Chapter 856
Choosing Cave No. 3
The craftsmen all nodded to indicate that they understood.
Zheng Yi then found several array masters who were proficient in array formations and explained the requirements of the Spirit Gathering Array to them.
“I need a formation that can guide the spiritual energy emanating from the spiritual veins to a designated location,” he said. “This formation must be stable and reliable, without any errors.”
After listening, the array masters all fell into deep thought.
"Sir, this kind of formation does exist; it's called a Spirit Gathering and Guiding Formation," said an older formation master. "However, setting up this formation requires a large amount of spirit stones and special materials, making it very costly."
“Cost is not a problem,” Zheng Yi said. “You just need to tell me what materials you need, and I will find a way to get them.”
“Alright, then I will provide you with a list of materials,” the formation master said.
Preparations are proceeding smoothly.
Guo Tianyou allocated a large amount of funds and manpower to fully support the construction of the cave dwellings. The craftsmen worked day and night, excavating one cave dwelling after another underground in the north of the city.
To maintain secrecy, the project could only be carried out at night. Every night, the craftsmen would secretly enter the underground area north of the city and carve out cave dwellings near the spiritual vein. During the day, they would rest on the surface, pretending to be ordinary construction workers.
Zheng Yi often personally went underground to check on the progress of the project.
The underground passage was dark and narrow, filled with the smell of earth and rock. The torchlight cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating a sense of oppression.
But the deeper he went, the denser the spiritual energy in the air became. When Zheng Yi arrived near the core of the spiritual vein, he could even feel the spiritual energy flowing around him like water, making him feel comfortable all over.
"Sir, this is the core of the spiritual vein," the old craftsman said, pointing to a huge blue rock in front of them. "That rock is the vein's eye; all the spiritual energy emanates from there."
Zheng Yi stepped forward and examined the rock carefully.
The rock was irregularly oval in shape, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that faintly emitted a bluish light. He placed his hand on the rock and immediately felt a warm, moist spiritual energy flow into his body, allowing his meridians to relax.
“Good stuff.” He nodded in satisfaction. “We’ll carve out a top-tier cave nearby. The closer to the pulse point, the better.”
"Yes, sir."
The project lasted for nearly two months.
During these two months, the craftsmen carved out forty-two caves of varying sizes around the spiritual vein.
Among them, the three top-tier cave dwellings are closest to the pulse point. Each cave dwelling is about fifty square feet in size and can accommodate one or two people for cultivation. These three cave dwellings have the richest spiritual energy and offer the best cultivation effects.
Further afield are twelve intermediate-level cave dwellings, each about thirty square feet in size. The spiritual energy in these cave dwellings is slightly weaker, but still several times stronger than that in ordinary cultivation places.
The outermost layer consists of twenty-seven low-level cave dwellings, each approximately twenty square feet in size. These cave dwellings have the weakest spiritual energy, but it is still sufficient for ordinary cultivators.
In addition, a main passage runs through the entire underground space, connecting all the cave dwellings. At intervals along both sides of the passage, there is a lamp that burns continuously, its soft yet bright light illuminating the entire underground space.
The array masters also completed the setup of the spirit-gathering and guiding array. Invisible array patterns were inscribed on the walls and floor of the cave dwellings, evenly guiding the spiritual energy emanating from the spiritual veins into each cave dwelling.
"Sir, the project is now complete," the old craftsman reported to Zheng Yi. "Would you like to inspect it yourself?"
"it is good."
Zheng Yi, along with Guo Tianyou and several trusted confidants, entered the underground cave.
The entrance to the underground passage was located in an abandoned warehouse in the north of the city. There was a heavy iron door on the floor of the warehouse, behind which was a stone staircase leading downwards.
The stone steps were very long, with hundreds of steps. After climbing the stone steps, you would arrive at the main underground passage.
The main passage is about ten feet wide and eight feet high, enough for two people to walk side by side. On both sides of the passage are tightly closed stone doors, behind which lies a cave.
Zheng Yi pushed open the first stone door and entered a low-level cave.
The cave was very clean, with smooth bluestone slabs paving the floor and simple patterns carved on the walls, which were part of the spirit-gathering and guiding array. In the center of the cave was a futon for cultivators to meditate on.
Zheng Yi sat down on the futon, closed his eyes, and felt the spiritual energy around him.
Spiritual energy flowed in from all directions like a gentle stream, seeping into his pores and merging into his meridians. Although it was only a low-level cave dwelling, the concentration of spiritual energy far exceeded that of ordinary cultivation sites.
