Chapter 313: Return to the City

The cold wind howled, but it couldn’t suppress the excitement in his heart. At the foot of Qingmei Mountain, Lin Dong waved at You Qinxang with high spirits.

After joining Old Ding on the main road and confirming there was no one around, Lin Dong turned to Old Ding, who was carrying a wine jar.
“Elder, let’s head back to Qiufeng City!”
Old Ding stretched out his left hand, grabbed Lin Dong’s shoulder, and without any warm-up, rushed forward at lightning speed along the road. In just a breath, he overtook three carriages separated by several miles.

The chill of autumn and winter howled in the gusts, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t penetrate the energy barrier emanating from Old Ding.

After over an hour, Lin Dong’s vision stopped flickering chaotically. The back gate of Lin’s Inn was right in front of him.

When he pushed open the gate and saw Yun Lan sitting alone in the courtyard, Old Ding couldn’t help but smile. “Young Yun, is the old man’s red wine ready?”
Yun Lan looked at Lin Dong in surprise and nodded. “It’s ready. There’s half a room full of it in the elder’s room.”
Old Ding licked his lips, shot forward like lightning, and used a strong wind to push open his room. Then, with a bang, the door closed.

“Lin Dong, your strength…” Yun Lan examined Lin Dong from head to toe. Aside from his even more resolute aura, he wasn’t injured at all. Her heart surged toward him, and she was momentarily surprised. “How did you reach the ninth level of the Mental Realm?”
“I heard about a great place for cultivation from Miss You some time ago. I went to check it out, and it’s truly extraordinary.”

Since the effects of the Jinghong Stone had worn off, Lin Dong wasn’t worried that Yun Lan would stop him. He told her everything about Tiandi Cave.

Yun Lan remained silent, staring at Lin Dong’s smiling face as she bit her lips lightly.
“Touched, aren’t you?” Lin Dong spread his arms, smiling even brighter. “Come, give me a hug as a reward!”

With the flow of spiritual energy, Yun Lan didn’t resist. Driven by the Yu Tian Jue, her body slowly moved toward Lin Dong.

Feeling her soft scent, Lin Dong couldn’t help but take a few deeper breaths. Just for this, three months of hard work hadn’t been in vain.
“What method is it?” Yun Lan asked softly.
“A cave made entirely of Jinghong Stone,” Lin Dong said with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’m now at the ninth level of the Mental Realm. I’m only three minor realms away from your Heart Reversal Realm. I can’t let you widen the gap any further.”

Though she wanted to experience the pain Lin Dong had endured, Yun Lan couldn’t bear to disappoint him. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded gently.

Seeing Mo Jianchen and Xue Qinghong coming in from the front yard, Lin Dong gritted his teeth—he had to stop anyway. So, he quietly moved his hands, which were tightly wrapped around Liu’s waist, downward.

Bang!

Just as he was about to reach his destination, a tremendous force struck, sending Lin Dong flying backward.

With a quick twist of his waist, he performed a graceful flip and landed steadily.

“Sister Yun, what happened?” Xue Qinghong and the others thought something bad had happened and rushed over quickly.

“Nothing, I’m just practicing moves!” Yun Lan glanced at Lin Dong.

“Practicing moves? Right, practicing moves!”

With a sharp sound, Mo Jianchen drew out his spiritual sword and pointed it at Lin Dong, his eyes filled with triumph. “Shopkeeper Lin, I’m now at the eighth level of the Mental State phase. How about that? Want to give it a try?”

“Three months apart, and you can’t even call me by name?”

Lin Dong smiled calmly, stretched out his right arm, and in the next moment, Mo Jianchen felt as if an invisible force was pressing down on him, forcing him to move forward involuntarily.

“How… how is this possible…?”

No matter how hard Mo Jianchen struggled, the force continued, pushing his neck toward Lin Dong’s outstretched right hand.

Grabbing Mo Jianchen by the neck, Lin Dong pulled him close and stared coldly into his eyes, asking indifferently, “Still want to try?”

Mo Jianchen was terrified. That gaze from Lin Dong made him shiver with fear and break into cold sweat.

“Sister-in-law, I won’t try anymore… Please save me, sister!”

