Chapter 105: Recognizing Only Spirit Stones, Not People

In the cultivation world, a strict hierarchy had always reigned supreme. Take the Lower Realm as an example: though both trod the path of cultivation, beasts occupied the lowest rung of existence. In the world of human cultivators, beasts were deemed nothing but vile creatures, to be eradicated by anyone who crossed them. Even if a beast reached the sixth tier and gained the ability to shape-shift, they were still branded as beast cultivators, still destined to be hunted down by all.

Yet, throughout the entirety of the Lower Realm, there was one place—and one place only—where beasts and human cultivators stood on equal footing. The sole prerequisite was that the beast possessed enough spirit stones.

That place was Pleasure Valley.

In the Lower Realm, Pleasure Valley was famous for its philosophy: "We recognize spirit stones, not people." Within the valley, if you had spirit stones, even a lowly white-tier beast could live like a lord; without them, even a Golden Immortal descending from the heavens could not hope to knock open the valley's gates.

Knocking on the gates of Pleasure Valley required a single low-grade spirit stone. One price for all living beings, fair to young and old alike.

Feng Ke'er had a habit: whenever she arrived at an unfamiliar location, she would first map out the surrounding terrain. However, what lay before her now was an endless expanse of yellow sand.

Was this the famous Pleasure Valley that everyone spoke of? Where was the legendary grand canyon? Feng Ke'er was highly perplexed. Pressing the index and middle fingers of her right hand against her brow, she focused her mind to peer closely at the desert before her. Back in the Heart of the Barrier Sea, she had used this technique of the Great God Pangu so often that it had become second nature. Practice makes perfect; with repeated use, the skill had unexpectedly leveled up. Now, by using it, she could not only perceive the spiritual energy composition of matter, but also glean other information, such as restrictions and arrays. This also proved Grandmaster Tongtian's words: the hellish training had indeed been highly effective.

Sure enough, she spotted a restriction, as well as an illusion array. They were far more powerful than the ones in the Heart of the Barrier Sea. With her current spiritual energy and cultivation level, she had no hope of breaking them.

Curling her lip, Feng Ke'er followed the rules. Facing west, she tossed a low-grade spirit stone into the desert.

Instantly, as if a pebble had been cast into a tranquil lake, ripples spread across the air before her. Three breaths later, a transparent, circular portal about two meters in diameter materialized in front of her.

Was this the gate to Pleasure Valley?

Quite a creative idea.

Stepping through the circular portal, Feng Ke'er could not help but freeze in astonishment. It was two completely different worlds inside and out. Outside was a vast expanse of yellow sand, while inside was a bustling scroll of ancient life.

Only now did Pleasure Valley live up to its name. It was indeed a grand canyon with mountains and rivers. Misty green peaks rose on both sides, while the valley floor was a riot of colorful blossoms, with all kinds of people weaving through the crowds.

For a moment, Feng Ke'er had the illusion that she had crossed back to the modern world and accidentally wandered into some historical tourist attraction.

After being accustomed to over three hundred years of solitude, she found it hard to adapt to such a sudden, bustling scene. Much like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, she felt as though her eyes were simply not enough to take it all in.

Before she had walked even a few paces, a voice as crisp as clinking jade echoed by her ear. "Respected Fairy, is there anything this humble servant can do for you?" (Fairy was a respectful term of address for female cultivators in the Core Condensation stage.)

Feng Ke'er looked over and saw a youth dressed in a short white cotton robe, standing before her with his hands respectfully lowered. His features were as delicate as a painting, his gender ambiguous, possessing an exceptionally handsome face.

Unfortunately, it was all an illusion!

A Transformation Talisman combined with a Beautifying Pill—this tier-three, first-level little kingfisher had certainly spared no expense.

Aha, even beasts were walking the streets disguised as humans to work in public relations. It seemed the rumors were true; in Pleasure Valley, there really was no racial distinction.

She glanced down at her own hands, which were stained with the blood of countless beasts. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and gave a soft grunt of assent. Ah, for how many years had beasts died the moment they crossed her path? Now, she would have to keep a tight rein on her quick-striking hands.

The little kingfisher looked up, showing a professional eight-tooth smile. "Respected Fairy, may I ask if this is your first time in the valley?"

Such a familiar smile. Feng Ke'er felt a sudden wave of nostalgia for the modern world. Amused, she decided to tease him: "If it is, what of it? And if it isn't, what then?"

Seeing this, the little kingfisher's smile became noticeably more natural, and he rattled off like a chatterbox: "If it is your first time, and you do not mind my constant babble, I can explain the layout of the valley to you. But if you are a regular patron, please feel free to command me directly with whatever you need."

Feng Ke'er swept her gaze over the surroundings, withdrew her smile, and raised an eyebrow. "Are there some special rules in this valley, then?" By asking this, she was essentially admitting she was a first-timer. At the same time, fearing the little fellow might harbor some sly designs, she deliberately put on airs, adopting the posture of a Core Condensation cultivator to give him a subtle warning. After all, a tier-three beast's cultivation was equivalent to a human cultivator's Core Condensation stage.

Accustomed to the arrogance of human cultivators, the little kingfisher hastily lowered his head to apologize and explain, "It is my clumsy tongue, I misspoke. Please appease your anger, Fairy. It is only because the valley is divided into three areas: the Bazaar on the south bank, the Information Grove on the west bank, and the Palace of Carefree Pleasures halfway up the mountain. Each place is entirely different. I was only afraid of delaying your affairs, which is why I took the liberty of asking."

