Chapter 0626: Crystal Coins

Many people immediately began absorbing Eternal Coins, experiencing their wondrous effects firsthand. Those who had absorbed them showed expressions of sheer delight. That genuine joy, from the bottom of their hearts, was impossible to hide. No one could resist the charm of the Eternal Coin. Most importantly, the design, appearance, and overall aesthetic of the Eternal Coin aligned perfectly with the human concept of what a proper currency should be.

In their hearts, they fully acknowledged the Eternal Coin as a legitimate form of currency.

That recognition, subtle and unconscious, began to accumulate destiny, obsession, and willpower.Even Yi Tianxing could faintly sense it.

Currency is the key to circulation in any realm. At this moment, in the Golden Desert, the Eternal Coin had undoubtedly established itself. It had already become the ideal currency in the minds of most cultivators.

"We used to trade with spirit crystals. Spirit crystals contain natural energy, but they're hard to absorb. On top of that, we had to distinguish between high-grade and low-grade ones—it was way too much trouble. And in terms of contained energy, they're not even better than an Eternal Coin. A single tiny Eternal Coin rivals a crystal the size of a baby's fist. The best part? Absorbing Eternal Coins boosts cultivation speed threefold. It's magical!"

"Exactly! That boost applies regardless of one's cultivation level—whether weak or powerful, it's still a threefold increase. With that kind of acceleration, even ordinary people could cultivate at a pace that rivals geniuses. It's amazing."

"Good stuff, really good stuff. Compared to Eternal Coins, spirit crystals fall short in appearance, energy content, and especially the boost in cultivation. No spirit crystal can do that. From now on, I only recognize Eternal Coins. I don't even know where Dragon Gate Inn got them. Even in Jingjue Ancient City, they still use spirit crystals. Supposedly, the Queen of Jingjue decreed the minting of Jingjue Coins from spirit crystals—but those can't compete with Eternal Coins at all."

"Exactly. Jingjue Coins are just polished spirit crystals turned into currency. They're no different from the original crystals—just smaller. A single spirit crystal can make five or six Jingjue Coins. But three Jingjue Coins barely match the value of a single spirit crystal. It's a scam—robbing people blind!"

"Right, swapping out spirit crystals for coins—just the markup alone allows those cities and towns to make a killing. Ruthless! With their reputation alone, how dare they devalue spirit crystals by nearly half? Using Jingjue Coins to buy our hunted beasts and rare treasures is just shameless robbery. Eternal Coins are truly the most valuable currency. Honestly, I'd trade two or three spirit crystals for a single Eternal Coin—it's worth it."

The cultivators in the inn buzzed with discussion.

There's no harm without comparison.

Someone took out a Jingjue Coin.

Upon closer inspection, it looked like an old silver dollar from the Republic era—flat, plain, with no intricate patterns. Just a rough cut. Compared to Eternal Coins, there was no contest.

They were simply not on the same level.

To all factions, Jingjue Coins were only for trade or absorption. Once the spiritual energy was absorbed, the coin would disintegrate into dust, leaving nothing behind. That's why no effort was made to beautify or engrave them.

But some might argue: Eternal Coins are also absorbed for energy, so why make them so elaborate?

What they didn't know was—Eternal Coins do not disappear after energy is drawn. They can recharge and be reused again and again.

"This move will definitely trigger a storm. Other villages and towns will be unhappy with Dragon Gate Inn. The impact of releasing Eternal Coins is too great. The boss lady must be mentally prepared," said a plump middle-aged man in a chef's uniform, a glinting cleaver at his waist.

"It couldn't be helped. Wealth shouldn't be flaunted, and I had intended to wait for the right moment. But clearly, Yi Tianxing, the Lord of Yi City, didn't want to delay. He flaunted wealth in the inn, and now the people can't be held back. Our old tab system can't work anymore. We can only start issuing Eternal Coins and let the currency truly circulate," Jin Xiangyu said with a sigh.

There was no stopping it now.

As for the consequences, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Jin Xiangyu's mouth.

Let it come—whatever it is. Bring it on!

After all, Dragon Gate Inn wasn't a place where just anyone could throw their weight around. Even the Queen of Jingjue would have to follow its rules.

The Next Morning

Yi Tianxing and Wushuang Ghost stepped out of their rooms simultaneously.

"The boss lady invites you," said Wang Xiao'er, already waiting outside.

"Take us to her," Yi Tianxing nodded.

After breakfast, the two left the inn, heading into the Golden Desert toward the southwest.

The desert was a perilous place, full of hidden dangers.

Not long after they departed, groups of cultivators began leaving the inn as well—some alone, some in teams—but strangely, most of them were also headed southwest, seemingly following in Yi Tianxing's footsteps.

"The desert truly holds a unique beauty. 'The lone smoke of the desert stretches straight into the sky, as the setting sun sinks into the vast river.' This landscape is different from the wilderness I've seen before. But one thing is the same—it's a great place to bury bones," Yi Tianxing remarked as they walked miles deep into the sand.

"You're right, my lord. With the blowing sands, everything gets buried naturally," Wushuang Ghost sneered, the chains on his body rattling as if excited.

"Come out. You've been tailing us since we left the inn. Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Or that I'd just step into whatever trap you laid?" Yi Tianxing's voice turned cold.

Whoosh!

The moment his words fell, shadowy figures emerged from the surrounding dunes. All of them were masked, hiding their true identities. But their intentions were clear.

"Yi Tianxing, you're the one who brought Eternal Coins to Dragon Gate Inn. I saw you with my own eyes—going to the fourth floor, trading with the boss lady, revealing piles of Eternal Coins. Because of you, they started circulating. You must have access to their source. Hand it over, and we'll spare your life."

"Yeah, you've got Eternal Coins on you. Give them up. Give up the method of obtaining them. Or don't blame us for being rough."

"You're powerful, sure. But strength alone doesn't mean you can run wild."

"Courting death!" Wushuang Ghost snarled. "You think I, Wushuang Ghost, am someone to be trifled with? You dare touch my lord, get through me first. Cowards who hide their faces dare act arrogant? Die!"

With that, Wushuang Ghost pulled the massive Flying Wheel from his back and hurled it into the air.

The wheel shot forward like a thunderbolt, slicing through the air with terrifying speed, enhanced by his raw strength and true essence. In a blink, it was already before one of the masked attackers.

"No!!"

The man hadn't expected such a savage response—no warning, just immediate violence. The flying wheel struck with deadly precision, impossible to dodge.

Slash!

The blade on the wheel flashed coldly, and his head flew off with a spray of blood.

As the flying wheel curved back to Wushuang Ghost, the other masked men exploded into shouts.

"Everyone, attack!!"

"Let's see if Wushuang Ghost really is invincible. No matter how strong he is, our divine techniques will tear him apart!"

Then, the air erupted with Life Aperture Divine Powers (命窍神通) :

Divine Technique – Wild Sand (狂沙):A masked man swept his arm, summoning a storm of sand. The desert exploded into a blinding sandstorm, every grain of sand sharper than blades, deadlier than bullets.

Divine Technique – Sand Giant (沙巨人):On a distant dune, swirling sands formed a colossal giant, over ten meters tall, stomping forward with crushing force.

Divine Technique – Fire Crow (火鸦)