Chapter 598 - 579: Exorbitant Prices

Wang Meng and Wan’Er arrived at the Spirit Control Association. In all of Wang City, the Association’s headquarters was the most magnificent building. After all, Wang City had built its fortune on it.

The moment they arrived, their ears were filled with the clamor of hawkers, like a bustling marketplace. Ordinary people couldn’t compare to the four great families. Those major families had dedicated channels throughout the Defunct Dynasty for acquiring True Essence Beasts, and of higher grades at that.

The True Essence Beasts sold here were all below the Third Transformation and had weaker potential.

Evidently, the Middle Thousand World—or more accurately, this plane of existence—was quite dependent on True Essence Beasts. Wang Meng, who preferred personal cultivation, wasn’t actually very interested in this.

However, in his current state, he probably needed a True Essence Beast to solve the problem of his missing Five Elements.

"Young Master, good sir! I can tell from your wise and powerful bearing that you’re a man of discerning taste. You don’t need to look at this low-quality stuff. I’ve got some prime goods right here. Is the Young Master interested?"

The moment Wang Meng and Wan’Er entered, they were targeted. Dressed in fine clothes, with a pale complexion, and accompanied by a pretty little maid, it was obvious to everyone that a sucker had just walked in.

"Oh? I’m looking for a Fire Attribute True Essence Beast. Do you have any?"

"My dear Young Master, you’ve come to the right place meeting me, Bucktooth San! I just so happen to have acquired a top-quality, Third Transformation Flame Horse. It would look absolutely stunning with someone of your noble status."

Bucktooth San said with a grin, flashing his two buck teeth.

"Oh, is that so? Let me have a look."

"This way, please."

Before Wang Meng and Wan’Er stood a fiery steed. It was truly tall and mighty. If nothing else, riding such a horse to pick up girls would be incredibly cool.

"How about it? Impressive, right? We were fated to meet. The price was one hundred and twenty, but let’s round it down. Just one hundred gold coins, and it’s yours!" Bucktooth San said generously.

"Young Master, this horse is no good. Its flames are leaking, its quality is low, and it’s all for show," Wan’Er said hesitantly.

"Little girl, you can eat whatever you want, but you can’t just say whatever you want! This horse was caught in the Taibai Mountain Range with great difficulty. We lost two men for it!"

Bucktooth San snorted coldly.

"It’s a truly fine horse. A shame I don’t have enough money."

"How much do you have?"

"I only have one hundred copper coins," Wang Meng said with a helpless shrug.

"What? You little bastard! What a scam! Get out! Get the hell out!"

Bucktooth San flew into a rage. ’Damn it, he’s just a poser. What a waste of my breath.’

Wang Meng and Wan’Er were kicked out. "Young Master... if you liked it..."

Wang Meng smiled. "That was just an inferior horse enchanted with a minor Flame Magic. It’s only worth a hundred copper coins."

Bucktooth San took off the saddle and stored it away. The flames immediately vanished. He muttered under his breath, "What a waste of True Essence."

A Flame Magic spell had been attached to the saddle to create that effect. Trying to trick Wang Meng with it was like teaching a fish to swim.

Wang Meng took a look around and found that most of the True Essence Beasts here were just for show or for fun. He needed a purer form of the Five Elements Flame, and it seemed he would have to acquire it himself.

Wan’Er still had a child’s heart. She probably rarely had the chance to come out and relax like this. One moment she was touching this, the next moment she was touching that.

Wang Meng smiled knowingly and let her play while he went inside the Spirit Control Association building.

"Sir, what can I help you with?"

The Spirit Control Association’s Steward was quite good at reading people. One look at his clothes told him this was just some brain-dead rich kid.

"I’d like to buy some Demon-Binding Ropes, preferably Tier Three or higher."

"Sir, those are called Immortal Binding Ropes, and they’re only sold here. This way, please! We have a distinguished guest!"

The Steward immediately shouted at the top of his lungs.

Wang Meng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’It seems monopolies exist everywhere. So now they’re called Immortal Binding Ropes.’

