Chapter 360: The One-Million Consultancy Fee

“Big Brother, Black Fire is a little special. Hence, he cannot stay outside. However, it doesn’t matter if I stay outside. I could gain knowledge and experience in the world anyway…” said Little Tree hastily when it saw that Di Jiu had agreed to let Mo Yuxuan stay outside.

Little Tree was just an old tree root who had gotten an opportunity and grown some intelligence. These kind of tree roots were numerous in number, so the average immortal would not pay extra attention to them. Perhaps, if Little Tree had not encountered Di Jiu, it would have spent the rest of its life meaninglessly on the Fairy Planet.

“Alright. Enter the Quintessential World, Black Fire.” Di Jiu ignored Black Fire’s bitter gaze and directly sent it into the Quintessential World.

Di Jiu had yet to fully understand what Black Fire was. No ordinary thing or being could tear space open.

One could recognize the extraordinariness of such an impressive demon insect, even if they did not know its background.

…

“Is this your first time in the Outer Tripod Void City?” Di Jiu, Mo Yuxuan and Little Tree had just walked to the city’s entrance when they were stopped by the guards.

Di Jiu hurriedly cupped his fists and said, “That’s right. This is my first time here.”

The guard said coolly, “If you intend to stay long-term in the Outer Tripod Void City, each person has to pay 10,000 high-grade immortal crystals per year. You can choose to pay the maximum once every three years. If you only wish to rest here for a short while, so long as you don’t stay for more than three days, each person has to pay 1,000 high-grade immortal crystals as an entrance fee to the city.”

Di Jiu silently lamented at how expensive this was. However, he currently possessed a large number of immortal crystals. Hence, he could not be bothered to negotiate the price. He directly handed 3,000 immortal crystals to the guard.

Upon seeing that Di Jiu did not try to negotiate, the guard nodded his head and handed three jade cards to him. “You are able to use this jade card to offset your entrance fee. Each time you come from now on, you will only have to pay 100 high-grade immortal crystals.”

Di Jiu estimated that he would come back to this place once he left the Outer Tripod Void City. However, he still put these three jade cards into an ordinary ring.

“Big Brother, there are so many people here!” exclaimed Little Tree the moment they entered the void city.

There was actually not that many people around. The number of people was less than the population of the average cultivation city in the Cultivation World. However, both Little Tree and Black Fire had wandered in the void for many years and failed to see anyone. Based on this comparison, there seemed to be many people around.

“Senior Brother, there is no murderous aura present in the void here, and the space seems to be gentler as well. However, I do not quite like this place,” lamented Mo Yuxuan.

Di Jiu nodded his head, as he had also sensed the oppressive atmosphere of the Outer Tripod Void City. He did not intend to stay in the city for long. Just as he was about to search for an inn to seek more information, he saw a huge board that stated “Outer Tripod Void City Trading Hall”.

He entered the hall immediately. Right in the center of the hall was a gigantic array formation screen that showed some trading information which was refreshed occasionally. There was also some information on team formation.

“Excuse me, Daoist…” Di Jiu stopped a gray-robed middle-aged male cultivator.

This was a Great Unity Immortal. When he realized that he could not see through Di Jiu’s cultivation level after a glance, he asked, “What’s the matter, Daoist?”

“I would like to ask if you’ve heard of the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City,” said Di Jiu hastily.

The gray-robed man shook his head. “I’m not sure. I have never heard of it before.”

With that, the gray-robed cultivator turned around and left. He had no intention of continuing to chat with Di Jiu.

It seemed that the Gigantic Tripod and the Outer Tripod had no relation. Otherwise, Di Jiu supposed that he would have been able to obtain answers if he’d randomly asked someone. He walked towards the place where one could create a mission in the trading hall. Since the Gigantic Tripod was not too well-known, he chose to create a mission.

“Wait up…” Before Di Jiu could walk to the window where one could create a mission and ask, someone stopped him.

The cultivator who had called out to him was at the early-stage Immortal Lord Realm. He cupped his fists before Di Jiu and said, “Daoist, I really like this beast-like companion of yours. Would you be willing to give it away?”

Di Jiu looked at this Immortal Lord in surprise. He would have understood if Black Fire had been there and the other party had been referring to it. However, Little Tree lacked potential and capabilities. Di Jiu could not believe that this fella had actually said that he liked Little Tree.

However, he did not intend to throw Little Tree away, even though Little Tree was currently of little to no help to him. “I’m sorry, I don’t intend to sell my companion.”

“Oh, it’s alright. May I know where you are headed to?” This Immortal Lord seemed to really be asking a casual question. He did not seem concerned as to whether Di Jiu would sell away Little Tree or not.

“I heard someone mention that there is a void cultivation city known as the Gigantic Tripod when I was wandering in the void. However, I don’t know where the Gigantic Tripod is exactly. This is why I came here to create a mission.” Di Jiu had originally intended to search for the Gigantic Tripod, so he did not mind telling this fella.

“You are headed to the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City?” The Immortal Lord looked at Di Jiu in surprise. His tone was filled with disbelief.

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Di Jiu was drawn to his words. “You know about the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City?”

The Immortal Lord laughed. “You have asked the right person. I know about the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City, as well as how to get there.”

Di Jiu looked at this Immortal Lord in pleasant surprise. Indeed, one would search high and low only to find what one needed when one least expected to. He had been able to find out about the Gigantic Tripod easily. Plus, the other party seemed to know how to go to the Gigantic Tripod as well.

