Wait streaked across the sky, moving with the wind. Green peaks loomed in the distance as the landscape stretched out endlessly, leaving the young man’s heart filled with the vigor of spring.
"Hahaha, finally, I don't have to fly on those standard flying swords anymore."
He looked down over the mountains.
With a flicker of his divine sense, he took everything in. The sword auras within the mountains were incredibly numerous. Spirit swords, earth swords, and heaven swords were all laid bare before him; no matter what corner they were hidden in, they couldn't escape Xu Xian's gaze.
When he had first arrived, there was one immortal sword suspended over Sword Inquiry Peak.
There were three immortal swords in One Sword Gorge.
And five immortal swords on the distant Ancestral Peak.
Gazing toward the depths of the clouds, Xu Xian detected the auras of five more immortal swords. They were extremely faint, but they definitely existed.
Xu Xian couldn't help but knit his brows.
'Hmm.'
There were exactly one hundred immortal swords in the Immortal Sword Pool. Aside from Wait in his own hand, there had been exactly fourteen empty stone pedestals. The number he had just found was also fourteen.
Fourteen immortal swords, all hidden within the mountains.
Xu Xian tried to extend his consciousness further, but his path was blocked as he moved forward. He nearly suffered a backlash, and his mind wavered.
Withdrawing his divine sense, Xu Xian calmed his mind. He stared at a certain spot in the mountains and muttered to himself, "It seems there’s another mystery hidden beneath the Wendao Sect."
He recalled the rumors about the sect when he first joined.
The world said that the location of the Wendao Sect’s mountain gate suppressed the Great Dao providence of the alien races within Fanzhou.
Xu Xian figured it must be related to that. Rumors, after all, were rarely baseless...
He returned to his residence.
Meeting Wen Qingxue, he exchanged some pleasantries. When the topic of the Sword Mound came up, he brushed it off with a few vague words before getting to his main point.
Xu Xian wanted to apply for a private residence.
Wen Qingxue didn't say much. She simply told Xu Xian that he could apply by taking his dao jade to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.
Without waiting for Wen Qingxue to say anything more, Xu Xian impatiently stepped onto Wait and flew to the branch office of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall on Zhijian Peak.
The Miscellaneous Affairs Hall was one of the Thirteen Halls of the Wendao Sect. It handled a wide variety of minor matters, hence the name.
Xu Xian stepped into the office with high spirits.
The disciple on duty recognized Xu Xian at a glance and hurried over to greet him.
"Little Grand-Uncle, what brings an elder like you here?"
Xu Xian stated his purpose. "I want to apply for a residence."
The disciple greeted him warmly.
"Of course! I wonder if Little Grand-Uncle wants a spirit abode or an immortal abode? Do you have any requirements for the location? How many courtyards should it have? Do you need a spirit herb field or a spirit well...?"
Xu Xian was a bit dazed by the questions. He asked in surprise, "There are that many details?"
The disciple smiled. "Little Grand-Uncle has only recently joined the sect, so perhaps you don't know yet. How about I explain it to you in detail?"
Xu Xian sat down in a chair and nodded. "Sure."
With Xu Xian’s permission, the disciple began to speak eloquently.
"Our Wendao Sect has four different grades of residences."
"A first-grade spirit abode is backlit and has no supporting facilities."
"A second-grade spirit abode faces south and comes with one mu of spirit herb field."
"A third-grade spirit abode is an exquisite small courtyard with an excellent location and view. It has three mu of spirit herb fields plus a spirit well. It's warm in winter and cool in summer—I highly recommend it."
"As for an immortal abode, that's a top-tier luxury mansion. Their numbers are extremely limited..."
The more Xu Xian listened, the more he felt like this young man was a real estate agent.
However, he had to admit the guy was professional and gave a very clear introduction.
Xu Xian cleared his throat and asked, "Given my current status, can I get an immortal abode to live in?"
The disciple said quickly, "Little Grand-Uncle is a first-generation disciple. According to the rules of our Wendao Sect, you are entitled to the same treatment as a Pavilion Elder. In the entire Wendao Sect, your status is second only to a few ancestors. You are more than qualified."
Xu Xian was quite satisfied; his vanity was slightly pampered.
However, the disciple’s tone shifted as he said somewhat sheepishly, "But Little Grand-Uncle, the number of immortal abodes is very small, and they are all occupied. You’ll have to wait for one to become vacant..."
Xu Xian frowned slightly. "How would one become vacant?"
The disciple laughed. "The cheapest annual rent for an immortal abode is three hundred thousand contribution points. There are always people who can't afford it and have to move out, right?"
Xu Xian nearly spat out his tea.
"Rent?"
The disciple explained patiently, "A first-grade spirit abode has an annual rent of ten thousand. A second-grade is thirty thousand, a third-grade is fifty thousand, and an immortal abode starts at three hundred thousand..."
Xu Xian was stunned!
Techniques, weapons, and Foundation Establishment Pills—none of those cost money.
Who would have thought that a residence required contribution points?
This Wendao Sect must be so remote and isolated that its foreign trade was failing, so it had to stimulate domestic demand. What was it called? Managing the internal economic cycle.
He had miscalculated!
"Little Grand-Uncle? Little Grand-Uncle?"
"Hmm?" Xu Xian snapped back to reality.
"What do you think?"
Xu Xian silently looked at the jade plaque at his waist. He had less than a thousand points.
But...
As a grand-uncle, he had to save face.
"I just wanted to ask, is renting the only way? Can't I just buy one outright?"
"For the time being, it seems that's not possible!"
"Fine!"
Xu Xian stood up. "The tea isn't bad." Then he turned and left without looking back.
"Little Grand-Uncle, are you not renting anymore?"
Xu Xian waved his hand and said indifferently, "We'll talk when an immortal abode becomes vacant."
"Then I'll keep an eye out for you. I'll notify you if one opens up."
"Sure!"
It wasn't until Xu Xian was far away that the disciple turned back into the room, clicking his tongue in admiration.
"Tsk tsk, Little Grand-Uncle really has the resources!!"
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