"Honored guest, how many do you need? If you’re buying in bulk, I can give you a nice discount!"

The Steward who received Wang Meng was in his thirties and gave off a more comfortable vibe. His attitude was also better.

"One hundred gold coins per bundle."

Master Wang was stunned for a moment. He knew that a "bundle" here meant twelve ropes. One hundred gold coins... Wang Meng had that much, but not much more. After throwing away all that damned underwear, Wang Rencai really hadn’t left him much of a fortune. He didn’t want to fall so low as to have to borrow money from the Jiang Family.

"Ahem, I see. What about regular Demon-Binding Ropes?"

"Those are cheap, just one hundred copper coins. How many do you need?" The Steward was surprisingly polite. "Actually, if you need a High Grade True Essence Beast, it’s best to just buy one directly. Capturing a True Essence Beast requires not only Immortal Binding Ropes but also considerable skill. Sometimes you even need a Human-Operated Spiritual Artifact to help."

The young Steward spoke with earnest persuasion.

Wang Meng couldn’t help but laugh. "Doing business like this, aren’t you afraid the Chairman will fire you?"

The Steward scratched his head. "Just don’t let the Chairman find out. He’ll chew me out."

"My name is Wang Meng. I’m new here."

"I’m Su Xueyou, a Steward at the Spirit Control Association, and also a Quasi-Third Grade True Essence Beast Master."

"Thanks, Brother Su. Give me ten bundles of Demon-Binding Ropes, then."

"Alright, no problem. I’ll give Brother Wang an Eight Discount."

"Thanks."

"Don’t mention it. A guest from afar is a friend... There’s something I’d like to say, but I’m not sure if I should."

"Honestly, Brother Su, you’re the first friend I’ve made here. If you have something to say, just say it."

"Ahem, Brother Wang, you seem a bit weak. Capturing a True Essence Beast is actually very dangerous. They can easily go berserk. If you’re not in a hurry, I happen to have an advancement test in a couple of days. You could come with me. With me looking out for you, I’m quite confident with anything below Third Grade."

Su Xueyou said.

"Haha, Brother Su, with a personality like yours, I bet the Chairman scolds you often. How has he not fired you yet?"

Wang Meng could tell that the man before him was a naturally enthusiastic and helpful person.

Su Xueyou scratched his head, a little embarrassed. Seeing no one around, he whispered, "The Chairman is my uncle. He’s liked scolding me since I was a kid. I’m used to it."

"Haha, no wonder. Thanks, Brother Su, but I’m actually just practicing casually. I won’t trouble you."

Wang Meng took the Demon-Binding Ropes. ’The Demon-Binding Array inside these is indeed a bit weak. It won’t be able to restrain much.’

’Looks like this will take some effort.’

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Wan’Er anxiously looking around. She hurried over when she saw Wang Meng.

"I’m sorry, Young Master. It was all my fault for getting distracted."

"Heh, it’s not your fault. I went to buy something, and I’m done now."

Wang Meng subconsciously patted Wan’Er’s head. He used to pat Cheng Cheng’s head often. When he left, he had deliberately avoided seeing her. That little girl’s worldly attachments were too strong, which was a genuine obstacle to ascension in the Small Thousand Realm.

"Young Master, may I ask what you bought?" Wan’Er asked with her head lowered.

Wang Meng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Of course. I bought some Demon-Binding Ropes. I’m thinking of catching a few True Essence Beasts when I have time."

"I’m sorry, I..." Wan’Er’s eyes turned red.

"Silly girl, what’s there to be sorry about? Just tell her whatever she wants to know. Don’t cry, you’re not as pretty when you cry."

Master Wang found this perfectly normal. ’If the Jiang Family wasn’t worried after someone with my history showed up, then something would be seriously wrong.’

Having cultivated his Life Wheel to the Third Layer, there were many things he could now do. Back in his room, Wang Meng took out the Demon-Binding Ropes and studied them for a bit. It was time to get down to business.