Although Di Jiu’s delighted expression was brief, the Immortal Lord still saw it clearly and said, “Your luck is not bad. Many cultivators have tried to head to the Gigantic Tripod Void Immortal City, yet they could only wait here. The immortal ships of the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City only pass by the Outer Tripod Void City every three years. Some people have to wait for several years in order to head to the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City. Furthermore, the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City’s immortal ship will be arriving in half a month. This is not the boarding place, however.”

“Where is it?” Di Jiu had just asked this question when he saw a Great Unity Immortal standing nearby glance at the Immortal Lord speaking to Di Jiu in surprise. The Great Unity Immortal then shook his head and turned to look at the mission on the array formation screen.

“It is a pier of the Outer Tripod called the Dragon’s Tongue Void Pier. However, the price one has to pay to go to the Gigantic Tripod is not cheap,” said the Immortal Lord solemnly.

Di Jiu turned to the window and inquired, “May I know how far away the Dragon’s Tongue Void Pier is?”

The truth was that Di Jiu had asked this question to confirm that this pier truly existed.

The cultivator behind the window glanced at Di Jiu and said coolly, “Half a day’s journey.”

“How many immortal crystals does it cost to head to the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City?” asked Di Jiu after he confirmed that the Dragon’s Tongue Pier did exist.

“10 million high-grade immortal crystals per person. If you have a Small World, your friends could enter it.” This time, the Immortal Lord did not speak out loud. Instead, he transmitted this message to Di Jiu mentally.

Di Jiu lowered his head, as though he was considering the Immortal Lord’s words. However, his Spiritual Force was observing the Immortal Lord’s expression after the voice transmission. Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force was far superior to the other party’s, which was why the latter failed to notice this.

Di Jiu almost wanted to slap himself. He was too concerned about the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City. Hence, he had not noticed that everything seemed to be too much of a coincidence.

At this thought, Di Jiu mentally told the Great Unity Immortal, who had shaken his head earlier, “My friend, you seemed to shake your head when someone told me how to get to the Gigantic Tripod Void Immortal City. Have you heard of the Gigantic Tripod Void Immortal City? If you have, I’m willing to pay 100,000 high-grade Spirit Stones to obtain that piece of information…”

The Great Unity Immortal glanced at Di Jiu in surprise before looking mockingly at the Immortal Lord, who was too ignorant to actually target a Great Immortal.

The Great Unity Immortal sensed that Di Jiu’s cultivation level was not lower than his, given the fact that the latter was able to easily sent a voice transmission to him without letting the Immortal Lord hear.

“One million. That is the custom here,” said the Great Unity Immortal without reason as he turned around and left.

Di Jiu hastily cupped his fists at the Immortal Lord and said, “Thank you. Allow me to consider this price again.”

Di Jiu was about to chase after the Great Unity Immortal.

“I actually know some people. If you really wanted to go, I’d be able to decrease the price of the ticket,” said the Immortal Lord who hastily stopped Di Jiu in his tracks when he saw that Di Jiu was about to leave.

Di Jiu laughed. Being too concerned about something would truly cause all logic to disappear. He understood now that the earlier words of the Immortal Lord had been a little fake.

“There is no need to do that. Let me consider it first.” Di Jiu waved his hand.

When he saw that Di Jiu insisted on leaving, the Immortal Lord shrugged and said, “If you want to consider this even longer, do so. Just tell me when you have made your decision. We hit it off right from the beginning. Hence, I will give you five percent off the consultancy fee this time. You only have to give me 95,000 high-grade immortal crystals.”

Di Jiu frowned and looked at the Immortal Lord before saying in an unfriendly tone, “What do you mean by that?”

Upon hearing Di Jiu’s words, the Immortal Lord’s expression darkened. He pointed to an average-sized board not far away and said, “Look at the Outer Tripod Void City’s law. All consultancy fees start from one million. You have already asked me more than three questions, so you have met the conditions of a paid consultation.”

Di Jiu looked at the board. Indeed, there was one line that stated that. However, various rules stated that this only applied to consultations on very important information. Also, this law only applied to the hall. In other words, this was the price of the consultancy fee when one asked for information through official means.

“This is a tacitly approved price applicable to both consultations made in the trading hall or by an individual,” the Immortal Lord added when he saw Di Jiu’s ugly expression.

It was only then that Di Jiu understood what the Great Unity Immortal had meant. The one-million consultancy fee was the tacitly agreed price in the Outer Tripod Void City. Most likely, everyone would only ask questions of extreme importance. The reason he had been tricked was because he had not been aware of this custom.

“Of course, I admit that I have a motive for introducing people and telling them to board the void immortal ship heading to the Gigantic Tripod. After all, I will gain a percentage of the fee. If you board the boat and I get this percentage, it is okay if you don’t pay me the consultancy fee.” The Immortal Lord once again gave Di Jiu an opportunity to extricate himself from an awkward position.

Di Jiu took a deep breath, tried his best to suppress his anger, and said, “In that case, I’ll first have a word with another friend. Is that okay?”

“No, the law of the Outer Tripod Void Immortal City states that you can only trade or consult with others only after the ongoing trade between us is over,” said the Immortal Lord coolly.

This was indeed a dubious law. Di Jiu looked at the Immortal Lord and laughed. “In that case, I will save some of my immortal crystals. Lead the way. I will follow you to board the immortal ship heading to the Gigantic Tripod.”