Cultivation begins with earning spirit stones

Chapter 17 Qingyun's Strategic Plan

"Deal." Zhang Lin nodded decisively without haggling.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Sun He's eyes. He turned around, took out a cloth bag from a hidden compartment in the counter, counted out two hundred low-grade spirit stones, and pushed it over.

The spirit stones were piled on the counter, their milky white light illuminating the entire room.

Zhang Lin glanced at it, and after confirming that it was correct, he put it directly into his sleeve.

Watching Lin's swift movements as he collected the spirit stones, Sun He suddenly chuckled and asked, "Fellow Daoist Lin, if this old Daoist may be so bold as to ask, do you have any other good medicines on hand?"

Zhang Lin looked up at him.

Sun He quickly explained, "To be honest, I've run a pharmacy in Qingyun Town for twenty years and have accumulated some wealth. I've always wanted to collect some good herbs to refine a batch of top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills, but I'm struggling to find good materials."

"If you have any other good medicine, please bring it over; the price is negotiable."

Zhang Lin pondered for a moment, then took out another wooden box from his sleeve, opened it, and inside were five twenty-year-old spirit orchids.

Sun He's eyes lit up: "So many twenty-year-old orchids, of top quality."

"How much do you plan to sell this one for, fellow Daoist?"

"Forty pieces," Zhang Lin quoted the same price as before.

Without saying a word, Sun He counted out another two hundred spirit stones and pushed them over.

Zhang Lin accepted the spirit stones, but instead of leaving immediately, he picked up a teacup from the counter and slowly took a sip, seemingly considering his words.

Sun Heren was an old and shrewd man, and he could tell that Sun had something to say. He didn't urge him, but just waited with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Sun." Zhang Lin put down his teacup, looked up at Sun He, and said casually, "I am new to Qingyun Town and am not familiar with the situation here."

"When we entered the town, I heard that there's a group of rogue cultivators nearby called the Black Wind Society, who specifically targets lone cultivators?"

Sun He's smile froze slightly.

He was silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Fellow Daoist, you've heard about it too?"

"I overheard a few rogue cultivators discussing something as I passed by a tea stall," Zhang Lin said casually.

"They say the Black Wind Society is arrogant and domineering, bullying rogue cultivators, forcing them to buy and sell, and even murdering and robbing. Their leader, Master Xiong, is said to be at the late Qi Refining stage?"

Sun He sighed and stroked his beard: "Fellow Daoist is right."

"The Black Wind Society has been entrenched in the Qingyun Town area for five or six years. Master Xiong is indeed at the late stage of Qi Refining, and he has seven or eight mid-stage Qi Refining henchmen under his command. He can be considered a local tyrant within a hundred miles."

"Isn't anyone in charge?" Zhang Lin asked.

Sun He shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Although that Master Xiong is arrogant, he is not stupid. He never provokes cultivators with powerful backgrounds, but only targets those rogue cultivators without any backing."

"In a small place like Qingyun Town, most of the independent cultivators are down-on-their-luck people at the early or middle stages of Qi Refining. They can only swallow their anger when they are bullied."

Zhang Lin nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

Sun He glanced at him, hesitated, but finally couldn't help but say, "Fellow Daoist, if I may be so bold, although you are a disciple of the Danxia Sect, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake."

"That Master Xiong has many men under his command. It's best not to provoke him while you're out there training alone."

Zhang Lin smiled slightly: "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I have a plan."

He stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, fellow Daoist. I shall take my leave now."

"Fellow Daoist, take care." Sun He stood up to see him off, and as he reached the door, he suddenly lowered his voice and said, "If you really want to deal with the Black Wind Society, be very careful."

Zhang Lin paused, "Who?"

"Xiong Kui, Xiong Ye's cousin." Sun He's voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it. "That guy is even more greedy and ruthless than Xiong Ye. He has a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation level and his hands are stained with the blood of many rogue cultivators."