The next day, Wang Meng went out early in the morning. He had already familiarized himself with Wang City. The Demon-Binding Ropes were clearly not enough; in fact, even the Immortal Binding Ropes wouldn’t suffice. Wang Meng needed a High Grade, pure Five Elements True Essence Beast. If he were to buy one, a single beast would bankrupt him. He’d have to rely on himself to get what he needed.

The Wang City Branch of the Divine Artifact Pavilion.

Although the Divine Artifact Pavilion’s headquarters wasn’t as grand and imposing as the Spirit Control Association’s, its finer details exuded a noble aura, befitting the name "Divine Artifact."

The competition between the three major alliances was everywhere, but Wang City was, after all, the Spirit Control Association’s home turf.

In Wang City, the Divine Artifact Pavilion was the main source of all kinds of equipment for Cultivators. Furthermore, a dozen or so Artifact Masters were permanently stationed there, providing various services like custom orders, repairs, and enchanting equipment with Magic.

Perhaps because Wang Meng had left so early, Wan’Er, who was supposed to be "monitoring" him, was nowhere to be seen. For now, Wang Meng was free and unbothered.

Upon entering the Divine Artifact Pavilion, a Disciple Steward from the Pavilion came forward to greet him. "Sir, how may I help you?"

Wang Meng took out a Demon-Binding Rope and smiled. "I need to have a batch of these Demon-Binding Ropes reforged. Is that possible?"

The Divine Artifact Pavilion primarily sold various Magical Artifacts, but it also helped clients with high-end needs create custom items. Of course, the fees for such services were quite staggering.

At the Divine Artifact Pavilion, buying was the "cheap" option; custom orders were the real luxury, a game only the nobility could afford to play.

It had to be said that the outfit Master Wang was wearing did help his case.

The Disciple Steward merely glanced at the Demon-Binding Rope in Wang Meng’s hand, a little puzzled. It was the most common and cheapest type of Demon-Binding Rope... ’Sigh, rich people and their strange quirks, always looking for excuses to spend money.’

"How many do you want reforged?"

"Oh, twelve bundles."

"Twelve bundles?"

The disciple from the Divine Artifact Pavilion was secretly delighted. A God of Wealth had just walked through the door. "No problem at all! What grade of Divine Artifact Master would you like to hire? Our Wang City Branch has top-tier Divine Artifact Masters from First to Fifth Grade."

"And, uh, how much would that cost?"

"What grade of True Essence Beast are you planning to capture?"

"From the Third to Fifth Transformation, I suppose."

"Hehe, in that case, I recommend a Fifth Grade Divine Artifact Master. The fee is one thousand gold coins per bundle. For twelve bundles, I can get you a discount."

The Steward’s face was lit up with a smile as bright as a lotus flower.

Only then did Master Wang realize he had come to the wrong place. At that price, he might as well just buy them outright. Twelve thousand gold coins—it was practically robbery! And he mentioned a discount... now he was truly afraid of hearing the words "Eight Discount."

Wang Meng initially thought he was a rich man, but now he knew this Brother Rencai was actually a pauper. It seemed he had been kicked out of his home with nothing.

"Hehe, you’ve come to the right place, guest. You see, reforging Demon-Binding Ropes, even twelve bundles, involves reforging the Demon-Binding Array. That’s no easy task. It requires an Artifact Refining Master to work on it personally, with the help of over a dozen assistants. Only our Divine Artifact Pavilion can do it. And I guarantee they’ll be much better than some shabby Immortal Binding Ropes. Absolutely worth every coin."

The Disciple Steward smiled, but inwardly he was wondering, ’This guy isn’t just here to mess with me, is he?’

Wang Meng pondered for a moment. Just then, a resonant voice came from behind, "Seventh Junior Brother, come over here. That Spiritual Essence Sword you refined last time was excellent; it’s already been sold. Go clean up the warehouse. Let me take care of this guest for you. Don’t keep Master waiting."

"Yes, Senior." Upon hearing this, the Disciple Steward’s joy was written all over his face. He explained, "This guest wants to have twelve bundles of Demon-Binding Ropes reforged."

(Please vote with your monthly tickets! Master Wang is practically destitute and needs monthly tickets to buy materials!) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)