Su Xingyu wandered among the street stalls for a while, picking up a few items that caught his interest.
Ding ding—A message came through. He tapped on the communication channel.
[Black Star]: "Brother Yu, I brought the people. We're at the usual place."[Xingyu]: "Alright. Wait a few minutes. I'll be there soon."[Black Star]: "Okay."
Leaving the bustling street, Su Xingyu moved swiftly through the city and arrived at the courtyard Wang Dong had rented.
It had been quite a while since he first entered the City of Gods. No longer a clueless newcomer, Su Xingyu had gained a decent understanding of how things worked here, thanks to frequently browsing the information channel.
This particular courtyard, for example, cost 50 divine sources per day—fifty times more expensive than simply setting up a stall on the street. Despite the hefty price, many still chose to rent houses like these, especially traders.
Why?
Because in this world, time was a precious commodity. And in these yards, the flow of time could be freely adjusted—up to matching the speed of time in this plane. Renting a yard could save players days, even weeks, of effort.
At the moment, Su Xingyu's figure was larger than the entrance itself, but as he stepped into the yard, the space around him expanded accordingly. Everything inside the courtyard grew in proportion, as though reality itself bent to accommodate his size.
"Brother Yu, you've gotten stronger again," Wang Dong remarked as he rushed out from the living room, sensing Su Xingyu's arrival. Seeing the tall, shadowy god standing before him, he couldn't help but exclaim in awe.
Over the past few months, he had gotten to know Su Xingyu fairly well. He wasn't the kind to show off, and definitely not the type to enlarge his body just for attention.
That could only mean one thing—his power had grown too quickly, and he hadn't yet mastered full control. The overflow of divine energy was affecting his form.
"Made some progress," Su Xingyu replied with a small smile.
After a few casual pleasantries, Wang Dong gestured toward the house. "The man you're looking for is already here. He's waiting inside."
Together, they walked into the living room. A human player stood there waiting. Seeing Wang Dong lead someone in, the man rose and smiled politely.
"So this is the big client you mentioned, huh, Black Star?"
"That's right."
Wang Dong—who went by the title "Black Star," like an online handle—nodded and made the introductions.
"This is Li Qing, a deity of the religious domain. And this is Xingyu, a leader deity."
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
The two nodded in greeting, wasting no time on small talk.
"I heard from Black Star that Brother Xingyu is looking for a magic book. I happen to have one. Not sure if it's exactly what you want, but feel free to take a look."
Li Qing's divine form had a mature, weathered appearance—likely influenced by the nature of his followers. It made him seem warm and trustworthy.
He produced a thick tome from thin air and handed it over. Su Xingyu took it, noting the system's notarization seal on the cover. Flipping through the pages, he skimmed the contents before giving a slight nod.
"Looks good. What's your price?"
"This book contains thousands of spells, including more than a dozen mid-level ones," Li Qing said. "It took considerable time and effort to compile."
Then he paused, before finally naming his price. "Ten thousand divine sources."
Su Xingyu frowned. He didn't reply right away. Instead, he asked calmly, "How many players do you think are willing to spend 10,000 divine sources for a book like this? It's steep. Still, if you're willing to place restrictions on it, I might consider it."
Li Qing's expression remained composed, but he was stunned internally. He had thrown out the high number just to anchor the negotiation, expecting to be haggled down. He hadn't anticipated that Su Xingyu would even consider the full amount.
This guy can actually afford ten thousand?!
"Brother, you're really something," Li Qing said with a chuckle, quickly trying to shift the conversation. "But I make a living off this, you know."
He was referring to the system contract—the restriction Su Xingyu mentioned. With such a contract, the buyer couldn't share the spells with anyone else for a set period of time.
"How about five thousand divine sources?" Li Qing offered. "That's already a generous discount."
Su Xingyu shook his head. "Three thousand. I understand the value, and I know it wasn't easy to gather, but I'm not the only buyer in this world. Besides, some of the spells in there—I already have. I just haven't organized them yet."
Li Qing hesitated, then slowly nodded. "Alright, three thousand. But can you pay in blood crystals? Exchange rate at 1:100, current market price."
"No problem."
Su Xingyu agreed without hesitation. Blood crystals were the one thing he didn't lack. Even though his tribe's population had grown, they had several active blood crystal veins, and his warehouses were overflowing. The warriors couldn't consume them fast enough to keep up with mining.
"Thanks a lot."
They quickly completed the transaction.
"You're building a magic system, right?" Li Qing said after pocketing the crystals. "A magician can't rely on spellbooks alone. I also have the eight major schools' basic meditation methods. I won't claim they're the absolute best, but the results speak for themselves. I'll let them go for one thousand divine sources. If you're paying in blood crystals, I'll give you a five percent discount."
Su Xingyu's mouth twitched. But after examining the item, he gave in and bought it.
The Night Tribe did have magicians, but their training methods were based on pure luck. They were inconsistent, unpredictable, and nearly impossible to replicate or scale.
He needed something better.
"I've got the spellbook and the meditation method," Su Xingyu muttered. "Next thing a magician needs is a staff, right?"
As if reading his mind, Li Qing smirked and pulled out another item.
"I've got a batch of black iron-grade staffs. They're yours for 150 blood crystals each."
Su Xingyu stared at him.
Li Qing grinned. "Ninety percent off."
"…Fine."
"A staff increases a magician's power, sure," Li Qing continued, "but if you want to speed up their training, what you really need is a magic robe. I've got black iron-grade robes, compatible with all magic systems. They boost elemental absorption by 10%. Buy a bunch, and I'll throw in a gold-grade one for free."
"I'll take them."
"…"
Seeing how easily Su Xingyu handed over hundreds of thousands of blood crystals, Li Qing stopped holding back. He emptied his entire inventory—everything magic-related, from tools to trinkets.
Half an hour later, standing before a mountain of blood crystals, Li Qing beamed like a man who had just struck gold.
"Let's add each other as friends. If you need anything magic-related in the future, come find me. I'll always give you a good deal."
After the trade, Li Qing left in high spirits.
Su Xingyu remained still, staring at the space where the other man had stood. He seemed lost in thought.
"Brother Yu, are you alright?" Wang Dong finally asked, his voice low, still reeling from the amount of wealth that had just changed hands.
"I'm fine," Su Xingyu replied, exhaling softly. "I just didn't expect you to know such a powerful player. That inventory was ridiculous."
"Honestly, I was shocked too."
While Wang Dong was amazed by the sheer number of magical items Li Qing had, he was even more stunned by Su Xingyu's wealth.
Li Qing's priesthood was "wisdom," after all. It wasn't too surprising that he had rare spellbooks and meditation methods—those aligned with his divine role.
But those magic items? No way he'd forged all that himself. At least not alone.
Wang Dong was sure there was a whole team behind him. Without a forging god and a group of crafting apprentices, it would've been impossible to create so many enchanted objects, let alone gather the rare materials needed.
And Su Xingyu? The man had handed over more blood crystals than some entire factions possessed.
So freaking rich.