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墨書 Inktalez
Upon hearing the question, another attendant approached, greeting the three with familiarity and leading them into the inn. As they brushed past each other at the entrance, one of the cultivators at the Late Stage of Golden Core took a deliberate glance at Xu Feng, his eyes revealing unmasked greed.
The three were dressed in complete black Daoist robes, appearing rather ordinary. However, Xu Feng keenly noticed an inconspicuous "indentation" emblem on the left shoulder of one of them. Not long ago, Huo Jinxing had worn similar attire when he nearly beat Xu Feng to death.
Could this person be a disciple of Hua Qian Zhi? What was Hua Qian Zhi doing in Xibai City?
Once the three entered the inn, Xu Feng turned to the attendant beside him and asked, "The Drunken Immortal Inn is indeed thriving; I wonder who those three are. They seem quite familiar with you."
The attendant scoffed, "You don't need to pay them any mind, senior. They are disciples of Sinking Sand Valley. Don't be fooled by their big talk; they actually have little money. They came to find Ding Lu just to save face. A single Ding Lu costs several hundred thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones; they can't afford that."
Xu Feng noted the name Sinking Sand Valley.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xu Feng realized he had become a mere commodity here as a Ding Lu female cultivator, displayed like merchandise for all to see. Moreover, many cultivators seemed to enjoy this spectacle; Ding Lu had practically become a status symbol. Most transactions appeared to involve Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, while Low-Grade Spirit Stones were completely disregarded.
Where was Cai Shujun being sold as a Ding Lu, and how could he rescue her?
Unaware of Xu Feng's thoughts, the attendant reminded him, "Senior, Sinking Sand Valley is not far from here. Their disciples are known for being troublesome. It's best not to provoke them while you're alone."
Xu Feng nodded, deciding not to press further as he followed the attendant into the inn.
The Drunken Immortal Inn spanned three floors and covered nearly ten thousand square feet. The first floor offered dining services with well-organized private rooms and tables. Although it wasn't mealtime yet, many cultivators were still enjoying their meals. Occasionally, patrolling guards could be seen around the inn—mostly experts at the Late Stage of Golden Core—with one or two Nascent Soul Stage leaders appearing now and then.
The second and third floors provided accommodations divided into hundreds of different grades of rooms. Xu Feng had no interest in dining; he chose a relatively secluded room on the third floor for fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per night, excluding meals.
Xu Feng handed the attendant ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and asked him to come back after finishing his tasks if he could help with anything.
Being an experienced employee, the attendant understood that Xu Feng was new to Xibai City and likely wanted to gather some information. Seeing Xu Feng's generous offer, he readily agreed and almost wished he could find someone to cover his shift so he could assist Xu Feng immediately.
After the attendant left, Xu Feng organized his thoughts. He still hadn't received any news about Nine Dragon Pool; neither of the two managing the Teleportation Array were from Nine Dragon Pool either. It seemed this place wasn't under their control. Unexpectedly encountering people from Sinking Sand Valley was concerning; if Hua Qian Zhi and her disciple were here and recognized Xu Feng, it would likely lead to trouble for him.
However, since he had arrived at the sect of Hua Qian Zhi in Sinking Sand Valley, it shouldn't be too far from the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion where he was trading. He might soon gather information about Cai Shujun. With this thought, Xu Fengxin felt a bit more at ease.
After a while, the attendant finished his shift and came to Xu Feng's room.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xu Feng asked the attendant about Zheguo and Xibai City. The attendant answered all his questions and handed him two books. One was a guide to Zheguo, mainly introducing some of the cultivation forces and precautions in Zheguo. It was somewhat like the "Protection Talismans" in Dream of the Red Chamber, detailing the characteristics of various forces and how to avoid or befriend them.
The other was a scroll, which was a map of Zheguo. The map clearly marked dozens of major towns in Zheguo, as well as famous mountains and rivers that cultivators yearn for, with additional notes.
The two books were not very detailed but were indeed very helpful for an outsider cultivator; they were essential reading for travel.
A very useful skill for cultivators is photographic memory. These two books were brief manuals and not detailed; Xu Feng finished reading them in less than ten minutes while asking the attendant some related questions, gaining a general understanding of Zheguo.
These two books were like travel guides; not only did Zheguo have them, but Liuxiang Kingdom also had plenty. They served as reference materials. The Drunken Immortal Inn had been operating for many years and naturally understood the needs of its guests, so when the attendant came up, he casually brought these two books along, which indeed resulted in another sale.
The two books cost forty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, from which the attendant could earn a commission of five spirit stones.
"How many teleportation points are there in Xibai City?" Xu Feng wanted to determine Cai Shujun's location through the teleportation points.
The attendant replied, "There is only one teleportation point in Xibai City, which is the Teleportation Array of Shenxing Sect. Shenxing Sect is a major force in Zheguo, far more powerful than our Drunken Immortal Inn. Xibai City is just one of their hundreds of teleportation points. You also arrived in Xibai City through Shenxing Sect's Teleportation Array, right?" Most foreign cultivators entering Xibai City came through teleportation; this was no secret.
Xu Feng nodded slightly. If there was only one Teleportation Array, then Hua Qian Zhi most likely brought Cai Shujun to Xibai City. This place was close to Sinking Sand Valley, within his sphere of influence, making it convenient for him to handle matters. Based on his return time, Hua Qian Zhi must have sold Cai Shujun somewhere nearby.