“It’s too late!”

Lin Dong suddenly swung his arm, and Mo Jianchen’s body crashed to the ground like a wooden stick.

Boom!

With a loud explosion and dust rising, Mo Jianchen’s screams made Xue Qinghong cover her eyes and shout, “Sister-in-law, it’s not my fault… He made his own choice. It has nothing to do with me!”

Although Lin Dong hadn’t used his full strength, the impact was still severe, leaving Mo Jianchen with a sore back and a pounding head. Seeing Lin Dong lift his foot, he didn’t dare hesitate and immediately started wailing, holding his arm.

Lin Dong stopped lifting his foot, pulled Mo Jianchen up, and said meaningfully, “You won’t call me Shopkeeper Lin anymore, will you?”

“No, I definitely won’t.” Mo Jianchen shook his head rapidly and asked softly, “Sister-in-law, what about your strength…?”

“That’s good! As for my strength…” Lin Dong let go of Mo Jianchen and said casually, “I was lucky. While on a business trip, I found a rather strange-looking fruit in a small valley. I picked it and ate it, and my strength improved rapidly.”

“Is that true?” Mo Jianchen was skeptical.

“Believe it or not!” Lin Dong turned to Yun Lan and asked, “Has Ma Chun come to report on the guild and the new prefect?”
This dismissive attitude, coupled with Yun Lan’s earlier claim that the Qinglan Tree, Wanhong Tree, and the mutated Golden Armored Snake were all found by Lin Dong by luck, convinced Mo Jianchen, causing him to slump like a deflated balloon.
After waiting patiently for three months, he finally got Lin Dong back, hoping to show off his skills and avenge the bullying he had suffered over the past month. Yet… the gap between them grew even wider. What used to take an hour or two to decide the winner could now be settled with just one hand.
Being able to pick up spiritual fruits that had advanced rapidly in just three months by going out once—such luck made Mo Jianchen, though reluctant, completely give up the idea of provoking Lin Dong again. Who knew that after he had painstakingly trained to reach the Heart Reversal stage, this brother-in-law might find some high-level spiritual materials and break through to the second level of Heart Reversal in one go. Moreover, given this brother-in-law’s temper, who knew if he would still be as talkable as today.
Over by the side, Yun Lan recalled for a moment before nodding and saying, “Two months ago, Ma Chun came by. He said the appointment of the new prefect had been announced, and it was Prince Liu Xiu from the 58th branch who was assigned to Qiufeng City.”
“A prince?” Lin Dong felt a headache coming on. His three-month stay on Qingmei Mountain not only lifted his strength by three minor realms but also granted him the ability to control spiritual energy independently due to breaking through the limits of his spirit. On top of that, You Qinxang completely resolved her inner conflicts—three major blessings in a row.
Who would have thought that as soon as he returned, he would encounter a troublesome issue. There was a 40% chance the prefect would be a prince, and it turned out to be Qiufeng City.
“Liu Xiu… that name is the same as the name of the top servant at the inn.” Lin Dong smiled bitterly. He still remembered that Liu Xiu’s family was indeed in the capital. But how could a prince go to a place as desolate as the Southwest City?
Even if it really was Liu Xiu, it wouldn’t help at all; in fact, it might do more harm than good.
Yun Lan nodded and continued, “Then, a month and a half ago, Ma Chun came to deliver news that all the criminals scheduled for execution after autumn had been beheaded, with no accidents occurring.”
“That’s good news then.” Lin Dong exhaled. Cheng Bao had been locked up for four or five months—it was time to let him out and get some fresh air.

