Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

Upon seeing Yang Ying, he did not press him further with questions.

Lu Zaian secretly breathed a sigh of relief and changed the subject, asking:

"I wonder how many cave dwellings are inside the inner city now?"

Lu wanted to cultivate in seclusion in the inner city, but he was not yet familiar with many things in the inner city.

Fellow Daoist Yang, could you offer some guidance?

"Of course, I'll let Fellow Daoist Lu know."

My inner city has a total of twenty-four top-level cave dwellings... and thirty-six secondary cave dwellings.

Aside from the residences of our lineage of the City Lord, including the cave dwellings for our masters and disciples, there are also the cave dwellings for worship.

There are still ten top-tier cave dwellings open to the public, and twenty secondary cave dwellings.

Top-tier cave dwellings are all located deep within third-tier spiritual veins, with complete facilities and abundant spiritual energy.

The secondary cave dwelling is slightly inferior, but it is still much richer in spiritual energy than the outer city…

"So... I wonder what the rental prices are for each of us?" Lu Zaian asked.

"Fellow Daoist, you'll understand once you follow me..."

Yang Ying kept Lu Zaian in suspense and led him to a spacious hall in the inner city.

The main hall is magnificent and covers a vast area, like a city within a city.

The words "Enforcement Pavilion" are inscribed on it.

The guards on both sides of the main hall entrance were all at the peak of the Qi Refining realm!

Upon seeing Yang Ying, they bowed and greeted him.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master Yang!"

As the sixth disciple personally taught by the city lord, Yang Ying's position in Huangze City is the deputy head of the Law Enforcement Pavilion.

"Who is this senior monk...?"

Strangers rarely enter the Enforcement Pavilion.

Although Lu Zaian's aura was also at the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, due to their duty, the two guards still asked the routine question.

"This is Master Lu, a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator who has come here to rent and select a cave dwelling."

Yang Ying nodded in response, and then led Lu Zaian to a side hall.

As soon as you push the door open, you see a huge compass floating in mid-air inside the room.

Countless streams of light extended from the walls and floor, intertwining on the compass.

Lu Zaian's pupils contracted slightly... He smelled the fragrance of the array.

Yang Ying then manipulated the compass with both hands for a moment.

Immediately, a lifelike 3D map of the desolate city was slowly projected above the compass.

"Fellow Daoist, take a look. This is the map of the inner city."

The white dots marked above represent the vacant secondary cave dwellings.

Rental prices start on an annual basis.

The price increases from the outside in, ranging from one thousand to two thousand spirit stones per year.

The yellow dots represent vacant, top-tier cave dwellings.

Prices range from two to four thousand per year.

Yang Ying pulled with both hands, enlarging the inner city section.

The clearly visible yellow and white dots on the map are individual cave dwellings.

However, we can only see the general outline of the cave; we can't see any more details...

This is also normal.

Lu Zaian guessed that the compass was part of the third-order grand formation of the Desolate Swamp City.

It has the function of monitoring and investigation.

However, every Foundation Establishment cultivator has their own privacy.

Even though the desolate city possesses a third-tier grand formation.

Its primary use is for defense.

Rather than probing other people's secrets.

Otherwise, it will surely arouse public anger.

Another point.

Lu Zaian had sensed a desolate and weakened aura from the third-order array on the city wall of Huangze City a long time ago.

As expected, this third-order grand formation must have been set up for thousands of years.

However, no third-tier array master has been born in the lineage of the successive city lords of Huangze City in recent times.

Therefore, they can only maintain and operate the third-order array in a simple way.

However, it cannot achieve thorough inspection and complete control...

'In this way, this third-tier city-protecting formation cannot spy on the secrets of the Foundation Establishment cultivators within the city...'

Even if the City Lord of the Core Formation City were to personally intervene, it wouldn't work.

What if… I mean, what if… I could thoroughly understand the third-tier grand formation of this desolate city?

Lu Zaian's expression remained unchanged as he pretended to look at the map, but his mind was elsewhere.

Fortunately, Yang Ying did not possess mind-reading abilities at this time.