“Not bad.” He opened his eyes and nodded in satisfaction.
He then inspected several intermediate and top-tier cave dwellings and found that they all met his requirements.
“Very good, the project is well done,” he said to the old craftsman. “I will have Young Master Guo pay you double your wages.”
"Thank you, sir!" The craftsmen were very happy.
After emerging from underground, Zheng Yi and Guo Tianyou went to the council hall of the city lord's mansion to discuss the management and leasing of the cave dwelling.
"The cave dwelling is complete; the next question is how to operate it," Zheng Yi said. "My idea is this..."
He took out a piece of paper on which he had written down the management system he had drafted.
"First, cave dwellings are divided into three levels: top-tier, mid-tier, and low-tier. Top-tier cave dwellings are closest to the core of the spiritual vein, with the densest spiritual energy; low-tier cave dwellings are the furthest away, with the weakest spiritual energy."
"Secondly, the rent is priced according to grade. A top-tier cave dwelling costs 10,000 spirit stones per month, a mid-tier cave dwelling costs 5,000 spirit stones per month, and a low-tier cave dwelling costs 2,000 spirit stones per month."
"What?!" Guo Tianyou was shocked upon hearing the price. "Ten thousand spirit stones per month for a top-tier cave dwelling? That's too expensive!"
“Not expensive,” Zheng Yi shook his head. “Think about it, how rare is a mid-grade spiritual vein? Cultivating next to a spiritual vein for a month is equivalent to cultivating in an ordinary place for three months or even half a year. For those experts who urgently need to improve their strength, this price is absolutely worthwhile.”
“Moreover, higher prices are necessary to filter out truly capable individuals,” he continued. “We don’t need many tenants; we need tenants with power and status. The more of these people we have, the safer our cave will be.”
Guo Tianyou thought for a moment and nodded.
“Sir, you make a good point,” he said. “Are there any requirements for the tenants?”
“Yes,” Zheng Yi said. “Those who rent top-tier cave dwellings must have a cultivation level at least at the peak of the Mahayana realm; those who rent mid-tier cave dwellings must have a cultivation level at least at the mid-Middle Mahayana realm; and those who rent low-tier cave dwellings must have a cultivation level at least at the early Mahayana realm.”
"Those whose cultivation level is insufficient cannot be rented out, even if they have money."
"Why is that?" Guo Tianyou asked, puzzled.
"Two reasons," Zheng Yi said. "First, those with too low a cultivation level cannot effectively absorb spiritual energy even if they cultivate next to a spiritual vein, wasting resources. Second, as I said, we need powerful tenants to help us guard our cave. Those with too low a cultivation level cannot fulfill this role." "I understand," Guo Tianyou nodded.
“There’s one more thing,” Zheng Yi said. “Of the forty-two cave dwellings, I plan to reserve ten for our own use and not rent them out.”
"Ten to set aside?" Guo Tianyou asked. "Whom does the gentleman intend to use them for?"
"I'll keep one of the three top-tier cave dwellings for myself," Zheng Yi said. "The remaining two will be available for rent."
"Three intermediate-level cave dwellings are reserved: one for you, one for Elder Guo Shouzhen, and one for Elder Guo Xiong. The three of you are core members of the Guo family and must improve your strength as soon as possible."
"Six low-level cave dwellings will be reserved for Tieshan, Xiao Tianxing, Su Wanqing, and several important members of the Guo family."
Guo Tianyou was deeply moved after hearing this.
“Sir, you’ve been too kind to me,” he said. “I don’t know how to thank you enough.”
“No need to thank me,” Zheng Yi said. “We are allies. Enhancing your strength is enhancing the strength of our alliance. Only when we all become stronger can we face the challenges ahead.”
“That’s right.” Guo Tianyou nodded. “So when will we start leasing it out?”
“No rush,” Zheng Yi said. “Before officially leasing it out, we need to do some promotion. We need to let those powerful cultivators know that Hongyun City has a mid-grade spiritual vein where they can rent cave dwellings for cultivation.”
"But there's a method to promotion," he continued. "It can't be too high-profile, or it will attract unnecessary trouble. The best way is through word of mouth, letting the news spread slowly."
“I understand,” Guo Tianyou said. “I will find a way to get the message out.”
"Furthermore, security in the cave dwelling needs to be strengthened," Zheng Yi said. "Guards should be stationed at the entrance to the underground passage, and everyone entering or leaving should be registered. Patrols should also be arranged within the cave dwelling area to prevent any disturbances."
