Immortality Starts With Investment

After leading Ye Chen into one of the well-known cultivation technique stores in Divine Will City, Yun Qianyue stood idly outside the door, feeling a sense of boredom. Inside, she couldn’t help but feel a bit dismissive of Ye Chen.

An outside Foundation Establishment cultivator, maybe even a wandering cultivator—what was so impressive about that? He had the nerve to throw a tantrum at me... Such a country bumpkin from a small place. And now he looks down on the shop I brought him to. How much spiritual stone could a wandering cultivator like him possibly have? What’s he pretending to be, acting all high and mighty? It was laughable.

Though Yun Qianyue was only at the 7th Layer of Qi Refining, she still felt a subtle sense of superiority over Ye Chen. After all, she was a disciple of the Divine Will Sect. The immense status of Divine Will Sect gave Yun Qianyue a massive sense of pride.

However, after waiting for more than an hour, Yun Qianyue’s patience began to wear thin. Was Ye Chen, this Foundation Establishment cultivator from the outside world, still haggling over the price? Was that why it was taking so long?

Divine Will City was nothing like those local markets. The shops here had fixed prices and never accepted haggling.

What an embarrassment.

Yun Qianyue inwardly complained. If it weren’t for the fact that her commission hadn’t been paid yet, she would have already turned and left.

”Fellow Daoist Ye, please take care. We hope to see you again next time!”

After an unknown amount of time had passed, the Foundation Establishment cultivator in charge of the store smiled and respectfully escorted Ye Chen out, showing an unusual level of enthusiasm.

This display surprised Yun Qianyue. The shopkeeper had always been known for his attitude—wealthy customers were treated like royalty, but those without money weren’t even given the time of day.

Many out-of-town cultivators had cursed and complained about the poor service. But now, to see such warmth toward Ye Chen? What had Ye Chen bought inside?

Yun Qianyue, curious, saw the shopkeeper spot her and flash a smile.

”You’re the one who brought Fellow Daoist Ye here, aren’t you? I bestow upon you one medium-grade spiritual stone!”

With that, the shopkeeper tossed a medium-grade spiritual stone toward her.

Yun Qianyue’s eyes widened in surprise as she hurriedly caught it. ”Thank you, Senior, for the generous gift!”

She looked at Ye Chen, her expression now filled with astonishment. How much had Ye Chen spent to receive such a generous gesture from the shopkeeper? Though she couldn’t figure it out, Yun Qianyue’s gaze toward Ye Chen became much warmer.

Ye Chen paid no attention to Yun Qianyue’s musings. He simply pondered for a moment before speaking. ”Take me to Heavenly Evolution Pavilion.”

At this shop, Ye Chen still hadn’t found the Earth-grade Foundation Establishment cultivation method he was looking for. However, he did spend two high-grade spiritual stones to purchase a few decent Foundation Establishment spells.

The shopkeeper informed him that Earth-grade Foundation Establishment methods were extremely rare, even in Divine Will City. Heavenly Evolution Pavilion would be holding an auction in two weeks. One of the items on the auction list was a mid-tier Earth-grade Foundation Establishment method. But to attend the auction, one needed an invitation.

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Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city would typically receive an invitation, but for those from outside, they would need to go to Heavenly Evolution Pavilion in person.

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After receiving the medium-grade spiritual stone tip, Yun Qianyue realized that Ye Chen’s financial strength was far greater than she had initially imagined. Her enthusiasm was instantly reignited, and she eagerly led the way.

As she guided him, she introduced various customs, stories, and interesting anecdotes about Divine Will Sect, all while smiling brightly at Ye Chen. Her service attitude had improved significantly from before, now brimming with genuine warmth.

When Ye Chen entered Heavenly Evolution Pavilion, Yun Qianyue stayed outside, eagerly wondering how much Ye Chen would spend this time.

