Black Rock City's Local Customs

After Ye Tian returned to their lodging, he found that Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian had already prepared dinner and were waiting for him.

"Perfect timing. Hurry up and eat. Tell us, how did the registration test go?"

Seeing Ye Tian return, Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly served the food and ate with him.

"Of course I passed. When the Teacher recruiting new students saw my strength, she was so excited she nearly jumped up... After that, she approved my leave."

While eating, Ye Tian truthfully told the Two Women about his registration test.

"I never expected that admissions instructor to be such a beauty. How interesting."

"You're probably the first new student to ask a Teacher for leave before even entering Jia Nan Academy, right?"

Seeing how easily Ye Tian had settled everything, the Two Women felt there was nothing this Little Fellow could not accomplish.

"No, Xiao Yan asked for leave too, but Instructor Ruo Lin gave him a beating."

Thinking of how Xiao Yan had asked for leave, Ye Tian found it extremely amusing.

"Ah! That sounds so interesting. Hurry and tell us about Xiao Yan asking for leave."

The Two Women knew that Na Lan Yan Ran had publicly broken off her engagement with Xiao Yan, turning the Xiao Family into a laughingstock. That Little Fellow would surely have to win back his dignity.

"It went like this. After I asked Instructor Ruo Lin for leave..."

Seeing how nosy the Two Women were, Ye Tian had no choice but to carefully recount the amusing story of Xiao Yan's leave request to entertain them.

"Pfft...!"

"You're awful! You even said Xiao Yan's second uncle had died!"

"If Xiao Yan really had a second uncle, he'd probably whip your backside until it bloomed..."

Hearing the terrible idea Ye Tian had given Xiao Yan, the Two Women immediately burst into trembling laughter.

After dinner, Ye Tian and the Two Women packed their things, then called Master Gu Ni and set off.

The group arrived at Wutan City's relay station, hired a carriage, and headed east out of Wutan City.

Unicorn Horses were domesticated Magic Beasts. They were tall, strong, and gentle by nature, making them highly suitable for land transportation. When ordinary people traveled far from home, they usually chose to ride Unicorn Horse carriages or simply rode the horses themselves.

Sitting in the Unicorn Horse carriage, Ye Tian estimated that it could travel at several dozen kilometers per hour. It was fairly fast.

"Xiao Tian, Black Rock City is quite far from Wutan City. At the speed of a Unicorn Horse carriage, it'll probably take more than half a month to reach Black Rock City. We'll have to change horses several times at relay stations along the way. Otherwise, this Unicorn Horse we hired won't reach Black Rock City even if it runs itself to death..."

Inside the carriage, Ya Fei spread out a map and explained the general situation to Ye Tian.

After hearing Ya Fei's description, Ye Tian felt that Wutan City was at least ten thousand li away from Black Rock City.

"Xiao Tian, Wutan City is too small and too remote. On top of that, raising Thick-winged Bird Flying Magical Beasts costs too much, so the Jia Ma Empire only established Flight Centers in the top five cities."

"If it weren't for this Old Man, the three of you could have used Flying Dou Techniques to travel directly to Black Rock City."

Master Gu Ni was only a Five-Star Dou Grandmaster. Only after reaching the Dou Wang realm could one fly.

"Master Gu Ni, don't say that. Although we have Flying Dou Techniques, with our current strength, it would still take us several days to fly to Black Rock City. If we were carelessly discovered by some powerful expert hidden deep in the mountains and forests, it wouldn't be safe either."

"Traveling with you to Black Rock City lets us slowly enjoy the local customs and scenery along the way. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

In his previous life, Ye Tian had loved traveling everywhere. After transmigrating to a Different World, he still enjoyed this kind of long journey.

"Xiao Tian is right. Enjoying the scenery along the road is also a pleasure." Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian agreed with Ye Tian.

"You kids! You only know how to comfort this Old Man."

Seeing how considerate Ye Tian was of his difficulties, Master Gu Ni felt extremely pleased. It seemed he would have to cultivate harder and become stronger in the future so he could help this Prodigy.

More than half a month later, Ye Tian and his group finally arrived at Black Rock City. The first thing that greeted their eyes was the towering city wall built from black stone, an incomparably magnificent sight.

"This city wall was built from Black Rock Giant Stone. It can withstand attacks from Dou Wang-level experts, and Black Rock City got its name from it."

"Let's go. This Old Man will take you inside, and we won't even have to pay."

Master Gu Ni briefly introduced Black Rock City to Ye Tian, then patted the Second-grade Alchemist Badge on his chest and led the three of them toward the city gate.

Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian had even put on veils to conceal their stunning faces and avoid unnecessary trouble.

"Welcome to Black Rock City, my lord."

Sure enough, when the soldiers guarding the city saw that Old Man Gu Ni was an Alchemist, they immediately assumed a deeply respectful posture.

"Mm!"

Master Gu Ni nodded at the soldiers, then led Ye Tian and the others swaggering into the city.

"Xiao Tian, see that? This is how Alchemists are treated. No matter where you go, as long as you reveal your identity as an Alchemist, people will respect you."

