Inside the cave dwelling of Lanhuang City.
Lu Qingshan retrieved all the returned Cosmic Sand from the Golden Finger Space.
It's not that he needs so much Cosmic Sand, but rather that this golden finger cannot be retrieved in part; the retrieved items must either be stored or all of them must be retrieved.
Otherwise, some of this money could be given to Xue You Clone.
However, Xue You Clone has already taken in disciples, and can offer cashback. Moreover, since they are in a major sect, making money is very easy for them.
One million grains of Cosmic Sand piled up like a mountain in the storage space, each grain exuding a majestic aura of the Great Dao.
Cosmic Sand is also a very important resource for cultivation. It can be used to comprehend the Great Cosmic Sand, but this is clearly not something he can comprehend at present.
What he needs to comprehend most right now is the Chaos Law.
Lu Qingshan took out several jade bottles, separated and stored the Cosmic Sand, and then walked out of the cultivation chamber.
Chi You had just returned to his cave, carrying a wine gourd in his hand. The gourd looked very ordinary, without any spiritual light, obviously a cheap one bought from one of the low-end taverns in Lanhuang City.
"Master, you've emerged from seclusion?"
Chi You threw the wine jug in his hand at him.
"This is something I just bought, please try it."
Chi You knew that his master was very fond of this kind of drink, and since he hadn't tasted this pot yet, he could let his master enjoy it first.
Lu Qingshan picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, took a sip, and frowned slightly. "The taste is so-so, much worse than the previous ones."
Chi You looked embarrassed and then said, "Master, we're out of money. The Chaos Crystal we had left over have long been used up. While you were in seclusion, I went out several times to collect some rare and precious materials to pay for the rental of this cave dwelling for this period."
You've worked hard.
Lu Qingshan glanced at Chi You.
I was speechless.
With a Perfect Divine Body and the power of a World Beast King, he's ended up in such a miserable state.
It's rather pathetic that a dignified World Beast King like himself still needs to go out and gather herbs to earn money.
He took out a white jade bottle and then tossed it aside.
Chi You quickly caught it.
"What's this?"
Chi You was taken aback.
"Just open it and you'll know."
Lu Qingshan smiled slightly.
Chi You opened the jade bottle, and the aura of the Great Dao wafted out. Each grain of golden sand Golden Light, dazzlingly bright.
"Is this Cosmic Sand?"
Chi You was greatly surprised.
They've been in Lanhuang City for so long, and the highest-level currency they've ever used is Chaos Crystal. They never expected that their master would have so much Cosmic Sand.
Since there is so much Cosmic Sand, why didn't the master take it out before, making them suffer for so long?
"This jade bottle contains a total of one hundred grains of Cosmic Sand, enough for us to use for a while. We won't need to be frugal anymore."
"Master, you've struck it rich?"
I guess so!
Lu Qingshan nodded and continued, "However, our current disguise is only that of Void True God, so we still need to be careful when using the Cosmic Sand. Taking out one or two grains is fine, but taking out too many might attract covetousness."
"I know."
Chi You had lived in Lanhuang City for over a century, so he was naturally familiar with the way of life there.
Don't be fooled by their seemingly undisturbed existence; it's because they both displayed the strength of Void True God. Two Void True God with no ties to their masters are generally not someone to provoke.
Previously, Chi You had been short of money and worried about rent and food. Now that he had this hundred Cosmic Sand, he felt much more at ease.
"Master has struck it rich, why don't we invite Yan Shuo out to celebrate?"
Chi You suggested.
Yan Shuo was a servant that Lu Qingshan had taken in before. He was just a True God. Over the years, he had been cultivating in his cave, and he was more diligent than Lu Qingshan.
"No rush, I still have some things to take care of. Let's celebrate after I'm done."
Lu Qingshan slowly stood up.
I have to go out for a bit. Wait for me to come back.
"Yes."
Lu Qingshan walked out of the cave. After leaving the cave area, in a secluded place, his figure began to change. His face changed into that of a stranger, and his aura changed from that of Void True God to that of Eternal True God.
After that, he went straight to the entrance of the Tianmu Chamber of Commerce and went inside.
As soon as Lu Qingshan entered the Chamber of Commerce, the manager of Tianmu Chamber of Commerce, an elderly man with white hair and beard, dismissed the other shop assistants and came over personally.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
The old man raised his hand in a gesture of respect.
Although he was the manager of the Lanhuang City branch of the Tianmu Chamber of Commerce, he was merely a Void True God. Even at the peak of the Void True God Void True God, there was still a significant gap between him and Eternal True God.
In particular, one must maintain sufficient respect when a strange and Eternal True God arrives.
"I need some body-refining materials, do you have any here?"
"Body-refining materials?"
The old man repeated the sentence, then took out a treasure catalog and said, "This is all the body-refining materials in our shop. You may take a look, sir."
