Inside the guest hall—
"You truly won't go, Brother Wang?"
"Not going, not going. I'm not lacking in inheritances. That Eastern Polaris Capital may have some legacy appeal, but what treasures from the ancient era could possibly survive intact?"
Wang Yu shook his head like a rattle drum, leaving the Guan Clan head awkwardly silent after repeated attempts to persuade him.
A woman from Fragrant Doctrine, observing nearby, finally spoke up. She wasn't the representative from the North District branch, but a guest from the sect's mountain gate outside the city.
Though she'd only heard of Wang Yu before, this was her first time meeting him. Like Master Qingyang, she was at peak Foundation Establishment—second only to the sect master in status.
"City Lord Wang misunderstands. The ruins contain far more than just inheritances. Eastern Polaris was home to many royal residences—each a 'Prince's Mansion'—where treasures were meticulously preserved.
"Pills, artifacts, talismans, formation flags, spirit herbs, rare materials… all kinds of things! Our Fragrant Doctrine once retrieved an ancient incense from a long-lost perfumery."
Wang Yu had intended to refute her, but the words caught in his throat.
Six or seven millennia wasn't that long. Soul Formation cultivators lived over three thousand years. With proper succession, twenty generations could easily maintain a legacy.
So yes—preservation was plausible.
"Still not going. I don't like ingesting things with unknown origins. You're all welcome to explore. I have other matters to attend to."
"Wait!"
Several voices called out at once. They exchanged glances, then turned to Wang Yu.
"City Lord, if you truly won't go, may we at least view the records of past City Lords…"
"Five thousand."
Wang Yu's eyes lit up.
"There are seven of you. Five thousand spirit stones each. You may freely browse the City Lord's intelligence archive."
The seven included:
The Guan and Jiang Clans Fragrant Doctrine Violet Dragon Mountain Dreamcloud Pavilion (North District) Tiger Demon Gang (newly formed) Purplegold Merchant Guild
The Purplegold Guild was a local business, far smaller than Goldfull Pavilion. But it was easier for the City Lord's Manor to influence and control. Wang Yu had intentionally brought them into the alliance to help move black-market goods and establish a supply line to the Yanluo Ghost Market.
He had no intention of traveling that far himself. Too risky. Better to send others to scout for resources.
As for the Tiger Demon Gang—it had risen from the ashes of the Azure Dragon Gang and other minor factions. Wang Yu had a hand in its creation.
In short—
His grip on Spiritridge was growing ever tighter.
Five thousand spirit stones was a fair price. Everyone could afford it. And with Wang Yu's firm stance, they didn't press further. One by one, they agreed.
After collecting payment, Wang Yu had them escorted to the archive chamber.
Once they left—
Master Qingyang emerged from the shadows. He had watched the entire exchange.
"City Lord, I'll pay five thousand as well."
"No need. We exchanged intelligence."
Wang Yu smiled and pulled him into a seat.
"Brother Qingyang, you're too polite. Of course, the City Lord's records are a bit more… refined than Inkveil Gate's."
"Indeed."
Master Qingyang didn't deny it.
Inkveil Gate had lost many lives in the ruins, but they had mapped a relatively safe route. The City Lord's records, however, nearly reconstructed the entire Eastern Polaris Capital.
They included the location of the imperial palace, the 108 districts, and detailed notes on palaces, mansions, and gates. Some were firsthand accounts; others, educated guesses.
Given Wang Yu's background in the Blood Reversal Sect, his understanding of the ancient Immortal Dynasty far surpassed theirs. His deductions were grounded and credible.
Master Qingyang sought three things:
The Artisan's Institute and the legacy of the Imperial Court Painter The remains of Inkveil Gate's founder A compatible Core Formation treasure
With these records, he now had direction. No more wandering blindly. He owed Wang Yu a favor.
Wang Yu made his true intentions clear.
"Our relationship isn't like those outsiders. This is mutual sharing. What I can do, you can do too."
"…Understood."
Master Qingyang hesitated. They'd only known each other a few days. Was it too soon for such camaraderie?
"Then I'll await your return from the ruins. When you come back, let's sit down and talk about everything you saw. No leaving until we're drunk."
Ah, so that was his plan. Master Qingyang relaxed.
"No problem."