Ya Fei looked at Ye Tian with a smile. Once this Little Fellow became a Fourth Grade Alchemist, countless people would probably die of envy.

"Of course."

Ye Tian nodded. Alchemist was one of the best professions on the Dou Qi Continent, which was why it was respected and admired by so many.

"Young Lady, go find an inn and settle in first. This Old Man will go to the Alchemist Guild. Once Xiao Tian has rested, come find me at the guild."

At this moment, Master Gu Ni planned to visit the Alchemist Guild first and make preparations for his and Ye Tian's examinations.

"Alright, Uncle Gu Ni."

Ya Fei understood what Old Man Gu Ni meant, then led Ye Tian and Xiao Yi Xian away to find a Luxurious Restaurant to stay in.

"Master Gu Ni, we'll come find you in two days."

Ye Tian waved at Old Man Gu Ni. Since they had arrived in Black Rock City, they naturally had to experience the city's local customs.

"Alright! Protect them well. I'll be waiting for you at the Alchemist Guild."

Master Gu Ni smiled and nodded. With a Prodigy like Ye Tian around, there was no need to worry about the safety of the two girls.

Black Rock City truly deserved to be one of the Jia Ma Empire's leading cities. It was at least several times larger than Wutan City. Countless restaurants and shops lined both sides of the streets, while carriages and pedestrians filled the roads. The cries of peddlers and vendors rang out endlessly, making the city seem exceptionally prosperous.

As Ye Tian and the others walked through the streets, they also drew the attention of passersby, all because Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian were beauties. Although both wore veils, their hazy beauty was even more alluring. Ya Fei in particular, with her seductive figure and enchanting aura, repeatedly drew the attention of many men.

"Red Jade Inn looks pretty good. What do you think?"

Before long, Ya Fei found a Luxurious Hotel and asked Ye Tian and Xiao Yi Xian for their opinions.

"Sister Ya Fei, you decide." Ye Tian and Xiao Yi Xian nodded.

"Then this one."

Seeing that neither of them objected, Ya Fei led them into the Hotel Lobby.

After entering the luxurious inn, Ye Tian saw many scantily clad, coquettishly dressed beauties casting flirtatious glances at male customers from time to time. He immediately felt as though he had entered one of those Specialty Clubs from Blue Star in his previous life.

"Don't look at them."

Seeing surprise flash through Ye Tian's eyes, Ya Fei hurriedly reminded him in a low voice, inwardly laughing. Could those gaudy women possibly look better than your sister?

"I wasn't looking!"

Ye Tian scratched his head innocently. I was just spacing out for a moment.

"Come on."

Xiao Yi Xian gently patted Ye Tian's shoulder, then stood in front of him with Ya Fei, one on each side, blocking his view of those gaudy women.

"Give us the most luxurious suite on the top floor for two days."

At the inn's front desk, Ya Fei tossed a bag of Gold Coins to the Innkeeper and directly rented the grandest room.

"Yes, honored guests."

Seeing that they were wealthy customers, the Innkeeper was overjoyed. He immediately instructed two Beautiful Waitresses to lead Ye Tian and the others toward the Deluxe Room on the top floor.

As they walked through the corridor between the rooms, Ye Tian occasionally saw couples openly displaying affection before entering their rooms to play VIP Game. From time to time, earth-shaking noises echoed out.

Although the rooms had excellent soundproofing, it was practically useless to Ye Tian. With even the slightest use of his soul power to sense the area, he could see the fierce battles taking place inside.

"Sister Ya Fei, are you sure this is a proper inn?"

Ye Tian looked at Ya Fei. What kind of inn is this? This is clearly a Place of Debauchery.

"Pfft..."

"Young Master, every inn in the Jia Ma Empire is like this."

"Young Master, if you need anything, we can serve you at any time..."

At this moment, the two Beautiful Waitresses leading the way saw Ye Tian's stunned expression and found it amusing. They patiently explained it to him while continuously casting flirtatious glances his way.

"Uh...!"

Seeing how direct the two Beautiful Waitresses were, Ye Tian was completely dumbfounded. Were women in this Different World all this bold?

"Stop acting seductive. He doesn't need your services."

"Hurry up and lead the way."

Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian immediately stepped in front of Ye Tian again, lest the Little Fellow be unable to resist temptation.

"As you command, Two Young Ladies."

The two Beautiful Waitresses smiled awkwardly, then continued leading the way with their long, shapely legs.

Soon, they arrived at the Deluxe Room on the top floor. The two Beautiful Waitresses prepared to Make Bed, Prepare Bath Water, and so on.

"You two may leave first. We don't need your services here either."

Ya Fei did not want the two Beautiful Waitresses wandering about in front of Ye Tian, so she directly told them to leave.

"As you command, Young Lady."

Seeing this, the two waitresses could only quietly withdraw.

"Sister Ya Fei, that's just their job." Watching Ya Fei's actions, Ye Tian felt that she was being a little too suspicious.

"Even so, no."

