Money Opens Doors

Before the city gate marked with the character for 'Mortal,' demon guards stood in dense lines, significantly more numerous than at the other entrances.

They were on high alert, patrolling and maintaining order.

In one corner of the entrance, a row of long tables was set up. Behind each table sat a clerk with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones at the ready, responsible for registration.

"Name?"

"Bai Mang, Mang as in busy."

"Where are you from?"

"I drift through the sea of people and make my home wherever I go. Wherever I walk, that is my home."

The clerk stopped his brush and looked up, a slight smile appearing on his face. "You have an interesting way of speaking."

Xu Xian smiled back subtly.

"Where did you come from?"

"From the area of Min Capital near the North Nether Creek."

The clerk nodded and began writing while rolling up his sleeves. "Then we'll record you as a resident of Min Capital."

The youth remained silent.

The clerk continued his questioning. "What brings you to the nether capital?"

Xu Xian paused for a moment before saying with a bright expression, "To make a name for myself, establish a career, and start a family."

"Tsk, tsk." The clerk clicked his tongue and couldn't help but scrutinize Xu Xian several times.

He had worked under this city gate for nearly half his life and had seen countless people. He could usually tell someone's background and potential for success with about eighty percent accuracy just by looking at them.

The youth before him was of the mortal demon race, yet he was exceptionally handsome, with features more refined than many young ladies. However, his eyes held a firm resolve.

He had ambition.

He had ideals.

This was someone who could succeed.

"Not bad. Do you have a recommendation?"

"No."

The clerk's brow furrowed. "Then you'll have to pay."

Xu Xian replied generously, "Money is not an issue."

He had already looked into this; one could not simply enter the nether capital at will. Aside from the original residents, those wishing to enter the city needed either a guarantor or a travel permit issued by the Demon Court.

Otherwise, they had to pay.

It was essentially a security deposit. By paying a sufficient amount, one could obtain the right to enter and exit the nether capital. In essence, it was like buying a residency permit.

The clerk was accustomed to this. The nether capital was the largest city in the Demon Abyss, a place of extreme prosperity that was like a heaven on earth compared to the outside world. Countless demons spent their lives aspiring to become citizens of the nether capital.

Paying money was a small price to pay.

"Very well. You are a third-class demon, so you must pay one million demon coins. Once paid, you may enter." He paused and narrowed his eyes, offering a deliberate reminder, "But I must warn you beforehand: once this money is paid, it cannot be refunded. You should think it over."

Demon coins were the main currency in the Demon Abyss, used by common demons for private transactions. They were minted from a rare metal found within the demon race's territory and were about the size of copper coins. Based on Xu Xian's investigations over the past few days, their purchasing power was roughly equivalent to a modern dollar.

In the Demon Abyss, a common laborer earned about three to five thousand demon coins a month. One million was a fortune that ninety-five percent of demons could never hope to accumulate in their entire lives.

Thus, although a third-class demon could enter the nether capital by paying, very few could afford such a steep price.

With a flick of his finger, Xu Xian produced a cloth bag and tossed it onto the table. It landed with a loud thud, making the entire table shake.

"No problem!"

The clerk in charge of registration was stunned. A nearby soldier on guard duty also looked over with a sharp gaze.

There were money exchanges throughout the Demon Abyss that functioned like banks. Most demons kept their funds there, especially for such large amounts, converting them into demon notes similar to bank bills.

The bag Xu Xian had thrown on the table weighed at least a hundred pounds. If it were full of demon coins, it seemed like too little, but if it contained demon notes, it was too heavy.

Driven by curiosity and a desire for answers, the clerk peeled back a corner of the cloth bag and peeked inside. His eyes immediately lit up. "Hiss... shadow soul stones?"

Xu Xian smiled. "I don't have that many demon coins. Can I use these instead?"

The clerk pursed his lips and asked, "Yes, of course. One shadow soul stone for one hundred thousand demon coins. Any problem with that?"

"That works."

It was the market price—neither particularly high nor low.

"Alright, let me count them."

The clerk was quite pleased, and his attitude became much warmer. Although ten shadow soul stones were worth one million demon coins, there was more to it than just the face value. One hundred thousand was the general market price, but if he sold them himself, he could likely get a few thousand more in profit per stone. Ten stones meant a profit of tens of thousands of demon coins. By handling the transaction this way, that extra money would be his.

Even the soldier on guard revealed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Sharing the spoils was a long-standing tradition at the city gates.

"Brother Bai, it seems you've included one too many?"

As he spoke, he prepared to take one out and return it to Xu Xian.

Xu Xian was quick. He reached out and pressed down on the clerk's hand, a smile playing on his lips as he signaled with his eyes. In a low voice, he said, "It's not too many. Consider it a small token of my appreciation for you and your brothers to buy a jar of wine."

After finishing, he didn't forget to give the soldier a knowing wink.

The two of them understood immediately.

This kid knew how to handle things. He was quite alright!

The clerk, who looked like a scholar, let out a hearty laugh like a seasoned warrior.

"Hahaha! I can see that Brother Bai is no ordinary man. You're very thoughtful. Fine, I won't refuse. I'll get your paperwork done right away."

Money made things easy.

A small favor earned a lot of goodwill. Thanks to Xu Xian's generosity, his city entry procedures were completed in no time.

"Brother Bai, please keep this safe!"

"Thank you!"

The clerk replied politely, "Don't mention it. Once you're in the city, if you ever need help, feel free to find me at the garrison. I'll help with whatever I can."

Xu Xian thanked him with feigned humility. After a few more polite exchanges, he headed toward the gate. The guard who had been watching stepped forward to lead the way, greeting the other soldiers at the gate and telling them that this was a fellow countryman of his.

Xu Xian passed through smoothly and entered the city as planned.

The clerk and the guard whispered to each other.

"That youth is a talent."

"Yes, you can tell at a glance he's someone special."

"By the way, how are we splitting the money?"

"We're brothers, so fifty-fifty, of course..."

"Sounds good!"

...

Stepping into the city, the view opened up before him. Xu Xian walked slowly as an ancient city gradually unfolded. The streets of the nether capital were wide and bustling with people. Shops lined both sides, yet there was no loud hawking of goods.

Everyone was very quiet, either walking with heads down, working silently, or conversing in hushed tones.

Under the gloomy grey sky, ancient high-rises stood in layers, competing for height. Unlike what Xu Xian had expected, the architecture and city layout were more reminiscent of an ancient Western style, mostly constructed from stone with very little wood used.

This was likely related to the laws of the Demon Abyss. In this realm, indiscriminate logging was strictly prohibited. Century-old trees, in particular, were protected by law because the plants of the Demon Abyss were needed for illumination during the day; those large trees were often the primary sources of light.

Just as he saw in the city now, every household had two trees planted in front of their door. Trees were also positioned at regular intervals along the center of the main roads. Furthermore, balconies and rooftops were covered with flowering plants.

The greenery was excellent—or rather, the coloration was. Reds, greens, yellows, blues... it was a kaleidoscope of colors. Walking among them felt like strolling under neon lights, even though it was clearly daytime.

The little book spirit sat perched on Xu Xian's head, its small eyes reflecting the shimmering lights. "Wow, it's actually quite beautiful!"