"Okay, I'll make the arrangements."
After the discussion, Zheng Yi returned to his room and began to study how to further enhance the value of the cave dwelling.
He knew that spiritual energy alone was not enough. If he could add other functions to the cave dwelling, he could attract more tenants.
For example, you can set up formations in the cave to aid cultivation and help cultivators absorb spiritual energy more effectively. You can also provide cultivation-related elixirs and materials for the convenience of tenants.
"That's right, we can also set up a common area," he said, a sudden inspiration striking him. "It would give the tenants a place to exchange ideas and share their cultivation insights and experiences. This would not only increase the attractiveness of the cave dwelling but also foster relationships among the tenants, forming a small circle of cultivators."
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and the blueprint in his mind became more and more complete.
The next day, he told Guo Tianyou about his new idea.
Guo Tianyou nodded repeatedly after listening.
“Sir, your idea is excellent!” he said. “Adding these features to the cave will surely attract more people to rent it.”
“However, all of this requires time and resources to achieve,” Zheng Yi said. “We can start with something simple and gradually improve it after the cave dwelling has been operating for a while.”
"Okay, we'll do as you say, sir."
In the days that followed, Guo Tianyou began to secretly spread the news about the cave dwelling.
He used reliable channels to pass the message on to powerful cultivators. The message was simple: a mid-grade spiritual vein had been discovered in Hongyun City, and the city was recruiting tenants.
The news quickly attracted the attention of some people.
Mid-grade spiritual veins are rare resources throughout the entire Tianyuan Domain, coveted by many powerful families and sects. Now, Hongyun City actually possesses a mid-grade spiritual vein, and it's even available for rent. This is undoubtedly fantastic news for cultivators who urgently need to improve their strength.
Two weeks later, the first group of tenants arrived at Hongyun City.
There were five tenants in total, all of them independent cultivators from various parts of the Tianyuan Domain. Their cultivation levels were all above the mid-stage of the Mahayana Realm, and they all had considerable wealth.
Zheng Yi personally received them.
“It is an honor that you have come from afar,” he said. “Our cave dwelling is ready; you are welcome to take a look before deciding whether to rent it.”
“Alright, then I’ll trouble you, Mr. Dark Night,” said the middle-aged man at the head of the group. His name was Sun Wuji, a lone cultivator whose cultivation had reached the late stage of the Mahayana realm.
Zheng Yi led the five people to the underground cave.
When they entered the main passage, they all felt a strong spiritual energy, and their faces showed surprise.
"Such dense spiritual energy!" Sun Wuji exclaimed. "The spiritual energy is already this dense in the main passage alone; wouldn't it be even more abundant inside the cave?"
“That’s right,” Zheng Yi said. “The spiritual energy inside the cave is several times denser than in the passage. You can all experience it for yourselves.”
He led the five people to visit the low-level cave, the intermediate-level cave, and the top-level cave in turn.
At each cave they arrived at, the five of them would go inside and sit for a while, sensing the spiritual energy within. Each time, their faces would light up with even greater surprise.
"Excellent!" Sun Wuji exclaimed excitedly after stepping out of the top-tier cave dwelling. "The spiritual energy here is incredibly rich! Cultivating here for a month is at least equivalent to cultivating outside for three months!"
"Senior Sun, you flatter me." Zheng Yi smiled slightly. "May I ask which level of cave dwelling you would like to rent?"
The five exchanged glances, and then Sun Wuji spoke up, "Mr. Dark Night, I'd like to rent a mid-level cave dwelling. Do you have any available?"
"Yes," Zheng Yi nodded. "There are nine intermediate-level cave dwellings available for rent, and they are all currently vacant. Senior Sun can choose any one."
“Alright, then I’ll choose cave number three,” Sun Wuji said.
The other four also chose their preferred cave dwellings. Two chose mid-level cave dwellings, and two chose low-level cave dwellings.
"Have you all made your choices?" Zheng Yi asked.
"We've made our choices," the five said in unison.
"Okay. Let's go upstairs and sign the lease."
After returning to the ground, Zheng Yi took out the rental agreement he had prepared in advance and showed it to the five people.
The lease agreement details the rent, lease term, and other important information. Rent is payable monthly, with a minimum lease term of one month and a maximum of one year. Tenants must abide by the rules within the cave, refraining from fighting, causing disturbances, or damaging the cave's facilities. (End of Chapter)