Chapter 64: Wealth is Willpower

Hanhai City is actually quite a popular tourist destination across the entire continent, and most people with some degree of strength choose to come here.

After all, this place is a paradise for cultivators. Whenever one wishes to battle, combat can take place at any moment without any restrictions.

The only rule is that the victorious party must hand over spiritual jades to cover the disposal of the opponent's corpse and the cleanup of bloodstains on the road.

Given such a massive city, management is still necessary; without it, achieving today's level of success would be utterly impossible.

Meng Li and her father frequently traveled here, as they were also seeking assistance from certain individuals.

However, those people harbored deep concerns, especially since the Lord of Biqiao City possessed not only formidable power but also an extremely profound background.

Even members of some major clans dared not cross him; a single misstep could result in death at his hands, so naturally, they did not dare to easily make a move.

Meng Li was exceptionally familiar with this place, and with a smile, she said, "Anyway, that damned fellow gave us so many spiritual jades, and keeping them is just asking for trouble. We might as well splurge and enjoy ourselves thoroughly. We are not going to the previously agreed-upon inn!"

"Since we don't need to worry about spiritual jades, I think we have plenty of options. Let's pick the most luxurious inn in Hanhai City! Consider it a celebration of surviving our ordeal!"

Meng Li was still brimming with excitement. Having hailed from a very wealthy background, she had never suffered any hardship since childhood.

When she visited this place as a child, she had always been treated as a distinguished guest. Going anywhere required no spiritual jades whatsoever; in fact, countless people offered them assistance.

Back then, the Meng family could forge divine artifacts for them, and even artifacts that failed during production could be used as top-tier weapons.

Thus, the Meng family of the past held a very prominent status, and Meng Li had never stayed at any small, humble inns when coming here.

Her current proposal was actually to visit the very same inn she frequented in her youth—the largest inn in Hanhai City, the Penglai Inn!

In such a fantasy continent, the existence of an inn standing one hundred stories tall brought a profound sense of shock to Lu Qingyun.

Yet, upon reflection, it was nothing out of the ordinary; he reasoned that this place simply had a somewhat ancient aesthetic, but in reality, the people here possessed power vastly superior to the world he once lived in.

Whenever they wished to create something, it could be said to be achieved with effortless ease.

Furthermore, the martial souls possessed by each individual varied greatly. Aside from those suited for combat, there were naturally some martial souls inclined toward daily living.

Although such martial souls were unsuited for battle and could arguably play no role whatsoever during combat, the people on this continent still needed to live, to enjoy themselves, and, of course, to dwell somewhere.

Therefore, these types of martial souls also served a tremendous purpose. Even exceptional master artisans capable of crafting breathtaking, ornate architecture owed all of their skill to the terrifying nature of their martial souls.

They also had realms of cultivation divided, though not in meticulous detail.

After all, they relied on experience to create those magnificent structures.

Lu Qingyun did not refuse at all; instead, he agreed to her idea without hesitation.

"I think your proposal is wonderful. Lead the way then! We can wander around and explore this place when we have time; I just feel now is not the appropriate moment!"

Chu Se had already sensed the individuals lingering and staring at them. Although he did not know who they were, nor what identities or strengths they possessed, he always felt it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, especially since he lacked the excess energy to deal with tedious complications.

In truth, Chu Se harbored another lingering doubt in his heart, though he had not voiced it aloud.

He felt that since the Meng family had been slaughtered by the Lord of Biqiao City, while traces of lingering resentment could still be felt, the hatred did not seem particularly intense.

Chu Se could not tell whether it was his own illusion or a misunderstanding on his part.

Yet, the whole situation felt somewhat peculiar. If it were him, he would harbor a bone-deep hatred toward such a fellow.

He would never touch the spiritual jades given by that man, finding them utterly filthy.

Yet, observing the current demeanor of Meng Tianhai and Meng Li, they did not appear consumed by a bone-deep hatred.

