The Cultivation World Also Ran on Favors and Social Graces

Inside the Steward's Office hall, the clamor gradually subsided. Faced with the Steward Disciple's icy reprimands and the exorbitant rent, the despairing crowd could only disperse helplessly in the end, leaving behind an empty hall and an increasingly oppressive silence.

Li Chengjie, however, did not leave. He stood like a stone statue in the shadows of a corner, his gaze fixed on the now-closed rental window as a fierce struggle raged within him.

Time trickled by. Outside, the sky gradually darkened. Sporadic protective spiritual lights lit up throughout the Marketplace's inner circle, while the outer areas were completely swallowed by gloom and danger.

The disciples on duty in the hall began changing shifts as well. In the end, only the Steward Disciple in charge of rentals remained, preparing to pack up and leave.

Li Chengjie knew this was his last chance.

Li Chengjie took a deep breath, as though exhausting all the strength in his body. He stepped out of the shadows and hurried to the window, his voice carrying a faint, nearly imperceptible tremor. "Ste... Steward, please wait."

The Steward Disciple had been about to lock the window. Hearing him, he impatiently looked up. Seeing that it was that "poor wretch" at Qi Refining Level 5 from earlier that day, his brows immediately furrowed.

"Why is it you again?

Didn't I already tell you?

Thirty Spirit Stones a month, three months upfront and one month as a deposit. One hundred and twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones—not one less!

Get lost already. Don't delay me getting off duty!"

Li Chengjie forced the humblest, most earnest smile onto his face. Bowing slightly, he carefully took five Low-grade Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag, held them in both hands, and gently passed them through the gap beneath the window, lowering his voice to almost a whisper.

"Please calm your anger, Steward. I... I know the Rules.

It's just... I'm truly in difficult straits. Even after scraping together everything I could... I only have eighty Spirit Stones."

Li Chengjie paused, watching the man's expression, then continued pleading. "Sir, please show some mercy. Could you... make an exception? Even if you only let me move in first, I will make up the rest as soon as possible! Please, sir, give me a way to live!"

The Steward Disciple glanced at the five Spirit Stones, their Spiritual Energy faint, and curled his lip in undisguised disdain. Without even moving a finger, he sneered.

"Eighty Spirit Stones?

Hmph. What do you take this place for?

The Charity Hall?

You want this Steward to break the rules for you over five Spirit Stones?

Are you tossing coins to a beggar?

Not enough!

Nowhere near enough!"

Li Chengjie's heart sank, but he did not give up. A ruthless light flashed through his eyes. As if cutting flesh from his own body, he rummaged through his Storage Bag again and pulled out another five Spirit Stones. Together with the first five, they made ten. He respectfully offered them forward once more, bowing even lower, his voice nearly breaking into tears.

"Sir... I... everything I own is here. I truly only have eighty Spirit Stones!

These ten Spirit Stones are a little tea money for you... I only beg you to show mercy and give me somewhere to shelter from the wind and rain... I will work like an ox or a horse to repay your kindness!"

Looking at the ten Spirit Stones, then at Li Chengjie's pale face—whitened by tension and fear, filled with despair and pleading—the mockery on the Steward Disciple's face eased slightly. He rubbed his chin and looked Li Chengjie up and down, seemingly weighing something.

After a long while, he suddenly chuckled and spoke slowly in a tone of bestowing charity. "Tsk... You brat, at least you know... how to behave."

He looked to either side, confirming that no one else remained in the hall. Only then did he lower his voice, lean slightly toward the window, and speak to Li Chengjie outside. "Fine. Since you're pitiful and know the Rules, this Steward does happen to have a... less-than-ideal solution."

Li Chengjie's heart gave a violent leap. He held his breath and stared at the man.

The Steward Disciple continued in a low voice. "At the end of Lane Bing in the Inner Circle South District, there is a tiny storeroom. It was originally used to pile up miscellaneous goods, but it can barely house someone.

It was previously rented to a Rogue Cultivator at Qi Refining Level 6, for a term of three months.

Now... more than half a month has passed, and that man has not returned since he last went out."

He paused meaningfully and looked at Li Chengjie. "You know what it's like outside these days... Heh heh. He probably won't be coming back.

According to Marketplace Rules, we cannot dispose of the room ourselves before the rental term expires. But..."

He drew out the last word, lightly tapping the ten Spirit Stones with a finger. "If you're willing, you can stay there temporarily.

But we need to make this clear!

First, if the original tenant happens to return one day, you must move out immediately—at once—with no disputes whatsoever!

Second, if he still hasn't returned by the time the lease ends..."

He held up four fingers. "You will need to pay me another forty Spirit Stones, as payment for taking over the remaining rental term. Of course..."

His finger tapped the ten Spirit Stones. "Whether he returns or not, these ten Spirit Stones are the 'trouble fee' you must give me right now. So? Are you willing?"

Listening to this "solution," filled with uncertainty and additional costs, Li Chengjie's emotions churned like a stormy sea.

This was undoubtedly a gamble—a gamble that the unfamiliar cultivator had already died outside.

And even if he won that gamble, he would ultimately still need to pay the enormous sum of forty more Spirit Stones!

But did he have any other choice now?

Thinking of the small courtyard that had been turned upside down, Liu Mazi's cold corpse, and the darkness outside that resembled a man-eating beast, Li Chengjie gritted his teeth fiercely. He shoved the ten Spirit Stones farther forward and said without the slightest hesitation.

"I am willing! I am willing! Thank you, Steward, for granting this! I understand all the Rules. If the original tenant returns, I will leave at once without a word of complaint! These ten Spirit Stones are a small token of my regard. Please be sure to accept them!"

Seeing Li Chengjie so "sensible," the Steward Disciple finally revealed a genuine smile. He swiftly and naturally swept the ten Spirit Stones into his sleeve, then took out a crude Wooden Token and a key and passed them through the window.

"Here. Lane Bing, Room Gui. This is the Temporary Access Token and the key. Remember what you said! If you dare play tricks, or can't produce those forty Spirit Stones when the time comes... Hmph. You know the consequences yourself!"

"Yes, yes, yes! I understand! Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!" Clutching the cold token and key as though they were a life-saving straw, Li Chengjie repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

"Go on, then! Remember—keep your tail tucked between your legs!" The Steward Disciple impatiently waved him away and shut the window for good.

Li Chengjie clenched the token and key tightly in his palm, pressing them against his chest. He let out a long, trembling breath.

Though the future remained uncertain and the price was immense, at least tonight, he no longer had to lie awake in fear that someone would smash through his door while he slept and leave him headless.

Li Cheng did not dare delay. Following the blurry directions on the token, he hurried toward Lane Bing in the Inner Circle South District.