Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 862: The Value of Things

Li Yu laid down on the soft silk blankets and closed his eyes. The night had been long but deeply satisfying. He fell asleep almost instantly and enjoyed a dreamless rest.The next morning arrived with bright sunlight piercing through the perpetual mist of Gilded Fate City. Li Yu woke up feeling completely refreshed. He sat up in bed and stretched his arms. He spent a few minutes organizing the massive amount of high grade spirit stones he had won at the Golden Cicada.

The sheer volume of wealth was staggering after reviewing it. Li Yu then realized he was beginning to enjoy the thrill of gambling a bit too much. It was easy to get addicted when the universe seemingly handed you endless victories. He decided he would stay away from the dice halls today to keep his mind sharp.

A soft knock echoed from the heavy wooden door.

"Come in." Li Yu called out.

The door opened slowly and Mei stood in the hallway. She looked different from the girl he had met yesterday at the city gates. She wore the exact same practical clothes and yellow sash. But the dark circles under her eyes had mostly gone away. A genuine brightness radiated from her young face. The crushing weight of poverty and despair had been lifted from her shoulders and made her feel that bit better.

"Good morning, young master." Mei bowed respectfully. "I am ready to show you the rest of the city. We have many wonderful sights to see today that do not involve dice or origin stones."

"Lead the way." Li Yu smiled warmly.

They spent the entire morning exploring the quieter districts of the massive metropolis. Gilded Fate City was not just a haven for risk and greed. It was also a cultural hub built on centuries of accumulated wealth.

Mei took him to the grand hanging gardens first. The gardens were suspended high above the bustling streets on floating platforms of pristine white stone. Exotic flowers from across the realms bloomed in the carefully controlled climate.

"The city founders built these gardens to show their dominance over nature." Mei explained as they walked down a winding path. "They wanted a place where the wealthy could relax and forget about their losses."

"It is very beautiful." Li Yu agreed. He admired a large flower with petals that looked like spun glass.

They enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere for a while and Li Yu bought a few skewered meat snacks from a wandering vendor. He shared them with his guide who enjoyed them quite a bit. They eventually left the gardens and wandered into a large open air market dedicated entirely to spiritual beasts and exotic pets.

Li Yu immediately began looking for additions to his Koi Sanctuary. He browsed through long rows of glass tanks and contained spatial pockets. He ignored the ferocious combat beasts and focused solely on the aquatic sections.

He found a merchant selling deep sea creatures from a distant water realm.

"What do you have today?" Li Yu asked.

The merchant smiled eagerly and rubbed his hands together. He pointed to a large tank filled with dark blue water. "I have a school of puffer fish. They are incredibly fast and they naturally purify the water they swim in. I also have a pair of Metal Skin Crabs. They are very sturdy and live for a very long time."

"I will take all of them." Li Yu nodded. He paid the merchant a fair price in spirit stones without negotiating.

He discreetly transferred the fish and the crabs directly into the vast ocean of his Koi Sanctuary. The aquatic ecosystem of his inner world was growing more diverse every time he got to a town. He loved watching the new creatures adapt to the rich spiritual waters. It was a simple joy that grounded him and could possibly give him strength in the future.

As they left the beast market, Li Yu felt a sudden vibration in his inner pocket. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small token. The token glowed with a faint green light. Jorik's voice echoed directly into Li Yu's mind through the spiritual link.

"Young master." Jorik spoke rapidly. "I have gathered everything my clan can spare but the total matches the value of the herb. I am ready to make the trade for the Moonlit Frost Root."

Mei led him toward the very center of the metropolis. The central bank was an imposing fortress constructed from solid black stone. Massive pillars supported a soaring roof. Heavily armored guards stood at every single entrance. Their auras were deep and oppressive. They carried heavy halberds and watched the crowds with hawklike eyes.

Li Yu and Mei walked up the wide stone steps and entered the grand lobby. The interior was quiet and highly organized. Customers conducted their private business in secluded alcoves shielded by powerful arrays.

Li Yu spotted Jorik waiting near the main desk. The desperate young man looked even more exhausted than yesterday. He gripped a small storage ring tightly in his trembling hand.

This book was originally published on NovelFire. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Jorik." Li Yu called out as he approached.

Jorik turned around quickly and a look of immense relief washed over his tired face. "Young master. You came."

"I gave you my word." Li Yu replied calmly. "Let us see what you brought for the trade."

Jorik led them to a private viewing room off the main lobby. A bank appraiser followed them inside. The appraiser was an older man wearing formal grey robes. He carried several specialized tools for evaluating spiritual items and raw materials.

As they sat down at a polished wooden table, Li Yu began. "I do not have the specific knowledge to evaluate everything you brought myself. The bank charges a small fee for this service but it ensures fairness for both of us."

"I completely understand." Jorik nodded quickly. He placed his storage ring on the table.