Sensing his thoughts, Meng Tianhai spoke slowly as they walked, "I recall that in the past, we would come here every year because we had many patrons here. They would invite us to visit and tour the place at our leisure."

"However, ever since that incident occurred, we have never been invited again. In fact, everyone gives us a wide berth, and only a few major families retain the courage to receive us."

Lu Qingyun could understand his perspective; anyone placed in such a state of decline would experience similar emotions.

Some individuals might even fail to accept such a drastic upheaval, ultimately resorting to extreme measures.

After all, the immense disparity would inflict a heavy psychological gap upon them, and those with poor mental resilience simply could not accept it.

However, looking at it now, Meng Li and Meng Tianhai still possessed a certain inspiring tenacity.

Lu Qingyun preferred to be frank and open with them, so since this doubt lingered in his mind, he slowly spoke up.

"Since you harbor such intense hatred toward him, why not reject his belongings? What are your thoughts on spending his spiritual jades right now?"

"I truly do not understand and find it somewhat difficult to fathom. I know asking this might be somewhat intrusive, but if I didn't ask, I'd feel rather uneasy inside."

Lu Qingyun figured that by interrupting his own train of thought earlier, he must have already perceived something.

Although Meng Tianhai currently possessed no spiritual energy, having originated from such a prominent lineage and once being capable of forging divine artifacts, he naturally possessed exceptionally sharp powers of observation.

Hearing this, Meng Tianhai slowly nodded and said, "Some things are best left in the past once they have occurred. With our current strength, how could seeking revenge be such a simple matter? Yet, a person must always cling to a belief while living, must they not?"

"Some wish to grow stronger, some wish to seek revenge, and others simply wish to live as ordinary mortals. Even without any cultivation, as long as one remains in this world..."

Hearing these words, Lu Qingyun gained a sudden flash of insight.

Vengeance was perhaps the belief sustaining this father-daughter pair; if that belief were stripped away, what meaning would their lives hold in this world?

Subjected to the endless censure of countless people, falling from towering heights into obscurity, and now scraping by in a desperate struggle for survival.

Without that belief, their continued existence would truly be a source of agonizing pain.

Lu Qingyun slowly opened his mouth to say, "Very well, that was indeed rather intrusive of me just now..."

Having resolved the doubt in his heart, Chu Se was no longer as tense as before.

It was also his first time experiencing the aura of an island city; even the wind blowing past carried a salty scent.

Most of the indigenous residents on the streets had somewhat dark skin, and one could tell from their physiques that they were exceptionally adept at swimming.

Different lands nurture different kinds of people.

Before long, they arrived at the Penglai Inn. Though the name sounded ordinary, the towering structure could be seen from afar.

Viewing it from a distance, it had not seemed like much, but now standing close by, Lu Qingyun could truly feel its magnificence.

Beneath such a towering edifice, a few individuals appeared utterly minuscule.

Fatty Wang could not help but exclaim in admiration nearby, "Goodness me, isn't this far too spectacular? I've never seen a building this tall anywhere else before."

Xu Feng and Han Manyuan stood nearby, looking utterly astonished, whereas Lu Qingyun felt no particular sense of shock.

After all, the cities he lived in prior to arriving in this world frequently featured skyscrapers of this scale.

Though he rarely stepped inside them, he felt no sense of awe, having witnessed them before.

To force himself to look shocked would be purely an act of pretense. Lu Qingyun calmly remarked, "Very well, since everyone is so pleased with this place, let's go inside!"

With that, they walked toward the entrance. However, the reception staff stationed at the doors displayed a rather peculiar attitude.

They were far from enthusiastic, as the group before them appeared to lack the means to afford a stay here.

Just as they sensed this peculiar atmosphere, a rather shrill voice echoed from behind.

"Hey, hey, hey! You filthy wretches in front, hurry up and step aside! Do you have any idea who is gracing us with their presence?"

Following the sound of that shrill voice, the two receptionists rushed forward eagerly and said with beaming smiles, "Oh, if it isn't Young Master She! What brings you the time to visit us today? Your arrival at our Penglai Inn brings immense glory to our humble establishment!"

