Chapter 510: Spending Money

Meng Chuan sat cross-legged, flipping through the records of treasures in the Collection of Treasures.

"Brother Dongning, Brother Dongning!" a voice called from outside the courtyard gate. Venerable Qing Gu stood there, holding a stack of books.

Meng Chuan turned his head and smiled. "Are these all catalogs of treasures sent by the various merchants in Black Dragon City?"

"For cultivators renting residences in Black Dragon City, every merchant proactively sends these books," Venerable Qing Gu said ingratiatingly. "They're all hoping Brother Dongning will make some purchases."

"I should go and have a look," Meng Chuan nodded.

He had come to Black Dragon City precisely to buy treasures!

As the most prosperous trading hub in the galaxy, it typically gathered two to three-tenths of the galaxy's cultivators, naturally resulting in a vast array of treasures.

Meng Chuan first spent five days browsing through every merchant in Black Dragon City, including the Eternal Tower!

Only on the sixth day did he begin his large-scale purchasing.

Primordial Water Manor.

"Taking one drop of 'Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water' makes the mind feel as though all dust has been washed away, greatly aiding cultivation," the attendant with the turtle shell on his back at Primordial Water Manor enthusiastically explained. "Ten bottles only cost one 'Outland Primordial Crystal.' Ten bottles of Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water, taken one drop daily, will last for three years."

"How long does the cleansing effect of one drop last?" Meng Chuan asked.

"Approximately two hours," the turtle-shelled attendant replied obsequiously.

Meng Chuan nodded slightly, then hesitated before reluctantly saying, "Then I'll buy... I'll buy five bottles."

"Our Primordial Water Pavilion offers a total of thirty-nine types of primordial water, each with its own unique uses..." the attendant continued.

"No need, I'll just buy the Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water," Meng Chuan said, feigning frugality.

Soon after.

Meng Chuan left Primordial Water Manor with five bottles of 'Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water.'

Cultivation also involves specific states; for instance, 'enlightenment' occurs when the Nascent Soul enters a unique state. These special states can be influenced by external objects. Some rare natural treasures, when consumed, can directly induce an enlightenment state in the Nascent Soul. However, their prices are astonishingly high.

'Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water' is something used regularly, offering good value for money, and is one of the thirty-nine signature primordial waters of the Primordial Water Pavilion.

Meng Chuan used an Emperor-level secret treasure, valued at 'two Outland Primordial Crystals,' to purchase nine jars of the three types of cultivation-aiding wines from Thousand Drunken Manor. After Fang Chang and his followers died, Meng Chuan acquired some spoils of war. Senior Pang Ming's legacy treasures also contained many materials, rare treasures, and Emperor-level items that were considered negligible, along with a pile of Outland Primordial Stones.

Meng Chuan was currently spending those less valuable items.

Heart-Cleansing Primordial Water, the wines from Thousand Drunken Manor, and over a hundred 'Two-Worlds Void Fruits' were what Meng Chuan regularly consumed to aid his cultivation. These were only enough to last him for ten years of cultivation.

"Next is the Eternal Tower," Meng Chuan said, looking up at the towering Eternal Tower that seemed to pierce the clouds. He immediately walked inside.

There was no other choice.

While other merchants possessed a wide variety of treasures, for 'Fifth Tribulation Realm secret treasures' and above, the Eternal Tower had thousands of times more than all other merchants in Black Dragon City combined! This was because the Eternal Tower could transfer goods from other galaxies and star regions.

This was Meng Chuan's third visit to the Eternal Tower. The previous two times, he had only looked without buying. He familiarly made his way to the fifth floor of the Eternal Tower.

"Greetings, Emperor," a puppet attendant in a hall on the fifth floor of the Eternal Tower greeted him warmly.

Meng Chuan's current disguise was no longer the rare treasure 'Phantom Mask,' but the rare treasure 'Mirage Dragon Token' that Senior Pang Ming had carried with him. Senior Pang Ming had provoked powerful enemies for the sake of his cultivation, so he usually had to hide his identity, going to great lengths to acquire the 'Mirage Dragon Token.' The Mirage Dragon Token could only be refined by the 'Mirage Dragon Clan,' a branch of the Dragon race.

Carrying the Mirage Dragon Token allowed for perfect disguise! Even mighty beings below the Seventh Tribulation Realm could not discern his true form.

Currently, Meng Chuan was disguised as an Emperor. Given his realm and strength—his True Essence was already nearly as pure as an Emperor's, and his Nascent Soul was at the seventh level—coupled with having personally observed dozens of Emperors in Black Dragon City, it was relatively easy for him to maintain the disguise using the 'Mirage Dragon Token.'

"Yes," Meng Chuan nodded calmly. "I wish to see all the Fifth and Sixth Tribulation Realm weapons and secret treasures of the Lightning lineage."

"Please look, Emperor," the puppet attendant said with a smile, gesturing with a wave of his hand.

Holographic projections of weapons and secret treasures floated within the hall. If one's consciousness permeated them, they could access descriptions of each item.

"There are over eight thousand Fifth Tribulation Realm weapons and secret treasures, and over one thousand Sixth Tribulation Realm weapons and secret treasures here, all belonging to the Lightning lineage. Emperor, you may browse freely," the puppet attendant stated. "However, these treasures are dispersed across various galaxies. If you wish to purchase any, they will need to be transported from other galaxies, which will require some time for delivery."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded slightly.

Because the Eternal Tower had an overwhelming number of Fifth and Sixth Tribulation Realm weapons and secret treasures, other factions in Black Dragon City rarely sold such high-level Tribulation Realm weapons. What they did sell were cheaper items at the Third and Fourth Tribulation Realm levels.

