Chapter 44 Buying a house
As the capital city of Jiang Province, Jiang Province City was a place of exceptional natural beauty and cultural significance. Gathering the essence of tens of millions of people from an entire province into a city, tall buildings towered everywhere, shops lined the streets, and a diverse array of shopping malls and businesses filled the city.
Li Pin followed Fang Lingjue to Jiang Province. The first impression he got was one of traffic congestion, with cars and people everywhere.
At some intersections, if one didn’t wait for three to five minutes, it would seem as if it’s not worth having a traffic light there.[1]
Li Pin rubbed his temples. "Choosing the weekend to come to the capital to see houses…"
The congestion in Jiang Province was comparable to that of a first-tier city. The incident in Sanshun Town made Li Pin realize that living in the town or county would not be safe, coupled with the fact that there were no good universities in Zanglong City, Li Pin had the intention to let Li Yunyao come to Jiang Province to study after her college entrance examination in June.
It so happened that Fang Lingjue had also secured a site in Jiang Province City to set up the branch for his martial hall and invited Li Pin, the designated branch master for the upcoming year, to inspect it. Therefore, he took the ride along to head over to the site.
Who would have expected that the journey, which was supposedly only less than a hundred kilometers, would take more than two hours, with an hour wasted stuck in traffic since entering the city.
"There weren’t as many people when I came to Jiang Province City half a year ago, what’s with the sudden surge?" Fang Lingjue said. "Could the rumors on the Internet be true?"
"What rumors?"
"An unexpected emergency has occurred in the Nanli Country," Fang Lingjue explained.
"Demonic creatures are said to have been rioting within the most dangerous site in their kingdom, the Degenerate Temple. The Nanli Country had tried to suppress them with the resources of their entire nations but failed in their operations. By now, the demonic creatures had successfully fled out of the Degenerate Temple and invaded Nanli Country, wreaking havoc and destruction within a radius of a hundred miles."
"Nanli Country?"
Soon, Li Pin found out about the geographical location of the country.
Blessed with natural advantages, Taibai Kingdom only had one level-four perilous region within its borders: the Death Valley. Third-Class Astral Cultivators who had successfully cultivated their Aura Force would be capable of venturing into this treacherous terrain.
While other wilderness areas might harbor ferocious beasts and demonic creatures, their numbers were scarce, posing no significant threat. Under these circumstances, the Taibai Kingdom enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity.
The reason why the Taibai Kingdom was protected from external threats was due to its central location within the Tianyuan Federation. Nanli Country, on the other hand, situated directly south of the Taibai Kingdom, had served as an additional bulwark for it.
The Degenerate Temple within the Nanli Country’s border was a level-six perilous region. In times of peace, the Tianyuan Federation relied on geographical advantages and the deployment of Top-Tier Astral Cultivators to jointly defend its border.
However, this time, with the occurrence of such a significant incident… even if the Tianyuan Federation responded swiftly, it would still take a considerable amount of time to drive these demonic creatures back into the Degenerate Temple.
"How did such a sudden and drastic change occur at the Degenerate Temple?" Li Pin asked.
"Beats me. Matters like these that involve the stability and prosperity of a nation is not something which Core Formations Masters like us could get involved in.…" Fang Lingjue paused for a moment, then continued, "Even if you were to try to get your hands on this type of information in the future, it won’t be an easy task unless you become a Martial Saint."
Li Pin nodded. He swept a glance across the gridlocked traffic and said, "So, it’s not just the refugees from Nanli Country flooding across the border into Jiang Province. People from the southern part of Jiang Province have also sensed the danger and are pouring into Jiang Province City."
"It’s also possible that Jiang Province City might have played a role in encouraging the influx of people from the surrounding areas to accelerate its own growth," Fang Lingjue speculated.
"The current administration of Taibai Kingdom recently approved the establishment of a capital city. Other than Yao Province City, there are plans to establish two additional central cities in the eastern and southern regions. Among them, Jiang Province City is a strong contender for the title of Southern Centre City."
