Chapter 56 - 115-121

Chapter 115

Huangmu Village

Inside Huang Liang's home, Lin Jiang casually set up a simple soundproof barrier, isolating Huang Liang's family from prying eyes.

"Sir..."

"Sit."

"Thank you, sir."

"I have returned this time to tie up all loose ends here."

"Ah..."

Huang Liang exclaimed in shock, his face quickly becoming pale.

"It seems that you know what I'm going to do."

"Sir, I am already seventy-two years old this year, I can't live for another twenty years, spare me please."

"I really want to forgive you, but you have been behaving poorly these past few years."

Lin Jiang said, if it wasn't for him leaving Big Shadiao to watch over him, this guy would have escaped long ago. If he escaped, it would mean that Lin Jiang's secret would be at risk. So, he had to die, no negotiations. Even if God came, he would still die.

"Sir..."

"Perhaps you can take a risk. I am only at the fourth level of Qi Refining right now."

"I..."

Huang Liang's face became haggard. How could he dare to take a risk? If he had this courage a few years ago...

"You arrived at Huangmu Village more than nine years ago and already severed your path to immortality. You are now 72 years old and will at most live for another hundred years. You only have around twenty years left. Your only hope now is your children."

"Yes."

"So I will give you a choice. Either you take a chance and fight. If you win, you will live for another twenty or thirty years and also gain my opportunity. But if you lose, your whole family will die. The second option is for you to commit suicide. I will take care of your wife and children. If your son has a Spiritual Root, he will have the chance to cultivate immortality."

"Senior, why resort to such aggressive tactics? I am just a humble independent cultivator. Even if it's for my family, I would never reveal your secret."

"No, I only trust the dead to keep secrets."

"What about them, the villagers?"

"They won't die, they will live well."

"Why, on what basis are they treating them so differently?"

"It's easy, they are our own people, they are my friends."

Lin Jiang said that he spent about eleven years with the people of Huangmu Village, working tirelessly to build the village. He felt a special bond with them and treated them as his own family. However, Huang Liang and his family never really integrated into Huangmu Village.

From the very beginning, they acted superior and treated the village as their personal property, and the villagers as servants.

"Um..."

"We make our own choices in life, don't we? If you had considered me a friend, things wouldn't have turned out this way. Give me an answer before tomorrow morning."

Lin Jiang explained that if Huang Liang had sincerely treated every villager well during his time in Huangmu Village, Lin Jiang wouldn't have to kill him. Instead, he would offer him an opportunity.

"In the Five Elements Sect, you definitely wouldn't go by the name Lin Kai. The villagers outside would know, and they would expose you."

Huang Liang struggled, but Lin Jiang ignored him and continued walking away.

Lin Jiang predicted that he would break through the Building foundation around the age of sixty. Currently, he was only eighteen, so he had more than forty years. By that time, Xiao Yuan and the others would have passed away. Lin Jiang would ensure a smooth transition for the younger generation by creating a story for them, even though it might have some flaws or gaps, but the logic would be sound.

As for taking risks, Lin Jiang didn't mind. He would do his best to minimize the risks to the lowest possible level.

In the evening, Huangmu Village held a big feast. Lin Jiang himself went hunting and brought back some wild beasts. There was unlimited food and drink, everyone was happy tonight.

The next morning, Huang Liang died. He committed suicide by breaking his own meridians. There were no visible wounds. Lin Jiang told everyone that Huang Liang died peacefully in his sleep and promised him a grand funeral.

"Lin Kai, the immortal has died, and our village is left without an immortal to protect us. What should we do?"

Xiao Yuan became panicked again. The immortal was too important for the villagers.

"Does Uncle Xiao want me to stay?"

"Yes, Lin Kai. Now that we finally have an immortal in Huangmu Village, you have to help us."

"I won't stay."

"Ah"

"But I will help you cultivate more immortals."

Lin Jiang said. I have a Magic Measuring Stone, it can detect Magical Ability. I can't believe that I can't find anyone with Magical Ability.

Xiao Yuan felt a little dizzy after hearing this. He never knew that they could become wizards too!

······

After Huang Liang's funeral, Lin Jiang gathered everyone in the village who were under forty years old and over ten years old to test their Magical Ability. The requirements were much lower than in the cultivation world, but it didn't matter. Lin Jiang didn't want them to become immortal, he just wanted them to have basic self-protection abilities.

Out of the more than seventy people, only one person was found to have Magical Ability, and that was Fang Yuan. Lin Jiang was speechless. The chances of an ordinary person having Magical Ability were really small, but fortunately, Fang Yuan had Three Magical Abilities, so there was some hope.

Lin Jiang had collected many cultivation techniques, so he chose a suitable one for Fang Yuan and taught him how to practice. Lin Jiang would stay for about half a month, but he wouldn't live in the village. He would find another place to stay.

"Uncle Xiao, I want to talk to you about something."

"Lin Kai, what is it?"

"In the sect, they call me Xiao Yi."

"What? I'm going to be your dad?"

"Uncle Xiao, did I mean this?"

"But my son's name is Xiao Yi."

"Fake identity."

"Oh, oh, I understand now."

Xiao Yi suddenly realized that Lin Kai had used a fake identity, making him happy for nothing. He thought Lin Kai was going to acknowledge him as his dad, considering that he treated both Lin Kai and Fang Yuan as his own sons.

"Uncle Xiao didn't grasp the seriousness of this matter. If the sect finds out, I will die, and you will die too. Our entire Huangmu Village will die."

"Ah, that's so serious."

"That's exactly how serious it is."

"Lin Kai, can't you explain this to the sect?"

"No, I can only go along with the mistake."

"This, this, this..."

"So, you must listen carefully to what I'm about to say, and strictly follow my instructions. This way, everyone can survive."

"You tell me, I'll remember."

"First, from now on, call me Xiao Yi. You must inform all the adults in the village about this. The reason is that Xiao Yi is my real name, and Lin Kai is just an alias. Second, your son needs to change his name. Keep the same pronunciation as Xiao Yi, but use different characters. Third, we need to migrate the village. There's no rush to move immediately, but it should be completed within twenty years."

Lin Jiang said. The first point is the most important. All the adults in the village need to collectively change their memories and call him Xiao Yi. When these people pass away, the younger generation will remember this name. After several decades, if someone asks, they will only remember that there was once an immortal named Xiao Yi in the village.

As for Xiao Yuan's son changing his name, that's a small matter. The third point is to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. In the cultivation world, villages like this experience disappearances and new births every year. If Lin Jiang doesn't return for several decades and the village disappears, it would be normal. Then, it would depend on how determined the Five Elements Sect is in investigating Lin Jiang's identity.

However, Lin Jiang doesn't think it will be a big deal. The Five Elements Sect has hundreds, if not thousands, of inner disciples. If they investigate every single one thoroughly, it would be a huge workload.

"Lin Kai, we must move, the village has finally become stable."

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😞)

"When Fang Yuan becomes a cultivator, moving will be easy. And in the future, your son may also become a cultivator. I will leave behind the tradition. With luck, every generation in the village may become immortal. This little thing is for the sake of our descendants."

"Really?"

"Yes, it will happen in the future."

"Then I'll listen to you, Uncle."

"Alright, from now on, come here with Fang Yuan every day. I have elixirs to help improve your health. I guarantee you'll live to be 80 without any illness or disasters."

Lin Jiang said. We still need to discuss the specific details with Xiao Yi and the others, but the general direction will be like this. It will take several decades to change the memories of the next generation.

Fang Yuan spent nine days cultivating and reached the first level of Qi Refining. Lin Jiang also taught him about the knowledge of cultivating every day. Lin Jiang obtained a lot of information from the Five Elements Sect and handed it all to him, so he could slowly read it in the future.

The spiritual land left behind by Huang Liang will be Fang Yuan's in the future. Lin Jiang also gave him the qi-enhancing pills from the Shanxue School of the Five Elements Sect. In addition to these, there were some spiritual talismans and other items that Lin Jiang left. He had left enough things to help Fang Yuan through the most difficult initial stage of cultivation.

And Xiao Yi, these days, has been eating the pills that Lin Jiang brought back, and he feels like he's ten years younger. He thinks that with his strong body, having three or five more children would definitely not be a problem.

And Lin Jiang also taught him more advanced martial arts techniques, which he learned from the Lin family. With Lin Jiang's guidance, Xiao Yi's martial arts skills have greatly improved. He can barely handle lower-level monster beasts. Until Fang Yuan grows up, he has the ability to protect the village.

The details of changing memories have also been decided. Lin Jiang suggested that Xiao Yi should make some stone tablets, diaries, and other things, and change the name "Lin Jiang" to "Xiao Yi" in them, after Lin Jiang leaves.