Otherwise, if he finds out Lu Zaian's thoughts, he'll definitely turn against him.

The third-tier city-protecting formation is the lifeblood of Huangze City.

If it falls into the hands of others, is the City Lord's lineage still legitimate?

I kindly introduced you to the cave dwelling, but you're after my city-protecting formation, aren't you?

Of course, Lu Zaian was only thinking about it.

His array formation technique is currently stuck at the first-tier high-grade level...

A moment later, Lu Zaian selected a secondary cave dwelling.

With his current wealth and cultivation level, renting a secondary cave dwelling would be sufficient.

The location he chose was in a remote area south of the inner city.

The price is 1,400 low-grade spirit stones per year.

Lu Zaian observed that this cave dwelling, compared to other cave dwellings in the inner city, was far from the center and had no other neighbors nearby.

This way, I can focus on my cultivation without being disturbed.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, are you sure you want... the 24th secondary cave dwelling?"

"With Fellow Daoist Lu's strength, I'm sure you can choose something better, right?"

Yang Ying was puzzled.

"No need, the 24th will do. I prefer a quiet place where I won't be disturbed."

Lu Zaian explained calmly.

"Alright, since Fellow Daoist Lu likes it, I won't try to dissuade you any further."

This is the array token for Cave No. 24.

Furthermore, our Foundation Establishment cultivators' cave dwellings can be staffed with hundreds of servants to handle daily maintenance and miscellaneous tasks.

This is a token for entering and exiting the inner city. Fellow Daoist Lu may keep it safe and distribute it to suitable servants.

As Yang Ying spoke, he took out a storage bag containing a token and handed it to Lu Zaian.

Foundation Establishment cultivators are not restricted from entering or leaving the inner city.

However, each Foundation Establishment cultivator's cave dwelling requires many servants and menial tasks.

These people must have a token to enter and exit the inner city if they are selected.

Lu Zaian accepted the token and readily paid two years' rent upfront.

However, this also meant that his spirit stones were almost gone.

"I have another question for Fellow Daoist Yang. If I want to open a shop in the outer city, who should I rent it from?"

"Oh? I've long heard that Fellow Daoist Lu is famous in the East District for his alchemy skills."

"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Lu's alchemy skills have advanced to the second tier?"

Yang Ying's eyes lit up. He thought that if Lu Zaian's alchemy skills reached the second level, then even if he couldn't win Lu Zaian over, it would be even more necessary to befriend him.

"Not yet, I am of dull talent... I have only barely grasped the first-grade high-level alchemy technique so far."

Lu Zaian waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to hide this fact.

Yang Ying laughed and said:

"Fellow Daoist Lu is too modest. Even a first-grade high-level alchemist is rare in Huangze City."

Moreover, Fellow Daoist Lu's skills might even improve further in the future...

As for opening shops, most of the shops in Huangze City are still unsold or unleased.

However, the array compass here is not clearly visible.

I can't just give you a recommendation without careful consideration.

It's best to conduct an on-site investigation to determine the exact foot traffic and location.

Once Fellow Daoist Lu has made his selection, just let me know, and I'll give you the amount of spirit stones you need...

However, I need to give Fellow Daoist Lu a heads-up first.

The market for first-grade high-quality pills is quite complex, and there are usually Foundation Establishment forces behind them.

How to strike the right balance is up to Fellow Daoist Lu…

Upon hearing this, Lu Zaian nodded, indicating that he understood.

There are very few first-tier high-grade alchemists who are self-taught and independent cultivators.

They were basically cultivated by other major powers.

These high-level pill shops located in the desolate city are a cash cow for those powerful forces.

If I were to interfere, I would be taking away their interests.

Just like the conflict between myself and the Three Ding Tower in the past.

However, now that I am a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I am certainly qualified to be at the table...

The only thing to be careful about is not to eat in an unseemly manner.

For example, Lu Zaian can no longer engage in malicious price competition.

Even if Lu Zaian is able to refine pills with pill patterns in the future, he cannot sell them on a large scale.

It's fine as an occasional small gem.

Otherwise, it would be cutting off the business opportunities of competitors...