"Of course, you'd receive a certain amount of spirit stones as compensation from the grassland's residents, and there would be no obligation to pay tributes to the Plateau's lord. However, I must caution you that the compensation in spirit stones won't be adequate to maintain the daily functioning of the defensive formation. The grassland's spirit stone usage has been managed till now by the Robust Bison Plateau." The middle-aged man languidly explained the rule while drumming his fingers on the bedstand.
After pondering over it for a while, Han Cai finally voiced in a subdued tone, "If I opt for that small grassland, would that mean I essentially become its lord?"
"Hehe, you could interpret it that way," the middle-aged man responded, taken aback. He had already highlighted the drawbacks of the grassland. If this young man still desired to pick that grassland, it was no longer his concern.
The middle-aged man scrutinized Han Cai again, sneering inwardly. This young man would soon be spending a fortune in spirit stones and would undoubtedly return with a multitude of complaints!
The middle-aged man believed that, at most, within a couple of years, this young practitioner would return with aged features and a worn-out look, needing to select a new cultivation space. Why else would the position, as the overseer of a small grassland, be unclaimed until now?
After pondering a bit more, Han Cai stated without any more hesitation, "Very well, I, as a junior, will opt for the Minor Grassland!"
Upon hearing Han Cai's resolute decision, the middle-aged practitioner didn't dawdle. He brought out a golden pen and gently marked the grassland on the map. The white light of the grassland instantly turned golden.
Next, he searched his robes for a jade tablet on which he inscribed a few characters with his golden pen before tossing it to Han Cai.
Looking at the jade tablet, Han Cai noticed two golden characters that looked familiar, like his name inscribed in local symbols.
"This jade tablet stands as proof of Minor Grassland 76 being your cultivation space and holds the names of its residents. Be sure to safeguard it!" The middle-aged man stated indifferently. There were many minor grasslands so each grassland was named by number.
Subsequently, he stowed away the pamphlet and reclined on the stone bed. He gestured Han Cai away with a dismissive wave.
Han Cai gave him a brief salute before wisely departing.
Upon leaving the Ledger Hall, instead of exploring the Sky-Blue Mist Grassland or mingling with other cultivators, Han Cai immediately headed back to the Zhu Clan Estate.
The next morning, Han Cai left a note for Lord Zhu on the desk in his room. He then visited the nearest village to purchase a map of the Robust Bison Plateau and its surrounding areas, before setting off straight for the Grassland's Quay.
Liu Baihe had previously informed Han Cai that the plateau's largest city, "Robust Bison City," was situated in the western part of the Robust Bison Plateau. This city housed a marketplace known as the "Sky Capital Market," where practitioners traded goods.
Although Han Cai was keen to visit and discover the items the continent's practitioners owned and understand their cultivation methods, he planned to visit it at some point but not at present.
He didn't choose a cultivation spot at the Sky-Blue Mist Grassland, preferring the deserted Minor Grassland 76 with less spirt Qi. This choice was made to avoid hassles. He knew when he would return to this base, it would be only because he might be escaping the continent. Only in an isolated grassland, distant from other cultivators, would he be able to freely create a large teleportation array.
Han Cai took off from the Quay, exiting the immense restrictive barrier of the Robust Bison Plateau. Relying on the map, he set his course directly towards the Minor Grassland 76.
On the map, the grassland appeared right next to the Robust Bison Plateau. However, it took a whole day's journey on Blacky before he caught sight of it.
After completing a circumnavigation of the grassland, Han Cai identified the entrance to the grassland's protective formation, a petite docking area. Gradually, he descended towards it.
There were just a handful of individuals at the dock, about a dozen shepherds idling by their small carts. Seeing Han Cai descend from the sky, they hopped off their carts and congregated to greet him.
The crowd moved towards Han Cai, saluting him one by one. An exceptionally sturdy man with a dark complexion stepped forward from the group and bowed to Han Cai. Clearly, this man was the chief shepherd, "Humbly, I am Dark Tortoise. My respects to the Immortal Master!"
"Is this the Minor Grassland 76?" Han Cai felt fairly certain but thought it wise to double-check.
Dark Tortoise looked puzzled as he replied, "Indeed it is, Mighty Immortal! Has the Immortal Master come to replenish the spirit stones already? They were just recently replaced!"
Upon confirming that this indeed was the Minor Grassland 76, Han Cai breathed a sigh of relief. It was difficult to figure out the right direction in the sea grass. A few times, he felt as if he was lost. With a gentle smile, he addressed the people around him, "I haven't come to replace the spirit stones. From this point forward, I will be the one supplying the spirit stones for the grassland, as it has become my cultivation ground. You may all refer to me as Immortal Han!"
Under the stunned gazes of the shepherds, Han Cai signaled blacky, and they soared towards the heart of the grassland.
The sole village on this compact plateau was located at the southern end, near its entrance. To the north was a humble chain of hillocks stretching approximately ten kilometers with just two petite hills. The taller one stood about a kilometer high, while the shorter one was only around four hundred meters tall.
The entry of Han Cai into the village created quite a buzz. An older figure, who identified himself as the village leader, quickly approached to welcome Han Cai.
Upon the inspection of the gold symbols on the Emerald Token by the elderly man, the village chief instantly declared that all villagers were to adhere to the commands of the Great Immortal.
While Han Cai had no need for the services of regular people, he enquired about what mattered to him most: the overall conditions of this minor grassland and the number of spirit stones the villagers could contribute to upholding the grassland's safeguarding array.
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