"Great responsibilities are bestowed upon such individuals, and the outcome will be revealed decades later."

Lin Jiang is very satisfied with his plans. He rarely plans for decades, as he has always felt that his intelligence is not very high. But this time, he believes he will definitely succeed.

"Stone tablets, diaries, and word of mouth, I understand, Lin Kai."

"*Cough, cough.*"

"I understand, Xiao Yi."

"In the future, you must never let slip a word. I'll give you forty more years. If, after forty years, you haven't died of old age, Uncle Xiao and Fang Yuan will leave the village. It is important that those who know me as Lin Kai, don't stay in the village after forty years, understood?"

Lin Jiang felt unsafe, so he set up one final warning. The average lifespan of ordinary people is low, around forty-five years old. But there are always a few special ones who can live much longer. Xiao Yuan practices martial arts and has a strong physical condition, while Fang Yuan has entered the world of immortality. They can easily live to be seventy or eighty, as long as no accidents happen.

Xiao Yuan and Fang Yuan agreed to this. Lin Jiang had been talking about it for over ten days, and they had memorized everything. They even understood that it would be safest if Lin Jiang were to eliminate all of them with one sword strike. However, Lin Jiang didn't do that because he felt nostalgic.

Chapter 116

Five Elements Sect - External Affairs Hall

Lin Jiang has been looking at the Internal Affairs Hall for an hour now. In front of him, there is a screen made of magical formations that projects numerous tasks.

Some tasks involve taking care of spiritual beasts for senior disciples, while others require guarding a certain place or hunting down evil forces and traitors. These tasks are all issued by the sect. There are also private tasks, such as seeking bodyguards or acquiring certain items. In total, there are more than ten thousand tasks.

However, despite having so many tasks, Lin Jiang hasn't found a suitable one. As it's almost time, he leaves, planning to come back tomorrow.

The rules of the Five Elements Sect state that outer disciples must complete at least three sect tasks each year, or earn one hundred or more Merit Points. Otherwise, their sect benefits will be suspended. If they fail to meet the requirements for five consecutive years, they will be expelled from the sect.

However, disciples can also request leave for a maximum of three years. After three years, they must make up for the missed tasks. If they fail to do so, they will be punished accordingly.

Lin Jiang graduated from Shanxue School and became a true disciple of the sect. He naturally had to carry out sect missions. There were countless sect missions, but not all of them were suitable. Lin Jiang had already spent two days at the External Affairs Hall.

He also realized that he, as a disciple with no cultivation and connections, would never get a good assignment. For example, guarding Medicine City would be a great assignment. Even the most challenging patrol team was quickly taken by others. If he could work in the management department, such as handling rental businesses, that would be out of reach for him.

"I might as well go farming, find a place at the foot of the mountain and live a simple life. I don't expect to rely on sect missions for resources anyway."

After returning, Lin Jiang revised his plan. Initially, he wanted to see if he could get lucky and land a good assignment, but now he gave up. He just wanted to find a place to survive, endure until his fifties, and then figure out a way to build a foundation.

Resources were not currently a problem for him. Although he spent a lot of money buying the Plastic Bone Pill, it didn't exhaust his wealth. Moreover, Lin Batian had given him a golden core assassin called Dark Night, which contained several hundred thousand spirit stones. It was more than enough for him to cultivate until the Building Foundation Period.

······

"Martial Uncle, I want to take over the spiritual land of Qingyang Mountain."

"Do you want to rent the entire land or just a portion?"

"The entire land."

"Qingyang Mountain has a special piece of land that is 1,500 acres. If you rent it alone, you won't have much time for practice. Have you thought about it?"

"Martial Uncle, I come from a rural area and used to work as a farmer. I have no one else to rely on. Now that I'm young, I want to save more money and build a foundation for the future."

"I see. Alright, if you agree with the requirements, just sign it if there are no issues."

Inside the Internal Affairs Hall, the responsible steward nodded. Without the support of elders, it would indeed be necessary to make a breakthrough and earn more money while young.

"Martial Uncle, I have signed it."

Lin Jiang quickly signed his name. He obtained 1,500 acres of first-tier spiritual land in Qingyang Mountain. The requirement was to deliver at least 450,000 kilos of spiritual paddy annually, or other tangible items. This would earn him 100 Merit Points. If he failed to deliver enough, it would be considered a mission failure, and he would have done it for nothing.

"Here is the approval document. Go to the estate treasury to get the formation method and necessary seeds and tools. Remember, be careful with the seeds. Whatever seeds you take, you will need to deliver the corresponding items next year."

"Yes, Martial Uncle."

"Go, next!"

"Thank you, Martial Uncle."

Lin Jiang thanked him and quickly went to the government warehouse. Lin Jiang received spiritual paddy seeds, which are relatively easy to grow and don't require much technical expertise. If it was for medicine, he wouldn't be able to handle it alone.

Of course, there is an even simpler option, which is to cultivate a type of grass used to make talisman paper. It only needs occasional watering after planting. However, the demand for this kind of grass is limited and grown in specific quantities, so Lin Jiang doesn't have the opportunity to grow it.

After receiving the seeds and tools, Lin Jiang flew to Qingyang Mountain. Qingyang Mountain is part of the Five Elements Sect's mountain gate, but it is considered to be on the outskirts.

Qingyang Mountain was already covered by a formation, and Lin Jiang just needed to use his token to enter. Inside, he saw vast farmland and three small buildings. Previously, Qingyang Mountain was rented by three disciples for cultivation.

Lin Jiang randomly chose one of the small buildings to live in, set up a formation, and began planning. Even for a strong cultivator, it is difficult to take care of 1,500 mu of spiritual land. Lin Jiang didn't expect to earn spirit stones by meticulously farming. He was only doing this for survival and to earn Merit Points.

"Oh my goodness, how did I forget about this? I have money! I can do online shopping!"

Lin Jiang suddenly had a realization. How could he forget about this skill? If he had money, he could spend it. What's there to be afraid of?

Early the next morning, Lin Jiang went to find Yue Qing. In his second year at Shanxue School, Yue Qing made full use of his connections as a second-generation cultivator. Everyone in Shanxue School knew that he had a Building Foundation Period ancestor, and this kid had the widest network.

"Junior Brother Xiao also discovered a loophole in Internal Affairs Hall?"

"What loophole?"

"Stop pretending, does Junior Brother Xiao really have the money to do this?"

Yue Qing had a knowing expression on his face. He had known about the loophole in the sect's Internal Affairs Hall tasks for a while now. His family had informed him.

The sect's tasks from the Internal Affairs Hall only focused on the results and not the process. So the disciples who were truly wealthy wouldn't waste their time doing the tasks themselves. They would take the tasks and pass them on to others, sometimes even paying a little more than the rewards provided by the Internal Affairs Hall. This way, they saved a lot of time on tasks and didn't need to worry about being expelled from the sect. After all, they had money to buy resources and didn't need to worry about cultivation issues.

Yue Qing was just like that. He had graduated from Shanxue School less than two months ago, and he had already completed all the tasks for this year. Of course, he didn't do them himself; he handed them off to others. But to do this, the prerequisite was having money.

There were also many disciples in the Five Elements Sect who were poor. They couldn't even afford to spend money, let alone worry about cultivation. For them, labor was the most honorable.

"Don't worry about the money."

"Just don't worry. I'll help you with this. You go back and wait. It'll be done in a maximum of two days."

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother Yue."

"We have lived in the same courtyard for three years, no need for formalities. We will continue to interact with each other in the future."

Yue Qing said. Lin Jiang has performed extremely well at Shanxue School. It is recognized that befriending Lin Jiang is a useful thing. It has been instructed at home to make connections with talented disciples. There might be a chance to use them in the future, and it may even bring profit with just one instance.

Two days later, there were about ten external disciples who arrived at Qingyang Mountain. Their cultivation level was not high, but they showed professionalism in their farming work, such as plowing the fields and planting trees.

After entering Qingyang Mountain, one person stayed behind to negotiate the price with Lin Jiang while the others started working.

"Senior Brother Xiao, we have been here at Qingyang Mountain before. It is said to be fifteen hundred mu of land, but in reality, it is eighteen hundred mu. The extra three hundred mu were secretly cultivated by previous senior brothers who contracted this land, and they get to keep the harvest as well."

"Is that so?"

"Senior Brother Xiao was introduced by Senior Brother Yue, so he surely wouldn't dare to lie. If senior brother doesn't believe it, we can measure again."

"No need, I trust you."

"Thank you very much, senior brother. We have a field of 1,800 acres to cultivate and sow. We will receive thirty-six 'magic stones.' If we need to fertilize or use magic to make it rain along the way, we will only charge ten 'magic stones' each time. When we harvest the spiritual paddy, and use magic to dry it, we will charge forty 'magic stones.' How does senior brother feel about this? If senior brother plans to rent this spiritual land long-term and come to us every year, we can offer a twenty percent discount on this basis."

