Bankruptcy

The more Ye Tong learned about the prices in the county city, the more he felt poor. Wearing a helpless expression, he followed behind Medicine Slave. He suddenly recalled something he had once heard on Earth: Money came and went, then left one empty; money came like rain and went like wind. Earning it bent one's back, spending it was light as the breeze; saving money had always been a dream, and keeping it was simply impossible.

Money!

Ye Tong felt somewhat envious of Mu Xiaochen. This fellow's reincarnation skills were truly excellent. As the son of a county prince, he had inexhaustible wealth at his disposal. Perhaps with just a few words, silver would flow into his purse like running water.

"Should I find a chance to rob the rich—that is, him—and help the poor—that is, myself?" Ye Tong savored the idea carefully.

A moment later, the two boarded a Kirin Chariot and hurried to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in the western city.

Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

It was even grander than the Sword Academy. Though it consisted of only one pavilion, it occupied an enormous area and had five floors. Every floor held tens of thousands of treasures. According to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, as long as one had money, there was nothing here that could not be bought.

It was arrogant, wildly arrogant.

Yet No One doubted its influence, because the Myriad Treasures Pavilion belonged to the Lan family, one of the Eight Great Families of the Eastern Mu Continent. Its foundations ran deep, its resources were abundant, too dazzling for others to look upon directly.

"Welcome, honored guests." The moment they stepped through the Myriad Treasures Pavilion's doors, a sharp-witted attendant hurried over and greeted them with a professional smile.

Ye Tong said, "Take us to where silver crystals and gold crystals are sold."

"Right away!" The attendant's eyes lit up as he realized that this old man and youth before him were likely wealthy patrons.

Silver crystals and gold crystals were kept on the second floor. Led by the attendant, they soon arrived before rows of transparent containers. One silver crystal after another, one gold crystal after another, gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight streaming in.

"Dazzling!"

Ye Tong was shaken. The number of silver crystals and gold crystals before him was simply too spectacular. There were tens of thousands of Silver Crystals alone, while the gold crystals numbered no fewer than ten thousand.

Medicine Slave stood beside Ye Tong. After sweeping his gaze around, he sighed. "I haven't come here in over ten years, yet nothing has changed. It is still this magnificent. Truly, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion is forged of iron while customers flow like water."

"Whew..." Ye Tong let out a long breath and said, "Fifty Silver Crystals and ten gold crystals."

The attendant immediately beamed with joy and briskly spoke with the steward in charge. A moment later, he returned holding two wooden boxes and stood before Ye Tong. "Fifty Silver Crystals cost five hundred thousand Blue Silver in total. Ten gold crystals cost one million Blue Silver in total. How would you like to pay, honored guest?"

"Damn it, one and a half million?"

A bitter smile appeared on Ye Tong's face. He nodded to Medicine Slave. Now he truly understood what it meant for money to flow away like water. After merely taking a stroll outside, he had bought sword technique manuals, Silver Crystals, and gold crystals—and spent a total of one million nine hundred fifty-eight thousand Blue Silver.

The attendant looked at Ye Tong as if he were not looking at a customer, but at glittering mountains of gold and silver. When he saw Medicine Slave take the two wooden boxes and simply hold them in his arms, he seemed to realize something. His eyes turned, and he asked with a smile, "Honored guests, it seems you do not have a Spatial Pouch?"

Ye Tong asked in confusion, "A Spatial Pouch? What is that?"

The attendant wore an expression that said, "Just as expected," but there was not the slightest contempt in it. He patiently explained, "A Spatial Pouch is a spiritual treasure used to store objects, making it convenient for cultivators to carry things. For example, with these two wooden boxes, if you possessed a Spatial Pouch, you could place them within its storage space."

"This..."

Ye Tong's heart thumped. He realized that this so-called Spatial Pouch was much like the spatial rings found in novels on Earth. He immediately said, "Take us to have a look."

"Young Master!" Medicine Slave hurriedly called out.

Ye Tong turned around in confusion and asked, "What is it?"

Medicine Slave smiled bitterly. "Spatial Pouches are extremely valuable. If we buy one, even the lowest-grade Spatial Pouch will leave us utterly bankrupt."

"Uh, still no money?" Ye Tong's expression stiffened, and a feeling of helplessness rose within him.

The attendant's expression changed slightly, and he hastily said, "Honored guests, you have already spent more than one million Blue Silver today. If you purchase more items, you will receive a ten percent discount."

Ye Tong considered it, then said, "Take us to look first. Whether we can afford one can wait until later."

"Right away!"

The attendant led Ye Tong and Medicine Slave to the third floor. They passed through corridor after corridor and by the doors of spacious, brightly lit rooms, finally stopping in a room decorated with lush greenery. There were not many items in this room; nearly all of them were exquisite pouches in various styles.

Sneaking a glance at Ye Tong, the attendant explained, "Spatial Pouches are divided into grades. One-Leaf Spatial Pouches are the lowest, Two-Leaf Spatial Pouches come next, and Three-Leaf Spatial Pouches are the best. The differences lie in their spatial stability and the size of their inner space. You may examine them for yourself."

Ye Tong casually picked up a pouch embroidered with a willow-leaf pattern. As he injected a wisp of vital energy into it, he immediately sensed a space inside roughly ten square meters in size.

Afterward, Ye Tong inspected Two-Leaf Spatial Pouches and Three-Leaf Spatial Pouches as well. He found that a Two-Leaf Spatial Pouch contained roughly one hundred square meters of space, while a Three-Leaf Spatial Pouch contained roughly one thousand square meters. As for their height, all of them had the standard height of five meters.