Lu Qingshan picked up the roster and glanced at it.
The list contains only very ordinary body-refining materials, with only a small portion being useful to the Eternal True God.
"Pack them all up, and you can calculate how much it will cost in total."
Lu Qingshan didn't bother to explain.
The body-refining materials are all what he needs. Although he doesn't need the materials of Void True God and True God for the time being, his true self might take on a disciple. As long as he takes on some disciples, even the lowest grade three, after a ten-thousand-fold return, will definitely be extremely high-quality body-refining materials.
To reach the peak of Perfect Divine Body through mere purchase or exchange is only possible with a powerful force. In Lanhuang City, he must find other ways.
Upon hearing that Lu Qingshan wanted to buy them all, the old man was somewhat surprised, but he immediately made an offer.
"These body-refining materials total 63,000 units of Cosmic Sand. Since the Venerable One has purchased too much, and it's a buy-all deal, I can offer a 5% discount, making the total 59,850 units of Cosmic Sand."
Lu Qingshan did not bargain.
He took out a jade bottle and threw it over; it contained exactly that number of items.
After accepting the Cosmic Sand, the old man quickly counted all the materials and handed them over to Lu Qingshan without missing a single one.
During this process, Lu Qingshan also inspected other items in the store.
His Eye of Wisdom between his brows remained open, allowing him to perceive most of what was in the shop. Lu Qingshan discovered that in a space behind the counter, there was an object emitting an extremely faint yet wondrous fluctuation. The fluctuation was somewhat similar to the Cosmic Sand, seemingly possessing the aura of the Great Dao, but it was very weak and not as obvious as the Cosmic Sand.
What is that?
Although Lu Qingshan was surprised, he remained calm.
Only after the old man finished counting the materials and handed them to him did Lu Qingshan speak again.
Do you have any unusual items in your shop?
"What a strange thing?"
The old man pondered for a moment.
As the manager of a branch of the chamber of commerce, he was also a shrewd man. Without asking any questions, he simply walked to the counter, opened a drawer, and took out a few items.
"Your Excellency, these are all rare items, some of which I have never seen before. Please take a look and see if there is anything that interests you."
Lu Qingshan glanced around.
They discovered that what they had just sensed was also among these items.
It was a broken blade, covered in thick rust, and looked quite unremarkable.
The other items, though also peculiar, did not reveal anything amiss to the Eye of Wisdom.
There's definitely something wrong with this thing.
Lu Qingshan was certain that this rusty blade was a treasure.
However, instead of picking up the razor blade, he picked up a round object and asked, "What is this?"
"I don't know----"
The old man shook his head.
"This was picked up from the wild by a True God. It may be the seed of some plant, or it may be the remains of some creature. Its specific purpose is unknown."
"Even you don't know?"
Lu Qingshan showed an interested expression, then asked, "How much?"
"If Your Excellency likes it, this item may be given to you."
The old man was very generous.
Although he didn't know the origin of this item, he knew that it was of very low value. When that True God came to sell it, he only gave him a few Chaos Crystal to get rid of him, so he naturally didn't care about anything.
"No need, just name your price."
"Your Excellency, if needed, ten grains of Cosmic Sand will suffice."
"Um."
Lu Qingshan nodded, then looked at the others before taking out the rusty blade and asking, "What is this?"
"Your Excellency, this was pledged to our shop by a Void True God. However, the pledge period has expired. This item is not cheap; we paid a considerable price just for the pledge."
"Oh, what's so special about this?"
Lu Qingshan held it in his hand and examined it carefully.
The old man said, "This thing looks very ordinary, but in reality, the materials are extremely high-grade. Although I don't know why it's corroded like this, it must have originally been an extremely precious treasure. I've tested it; a weapon of Void True God would be instantly destroyed upon collision with it."
"How valuable is a weapon that's so rusty yet can destroy Void True God with a single touch?"
Lu Qingshan asked in surprise.
"Our guild has invested a great deal in this, so the price is relatively high. If Your Excellency requires it, you will need to pay 100,000 Cosmic Sand."
The old man's voice lowered considerably, as if he lacked confidence; it was unclear whether he was faking it.
"Ten thousand Cosmic Sand?" Lu Qingshan's expression darkened, and a terrifying pressure caused the old man's expression to change slightly.
"Do you think I'm a sucker, spending 100,000 units of Cosmic Sand to buy this piece of junk?"
Lu Qingshan said coldly.
The old man chuckled dryly, "Your Excellency, if you feel the price is not right, you can still bargain. Please don't be angry. This item is quite rare, and may be some kind of Elder Gu relic, so the price is a bit high. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."
Lu Qingshan snorted and said, "I'll offer a maximum of ten thousand Cosmic Sand."
Thirty thousand.
The old man quickly replied, "This is already the lowest price."
Lu Qingshan turned and left.