"Okay, let's see how well you work this year. If you do a good job, I will hire you all. I will rent this spiritual land for a long time."

Lin Jiang calculated in his heart. According to his charging method, even if Lin Jiang didn't do anything himself and assumed that each acre could produce five hundred catties of spiritual paddy, he would still lose more than ten 'magic stones' each year because the harvested spiritual paddy had to be used for completing missions.

But overall, it's not a loss because by completing the missions, Lin Jiang will receive twelve 'magic stones' and four bottles of Qi Gathering Pills as salary each year, as well as one hundred Merit Points.

If ordinary disciples did this, they would have no hope in their cultivation. Without taking medicine, they would have to rely solely on meditation. They wouldn't even reach the peak of Qi Refining by the age of one hundred and sixty.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😍)

"Thank you very much, senior brother. I will go and start working now."

"Go ahead."

Lin Jiang waved his hand. Since someone was working, he didn't need to go to the field himself. He stood aside and watched them work.

These people should be a professional team with very high efficiency. The bulls used for plowing the field were of an unknown breed, extremely powerful. They even made loud noises and the sparks almost flew out as they dragged the plow.

Lin Jiang also secretly calculated the area, and it was indeed over one thousand five hundred acres, but whether it was one thousand eight or not, he didn't know. It seems that poor people still know how to be resourceful, just like his predecessors, who also knew how to take advantage of opportunities.

The professional team was different. In just one day, they completed all the tasks, and Lin Jiang sent them off.

"From now on, I will take care of repairing the field, supplying water to the crops, and performing rain spells all by myself. Not for anything else, just to have something to do. Labor is honorable, after all."

Lin Jiang made up his mind that as long as farming didn't lose money, he also wanted to find something to do for himself. Otherwise, he was afraid of getting into trouble due to idleness.

Of course, he wouldn't do the fertilizing part. The sect's spiritual paddy cultivation used a mixture of demonic beast waste, low-level disciple's excrement, and leftover spirit stone powder that had probably gone through fermentation. It had a very unpleasant smell, so he would hire someone for this part.

Instead of wasting time, he might as well draw a few more spiritual talismans. Although he couldn't draw second-level spiritual talismans anymore after giving up his cultivation, first-level spiritual talismans were a piece of cake for him.

"The farming life begins. Call me Old Farmer Lin from now on. Haha."

Lin Jiang burst into laughter, then released Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao. If he didn't let them stretch their wings soon, they would rebel.

Chapter 117

Five Elements Sect,Qingyang Mountain

"Rain Technique"

Lin Jiang shouted loudly and quickly performed hand gestures. With the surge of spiritual energy, a small dark cloud formed and then it started raining heavily.

"Well done, well done."

Lin Jiang felt quite pleased. His Rain Technique was already very powerful. He had seen others using it, but their clouds were only about ten meters in size, while his was over forty meters, multiplied by several times.

This was also a benefit of his cultivation. His spiritual energy had become more refined, but of course, this was only a side effect. Lin Jiang valued his cultivation method more.

The Five Elements Sitting Zen Classic was just a simplified version of the Five Spirit Manual, but it still suited Lin Jiang better. He found it easy to practice, especially with the added effects of the Plastic Bone Pill. His progress and speed of cultivation were incomparable to his time in the Lin family.

This made Lin Jiang even more excited for the real Five Spirit Manual. If he could obtain this cultivation method, he would no longer have any worries about his progress. He just needed to gather resources and gradually improve.

"Senior Brother Xiao, we have arrived."

After a while, Lin Jiang received a Sound Passing Talisman. After putting away the Big Shadiao and the Small Shadiao, he opened the formation and the professional team appeared again.

"Senior Brother Zheng, you came early. The sun has just risen."

"We can't compare to Senior Brother Xiao's skill in drawing symbols. We can only farm."

"Senior Brother Zheng is hardworking and will become rich. In another two years, he can try to achieve the Building Foundation."

Lin Jiang smiled and said that the leader of the professional team was the person he had discussed pricing with before, named Zheng Yi. Just like Lin Jiang, Zheng Yi had no backing in the Five Elements Sect and relied solely on his own efforts.

This year marks the thirteenth year since Lin Jiang entered the Five Elements Sect and ten years since he came to Qingyang Mountain. They have been working together for ten years and have become friends.

Prior to this, Lin Jiang went to the sect's Chuangong Hall to listen to several classes on drawing symbols. Then he began publicly showcasing his skill in drawing symbols. Now, among the outer disciples, he is considered the best and has gained some fame.

These past few years, Lin Jiang has actually often gone to the Chuangong Hall. Chuangong Hall is a great benefit for the sect and family, and it is something that independent cultivators greatly desire. This is because Chuangong Hall always has classes teaching cultivation. It is not at the level of elementary practices like the Shanxue School. The minimum requirement for attending classes at Chuangong Hall is to have reached the Building Foundation Period.

As for a large sect like the Five Elements Sect, there are occasionally Golden Core Period ancestors who appear. Just getting taught a little something or having a question answered by them could be something that independent cultivators outside would spend years trying to figure out. The difference between having a famous teacher guide you and trying to figure things out on your own is significant. And on top of that, it's all free.

"Being hardworking can only make a living, not make one wealthy. To earn money, you have to be like Senior Brother Xiao."

"No, no."

Lin Jiang called out to Zheng Yi. His fellow disciples had already gone to work. This time, they were applying fertilizer, so he didn't need to help.

Lin Jiang called Senior Brother repeatedly. In the sect, Senior Brother is actually a term to show respect to Taoist friends from the outside world. It's not really a true Senior Brother.

"Senior Brother Xiao, it seems like our spiritual paddy will be a little less productive this year. Why don't you join Talisman Hall? With your skills, you can earn Merit Points easily."

"I know my own abilities. How can I compare to the Senior Brothers at Talisman Hall? Besides, Talisman Hall is so busy that they don't have time for cultivation. I prefer to enjoy my freedom here, right?"

Lin Jiang explained that he only drew symbols to cover up the loophole of spending money to earn Merit Points. It was just an excuse, and he didn't really rely on it to make money.

Furthermore, he disliked working for others. The income from spiritual talismans at Talisman Hall was very low, and it relied on quantity. There were never-ending amounts of spiritual talismans to draw every day, and he didn't want to do that.

"I do envy Senior Brother Xiao."

Zheng Yi said that he admired a carefree attitude. For the spirit stone, as long as it is enough, that's what Lin Jiang emphasized many times. Also, being young and having time to mess around, unlike him, who is already in his fifties. If he doesn't build a foundation soon, he's afraid he won't have a chance.

The two of them chatted for a long time. Zheng Yi's subordinates had already finished the task. Although over a thousand acres is large, they have a professional team. They specifically hired a craftsman to build wooden kites. Each kite can carry thousands of pounds and fly in the air. They are reliable drones for cultivating the land. With ten wooden kites working at the same time, fertilizing tens of thousands of acres in a day is not a problem. Compared to manual labor, it is much more efficient.

"It's all about technology and hard work."

Lin Jiang sighed. He used to think about whether or not to introduce technology into the cultivation world, but he realized that the cultivation world's technology is not actually lacking.

You can say that the technology of drones is already advanced enough, but the craftsmen in this world can casually refine things. Wooden kites are just small objects. There are also flying boats. You need an airport for airplanes, but flying boats don't need that. They can stop and go as they please.

Not to mention, just the technology of a storage bag would be enough for all the scientists on Blue Star to study for a hundred years. It would be useless even if they pulled out all their hair.

So Lin Jiang doesn't dare to underestimate the proficiency in Immortal Language. Your technological civilization may not necessarily be as impressive as theirs.

······

"Senior Brother Yue, did I come too late?"

One day, Lin Jiang appeared at Yue Qing's home. Yue Qing was a social butterfly among the disciples outside the gate, and he loved making friends very much.

Over the years, he found a group of people among his friends and held regular exchange meetings to discuss cultivating immortality, exchange resources, and exchange information. Lin Jiang often attended as well.

Lin Jiang's character developed by the Five Elements Sect was a slightly talented, hardworking, and a little clever-looking one. If he stayed hidden in the mountain valley all the time, never interacting with people, without information or resource exchange, his cultivation would still grow rapidly. Is he really a fool?

"No, you came too early, Junior Brother Xiao. How's your talisman-drawing technique recently? Have you reached first-grade premium level?"

"By a stroke of luck, I drew the first one last month, but all the subsequent ones failed."

"Junior Brother Xiao, with your talent, you don't need to worry now. Pay more attention to the Chuangong Hall. When there are senior talisman-drawing experts giving lectures, go and listen."

