Chapter 2742: Chapter 2742
For a group of bandit mercenaries to claim there was nothing good to be found here spoke volumes about how despicable the local soldiers were.
"With the empire resisting foreign invasions, haven’t they been conscripting troops?" Ye Liuyun asked Ling Yuan.
"Of course they have! And the benefits are decent too. But the empire’s elites treat us like cannon fodder, not even human. That’s why I never enlisted. Though, plenty of others still signed up," Ling Yuan explained.
The return journey was made at a leisurely pace, giving Ye Liuyun plenty of time to chat with Ling Yuan. He even brought out roasted meat to share, and the two ate and talked, making the trip far from dull.
By the time the airship landed, Ye Liuyun had learned much about this star system.
First, he followed Ling Yuan and his crew to their base—a cluster of caves carved into the mountains outside the city. About seven or eight mercenaries remained there, the strongest among them a martial cultivator at the fifth level of the Dominator Realm.
Before landing, Ye Liuyun had already scanned the planet with his divine sense and golden pupils. The city itself wasn’t large, but the surrounding countryside was dotted with villages and mercenary encampments.
To get a full picture of the situation here, Ye Liuyun knew he’d have to venture into the city. Relying solely on Ling Yuan’s account wouldn’t be enough.
But with his Xuan Yuan energy depleted, he needed time to recover. So he stayed for a few days before bidding farewell to Ling Yuan and setting off alone for the city.
Before he left, Ling Yuan warned him that he’d likely run into other mercenary bands along the way. If trouble arose, he could drop the name of the Changliang Mercenary Group—most would give them some face.
Ye Liuyun agreed, though he had no intention of using their name.
True to Ling Yuan’s warning, he encountered several mercenary groups ambushing travelers on the road. He fought his way through, occasionally releasing the Demon Vine, the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon, and the Vermilion Bird to sharpen their skills in human form. They stood guard while he cultivated. What should have been a few days’ journey stretched into half a month.
Meanwhile, the Thieving Cat remained in its kitten disguise, pilfering whatever it could along the way. It had finally broken through to the first level of the Dominator Realm, making its theft skills even sharper. Every time it went out for a stroll, it returned with a haul of resources—much to the misfortune of nearby martial cultivators.
But the cultivators here were stronger, many possessing spatial worlds where they stored their valuables. The cat often came up empty-handed. As for those spatial worlds? It couldn’t enter them—nor would it dare. Getting caught inside would mean certain capture with no escape.
Frustrated, the Thieving Cat began urging Ye Liuyun to target merchant guilds instead.
"Once we’re in the city, we’ll scope things out. If there’s an opportunity, we’ll take it."
And if the chance arose, Ye Liuyun wouldn’t hesitate.
Finally arriving at the city gates, Ye Liuyun spotted a group of lethargic soldiers idly chatting in the distance from afar. The moment they noticed his approach, they instantly perked up.
"About time someone showed up, or today’s guard duty would’ve been a total waste!"
These soldiers collected entry fees, half of which invariably lined their own pockets. The city lord’s office didn’t bother providing them military stipends, leaving them to fend for themselves.
"Pay up to enter! Not a single spirit crystal short!" one soldier barked at Ye Liuyun.
Another gave him a once-over and asked, "Which mercenary group are you with?"
"I’m from the Shangliang Mercenary Corps!" Ye Liuyun replied, producing a hundred thousand premium-grade spirit crystals.
"Shangliang, huh?" The soldier’s eyes dimmed with disappointment, and the others immediately lost interest. They’d been hoping to extort more, but upon hearing "Shangliang," they dropped the idea.
"Go on in then! And don’t stir up trouble in the city!" one soldier added as a half-hearted warning.
With a nod of acknowledgment, Ye Liuyun passed through the gates smoothly.
Scanning the area with his divine sense, he found the city rather peculiar—populated entirely by sprawling mansions of the wealthy, with no ordinary citizens in sight. The streets were sparsely dotted with pedestrians, and even the taverns and merchant houses stood eerily quiet.
"Must be the exorbitant entry fees. The city’s become an exclusive playground for the rich. Safe for them, but they couldn’t care less about those outside the walls."
Having just come from beyond the city, Ye Liuyun knew the outside world was a brutal free-for-all where people robbed each other without hesitation. No common folk could survive there—only martial cultivators thrived in such lawlessness.
"In a twisted way, it forces everyone to cultivate. Just... excessively cruel."
Lost in these thoughts, Ye Liuyun stepped into the local merchant house.
Devoid of customers, he was the sole patron inside. The attendants gave him a cursory glance, showing little enthusiasm. Finally, one approached reluctantly, offering a practiced, insincere smile.
The sales assistant probably assumed Ye Liuyun was just a mercenary—not one of those well-known mercenary captains they were familiar with—and definitely not someone who’d buy anything valuable. That’s why she wasn’t exactly enthusiastic.
"What would you like to see, sir?" the approaching assistant asked bluntly.
Without a word, Ye Liuyun pulled out a Interspatial Ring and tossed it to her. "Give me a tour. I’d like to see everything."
The woman curled her lip, grumbling inwardly, *"See everything? I don’t have time for this..."*
But the moment she glimpsed the contents of the Interspatial Ring—200,000 top-grade divine crystals—her eyes lit up. A genuine smile spread across her face.
"Oh my, you’re far too generous, sir! Right this way, let me show you around!" Suddenly, she was all energy and enthusiasm.
The other assistants noticed the shift and guessed she must have landed a hefty tip. They secretly kicked themselves for failing to recognize that Ye Liuyun was loaded—or at the very least, extremely free with his money.
True to her newfound zeal, the assistant gave Ye Liuyun a thorough rundown of the shop’s elixirs, treasures, flying vessels, and other items he was interested in.
To Ye Liuyun, the merchandise was decent, but the prices were outrageous. Many items were priced in primal energy, making them a terrible deal. *If I could open a branch of the Lingyun Trading House here,* he mused, *I’d make a killing.*
After browsing for a while without finding anything worth buying, he tossed the assistant another 100,000 top-grade divine crystals.
"You did a good job explaining. I’ll go prepare the funds and come back another day," he said.
"Of course! We’ll be delighted to have you back!" The assistant nodded eagerly, her head bobbing like a chicken pecking at grain.
After leaving the trading house, Ye Liuyun headed to a tavern and ordered some food and wine. Even the meals here were pricey—apparently, everything in this place came at a premium.
Once he’d eaten his fill, he decided to stay the night at the same tavern. The front was for dining, while the rear housed luxurious—and predictably expensive—lodgings.
Between the meal and the room, Ye Liuyun had already burned through 300,000 divine crystals.
*Divine crystals vanish way too fast in this place,* he thought with a silent sigh.