"Welcoming you to stay here is an absolute honor..."

Before the two could finish speaking, Lu Qingyun coldly interrupted, "Hey, do you know anything about first-come, first-served? We clearly arrived first. Are both of your eyes blind, or can't you see?"

He turned his head to glare at the source of the shrill voice, his tone remaining ice-cold as he continued, "Filthy? Are you immaculate yourself? Your mouth reeks so badly, did someone take a dump in it?"

Lu Qingyun either stayed silent or stunned everyone with a single remark.

A mere couple of sentences filled those around him with a surge of immense confidence.

Lu Qingyun had originally resolved to keep a low profile and never cared for extraneous matters.

Yet, everything unfolding now left him feeling profoundly irritated. They had been in high spirits, only for these people to mess everything up.

They were already exhausted and wished for a proper rest; choosing such a luxurious establishment was precisely so they could comfortably sleep for a few days.

The Lord of Biqiao City had imposed no time limit upon them because the task was extremely difficult; imposing a strict deadline might render completion impossible.

At that moment, Chu Se also spotted an ostentatiously dressed young master from a wealthy family, clad in a python-patterned robe with a priceless jade pendant hanging at his waist, which undoubtedly qualified as a spiritual artifact.

Though its exact function was unknown, its mere appearance conveyed its extraordinary value.

However, this Young Master She possessed a shifty, rat-like appearance, completely lacking the bearing of a wealthy scion and instead resembling a street ruffian.

Lu Qingyun detested such fellows the most, and naturally, he refused to show any weakness.

The two receptionists immediately raised their voices and snapped, "What are you hollering about? Do you have any idea what status Young Master She holds? A wretch like you cannot compare to him in the slightest; you aren't even worth a single hair of his!"

"How could people like you ever afford to stay at our inn? At best, you belong in the lowest-grade rooms, and even then, the lot of you probably have to squeeze into a single chamber."

Their frantic efforts to curry favor were naturally in anticipation of receiving some token of appreciation from this young master later on.

After all, this young master possessed decent strength, and his family background was quite renowned within Hanhai City, roughly on par with the Cui family.

Lu Qingyun furrowed his brow tightly. Upon arriving here, he had already familiarized himself with the grading system of the rooms.

The four tiers—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow—naturally corresponded to the comfort levels of the accommodations.

Even the Yellow-tier rooms here were vastly superior to ordinary inns.

Gazing at the two welcoming attendants, Lu Qingyun maintained his icy tone and asked, "You cater to him like he's your ancestor—which specific room is he staying in?"

Truth be told, Lu Qingyun found it somewhat difficult to comprehend the behavior of these wealthy young masters, who chose to live in inns instead of returning to their own homes.

Was this simply the capricious behavior of the rich, or were they performing for the sake of appearances?

One of the attendants retorted, "Young Master She has arranged to listen to ballad singing with several other young masters in the subterranean private pavilion! Rooms like that are places you could never hope to afford in this lifetime!"

Lu Qingyun truly had not expected their initially smooth journey to be met with condescension from these two fellows.

What annoyed him the most was this Young Master She, who stood there striking an intensely arrogant pose, acting as though he stood above the rest.

Fatty Wang and the others wanted to speak up, but Lu Qingyun wished to spare them from trouble. Filled with sarcasm, Lu Qingyun remarked, "Heh, several people gathering in a single room to listen to ballads? Don't they split the cost among themselves? Young masters of such grand families still need to pool together for show—is saving face really that important?"

Young Master She had assumed those two attendants would easily handle Lu Qingyun and perhaps even gain the upper hand.

Never had he imagined that Lu Qingyun would act with such decisive boldness, nor that he would utter words so insulting to his dignity.

Young Master She barked angrily, "Are you looking down on me?"

Lu Qingyun nodded without the slightest hesitation, "Oh, look, I finally met a smart one."

"How did you know I was looking down on you? Did you guess, or did you just stumble on it blindly?"