A flicker of understanding crossed Manager Qian's eyes, but his smile remained unchanged. "You have a keen eye, Alchemist Zhou. Ding-7 may be somewhat out of the way, and its spiritual energy is nothing special, but its earthfire vent is extremely stable—ideal for an alchemist's daily pill refining. The price is reasonable, too: only two hundred and eighty low-grade spirit stones a year. If you rent long-term, we can negotiate further."
The price posed no difficulty for Li Qingshan, but he still pondered for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Since I've only just arrived, I'll take this one. I'll rent it for a year to begin with." As he spoke, he counted out two hundred and eighty spirit stones.
"Certainly!" Manager Qian deftly accepted the spirit stones and handed Li Qingshan a token that controlled the cave abode's formation, his manner as warm as ever. "Alchemist Zhou, this token controls the cave abode's formation. With it, you can come and go freely.
"The cave abode has all the basic facilities. Any damage must be compensated at full value. By the way, since you've just arrived, are you familiar with the city's main trading venues?"
Li Qingshan took the token and followed up naturally. "I was just about to ask for your advice, Manager Qian."
Manager Qian was clearly happy to do a potential alchemist a favor. Lowering his voice slightly, he said, "The largest trading venue in the city is the Purple Glow Pavilion in the center. It's run by the City Lord's Mansion and has the most complete selection of goods, but it's also the most expensive, and you'll need proof of identity.
"Next is Hundred Treasures Street in the East Market. Dragons and fish mingle there, and you can find just about anything, but you'll have to