The Cloud-Mist Great Hall was situated at the very center of the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range, where the spiritual energy was most concentrated. The complex occupied a vast area, its halls towering and magnificent. Within, Spirit-Gathering Arrays were utilized to create specialized cultivation chambers for the guards to use during their rest.
Years ago, spiritual lands in the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range were in such high demand that one needed influential connections just to secure a decent spot. A major reason for this was the formidable strength of the patrol guards; the security was impeccable, and no petty criminals dared to cause trouble. Even now, the guards maintained a certain level of deterrent power. The fact that demon insects were scarcer here than in other areas was largely due to the continuous suppression by these patrols.
For Qi Ping, seeking a suitable location in District B now was perhaps the best opportunity in years. Had it been before the chaos of the marauders and the demon insect plague, it would have been impossible for someone of his standing to secure a prime spot in District B.
Wearing his familiar straw hat, Qi Ping stepped into the hall and quickly located Manager Zhu, who was busy with paperwork.
"Manager Zhu." Qi Ping walked up and offered a simple cupped-fist salute.
"Oh? Is that you, Little Qi? What brings you here?" Manager Zhu looked at him with surprise. Not long ago, Lady Qing Shu had visited him to ask numerous questions about Peak 007. Seeing the long-abandoned courtyard, Zhu had assumed that both Old Man Zhou and Qi Ping had met with an unfortunate end.
"Sigh." Qi Ping let out a heavy breath, his expression clouding with a touch of lingering fear. "Last time, a senior in green robes from the Qingyuan Sect told me there might be a powerful marauder lurking nearby. He said if I could help find any trace of them, I'd receive a handsome reward."
"But I haven't discovered a thing after all this time. Instead, the more I think about it, the more terrified I get. Spirit stones are tempting, but one needs to be alive to spend them. After much deliberation, I decided to move to a safer place!" Qi Ping spoke according to his rehearsed script, his eyes flickering with a hint of genuine-looking dread. He used this opportunity to establish a clear reason for his relocation.
"I see... And what about Old Man Zhou?"
"With all the demon insects and marauders lately, the old man decided to return to the mortal world."
"Returned to the mortal world? Well, that's for the best! At his age, he wouldn't gain much more from cultivation anyway. Retiring there to enjoy his final years is a good choice. So, where do you want to move? I'll handle the paperwork for you." Manager Zhu had a degree of affection for Qi Ping, seeing him as the successor of an old friend. He was more than willing to help with a simple administrative task.
However, Qi Ping's next words nearly caused him to drop his brush.
"I want to move to District B!"
"District B?" Manager Zhu stared at Qi Ping in disbelief. While District B was nothing extraordinary to him, very few rogue cultivators had the courage to take on such expensive rent.
"Yes, District B. I heard the security there is much higher..." Qi Ping confirmed his choice, offering his explanation at the same time.
"Guards patrol and clear that area regularly, so it is indeed much safer. But the rent is not low, and the risk of failing to make a profit is high!" Manager Zhu offered a well-intentioned warning.
"Safety is the most important thing. Besides, I've thought it through. I want to take a gamble. I've already planned out how to earn those spirit stones back!" As he spoke, Qi Ping allowed a youthful vigor and a determined spark to show on his face.
"In that case, I won't try to dissuade you further. However, the Qingyuan Sect has mandated a thirty percent increase in rent, and I can't help you with that. That said, the spiritual lands in District B have a price range. I'll do my best to give you the lowest base price!"
"Thank you, Manager Zhu!"
"It's a small matter. Let me show you the currently available plots in District B." Manager Zhu did this partly out of sentiment for Old Man Zhou and partly for his own benefit. Due to the rent hike and the demon insect plague, a large number of tenants had left, causing the mountain range's leasing business to plummet. The Zhu family's share had decreased accordingly, and his own income had taken a hit. Renting out a plot in District B was a win for him as well.
"How does it look? Do you need a recommendation? Over fifty percent of District B is currently vacant. Usually, some of these prime spots would never be empty," Manager Zhu remarked after a while.
"Thank you for the guidance, Manager Zhu, but I've already made a preliminary choice. These two..." Qi Ping pointed toward plots number twenty-eight and twenty-nine.
"Those two? They are decent enough. Although the spiritual energy on those mid-grade lands is slightly less than in other parts of the district, the total area is two or three times larger than other plots. For beekeeping, they are indeed very suitable." These two plots weren't the "best" in the current vacancy list, but they offered the highest cost-performance ratio. In normal times, someone like Qi Ping would never have had the chance to rent them.
"I'd like to see the actual sites first. I'll come back to find you later, Manager Zhu."
"Fine, go have a look. I'll be waiting here for you."
After taking his leave, Qi Ping immediately headed toward the District B mountains. On the way, he could hardly suppress the joy in his heart. Twenty-eight and twenty-nine were truly magnificent spots! Although the spiritual energy density was slightly lower, the area was massive—four or five times larger than Peak 007 in District D!
Most importantly, these two plots were located deep within the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range. They were isolated from other residents, and the adjacent lands were non-spiritual zones, offering excellent privacy. He could farm in secret, and if danger arose, he could easily transform into a bee and escape into the complex terrain of the deep mountains. The vast area would allow him to plant a massive amount of Hundred-Spirit Grass as food for his colony expansion. It was the perfect cradle for his development!
A short while later, Qi Ping stood upon the summits of Peak 28 and 29. After a thorough investigation, he was certain. This was the place. Huge area, good privacy, and rich spiritual energy!
"This place is truly excellent!" Qi Ping couldn't help but marvel. The only drawback was the spiritual energy density, but with his four Spirit-Origin Stone Pillars, he didn't need to rely on the land itself to cultivate high-grade spirit herbs.
"It's just a pity that I don't have enough spirit stones right now. I can only rent one of them..." Qi Ping felt a pang of regret. Plots 28 and 29 were adjacent; if he could secure both, this area would truly become his private backyard. With the pillars, it would be enough to sustain his development for a very long time. If he could eventually acquire something better than the pillars—like a high-level Spirit-Gathering Array—he could probably stay here until he reached the Golden Core stage.
'I'll have to wait for the results of the black-robed talisman cultivator's storage bag. Surely a late-stage Qi Refinement talisman cultivator should have at least several hundred spirit stones.'
'Once I take both plots, this will be my ultimate sanctuary!'