Lin Xiao named it Jiuxiao Mountain Range.
When Liao Pantu heard the name, he nearly spat out his spirit tea and said to Lin Xiao, "You're giving it such a grand name, are you sure it won't be ridiculed?"
Lin Xiao confidently replied, "It's all about business, making a splash. No harm in it."
As expected, when the various sect representatives were led to Jiuxiao Mountain Range, they were captivated at first glance.
Truth be told, things like misty clouds and elegant decoration weren't the most important factors.
The key point was that the spiritual energy here was much denser than outside, even more concentrated than in their own sects!
If they could cultivate here long-term, wouldn't advancing to the next level be just around the corner?
But such a valuable place—how much would Shuishui City charge for it?
The staff responsible for hosting them smiled and explained, "Our Jiuxiao Mountain Range was built at great expense, so naturally, the accommodation prices won't be cheap. A Tian-rank cave dwelling costs 150 spirit stones per day, a Di-rank cave dwelling costs 50 spirit stones per day, and a Ren-rank cave dwelling costs 15 spirit stones per day."
Upon hearing the prices, most sect cultivators immediately turned around, ready to leave.
The prices were outrageous. Why would they spend that much on accommodation when there were so many other better uses for their spirit stones?
But the staff member continued, "However, to celebrate the establishment of Shuishui City, we are offering the largest discount of the year. For the entire year, Tian-rank cave dwellings will only cost 15 spirit stones per day!"
Upon hearing this, those who had been about to leave paused in their steps.
"Really?" Someone couldn't quite believe it. It seemed far too cheap.
"Even at that price, it's not exactly cheap. One cave dwelling is still that expensive…" Another person hesitated.
The Jiuxiao Mountain Range staff explained, "Please don't rush, everyone. Although each cave dwelling seems costly, it's not priced for just one person. The pricing for our cave dwellings is based on the number of cultivators it can accommodate. For example, a Tian-rank cave dwelling can accommodate up to 100 people. So, does it still seem expensive?"
The term "accommodate" didn't refer to how many people could physically stand or sit in the space but rather how many people could use the spiritual energy allocated for that dwelling.
Since this was a business, Lingxian Sect had considered such details. Otherwise, even the Ren-rank cave dwellings could easily hold over a hundred people.
Now, with the pricing clarified, many started to reconsider. If a cave dwelling could house up to 100 people, then 150 spirit stones for one day didn't seem so outrageous, especially given the earlier mention of a discount reducing the price to just 15 spirit stones for a Tian-rank cave dwelling.
"Earlier, you said a Tian-rank cave dwelling was 15 spirit stones per day. Is that true?" asked an elder from a sect.
The Jiuxiao Mountain Range staff member nodded, "Of course."
"And what about the Di-rank and Ren-rank cave dwellings? What are their discounted prices, and how many people can they hold?" someone else inquired.
"The Di-rank cave dwelling costs 5 spirit stones per day and can accommodate up to 50 people, while the Ren-rank cave dwelling costs 1 spirit stone per day and can hold up to 18 people," the staff answered.
After hearing the prices and accommodation capacities, the cultivators quickly calculated how many people their sects had brought and the total cost for staying a few days.
After doing the math, it didn't seem so bad.
After all, they had just earned a decent sum by ferrying people to Shuishui City, and since they were here for both business and sightseeing, it didn't feel too painful to spend money on a place with such rich spiritual energy.
As a result, many began following the Jiuxiao Mountain Range staff to register and move in.
As for why the normal price of the Jiuxiao Mountain Range cave dwellings was so much higher than the discounted price, it wasn't because Shuishui City was trying to swindle the sects and royal families. The prices were actually based on the standard rates for training cave dwellings in the Cultivation Realm, with some slight adjustments.
So, 150 spirit stones for a Tian-rank cave dwelling was actually not expensive. In fact, for cultivators in the Cultivation Realm, it was a particularly reasonable price.
The Jiuxiao Mountain Range was created by drawing from one of Lingxian Sect's spiritual veins and utilizing a mid-tier Gathering Spirit Array to concentrate spiritual energy. The environment was nearly identical to the training rooms inside Lingxian Sect itself.
So the price wasn't marked up by Shuishui City.
It was just that the Mortal Realm was too poor.
Because of this, Shuishui City decided to offer a special discounted rate for one year.
The entire Lingxian Sect agreed that as long as the cultivators in the Mortal Realm worked diligently to fulfill their trade agreements with the Shuishui City Trading Center and maintained good business in the commercial district, they would significantly increase their income by the end of the year.
By that time, although the original price of the Jiuxiao Mountain Range cave dwellings might still seem steep, it wouldn't be so high that people would turn around and leave immediately upon hearing it.
Moreover, as the Trading Center developed steadily and the entire economy of the Mortal Realm started circulating properly, along with the supplies Lingxian Sect would bring back from the Cultivation Realm, the price would only seem more reasonable.
This method of setting a clear original price followed by a discount was far better than suddenly doubling the rates after a year, which could leave a sour taste in people's mouths.
Under the organized arrangement of the Jiuxiao Mountain Range staff, all the major sects arriving in Shuishui City were smoothly accommodated.
Even the rogue cultivators who had come with their families found suitable housing with the help of Shuishui City's real estate agents.
Not only did the city need more hands to handle the influx of people, but keeping order on the streets also required additional manpower.
The entire City Lord's Office had been working around the clock.
There weren't many Lingxian Sect members working in the City Lord's Office. Most of the staff were former residents of Shuishui Village or citizens of Shuishui City who had passed the entrance exams after the city was built.
Although they were running themselves ragged, watching the city grow more lively and prosperous each day filled their hearts with pride and excitement.
This scene gave them hope for the future, and every day, they worked with enthusiasm and energy.
While the City Lord's Office was busy accommodating the new arrivals, the Shuishui City Trading Center next door was just as bustling.
February 1st had been agreed upon by all the sects and royal families as the day to deliver their goods to the Trading Center.
Early that morning, a long line had already formed outside as the sects and royal families, carrying their meticulously prepared goods, took their queue numbers and waited anxiously for the staff to begin processing their orders.
"Number One, Chixiao Sect," a staff assistant at the front of the Trading Office called out.