Yue Qing said, in front of Lin Jiang, he always assumed the posture of an older brother. When it came to various relationships within the sect, who understood better than him? It was his advantage.

"Thank you, senior brother. I will pay attention."

"Junior Brother Xiao, are you interested in joining me directly here? Let me tell you, if you don't work harder, you will have no hope of building a foundation. Don't just keep farming, that's not productive."

"Senior Brother, I don't think you'll be impressed by my abilities, will you?"

"You are already quite talented, your first grade premium symbol painting technique is already impressive among us outer disciples."

"Really?"

"Let me be honest with you, someone like Zheng Yi will never have a chance to build a foundation in this lifetime unless he ventures outside the sect and seizes an opportunity."

"Ah"

"Have you always heard people talk about the sixty-year-old limit? Well, that statement is actually true, but it doesn't apply to the Five Elements Sect. The outer sect of the Five Elements Sect has a thirty-five-year-old limit. Once you surpass thirty-five years old, you can forget about getting a Building Foundation Pill..."

Yue Qing slowly said to Lin Jiang. The Five Elements Sect is very closed-off. They can actually provide enough Building Foundation Pills for their disciples because they have the most powerful Spiritual Farmer in the Yun State.

However, the sect doesn't provide for all disciples. They only allocate a small portion each year, and the quantity is fixed. To obtain a Building Foundation Pill, having enough Merit Points is not enough. They must consider the disciple's Spiritual Root, talent, and especially age. The younger, the better. Once you surpass thirty-five years old, there won't be much opportunity to obtain one.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😦)

Then you have to find a way yourself. But outside the sect, a single Building Foundation Pill is worth thirty to forty thousand spirit stones. Even someone like Yue Qing, who has support from a senior in the Building Foundation Period, would find it difficult to come up with this sum. After all, earning money and saving money are two different things, and the expenses for the Building Foundation Period are even greater.

"So, senior brother, what are your plans?"

Of course, we will stick together to keep warm. There are so many people in the sect who have connections, what am I worth? If we don't work hard, we can only wait to die.

This is what I think. I will find a few like-minded senior brothers, we will become true brothers. We will unite and work towards the same goal. Can you lend me some Merit Points? Let me build my foundation first, and then I will repay you.

This kind of thing is common outside. What do we do when resources are not enough for all the brothers at home to cultivate? We focus on one person first, and when that person becomes powerful, we will help the others.

Junior Brother Xiao, don't worry. I am not the kind of person who betrays others. I can promise you that I will definitely repay you. Whatever Merit Points you give me, I will give you back twice as much...

Yue Qing's words stunned Lin Jiang. Look at this guy, Yue Qing sure dares to think. I considered him my senior brother, but he's treating me like a fool.

"Is this considered cultivation world gossip, illegal fundraising, or a scam?"

Lin Jiang muttered to himself. This Yue Qing is quite something. I hope there aren't really any fools falling for it.

However, reality slapped Lin Jiang in the face. There were indeed some fools who fell for it, quite a few actually. They all rushed to become Yue Qing's brothers.

"There are too many silly people, not enough cheaters."

Lin Jiang sighed once again, knowing that Yue Qing was going to succeed. He was a person who did great things.

The success of this matter actually relies on his usual layout. Starting from Shanxue School, his image to others was that of a sunny and enthusiastic person with many friends, willing to help others and keep his promises.

It was normal for someone like Lin Jiang, who had lived for over two hundred years, to not be fooled. But the problem was that the other disciples were in their twenties and lacked experience in the outside world. They had no idea about the dangers of society after staying within the sect for a long time.

All the resources were focused on Yue Qing. He was benefiting from it, but what if his Building foundation failed? Even if he succeeded, how long would it take for him to support others? Opportunities have a time limit. If it takes until you're in your fifties or sixties to repay you with resources, what's the use? Not to mention, he also had the right to break the agreement. At that time, the other person would be an internal disciple's Building foundation Martial Uncle, while you were just an external disciple with no background. How could you possibly win against them?

"Junior Brother Xiao····"

"Senior Brother Yue, my stomach hurts and I need to go to the toilet. I have to bring back this manure for fertilization. I'll leave now, I'll come back next time."

When Yue Qing asked Lin Jiang again, he quickly found an excuse and ran away.

Chapter 118

Five Elements Sect

Lin Jiang finally left Qingyang Mountain. He stayed there for twenty years and has been in the Five Elements Sect for twenty-three years. He claims to be thirty-eight years old, but his true age is two hundred and forty-three years.

His cultivation has reached the ninth level of Qi Refining again, thanks to the Plastic Bone Pill. This has made Lin Jiang's progress much faster than before. He expected to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining at the age of forty-five.

According to the general path of disciples in the Five Elements Sect, reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining means it's time to prepare for Building Foundation.

In the Five Elements Sect, there are generally three ways to obtain the Building Foundation Pill. The first way is through luck, by being accepted as a disciple by the senior members of the sect, who will provide the Building Foundation Pill. However, this situation is very rare. It only happens to those genius disciples who have been noticed by the top members of the sect, or those who have close relatives in the sect.

The second way is by participating in the sect's grand competition. The outer disciples hold this competition every three years, and anyone at or above the later stage of Qi Refining can participate. The top three winners receive the Building Foundation Pill as a reward and are promoted to the inner disciples.

However, not everyone can achieve this. The outer disciples of the Five Elements Sect number in the tens of thousands, and there are only several thousand people at the later stage of Qi Refining. It's not easy to break into the top three among such a crowd. Additionally, this matter attracts a lot of attention. Lin Jiang gave up on this idea early on.

The third way is to exchange them with Merit Points. Every year, the Five Elements Sect releases a certain number of Building Foundation Pills, which can be exchanged by disciples using Merit Points. The required Merit Points range from twenty thousand to forty thousand.

The reason why it varies is that it's not just about having more Merit Points. The sect needs to comprehensively evaluate your talents, comprehension, age, and many other factors.

Yue Qing told Lin Jiang that this method of obtaining Building Foundation Pills requires a very high demand, and the younger, the better. If you are over thirty-five years old, there is almost no hope. After Lin Jiang inquired from various sources, he confirmed that this statement is true.

But Lin Jiang still wanted to make an effort because it aligned with his personal goals and the choice of most ordinary disciples. Moreover, there is no time limit for earning Merit Points, and he was accumulating them for the preparation after building his foundation. The Five Spirit Manual is not cheap either.

·······

"Senior Brother Xiao, this is Senior Brother Zhang."

On this day, a Five Elements Sect disciple with a pointed mouth and puffy cheeks brought Lin Jiang to meet another seemingly fierce Five Elements Sect disciple.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang."

"No need for excessive politeness. Let's get straight to the point. Are the spirit stones ready?"

"They're ready."

Seeing that the other party wasn't interested in small talk, Lin Jiang didn't say much either. He directly took out a spirit stone and Senior Brother Zhang counted it before putting it into a storage bag.

Afterwards, the two of them went to the Internal Affairs Hall to complete a mission. The mission was to chase and kill a disciple who had been discovered by the sect for corruption. However, this person boldly killed the disciple who was investigating him and was now wanted by the sect. In the end, he was slain by Senior Brother Zhang.

This mission was worth one thousand Merit Points given by the sect. It doesn't matter how many people you kill, they still give you one thousand points. If there are more people, the points are divided among them, so there is a loophole. For example, right now, even though Lin Jiang didn't actually participate in this mission, as long as Senior Brother Zhang puts his name on it, Lin Jiang can get some Merit Points for free. Of course, in the private sector, you have to pay for it.

After a while, Lin Jiang's Identity Jade Disc showed an additional three hundred Merit Points. It normally takes him three years of working in the fields to earn that amount, but now he spent a spirit stone and it only took less than twenty minutes.

Senior Brother Zhang was very cold-hearted. After the transaction was completed, he left without even looking back, even more ruthless than when Lin Jiang was in Spring Coming Tower.

"Senior Brother Xiao,Senior Brother Xiao"

"Junior Brother Hou, I won't forget your kindness."

As soon as Senior Brother Zhang left, the disciple with a sharp face came over again, looking very pleasing to Lin Jiang. Lin Jiang threw a spirit stone at him.

This person is called Hou Zun, a famous "skin dealer" among the outer disciples. His business is very complex. Brushing Merit Points like today is just one of his businesses. He also does things like finding reliable alchemists, drawing talismans, and so on. If someone wants to become a dao companion with a certain female disciple, that's possible too, of course, it depends on whether the other party has such a need.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xiao. I wish Senior Brother Xiao immortality."

"Don't just say thank me. I need a lot of Merit Points. If you need help in the future, feel free to come find me."

"Yes, yes, I will definitely look for Senior Brother Xiao. Senior Brother Xiao is my savior."