So that was it. Feng Ke'er gave a light snort and said, "Then tell me first, what are the differences between these three places?"

The little kingfisher began to reel off the details like counting his own treasures: "The differences between these three places depend on whether you want to trade for something, gather information, or seek some pleasure. Each place has guards, and you must pay a certain amount of spirit stones to enter. The Bazaar on the south bank and the Information Grove on the west bank cost the same: one low-grade spirit stone. The Palace of Carefree Pleasures halfway up the mountain is more expensive, costing one mid-grade spirit stone. Once inside, there are other expenses. Furthermore, all flight techniques and flying treasures are strictly prohibited in the valley. That is why the valley has arranged many guides like myself for our esteemed guests. We are responsible for escorting you to these three locations. Since we must pay the valley five low-grade spirit stones every ten days regardless of whether we find work, I must charge you a small fee for guiding you. But rest assured, the valley has uniform regulations, and I will not overcharge you. Taking you to one of the places costs one low-grade spirit stone. If you visit all three within a single day, I can offer you a discount and charge only two low-grade spirit stones."

Not a single sentence went without mentioning spirit stones, fully embodying the saying, "We recognize spirit stones, not people." Feng Ke'er rolled her eyes and interrupted him testily, "I plan to stay here for a few days, so I will only visit one place today. Tell me in detail what makes these three places different."

Hearing this, the little kingfisher showed no sign of displeasure. Just like before, he rattled off the explanation, quickly clarifying the main functions of the three areas:

The Bazaar on the south bank was divided into two main categories: individual shops and auction houses. It was the largest trading venue in the Lower Realm. The volume of goods traded was immense, and the variety was staggering. It could be said that if you could think of it, you could trade for it here.

The Information Grove on the west bank was a hub for intelligence. People could both inquire about information and take on missions to gather it.

As for the Palace of Carefree Pleasures halfway up the mountain, it was a gold-consuming abyss where one could buy pleasure and indulge in wine.

Holy crap! She hadn't expected that in the span of three hundred years, the Lower Realm would adopt so many new concepts and novelties. Moreover, could this Valley Master also be a transmigrator? They certainly had an incredible mind for business.

Feng Ke'er craned her neck to look around, then pointed to the nearest west bank. Speaking as if to herself, yet clearly giving an order, she said, "I want to take my time and enjoy myself, so I'll only visit one place today. Hmm, let's head to the Information Grove first."

"Understood. Please stand on my back, Fairy." The little kingfisher crouched on the ground and revealed his true form. When he spread his wings, they spanned over a meter.

Standing on his back was both swift and steady. A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination—in front of a dense forest.

The dark forest was also sealed with a restriction; standing outside, one could not see what lay within.

On the outskirts of the forest stood a small, circular wooden pavilion with a thatched roof. Three young women in short green robes sat inside, chattering away.

Feng Ke'er jumped off the bird's back, tossed a low-grade spirit stone to the little kingfisher, and walked toward the pavilion without looking back.

There, she paid one low-grade spirit stone and received a small black wooden token. This object bore no decorations or inscriptions of any kind. However, only by holding this token could she pass through the restriction and enter the forest.

Once inside, what met Feng Ke'er's eyes was a peach blossom forest stretching for dozens of miles.

The peach blossoms were in full bloom. A few charming thatched cottages were nestled within the sea of flowers. She almost thought she had accidentally wandered onto Peach Blossom Island.

However, her good impression and pleasant mood were quickly shattered. As she approached the nearest thatched cottage, a youth dressed in a short red robe emerged to greet her warmly.

It turned out this was the place where information missions were issued. First, one had to exchange ten low-grade spirit stones with the youth in the red robe for a jade slip, record the details of the inquiry onto it, and return it to him. Three days later, the client would return and pay additional spirit stones to retrieve the slip. The exact cost would be determined by the difficulty of the task. Furthermore, absolute confidentiality was guaranteed; the results of the investigation would not be leaked to any third party.

Pleasure Valley's efficiency was legendary; for ordinary matters, three days were more than enough to unearth the truth. In the rare event that a task could not be completed within three days, the buyer could take the jade slip to the second cottage and post a bounty there.

The remaining cottages served as inns for guests to lodge. Within the Information Grove, guests could choose to stay at the inn or camp out in the open. A room at the inn cost two low-grade spirit stones per day, meals not included. If one wished to eat, there was a designated tavern in the Information Grove. As long as one had enough spirit stones, diners were guaranteed to eat to their heart's content.

At this point in his explanation, the youth in the red robe made sure to add that all the guest rooms were protected by restrictions, and each room was equipped with a small spirit-gathering array. While fully ensuring the guest's privacy, it also facilitated their cultivation. In short, the room rate was an absolute steal.

Naturally, the youth did not forget to "remind" her that his services were not free; it cost one low-grade spirit stone per service.

Hmph, this black-hearted profiteer was even more rapacious than the beasts. Why didn't he just paint his face black and rob people outright? Feng Ke'er impatiently cut off his explanation and requested two jade slips—one to investigate the reason behind the annihilation of the Azure Cloud Sect, and the other to locate Qin Hanyan. In addition, she requested a guest room.

With spirit stones, one was indeed a lord. Accepting the three low-grade spirit stones, the youth in the red robe beamed with joy as he led Feng Ke'er to her guest room.

Grand Tome of Tongtian, Chapter 105: We Recognize Spirit Stones, Not People.