"Hey, Your Excellency, don't be in such a hurry. I'll sell you ten thousand Cosmic Sand. Consider it making friends with Your Excellency."
The old man quickly followed.
"It would have been better to do this earlier."
Lu Qingshan handed over 10,010 grains of Cosmic Sand, put away both treasures, and then left the Tianmu Chamber of Commerce.
A smile appeared on his lips as he walked out of the Chamber of Commerce.
Under the observation of the Eye of Wisdom, that fragment was definitely a valuable item, at least the remains of Chaos Great Sage, or even God King Level treasure. Let alone ten thousand Cosmic Sand, even if it were one hundred thousand Cosmic Sand, he would have made a huge profit.
Buying this thing was like getting a great deal.
Behind him, after watching Lu Qingshan leave, the old man smiled. He returned to the shop, made a note in the ledger, and said with a smile.
"That thing only cost one hundred Cosmic Sand to acquire back then, and now it's sold for ten thousand. The profit for this cycle has already exceeded the target. My performance has been good these past few cycles, so perhaps I can look for an opportunity to transfer to a better city—this Lanhuang City is still too remote—"
Lu Qingshan felt he had gotten a bargain, and the shopkeeper of the chamber of commerce also felt he had been ripped off. Both parties were very satisfied with the transaction.
When Lu Qingshan returned to his cave, he found that Chi You had also gone out.
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me in the cave?"
Lu Qingshan asked.
"I didn't expect Master to return so quickly." Chi You patted the cloth bag hanging at his waist and said, "I went to the pawnshop and exchanged some Chaos Crystal. It's too inconvenient to use Cosmic Sand when going out to spend money."
"Okay, let's call Yan Shuo and go out."
Lu Qingshan said.
Soon, Chi You summoned Yan Shuo.
The three of them left the cave and arrived at the most bustling street in Lanhuang City.
This place is basically only for the wealthy in Lanhuang City; Yan Shuo and Chi You had never been here before.
Soon, they arrived outside a nine-story building.
This is a restaurant.
Above the entrance of the restaurant hangs a plaque with the three characters "Drunken Dream Pavilion" (醉梦楼).
"Young Master, this is Drunken Dream Pavilion, the most upscale restaurant in Lanhuang City. Legend has it that it's most famous for its Drunken Life and Dreaming Death' wine. Even a single drop of this fine wine can immerse True God in Drunken Life and Dreaming Death. It even has some effect on Void True God and Eternal True God."
Chi You explained.
Yan Shuo was a little nervous.
He had never been to such a high-class place before, but he had obviously heard of the Drunken Dream Pavilion and the Drunken Life and Dreaming Death Pavilion.
"Since that's the case, let's experience the taste of this Drunken Life and Dreaming Death today."
Lu Qingshan stepped inside.
They sat down at a window seat on the second floor, ordered some food, and finally even ordered a pot of "Drunken Life and Dreaming Death" wine.
Drunken Dream Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation as the best restaurant in Lanhuang City. The dishes here are all quite delicious, and Lu Qingshan enjoyed another cup of this "Drunken Life and Dreaming Death.
It did have some effect, but not much, after all, he was Eternal True God with an extremely powerful divine body.
However, it cannot be said that this "Drunken Life and Dreaming Death" is just an empty name. This thing works on him, and for other Void True God and True God, it goes without saying that it is an absolute luxury.
Chi You also gulped down a mouthful, revealing a dazed expression.
Lu Qingshan glanced at Yan Shuo. Although Lu Qingshan had asked him to sit down and eat with him, Yan Shuo only dared to eat the dish in front of him, and he was very careful and nervous.
" Yan Shuo —you are my servant. You will be coming to occasions like this often in the future. You should also experience the taste of this Drunken Life and Dreaming Death. This stuff will have a very good effect on your cultivation."
"Thank you, young master."
Yan Shuo quickly got up, poured himself a small cup, and after just one sip, he immediately lost consciousness, immersed in Drunken Life and Dreaming Death. A tear rolled down his cheek, it was unclear what he had encountered in his dream.
At that very moment, a melodious piano tune began to play.
The elegant piano music, combined with the Drunken Life and Dreaming Death, brought a sense of tranquility to the listener.
The song ended.
Sparse applause rang out in the restaurant.
Lu Qingshan narrowed his eyes slightly, casually took out ten Chaos Crystal, and handed them to the shop assistant beside him. "Give these to the musician."
The musician, having received the tip, glanced at Lu Qingshan and his two companions, bowed slightly in gratitude, his eyes filled with thanks.
Lu Qingshan continued drinking, clinking glasses with Chi You.
Outside the window, night gradually fell on Lanhuang City, and the city lights resembled stars in the sky.
Lu Qingshan and Chi You were still enjoying themselves, while Yan Shuo was still immersed in his dream.
"This is life!"