“Finally, about ten-odd days ago, Ma Chun came by. He said it was time to calculate the dates—the new prefect should be arriving in Qiufeng City soon. The wealthy merchants and officials of Qiufeng City agreed to meet in the east of the city to welcome the new prefect. If you return in the morning, you can go straight to the east to avoid missing the prefect’s arrival and causing him displeasure.”
“Haven’t he arrived yet?” Lin Dong was slightly surprised. He had thought about this on the way. Logically, it was already early November, and given the distance from the capital to Qiufeng City, even if traveling by carriage, the new prefect should have arrived by now.
Yun Lan shook her head.
Lin Dong remained silent. This should be considered a good thing, right? As Ma Chun said, traditionally, when a new prefect arrives, the wealthy merchants and officials of Qiufeng City would jointly hold a banquet to welcome him. Given Lin Ji Inn’s current status, it held a significant but not overly prominent role. Moreover, the banquet was likely to be held at Lin Ji Inn. If only a manager were sent to the banquet, it could easily lead to misunderstandings.
“It’s still early. Are you going to the east of the city or what?” Yun Lan asked.
“Going to the east? I’m going shopping!” Lin Dong stretched out his right hand to Yun Lan. He had to attend the welcome banquet, and to greet the new prefect… With Ma Chun’s intelligence, Lin Dong doubted he would foolishly step forward and introduce himself as a manager upon meeting the new prefect.
Yun Lan hesitated for a moment before nodding and stepping forward.
Lin Dong grabbed Yun Lan’s delicate hand. After just a few steps, Xue Qinghong’s hesitant voice came from behind: “Senior Sister Yun…”
“Senior Sister Xue also wants to go shopping?” Lin Dong looked at Xue Qinghong with a smile.
Xue Qinghong was startled and quickly shook her head. “I just meant that Master Mo and I have been in Qiufeng City for quite some time. If we don’t go back now, we might get scolded by the eldest master.”
With two people less to bother them, this was good news. Lin Dong eagerly looked at Yun Lan.
Yun Lan smiled and said, “I’ll send you off with Lin Dong tomorrow.”
Xue Qinghong quickly nodded. To be honest, after seeing Lin Dong return, she didn’t want to stay at Lin Ji Inn anymore. Although her brother-in-law was generous, he was too harsh when practicing martial arts. The two practitioners enjoyed it greatly, but as an observer, she felt terrified. Besides, there wasn’t much to see in Qiufeng City—it was far less comfortable than living in the Heavenly Sword Sect.
After leaving the main hall and giving a few instructions to Liu An, who was temporarily in charge of handling all matters at the inn, Lin Dong and the others left the inn.
It wasn’t yet noon. Although it was early winter, the streets were still quite lively. Stalls and vendors occupied both sides of the road, calling out enthusiastically. At the entrances of shops on both sides, many clerks kept inviting passersby in.

After walking three blocks and buying quite a few strange trinkets, the two found a table by the window in a small restaurant for lunch. Just as they were about to continue shopping, Lin Dong saw a carriage approaching. He recognized the coachman on the carriage—it was Liu Hua. He was also familiar with this carriage; whenever he needed to go out in Qiufeng City, he would take it. “Boss?” Liu Hua, clearly seeing Lin Dong as well, quickly reined in the horses. “Has the boss returned?” A surprised voice came from inside the carriage. Ma Chun quickly lifted the curtain and peered outside to look for Lin Dong. “Weren’t you going to the east side of the city to pick up the new prefect? Why are you back so soon?” Lin Dong asked. “Boss, you’ve come just in time,” Ma Chun said, jumping down from the carriage and catching his breath. “This 58th prince is also a strange man. We’ve been taking care of him for over ten days, but we haven’t even seen a trace of him. Not long ago, a court official came and said that the prefect has arrived at the government office and is ordering his subordinates to distribute invitations. He plans to host a banquet at the government office tomorrow at noon for all the officials and wealthy merchants in Qiufeng City.” Lin Dong frowned slightly. What was this about? Trying to intimidate everyone first, then showing off the prince’s wealth? “Boss, it might be difficult to attend that banquet tomorrow!” Ma Chun said with a worried expression. “We all discussed it and agreed that this prince likely wants to achieve something significant in Qiufeng City in a short time. To do that quickly, he’ll need to create a big scandal—officials bending the rules, merchants ignoring the law… Without going into details, our Lin’s Inn has always been honest in Qiufeng City, but we still have our flaws. Before the merchant association regulations were established, our inn’s ceiling was higher than that of the government office. We’ve competed with Fenglin Restaurant by undercutting prices, bribed government officials, and inflated the prices of spiritual beasts and materials… Any one of these could be used against us, and if things really heat up, any one of these issues would be enough to get us in trouble.” After a pause, Ma Chun continued, “If this prince really wants to achieve something, it’s still manageable. Any major merchant in Qiufeng City is more ruthless than us. If he tries to take everything down, Qiufeng City will fall into chaos. Even then, our Lin’s Inn would only suffer minor consequences. What worries me is that this prince might ignore everything for the sake of achieving his goals—cutting down all the officials in Qiufeng City and putting all the wealthy merchants in jail…”