"Alright, I'm leaving now."

Lin Jiang waved his hand and left directly.

After a moment, Lin Jiang met with a seemingly simple-minded disciple. This person was also one of the middlemen, but his business was limited to Talisman Hall only.

Within the Five Elements Sect, for those who have a talent for drawing symbols and want to learn this craft, most of them will work in Talisman Hall. Talisman Hall assigns them tasks every month, such as drawing a certain number of symbols of a specific style. Upon completion, they will receive certain rewards.

However, not everyone can complete these tasks. Drawing symbols has a success rate. For ordinary Talisman Makers, unless they have been practicing at the same level for decades, who can guarantee a hundred percent success? And Talisman Hall is in a hurry, so outsourcing has emerged.

In reality, disciples of Talisman Hall can also buy talismans from outside, but this creates new problems. Firstly, if they buy spiritual talismans, it is very likely that the styles will differ from those of Talisman Hall. Once the Masters of Talisman Hall find out, they won't punish you, as long as you have spiritual talismans to show. However, it will leave a bad impression on the Masters and affect future development.

Secondly, buying talismans from outside requires spending spirit stones. Many people don't even have any spirit stones. If they have spirit stones, they use them to buy elixirs or upgrade their equipment. On the other hand, internal transactions can be made using Merit Points. They earn Merit Points by completing tasks for Talisman Hall, and they usually have some leftover.

"Brother Xiao, this is Brother Zhao."

"Hello, Brother Zhao."

"Brother Xiao, the spiritual talisman is ready to be drawn."

"It's done. Brother Zhao, take a look."

Lin Jiang took out a stack of spiritual talismans and carefully studied them. His face showed great surprise.

"Brother Xiao, you are so talented. The style of this symbol is exactly like mine. Even I can hardly recognize it."

"As long as Brother Zhao is satisfied."

"I'm in a hurry to complete a task, Brother Xiao. Let's catch up later. I'm leaving now."

Brother Zhao hurriedly left, leaving behind Lin Jiang and the simple-minded disciple.

"Senior Brother Xiao, come to the Internal Affairs Hall tomorrow. There will be a task to deliver, it's already completed."

"Okay, I trust you."

Lin Jiang nodded, they had worked together before, so he trusted him.

Like Lin Jiang and Talisman Hall's cooperation, they didn't directly exchange Merit Points. They needed a third party to guarantee it. These intermediaries were the messengers, so they emphasized their reputation. If they broke their agreement, no one would trust them again.

After finishing his work, Lin Jiang returned to his living quarters. After leaving Qingyang Mountain, he went back to sharing a small courtyard with three other disciples.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😃)

Outer disciples didn't have the qualifications to have their own dwelling. They either left the sect and lived elsewhere, or shared accommodations with others. The advantage was that this kind of residence was free of charge.

"I earned eighteen thousand Merit Points, and it cost me nearly twenty thousand spirit stones. Regular disciples don't have this kind of financial strength."

Lin Jiang looked at the Merit Points on his Identity Jade Disc. He had been farming for twenty years and only earned two thousand Merit Points, but by spending money, he had earned sixteen thousand in less than half a year.

So Lin Jiang remembered what Zheng Yi had said before, that hard work couldn't make one rich, only enough to live a decent life. This principle applied in any world.

"When I accumulate more than 20,000 points, I will apply for a Building Foundation Pill. It's almost certain that I will fail, but then I can use it as an excuse to leave the sect and seek opportunities in Medicine City. I will buy an expensive Building Foundation Pill there, rebuild my foundation, and after the reconstruction, one Building Foundation Pill should be enough. If not, then I'll need two."

Lin Jiang made a plan. He spent decades and made many arrangements, all for a cultivation method that suited him. This made Lin Jiang feel particularly amazed.

It's really frustrating to compare people. He took Cao Ying to Zhonghang Sect, and because Cao Ying is exceptionally talented, everything is readily available to her - the care of the sect, cultivation techniques, spiritual stones, and medicinal pills. Meanwhile, he had to put in so much effort.

Lin Jiang had plenty of time to experiment, but for ordinary people, they only have a few chances to try and make mistakes. If they make a mistake, then it's a mistake, and they have to wait for the next lifetime.

That's why the sect becomes stronger and stronger, while independent cultivators remain independent cultivators, just seen as easy targets by the sect.

"Perhaps I have been an independent cultivator for too long, my heart has become wild and unable to truly connect with Five Elements Sect, unable to have a real sense of belonging."

Lin Jiang thought about Five Elements Sect again. In the past twenty years, he had lived a good life. Compared to those independent cultivators he encountered when he was selling goods in Yunzhong City, his life now was like heaven to them.

In Five Elements Sect, you can go to Chuangong Hall to listen to classes about cultivation problems. Accommodation and meals are free, and safety is guaranteed. Compared to independent cultivators who live from hand to mouth, life is simply amazing.

But even so, Lin Jiang still doesn't feel a sense of belonging. He has been an independent cultivator for over a hundred years, and he has no family ties to bind him to Five Elements Sect. Thus, it's impossible for him to feel a sense of belonging.

"Never mind, never mind, let's go once we obtain the technique."

In the end, Lin Jiang sighed. Once he obtained the technique, he would find a way to leave the Five Elements Sect and return to being an independent cultivator. He acknowledged his connection to the sect, but in time, centuries later, if he became powerful and the sect weakened, he would return to show his gratitude.

However, looking at the current situation, this probability is extremely low. The three major sects in Yun State have been strong for thousands of years, always producing talented individuals, and have never declined. At least, there are no signs of it now.

Of course, there are no sects that remain strong forever. With Lin Jiang's lifespan, he will certainly witness the day when they weaken.

Chapter 119

Five Elements SectInternal Affairs Hall

The Hall Master sat at the top, with a dozen stewards busy around him. After a while, someone approached the Hall Master with a list and said. Hall Master, this year's list of outer disciple applicants for the Building Foundation Pill has been prepared.

"How is the situation?"

"It's worse than previous years. In the past three years, we have reduced the supply of Building Foundation Pills by twenty percent, and the total number of outer disciples has reached nearly a thousand."

"It's quite difficult to snatch eighty Building Foundation Pills from a thousand people."

The Hall Master nodded, but this is a good thing for the sect. The more competition there is among the outer disciples, the easier it is for them to select the most outstanding ones.

"Hall Master, here's the list. Please take a look. If there are no issues, we can announce it."

"Okay."

The Hall Master nodded and quickly scanned the first eighty names on the list. The details were very comprehensive, including cultivation level, Spiritual Root, and age, which were all important criteria. The comments from others in the sect about their comprehension ability were also considered.

The Hall Master understood very well that these eighty people were excellent, but there were also others who were just as outstanding and met their requirements. However, due to the limited number of Building Foundation Pills, they had to be excluded.

"Take these circled names back for further discussion."

The Hall Master casually circled a few names, and the steward beside him was shocked, thinking: Did the Hall Master forget someone? Weren't they all included?

"Yes, Hall Master."

"This is a small matter. The next thing we need to do is to do well in organizing the Medicine City celebration. This is the first time our Five Elements Sect is hosting the celebration, and we must not make any mistakes. Our Internal Affairs Hall should fully support the work of the External Affairs Hall and also provide some treasures..."

The Hall Master answered, speaking seriously to the several stewards. Yunzhong City has held the Centennial Celebration eleven times, and the Five Elements Sect has sent representatives seven times.

Especially in the last two or three times, the people of the Five Elements Sect were astonished by the flow of people in Yunzhong City. Was it just a simple flow of people? No, it was spirit stone, it was resources, it was wealth.

Outsiders enjoy the spectacle, but insiders understand the tricks. Only they know how much money can be made from organizing such a celebration. That's why the Five Elements Sect also became interested and prepared for years. Finally, they also found a reason to hold a celebration in Medicine City, of course, the name had to be changed.

Continuing to use the term Centennial Celebration, Yunzhong City wouldn't really say anything, but the Five Elements Sect themselves felt that they were overshadowed by the Zhonghang Sect and the Cloud Sword Sect.

······

"I was indeed not selected."

"There must be scheming behind this. Why was I eliminated?"

"I will go to the Law Enforcement Hall to report them."

"Let's go, I want to report it too."

At the entrance of the Internal Affairs Hall, when the quota for the Building Foundation Pill applications for this year came out, the people were excited. Some cried bitterly, some cursed angrily, and some went to the Law Enforcement Hall to file a complaint. But there were also people like Lin Jiang who remained silent because they were already mentally prepared for this outcome.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😢)

Filing a complaint is useless. At the very least, the list needs to be checked by the Hall Master. The overall Hall Master of the Internal Affairs Hall is a powerful person at the Nascent Soul stage. Who would be willing to offend such a powerful person for the sake of a Qi Refining Period disciple?