"Just a few days ago, I was inquiring about a young Taoist priest from Shangqing Temple in the market. I wonder what he's up to."

Zhang Lin's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained expressionless: "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist."

He turned and left Heming Hall, the hem of his black brocade robe fluttering slightly in the morning breeze, his steps calm and unhurried.

After leaving Heming Hall, Zhang Lin did not rush to leave Qingyun Town, but instead took a leisurely stroll around the town.

He went to the tea stall, ordered a pot of coarse tea, and sat in a corner listening to the idle chatter of the wandering monks.

He went to the market, stopped at several stalls, asked about the prices of medicines, looked at the ritual implements, and occasionally chatted with the stall owners.

He even stood for a while under the old locust tree at the entrance of town, watching a few old men play chess with great interest, as if he were just a passerby.

All of this is for one purpose: to spread information.

The news that a disciple of the Danxia Sect had appeared in Qingyun Town did not need to be deliberately publicized by him. He only needed to make a few public appearances, and people would spread the word on his own.

What effect will this news have once it reaches the ears of the Black Wind Society?

Zhang Lin knew this very well.

Black Wind Society bullies the weak and fears the strong, specifically targeting rogue cultivators without powerful backers.

Even an outer disciple of the Danxia Sect is not someone they dare to easily provoke.

But this was not the effect Zhang Lin wanted.

He wanted a different effect.

The Black Wind Society wouldn't dare provoke a disciple of a major sect, but they would be curious as to what a disciple of the Danxia Sect would do in a small place like Qingyun Town.

Out of curiosity, they'll send someone to keep an eye on things.

If you send someone to keep an eye on them, you'll find out that this Danxia Sect disciple has good medicine and spirit stones.

They have good medicine and spirit stones, but they also have powerful connections, so no one dares to openly rob them.

Then the only option is to steal secretly.

Or, to set a trap.

Zhang Lin just needs them to take action.

Only if they take action will he have a legitimate reason to defend himself, to retaliate justifiably, and to leave no future troubles after the retaliation.

The rules of the cultivation world are never based on reason, but on strength.

You have power and connections, so even if you kill someone, it's considered self-defense.

If you have no power or background, you brought it on yourself if you get killed.

With his status as a disciple of the Danxia Sect protecting him, Zhang Lin can wipe out the Black Wind Society even if he makes the first move, and no one will dare to say anything.

The people of Qingyun Town wouldn't connect the destruction of the Black Wind Society with his original identity; they would only think that he had offended a powerful figure and deserved to die.

Zhang Lin wandered around the town for most of the day, making sure his appearance was sufficient, before leisurely leaving the town and heading towards Shangqing Temple along the official road.

By the time we got back to the foot of the mountain, the sun was already setting.

Zhang Lin didn't rush up the mountain. Instead, he found a hidden cave at the foot of the mountain and went inside.

The cave is not large, about ten feet in diameter, and deep inside there is a flat blue stone, like a natural stone bed.

The cave walls were covered with moss, and the air was filled with the damp smell of earth.

Zhang Lin sat cross-legged on the bluestone. With a slight thought, he summoned the system light screen.

The light screen was like water, and the words appeared clearly before my eyes.

[Host: Zhang Lin]

[Cultivation Level: Mid-stage Qi Refining]

[Exercise Method: Shangqing Qi-Guiding Technique]

[Spells: Wind Control (Tier 3), Breath Concealment (Tier 3), Fireball (Not yet learned)]

[Magic Weapons: Iron Sword (Low Grade), Azure Scale Armor (Medium Grade, Can be Enhanced), Taoist Robe (Low Grade), Brocade Robe (Low Grade), Jade Belt (Low Grade), Long Gown (Low Grade), Sword Sheath (Low Grade)]

Available Spirit Stones: 510 (Low Grade)

[System: Creation System (Level 1)]

Zhang Lin's gaze fell on the number 510, and he felt a slight sense of certainty.

This was the most financially comfortable he had ever been since he transmigrated.