"The prices of these Spatial Pouches are truly beautiful."

Ye Tong laughed bitterly inwardly. Never mind the Two-Leaf Spatial Pouches and Three-Leaf Spatial Pouches—even the cheapest One-Leaf Spatial Pouch required one million Blue Silver. The price was outrageously high.

"Young Master!" Medicine Slave's heart immediately tightened when he noticed the burning look in Ye Tong's eyes.

Ye Tong asked, "How much money do we have left?"

Medicine Slave replied with a bitter smile, "Nine hundred forty thousand Blue Silver."

Ye Tong raised a brow and looked at the attendant. "You said earlier that there would be a ten percent discount?"

The attendant answered without hesitation, "That is correct. Ten percent off."

Ye Tong nodded slightly. "Medicine Slave, pay the bill."

Medicine Slave pondered for a moment. Considering that the young master had recently thought everything through thoroughly in whatever he did, he no longer hesitated and promptly made the payment.

Once the transaction was complete, Ye Tong could not be bothered to linger. His pockets were short on money, and if he discovered any more fine goods, it would only dampen his spirits.

"Young Master!"

As they strolled down the street, Medicine Slave followed beside him, chattering away. "We only have forty thousand Blue Silver left. If we remain in the county city for half a month, the daily cost of medicinal meals alone will be no small expense. If we purchase anything else, we will be stretched thin. Most importantly, the upcoming auction is approaching. Blood Demon Worms are expensive. If we cannot obtain a large amount of gold and silver soon, I fear our purpose in coming to the county city this time will come to nothing."

As the saying went, a single coin could stump a hero. Ye Tong was beginning to feel a headache as well. Refining pills for sale could earn money quickly, but earning one million Blue Silver—or several million Blue Silver—before the auction was clearly impossible with so little time.

Borrow money?

Mu Xiaochen's face surfaced in his mind, and Ye Tong secretly shook his head. Mu Xiaochen did not lack money, but borrowing money meant owing a favor. He was very unwilling to owe someone a favor over mere wealth.

"Right, how did I forget that?" Ye Tong's eyes suddenly lit up as he thought of a way to make money. He immediately said, "Come with me to buy raw jade materials. If we hurry, there is still time."

Medicine Slave asked in surprise, "Do you intend to sell Jade Carvings?"

Ye Tong smiled and shook his head. "More accurately, I intend to sell formations."

Ye Tong did not explain further. After asking around, he quickly found a shop that sold jade. He spent nearly all their remaining Blue Silver to buy twelve fist-sized chunks of raw jade. After hurrying back to the Peach Garden Inn, Ye Tong ate something and began carving according to the patterns in his mind.

However, after only two hours had passed, Medicine Slave's voice interrupted Ye Tong's carving.

"Young Master, it is time to keep the appointment." Remembering Jin Qiusheng's invitation, Ye Tong temporarily set aside his work, took a warm bath, changed into clean and tidy clothes, and headed toward Piaoxiang Tower with Medicine Slave.

Cai Luan Platform.

It was the deployment platform in the southern city of the county, where several hundred Patrol Camp soldiers were stationed. If unrest broke out nearby, they would be the first to arrive and control the situation. The Patrol Camp commander on duty tonight was Gao Fengkuo.

Gao Fengkuo was broad and powerfully built, with a stern face and a fierce aura radiating from his entire body. He sat upright in a tiger-carved chair, viciousness occasionally flashing through his eyes. Over the past two days, the Gao Family's reputation had been swept into the gutter, its foul name spreading far and wide. He too had been humiliated by it, and thus hated the culprit to the bone.

"Commander Gao!"

In the distance, a sturdy young man dressed in plain clothes hurried to Gao Fengkuo and reported, "Several of us have been hiding near the Peach Garden Inn to keep watch. We have discovered that the youth called Ye Tong has left the Peach Garden Inn with his old family servant. They are heading toward Clear River Street."

Gao Fengkuo's eyes brightened. He immediately rose to his feet and shouted, "Patrol Armor Guard and Patrol B Guard, come with me to apprehend the murderer! All other units, remain here and continue your watch."

At once, two imposing squads of Patrol Camp soldiers swiftly gathered. They quickly mounted their Wind Howl Wolves and followed Gao Fengkuo toward Clear River Street.

At night, the county city seemed draped in magnificent cosmetics. Multicolored lanterns hung throughout streets and alleys, while crowds flowed through the bustling roads. Carriages and horses streamed past one another, and the clamor was endless.

This was Ye Tong's first time venturing out at night since arriving in the county city. As he looked at the faces illuminated by colorful lanterns and the glowing signs beneath the pavilion eaves, his heart seemed to become covered in an air of everyday life.

Even scenes from costume dramas could not compare with the beauty before my eyes, could they? Ye Tong thought.

"Move aside!" A disturbance suddenly erupted ahead, followed by an angry roar.

"The Patrol Camp is arresting criminals! Those who obstruct us will be punished as accomplices."

A hundred Wind Howl Wolves galloped wildly, creating a spectacular sight. The imposing Patrol Camp soldiers were even more wild and unrestrained. Passersby who moved aside too slowly were whipped away with the long spears in their hands.

A moment later, the sturdy youth at the front raised his right arm. As the hundred Wind Howl Wolves came to a stop one after another, he pointed at Ye Tong and Medicine Slave and shouted, "Those two are the villains who murdered and robbed!"