From the guidebook on Zheguo, he learned that Sacred Cauldron Pavilion was also a nationwide chain with many branches; there was one in Xibai City. It was very likely that Cai Shujun had been sold into Sacred Cauldron Pavilion in Xibai City.
With this preliminary direction established, Xu Fengxin felt much better. The next step was to go to Sacred Cauldron Pavilion and see if Cai Shujun was there. According to Hua Qian Zhi's price of ten million Low-Grade Spirit Stones, it would be reasonable to expect that he could buy Cai Shujun back for at most double that amount—thirty million should definitely suffice.
Xu Feng took out another hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to buy the two books; they only cost forty stones, leaving the rest as a tip for the attendant. The attendant repeatedly thanked him; forty stones were equivalent to half a month's wages for him—encountering such a generous customer was quite fortunate.
It had been half a month since Cai Shujun had been sold. Xu Feng had spent most of that time recuperating in Liuxiang Kingdom. Now that he was out, he dared not delay any further. The map provided was a rough sketch of Zheguo with low precision; Sacred Cauldron Pavilion's location was merely marked on the map of Xibai City without clear details.
Xu Feng had no choice but to turn his gaze to the attendant. "What is the location of the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion in Xibai City?"
The attendant naturally did not know Xu Feng's true intentions, but everyone, even ordinary people, knew what the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion was. The attendant smiled ambiguously, revealing an understanding look that men often share, and said, "Are you planning to go there now, senior?"
"Yes, right now."
Seeing him so eager despite his polite demeanor, the attendant thought to himself and replied, "The Sacred Cauldron Pavilion is not in the city. If you go out through the North Gate, there is a lake called Moon Bay about ten miles outside the city. The Sacred Cauldron Pavilion is right next to Moon Bay; it’s easy to find."
After sending off the attendant, Xu Feng exited through the North Gate and hurried toward Moon Bay.
By this time, night had fallen, and ordinary people had returned to the city. For cultivators, there was little difference between day and night. Ten miles away, lights flickered faintly; with the help of a few scattered stars, one could clearly see a red building by the lakeside. Although the sign at the entrance was obscured by trees, it was undoubtedly the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion.
Considering that Hua Qian Zhi might be nearby, Xu Feng dared not use the Wings of the Strange Dragon for fear of exposing his identity. Fortunately, ten miles was merely a blink of an eye for a cultivator. Xu Feng hurried along the mountain path. The surroundings were sparsely populated with trees, and the terrain was gentle; the only places to hide were a few larger old trees. Overall, this was not a good spot for an ambush.
Perhaps the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion intentionally designed this terrain to prevent disturbances to its guests. Xu Feng remained vigilant about his surroundings and eventually arrived safely at Moon Bay.
The location of the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion resembled that of Baixian Pavilion in Liuxiang Kingdom; both were situated by a lake. The difference was that Baixian Pavilion was located in the middle of the lake while Sacred Cauldron Pavilion was on its edge.
The red building was much smaller than Drunken Immortal Inn, only one-third its size. However, just from its exterior decoration, it surpassed Drunken Immortal Pavilion by a hundredfold. The lighting on the upper floors used mid-grade spirit stones or better, and the construction materials were extremely precious; any ordinary person who obtained even a single tile from it could live comfortably for life.
The red building faced away from the lake and was flanked by two pavilions where Golden Core Stage cultivators occasionally entered and exited. Two small boats drifted on the lake, clearly serving as guards for Sacred Cauldron Pavilion.
"This benefactor has worked hard on your journey; please come in quickly! At our Sacred Cauldron Pavilion, there's no need to be polite—just treat it like your own home." A flamboyantly dressed female cultivator called out to Xu Feng from afar. Despite her smooth skin and beauty, her overly professional smile lacked sincerity; her enthusiasm felt excessive.
Such places were naturally not where one sought genuine sincerity.
Xu Feng grinned mischievously and greeted the female cultivator as he followed her into the red building. Looking up, he saw that indeed, "Sacred Cauldron Pavilion" was written above the door.
As soon as Xu Feng entered, people on both sides greeted him warmly; these were all staff members of Sacred Cauldron Pavilion—guards, tea servers, and those managing affairs—who all took the initiative to welcome him upon seeing him. Among them were several experts at the Late Stage of Golden Core whose strength matched Xu Feng's own.
The Sacred Cauldron Pavilion can manage hundreds of stores, which indeed showcases its strengths, not only in martial prowess but also in management.
After the Female Cultivator brought Xu Feng into the pavilion, another woman received him. This woman was more seasoned than the previous Female Cultivator and appeared to be a "romantic heroine."
Her surname was Fu, and everyone at the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion called her Fu Hong'er. She was one of the two deputy heads of the Sacred Cauldron Pavilion in Xibai City, responsible for its daily operations.
Fu Hong'er smiled charmingly and said, "You seem a bit unfamiliar; is this your first time at our Sacred Cauldron Pavilion? Are you looking for Ding Lu or Snow Furnace?"
Xu Feng paused. While it was understandable that she referred to him as an 'honored guest'—a term similar to 'benefactor' used in his past life—he was puzzled by what "Snow Furnace" referred to.
As a seasoned professional, Fu Hong'er quickly noticed Xu Feng's confusion and explained, "Since you are a cultivator, you should know the meaning of Ding Lu. Actually, Snow Furnace is similar to Ding Lu; the difference is that Snow Furnace is a one-time Ding Lu."
Ah, so it's fast food.
Ding Lu refers to dual cultivation partners for practice, while Snow Furnace refers to a one-night pleasure with a Female Cultivator—no wonder it's called Snow Furnace.
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