With a wave of his hand Jorik emptied the contents of the ring. A massive pile of diverse items materialized on the table. There were stacks of low grade spirit stones. There were several rusted swords that pulsed with faint elemental energy. There were pieces of cracked leather armor and small wooden boxes filled with common medicinal herbs. There were even a few rare raw ores and uncut gems.

It was a chaotic and desperate collection. It was incredibly clear that Jorik was giving Li Yu absolutely everything he owned in the world. He had likely emptied his dying clan vaults and his own personal savings just to gather this random pile.

"This sword belonged to my grandfather." Jorik whispered softly. He pointed to a blade with a cracked hilt. "It has a minor wind array carved into the steel."

Li Yu nodded respectfully but did not say anything.

The appraiser stepped forward. He began to sort through the items with practiced efficiency. He weighed the raw ores and inspected the edges of the blades. He opened the wooden boxes of herbs and checked their freshness. The man then evaluated the density of the spirit stones and he worked in total silence for nearly half an hour while Jorik sweated nervously.

"The evaluation is complete." The appraiser finally announced. He looked up from his ledger. "The combined value of all these items including the loose spirit stones matches the current market value of a Moonlit Frost Root. It is a completely fair trade."

Jorik let out a long shaky breath. He looked like he was about to collapse from the sheer relief. He had scrounged up exactly enough but he knew Li Yu was doing him a favor. Many of these things were things Li Yu did not even need or want but Li Yu was still willing to give it to him.

Li Yu paid the appraiser his required fee. The older man bowed respectfully to both of them and left the private room.

Li Yu swept his hand over the table. He stored the massive pile of random goods into his own spatial ring. He then retrieved the clear amber sphere containing the Moonlit Frost Root and he handed it carefully to the desperate man across the table.

Jorik took the frost herb with trembling hands. He stared at the glowing silver leaves trapped inside the amber.

"Thank you." Jorik whispered. Heavy tears formed in his eyes again. "Thank you for willing to part with this herb. I know you could easily get above market value for it at an auction house since it is such a rare item. You saved my mother."

"Of course." Li Yu replied simply. "If it can be useful to someone else, it makes perfect sense to trade it. Use it well, Jorik. May fate be in your favor."

Jorik bowed deeply to Li Yu. He did not waste any more time with polite words. He turned and rushed out of the bank to deliver the lifesaving cure to his mother. Li Yu and Mei left the bank a few minutes later. They stepped back out into the bright bustling streets.

"That was a very kind thing you did." Mei said softly as they walked. Usually guides weren’t meant to comment on such things but she couldn’t help herself after seeing it. She resonated with Jorik..

"It was just a fair trade." Li Yu said with a smile. "Where should we go next?"

"There is a beautiful historical plaza near the eastern gate." Mei suggested brightly. "It has massive stone statues of the city founders and a very large water fountain."

"Lead the way." Li Yu agreed.

They walked through the busy streets for another hour. They avoided the noisy gambling dens and stuck to the scenic paths. Mei pointed out interesting architectural landmarks and explained the local history. She was a very good guide and she clearly loved her city despite its dark underbelly.

They turned a corner onto a wide paved street lined with closed storefronts. A group of people suddenly blocked their path.

Li Yu recognized the leader immediately. It was the cruel woman from the slum district last night. She was the local enforcer who had demanded the rent money from Mei's family. She wore the same cheap flashy jewelry and the same ugly sneer. Several muscular thugs stood behind her with their arms crossed aggressively.

Mei stopped dead in her tracks. All the color instantly drained from her young face and she took a step backward as her entire body began to tremble.

"Well look who it is." The enforcer laughed sharply. "The little tour guide."

"What do you want?" Mei asked. Her voice was shaking violently.

"What do I want?" The woman scoffed. She stepped forward and pointed a long finger at Mei's chest. "I want the money your idiot brother owes us. He racked up a massive debt at the dice tables last night. We came to your pathetic tent last night but your mother only gave us a few worthless coins."

"We paid the installment." Mei argued weakly. "My mother gave you what we had."

"It is not enough anymore." The enforcer snarled. She dropped all pretense of civility. "My boss is tired of waiting. The terms have changed. You are going to pay the entire debt right now. Every single spirit stone."

"I do not have it." Mei said.

"Then you are coming with us." The woman declared coldly. She gestured to her thugs. "Grab her. If she does not pay up right now, we will capture her and her parents today. We will sell the two women off as consorts to the pleasure barges. And we will sell the crippled dad as a slave to work in the mines. That should cover the brother's debt nicely. We have the paperwork for the debt owed so the guards cannot stop us."

The muscular thugs smiled cruelly and stepped forward to grab the terrified girl.

Li Yu stood quietly beside his guide. He watched the thugs advance with a calm expression. His peaceful morning touring the city sights was officially over.