Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!-Chapter 748 - 724: Are They the Same Thing?
"Chirp chirp!"
"Don’t be in such a hurry, that’s Trapped Snake Island. You have to pass the array detection at the main gate to get in," Hou Ze said with a guise of familiarity, though he had only heard about it from friends.
He kept reminding himself to stay calm and pretend to be a regular visitor, yet he couldn’t help but look around at the giant beasts, flying boats, and the flashy high-end goods he had never seen before.
Following the crowd to the gate, he looked up at the towering red city walls and the open gate, swallowing excitedly, and whispered, "Do you see the giant snake coiled above the gate? They’re all made from the most precious heavenly materials and earthly treasures, showcasing the power of Trapped Snake Island!"
The little monkey squatted on his shoulder, gazing at the valuable and dazzling giant circular serpent carving, making it drool.
Let alone such a large relief; even a small piece falling off would make a small shop in Golden Carp Lake Market prosperous for a hundred years.
It clenched its little paws into fists and silently made a wish to the majestic relief, hoping this trip isn’t in vain and that they can secure the big business Leng Yutang fought for after gaining insights on Trapped Snake Island! The monkey also gained insight and dreamed of living like a rich monkey!
Through the array, a flash of light marked their official entry onto the island.
In one glance, the red walls and green tiles with golden tops, layers of grand pavilions and towers, built on tiered platforms resembling flowing clouds, constructed on the flat island, stacked with plant and building lines to create magnificent, splendid, yet not overcrowded "mountains."
"Heaven and Earth! This premium Teleportation Talisman wasn’t a waste at all. No wonder it’s often said: A businessman who hasn’t been to Trapped Snake Island is merely a street vendor and can’t be considered a real merchant.
Indeed! We’re late!" Hou Ze exclaimed, seeing a plethora of vibrant and splendid merchant stalls, looking up and down, where every sight was full of uniquely grand and luxurious merchants.
Among the weaving crowd, occasionally, magnificent giant beasts carrying goods, adorned with gold and silver, passed by slowly. Even under broad daylight, colorful candlelights illuminated everywhere. He couldn’t imagine how dazzling the island would be at night with its radiant lights and gemstones!
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
The golden-haired little monkey was mesmerized too, yet didn’t forget to remind him to quickly inquire about the firestone.
Finding a product that currently has only images and no physical form on an island this vast is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
"Look! That’s a convoy from the Chaotic Stone Sea!"
"Moon Snail Mountain of Chaotic Stone Sea, not losing out to Trapped Snake Island, that’s an internal mutual trading caravan."
"The Demon Realm Alliance finally did something decent, and mutual exchanges between Moon Snail Mountain and Trapped Snake Island make it convenient for us; otherwise, who would afford to spend big money and time going back and forth daily? It’s far away!"
"The distance is secondary; the key is that the Chaotic Stone Sea’s resources are more abundant but also more dangerous..."
......
Hou Ze was busy searching in the dazzling scene for a specialized fuel store to gather information when he overheard the demon cultivators beside him pointing and discussing, and following their gaze, he saw a convoy of exotic beasts approaching from afar.
Leading the convoy was a demon cultivator of at least three meters in height, yet very slender, shrouded in white fabric embroidered with gold spirals, wearing a with a heavy veil under a platinum conical hat, exposing only snow-white bare feet, stepping on the void with lotus-like steps.
The wind whipped around the loose fabric, revealing it’s likely a female cultivator.
Behind her followed an endless line of massive exotic beasts, covered in light blue flowing fur, with eight pairs of large wings like delicate fan blades, swaying in the wind as they walked with an exotic flair, attracting passersby to stop and watch.
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
The convoy passed, but Hou Ze was still immersed in the stunning scene’s shock without recovering, as the little monkey on his shoulder patted his head, signaling him to get back to business.
