Chapter 348: Spend Money to Avoid Disaster

Even if only a small faction of people were to refine the flying cars, the patent fees alone would have been enough to fill Lu Yang’s pockets to bursting.

Previously, Lu Yang had assumed the patent was still undergoing approval and the cars were not yet mass-produced, so he had pushed the matter of patent fees to the back of his mind.

Yet with the flying cars visibly cruising right above his head, it was impossible to claim the patent had not yet been approved.

"Could it be that the Fifth Elder is a hypocrite with a kind face but a black heart, and has embezzled my patent fees?"

The thought flashed through his mind but was swiftly dismissed.

The Fifth Elder would hardly stoop to coveting such a paltry profit.

"Forget it, I will just ask the Fifth Elder when I see him." Lu Yang cast the question aside.

The old horse pulled the carriage, conveying Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou to the foot of the mountain, where a newly constructed inn stood.

Every Qingzhou Grand Ceremony would last for seven days, and during this time, the cultivators could hardly sleep in the open, for that would compromise their dignity.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had arrived quite early, so there were still vacant rooms available.

"Two of your finest rooms!" Meng Jingzhou declared upon entry.

"Understood, two Heaven-grade guest rooms. May I ask if you need to book a guest room for your horse as well?"

Meng Jingzhou was surprised, wondering if the innkeeper had somehow discerned that their old horse was profound and unfathomable, and thus deserved to be treated like a person.

The shopkeeper smiled and explained, "Honored guest, it is like this: our inn offers complimentary care for spiritual beasts, but space is limited, so we house them all in the backyard. However, the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony often draws mighty figures who bring high-ranking spiritual beasts. Confining those high-ranking spiritual beasts to the backyard tends to affect the other beasts to varying degrees. If you do not mind your spiritual beast being affected, we can care for it free of charge."

Meng Jingzhou pondered this. Though he did not know the old horse's true strength, since his clan had dispatched it to serve as a Dao-protector, its realm must be quite high; it would be a blessing if it didn't bully others.

Yet considering the old horse's penchant for seducing young mares, it was wiser to give it a separate room.

"Then open a room for the old horse as well."

"Very well, three Heaven-grade rooms!"

"Old horse, give me the honest truth, what exactly is your realm? I promise to act as if I don't know," Meng Jingzhou inquired in a low whisper.

The old horse cast a sidelong glance at Meng Jingzhou and snorted, utterly disbelieving Meng Jingzhou's nonsense.

After Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou went upstairs, another group arrived to stay, though they were not as wealthy and ostentatious as Meng Jingzhou.

"Innkeeper, give us three Human-grade rooms."

"I am terribly sorry, honored guests, but we do not have any Human-grade rooms here."

The man was taken aback. "Have the Human-grade rooms already sold out?"

He calculated his travel funds, which were barely sufficient. "Then give us two Earth-grade rooms."

Squeezing in together, two rooms would suffice.

"My apologies, honored guests, but our inn only has Heaven-grade rooms left."

"What?"

They were merely in the Qi Condensation Stage; how could they possibly afford such premium accommodations?

"Senior Brother, let us find another inn to stay at."

The shopkeeper smiled. "If I may speak frankly, the other inns only have Heaven-grade rooms left as well."

Their faces darkened. Were they truly to sleep on the streets on the very first day of the grand ceremony?

The shopkeeper was long accustomed to such reactions. "It is not as you think, honored guests. Because the opening of the ceremony each year always leads to violent brawls over the Heaven-grade rooms, the Qingzhou government notified us to upgrade all guest rooms to Heaven-grade while keeping the prices identical to Human-grade rooms, with the government subsidizing the difference."

Rather than dealing with the chaos and disruption of order caused by fighting cultivators, the Qingzhou government preferred to spend a few more spirit stones to nip the risk in the bud.

Meng Jingzhou had no idea that the Heaven-grade room he was staying in was so cheap; he had never possessed any concept of such petty coin.

"Lu Yang, come out for a stroll once you are done unpacking! I heard people say there is a street on the mountain selling all kinds of antiques and Dharma treasures."

"Alright."

Lu Yang had nothing to unpack. Wearied by the long journey, he stripped off his clothes, and since he did not know the Cleansing Incantation, he could only use the formation within the room to wash his body. He then changed into a fresh, crisp set of clothes and headed out.