For example, other merchants in Black Dragon City did not publicly sell Sixth Tribulation Realm secret treasures and weapons of the Lightning lineage.

"Let me choose freely."

Meng Chuan observed carefully.

The Eternal Tower indeed possessed an extraordinary grandeur. Regardless of a customer's origin, they were allowed to freely examine Sixth Tribulation Realm secret treasures and weapons. However, to view treasures at the 'Seventh Tribulation Realm' level, one needed to present items worth one thousand Outland Primordial Crystals as proof of their purchasing power.

"Time Cultivation Dwellings," Meng Chuan noted, observing carefully.

There were over ten thousand Fifth and Sixth Tribulation Realm secret treasures from the Lightning lineage in total.

There were two time-accelerating cultivation dwellings.

They were:

Myriad Flower Realm: A Sixth Tribulation Realm secret treasure, cultivating various rare flowers from the outer void, many of which possess wondrous uses. The Myriad Flower Palace can stably accelerate time, allowing flowers to bloom faster. It is also suitable for cultivators; ordinary Venerable-level cultivators can maintain a twenty-fold time flow rate. Ordinary Emperor-level cultivators can maintain an eight-fold time flow rate. Third Tribulation Realm cultivators can maintain a two-fold time flow rate, but it is useless for Fourth Tribulation Realm mighty beings. Price: Five hundred Outland Primordial Crystals.

Black Stone Palace: A Fifth Tribulation Realm secret treasure, suitable for cultivators. Ordinary Venerable-level cultivators can maintain a ten-fold time flow rate. Ordinary Emperor-level cultivators can maintain a three-fold time flow rate. It is useless for Tribulation Realm mighty beings. Price: Eighty Outland Primordial Crystals.

"The Eternal Tower publicly sells only two such items; they are indeed rare," Meng Chuan mused.

There was a reason for the scarcity of time-accelerating cultivation dwellings.

Stable time acceleration required extremely high achievements in the Dao of Time, usually being refined by Seventh Tribulation Realm mighty beings, or in history, even by Eighth Tribulation Realm mighty beings.

However, Tribulation Realm mighty beings generally didn't need time acceleration because it would still consume their lifespan. It offered no benefit to their cultivation. Furthermore, for stronger Tribulation Realm mighty beings... achieving long-lasting time acceleration was extremely difficult.

They were difficult to refine and didn't fetch high prices! This resulted in very few willing to refine them, usually only top mighty beings practicing their craft.

For example, the 'Myriad Flower Realm' was clearly crafted by a top mighty being specifically for cultivating flowers.

"In terms of time acceleration, the Myriad Flower Realm is inferior to the Ash Tower, and it's even more expensive," Meng Chuan thought to himself. "The starting bid for the Ash Tower was three hundred units! Treasures of this caliber usually don't see their price escalate much during an auction."

"As for the Black Stone Palace, it's considerably cheaper, but the time acceleration is too small."

"It clearly states ten times the time flow rate for ordinary Venerable-level cultivators. Am I an ordinary Venerable?" Meng Chuan had long been prepared for this.

In terms of domain and True Essence, he was almost an Emperor. In terms of lifespan, he had five thousand years. He was stronger than many special lifeforms.

And some powerful special lifeforms would also cause the time flow rate to decrease.

"The Black Stone Palace offers ten times time acceleration for ordinary Venerable-level cultivators. For me? It might decrease significantly," Meng Chuan mused.

Compared to the treasures in the Eternal Tower, the Ash Tower was still the most suitable for him.

"I want this secret treasure."

Meng Chuan pointed at a floating holographic projection of a star.

The puppet attendant serving nearby was surprised. Venerables and Emperors often came to view these treasures, but very few actually purchased them.

"Please wait a moment, Emperor," the puppet attendant quickly said, then immediately departed.

Meng Chuan, however, stared intently at the holographic star.

"Lightning Star Core: A Fifth Tribulation Realm secret treasure, containing the complete 'Extreme Speed Rule.' If its peak power is unleashed, it can reach light speed and deliver a devastating blow. It was originally one of the sub-orbs of the Sixth Tribulation Realm secret treasure, 'Lightning Star Cluster Orb.' Price: Ninety Outland Primordial Crystals." Meng Chuan's consciousness permeated it, revealing more details.

For instance, this 'Lightning Star Core' was refined from a star eight thousand three hundred miles in diameter, combined with numerous other materials.

Because it was part of a formation secret treasure, its individual uses were limited; it was generally used for impact, leveraging its weight and speed to smash! Due to its rare possession of a complete 'Extreme Speed Rule,' its price was relatively high among Fifth Tribulation Realm secret treasures, reaching ninety Outland Primordial Crystals!

"The Eternal Tower truly has everything imaginable. To think they could find a Tribulation Realm secret treasure with a complete 'Extreme Speed Rule'," Meng Chuan mused. "This is perfect for me, suitable for comprehending the 'Boundless Blade' and for combat."

The Blood Blade Disk only possessed runes for escape and self-defense.

As for killing enemies? That relied purely on Meng Chuan's insights and the inherent sharpness of the Blood Blade itself.

However, combining the ultimate technique 'Boundless Blade' with this 'Lightning Star Core' would unleash significantly greater power! More importantly, it was ideal for comprehending the Extreme Speed Rule.

"There's also another item."

Meng Chuan's gaze then shifted to the holographic projection of another prison, entangled with chains: the "Demon Capturing Prison."

Upon first arriving at Black Dragon Star, these two items, the 'Lightning Star Core' and the 'Demon Capturing Prison,' were what Meng Chuan intended to buy.