Although the Eighteen Families also opened the Purple Crystal Mountain Range to adventurers.
They charged only five thousand Ink Stones, or let adventurers enter without paying upfront and hand over three Purple Crystals to the Eighteen Families when they came out.
No matter how you looked at it, the Eighteen Families were guaranteed to profit.
But that was only under normal circumstances.
After the Mist Sea's surges, the Eighteen Families wouldn't allow any outsiders near the Purple Crystal Mountain Range while the mist was receding.
Anyone who entered the outskirts of the Purple Crystal Mountain Range at that time would find Purple Crystals scattered everywhere.
The Eighteen Families weren't stupid.
"I reckon the Eighteen Families will harvest fifty billion Purple Crystals this time."
"I say sixty billion. This Mist Sea surge lasted at least five thousand years longer than the last one."
More than a dozen High Gods wearing Demon Medals were waiting leisurely outside the Eighteen Families Castle.
"You've all guessed round numbers, so I'll say fifty-five billion."
"You're all too optimistic. Not me, though—I say only thirty billion. Have you forgotten what happened fifteen trillion years ago?"
"If it happens like that again, the Eighteen Families will go mad!"
"That was brutal. They packed up every Purple Crystal produced that time and took them all away!"
The dozen or so demons communicated through divine sense.
"That man had the strength of an Asura, and the Eighteen Families were unprepared. Look at them now: no matter the time, they have at least three Alliance Elders stationed here."
"Haha, that could never happen again."
"Right. How many Asura-level powerhouses could there be on the Purple Thorn Continent? The old-timers have too much pride. And if someone shameless enough to take every Purple Crystal showed up, the Eighteen Families have powerhouses