But if you say there are no internal matters involved, Lin Jiang doesn't believe it. Among the eighty spots, the last thirty and the fifty spots from eighty to one hundred are not much different in ability. Anyone could fill those spots. However, the people on the list obviously all come from certain big clans within the sect.

Favoritism and relationships exist in the world of humans. Absolute fairness and justice only exist in utopia. That's why Lin Jiang didn't care too much and just left directly.

Lin Jiang went to the Library Pavilion. The Five Elements Sect's Library Pavilion is very big. It occupies a whole mountain and has over ten courtyards, each filled with shelves containing jade scrolls.

Outer disciples have one day each year to read books for free in the Library Pavilion, but there are restrictions and they can't take the books away or make copies. Any extra books they want to read require payment with Merit Points, which is the sect's internal currency.

Lin Jiang has spent quite a few Merit Points in the Library Pavilion. Coming from an independent cultivator background, his knowledge about the cultivation world is limited and not systematic. For example, regarding first-grade spiritual talismans, Lin Jiang has only collected less than 300 types of runes from the outside world, while the Five Elements Sect has recorded over 500 types. Although the additional 200+ types are rarely seen in daily life, who knows when they might come in handy.

The monopoly of knowledge is also one of the reasons why major sects thrive.

The Library Pavilion is a very quiet place, but there are always people talking and bothering others. Generally, Lin Jiang avoids these things and finds a place to read.

But today, he heard something interesting. After listening carefully for a while, Lin Jiang stepped forward and said. Excuse me, fellow senior brothers. I just heard you talking about the celebration in Medicine City. Is it the Centennial Celebration of Yunzhong City?

"You heard it wrong. It's not the Centennial Celebration of Yunzhong City, but the celebration of our Five Elements Sect in Medicine City."

"Medicine City is also having a celebration?"

"Actually, we've had similar celebrations in Medicine City before, but they were not as grand. This time, we are planning to have a celebration that is just as impressive as the one in Yunzhong City."

"I'm sorry for asking, but can you please explain what this is all about?"

Lin Jiang, who had stayed in Medicine City for several years, knew that Medicine City had been envious of the profits brought by the Centennial Celebration of Yunzhong City. They had also organized similar celebrations before, but the results were not good. It was a lot of effort for very little reward, so they gradually lost interest.

"It seems that you've been inside our sect for too long and haven't been out and about. Since last year, our sect has been expanding in Medicine City, and we have increased the size of Medicine City by fifty percent. The new city district is almost finished..."

"I see, I have learned something new, thank you. So, when does this celebration start?"

"We are also discussing this matter, and we all agree that we will be able to witness the grandeur of the world's heroes next year or the year after."

"Exactly, the disciples of Zhonghang Sect and Cloud Sword Sect, when it comes to this matter, still have a sense of superiority. They can't be so arrogant in the future."

"The Centennial Celebration will definitely be lively. We will also go..."

Lin Jiang listened to them chatting for a while, then silently left. But now, all he could think of was opportunities.

The world of cultivation is competitive, cruel, and closed off. It's not just a problem of fathers passing on to their sons, it could be several generations of ancestors existing at the same time. How can an ordinary cultivator compete with these aristocratic descendants? The only way is to take a shortcut.

Taking a shortcut requires opportunities. If the chance doesn't come, no matter how talented you are, it's useless. This grand celebration is such an opportunity.

Lin Jiang has spent almost thirty years in the Five Elements Sect, but he has barely accumulated any wealth. The money he earned is mostly used for Merit Points. Compared to when he first arrived in Yunzhong City, his value has greatly diminished.

Although he can still afford one or two Building Foundation Pills, after rebuilding the foundation, he still needs a lot of resources for cultivation. In short, no one will complain about having too many spirit stones.

"The Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration offers many opportunities, and the same goes for Medicine City if it becomes prosperous. But not everyone can speculate. First, you need a source of information and be aware of the information gap. Second, you need a backer. Without a backer, if something happens, you'll be the sacrificial lamb."

Lin Jiang thought in his heart, speculating is easy to talk about, but difficult to do. Otherwise, everyone in the world would speculate. The essence of speculation is the difference in information, using information to make money.

And the confidence of speculation relies on a strong backing. Without a strong backing, it is a suicidal behavior. Once you become rich overnight and attract attention, it's not a small matter. At the very least, you will lose money to avoid disaster.

"Big speculation needs a big backing, small speculation needs a small backing. It's really hard to choose."

Lin Jiang sighed. Why is he not like Cao Ying? If he had a powerful master as a strong backing, what would he be afraid of? He could just directly go for it.

Now he is without any support at the Five Elements Sect. Even if he has thousands of ideas in his mind, he dare not take action, for fear of being liquidated in the end.

"Actually, Yue Qing is a talent. Otherwise, I would find him."

Lin Jiang immediately thought of Yue Qing. Among the disciples of the same level, Lin Jiang knew quite a few, but he had to admire that Yue Qing was one of the truly capable ones. Although this guy's character wasn't very good, character and ability didn't have much connection.

"Working with Yue Qing together, and privately doing it yourself, perfect."

Lin Jiang quickly made up his mind. Yue Qing is not very reliable, but it's okay. Lin Jiang can use his reputation to get things done. Working with Yue Qing together and privately doing it himself, no matter what, he won't lose. Even if he can't have the meat at the celebration this time, he will drink the soup to the fullest.

Chapter 120

Five Elements Sect - Yue Qing's residence.

Lin Jiang waited at the door for a while, then Yue Qing came out with a smile on his face. He had successfully built his foundation. There were many foolish people and quite a few who were willing to support him. Several years ago, Yue Qing had accumulated enough merit points to exchange for a Building Foundation Pill, which allowed him to establish his own residence.

"Junior Brother Xiao, why do you have time to come visit Senior Brother?"

Yue Qing said that he was sure Lin Jiang saw through his tricks and that's why he ran away. After that, they didn't keep in touch as much for a few years.

"It's been a long time since I last visited Senior Brother Yue. I came to see you today."

"Haha, come in."

Yue Qing laughed heartily. He knew that if Lin Jiang had come to find him, it must be for a reason.

"Senior Brother Yue, do you know about the upcoming celebration in Medicine City?"

"I know, Medicine City is expanding, and my uncle is one of the supervisors."

"Oh."

Lin Jiang raised an eyebrow, it seemed like Yue Qing's uncle was quite remarkable, able to get such work.

"Does Junior Brother Xiao also have ideas?"

"I have read some travelogues written by Taoist friends about the Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration. According to the book, if the population of a city suddenly increases, for those who see business opportunities, there are opportunities everywhere, and spirit stones are everywhere."

"Haha, great minds think alike, but if Junior Brother Xiao acts now, it will be too late. The businesses in the new district have already been taken by the senior members in our sect. We have no chance anymore."

Yue Qing laughed even harder, it looked like something important was going to be discussed today. But the biggest cake has long been taken by the bigshots in our sect, he can't even get a piece of land.

"We can't touch that kind of business, we don't have a chance. Compared to the bigshots in our sect, we should be satisfied with just getting a taste of the soup."

"It seems that Junior Brother Xiao really does have ideas, explain in detail."

Okay, then I will share my thoughts. These days, I have read over a hundred travelogues about Yunzhong City. The Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration will attract millions of cultivators from other places, bringing endless business opportunities.

And for cultivators, the most important things are pills, symbols, tools, formations, especially pills. The Building Foundation Pill and the Five Elements Golden Fruit Pill are extremely attractive. My Five Elements Sect is known for being skilled in cultivating spiritual crops. Cang City is also known as Medicine City, so there is no shortage of spiritual medicines and pills. But there are many people doing this business, and we have no advantage. We need to find another way.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😄)

"How can we find another way?"

"Clothes, food, shelter, transportation. I choose food as the first option."

"If it's not high-grade spiritual food, how much money can it sell for?"

Yue Qing shook his head. A single serving of high-grade spiritual food could sell for thousands of spirit stones, even tens of thousands. He didn't think that low-grade spiritual food could sell for much.

"Senior Brother Yue, it seems like you underestimated the profit of spiritual food. I can guarantee that within ten to fifteen days, just by selling low-grade spiritual food, we can earn at least 50,000 spirit stones or more."

"Junior Brother Xiao, don't tease me. Low-grade spiritual food is settled with spiritual beads. How much do you have to sell to earn 50,000 spirit stones? I can't afford to rent such a big shop."

"When did I say that we need to rent a shop, Senior Brother?"

"How can you buy without a store? By wandering the streets?"

"Just by wandering the streets, tell your senior brother the truth. Junior brother, you haven't made any powerful connections within the sect these past years, only your senior brother. Otherwise, this benefit wouldn't be your senior brother's turn."

