Three months later.
Lin Chang'an sat cross-legged, exhaling deeply. He glanced at his progress panel with a satisfied smile.
[Realm: Qi Refining, Layer Four (11/100)]
"As expected, with the supply of spirit stones, my cultivation speed has improved significantly."
In just three months, his progress had jumped from 2 to 11. At this rate, he wouldn't need the full three years to break through to the next stage.
"Spirit stones... it all comes down to earning spirit stones."
Looking down at the spirit stone in his palm, now pale from having its energy extracted, Lin Chang'an smiled. Pressing his palm firmly, he instantly crushed the stone into powder.
The original lower-grade spirit stone was incredibly hard, but now it was nothing more than waste.
He stood up to adjust his cultivation robe and dusted off the spirit stone residue in his room to avoid arousing suspicion.
After all, even ordinary disciples in large clans didn't cultivate so lavishly with spirit stones every day.
"If I go all out and maintain three spirit stones daily for cultivation, my progress could double."
However, Lin Chang'an shook his head. That would mean earning over a hundred spirit stones monthly—not because he lacked the ability, but because the risk was too high.
Recently, his luxurious cultivation was only possible thanks to the increasing chaos in the market, which provided him with such rare opportunities.
"Brother Lin."
Stepping outside, he saw Li Erniu already prepared, and greeted him.
"I never expected Young Lord Shen Lie to organize a trade guild with the junior sister."
Li Erniu was full of emotion as they walked. It hadn't been long, yet their old friend was coming to Qingzhu Mountain's market.
Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile, feeling a bit envious.
First it was Erniu, now Shen Lie.
They all had low-grade spiritual roots and failed the assessments, yet Erniu had married into a family, and now Shen Lie seemed poised to start something good with the junior sister.
Among the trio who failed the test, Lin Chang'an had the looks, and they were all equally weak in spiritual roots. This made him wonder if appearance really mattered at all in the cultivation world.
Now all he could do was comfort himself—at least he had awakened a talent, so his future wouldn't be bleak.
"Though Shen Lie and the junior sister's guild is small, it was organized under the leadership of the young princess."
Some time ago, Shen Lie had sent a letter informing them about their plan to establish the guild in Qingzhu Mountain's market.
Now that Lin Chang'an was under the Zhou family's wing, the letter could easily be delivered through them, no longer needing to pass through Erniu.
"Yes, the young princess is truly a genius."
Even Li Erniu expressed admiration, and Lin Chang'an nodded in agreement. This young princess Yun Yao was no ordinary leader.
Clearly, behind Shen Lie and the junior sister's guild was this young princess Yun Yao, gathering resources needed for Foundation Establishment.
If Yun Yao succeeded, she would become a Foundation Establishment powerhouse, and their statuses would rise accordingly. Their years of effort could pay off many times over.
A win-win situation.
After reflecting on this, the two men arrived outside the city gates to welcome their friends.
...
As time passed slowly until midday, a familiar caravan was finally spotted in the distance.
"That's Young Lord Shen and his group."
Li Erniu, having waited long, smiled when he saw the figures approaching.
But Lin Chang'an frowned, noticing the long caravan looked somewhat disordered, as if they had endured some difficulties.
"Brother Lin, Brother Li."
From afar, Shen Lie smiled and dismounted his horse. He immediately gave a big hug.
This time the young lord finally remembered Erniu's surname instead of just calling him "Brother Erniu."
"Young Lord… Brother Shen, why do you look so dusty and worn out?"
Li Erniu habitually tried to say "Young Lord," then quickly corrected himself. Looking at their dusty, worn faces, curiosity grew.
"Don't mention it. We had terrible luck on the way."
Shen Lie flung his sleeve with irritation.
"We hired some outer disciples from the Li Huo Palace as guards. The journey was fine at first, but with three days left, we ran into one monster after another — even a Golden Light Leopard."
Hearing this, Lin Chang'an's heart skipped a beat. He stared at Shen Lie in surprise.
"The Golden Light Leopard? Isn't that a monster that lives deep in the Yunwu Mountains? How did it appear out here?"
At that moment, the carriage door was lifted, and Lu Qingqing stepped down, smiling warmly.
"We also found many traces of monsters from deep within the Yunwu Mountains along the way. I guess with the market's impending expansion, so many cultivators have come that the monsters' territories have been disturbed."
"Junior Sister."
"Senior Sister Lu."
Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu smiled and greeted her with respect.
Although they were classmates, the junior sister treated them as equals without any difference.
"That's true. This kind of thing has happened before when the market was being expanded."
Li Erniu nodded in agreement. Monsters usually have fixed territories, but the sudden influx of cultivators inevitably disturbs them.
"All right, let's hurry into the market. Erniu and I have already prepared a welcome feast for you."
Suppressing his unease, Lin Chang'an smiled broadly and invited Shen Lie and the others inside.
Although a little grimy from the journey, Shen Lie couldn't hide his joy seeing the bustling market.
They had brought plenty of goods, betting on Qingzhu Mountain's market. The more wandering cultivators, the more spirit stones they could earn.
As for the monster disturbances, that was just a golden opportunity for the guild to make money.
...
At the Juxian Pavilion.
Lin Chang'an, Li Erniu, Shen Lie, and Lu Qingqing sat together in a private room.
The caravan guards had been paid off upon entering the market, and Shen Lie, the young lord, warmly hosted a lavish feast for the cultivators.
The five middle-layer Qi Refining disciples from Li Huo Palace smiled and treated them warmly.
No one dislikes a generous employer.
Besides, they all knew who the true employer was.
"Toasting the cup — I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon after last time."
With spirit wine and spirit meat served, Shen Lie's cheerful expression made it easy to see why Yun Yao had chosen him as the guild leader.
At the table, Shen Lie mentioned the content of his letter once more.
Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu, being locals, knew the market better than most.
Lin Chang'an set down his cup and nodded lightly.
"Erniu and I have helped you find quite a few people recently. They all have clean backgrounds — either their parents are cultivators in the market or their children live here."
Since they were forming a guild, recruiting local cultivators would help them integrate quickly.
Lin Chang'an understood well that ordinary cultivators with families and children in the market were generally more stable and reliable.
"Thank you, Senior Brothers Lin and Li."
Lu Qingqing, graceful and poised, raised her cup to toast.
This scene made Lin Chang'an and Li Erniu silently remark to each other that this junior sister's warm and smooth approach to people was much like Shen Lie's own style.
The banquet brought the four closer together.