Chapter 2225 Requirement
The thought that the participants would have to follow additional rules that weren't even told to them was an absurd thought for Alex.
Paying 20 Immortal stones for what everyone else was going in without paying even a few Saint stones made him feel angry enough that he immediately wanted to head on over to another city somewhere else.
However, he didn't want to do that. There was no way in hell Alex was going to leave this place now that he was finally here. He would instead go around to the forest and gather the better ingredients, then sell it to people in the crowd. "I just want to ask, how did you know I was a participant?" Alex asked.
The man pointed at Alex's chest.
"Tsk!" It seemed the knowledge of their medallion had passed far and wide. If the man was correct, then every city would know about his medallion. "I can't just go to whatever city I want, can I?" Alex asked, sighing.
"Not all cities follow the same rule," the guard said. "Most shouldn't even have one."
Alex nodded. "And does that mean I have to pay 60 Immortal coins in total?" he asked.
"No, 20. Your disciple, your beast, whatever else you have registered in the competition can go in without paying," the guard said.
"Oh, that's a little better," Alex said. "I shall come back in a bit then."
Alex had a few spirit stones, but even together, it would come to around 3 Immortal spirit stones, let alone 20. He needed to earn some more.
On his way back, he saw a few people with medallions on their chests appear worried. Alex told them what was up, but those people still wished to go to the front to figure out whether that was the truth or not.
"What now, brother?" Pearl asked.
Alex looked around. There were houses outside of the gates too, but there wasn't anything of importance around here. "Go and stand by those guards. I don't feel safe taking Momo to the forest given how many deadly things roam there."
Pearl nodded. "I will stay with her then," he said. "We will stay close to the guards in case something comes up."
The man didn't know what to do at the refusal.
"Would you like to buy some of my ingredients?" Alex asked.
"No, that's alright. I hope someone else comes along," he said, returning to the line.
Alex cringed on the inside, thinking about how close he was to getting in. But he couldn't take handouts. He couldn't take gifts or discounts. Every single thing he got, he either had to find it himself or buy it for a full price off someone else.
Unless the man was okay with buying a few things here, he would have to wait for someone else instead.
Alex tried to sell the ingredients, but it did not work. It appeared he would have to sell a pill, no matter what.
He took a deep breath and went to look through his storage bag to see what ingredients he had. He thought about the multiple-pill recipes he knew and realized he was close to having all the ingredients for one pill.
'I'm missing one,' he thought. He couldn't remember seeing that ingredient around the forest, so he had to search for something else.
'I need to make a substitute,' Alex thought. That was the only way he could think of. He closed his eyes to think of what ingredients he could use to make the substitute.
He had enough experience by now that he could figure out exactly what he needed in less than an hour.
While Alex had his eyes closed, Pearl and Momo began calling to people in hopes that they would buy the ingredients.
A few people came by and asked to see the ingredients. After seeing it, they asked about the quality. The quality was something neither Pearl nor Momo could answer.
Alex tried to answer where he could, but they neither had the reputation nor the backing to claim that they were being truthful about the quality. As such, not a single cultivator who came by wanted to buy those ingredients.
They weren't the only ones. The other participants that were around the outside of the city were all in a similar situation and most of them were planning on making pills as well.
Alex finally opened his eyes, having found the necessary ingredients for his substitute.
"Stay here for a while," he said. "I'll be back in a bit."