"Tell me carefully, if it's really feasible, then how about your senior brother cooperating with you? You should know your senior brother's reputation, it's unquestionable."

Yue Qing immediately said, his image had yet to be shattered, those sworn brothers of his, he's now supporting all of them. They're his team, though he's not at a loss either. Qi Refining Period sponsors him with one hundred spirit stones, and he'll return a little more. But the money-making capabilities of the two are different, it's difficult for Qi Refining Period to earn one hundred spirit stones, but it's easy for him, in the end, he profits the most.

Lin Jiang immediately presented his own plan, it's a simple plan. Starting from now, massively stockpile low-level spiritual flesh, rent a warehouse outside the city, freeze them with an ice formation, and when the great celebration begins, take the flesh out to thaw. By then, not to mention cooking for themselves, even if they wholesale, they can earn a tidy sum because prices will definitely rise.

And they can even make it themselves, find a few disciples with low cultivation but good culinary skills, mass produce in an assembly-line fashion, and make boxed meals to sell on the streets and alleys, winning by quantity.

And don't worry about lack of business. Lin Jiang himself has been an independent cultivator for over a hundred years, he knows the situation of the lower levels of independent cultivators. It's really using one spirit stone like it's split into eight pieces. And independent cultivators, what they lack the least are poor people.

"Junior Brother Xiao, is this really a good idea?"

Yue Qing was deeply moved by Lin Jiang's words, he realized this strategy was indeed very good, and they can set up the production location outside the city, the cost can be very low.

"Not good, this is dishonest money. If we do this, the small vendors in Medicine City will lose their business. Senior Brother Yue, will you earn this money?"

"Having money but not earning it, what a jerk."

Yue Qing suddenly shouted, what's wrong with earning dishonest money? How much is a conscience worth? People can be bought by the pound.

······

Thirty miles outside of Medicine City.

Lin Jiang arrived at a village called Jiangshan Town, where Yue Qing and a few others were already waiting. When they saw Lin Jiang, they exchanged greetings.

"Junior Brother Xiao, as per your request, we have already modified three warehouses. They are all equipped with cold attribute formations. When a piece of raw meat is brought in, it can be frozen into ice within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense."

"How much meat can these three warehouses hold?"

"At least hundreds of thousands of kilograms, give or take. I'm not exactly sure."

"Fill it up as much as possible."

"No problem filling it up, but the issue is that we don't have enough money. We still haven't decided how big we want to make it."

"Then let's decide now."

"Okay, after discussing with a few of us, we decided to invest fifty thousand spirit stones in this matter."

"Senior Brother Xiao is already in the Building Foundation Period, and he's only investing fifty thousand spirit stones?"

"I'll invest ten thousand spirit stones, and the rest will be for my brothers. I have other business to attend to as well."

Yue Qing shook his head, not because he was timid, but because he didn't have enough money. His income had increased significantly before reaching the Building Foundation Period, but expenses had also multiplied. Ten thousand spirit stones was his limit.

"What about the other senior brothers?"

"We calculated and decided to invest twenty thousand spirit stones."

"Okay, I'll pay the remaining twenty thousand."

"Oh dear, Junior Brother Xiao is really secretive."

"This is all my wealth. I sold all the Merit Points on my Identity Jade Disc. If we're going to play, let's play big."

Lin Jiang said. I'll also invest twenty thousand spirit stones as a gesture. If he really puts his entire fortune into it, Medicine City won't be able to handle it. We'll be at a loss.

"Alright, let's sign the contract."

"No, this time I want to make a Heart Demon Oath."

"Does Junior Brother Xiao have to be so serious?"

"Twenty thousand spirit stones are my savings from decades in the Five Elements Sect. I hope to make a big profit this time and be able to buy a Building Foundation Pill. I believe you all have the same idea, right?"

"We agree."

The four people beside Yue Qing immediately said that they couldn't compare with Lin Jiang's wealth. One person has five thousand spirit stones, which is their entire savings.

"Alright, let's make a Heart Demon Oath, just like a Heart Demon Oath."

Yue Qing had to agree. He didn't think this business would be very big or profitable, so he didn't plan on cheating.

"Since we've formed an alliance, let's divide and conquer. Senior Brother Yue will take care of the demon beast meat, and I will negotiate with Senior Brother Zheng Yi. They will be responsible for purchasing a large quantity of spiritual paddy at normal prices."

"There's no problem with the demon beast meat. I have already found someone to collect it from a faraway place. We don't want anything above second-grade, just lower-grade first-grade will do. The more, the better. My brothers and I will handle it."

"Who will be responsible for the packaging boxes and chopsticks?"

"I will. I am a resident of Jiangshan Town. I have already talked to the ordinary people there."

A man beside Yue Qing stepped forward and said that hiring ordinary people would be even cheaper. With a few spirit stones, they could hire a large group of people for a whole year.

"Okay."

Lin Jiang exclaimed. Mortals can do their work, decrease costs, and be a good capitalist!

"I have already found a cook. Junior Brother Xiao can teach them in the next few days so that they don't panic. I have received news that next May will be a grand celebration in Medicine City. It's less than half a year away. Our Five Elements Sect has already sent people to promote it in different places. At that time, independent cultivators with influence in Yun State, sects, and families will all be invited."

Yue Qing said. Five Elements Sect is one of the three powerful forces in Yun State. They have sent out invitations. Anyone who dares not to come, this celebration will surely be very big in scale.

In the following days, Lin Jiang stayed in Jiangshan Town, discussing recipes with the cook arranged by Yue Qing. Lin Jiang's idea was not to make it too complicated, just braised meat. They would use large pots bigger than humans, which could braize hundreds or thousands of kilograms at once. After it was braised, they would pack it in paper boxes, keeping it simple and convenient.

It took several days for Lin Jiang to replicate the braised meat he had made in the Lin family. Then he had people collect a large amount of spices and stockpile raw materials.

The packaging boxes were also prepared. Their size depended on the amount of spiritual energy that could be refined at the initial stage, intermediate stage, and advanced stage of Qi Refining. After the style was determined, Yue Qing would go to the place where paper was produced to place an order. There was no need to worry about technical issues. In the world of cultivation, those were small problems.

Everything was planned out. Lin Jiang also requested a trial run. They made five hundred servings and went to Medicine City to sell them. After a few days, the feedback was neither good nor bad.

Because there weren't many transient people in Medicine City now, most of the residents had fixed places to live and found it more cost-effective to cook for themselves. However, the vendors in the bustling market of Medicine City loved this kind of boxed meal because it saved time and effort.

Some of the partners were still anxious, but Lin Jiang's confidence grew. He felt that as long as they slightly reduced the price compared to the food vendors in the city, it would definitely be well-received.

Chapter 121

Medicine City

When Lin Jiang looked around, he saw decorations everywhere, making it look very festive. He could see signs that said "Celebrating the First Medicine Conference of the Five Elements Sect" everywhere he went.

The Medicine Conference was a big event organized by the Five Elements Sect. They wanted to save face, so they copied the idea from the Centennial Celebration in Yunzhong City. But they couldn't just copy the name as well.

The Medicine Conference was really impressive. The Five Elements Sect announced that they would have 5,000 types of spiritual medicine and 5,000 types of elixirs for sale. This caught the attention of almost half of the people in Yun State.

So when the official day of the Medicine Conference arrived, Medicine City was crowded. Literally, it seemed like there were too many people for Medicine City to handle.

Before the expansion of Medicine City, there were only around 300,000 to 400,000 residents and tourists. Even after the expansion, it was estimated that it could only accommodate around one million people. However, currently, there were already at least 1.3 million people, and cultivators from all over kept coming. Can you blame it for being overcrowded?

What's even more serious is that the Five Elements Sect doesn't have the capacity to host so many people. They had previously organized events similar to the Centennial Celebration, but even then, the maximum number of people was 500,000 to 600,000. Doubling the crowd made the Five Elements Sect panic and unable to handle the situation.

There were many different things happening, such as people getting lost, unfair business deals causing arguments, and disputes. It was all very chaotic because the Five Elements Sect didn't have enough experience to handle it.

"Crazy, crazy! Junior Brother Xiao, we're in big trouble. Even the people selling box lunches can't squeeze in anymore."

Yue Qing hurriedly found Lin Jiang and urgently told him about a situation he had never expected. One day, Medicine City would become so crowded that people couldn't get in.

"Senior Brother Yue, can you talk to the people in charge of Medicine City?"

"Yes, I can. The Deputy City Lord of Medicine City is Zhang Wanjing Martial Uncle. My uncle is friends with his disciple. I have seen him several times, and he is interested in taking me as his student."

