"The cost to go to Half-Mountain County isn’t cheap!" Upon hearing Ye Haochuan mention his destination, the lean old man started to calculate.

His method of calculation seemed quite peculiar, making it difficult for Ye Haochuan to understand. After ten whole minutes, the old man finally ceased his writing and said, "Half-Mountain County is thirteen thousand miles away, the cost for teleportation will be 1.5 million low-grade red crystals!"

What?! 1.5 million? No wonder no one dares to use the teleportation. This is outright extortion.

Ye Haochuan silently cursed in his heart.

However, thinking about the distance, he felt somewhat relieved. He wasn’t sure of the exact distance to Half-Mountain County, but he knew that to get there, he’d have to traverse through seven or eight counties, which might indeed be over ten thousand miles; otherwise, it wouldn’t take half a year to travel.

1.5 million to save half a year, who knows if this deal is worth it. But for Ye Haochuan, time is of the essence, so spending this 1.5 million isn’t a loss.

Yet, after obtaining that treasure, he had only around 1.8 million red crystals. Spending 1.5 million to get there would leave him lacking funds to return.

Forget it, when the time comes, I’ll just borrow some red crystals from that guy with half-black, half-white hair. He’s a powerful figure, surely he won’t be so stingy?

With this thought, Ye Haochuan no longer hesitated and handed over the red crystals.

The old man took the ring, extracted nearly 1.2 million red crystals, and divided them into six parts, placing them evenly behind each formation foundation.

There was a specific area here, also covered by a formation. As the red crystals were placed, the flower energy transformed into fine strands that infused into the divine crystals. As for the spiritual energy within the red crystals, it wasn’t wasted, being fully channeled into the teleportation array.

Only then did Ye Haochuan realize that the teleportation cost wasn’t entirely the old man’s profit, most of it was consumed by the operation of the formation. Only 300,000 was the old man’s profit.

Thinking of this, Ye Haochuan couldn’t help but click his tongue; the teleportation cost 1.2 million red crystals per use, this teleportation array is simply a money-guzzler.

It seems the laws of the Immortal Realm are so powerful, making teleportation costs multiply geometrically.

"Step inside!" the old man reminded.

Ye Haochuan slowly stepped into the teleportation array, where the interwoven spiritual and flower energies felt quite comforting.

The next moment, the old man suddenly made several seals, pressing them onto one of the formation foundations.

Ye Haochuan instantly felt a chaos surrounding him, leaving him bewildered.

Moments later, the feeling of chaos disappeared, and Ye Haochuan slowly opened his eyes to find himself still in the center of the teleportation array. However, the people and things beside him had changed, clearly indicating he was no longer in Anxi County.

Upon stepping out of the teleportation area, Ye Haochuan immediately felt the surrounding flower energy had increased by many folds compared to Anxi County. Looking around, cultivators in the mid to late stages of Immortal Transformation were as numerous as dogs. There were even several people Ye Haochuan found alarming at a glance, yet he couldn’t discern their cultivation.

Oh my, I heard the closer you get to the center of the Immortal Realm, the more prosperous it becomes, but I never expected it to be this intense.

Ye Haochuan was secretly astonished.

Half-Mountain County is evidently one of the most prosperous places in the Immortal Realm, and it’s closer to its center. Places like Shuanghua County and Mushan County are on the edge of the Immortal Realm’s map, considered impoverished lands.

If Half-Mountain County were compared to China’s prominent cities, Shuanghua County would only be akin to impoverished mountain villages in the west.

After a while, Ye Haochuan composed himself and approached a lone cultivator in the early stage of Immortal Transformation, asking, "Fellow Daoist, may I ask where Half-Mountain Residence is?"

"From out of town?" The cultivator scrutinized Ye Haochuan for a few moments, then sneered, "Are you here to participate in the Half-Mountain Residence’s Disciple Selection Meeting too? I advise you, don’t entertain such delusions, you won’t get in. I heard even Cangnan County’s top genius is here; compared to him, you don’t even count as an ant..."

"Half-Mountain Residence Disciple Selection Meeting?"

"Hmm? You don’t know? Then why are you going to Half-Mountain Residence? It’s not some market, where anyone can just waltz in!" the cultivator scoffed.

Agh, I’m just asking for directions, do you have to be so condescending?

Feeling frustrated, Ye Haochuan said, "I only have some business with someone at Half-Mountain Residence, please point the way, fellow Daoist!"

Seeing that Ye Haochuan didn’t seem to be joking, the cultivator dialed back his disdain and pointed Ye Haochuan in the right direction.

Actually, the route wasn’t complicated; the cultivator pointed towards a range of mountains in the western suburbs of the county city. Within the mountains, there was a steep mountain originally towering into the clouds yet was cut in half horizontally.

On that jagged surface stood several ancient and majestic buildings.

Ye Haochuan couldn’t help but admire it; the name Half-Mountain Residence lived up to its name, truly just half a mountain.

With direction, Ye Haochuan soon bid farewell to the cultivator and hurried towards Half-Mountain Residence.

It’s said that looking at a close mountain can exhaust a horse; though it seemed near, by the time Ye Haochuan arrived at the foot of the Half-Mountain, five to six hours had already passed.

Dusk had fallen, yet the base of Half-Mountain Residence was still bustling. These people were evidently here to register for the Half-Mountain Residence’s Disciple Selection Meeting.

Ye Haochuan wasn’t there to become a disciple of Half-Mountain Residence; he pushed through the crowd and went to the entrance.

Outside the grand entrance stood an impressive young man, around thirty years old, already at the late stage of Immortal Transformation, his talent could be described as exceptional.

On the corner of the young man’s attire, the characters ’Half-Mountain’ were embroidered, indicating he must be a young prodigy of Half-Mountain Residence.

Even a gatekeeper here had such cultivation; the strength of Half-Mountain Residence was evident.

Though the crowd outside was noisy, none dared to approach within three feet of the young man. Only when someone who had registered came out would one more person be allowed entry. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

For this reason, when Ye Haochuan left the crowd and approached the young man, the previously clamorous crowd fell silent, and all eyes focused on Ye Haochuan.

The young man frowned slightly, snorting coldly, "Stop right there; take another step forward, and I’ll kill you without mercy!"

His words, laced with murderous intent, made everyone involuntarily shiver and take a step back.

Ye Haochuan was equally alarmed, not daring to approach further, and loudly said, "You’ve misunderstood, Daoist brother, I’m not here for the selection meeting. I seek to pay a visit to a senior at Half-Mountain Residence."

"Whom do you seek, and for what purpose?" the young man replied coldly.

Ye Haochuan hesitated, not knowing the person’s name. He could only say, "A senior with half black and half white hair; as for the name, I didn’t ask!"

"Where’s this brat from, wanting to pull strings without doing his homework? You dare claim to visit someone and don’t even know their name?" someone in the crowd mocked before the young man could speak.

This prompted unanimous agreement from those around. In their view, Ye Haochuan must be trying some backdoor trick to gain a disciple’s place at Half-Mountain Residence.

Hearing this, the young man’s eyes filled with murderous intent.