After a thoughtful pause, he resumed speaking. "By now, you should have heard about the news of Solar Vermilion Sect participating in the martial competition. They chose Jiang Province for a reason: its upcoming strategic positioning. If this positioning is successfully established, and their sect secures the top three, or even the top five in the competition, it will naturally bring them great honor."
Li Pin nodded.
After being stuck in traffic for a long time, the two finally arrived at the site Fang Lingjue had selected. It wasn’t quite in the city center, but not too far out either. The overall area was slightly smaller than Changfeng Martial Hall in Zanglong City.
Taking into account the high cost of land in Jiang Province City, a martial hall of this size was already considered quite large and befitting the status of a Core Formation Master. Overall, Li Pin was quite satisfied with the site.
"Next, I’ll show you the house," Fang Lingjue said, turning the steering wheel and guiding the Swift towards a mansion district.[2]
It wasn’t that Li Pin looked down on large flat apartments, rather, he worried that as his cultivation level increased, he might unintentionally bring down the building while practicing martial arts. Considering the long term, a grounded mansion would be more suitable for him.
Nestled amidst the bustling city, the mansion district stood atop a small hill, with an open-air park on the other side.
"Your request is to have a place close to the martial hall with a yard. The Riverscape Marvel is the only option that meets your criteria, " Fang Lingjue added. "The price is very high."
"How high?" Li Pin asked.
"The money you have on you is barely enough," Fang Lingjue replied.
By the time the Swift pulled up to the district mansion, two impeccably dressed women in their work attires were already waiting there.
"Welcome! Mr. Fang and Mr. Li! I am Ye Shu, the property consultant for Riverscape Marvel. Thank you for choosing our company," said the older of the two women, bowing as she handed over her business card.
Fang Lingjue nodded and turned to Li Pin. "Go ahead and take a look."
"Okay."
Li Pin followed the two into the residential area.
While not the most upscale mansion district in Jiang Province City, Riverscape Marvel stood out as one of the most luxurious choices within the reach of ordinary buyers. Its quality was unquestionable.
The entire development consisted of just thirty-two mansions, with the majority already sold. The environment was equally exquisite, with a park right next to it, providing a place for leisurely strolls. Additionally, a large shopping mall just a few hundred meters away ensured convenient access to daily amenities.
However, it was also the presence of the large shopping mall that contributed to a slight decline in Riverscape Marvel’s appeal. Despite extensive tree planting around the mansion district for landscaping and privacy, these towering commercial buildings which together formed the shopping mall itself compromised the sense of seclusion.
Moreover, the adjacent park, which housed an amusement park, attracting a constant stream of visitors, added to the potential for disruption of the tranquility and peace that many seek. For those who demand absolute perfection and a private lifestyle away from public scrutiny, Riverscape Marvel might not be the most ideal choice.
Li Pin looked around a few properties but remained silent.
Seeing this, Fang Lingjue understood that he wasn’t very satisfied with the mansion district. He went on to say, "If you want somewhere quieter, the only place that’s left would be the Floral Court Garden. It’s about ten kilometers away from the martial hall, commuting there back and forth daily would take over an hour."
"Here is fine, " Li Pin responded before going on to pick the largest of the nine remaining mansions.
Despite the few flaws in the mansion, when the time came to settle the accounts, the price of this mansion still reached a total of 26 million yuan.
"Can I get a loan for this?" Li Pin asked.
"Of course! But the loan amount cannot exceed 15 million," Ye Shu responded.
Li Pin nodded. "Alright."
Lacking sufficient funds, Li Pin had no choice but to seek a loan. However, he was confident that with the progress of his cultivation, ten million for him in the future would definitely not weigh the same as the ten million he had now.
Just as the two parties were about to sign the agreement, Li Pin's phone rang.
As soon as Li Pin answered the call, Zhao Yuan’s voice immediately came through.
—Something’s happened! Some of Wang Daoyi’s 'teammates' from his beast-hunting days have come seeking revenge in his name and are trying to blackmail the Five Elements Sect! We’re already working on our connections to resolve the matter, but for safety’s sake, don’t return to Zanglong City for now!
1. a joke on how absurd the traffic in Jiang Province City is. ☜
2. Swift refers to the car Suzuki Swift. ☜
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