Would the shopkeeper reward her again? If she could earn another medium-grade spiritual stone, that would be perfect. The resources allocated by the sect were limited, and her parents were only Qi Refining cultivators, so their support was scarce.

Sometimes, Yun Qianyue couldn’t help but envy the children of large families, using high-grade medicinal pills and wielding exquisite magic tools. She often resented her parents for not being able to help her.

”Why couldn’t they be more capable?” she thought. ”It’s making my life so hard.”

Yun Qianyue took up the role of a guide not only to earn spiritual stones but also to find a wealthy benefactor to support her. One of her senior sisters had been courted by the only son of a Foundation Establishment family after working as a guide. The man had provided her with all kinds of resources, helping her successfully break through to Foundation Establishment.

Though the senior sister had turned her back on him after her breakthrough, leaving the Foundation Establishment family at a loss, Yun Qianyue didn’t think it was a bad strategy. It was a good way to secure the resources she needed.

”Fellow Daoist Ye, we look forward to your esteemed presence at the auction in two weeks!”

An hour later, Ye Chen was escorted out of Heavenly Evolution Pavilion by the shopkeeper, who was just as courteous as before.

Inside, Ye Chen had selected three high-grade magic tools, spending over fifty high-grade spiritual stones. He also sold his previous Divine Wind set.

Though the Divine Wind set was only a Qi Refining-level magic tool, it was an exquisite, rare set that would certainly be highly sought after by children from prominent families. Its value was not insignificant.

At the same time, Ye Chen’s Foundation Establishment status granted him direct access to the auction. After confirming his funds, he pulled out two hundred high-grade spiritual stones for verification, securing an independent private box for the event. Naturally, Heavenly Evolution Pavilion treated such a high-profile customer with enthusiasm.

Ye Chen wasn’t worried about being targeted or robbed. On one hand, the auction was being hosted by Heavenly Evolution Pavilion itself, and he needed to buy a cultivation method, so it was impossible to keep his wealth hidden.

On the other hand, Heavenly Evolution Pavilion was a highly influential force in the region. Behind it stood Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, one of the Four Holy Lands of the entire Great Yan Continent. Even Divine Will Sect, in comparison, was insignificant.

Heavenly Evolution Pavilion had branches in nearly every major city like Divine Will City. Such a powerful force had no interest in Ye Chen’s modest resources. There was no need to worry.

The deacon of Heavenly Evolution Pavilion did not give Yun Qianyue any tips. However, Yun Qianyue wasn’t disappointed. The deacon’s attitude had already indicated that Ye Chen was incredibly wealthy, especially since he was going to attend the auction. If she could receive Ye Chen’s support, she’d be set for life.

”Senior, may I ask if you wish to purchase anything else?” Yun Qianyue’s voice was sweet and her eyes captivating.

Ye Chen glanced at her, then looked at the sky. ”Take me to a comfortable resting place. Let’s call it a day.”

After traveling for a week, Ye Chen was starting to feel mentally exhausted. Plus, he had already made some good progress today. The Earth-grade mid-tier cultivation method was now within reach, and he could rest easy for the time being. Tomorrow, he could continue shopping and also deal with the items on him.

Yun Qianyue nodded eagerly, leading Ye Chen to a comfortable inn. The top-tier private courtyard cost half a medium-grade spiritual stone per day, which was quite expensive. However, the service was excellent. The meals provided were all spirit food.

The innkeeper even handed Ye Chen a booklet, each page featuring the picture, name, cultivation level, specialties, and price of a different female cultivator.

Tsk, tsk. This was truly a big city; the service was top-notch. No wonder Foundation Establishment cultivators loved coming to Divine Will City.

After settling in, Ye Chen paid Yun Qianyue her fee for the day. ”Five low-grade spiritual stones. This is your payment for today. You did well today. As a gift, take this top-grade magic tool.”

Seeing Ye Chen casually hand over a top-grade magic tool bought at Heavenly Evolution Pavilion, as a gift, Yun Qianyue’s mouth dropped open in shock.