"Sister Ya Fei is doing this for your sake."

Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian rolled their eyes at Ye Tian. This Little Fellow was still just a teenager. They had to protect him properly and could not let him go astray.

"It's not as exaggerated as you're making it sound, is it?"

Seeing the Two Women acting like Mother Hens Protecting Food, Ye Tian felt they were overthinking things. He was a Transmigrator, after all, a man with principles.

Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, Ye Tian and the others left the inn, preparing to properly explore Black Rock City.

"Eh! Heavenly Hemp Jade Stone Essence, Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf, Earth Grass Root, Bone Spirit Fruit, Body Cleansing Spirit Grass, Purple Blood Ganoderma, Glazed Gold Fruit, Blue Jade Fruit... What an unexpected haul!"

When the three passed by the entrance of a large medicinal shop, Ye Tian casually glanced inside and spotted several kinds of High-grade Spirit Medicine, all more than thirty years old.

"Boss, how much are these Spirit Herbs?"

Ye Tian immediately entered the medicinal shop, intending to buy them.

Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian followed as well, curious to see what Spirit Herbs had caught Ye Tian's attention.

"Young Master, you truly have a keen eye. No more and no less, ten thousand Gold Coins for each of these Spirit Herbs."

Seeing business arrive, the owner immediately named his price. These were high-grade goods, and he was not worried about finding buyers.

"Boss, that's robbery!"

Hearing the price, Xiao Yi Xian was startled. Spirit Herbs of this level could sell for only a few hundred or perhaps one thousand Gold Coins each in Qingshan Town or Wutan City.

"Young Lady, this Heavenly Hemp Jade Stone Essence and Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf are fifty years old. They're rare and hard to come by. The remaining Spirit Herbs are all more than thirty years old. Selling them for ten thousand Gold Coins each is already a fair price. If other medicinal shops have Spirit Herbs like these, they might charge even more than I do."

The owner smiled as he explained to Xiao Yi Xian. He had put considerable effort into acquiring these Spirit Herbs. If he did not make several times his investment back, how could he justify all the hard work he had put in?

"No problem. I'll take them all."

Ye Tian directly took out a large pile of Gold Coins from his Ring of Holding and tossed them onto the counter, then quickly put away those High-grade Spirit Medicines.

"Young Master, you're truly straightforward. Please come again."

Seeing how readily Ye Tian spent his money, the owner's face immediately blossomed with a smile.

"What kind of Spirit Herbs are these? How can they be so expensive? You didn't even bargain. The boss named a price, and you paid it."

After leaving the medicinal shop, Xiao Yi Xian looked at Ye Tian with a pained expression, feeling that this Little Fellow was a reckless spender.

"Xian'er Sister, the boss wasn't really exaggerating. Prices in Black Rock City are simply high. A Spirit Herb that sells for one hundred Gold Coins in Wutan City might sell for a thousand here."

Ya Fei explained the price situation in Black Rock City to Xiao Yi Xian.

"I unexpectedly found Bone Spirit Fruit and Body Cleansing Spirit Grass. Those are Spirit Herbs needed to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill, so I couldn't be bothered to bargain. It's not like we lack Gold Coins."

Ye Tian reminded the Two Women that any Spirit Herb he had his eye on was bound to be high-grade.

"So that's how it is! Then that's wonderful."

Hearing that Ye Tian had obtained Spirit Herbs for the Marrow Cleansing Pill, Ya Fei and Xiao Yi Xian immediately felt the money had been well spent.

The three then continued strolling through the streets. Before they knew it, they had arrived outside the Mittel Auction House Venue.

"Sister Ya Fei, if we go in now, do you think anyone will recognize you?"

Ye Tian looked at Ya Fei, intending to browse around the Auction House.

"Of course they will. The manager of Black Rock City's Mittel Auction House is also the granddaughter of one of our family elders. She's two years older than me. Because her talent and strength are quite good, she was sent to Black Rock City to manage the Auction House business. My talent and strength were too poor, so I could only train in a remote place like Wutan City."

Thinking of that proud Cousin, Ya Fei slowly explained the situation to Ye Tian.

"Sister Ya Fei, does she look down on you?"

From Ya Fei's tone, Ye Tian and Xiao Yi Xian guessed that woman was certainly no easy character.

"Yes. When she was sent to Black Rock City as the Chief Auctioneer, she was already a Nine-star Dou Practitioner, while I was only a Two-Star Dou Practitioner."

Ya Fei recalled the cold treatment she had received within the family back then. Now, she felt it had been a blessing instead. Otherwise, she would never have met a Prodigy like Ye Tian.

"Do you want to show off your strength and take the wind out of your Cousin's sails?" Ye Tian suggested to Ya Fei.

"I don't really care about those things. Besides, no matter what, she's still family. If I showed her my strength, I'm afraid she'd feel unbalanced."

"Let's go in. Let's see what treasures and Spirit Herbs they have."

Ya Fei did not want to attract too much attention now. She then led Ye Tian and Xiao Yi Xian into the Mittel Auction House.