Chapter 00339: The Ticket Purchase Trap
# The Ticket Purchase Trap
Chapter 339
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 339: The Ticket Purchase Trap
The words "Slanted Corner Void Station" floated in the void, suspended above a massive gray semicircular building.
This wasn’t particularly unusual, but what caught Lan Xiaobu’s attention was the nine-level defensive formation surrounding the building.
Even in the vast and resource-rich Mo Xuan Immortal Domain, nine-level formations were rare.
In fact, most of the nine-level formations in Mo Xuan were set up by Lan Xiaobu himself.
So, to find one in this desolate place was nothing short of bizarre.
As Lan Xiaobu stepped into the gray circular building, he noticed that it was far from empty.
His divine sense swept over at least a thousand or two people, along with various pill shops, artifact pavilions, and inns, all shielded by restrictive barriers that even his divine sense couldn’t penetrate.
Wasn’t this place supposed to be remote and rarely visited? Why were there so many cultivators milling about?
Lan Xiaobu’s gaze fell on Zhuan Yi and Feng Shuting as they entered the building.
Noticing that Zhuan Yi deliberately kept his distance, Lan Xiaobu decided not to approach them either.
The crowd here wasn’t just made up of human cultivators.
There were also transformed and untransformed immortal beasts, as well as a few ghost cultivators exuding an eerie aura.
Lan Xiaobu approached a cultivator and clasped his fists in greeting. “Fellow Daoist, pardon the interruption. We’ve just arrived here and are looking to cross the Mo Xuan Void Canyon. Could you tell us where we can purchase tickets?”
The cultivator, an early-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, glanced at Lan Xiaobu and Yu Ruo.
His eyes flickered with surprise when he noticed Lan Xiaobu’s seemingly low cultivation level and youthful appearance, but he quickly composed himself and said, “There’s a blue formation gate up ahead. That’s where you can buy tickets…”
He seemed to hesitate, as if there was more he wanted to say, but he swallowed his words and turned to leave.
Lan Xiaobu quickly called out, “Fellow Daoist, I heard this place is remote and rarely visited. Why does it seem so lively here?”
The Great Luo Golden Immortal didn’t answer directly.
Instead, he pointed to a nearby shop and said with a smile, “If you go in there and buy a copy of the *Slanted Corner Survival Guide*, you’ll understand what I mean.”
Without waiting for Lan Xiaobu’s thanks, the cultivator hurried away.
Lan Xiaobu frowned.
Normally, ticket counters were easy to spot, but here, they seemed to be hidden behind a blue formation gate.
If he hadn’t asked around, he wouldn’t have known where to go.
As he and Yu Ruo approached the blue formation gate, Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense swept over it.
It appeared to be a simple fourth-level formation, but something felt off.
Upon closer inspection, he detected the core of a seventh-level killing formation embedded within.
Why would a fourth-level formation gate need a seventh-level killing formation core? This gate was definitely suspicious.
Just then, Zhuan Yi and Feng Shuting arrived, having apparently asked for directions as well.
Seeing Lan Xiaobu and Yu Ruo, Zhuan Yi gave an awkward smile.
Lan Xiaobu returned the gesture and, as he turned to leave, sent a mental message to Zhuan Yi: “Brother Zhuan, I wouldn’t recommend entering that formation gate. It seems fishy. There must be another place to buy tickets.”
Zhuan Yi’s steps faltered, and Lan Xiaobu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
As a seasoned Immortal King, Zhuan Yi should have known better than to react so obviously.
His hesitation would only draw attention.
“What’s wrong, Senior Brother?” Feng Shuting asked, noticing Zhuan Yi’s pause.
Zhuan Yi quickly recovered and said, “I was just thinking we should buy some antidote pills first. I’ve heard that crossing the void canyon can be toxic.”
Feng Shuting nodded obediently, and the two followed Lan Xiaobu’s lead, bypassing the blue formation gate without entering.
Lan Xiaobu entered a nearby shop, where Zhuan Yi and Feng Shuting soon followed.
The shopkeeper, engrossed in something, barely acknowledged their presence.
“I’d like to buy a copy of the *Slanted Corner Survival Guide*,” Lan Xiaobu said, rapping his knuckles on the counter.
The shopkeeper glanced up and said indifferently, “The regular guide costs 500 high-grade immortal crystals, the mid-tier one costs 2,000, and the top-tier one costs 5,000.”
Lan Xiaobu, Zhuan Yi, and Feng Shuting were all stunned.
Even the most detailed guides in ordinary shops rarely cost more than a few low-grade immortal crystals.
The prices here were astronomical.
This only confirmed Lan Xiaobu’s suspicion that the ticket prices would be equally outrageous.
Newcomers like them had no choice but to pay up, as bargaining would only lead to the price doubling—a local custom, it seemed.
To the shopkeeper’s surprise, Lan Xiaobu didn’t haggle. “I’ll take the top-tier guide,” he said with a smile.
The shopkeeper handed over a jade slip, still puzzled by Lan Xiaobu’s lack of bargaining.
Lan Xiaobu paid the 5,000 high-grade immortal crystals without a second thought.
Zhuan Yi, following Lan Xiaobu’s lead, bought a regular guide for 500 high-grade immortal crystals.
He knew better than to try copying or sharing the guide, as doing so would likely invite trouble.
After purchasing the guide, Zhuan Yi caught up to Lan Xiaobu. “Brother Lan, where do you plan to stay?”
Lan Xiaobu pointed to the most luxurious inn in sight. “I’ll check the prices there. If it’s affordable, I’ll stay.”
Zhuan Yi hesitated but eventually said to Feng Shuting, “Let’s stay there too.”
Feng Shuting was puzzled. “Senior Brother, the guide already costs so much. The inn must be even more expensive. And didn’t you say we should avoid Brother Lan?”
Zhuan Yi replied via mental message, “I think I misjudged him. He’s not as simple as he seems. Let’s follow him for now.”
The innkeeper greeted them warmly. “Are you here to stay?”
Lan Xiaobu nodded. “What benefits do guests here receive?”
The innkeeper proudly replied, “Our inn is the best in Slanted Corner Void Station. Guests here can explore the station for free. Plus, no one dares to cause trouble here.”
Lan Xiaobu raised an eyebrow.
Wasn’t that standard? But then he realized that other inns might charge extra for such privileges.
“I also need to buy some tickets. Do you offer that service here?” Lan Xiaobu asked.
The innkeeper smiled and pointed to a corner. “Of course. Guests can purchase tickets right over there.”
Lan Xiaobu finally understood.
The ticket counter was hidden within the inn.
He turned to the innkeeper and said, “Tell me more about your rooms.”
(End of Chapter)