"Then you must immediately find Zhang Laozu and tell him that there must be crowd control in Medicine City. If more people come, there will be trouble. If a stampede accident happens, more than just one or two people will die."

"Ah!"

"Hurry, this is not a small matter."

"Wait a moment, I'll go right away."

Yue Qing nodded, then he flew away directly. He obtained the identity of a patrol member of the Medicine City, which allowed him to fly within the city. Others didn't have this qualification and had to walk obediently under the aerial prohibitions.

Lin Jiang also worriedly looked at the scene in front of him. He had invested all his wealth in this risky operation, and he couldn't afford anything to go wrong, otherwise he would go bankrupt.

"Are you Xiao Yi?"

After a moment, two patrol teams landed in front of Lin Jiang, and he still looked confused.

"Hello, Martial Uncle. I am Xiao Yi, an outer disciple."

"Come with me."

"Ah, Martial Uncle, did I do something wrong?"

Lin Jiang became anxious for no reason. What was going on? He had his hand on the Spirit Beast Bag, ready to release Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao.

"Vice City Lord Zhang Martial Uncle is looking for you. Don't waste time. Attach the spiritual talisman. This is a temporary flying charm."

The two patrol teams didn't hesitate and attached a spiritual talisman to Lin Jiang. They were about to take him away. It finally dawned on Lin Jiang that something fishy was happening with Yue Qing.

Soon, Lin Jiang arrived at the City Lord's Mansion in the center of Medicine City. This is the heart of Medicine City, where many institutions that govern the city are located, including the central command of the city's defense formation.

"Disciple Xiao Yi greets Martial Uncle."

"Stop talking nonsense. Yue Qing said you have a way to handle the current situation. Hurry up and tell me, what should we do?"

A middle-aged man literally grabbed Lin Jiang by the collar to speak, looking truly urgent.

"Martial Uncle, I..."

"Don't babble, just say what you need to say. It's okay if you make a mistake. Hurry up."

"Yes, then the disciple will speak. Firstly, we need to control the flow. The number of people has exceeded Medicine City's capacity, so we must limit the influx."

"How do we control the flow? These people were invited by our Five Elements Sect through our advertising. If we don't let them into the city, what will happen to our reputation?"

"There are four city gates. Three gates are for exit only, while one gate is for entry only. Instruct the disciples conducting the entrance checks to intentionally slow down the process. This way, we can control the number of people entering the city."

"Okay, did you hear? Do as he said and go quickly."

Zhang Wanjing immediately said to the people around him, and several members of the patrol team quickly flew out.

"Martial Uncle, if there's nothing else, I'll go first."

"No rush, no rush. Tell me, how do we deal with all the various sudden events in the city?"

"We can only transfer people from the sect."

"Aside from transferring people, what else can we do?"

"Medicine City is divided into four areas: southeast, northwest, and each area has a mediation point. Whether it's a conflict between cultivators, or between cultivators and merchants, they all need to be resolved at the mediation point. No one is allowed to stay in one place, otherwise there will be too many onlookers and it may cause overcrowding."

"Let me ask you again, how do we prevent overcrowding and stampede accidents in one area?"

"Limit the number of people."

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😣)

"Already came in, on a certain street"

"The street only has two intersections left, all the other intersections in the middle are temporarily closed. One intersection for entering and one for exiting, with many disciples guarding the entrances and exits. They form a human wall and have people observe from the sky. If there are too many people on a certain street, they immediately inform the disciples on both sides. The entrance is blocked by the human wall, while the exit is opened to speed up the passage."

"Okay, remember it all, quickly make arrangements. If we don't have enough manpower, we can deploy disciples from the sect. All participating sect disciples will receive double Merit Points."

Zhang Wanjing finally showed a smile and immediately told the person next to him. Someone went to convey the message.

"Martial Uncle, I..."

"Am I scary? Are you in such a hurry to leave?"

"No, disciple dare not."

"Let me ask you, as an outer disciple in the Qi Refining Period, how do you know about these things?"

"In response to Martial Uncle, disciple had some business in the city, so half a year ago, I already read through the travel records in the sect's Library Pavilion about the Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration. These ideas were not created by disciples, but have been used multiple times in Yunzhong City before."

Lin Jiang honestly answered that he saw these things with his own eyes. Yunzhong City actually did that, and there were indeed people who wrote about it in the travel notes of the disciples of the Five Elements Sect, but they just mentioned it briefly.

"Those useless people in the sect are not as useful as an outer disciple. They clearly have mature experience in Yunzhong City, but they don't know how to use it, and they are all fighting for power and profit."

Zhang Wanjing became furious when he heard this. The Medicine Conference became a cake in the eyes of everyone in the sect. Everyone was trying to get a piece of the cake, but no one thought about how to do this thing well. It made him extremely angry.

Now Lin Jiang dared not speak anymore, because even he knew that everyone in the sect was indeed thinking about how to get rich. If we talk about who the biggest opportunists are this time, it is definitely not someone like Lin Jiang, but those big shots in the sect, even the entire Five Elements Sect.

"Yue Qing"

"Here, disciple."

"You all go back first. When the Medicine Conference is over, bring Xiao Yi to my cave."

Zhang Wanjing realized he had made a mistake and stopped saying more. Instead, he said one more sentence to Yue Qing.

"Yes, Martial Uncle."

Yue Qing politely answered and quickly left the City Lord's residence with Lin Jiang.

"Junior Brother Xiao, congratulations! You're going to become successful. Zhang Martial Uncle has achieved the advanced level of cultivation called 'golden core.' He holds an important position in the sect."

As they walked out, Yue Qing smiled and told Lin Jiang that he wouldn't mention that Zhang Wanjing had asked him a similar question earlier and he couldn't answer. That's why he immediately decided to sell Lin Jiang.

"Senior Brother Yue is just joking. How can a few words impress Zhang Martial Uncle's discerning eye?"

"Haha, Junior Brother Xiao, you don't understand. Zhang Martial Uncle is different from others. He doesn't require his disciples to have exceptional talent, but he values those who can accomplish tasks and take care of sect matters. Based on your recent performance, Zhang Martial Uncle has noticed you. Your good days are coming!"

"I see."

Lin Jiang answered that Zhang Wanjing belonged to the practical faction of the Five Elements Sect. However, Lin Jiang wasn't interested in that because he knew that many practical-minded people tended to take credit for others' work and shift blame. He just wanted to be a scoundrel, not an honest person.

"Remember me when you become successful, don't forget your senior brother. We were dorm mates for three years!"

"Ahem, when you become wealthy and powerful, don't forget about those who helped you along the way."

Lin Jiang said casually. If it weren't for the Five Spirit Manual, who would remember you, Yue Qing?

"Let's go, today is the first day of the Medicine Conference. Let's see how our business goes."

"Let's bring the person in first, then we can talk."

"It's a small matter, I'll just go and find my great-uncle."

Yue Qing said. My great-uncle is Zhang Wanjing's trusted subordinate and also a small leader in Medicine City. It's not difficult for him to handle this matter.

Lin Jiang and Yue Qing walked out of City Lord's Mansion. They saw that there were still many people outside, but they also saw many disciples wearing Five Elements Sect uniforms. It seems that the sect has sent people to provide support.

As more and more disciples of the Five Elements Sect joined, order began to be restored. When Lin Jiang passed by a street corner, he saw that some disciples of the Five Elements Sect had formed a human wall on the bustling street, restricting the flow of people.

"The Five Elements Sect is not completely useless, they are quite efficient."

Lin Jiang was very satisfied with this. The thousand-year-old sect still had some heritage, and there were also many people who did practical work. Not all of them were opportunistic or useless.

"Senior Brother Yue,Senior Brother Xiao"

The two quickly met with several partners.

"Senior Brother Jiang, how are the boxed meals selling now?"

"Good, not just good, but especially good."

"What do you mean by good? How many have been sold?"

Yue Qing immediately asked, he had been busy with other things and hadn't really paid attention to this matter.

Senior Brother Yue, business is booming! There are so many people in Medicine City now. Restaurants, taverns, street vendors, they are all packed. Not to mention finding a seat, they don't even have time to cook. Many people are hungry, and our boxed meals are so convenient to eat and throw away.

And our prices are also advantageous. We stocked up on spiritual paddy and monster meat half a year ago, so they are cheap. The prices in the city have skyrocketed. We sell a little cheaper than those street vendors. If they dare to lower their prices, we will lower ours a little too. We will always be a little cheaper than them. Sixteen junior brothers who sell boxed meals have already made several trips. We need to add more people in Jiangshan Town.

"Add, add more. This kind of opportunity comes once every hundred years. We must eat to our heart's content."

Lin Jiang immediately said. These big celebration events in Daqing cannot happen often. They only happen once every few decades. This is a rare opportunity that we cannot miss.