After the caravan entered Yanmen City, its members gradually began to go their separate ways.
Some headed toward the markets to sell their goods, while others made their way to inns in search of rest after the long journey. The members of the various factions returned to their respective residences within the city.
As for Jian Long, he calmly walked along the road leading toward the heart of the city.
While walking, part of his attention was focused on his aperture.
Within his primeval sea, a yellow Gu worm floated peacefully above the waves.
It took the form of a small cloud.
Wealth Cloud Gu.
A Gu worm specialized in storing primeval stones.
Under normal circumstances, these clouds were pure white.
However, the more primeval stones they contained, the deeper their color became, gradually approaching a brilliant golden hue.
Once they reached their maximum capacity of five hundred thousand primeval stones, they would transform into a dazzling golden cloud.
At this moment, however, its color was only a pale yellow.
A sign that it contained approximately one hundred thousand primeval stones.
One hundred thousand primeval stones.
Even several days after obtaining them, the number still felt unreal to him.
Such wealth was enormous for a Rank Two Gu Master.
In fact, many elders of small clans might not possess that much liquid wealth themselves.
This fortune had come from selling the corpses of the Heavenly Birds he had hunted, as well as the Gu worms extracted from them.
But the largest portion of it...
had come from the Workers' Faction that he and Zhou Quan had established.
As he recalled the past month, a faint smile appeared on Jian Long's face.
Those had been the easiest profits he had ever earned in his life.
"This is an enormous fortune... but it is only the beginning."
A smile appeared on Jian Long's face as he thought about the future.
"If my plan succeeds, I will obtain millions of primeval stones."
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
"With that wealth, I will be able to advance to Rank Five."
"And once I reach that level, only a handful of people will be capable of standing against me."
"I will own a magnificent manor and I will have my own harem"
"And I will invest my money in various businesses and ventures."
"I may suffer losses at first, but with time I will learn, and I will build successful enterprises that generate even greater wealth for me."
To him, primeval stones were more than just a resource for cultivation.
While he was immersed in these daydreams, a voice suddenly interrupted him from behind.
"Hey, wait for me!"
He turned toward the source of the voice.
It was Zhou Quan.
"What do you want?"
Jian Long asked in an annoyed tone.
"Why do you look so irritated?"
"Of course I'm irritated."
"You interrupted my pleasant thoughts about the future."
Zhou Quan waved his hand dismissively.
"Forget those stupid dreams of yours."
"Come with me. Let's go have lunch at the Blue Waves Restaurant."
"I've heard they serve the best seafood in Yanmen City."
Jian Long was about to refuse.
But when he heard the words seafood, he hesitated because seafood was his favorite food
And the moment he imagined a table filled with grilled fish, shrimp, and crab...
he felt his appetite begin to awaken.
....
On the second floor of the Blue Waves Restaurant, the table where Jian Long and Zhou Quan sat was covered with all kinds of seafood dishes.
The table was so full that there was barely any empty space left.
Yet strangely, Jian Long did not eat much of it.
Whenever a new dish was brought to him, he would only take a few bites before evaluating its flavor and immediately ordering another one.
The incredible variety of seafood in the Gu world had astonished him, and so had its remarkable quality and taste.
Zhou Quan, on the other hand, was much simpler.
He had settled on a single enormous dish and devoted all his attention to devouring it.
After some time, Jian Long set down his chopsticks and asked in surprise:
"What amazes me is how cheap the food is here compared to my village."
"In fact, I can buy a meal ten times better than anything I could get there for the same price."
"Is that something special about the Blue Waves Restaurant?"
Zhou Quan shook his head.
"No. In fact, this restaurant is considered relatively expensive."
"It has nothing to do with the restaurant."
"It has to do with the super clans themselves."
Jian Long raised an eyebrow with interest.
Zhou Quan continued:
"Almost everything is cheaper within the territories of the super clans because of the overwhelming advantages they possess over ordinary clans."
"Take agriculture as an example."
"In ordinary clans, people still rely on traditional farming methods."
"And because farmland on the mountains is limited compared to the population, food becomes relatively expensive."
He took a sip of his drink before continuing:
"But things are completely different here."
"Almost every piece of farmland is supported by Time Path Gu worms that accelerate crop growth."
"Wood Path Gu worms are also used to stimulate plant growth and increase yields."
"In fact, many crops themselves have been improved through generations of breeding and refinement to produce larger harvests and higher-quality food."
"And on top of that, various types of Gu worms are used to control temperature, humidity, and soil fertility, creating the ideal environment for each kind of plant."
Zhou Quan smiled and gestured toward the window with his chopsticks.
"That is why a piece of land that could feed a single person in an ordinary clan..."
"Can feed a thousand people here."
After Zhou Quan finished speaking, Jian Long recalled the sights he had seen since entering Yanmen City.
At first, he had expected it to resemble Bai Clan Village or the ancient Chinese cities he remembered from his previous life.
But reality was completely different.
Yanmen City felt like a strange fusion of the past and the future.
The city retained its traditional architectural style—curved rooftops, magnificent palaces, and towers with a distinctly Chinese aesthetic.
Yet rising among those buildings were towering skyscrapers that pierced the clouds.
Many of their facades were covered with enormous screens displaying all kinds of advertisements and commercial announcements.
He had also seen cinemas, massive shopping centers, and markets that stretched across multiple floors.
However, what surprised him the most was the city's transportation system.
Throughout the main streets stood special gates capable of instantly transporting people to any location within the city for a modest fee.
And in a city roughly the size of New York on Earth, such a system made travel incredibly efficient and convenient.
All of this once again made him realize the enormous gap between ordinary clans and super clans.
While he was lost in thought, Zhou Quan placed his cup on the table and looked at him with an unusual seriousness.
Then he said:
"Alright, let's put that aside."
"And move on to the real subject I've been wanting to talk to you about."
Jian Long raised his head.
For the first time since the meal had begun, the usual mocking smile had disappeared from Zhou Quan's face.
He stared directly at Jian Long before asking:
"Who are you really, Jian Long?"