Chapter 130 – The Return Stone

Chapter 130 – The Return Stone

After sending Li Wanshan away, Cheng Yang finally walked alone into the mission hall to submit the special task.

He selected the task submission option on the central virtual screen, and a strange light began to swirl before his eyes. Moments later, the light condensed into a token-like object that looked quite impressive.

*So it really is the Return Stone,* Cheng Yang thought, his heart finally settling as he saw the words “Return Stone.” This item was incredibly practical, almost essential for any combatant.

For Cheng Yang, the Return Stone wasn’t just something he needed personally. As a special product of the territory, its 20% tax rate would bring substantial benefits to the territory.

Of course, the Return Stone’s functionality wasn’t as powerful as those in previous games, and it came with several restrictions. But there was no denying that it was an excellent special product.

Special products, by definition, were unique to one or a few territories. With proper management, a single special product could bring immense profits to a territory.

Cheng Yang immediately took the permit token to the general store. Under the astonished gaze of the shopkeeper, he handed over the token.

“Lord, you… you actually obtained this token?” the shopkeeper stammered, his voice filled with excitement. Being able to operate a special product was a significant milestone in his career.

Cheng Yang remained calm. “It’s just one special product. Manage it well, and more will come to Luofeng Village in the future.”

“Yes, yes! I will definitely manage it well. I will make Luofeng Village’s general store the most famous in the world!” Whether it was the token or Cheng Yang’s words that inspired him, the shopkeeper now believed he was the best general store owner in the world.

Cheng Yang ignored his self-aggrandizing and said, “Go and apply for the Return Stone sales permission now.”

The shopkeeper quickly snapped out of his reverie and rushed to the back of the store. After a while, he returned, still visibly excited.

“Lord, it’s done. Since we are the first territory in the world to obtain a special product, the system has directly upgraded our sales permission to Level 2. You might not know the difference, but Level 1 allows only 100 items per day, while Level 2 allows 200. To upgrade further, we need to reach certain sales targets.” The shopkeeper spoke with pride.

Cheng Yang already knew this. “I understand. Now, sell me all 200 Return Stones.”

The shopkeeper’s mouth fell open. After a long pause, he said, “Lord, the Return Stones are quite expensive. Are you sure…?”

Cheng Yang raised an eyebrow. “What? Worried I can’t afford it? Can’t I buy on credit?”

The shopkeeper hesitated. “Lord, your status is noble, and I shouldn’t doubt your ability to pay. But our store has rules. Unless you reach a certain transaction volume, we can’t offer credit.”

“Fine, give me 100 Return Stones first,” Cheng Yang said.

This time, the shopkeeper didn’t hesitate. He quickly fetched a box from the shelf, inside which were small, quail egg-sized stones engraved with mysterious runes.

“Lord, each stone costs 1,000 spirit energy points. That’s 100,000 points in total. Please make the payment,” the shopkeeper said, his eyes gleaming.

Cheng Yang mentally scoffed at the man’s greed but transferred the 100,000 spirit energy points from his account and took the box of Return Stones.

At 1,000 points each, the Return Stones were undoubtedly precious, but their functionality justified the price.

Cheng Yang felt a surge of satisfaction as he examined the stones. After bidding farewell to the shopkeeper, he left the store and headed to a nearby tavern.

Settling into a seat with a cup of Tian Shui Pure Brew, Cheng Yang opened the forum’s Treasure Pavilion module. He noticed that various items were already being auctioned, ranging from the bizarre to the mundane. However, most of the items listed were of unknown use to the general public.

At this stage, anything related to territories fell into this category, as such items could only be used in wilderness outposts, not in main cities. Some clever individuals had held onto these items, suspecting their value, while others had listed them on the auction house, hoping to fetch a high price.

Of course, these sellers weren’t foolish. The starting bids were astronomical, with none below 50,000 spirit energy points.

Cheng Yang scanned through the listings, his eyes catching a few interesting items, but their prices were exorbitant.

The Phoenix Roost was a type of residential building, but it was far superior to the villas in the main city, which only offered a 100% cultivation speed boost. However, the starting bid of 5 million spirit energy points was staggering.

Cheng Yang admitted that the blueprint was worth the price, but he couldn’t afford it at the moment. Even if he could, he wouldn’t spend that much on it now.

Another item caught his eye—a special profession transfer item with a starting bid of 2 million spirit energy points.

*These people must be crazy,* Cheng Yang thought. *Do they not realize how precious spirit energy is in the early stages?*

Losing interest in the overpriced items, Cheng Yang took out the box of Return Stones from his spatial ring. He selected one and listed it on the auction house with a starting bid of 3,000 spirit energy points and a 10-minute auction duration.

His plan was simple: buy Return Stones from the general store and resell them on the auction house for a profit. He wasn’t being greedy—doubling his investment was enough, as long as the auction fees didn’t eat into his earnings.

After handing the Return Stone to a tavern attendant, Cheng Yang sat back and watched the auction. Five minutes passed, and there was no activity yet.

He wasn’t worried. People often hesitated before making a purchase, especially when the item’s value wasn’t immediately clear. Some might want to buy but lacked the necessary spirit energy.

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