Yu Liang made his way through the evening streets until he reached a tall building standing at the corner of a broad crossroad.
A plaque carved with elegant strokes read ’Moonlight Inn’. The soft glow of lanterns illuminated its entrance while casting a soothing glow across the doorway.
Throughout the Outer Area of Jade City, The Moonlight Inn was known as one of the best places to stay. Be it, Wealthy merchants, visiting clan heirs, and even sect disciples often chose it when traveling. Its reputation came not from grand displays but from their generous hospitality—clean rooms, attentive service, and a standard of comfort that cultivators with status preferred.
Many inns in the city served the common travelers and local nobles, but Moonlight Inn had built a name by ensuring that guests could rest without concern.
Yu Liang glanced quickly at the exterior before stepping inside. The moment he entered, what came into view was a spacious reception hall. The flooring was polished wood but warm, reflecting the luminous pearls hanging above. Along the sides, low potted plants added a touch of elegance, while soft screens divided sections of the hall to give guests a sense of privacy.
Several attendants in simple but neat robes stood ready, bowing slightly as he entered. Behind them, a long counter was arranged with small ledgers and a bronze bell.
At the far side, a staircase with smooth banisters led upward toward the guest rooms. The steps were broad, and the railing was carved with patterns of waves and clouds, a special signature of inn.
To one side of the hall, small tables were arranged so guests could sit for tea while waiting and each table was topped with a single porcelain pot and cups.
Yu Liang’s gaze swept across the space once before he walked toward the counter, ready to arrange his stay.
At the counter stood a man in his thirties, his face broad and square, eyes squinted but not unkind. Yu Liang stepped forward and spoke in a calm tone.
"I’ll take it," he said, then after a pause added, "for an indefinite amount of time."
The shopkeeper stared at him for a moment.
"...Young master," he said cautiously, "forgive me, but what exactly are you taking?"
Yu Liang blinked before realizing his mistake, he let out a small cough and put on a straight face as if nothing happened.
"The room."
"Ah." The shopkeeper smiled awkwardly. "For a moment, I thought you intended to buy the inn."
But then his mouth twitched as realisation dawn upon him. ’Brother, are you even listening to what you’re saying?’ he thought. ’Indefinite? Do you know what kind of place this is?’ Seeing Yu Liang remained serious, his mouth twitched again. ’Are you planning to live here until you ascend to immortality?’
Moonlight Inn was not a place where one stayed lightly. The prices for even an ordinary room here were enough to drain the savings of many cultivators within a month. Low level cultivators didn’t even dare to dream of stepping inside its halls; the cost alone was an invisible barrier not even considering other factors.
As for the wealthy—yes, they might come, but even they never stayed longer than needed. To request an indefinite stay was something no one with sense would casually say aloud.
The shopkeeper looked at Yu Liang again as he tried to gauge whether the young man was truly serious or simply toying with him. Yu Liang’s expression, however, carried no trace of jest.
The shopkeeper drew in a careful breath before replying politely.
"Sir, you cannot reserve it for an indefinite time. The maximum we can allow is one year." He paused, then added, "As for the price, it is thirty mid grade spiritual stones each month. This is not only for the room itself, but also because of the constant maintenance of the formations that shield sound, stabilize spiritual energy, and provide a steady flow of Qi for cultivation. In addition, attendants remain on call exclusively for that chamber, and meals of higher quality are delivered directly if requested."
He hesitated for a moment, then explained further. "However, as the best chamber would be occupied solely by you, we cannot offer it at the standard rate. To ensure fairness toward other guests and cover the opportunity cost of leaving such a room unavailable, the total will be fifty mid grade spiritual stones each month."
The man said it without leaving any room for negotiation. He was the one who had dealt with many wealthy cultivators before. Still, his eyes studied Yu Liang closely, as though waiting to see if he would reconsider.
If this had happened before Yu Liang got the System, he would have spent the next ten minutes wondering if the shopkeeper was speaking an entirely different language. 600 mid-grade spirit stones? For a single room? You joking? Are the beds made of immortal jade? Does drinking tea here let one achieve dao? Why waste that kind of fortune on four wooden walls when you could buy enough cultivation resources to break through major realms?!
Yu Liang only smiled lightly at the explanation and gave a simple nod of acceptance.
The shopkeeper froze for a moment. ’Wait... did he just agree that easily?’ His mouth twitched again. ’Brother, you didn’t even bargain... are you really that rich, or do you just enjoy throwing money away?’ A second thought rose immediately after. ’If every guest were like this, I’d promoted in five years...’
Without further hesitation, Yu Liang transferred the payment. A moment later, the numbers settled—600,000 low-grade spiritual stones.
A clear chime echoed in Yu Liang’s mind.
[ Ding! Host has spent 600,000 low grade spiritual stones ]
[ Multiplier Triggered: 70x ]
[ Host Receives 42,000,000 spiritual stones ]
Even after seeing such a massive sum numerous times, the sight never fails to bring him joy.
Finding your next place is no longer a source of stress. The complex problem of where to live has been entirely solved.
The shopkeeper’s spiritual sense swept over it. His expression stiffened. ’He really paid...’
’I’ve never seen someone drop eighteen million like they’re buying a skewer on the street.’ Then just he was happy about big deal, a bold guess struck him. ’Is this young man planning to treat my inn like his personal residence?’
After confirming the transaction, the shopkeeper quickly composed himself and clapped his hands.
"Xiao Wen!"
From the side corridor, a boy of about fifteen came over quickly. His frame was lean, skin slightly tanned, and his black hair tied back loosely. His appearance carried nothing remarkable, just the plainness of an average youth working to earn his keep.
"This guest will be staying in the top chamber," shopkeeper instructed. "Show him the way."
Xiao Wen bowed respectfully, then gestured for Yu Liang to follow, but not rushed as he led the way toward the staircase.
Shopkeeper seeing Yu Liang leave thought excitedly, ’Heaven above, please send me ten more customers like this every month. No—forget ten, even one more would be enough for me to burn incense in gratitude every day!’