"One day, we’ll visit the Chaotic Stone Sea!" His face was filled with emotion; this visit to Trapped Snake Island suddenly fueled the ambition hidden deep within his heart.
A demon life in the world, if confined to the small corner of Golden Carp Lake without witnessing the grandeur of the Wilderness World, would never rest in peace even in death.
Thus, by all means, this big business deal must be secured, and earn plenty of Spirit Stones, to have the capital to roam the Wilderness and see the world!
With grand ambitions, by the middle of the day, Hou Ze finally found a shop named "Xinhuo Trading Company." It’s said to be the largest fuel supplier on Trapped Snake Island, having fuels not found in other shops.
The convoy from the Chaotic Stone Sea he saw earlier cooperates with Xinhuo Trading Company, so even information on underwater fuels can be obtained here.
From the outside, the three-story gold-edged bamboo building appeared delicate; upon entering, one discovered the shop’s vast interior under a blue sky and clouds using space techniques, giving the illusion that only this row of shops remained on the island.
The clouds above the sky constantly changed shape and color, spewing flames. Hou Ze stared for a while before realizing these must be what Xinhuo Trading Company dealt in.
"Dear customer, what type of fuel do you need?" The waiter, seeing him looking around unsure of entering any specialty shop, approached with a smiling face.
No judging by appearances or offering special treatment based on looks could exist here; even someone dressed in ragged clothes and of the lowest realm would receive warm hospitality.
After all, the cultivation realm is vast, and the lifespan of cultivators long; the bigwigs of different races have their own preferences, and in business, everyone must be welcomed with a smiling face and courteous words, for any slight could bring fatal consequences.
Even though the Waiter has met countless people, at a glance, he could see that this person must be new and inexperienced in this world, so he did not dare to neglect, offering a cup of Spirit Tea and introducing, "Our firm covers nearly a thousand types of fuel from different regions, with the usual transactions starting at thirty boxes. Please take a look, sir, this is our firm’s specialized cargo box, forged with the reinforcement of Space Technique, a small box like this can hold a thousand pounds of goods."
The fragrance of the Spirit Tea was overwhelming, and Hou Ze glanced at the box being displayed, feeling a bit of a jolt in his heart.
He thought to himself, as expected of Trapped Snake Island which only does bulk business, if one wants to trade here, tens of thousands of pounds of goods are the absolute minimum requirement, just how many Spirit Stones would that require for transactions?
"Squeak squeak!"
A little golden monkey poked its head out and licked the Spirit Tea, quietly reminding him.
Recovering from the layers of shock, he directly asked, "Excuse me, does your firm have Fire Stones for sale?"
"Fire Stones?" The Waiter was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, then smiled and explained, "You’ve come to the right place, sir. I’m not bragging, but if our Simmering Fire Firm doesn’t have Fire Stones in stock, then even if you run your legs thin, you won’t find another shop with it. However..."
With a slightly hesitant tone, the Waiter discreetly reminded, "It’s a store rule, purchasing Fire Stones requires payment in Immortal Jade, cash on the spot, no credit allowed. Moreover, because this item is so much in demand, even if you pay with Immortal Jade to reserve it, you’ll likely have to wait at least six months to get your turn. And that’s in a good harvest year, if it were like a few years back with a poor harvest, there’s no saying when you’d actually receive your goods."
Huh? In demand? And there’s talk of good and poor harvest years?
Hou Ze was filled with question marks, wondering if they were even discussing the same thing?
To avoid misunderstandings, he displayed the image Leng Yutang had sent him, asking, "Is this the Fire Stone you’re talking about?"
The Waiter, with extensive experience in the fuel business, recognized it immediately and nodded, "Yes, indeed, it’s this kind of Fire Stone from Silver Valley. Sir, the one you have is of excellent quality, and if ordered from our firm, it’s priced at ten Spirit Stones each, and could potentially sell for thirty to forty Spirit Stones each when resold. Just how much you can mark up depends on your connections and sales strategy."
