"This brat is insane!"
"Doesn't he know the Silver Mist Range has almost no spiritual qi left?"
"Even a beggar wouldn't waste money on that barren mountain."
The territorial deed hall was filled with shock and scorn.
"S-sir, are you sure about the purchase? Once the deed is sealed, the Silver Mist Range will belong to you, and there will be no refund."
The female official in charge of registering land deeds inquired hesitantly.
"Just do it. There's no need to think twice."
A handsome young man at the age of eighteen years old answered.
There was a hint of helplessness in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
Seeing his resolve, the female official no longer hesitated. She pressed the official seal onto the deed with a heavy stamp.
"Congratulations, sir. From this moment on, the Silver Mist Range is yours."
"Damn! He really purchased that useless land!"
"Three thousand silver! That was three thousand silver! I could live my whole life with it!"
"Do you think he still has more silver on him?"
Greedy eyes instantly locked on the youth.
Feeling the ill-intended gazes, Ye Tian sighed inwardly.
He was originally from Earth, living a quiet, ordinary, and satisfactory life. But one day the world spun, and when he opened his eyes again, everything had changed. He had transmigrated into a world of cultivators—where flying on swords was not a dream, but reality.
Ye Tian had been expectant toward such a future… until a sudden chime poured cold water on him.
[Supreme Sect System]
[Mission: Establish a sect within seven days]
[Reward: System Functions and Sect Establishment Gift Pack *1]
[Remaining Time: 6 days, 19 hours, 59 minutes, 17 seconds]
[Failure Penalty: Host will be erased, then reincarnated as a pig for seven lifetimes (with memories), and finally cast into the deepest level of hell.]
Staring at the holographic panel before him, Ye Tian sighed again.
If not for this mission, why would he buy useless land? Why would he reveal his wealth so openly?
"Look, he entered the inn. What should we do?"
"Humph, wait for him. Today or tomorrow, he'll definitely leave the city. Then… hehe."
A few figures in the shadows snickered coldly.
…
"They still haven't left. What a nuisance."
Ye Tian glanced at the group of suspicious men loitering near the inn.
This group was so suspicious that few city guards had come to inquire of their purpose; hell, even a little child pointed at them and stated they did not have any good intentions.
"Should I escape at night?"
Ye Tian considered, then shook his head. The Silver Mist Range was fifteen miles away from Clear Water City.
This distance was nothing for a cultivator, but for a mortal like him, it would take at least half a day. No matter how much courage he had, he wasn't foolish enough to walk that far at night—especially to reach unknown land.
"This world is dangerous… Let's not take unnecessary risks."
He muttered, shifting his gaze to the few items on the table.
A small handbook, a jade bottle, and a bag containing clothes and food. They did not belong to him but to the body's original owner, who had died just today.
Ye Tian felt a trace of pity. After transmigrating, he had inherited the previous soul's memories and understood what had happened.
The original owner, also named Ye Tian, had been the lone survivor of a small village destroyed by fierce beasts. After enduring countless hardships, he finally reached Clear Water City and decided to gamble all his savings on becoming a cultivator.
However, he had been tricked with fake techniques and counterfeit pills, resulting in death.
"Don't worry. I won't let your sacrifice go to waste."
Ye Tian said to himself, making a firm resolve to be overly cautious in the future.
Then he turned his attention towards the system inventory.
When the golden finger arrived, it gave him a help package containing 5000 silver coins, the Five Elements Scripture (Basic), Introduction to Clear Water City (book), a protection talisman (one-use), and a sect establishment token (one-use).
There wasn't much change to these except for the silver becoming less and two new items added—a land deed and a map.
However, his attention was not on this but on the Five Elements Scripture.
"I should be able to cultivate… but with qi this thin and impure, it will be easy to enter qi deviation and cripple myself."
He muttered with a helpless look.
The Clear Water City was located in a region where spiritual qi was extremely thin.
Anyone who wanted to cultivate properly had to rent a cultivation chamber. The body's previous owner had done so as well—but when Ye Tian took over, the time had already expired. Mortals like him were only allowed one hour each week, no more, no less.
With no other choice, he could only give up.
As for leaving to find another city with richer qi? Ye Tian had thought about it, but when he learned the nearest city was half a year's journey away, he abandoned the idea. If not, the system would abandon him.
Hence, no matter how unwilling he was, he could only purchase the Silver Mist Range—where the qi was the same as in this room.
As for other lands with better spiritual environments, their cost started at seven thousand silver coins, far beyond what he could afford. Even then, the qi might not last a year if a group of cultivators started cultivating there.
"This is so depressing…"
Ye Tian slumped onto the wooden bed with a dejected look. Then he decided not to think anymore and closed his eyes to sleep.
…
The next day, in front of the inn, the suspicious group was still waiting for Ye Tian to come out.
"It's been so long. Why hasn't he come out yet?"
"Maybe he plans to leave in the afternoon?"
They speculated, but no matter how long they waited, it was useless—Ye Tian had already disguised himself and left through the back door.
"Well, it's good they're stupid."
Ye Tian glanced at the suspicious group from afar. Then, after purchasing some necessities and a good horse, he made his way towards his fief, the Silver Mist Range.
However, before he could even leave the city, trouble came knocking.
"Hey, you're the one who bought the Silver Mist Range, right? Hand it over to me!"