Chapter 980: Master’s Entrance

Residing in the capital is no simple feat.

Daye, the heart of the Da Liang Kingdom, is a cultural hub with a legacy spanning six dynasties, attracting heroes from every corner. Its commerce thrives, fostering numerous distinguished families and affluent merchants.

The city is indeed a land of gold, with exorbitant living costs that burden the common folk.

Yet, for Wang Chen, a man of immense wealth, any issue solvable by money was trivial.

After reclaiming his property, he promptly visited a nearby pawnshop, acquiring three maids and five servants to staff his residence.

He saw no need to hire guards.

With these servants, the chores of cleaning and organizing his new abode were effortlessly managed.

The estate featured distinct front and rear sections; modest in size, it boasted a front yard and back courtyard complete with pavilions and towers, spacious enough to house over a hundred individuals.

Wang Chen, accompanied by a handful of servants, found living there remarkably comfortable.

The buildings, both inside and out, had been largely refurbished, with brand-new furnishings. The rear garden was adorned with rare and elegant flora, a testament to Han Zhengjie’s considerable investment of time and money.

Wang Chen considered himself fortunate to have secured such a deal.

He felt entirely justified in his acquisition, confident that even a dispute brought before the Liang Emperor would result in his victory.

After settling into his new home, Wang Chen promptly notified the Yiluan Directorate of his new address for ease of communication and dispatched an urgent letter to Donglu Prefecture via the inn.

The letter, addressed to Protector General Yao Peng, requested the escort of Xi Jun to Daye.

Wang Chen intended to spend the forthcoming years in Daye, believing the Da Liang Kingdom’s capital to be the optimal locale for accumulating fortune.

Curiously, the Yiluan Directorate remained silent in the following days.

It appeared that Wang Chen, the Blood Guard’s rising star, had been overlooked.

Unperturbed, Wang Chen devoted his time and energy to cultivation in the absence of any directives from above.

Wang Chen lavishly spent his gold and silver, procuring a vast array of precious herbs to amass potential points and bolster his spiritual energy reserves.

The spiritual energy in Cangqing was scarce. Without the advantage of blessed lands, relying solely on absorbing ambient energy was inefficient—hardly worth the effort.

Lacking spiritual energy, one could neither cast spells nor craft talismans and formations.

Wang Chen’s approach was to spend without restraint. Over time, herbs contained some spiritual energy, which he had previously wasted before opening his Upper Dantian. Now, he could absorb every bit, making the expenditure worthwhile.

The previous thousand-year-old ginseng had been fully assimilated, yet the spiritual energy stored in his Upper Dantian was still below half.

However, Wang Chen’s extravagant purchases drove up the prices of precious herbs in Daye, accelerating his financial depletion.

To amass more funds, Wang Chen sold all the Ling family’s properties and shops in Daye.

Reclaiming these assets was fraught with challenges, but his status as a Blood Guard Qiandu and Grand General of Demon Suppression, along with legitimate deeds, ensured a smooth process.

The proceeds from the sales were entirely converted into cultivation resources.

Such extravagance would bankrupt even the wealthiest households, and prominent families would be brought to their knees.

Yet, Wang Chen remained indifferent; he didn’t consider his spending excessive. He only lamented the dwindling availability of resources to meet his needs.

As his nickname "the little boy who scatters wealth" swiftly circulated through the imperial capital’s circles, Wang Chen became widely recognized. He soon became a subject of conversation in certain circles.

However, Wang Chen, engrossed in his cultivation at home, remained oblivious to this and wouldn’t have cared even if he had known.

Yet, less than half a month after his arrival in Daye, an unexpected visit from an uninvited guest disrupted his tranquil life!

“Princess?”

In the front hall, Wang Chen was startled as he watched the visitor lift her veil. “What brings you here?”

The guest before him was none other than Princess Qingyun, whom he had once met in the library.

She was the most cherished sister of Emperor Shaowu!

Princess Qingyun did not come alone; she was accompanied by two attendants, one of whom was a fifth level martial sect master.

Despite this, Wang Chen was deeply surprised.

Someone of Princess Qingyun’s stature should not easily leave the palace, as any mishap could lead to dire consequences—who could shoulder such responsibility?

Even if she ventured out, she would typically be surrounded by numerous attendants and guards!

“I sneaked out,” Princess Qingyun confessed, playfully sticking out her tongue. “Wang Qiandu, you must not tell my royal brother!”

Wang Chen felt a mix of amusement and concern—if he remained silent, would Emperor Shaowu truly remain unaware?

Noticing Wang Chen’s expression, Princess Qingyun explained, “Uncle Sun and Uncle Zhang have watched me grow up; they would never betray me.”

She was clearly referring to her two attendants.

Wang Chen nodded and inquired, “Princess, what brings you to seek me out in secret?”

Princess Qingyun pressed her lips together, her expression resolute. “Wang Qiandu, I want you to help me open my Upper Dantian. I wish to practice methods!”

Wang Chen realized that this princess harbored a deep obsession with cultivation, so much so that she had sneaked out of the palace to find him.

He pondered for a moment before asking, “What’s in it for me?”

“Ah?”

Princess Qingyun was taken aback.

She had braced herself for another rejection from Wang Chen and was prepared to plead earnestly.

But Wang Chen was asking for something in return?

“W-Well…”

Princess Qingyun stammered, utterly at a loss for how to respond.

While she held a prestigious status, she lacked the authority or means to reward Wang Chen; doing so would breach protocol.

Thus, she could only counter, “What do you desire?”

“Silver.”

Wang Chen answered without hesitation. “I require a substantial amount of silver. Gold would suffice as well.”

Assisting Princess Qingyun in opening her Upper Dantian was not a daunting task, but it demanded a significant amount of spiritual energy from him.

And that spiritual energy was procured through vast sums of money; he couldn’t allow someone to reap the benefits without compensation, could he?

Wang Chen was no saint.

“Gold and silver?”

Princess Qingyun said with a crestfallen expression. “But my annual stipend is with Mother!”

As a member of the royalty, she received an annual stipend for her daily expenses. Residing in the palace, Princess Qingyun seldom needed gold or silver, hence she naturally didn’t carry any with her.

Wang Chen smiled without uttering a word.

Seeing his reaction, Princess Qingyun gritted her teeth and removed a phoenix hairpin from her hairstyle. “I’ll offer you five hundred thousand taels of silver, with this hairpin as collateral. Once I return to the palace, I will have Uncle Sun redeem it.”

“Is that acceptable?”