"Such a high price?!" Hou Ze doubted his ears; the little golden monkey also widened its bright round eyes.
His mind buzzed, and not waiting for a reply, he eagerly asked, "What kind of business can afford to use such expensive fuel?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
"You might be mistaken, sir. Fire Stones are typically used to light eternal lamps. Even if one didn’t mind the cost of using them as fuel, the annual production wouldn’t suffice." The Waiter patiently explained, "These Fire Stones from Silver Valley are brilliantly colored, burn without smoke or residue, and have a pleasant fire that can be controlled in size;
even when burned out, there’s no issue of other fuels turning to dust afterwards.
On the contrary, various factors like the varying burning durations lead to white bone-like solid residues of different degrees, which are also very aesthetically pleasing.
If nourished with Spiritual Power, the longer the time, the more glossy it becomes, and if nourished for over three years, it can exhibit varying degrees of transformation into jade. Fire Stones ordered for eternal lamps, after the core is depleted, and those that have undergone jade transformation through nurturing, can fetch corresponding prices based on their appearance.
Even though they don’t contain great power nor benefit cultivation, there are always people who adore beautiful things, willing to pay a relatively high price for them."
Hou Ze was in a daze hearing all this, feeling as if he were dreaming, and then suddenly became very angry!
Damn it, those swindlers in Silver Valley are utterly shameless!
Relying on their strength and monopolizing the Teleportation Array, claiming to buy at low prices, isn’t that blatant robbery? The pittance they offer is merely enough to let the Furious Fire Bear Race barely survive, allowing them to extract more Fire Stones to continue leeching off them!
What’s more despicable is that they completely cut off any path for the entire race to become stronger, without any other opportunities, the Furious Fire Bear Race is doomed to become slaves to the swindlers of Silver Valley!
"May I take a look at your firm’s Fire Stones?"
"Of course, please wait a moment, sir." The Waiter noticed that when he reminded that fuel starts with a ten-box minimum purchase, Hou Ze’s expression changed, indicating he didn’t have a strong trading capability.
However, Fire Stones are a special fuel with limited annual production, even regular customers have a cap on purchase quantities, and even if he wanted to buy a box, it might not be available in the short term.
Over the years, many powerful firms have wanted a piece of the pie.
Fortunately, the Shopkeeper of Simmering Fire Firm has an old friendship with the City Lord of Silver Valley, reportedly saving his life, and thus securely controls the exclusive Fire Stone sales channel. No matter how big your background, if you want to get into the Fire Stone business, you’ll have to look at our shopkeeper’s mood.
So, the Waiters at Simmering Fire Firm carry a certain inexplicable pride as they introduce newcomers to their unique specialty, speaking freely, "These are the ordinary type, with the highest extraction numbers, priced most affordably, ordered from our firm at three Spirit Stones each;
this is the middle-quality type, fewer in number, six Spirit Stones each; this is of top quality, identical to the image you just showed, ten Spirit Stones each."
Hou Ze turned it over and over in his hands, worried about mistaking it for a different item.
"You’ve got incredible luck, sir. Over the past four years, Silver Valley has consistently had poor harvest years with extremely low Fire Stone output.
Just yesterday, the Shopkeeper received news that this summer has yielded a good harvest, with smooth extractions, and a large supply of Fire Stones is expected soon.
So if you can’t let go of them, you could register to purchase one or two as high-priced samples." The Waiter misunderstood his intention, assuming he liked them but lacked the funds for bulk transactions.
He smiled and reminded, "Even though sample purchases are costly, with each type of Fire Stone sold at ten times the usual price, the chance to pay two to three hundred Spirit Stones to take home a beloved item is not to be missed."
He paused, then added, "By purchasing a sample in the name of a shop, I can authorize giving you a set of our firm’s fuel sample book. It will clearly outline the origins, uses, quality distinctions, and price markings for different fuels, so you can contact me for any needs."
