Published: February 12, 2025
CHAPTER TEXT:
When Ye Zhongming first noticed something peculiar, he saw many people.
These individuals were sitting along the street outside a magnificent shop, eyes closed in meditation. Though the number of people wasn't overwhelming, it was enough to create a noticeable congestion in the area.
It appeared that these people were practicing, but Ye Zhongming couldn't understand why they would be doing so in such a bustling location. Shouldn't cultivation take place in quiet, secluded places, even if not hidden? Was this some custom of the Bourbon Free Territory?
That didn't seem right either, as Ye Zhongming had only witnessed such a scene here and nowhere else.
Curious, Ye Zhongming moved closer, intending to ask someone about it. However, those nearby seemed accustomed to it and paid no attention, only those passing by occasionally wore expressions of rapture, which puzzled him further.
After observing for a while, he slowly walked onto the street. As he entered the area occupied by the meditators, he immediately caught a whiff of an unusual fragrance.
Out of caution, he stepped back to assess the situation. Finding no abnormal reactions from his body, and seeing others passing through without issue, he felt reassured and continued onward.
The strange scent lingered in the air, refreshing him like a spring breeze, filling him with an indescribable sense of comfort.
At the same time, his body felt restless, as if it were itching to act.
Ye Zhongming showed a slight expression of surprise. He truly couldn't understand how such a scent could evoke such feelings in him.
Standing still, he concentrated, trying to find the source of this sensation, and his gaze landed on the opulent shop—this fragrance must be emanating from there.
Just as he was observing, two individuals emerged from the shop and headed straight for Ye Zhongming.
"Don't you know the rules?" One of them approached, looking serious.
Ye Zhongming froze for a moment, confused. Rules? What rules?
The person’s gaze fell on Ye Zhongming's ears, and with some realization, their attitude softened a bit.
"An outsider? Then you probably don't know the rules here," the individual said, pointing to the people around them. "Meditating around our ‘Quality Shop’ requires payment. After all, we went through great lengths to capture the insect monarch."
Ye Zhongming was baffled. He figured the “insect monarch” referred to the heyma overlord that Indy had spoken about, which was said to be incredibly valuable, even priceless. This so-called Quality Shop must have formidable strength to capture an insect monarch.
But what did that have to do with him standing here and being charged a fee?
Seeing Ye Zhongming still looking puzzled, the person raised an eyebrow and asked, "You don't even understand that the scent of the insect emperor honey can aid in cultivation?"
Ye Zhongming exclaimed in realization; so this fragrance was from the so-called insect emperor honey, which could help people cultivate. No wonder so many people were sitting here practicing.
"How much?"
Ye Zhongming was intrigued by the idea of paying for the scent.
"Five square coins for one needle’s worth, fourteen square coins for three needles, and forty-five square coins for ten needles. If you pay one diamond coin up front, you can stay as long as you want, but if you get up or eat or drink, it counts as ending your session."
The needle duration was a method of measuring time here, and he had previously learned from Indy that one needle was roughly equivalent to thirty minutes on Earth. The square coin was the local currency, with a smaller denomination called the round coin and a larger denomination called the diamond coin, all in a base-100 system.
Sitting here to smell the fragrance for half an hour costs five square coins? Ye Zhongming thought about it; hadn’t he heard that a round fruit without a complete wheel costs about five diamond coins? In other words, if they measured a day based on Earth’s 24-hour system, staying here for less than three days would equate to buying a round fruit. Though paying a diamond coin would allow for unlimited time, one still needed to survive. How long could he sit still? Three days? Four days?