Mei Hua led Yu Liang up the wide staircase toward the second floor. The steps themselves were polished dark stone.
After entering, the hall spread open into a vast chamber. Here, the scent of herbs and medicines was replaced by the faint aromatics.
Unlike the weapons displayed in the main hall, these here rested within clear cases, swords, spears, halberds, and bows, each with their grade . Mei Hua did not stop to explain them. Instead, she guided him toward a quieter side chamber separated by a sliding wooden screen.
"This section," she said softly, "is reserved for storage artifacts. They are among the most demanded items of any cultivator, yet also among the hardest to refine properly. Many think of them as common, but the truth is every advancement in storage capacity comes with immense difficulty."
Yu Liang gave a small nod. He had learned this the hard way when he realized his old ring could no longer contain his fortune.
Rows of shelves displayed various storage rings and pouches. Some were plain, with only a faint glow around them. Others contain some inscriptions carved into their surfaces.
Mei Hua began her introduction to them, "These here are the ordinary rings—suitable for most outer disciples and casual cultivators. They can hold in between ten to fifty cubic meters of space. Useful for collecting herbs, weapons, or moderate weight items."
She moved to the next section. "These mid grade rings hold between a hundred to five hundred cubic meters. More refined arrays are inscribed in them offering more stability. Suitable for inner disciples and small clan heirs."
Finally, she stopped before a case where a single ring lay on a velvet stand. Its surface was black as night, etched with faint silver lines.
"And this," she said with a little excitement, "is a High-Grade Storage Ring. It contains an internal space of five thousand cubic meters. Such capacity is more than enough for most cultivators, even those from influential clans or sects. Unless you one day oversee the resources of an entire force on a large scale, you are unlikely to ever outgrow it."
Yu Liang’s eyes lingered on the ring. This would solve most of his current problems and in future as his wealth increases he can look for other options
"I’ll take that one," he said calmly.
Mei Hua’s lips curved faintly, as though she had expected this answer all along. ’As expected. Someone who bought both the Ultimate Body Tempering Pill and the Essence Cleansing Pill would never be satisfied with ordinary goods.’
Still, she explained: "The price is high. Seventy million mid grade spiritual stones."
Yu Liang drew in a slow breath. No wonder they say cultivation is like running water. You pour resources endlessly, yet it is never enough.
Seeing his pause, Mei Hua added, "High grade storage artifacts are especially costly because they involve the Law of Space. Among all laws, Space is one of the most difficult to comprehend and stabilize. That is why artifacts of this type are always far more expensive than others of the same tier."
Seventy million mid-grade spirit stones was a fortune beyond the imagination of ordinary cultivators. Even if they spent their entire lives cultivating, risking their lives in dangerous lands, and saving every stone they earned, most would never come close to accumulating such wealth.
For many sects and clans, it was enough to sustain generations or determine their rise and fall.
Yu Liang nodded faintly. He did not fully understand the concept of Laws yet, but a determination rose in his heart. Sooner or later, I will.
He extended his hand toward the case. "I’ll take it."
The attendant carefully placed the ring in his palm. Its surface felt cool, almost weightless, yet the moment he contracted it, he sensed the vast void hidden within.
Yu Liang commanded the system silently, ’Transfer seventy billion low-grade spiritual stones into this new ring.’
Then the next moment storage ring filled instantly, though outwardly he only made a small gesture, as though guiding the transfer himself.
He handed the ring back to Mei Hua. She swept it with her spiritual sense, confirming the payment. Her eyes showed a flicker of respect—few cultivators his age could casually spend such sums.
At that moment, the familiar chime rang in Yu Liang’s consciousness.
[ Ding! Host has spent 70,000,000,000 low-grade spiritual stones ]
[ Multiplier Triggered: 20x ]
[ Host Receives: 1,400,000,000,000 low-grade spiritual stones ]
Yu Liang’s gaze did not waver, though his heart rippled briefly at the colossal increase. With each transaction, the gap between what he once thought possible and what now lay before him grew wider.
He slid the ring onto his finger. For the first time he felt what wealth is truly like.
Then she, with a smiley expression, led him back toward the main hall without unnecessary chatter. Until he reached the open floor again.
Yu Liang paused at the threshold. He turned slightly toward Mei Hua, with a faint smile on his lips.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll be back again and when I do, the orders may be far larger than today. Perhaps large enough to clear out much of your stock."
With those words, he left gracefully.
Mei Hua remained where she was, momentarily taken aback seeing Yu Liang’s back. Then a quiet smile curved her lips as she shook her head. Many young cultivators enjoyed showing off their wealth, but to speak of emptying an entire store—such words were rarely heard, even from the richest families of the outer city.
Once outside, Yu Liang chose not to return immediately but went towards the common market area. The streets around the merchant district were alive with noise.
Stalls lined both sides of the road, each with its own scents drifting through the air. Sweet, savory, some with spice, or warm with roasted meat.
He stopped first at a vendor selling skewers of glazed meat. The surface was crisp, the inside tender, and the faint hint of spirit herbs mixed into the seasoning gave it a refreshing aftertaste. Yu Liang ate quietly, observing the crowd while savoring the balance of flavors.
A little farther on, he came across a stand offering steamed buns stuffed with minced beast meat. He bought two, the soft dough giving way to rich broth inside. It reminded him of meals which he had in his earlier days, when even such simple food had been considered a luxury.
At another stall, an old woman sold candied fruit skewered on thin sticks. He took one, biting through the brittle sugar shell. The sweetness lingered just long enough before giving way to the natural sourness.
Yu Liang did not rush. He walked slowly, tasting what caught his eye. Fried dumplings, roasted nuts coated with honey, and even a bowl of rice porridge, they may seem ordinary food but he just wanted to savour it and enjoy it.
For the first time in a while, he allowed himself a moment of ease. The tension of transactions, cultivation, and planning receded like a tide, replaced by the simple act of eating and watching life unfold around him.
When he was finally done, the evening crowd thickened, lanterns began to glow above the stalls.