Chapter 44: Local Specialties

“Innkeeper, may I have a word with you?” Hua Shaojie addressed the innkeeper.

“Of course, of course, please speak, esteemed guest,” the innkeeper replied, his once arrogant expression instantly transforming into a broad smile—so deftly that it surpassed even the famed face-changing art of Sichuan opera by several degrees.

“Innkeeper, as travelers away from home, it benefits both others and ourselves to be accommodating. Your establishment lacks eight upper rooms; if you have four or even three, that will suffice. It is not a matter of your preference, is it?” Hua Shaojie said calmly and deliberately.

“Since you put it that way, it shall be so. Big Bear, show these guests to the upper rooms,” the innkeeper said, then turned to those who owed room fees. “I’ll let you off this time, but remember, you only have three days. When the time comes, don’t blame me for being unforgiving.”

Hearing the conversation between Hua Shaojie and the innkeeper, the group visibly relaxed. Gratefully, they cupped their fists toward Hua Shaojie and his companions. The leader said simply, “Thank you,” and fell silent—sometimes, saying more only complicates matters.

Hua Shaojie and his group followed Big Bear upstairs. Meanwhile, Zhang Qiang approached the innkeeper, grabbing him by the collar. The sudden move startled everyone. No one could fathom what Zhang Qiang was thinking—was he looking for a fight? If so, why pick on a mere mortal?

As onlookers speculated, Zhang Qiang performed a sleight of hand: he produced a gold ingot, waved it before the innkeeper’s eyes, then slammed it forcefully onto the counter. Another ingot followed in the same manner, then a third, a fourth... until eight ingots lay lined up on the counter, each hammered so deeply into the wood it left a distinct impression.

Having finished, Zhang Qiang released the innkeeper’s collar and adjusted the man’s clothing with a courteous smile. “I’ll cover the room fees for those men entirely, and their meals at your establishment as well. These eight ingots are a deposit—any surplus or shortage will be settled later. Understand?”

The innkeeper, intimidated by Zhang Qiang’s display, dared not utter refusal and nodded repeatedly. The murderous aura Zhang Qiang exuded was unmistakable; the innkeeper sensed that even without a single strike, the sheer intensity of that aura could suffocate him.

Zhang Qiang’s actions stemmed from his past experiences. This innkeeper’s attitude mirrored those petty, mercenary characters he had encountered back on Earth—people who looked down on others and treated them with contempt. He had endured similar, if not worse, humiliations before, so this was a small act of retribution. With this weight lifted, Zhang Qiang’s cultivation advanced smoothly.

“Thank you for your assistance, brother. I am Jiang Dawu. May I ask your name? We would be grateful to repay your kindness in the future,” the leader, Jiang Dawu, stepped forward and cupped his fists at Zhang Qiang, his eyes brimming with gratitude.

“Haha, it’s nothing, Brother Jiang. I’m Zhang Qiang. Seeing you’re martial artists, surely you wouldn’t be without weapons. Innkeeper, shouldn’t you return Brother Jiang’s weapons?” Zhang Qiang was in high spirits.

The innkeeper shuddered at the mention of Zhang Qiang’s name and quickly ordered the weapons to be returned. Zhang Qiang then went upstairs with Hua Shaojie and the others. When Jiang Dawu looked back, Zhang Qiang was already gone. He resolved to find an opportunity to return this favor.

The next day, the eight split up to carry out their tasks. With their cultivation all at the late Spirit Quiet stage, they could freely roam Dream Blue Star. Even if the top figures on this planet, such as Shouggao and Yu, confronted them, they could easily escape, especially with the jetship and its crew ready to assist at any moment.

Hua Shaojie and Gu Zhenzhen began exploring the city. This coastal city of the Great Zhou Kingdom was called Dongkou City. Their main goal was to understand the local industries—what specialty goods were most valuable here, what unique products existed, and where they sold for the highest prices. This knowledge would allow them to exploit the price differences and rapidly amass wealth, then purchase land rich in rare minerals for mining. For Hua Shaojie, this was a direct path to immense fortune.

Tang Yi had warned them beforehand: if the source of their wealth seemed dubious, it could invite unnecessary trouble. But with a large, legitimate income, even spending vast sums would arouse no suspicion. This was how money laundering worked.

Meanwhile, Lü Zhengyang, Ding Pengfei, Li Zhan, Bai Dongfang, Zhang Qiang, and Liu Mingde each investigated who owned the land containing rare mineral deposits.

After more than five days of inquiries, the eight convened in Liu Mingde’s room for a meeting. For security, Liu Mingde had set up a small formation to prevent eavesdropping.

The Great Zhou Kingdom lay on the eastern edge of Central Continent, bordering a sea rich in a certain type of pearl. These pearls were black but emitted a pinkish glow in the dark. The deeper the black, the stronger the pink luminescence and the better the effect.

This effect was said to be indispensable for wedding nights across Central Continent, believed to enhance marital harmony. Regardless of quality, once exposed to air, the black pearl would only glow for four hours (eight hours in total) before losing its power entirely.

In the Great Zhou, these black pearls were high-end items, and their price soared astronomically in other countries. Especially in the Western Qi Empire in the far west of Central Continent, a single black pearl could fetch more than ten times the price in the Great Zhou. Such profits attracted many merchants.

However, shipping from Great Zhou to Western Qi required passing through three countries, each levying taxes according to the type of goods. The tax on black pearls was particularly high. After paying three rounds of taxes, merchants were left with only about a onefold profit, yet many still engaged in this trade.

This was because the rapid transit routes on Dream Blue Star were fixed and one-way; the route going out was different from the return path. Strangely, these routes were segmented between neighboring countries, with no single fast route crossing multiple nations, creating this situation.

Western Qi also had its own specialty. Due to its geography, the southwestern region produced a rare herb called Life-Extending Grass. As the name suggests, ingesting it could keep a person alive as long as they had even one breath left.

Its value extended beyond this. When combined with another rare herb from Dream Blue Star, the Soul-Reviving Herb, it could be made into the Life-Extending Soul-Chasing Pill. Even if one had died, as long as the body was intact and the pill was taken within three days, it could bring that person back to life. Its price grew higher the farther one was from Western Qi.

Life-Extending Grass grew in the distant Green Forest Continent, far from Central Continent.

The eight decided to trade these items. First, the transit tax was no problem with the help of the jetship; reaching any part of Dream Blue was instantaneous. Second, the herb’s growing environment could be replicated aboard the ship thanks to the jetship’s scanning capabilities.

After discussion, they resolved to first accumulate great wealth, then gradually acquire the land.

With the plan set, they immediately set to work...