Chapter 21: A Place to Stay

Three days after the expansion opened, a small caravan arrived shortly before sunset.

Two wagons rolled into the courtyard, accompanied by six cultivators and four Ironhoof Beasts.

Lin Yuan was in the kitchen when Su Mei greeted them.

"Food or rooms?"

"Both."

The man leading the group looked around the dining hall.

"Four rooms."

"Available."

He paid without bargaining.

The cultivators ate dinner, settled their spirit beasts in the stable, and went upstairs before the tavern closed.

Lin Yuan expected them to leave after breakfast.

They didn’t.

Near noon, three of them were still sitting around one of the tables. Their leader had a cup of tea in front of him and looked perfectly comfortable.

Lin Yuan stopped beside the table.

"You’re not leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

Lin Yuan glanced outside. The sky was clear, and the road was dry.

"Something wrong with your wagon?"

"No."

"Spirit beasts?"

"They’re fine."

The man took another drink.

"We’ve been traveling for twelve days. There’s no reason to rush."

Lin Yuan considered that.

"Fair enough."

He returned to the kitchen.

The following morning, the group stayed again.

Lin Yuan stopped asking.

They paid for their rooms, meals, water, and stable space. As far as he was concerned, they could leave whenever they wanted.

Over the next few days, he noticed other travelers doing the same.

Some stayed for a single night. Others remained longer. A few left during the day and returned before sunset.

The new rooms were being used far more quickly than Lin Yuan had expected.

Unlike the sudden rush caused by the phenomenon in the west, nothing unusual was bringing these people here.

Early the next morning, Lin Yuan sat cross-legged beside his window.

The tavern was still quiet.

Faint spiritual Qi gathered around him as he circulated his inherited cultivation technique.

His cultivation at Qi Refining Nine had stabilized, but there was still a considerable distance between his current level and the peak.

Lin Yuan drew the surrounding spiritual Qi into his body and guided it through the familiar circulation path.

The technique was ordinary, but stable. It had carried him this far.

Eventually, it would carry him no farther.

Qi Refining Nine was its limit.

Once he reached the peak, he would need another cultivation technique before attempting Foundation Establishment.

Lin Yuan completed another circulation and opened his eyes.

He still had time, but there was no reason to wait until the last moment before looking.

He went downstairs.

The dining hall was mostly empty.

One cultivator was already awake, sitting near the window with a cup of tea.

Lin Yuan recognized him as the leader of the caravan that had originally rented four rooms.

The man looked over.

"Owner Lin."

"You’re awake early."

"We’re finally leaving today."

Lin Yuan stopped.

"Finally?"

The man laughed.

"We planned to stay one night."

"You paid for three."

"Exactly. If we don’t leave now, we might end up staying a week."

Lin Yuan poured himself some water.

"Where are you heading?"

"Green River City."

That caught his attention.

"You travel there often?"

"Several times a year."

The man gestured toward the wagons outside.

"We buy medicinal herbs and beast materials from smaller settlements, then take them to Green River City."

Lin Yuan sat across from him.

"I’m Lin Yuan."

"Chen Wei."

"Do you know where wandering cultivators buy cultivation techniques in Green River City?"

Chen Wei raised an eyebrow.

"What kind?"

"Foundation Establishment."

"Planning ahead?"

"Yes."

Chen Wei set down his cup.

"There are places. If you only need a common technique, Green River City should have something. Better ones are harder to find."

"Harder how?"

"Clans and sects keep their own inheritances. Trading houses occasionally get techniques, and auctions have them sometimes, but quality and price vary."

That was about what Lin Yuan expected.

"Where would you ask first?"

"Thousand Treasures Pavilion."

"A shop?"

"Trading house. Pills, artifacts, beast materials, techniques. They deal in almost anything cultivators want."

Chen Wei smiled.

"Whether you can afford what you want is a different question."

Lin Yuan ignored that part.

"Thousand Treasures Pavilion."

"You know it?"

"No."

"You’ll find it easily once you’re in Green River City."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Thanks."

Chen Wei picked up his cup again.

"Going soon?"

"Not yet."

Lin Yuan hadn’t reached the peak of Qi Refining Nine. For now, knowing where to look was enough.

Chen Wei’s caravan left after breakfast.

Before noon, another group arrived.

Then another.

By late afternoon, most of the dining hall was occupied.

Lin Yuan barely noticed until Su Mei appeared at the kitchen doorway.

"Three people want rooms."

"How many are available?"

"Two."

Lin Yuan paused.

"Only two?"

Su Mei nodded.

He glanced toward the ceiling.

Eight guest rooms, and most were already occupied on an ordinary afternoon.

"Give them the two."

Su Mei returned to the front.

A short while later, Xiao Lan entered the kitchen carrying an empty water jug.

"Both rooms are taken."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"The third person asked if he could sleep downstairs."

"No."

"I told him that."

She began filling the jug.

"He offered to pay."

"Still no."

"I knew you’d say that."

Xiao Lan carried the jug away.

Lin Yuan returned to the stove.

A month ago, four rooms had been enough on most days.

Now eight were almost full without anything unusual happening on the road.

The tavern finally quieted after sunset.

Lin Yuan ate with Su Mei and Xiao Lan before heading upstairs.

Most of the guest-room doors were closed.

Quiet conversation came from behind one. Farther down the corridor, someone laughed before quickly lowering his voice.

Lin Yuan entered his room.

He sat down but didn’t begin cultivating immediately.

Instead, he focused on the Territory Core.

The familiar panel appeared.

Territory Core

Owner: Lin Yuan

Territory: Blackstone Wasteland

Core Level: 2

Spiritual Environment: Faint

Territory Revenue: 173 / 500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Lin Yuan’s gaze settled on the final line.

The last time he had checked, Territory Revenue had only just reached one hundred. Since then, business had continued through the construction, and the completed expansion was already making a difference.

Lin Yuan dismissed the panel.

Downstairs, a chair scraped faintly across the floor.

Outside, spirit beasts rested in the stable.

Most of the rooms along the corridor were occupied.

Blackstone was still a wasteland.

But travelers were no longer only passing through.

Lin Yuan closed his eyes and began cultivating.