A sincere man. Rare indeed.
…
Spiritridge City — Goldfull Pavilion
Half a month after Master Qingyang's departure, Wang Yu finally received word from Goldfull Pavilion. He rushed over immediately.
Over the past decade, his wealth had ballooned to three or four million spirit stones—but he'd spent plenty too. Third-tier materials were a major expense. The other was Core Formation treasures.
Such treasures were rare, mostly found in secret realms where the ambient energy was denser and more suitable for nurturing rare items.
Once a sprout emerged, it had an 80% chance of maturing.
This wasn't because secret realm energy was inherently superior—but because it was concentrated. The space was small, so the energy density was high. It just felt more "spiritual."
After the Bai Clan's fall, Wang Yu had begun searching for Core Formation treasures at Goldfull Pavilion.
He had a contract with the Blood Reversal Sect's Third Young Master—once he reached peak Foundation Establishment, he'd gain entry to the Mystic Heaven Secret Realm, which produced such treasures.
But that was risky.
Why fight and gamble when you could buy?
Even Goldfull Pavilion didn't keep such treasures in stock. When one appeared, they held an auction to sell it at a premium.
After multiple transactions, Wang Yu had built a solid relationship with the manager. Only then did they agree to help him source one—starting at a base price of one million spirit stones, not including compatibility.
Wang Yu didn't care about compatibility. He wasn't close to Core Formation yet.
He wanted it for trade.
The higher one's cultivation, the greater the need for rare items. But sometimes, after great effort, one acquired a treasure they couldn't use.
Selling it for spirit stones felt like a loss.
That's where treasure exchange gatherings came in—hosted by respected elders, held within tight-knit circles. There, cultivators could swap for what they truly needed.
Mutual benefit.
This practice came from the Lakeheart Domain. In recent years, extreme demonic cultivators had declined. They realized slaughter wasn't efficient or sustainable.
So they got smarter. Exchange gatherings flourished, forming distinct social circles.
Wang Yu planned to use his treasure to trade for another—creating a win-win scenario.
It was also a way to put his excess wealth to use.
Goldfull Pavilion's Spiritridge branch was located in the central district, not far from the City Lord's Manor. The business spanned both the Crimson Kite Territory and the Lakeheart Domain.
Wang Yu arrived in haste. The branch master personally greeted him.
"Brother Wang, shall we talk inside?"
"Of course. Thank you, Brother Qian."
Goldfull Pavilion was the second-largest building in Spiritridge, built in the classic courtyard tower style.
First floor: counters on both sides, central walkway—mostly Qi Refining goods. Second floor: premium counters—Foundation Establishment treasures. Third floor: private rooms—for buying rare items and hosting exchange gatherings. Central courtyard: ideal for auctions, offering a sense of control from above.
All branches followed this layout.
Only the upper floors varied. In provincial capitals, the third floor held Core Formation goods; the fourth, private rooms.
Cultivators who had shopped at Goldfull Pavilion felt at home wherever they went. Familiarity bred loyalty.
Unless stock ran dry, they rarely switched vendors.
Spiritridge's branch only went up to Foundation Establishment goods.
But third-tier items occasionally appeared. Wang Yu, as a major client, had built strong ties—his purchases had boosted the branch's performance.
At the rooftop suite, Branch Master Qian had prepared a lavish feast.
"Thanks to you, Brother Wang, I'll soon be transferred to the You Province branch. You helped me hit my fifty-year quota in one go!"
Wang Yu: "…Congratulations!"
He had a thought he didn't dare voice.
You're leaving? Was all my networking for nothing?
Branch Master Qian was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in a gemstone-embroidered robe and a blinding golden toad crown.
His hands were covered in spatial rings—standard gear for Core Formation cultivators. And not the basic kind.
With that outfit—
Even a Nascent Soul demon wouldn't hesitate to rob him.
After a few rounds of drinks and dishes, they got to business.
"Brother Wang, take a look—
"Third-tier materials: Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Jade, Cold Moon Pearl. Just these two are worth 500,000 spirit stones."
Wang Yu nodded, impressed—but he was waiting for the real prize.
"And here it is—
Core Formation Treasure: Everliving Spirit Branch.
A treasure worth over one million spirit stones.
(End of Chapter)