Chapter 109 - 98: Settling in Qinghe

Chapter 109: Chapter 98: Settling in Qinghe

"The courtyards in the Northwest District range from one to five rooms, with prices varying accordingly. A one-room courtyard costs four Spirit Stones a year, a two-room courtyard is eight Spirit Stones, and a three-room courtyard goes for twelve Spirit Stones. A four-room courtyard rents for fifteen, and a five-room courtyard is eighteen. However, one-room and two-room courtyards are in high demand and are rarely available. If Senior wishes to reside in the Qinghe Marketplace long-term, the best option available is likely a three-room courtyard."

Chen Jianghe listened to Jiang Ruxu’s introduction, which matched what Zhou Miaoyun had written in her letter. It seemed the Zhou Family had indeed rented a five-room courtyard in the Northwest District back then. However, as a Middle-Grade Talisman Master, Zhou Miaoyun alone couldn’t support the entire family’s expenses in the Qinghe Marketplace. Eighteen Spirit Stones a year was equivalent to the annual salaries of two Direct Descendants of the Yun Family.

"Rent a three-room courtyard?" Chen Jianghe frowned. How could he, a single person, possibly need three rooms?

Seeming to see through his thoughts, Jiang Ruxu said softly, "The courtyards in the Qinghe Marketplace can be shared. For example, a three-room courtyard can be co-rented with two other Fellow Daoists, while a five-room courtyard could be shared with four."

"I see," Chen Jianghe nodded.

As they strolled around, Chen Jianghe noticed an issue: neither of the two main streets sold grain. If grain wasn’t sold, what did people eat? They couldn’t possibly go to a restaurant every single day!

"Why haven’t I seen any shops selling grain?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Jiang Ruxu shot him a surprised glance before explaining, "Is Senior referring to Spirit Marrow Rice and Immortal Spirit Rice? The Qinghe Marketplace does not sell Spirit Marrow Rice. Furthermore, except in restaurants, Cultivators are not permitted to light fires for cooking."

"Huh?! If we don’t cook, what do we eat?"

"Naturally, we consume Fasting Pills," Jiang Ruxu pursed her lips into a soft smile. "Not only do they satiate hunger, but they also aid in Cultivation. Most importantly, they prevent the body from producing impurities."

"Uh..." Chen Jianghe was somewhat speechless.

To think that settling down in the Qinghe Marketplace came with such an unreasonable requirement. Forbidding bodily waste—was this meant to flaunt the uniqueness of a grand Marketplace? Even if mundane grains weren’t allowed, they should at least permit the purchase of Spirit Marrow Rice. Only consuming Fasting Pills would be terribly wasteful. One would need a bottle of Fasting Pills for a year, and a single bottle cost eight Spirit Stones. If they switched to Spirit Marrow Rice, it would cost at most three Spirit Stones a year.

"If Senior wishes to reside in the Qinghe Marketplace long-term, you could rent a room in the courtyard I live in. There happens to be one vacant room."

"Oh? How many rooms does that courtyard have?"

"Five rooms."

"Uh..." Chen Jianghe instantly lost interest.

If it were a two-room courtyard, he might have considered it. He could have negotiated with Jiang Ruxu to partition it. After all, he wasn’t alone; he still had Little Black and Fur Ball. Especially Little Black—he couldn’t leave him in the Spirit Beast Space indefinitely. Little Black needed to cultivate as well. Therefore, renting a single-room courtyard was the most suitable option for him.

"If Senior prefers peace and quiet, you can ask about the Southwest District when renting," Jiang Ruxu suggested. "They might have single-room courtyards available, though the price is steep, costing eight Spirit Stones a year."

"Alright. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Jiang."

As the sun set in the west, it was already approaching 7:15 PM.

If Chen Jianghe didn’t rent a house, he would have to make do at an inn for the night. Otherwise, he would have no choice but to leave the Qinghe Marketplace. It was not safe outside during the night.

Prompted by a few subtle hints from Chen Jianghe, Jiang Ruxu guided him to a relatively cheaper inn. Whether it was comfortable or not was secondary; the most important thing was that it was safe and inexpensive.

Jiang Ruxu assured Chen Jianghe that every corner of the Qinghe Marketplace was extremely safe. Although Master Qinghe had already passed away, his Spirit Pet was still alive and had been left to his descendants. It was a Tier Three Spirit Beast, comparable to the Core Formation Stage. Therefore, even a Core Formation Ascendant wouldn’t dare cause trouble in the Qinghe Marketplace.

Following Jiang Ruxu’s recommendation, Chen Jianghe arrived at the Qingquan Inn. He thanked her and bade her farewell.

This inn was indeed affordable. The cheapest lower-class room only cost ten grains of Spiritual Sand. Satisfied, Chen Jianghe paid the fee and checked in. Upon arriving at the guest room, he realized it was a twelve-person shared room. In a space of less than fifteen square meters, twelve sitting beds were arranged.

Why were they called "sitting beds"? Because that was exactly what they literally were—beds meant solely for meditation. Yet even so, the room already accommodated ten Cultivators. With Chen Jianghe included, it was only one Cultivator short of being fully occupied.

Staying at an inn was still significantly more expensive than renting a house. Even for this lowest tier of guest room, it would cost thirty-six Spirit Stones a year. Clearly, the regulations of the Qinghe Marketplace encouraged Cultivators to rent homes and settle down long-term. The Cultivators who stayed at the inns were mostly here for short layovers or merely transiting via Flying Ships.

Chen Jianghe approached his designated sitting bed and meditated cross-legged. Though he appeared to have his eyes closed to rest and recuperate, he was actually analyzing the viability of living in the Qinghe Marketplace.

"With three Foundation Establishment Cultivators—two of whom are in the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment—and a Tier Three Spirit Beast, safety is definitely not an issue," he concluded.

However, he wondered how the privacy was. He would also need to inquire about the Marketplace’s buyback price for Spirit Talismans and the cost of Talisman Materials the next day before making a decision. He would prioritize single and double-room courtyards in the Northwest District. If none were available, he would ask about the single-room courtyards in the Southwest District. If he couldn’t secure one, the Qinghe Marketplace simply wouldn’t be suitable for him to settle in.

After a night of meditation, he felt refreshed and invigorated.

As soon as he left the inn, someone approached him.