In recent days, Lin Xiao had been incredibly busy.
After returning to the Artifact Refining Hall and helping Hu Liang complete a batch of high-grade magical items, Lin Xiao was about to assist with some other tasks. It wasn't that he was playing favorites, but other areas such as the Alchemy Hall had Yi Gao in charge, the Formation Hall had Mo Yuanjiao, and the Spirit Field Group produced so much that they weren't worried about stockpiling.
The Talisman Hall had He Yi and Liu Chun, both champions from the Talisman Master Tournament, occupying top spots. The Medicine Garden had Elder Liao overseeing things, and the Beast Garden rarely sold their products outside.
Therefore, the Artifact Refining Hall faced the most challenges.
Hu Liang's refining skills, though improving rapidly, were still not on par with the terrifying learning speeds of Sun Yi Gao and Mo Yuanjiao, who started with more experience. To ease his burden, when Lin Xiao wasn't in seclusion, he would find time to help Hu Liang with refining and teaching him more complex techniques.
When Lin Xiao was in seclusion, others from the sect would take turns helping Hu Liang.
Thanks to the collective support, Hu Liang felt deeply grateful and was often so focused on refining that he would forget to eat the dinner Fuzi had prepared for him.
Despite the hard work, Hu Liang was content. Compared to his previous life in Shuishui Village, cramped with his large family, he now had meaningful tasks every day, which brought him a sense of fulfillment. There were no longer relatives scheming against one another, and poverty no longer constrained him.
All he had to do was focus on cultivating and mastering artifact refining. The results were visible, giving him a deep sense of accomplishment. He truly enjoyed this life.
After a long day of work in the Artifact Refining Hall, Lin Xiao finally stopped at dusk.
He had prepared most of the high-level magical items needed for the month and could now turn his attention to other important matters.
Thinking of what He Yi had mentioned earlier, Lin Xiao left the hall and headed to the Medicine Garden on Yaoguang Floating Island to find Elder Liao.
It had only been half a month since Liao Pantao emerged from his breakthrough, and he was currently stabilizing his cultivation in the garden's flower pavilion. Under his guidance, the entire Medicine Garden was operating in an orderly fashion.
As Lin Xiao approached the garden, he could see a sea of vibrant flowers in full bloom. Several small figures were busy in the distance, most likely the disciples responsible for tending to the garden.
In the center of the garden, by the crescent-shaped lake, a figure sat quietly in meditation under the flower pavilion.
Before Lin Xiao could approach, Liao Pantao seemed to sense his presence and opened his eyes.
"What are you here for?" Liao Pantao grumbled in his usual dismissive tone. "If you've got time to waste, you should be cultivating more. I've already reached the Nascent Soul stage, yet you, the sect leader, are still stuck at the Nascent Soul level. Do you think that's appropriate?"
Lin Xiao, unperturbed, sat down beside him and set up a soundproofing formation around them. He smiled, "What's wrong with having elders in the sect who are stronger than the leader? Perfectly normal if you ask me."
"Hmph! You've spread yourself thin with this expansion, yet you're not prioritizing increasing your cultivation. If your sect grows too fast and attracts attention, one Nascent Soul stage cultivator might not be enough to protect it," Liao Pantao said sternly.
Despite only being in the mortal world for a few years and rarely leaving the sect, Liao Pantao's experience and sharp intuition allowed him to foresee potential dangers. He had a strong sense of foreboding about the rapid growth of the sect.
Shifting to a serious tone, Lin Xiao explained everything that He Yi had shared with him earlier.
"So that's how it is…" Liao Pantao was surprised. "I didn't expect that Wan Wan Tong not only dominates the Southern and Northern Spiritual Realms but also has a firm grasp on the mortal realm."
"It's more than just a grip. You could say that Wan Wan Tong completely controls the mortal realm," Lin Xiao added.
Liao Pantao looked at Lin Xiao thoughtfully and raised an eyebrow. "Judging by your calm demeanor, I assume you already have a plan?"
Lin Xiao smiled and rubbed his nose. "I do have an idea. I came to discuss the feasibility with you. I might also need your help."
"Hmph, I knew you wouldn't come to me unless you needed something," Liao Pantao snorted.
Despite his grumbling, he asked, "Alright, tell me what you have in mind."
Lin Xiao replied, "What if we capture them all? Whether it's Wan Wan Tong's spies or the cultivators from the Immortal Realm sent to investigate, we take them into custody."
Liao Pantao: ...
"If you do that, it'll be hard to convince anyone you're not a member of the Jishi Party," Liao Pantao said, utterly speechless. "Besides, those high-ranking cultivators are easy to spot, but how do you plan to find all of Wan Wan Tong's spies? Do you even know how many there are?"
"You're underestimating the cultivators of the mortal realm. Wan Wan Tong has been placing spies here for a long time, and I'm sure the local sects and royal families are well aware of who those spies are. They've simply been powerless to do anything about it," Lin Xiao explained.
"I'm not saying we should eliminate them, just control them for a while to prevent them from reporting back to the Immortal Realm. This way, we can continue developing in peace until we're strong enough."
Liao Pantao thought for a moment and then asked, "But even if you capture them, sooner or later Wan Wan Tong or those sects in the Immortal Realm will notice. If they send more powerful cultivators, what will you do then?"
Lin Xiao answered, "It'll take them some time to notice. The journey between the mortal realm and the Immortal Realm is long and costly, both in time and resources. I doubt they'd send updates frequently. And if I were running Wan Wan Tong, I wouldn't waste resources reporting trivial matters. I'd only report significant events, like someone nearing the Nascent Soul stage breakthrough."
He continued, "They're unlikely to report every small detail unless Wan Wan Tong has a highly efficient teleportation array and they're willing to spend a fortune on travel costs."