impeccable posture and stunning beauty took the initiative to greet him with utmost respect. "Immortal Senior, is this your first time visiting the immortal tower?"
“Mm,” Wu Yuan nodded faintly. Inwardly, he gave the Redmoon Immortal Tower a thumbs up.
Within the immense courtyard beyond the main gate, a line of beautiful female attendants stood, greeting and bidding farewell to guests without pause. Though they were mortal martial artists, their looks and demeanor rivaled that of female immortal cultivators.
Ordinary Qi Sea cultivators were ineligible to receive a personal welcome, and among the attendants, the one who approached Wu Yuan stood out as the finest, bearing the aura of a Grandmaster.
"I am Han Liu, an attendant of the immortal tower," the white-robed attendant introduced herself with a smile. "Does Immortal Senior have a destination in mind? If not, I can introduce you to some..."
"No need," Wu Yuan declined, “Take me to the Immortal Residence Pavilion.”
"Immortal Senior is planning to rent a grotto?" Hanliu's surprise was evident, but she remained respectful. "Please follow me."
Yes, a grotto! The safety of Fengchuan City made it a sought-after spot for secluded cultivation among cultivators. This drove up the price of land in the city, leading to an absence of permanent mansions save for the Redmoon Immortal Hall's official buildings.
Amethyst Cradle families paid a steep price to lease expansive plots of land, their ownership contingent on the continued payment of ethercrystal whenever it was due.
One could say that the size of an immortal cultivator family’s mansion was seen as a reflection of their strength and wealth, a matter of prestige. Thus, Wu Yuan couldn't help but marvel at the size of the Tu Family's estate. It was certainly not a typical Amethyst Cradle family.
For foreign cultivators without a permanent residence, the only option was to rent a grotto. Fortunately, there were numerous property shops outside the Redmoon Immortal Tower that offered these accommodations at relatively affordable prices. Of course, grottos within the immortal tower itself came at a much steeper cost, but Wu Yuan made the decision to splurge on this luxury.
After hundreds of li, he finally arrived at a cluster of individual courtyard houses nestled amidst a towering mountain range. Each independent courtyard house spanned hundreds of meters in width and length, meticulously designed for its customers to appreciate the natural scenery, and filled with rich spiritual qi. Invisible barriers encased each courtyard house, shielding them from prying eyes and eavesdroppers.
The term ‘grotto’ was merely a formal name, as these abodes were far from anything resembling a cave in the mountains.
"Immortal Senior," Han Liu addressed Wu Yuan with a respectful tone. "We have three grades of grottoes available for rent here at the Redmoon Immortal Tower: ninth-grade, eighth-grade, and seventh-grade. The rental prices are ten, twenty, and one hundred catties of ethercrystal respectively, starting from one year. May I know your preference?"
"I'll opt for a ninth-grade grotto," Wu Yuan replied nonchalantly.
"Ninth-grade?" The attendant was slightly disappointed. The rental cost for a ninth-grade grotto was modest, not much higher than what one would find elsewhere. This resulted in a meager commission for her as well.
"How many years does Immortal Senior intend to rent it for?" Hope flickered through her eyes as she posed the question. If Wu Yuan were to commit to a rental period of ten years or more, the commission would still be quite substantial.
"Just one year," Wu Yuan stated succinctly.
The attendant’s expression stiffened slightly.
Renting a ninth-grade grotto for only one year? This was unexpected.
"Why? Is there an issue?" Wu Yuan's gaze bore into her, causing the attendant’s heart to tremble. His stare was frightening.
"There is no issue, Immortal Senior," the attendant in white responded respectfully. "Please follow me to complete the check-in process."
Shortly thereafter, Wu Yuan handed over ten catties of ethercrystal and received a key token for the grotto. The payment included both the deposit and a year's rent. He would return the token after a year, and the deposit would be refunded.
Clutching the token, Wu Yuan made his way back to the front of the grotto.
"Immortal Senior?" The attendant in white approached cautiously.
Wu Yuan gave her a knowing smile, as though suggesting that he understood the attendant’s unspoken concerns. He calmly instructed, "Lead me on a tour of the Redmoon Immortal Tower."
"A tour?" The attendant's eyes sparked with anticipation. "Of course."
In her experience, a tour often led to the purchase of treasures. Regardless of the type of treasures acquired, she would receive a commission. Thus, the attendant in white eagerly obliged.
However, over the next two hours, Wu Yuan's true intentions became clear. He walked into every treasure pavilion within the Redmoon Immortal Tower, asking for the prices of numerous items and even negotiating with the store attendants.
Yet, not a single purchase was made.
As they arrived back at the grotto empty-handed, Wu Yuan appeared calm and relaxed, showing no signs of fatigue.
Han Liu, however, felt mentally drained. It was the first time feeling this exhausted in quite a while.
"I hope Senior Immortal is satisfied with the tour? If there is nothing else, Han Li will be taking her leave." Though it was a struggle, the attendant in white maintained her professionalism and gave a polite smile.
"Hold on," Wu Yuan said with a cheery smile.
Hold on? The attendant felt speechless.
All she wanted was to greet the next customer as soon as possible. If every customer was like Wu Yuan, she wouldn’t earn enough to make ends meet. How many years would it take for her to buy a Mortality Transcension Pill?
As a Grandmaster, a Mortality Transcension Pill offered her a chance to advance to the Qi Sea phase.
"Accompany me to the Immortal Realm Grand Tower," Wu Yuan mentioned casually.
"Very well." Although the attendant felt a tinge of bitterness, she dared not decline his request or reveal her true feelings.
She understood all too well that some stingy cultivators relished bargaining over every little detail. Should she offend the other party, she would face dire consequences, perhaps even risking her life.
In Fengchuan City, only combat among immortal cultivators was prohibited, but there was no law that forbade the killing of mortals.
A mere fifteen minutes later.
Within a concealed chamber in the Immortal Realm Grand Tower.
"Han Liu, you have made a significant contribution!" a rosy-cheeked middle-aged woman clad in black robes exclaimed with great enthusiasm, "Do you know that the senior you escorted just now topped up 10,000 catties of ethercrystal into his Redmoon Immortal Realm account?"