The old horse had nothing to unpack either. Wearied by the long journey, it shed its saddle, and since it did know the Cleansing Incantation, it washed its body without needing the formation within the room. It then extended its divine sense to see if any young mares had checked in.

"Foundation Establishment Pills! Foundation Establishment Pills containing pill veins, guaranteed to achieve Foundation Establishment, with a full refund if unsuccessful!"

"Demon beast pelts! Pelts of demon beasts at the peak of Qi Condensation, excellent materials for refining Dharma treasures!"

"Demon beast barbecue! Roasted demon beast meat at the peak of Qi Condensation, freshly stocked from next door!"

"The *Solidification Manual*, the *Floating Cloud Sword Technique*, the *Secret Codex of Clear Tones*... all kinds of cultivation methods and spells, everything you could desire!"

"The most complete stellar map! I observed the celestial phenomena at night and spent twenty years of painstaking effort to meticulously draw this stellar map, an essential map for cultivating star-type methods!"

"Phoenix Blood Stone, an aphrodisiac Phoenix Blood Stone! Tai Pattern Stone, capable of enhancing the quality of blades and swords! Gold-attracting Stone, capable of absorbing gold!"

Shouts echoed continuously along the street, making it exceptionally bustling.

The moment he stepped into the market square, Lu Yang felt a sense of suppression—not suppressing one's cultivation realm, but rather one's divine sense.

After all, for things like cultivation methods, one could know the contents with a single sweep of divine sense; if that were allowed, what would the vendors have left to sell?

"They even have the *Floating Cloud Sword Technique*?" Lu Yang was astonished. The Floating Cloud Sword Technique was a sword style created two thousand years ago by the Perfected Lord Floating Cloud; it was exceedingly rare and did not circulate in the market.

In this regard, Meng Jingzhou was more knowledgeable than Lu Yang. "Do not believe the cultivation methods here. A sword technique written by Perfected Lord Floating Cloud can be called the *Floating Cloud Sword Technique*, but you can write any random sword technique and call it the *Floating Cloud Sword Technique* as well. The buyers have never seen the real *Floating Cloud Sword Technique*, so even if they buy it and discover a problem, they cannot claim you sold a counterfeit."

"After all, new cultivation methods are created every day, so it is perfectly normal for them to share the same name."

Lu Yang came to a sudden realization, not expecting so many hidden twists and turns here.

"Do you have a stellar map here?" Lu Yang noted what the vendor had said.

The cultivation method he practiced had nothing to do with the stars, but he could buy a copy to guess which stars might be Eldest Senior Sister's Golden Core.

"This honored guest has an excellent eye. This stellar map was drawn using a telescope Dharma artifact. The cultivation method I practice is also related to eyesight. To draw this stellar map, I poured out my heart and soul, persevered relentlessly, and finally completed it!"

"May I have a look?"

Upon hearing this, the vendor grew entirely vigilant. "No. I cannot perceive your realm. Even though divine sense cannot be used here, who is to say you haven't opened a mental space? If you memorize the contents of the stellar map with a single glance, you won't buy it."

Lu Yang burst into a soft laugh, for he naturally harbored no such intentions.

"How many spirit stones? I will buy it."

"There is only one such map in the world. Two thousand spirit stones, no bargaining."

Two thousand spirit stones were not expensive for Lu Yang. Just as he was about to reach for his money, he heard a voice of pleasant surprise from behind.

"Senior Brother, look quickly, there is a stellar map here!"

"What?"

The Senior Brother was overjoyed. He had a True Disciple Senior Sister who practiced a cultivation method related to the stars and required a stellar map.

To win the Senior Sister's favor, a stellar map was indispensable.

Seeing that Lu Yang looked amicable and likely easy to talk to, he muttered in his mind: *This Senior Brother, the stellar map is an item needed for the cultivation of a Senior Sister I admire, could you find it in your heart to part with it and let me have it?*

*This Senior Brother, the stellar map is an item needed for the cultivation of a Senior Sister I admire, could you find it in your heart to part with it and let me have it?*

He muttered it twice, feeling that the lines and tone were free of issues. Suppressing the nervousness in his heart, he cupped his hands to Lu Yang and said:

"This Senior Sister, the stellar map is an item used for the cultivation of a Senior Brother I admire, could you find it in your heart to part with it and let me have it?"

Lu Yang turned his head, verified his own gender and the other party's gender, and silently took two steps backward.