In Wanghai City, the streets were as peaceful as usual, but soon, this peace was broken.
The once peaceful streets were now filled with panicked monks. Many monks who had fled here, preparing to leave the Ronan Immortal Realm, were surprised to find that the boat tickets they had originally booked had been sold at exorbitant prices.
"Assholes! You've already taken thousands of spirit stones from me, and now you're asking for more!"
Many cultivators surrounded the entrance of a chamber of commerce, shouting hysterically. This chamber of commerce was called Huitong Chamber of Commerce, and originally did business between the Yunluo and Donghai cultivation worlds.
Normally, they also sell some tickets, allowing ordinary cultivators to have the opportunity to ride a spirit boat to the East China Sea cultivation world. However, this spirit boat is different from the other spirit boats.
The Huitong Chamber of Commerce is backed by a coalition of several foundation-building families. The spirit boats they use also sail on the sea, navigating many dangerous sea areas. These cultivators call them spirit boats, meaning they can only sail on water and cannot fly.
This spirit ship was far inferior to the flying spirit boats of the larger sects. However, the Huitong Chamber of Commerce made a lot of money by using several spirit ships to resell supplies and attract people to the East China Sea's immortal world. A single ticket even sold for a thousand spirit stones.
But with the news of Ziyang City's fall, the Huitong Chamber of Commerce immediately raised ticket prices fivefold, to 5,000 yuan per ticket. For monks who had already paid, they were offered either a refund or a price increase. Even so, demand still outstripped supply. Many monks who had purchased tickets in advance were furious and clamored for a return to normal prices.
"Swindler! Swindler!"
"Hmph! Ask around in Wanghai City to see if there are any places that still have tickets to the East China Sea. If you don't want to go, get a refund immediately. Do you want a refund? Is that you?"
Listening to the commotion, Jiang He, the Foundation Establishment cultivator and the owner of the Huitong Chamber of Commerce, stepped out, his cold gaze sweeping over the group of cultivators. He spoke sternly.
The monks gathered here were all Qi-refining monks, and the money earned by the Huitong Chamber of Commerce also came from Qi-refining monks. So there was no need to worry about them causing trouble on the ship.
The monks who were making trouble listened to Jiang He's words. One of them, a middle-aged monk with a girl, came out and said in a pleading voice:
"Shopkeeper Jiang, of course we have to go to the East China Sea, but so many spirit stones have already taken up all our wealth. I hope you can be flexible."
Hearing the words of the middle-aged man in front of him, Jiang He's expression calmed down a little. He looked at the girl holding his hand, hesitated for a while, and then said:
"There's another way. Sign a contract. If you don't have enough spirit stones, you can sign a contract. After arriving in the East Sea Immortal Cultivation Realm, you can work to repay the debt. How do you do it?"
"this?"
The monks who were surrounding him looked at each other in confusion. After a long time, the middle-aged monk finally spoke.
"Okay, I hope Manager Jiang will treat us poor monks well."
"No problem, no problem. The East China Sea is full of treasures. Even if it's tough for a few years, it's better than staying here. Who knows when the demons will all move south? It's better than losing your life then. Those who want to sign a contract, come in. Those who don't, get your refund and leave quickly."
After hearing what Jiang He from Huitong Trading Company said, the monks, who had been thinking for a long time, finally followed him into the Chamber of Commerce. Going there and being without freedom was better than losing your life here.
This scene also unfolded before the numerous chambers of commerce in Wanghai City. The only way for independent cultivators to reach the East Sea's immortal realm was through these major forces. The journey to the East Sea's immortal realm was long, passing through numerous areas infested with demonic beasts. Without the guidance of a cultivator familiar with the waters, even a Jindan cultivator would face considerable danger.
"Jiang Yun, there are too many cultivators going to the East China Sea. Will it affect our schedule?"
After Jiang Yun and Zhang Miaomiao rested for a few days, they noticed the scenes that had just unfolded on the street were being repeated. All the chambers of commerce had raised the price of boat tickets, and many independent cultivators had to pay out all their spirit stones and sign ten-year contracts to sell themselves. Only then did they get tickets.
The ticket price changed daily, as more and more cultivators arrived at Wanghai City. These cultivators, sensing the danger after the fall of Ziyang City, were preparing to head to the East Sea Immortal Realm.
Suddenly, Wanghai City, which had been relatively peaceful and tranquil when Jiang Yun arrived, became bustling with activity. Many cultivators, without a place to stay, began to occupy the mortal gathering places in the outer city. More and more mortals were driven out. Wanghai City began to truly become a city for cultivating immortals.
"Forget it, let's just wait at the inn. According to the certificate, the spirit boat will arrive here in half a month. After resupplying, it will enter the East China Sea."
Zhang Miaomiao, who was preparing to eat on the street with Jiang Yun, noticed another fight breaking out up ahead. Her interest immediately faded, and she prepared to return to the inn. For the past few days, Jiang Yun and Zhang Miaomiao had been buying supplies here and dining at various restaurants.
But as more and more monks entered, disputes began to increase in the peaceful Wanghai City.
In other immortal cities, due to the protection of the major sects, no cultivators dared to openly fight within the city. However, in Wanghai City, due to the lack of city guards, cultivators often engaged in brawls over a single disagreement.
The mortals who usually maintained order in the outer city had already fled. The chaos of the cultivators was not something they could participate in. As a result, the situation in Wanghai City's inner city was relatively better, as many independent cultivators could not afford to stay in the inner city's inns.
However, the original outer city had long since become a chaotic place. Many independent cultivators formed gangs and factions, fighting freely in order to obtain more spirit stones and buy tickets to the East China Sea's immortal world.
Zhang Miaomiao's concerns were not without reason. When her father was alive, Qingyun Sect had to honor him. However, Master Haoyi's life or death was unknown. She and Jiang Yun still had proof of the other party's arrival on the spirit boat: a small cyan token. With divine sense, it could display the arrival time of the spirit boat and the location where they were waiting.
Jiang Yun secretly touched the certificate on his waist. He couldn't lose it now. This was probably the safest way to reach the East China Sea's immortal world.
At this time, the number of disciples from various major sects who went to the East China Sea to register for the immortal cultivation world suddenly increased. All major sects began to greatly increase the conditions required for registration, and many of them required a certain degree of contribution to the sect.
As for the remaining cultivators within the Biyun Sect, they remained silent, for everyone within the sect knew that their superiors had already collaborated with the demonic sect. The cultivators who were leaving had already departed via the spirit boats they had taken years earlier.
The rest, whether they like it or not, will have to join the Demon Cult in the future. This invasion of the Demon Cult is not a disaster for them, but a new opportunity.
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