"I want some... news related to the Yu clan."
Ji Yuan looked up, his gaze fixed on the two alien beings before him.
At his words, the expressions of the two changed instantly. They subconsciously glanced around, as if worried about being overheard.
The shopkeeper, in particular, quickly activated the array within the wooden house, muffling all sounds to ensure that no one outside could eavesdrop.
"Young master, some things cannot be said so directly!"
The shopkeeper forced a wry smile, then showed a look of helplessness.
It was clear he understood that the young man, new to this place, might not be aware of certain unspoken rules.
Just as he was contemplating whether or not to take this deal, his eyes widened, and he could no longer shift his gaze.
In Ji Yuan's hand, a spirit ticket suddenly appeared. Although the denomination wasn't exceptionally high, it was equivalent to at least ten thousand taels of snow-patterned silver.
For even a second-realm cultivator, earning ten thousand taels of snow-patterned silver would be an almost impossible feat without considerable skill, taking several years, or even decades.
And now, for a mere piece of information, he could so easily obtain ten thousand taels of silver!
"Young master, please tell me what you wish to know directly."
The shopkeeper said with a smile, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the spirit ticket in the young man's hand.
Although they were under the protection of the Yu clan, when faced with profit, he did not hesitate to betray them.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan's heart stirred, leading to a train of thought.
From the appearance of the two, it was evident they belonged to one of the four races that were subservient to the Yu clan. Yet, after receiving their protection for thousands of years, they showed no hesitation in betraying them when the time came.
"I want to know what troubles the Yu clan is currently facing."
He looked at the two before him and slowly spoke.
As expected!
The eyes of the two aliens flickered, seemingly unsurprised. In fact, Ji Yuan was not the first outsider to purchase such information from them.
Indeed, in this region, this particular piece of news was currently the most sought-after 'commodity.'
"If that's the case, the spirit ticket in your hand is a little insufficient."
The shopkeeper glanced at it, a hint of greed appearing in his eyes, "It would need to be multiplied by several times."
Ji Yuan was not surprised by this. Such crucial information, worth tens of thousands of taels of silver, seemed somewhat acceptable.
However, he wouldn't be foolish enough to accept everything they said at face value.
"Money is not an issue, naturally. But I also need to know if this information is worth the price."
His gaze swept over the two, and he subtly mobilized his powerful soul light.
Although his cultivation was only at the initial stage of the Spirit Point realm, due to his naturally strong soul light, coupled with the Refinement God technique and over four months of studying runes, the intensity of his soul light had now surpassed the late stage of this realm.
Even a minuscule amount, when mobilized, was enough to exert immense pressure on the two first-realm aliens.
"This old man can only guarantee that the information provided is not fabricated by myself. As for its truthfulness, that will be for young master to discern."
The shopkeeper's eyes flickered. He dared not make any absolute claims.
In truth, let alone a humble shopkeeper, even some prominent figures in the Immortal Extermination Valley might not know the true inside story.
Most of the information circulating outside now was based on speculation, with the guesses of the four subservient races being the closest to the truth.
"Shopkeeper, please speak. I will judge its truthfulness myself."
Ji Yuan placed the spirit ticket on the counter.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper smiled and reached out, taking the spirit ticket and counting it repeatedly.
Only when he felt an unfriendly gaze fall upon him did he cough a few times and relay the information he possessed.
"In ancient times, the Yu clan offended several Heavenly Immortals. This is also the origin of the name 'Immortal Extermination Valley'."
The shopkeeper spoke slowly, his thoughts evident, "Although this history can no longer be verified, it is likely true. Within the Yu clan's bloodline, there is a curse imbued with immortal energy."
Currently, many speculations circulated within the Immortal Extermination Valley. However, most of them were spread by the Yu clan themselves, with a mixture of truth and falsehood to confuse matters.
According to the conjectures of the several subservient races, a curse within the bloodline was the most probable explanation among all possibilities.
After the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, Ji Yuan emerged from the shop with a rather solemn expression.
Based on the conjectures of the subservient races, derived from their understanding of the Yu clan, the Yu clan might no longer be able to suppress the curse in their bloodline.
Once the curse could no longer be contained and erupted fully, not a single member of the Yu clan would be spared; they would all be incinerated in flames.
The various powers gathered here, ostensibly to offer support, were actually eyeing the foundation the Yu clan had accumulated over tens of thousands of years.
Any force that obtained it, even the immensely prosperous Great Yu Dynasty, could immediately ascend to a new level.
If not for the curse within their bloodline, the Yu clan would likely not have fallen to such a weakened state. With such a foundation, they could have at least become a dominant force in the world.
What weighed most heavily on Ji Yuan, however, was not just this point. It was the possibility that, according to speculation, the Yu clan faced more than one crisis.
As for the specifics, perhaps only the Yu clan themselves knew.
However, amidst the flood of information, he did detect something unusual: the Yu clan seemed to be secretly planning something.
Although he couldn't ascertain the exact nature of it, every time he thought about it, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if something that could threaten his life was about to happen.
With this thought, Ji Yuan quickened his pace, searching for Jiang Yun Zhou and Tang Mu Huan.
If possible, he didn't want to linger in this place for a moment longer. Whatever crisis the Yu clan was facing had absolutely nothing to do with him.
However, he hadn't gone far when an alien being appeared before him, deliberately blocking his path.
"Esteemed young master, would you deign to stop and converse for a moment?"
The individual wore a smile, appearing unusually polite.
Among the alien races, there was little in the way of culture and education. Unlike humans, they lacked doctrines such as Confucianism or other schools of thought dedicated to the enlightenment of their people.
In fact, one could not find institutions akin to academies among the alien races. Their knowledge was passed down orally from elders.
Only the geniuses within a clan would be carefully nurtured, taught by highly learned elders, though the curriculum mostly focused on cultivation.
"What is it?"
Ji Yuan frowned, keenly sensing that many aliens were gathering around, encircling him.