The morning sun had climbed high when Lin Yuanfeng arrived at the Jin Shang Hall. His hands were still dusted with the faint earthiness of the farmland, but his steps were light and steady, as though each carried the weight of determination rather than fatigue.
After spending the better part of the day arranging his new home and purchasing necessities, his pouch was noticeably lighter after purchasing the information and seeds, he had left with only fifty low-grade spirit stones left in his storage pouch.
More than eighty percent of his hard-earned spirit stones had vanished in a single day.
As long as we can live in peace it worth it, , stones can always be earned again.
He approached the Jin Shang hall with the thought of selling bear paws and the core from the bear he had slain in the cave, to replenish his spirit stones
The streets of Qing Shui Town were lively, cultivators and mortals mingling, carts rattling past, vendors calling out their wares.
Yuanfeng adjusted his robe and reached towards the gold-embellished entrance of Jin Shang Hall, the most reputable merchant group in the district.
Its grandeur always impressed him—the polished wood, jade plaques, and the faint aura of authority surrounding the hall. Guards in plain dark uniforms barely glanced at him, dismissing him as a countryside youth. Yuanfeng remained calm, adjusted his steps, keeping a composed gait, an he entered
Inside, the air was heavy with sandalwood and medicinal herbs. Lin Yuanfeng kept his movements measured, stepping past the marble floor and ornate racks of jars, each filled with spirit herbs, cores, and artifacts, until he arrived at the counter where he found Miss Song, elegant and poised, greeted him with a bow.
"Welcome, Young Master Lin," she said, voice gentle. "How may I assist you today?"
He also returned the greeting and calmly said "Miss Song, I want to sell some Yao beast parts and a core"
"Young Master Lin, please follow me."
He inclined his head and followed her to a private dealing room. Once seated, he took out the bear paws and core and put them on the table in front of him.
"I wish to sell these—one Tier-1 mid-tier Iron Paw Bear beast core and its beast paws."
Miss Song's sharp eyes scanned the items carefully. "Excellent quality. Jin Shang Hall can offer 180 low grade spirit stones for the core and 200 for the paws together. Total 380 low-grade spirit stones."
"Do you accept this price fair?"
"Accepted." Yuanfeng nodded.
She swiftly recorded the items in a ledger and store them in her Storage pouch.
She handled the things efficiently "Young master Lin, do you want to purchase anything or should we complete the transaction"
He straightened slightly. "Yes, I have something I want to purchase… do you have Tier-1 spirit rice seeds for sale?"
Miss Song smiled faintly " Yong master please wait" and stepped outside the room
Then Miss Song returned with the wooden case, she placed it before Yuanfeng and opened it gently. Inside were three neatly arranged jade jars, each carved with a different sigil.
"Young Master Lin, regarding Tier-1 spirit rice seeds," she said with a polite smile, "we currently have three varieties in limited stock. Though most seeds are rarely sold, these arrived recently through special channels."
Yuanfeng leaned closer as she introduced them one by one.
She tapped the first jar. "This one is Qingyun Jade Rice. Mild, steady nourishment. Most suitable for beginners and elders." The grains within the jade jar emitted a faint pale-green glow, soft and gentle.
Her finger slid to the second jar. "This is Vermillion Ember Grain. It promotes qi circulation and warms the blood. Favored by martial cultivators." The grains inside were a subtle red, like embers cooled beneath ash, faint warmth radiating through the jar.
Finally, she gestured to the third. "And this one, Moondew Spirit Rice. Enhances mental clarity and improves meditation. Quite difficult to grow, thus rarely purchased by common households."
Yuanfeng weighed the options silently.
Qingyun Jade Rice is safe… but too mild. Moondew is too difficult to cultivate in large quantities.
His eyes paused on the red-tinted grains.
Vermillion Ember Grain… its warmth could help Father's aging body & heal his meridians somewhat and it can also strengthen Mother's constitution. And if I consume it as well, it may support my qi circulation while cultivating.
He nodded. "I will take this one—the Vermillion Ember Grain Seeds. Two kilograms."
Miss Song's eyes widened slightly. "A bold choice. It is more… vigorous than the others."
"I understand." Yuanfeng kept his expression calm. "How many stones?"
"80 stones per kilogram." She calculated briefly on her abacus. "Two kilograms… 160 stones."
He slid the stones over without hesitation, though his heart tightened at the number. Painful… but necessary.
As she stored the jars, he casually shifted topics.
"There is another matter. The courtyard I rented earlier—the one near the creek. You mentioned before that it belonged to Jin Shang Hall. Is it only for rent… or available for purchase?"
Miss Song blinked. "Ah, that one. It can indeed be sold." She pulled out a slender ledger and flipped through several pages. "Full ownership price is six thousand two hundred fifty spirit stones. It includes the house, the land, and water rights to the creek."
Yuanfeng nodded slowly, hiding the shake in his heart. Over six thousand… even the bear core and paws won't cover that yet.
But he kept his tone steady. "I see. It's good to know."
"Would you like it prepared for viewing under purchase terms?" she asked politely.
"Not yet. I will consider it."
