[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-177":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355360,4608,"Chapter 177","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-177",177,"\u003Cp>The shopkeeper looked young, a female cultivator around thirty or forty years of age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing He Pingsheng arrive, she couldn’t help but scan him with her spiritual sense, then stepped out from behind the counter in shock, bowing deeply with utmost reverence: “Elder, this shop only sells items needed by Qi Refining disciples—you, Elder…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female shopkeeper was at the peak of Qi Refining Level Twelve, just one step away from Foundation Establishment; since she could not perceive He Pingsheng’s cultivation, she knew exactly what that meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling him “Elder” was definitely safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh…” He Pingsheng smiled and said, “Don’t be nervous—I’m not here to buy anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just came to ask you a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman exhaled in relief and said, “Of course… Elder, please ask. Anything I know, I will answer fully and without reservation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before speaking, He Pingsheng placed twenty spirit stones on the counter and said, “These are my fees for asking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after receiving a benefit would someone answer fully and without reservation—otherwise, how could that be expected?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…,” the shopkeeper said, “I dare not accept your gift, Elder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng made no move to take them back. “I’ve just arrived from afar and know nothing of Dingxiang City. If my questions please me, these spirit stones are rightfully yours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!” Hearing he was from outside the city, the woman lowered her guard another notch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outsiders had no ties to local factions; his questions wouldn’t touch anyone’s interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could answer freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng asked, “Tell me about the city’s merchant guilds and resource trading venues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course!” The shopkeeper lowered her voice. “Our cultivators’ trading venues are nothing but guilds and shops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re buying, it doesn’t matter much—the largest guild is the Imperial Guild, the best is the Coral Guild, and the most expensive is our own Dingxiang Guild…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng’s face darkened: So the shop I just walked into was the most expensive one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt like cursing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each of these guilds has its strengths, but if you want to buy cheaply, avoid them entirely—ask around at street-side shops instead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our small shops are generally cheaper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, the quality isn’t as good, and the selection isn’t as complete—finding what you need depends entirely on luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quality doesn’t matter—I can strengthen anything in my Treasure Basin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re selling…” the shopkeeper chuckled, “you must go to one of these three major guilds—our street shops can’t recognize goods or afford to buy them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among the three, the Coral Guild is the fairest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded, gaining a basic understanding of the city’s guilds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One more thing,” He Pingsheng said. “I plan to stay here for a while and have no residence. Where do I go to buy or rent a home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are they sold?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She ran a shop—she’d know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, the shopkeeper replied, “Easy. To buy or sell a house, you must go through the City Lord’s Mansion. You should visit and choose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The City Lord’s Mansion is quite far from here—follow this road, then turn south…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman sketched him a map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t need to—he already knew, for he carried the detailed map he’d just bought, which marked every major building in Dingxiang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After asking a few more questions, he rose to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the road straight ahead, he turned onto Zhuque Avenue, then headed south, and soon saw the grand, imposing City Lord’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mansion’s entrance stood rows of soldiers guarding it—all of low cultivation, merely Qi Refining Levels Five to Six, yet they made no effort to inspect those entering or leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short: free access.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only someone with a powerful elder inside could afford such laxity—unafraid of any petty thieves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng walked with the bustling crowd into the City Lord’s Mansion and, after some winding paths, reached the office handling property transactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Dingxiang City, private property sales were forbidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could buy—but only through the City Lord’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could sell—but only to the City Lord’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such was its arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a grand hall, over seventy to eighty clerks served cultivators buying or selling homes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng picked one at random and approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder, welcome!” Behind the counter was a sweet-faced woman, only Qi Refining Level Seven. “Elder, are you buying, selling, or renting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng said, “I wish to buy a residence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course!” The woman smiled, pulling out a jade slip. “Elder, please review—our mansion’s residences are divided into nine grades. Choose carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine grades?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the jade slip and immediately understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ninth grade: a courtyard ten zhang long and wide, no spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighth grade: a courtyard thirty zhang long and wide, no spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventh grade: a large courtyard fifty zhang long and wide, no spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth grade: a massive estate one hundred fifty zhang long and wide, no spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bottom four grades had no spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prices varied by size alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top five grades had spiritual energy, differing in size and concentration, with over a dozen styles grouped into five tiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The highest was First grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First-grade residences were three-thousand-zhang mansions built atop a top-grade spiritual vein.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were rarely bought by individuals—they were seized by groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, a powerful clan or a strong sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, a three-thousand-zhang mansion atop a top-grade spiritual vein, though not as vast as a sect’s main grounds, could fully support a sizable sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dingxiang City did have sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And many of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighth grade,” He Pingsheng set down the jade slip. “A thirty-zhang courtyard without spiritual energy is enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one person, thirty zhang was more than spacious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for spiritual energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t need it for my cultivation, and I have no spiritual plants to grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spiritual residence would be a waste of resources for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for size, thirty zhang was sufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thirty-zhang courtyard included a three-story pavilion, a garden, a pond, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than enough space to set up arrays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much larger than the small courtyard he’d had on Xiuzhu Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>",1023,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","81d4388cecbf26cb9c411b7124e341039b6bc06263830392f30b7484eae098b3","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-178","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-176",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]