Miss Song closed the ledger with a soft thunk and bowed slightly. "Of course, Young Master Lin. If you decide, please inform me at any time."
Yuanfeng nodded, clasped his fists, and left the hall with the seeds carefully tucked away. His steps remained steady, but his mind churned with quiet resolve.
Six thousand stones…
No matter what, I'll gather it. This home will be theirs. Completely theirs.
The private room door slid open with a quiet creak, and two figures entered the room.
Miss Song straightened immediately. "Elder Zhou. Young Master Qingchen."
Yuanfeng rose respectfully. The elder was a dignified man in dark-gold robes, his cultivation aura faintly pressing against the walls maybe a true Foundation Establishment cultivator.And beside him stood a handsome youth, sharp-browed and proud-eyed, sword intent faintly leaking from his aura despite his composed posture.
So this is the rumored genius of the Jin family… Jin Qingchen.
Elder Zhou cupped his fists slightly toward Yuanfeng—polite yet solemn. "Young friend Lin, forgive our intrusion. We need a moment of your time."
Yuanfeng returned the gesture calmly. "Elder may speak freely."
The elder nodded toward Miss Song. "Is he the one who sold that item?"
Miss Song bowed lightly. "Yes, Elder. He is the seller of the storage pouch."
At that, Jin Qingchen stepped forward, his voice smooth yet carrying a hidden sharpness."I am Jin Qingchen, inner disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect. Might I know your name?"
"Lin Yuanfeng."
Jin Qingchen nodded once. "Good. Yuanfeng, we have come regarding a matter of importance."
Elder Zhou motioned slightly, and the air in the room tightened. Then his gaze fixed on Yuanfeng.
"Young Lin… the storage pouch you sold earlier belonged to an outer disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect. We have confirmed its identity." His eyes sharpened. "May we ask how it came into your possession?"
The room fell silent.
Miss Song watched nervously from the side. Even she felt the pressure.
But Yuanfeng's mind remained still—like water undisturbed.
Running won't help. The truth is the easiest path to breathe.
He clasped his fists. "I will speak plainly, Elder."
Elder Zhou lifted his chin slightly, signaling him to continue.
"I will speak truthfully. My parents were attacked in our farm land by a beast and were gravely injured. I bought medicine from the Qing Shui town using our family savings but was robbed while returning to my home . Left with nothing, I entered the Outer-forest region to find some medicine herbs to sell. There, I encountered a raging iron paw bear.....
he explained how he made the bear fall into the pit and finding the storage pouches inside the cave and also how he dealt with that Yao beast using the talisman he found in one of the pouch...how he sold the herb and pouch at their Jinshang hall
He also recounted today's transaction to them, and calmly said
"You may ask Miss Song. Everything I said is true."
Miss Song immediately spoke. "Elder Zhou… I personally confirmed it. His explanation matches all earlier records."
Silence returned—heavy, evaluating.
Then Elder Zhou exhaled softly."Did you find anything else at the scene?"
"No. That is all. If Elder doubts me, please send people to inspect the area. You will find traces of the talisman, scent concealing juice, and the battle." Yuanfeng stood straight. "That is the full truth."
His calm, unshaken posture filled the room more than Elder Zhou's pressure.
Jin Qingchen slowly nodded. "His qi is steady. His eyes don't dodge. Elder… he speaks truth."
Elder Zhou stroked his beard before finally relaxing his aura.
"Young Lin," he said with a newfound warmth, "you have handled yourself well. There is no fault in your conduct."
Yuanfeng bowed politely. "Thank you for Elder's understanding."
Elder Zhou turned to Miss Song. "He was inquiring about land earlier, yes? Tell me the price."
Miss Song quickly retrieved a ledger. "The land is priced at 6250 low-grade stones, Elder."
Elder Zhou nodded. "We troubled him with questioning, so give him a discount. Forty percent. Final price: 3750 spirit stones. Payment may be delayed over three years. If unpaid, we deduct rent and return the remainder."
Yuanfeng stiffened slightly.This generosity… more than expected.
Before he could respond, Jin Qingchen stepped forward.
"There is no need for installments." His tone was calm but firm. "Miss Song, record it under my account. Transfer full ownership to Fellow Daoist Lin."
Both Miss Song and Yuanfeng were stunned.
"Y-Young Master Qingchen…?" she asked.
Jin Qingchen simply said, "He could have sold the pouch for at least five thousand stones elsewhere. But he brought it here instead. That alone proves his character."He glanced at Yuanfeng."This is the proper return for honesty."
Elder Zhou smiled with approval. "Well said."
Miss Song bowed gracefully. "Understood. I will process the deed immediately."
Yuanfeng lowered his head slightly. "I am grateful to Young Master Jin."
Jin Qingchen waved it off. "Upright men should receive upright treatment."Then he turned toward the door. "Elder Zhou, let's go."
The two Jin cultivators left with the same quiet dignity they had entered.
Once they were gone, Miss Song handed over land deed with a bright smile."Young Master Lin, congratulations. The land is now officially yours."
Yuanfeng accepted them solemnly.
Perhaps fate is not always cruel…