“How is that possible…” Lin Dong laughed bitterly. “Do you really think being a prince is easy? By your logic, the probability that this 58th prince truly wants to achieve something significant is hundreds of times higher.”
“I’m not afraid of anything but the unexpected!” Ma Chun said with a wry smile. “He’s already done two things that are hard to understand before even showing up. Who knows what’s going on in that prince’s head? Don’t forget, this year’s prince assessment even allowed those who were unlearned and failed for decades in the past to pass.”
Lin Dong was stunned. With Ma Chun’s reminder, such a possibility indeed couldn’t be ruled out. Though unlikely, it wasn’t impossible! Although Emperor Qianwei intended to be a wise ruler, his focus was on the entire Great Han Empire. A small mansion meant nothing to him, so he wouldn’t worry about the potential harm from sending a foolish prince.
“Boss, should you go or should I?” Ma Chun asked. “Normally, it’s best if you go in person. But since common sense no longer applies, I think it’s better if I go. That way, I can find a way to handle things if anything goes wrong.”
Lin Dong pondered for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “I’ll go instead! There’s no need to give up just because of a slim possibility.”
After much hesitation, Ma Chun nodded.
“How’s the preparation at Lin’s Factory?” Lin Dong asked.
“It’s almost done. The blacksmith has also been hired,” Ma Chun explained. “In another half month, we should be able to start making molds. But even now, Aunt Wang hasn’t managed to figure out a single one of the blueprints you gave her.”
“It’s okay. Take your time.” Lin Dong wasn’t surprised. Things like bicycles and mechanical watches required a lot of manpower. No matter how inventive Aunt Wang was, her experience was limited to daily life, so she couldn’t possibly understand their structure. As he expected, even simple items like pencils and thermometers wouldn’t be ready in a short time.
Ma Chun nodded. “By the way, the Vitality Ball competition is over. Since you weren’t here, I took it upon myself to give each of the top three a Spirit Stone Fan, a silver card, and 100 Vitality Balls, while those ranked fourth to tenth each got a Spirit Stone Fan and 100 Vitality Balls.”
“The rewards are decent. Let’s head back to the inn! We still need to browse around,” Lin Dong said, waving his hand.
“Alright, boss, Miss Yun. I’ll head back to the inn first.”
Ma Chun climbed back into the carriage. Liu Hua waved his whip, and with a crisp sound, the carriage set off slowly.
“Where to next?” Lin Dong turned to look at Yun Lan.

“Go where there are more people…” Yun Lan said indifferently.
“I think it’s better to go where there are fewer people,” Lin Dong mumbled.
Yun Lan remained silent and kept walking straight ahead, forcing Lin Dong to jog to keep up.
As they shopped, they talked about the events of the past three months. By afternoon, they returned to the inn, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
By the counter, upon seeing Lin Dong return, Ma Chun and Liu An stepped forward together.
“Owner, the invitation has been delivered,” Ma Chun handed a copy of the invitation to Lin Dong.
After glancing at it, Lin Dong asked, “What does it say?”
Ma Chun gestured to Liu An, “You’re in charge of receiving guests. You explain.”
Liu An nodded and explained, “Not long after the owner left, an official from the yamen came. He said that all the food and drinks were to be ordered from our Lin’s Inn, with the chefs preparing them and delivering them to be warmed up, or the chefs could bring the ingredients directly to the yamen. There are twenty tables in total—nineteen tables at the rate of one tael of silver each, with the inn deciding what dishes to serve. For the remaining table, the best dishes from the inn are to be provided, bringing the total to one thousand taels of silver.”
“One thousand taels of silver?” Lin Dong was stunned. Nineteen tables would only cost nineteen taels of silver, yet one table alone accounted for 981 taels. This prince was indeed peculiar.
One tael of silver per table wasn’t bad, but when hosting wealthy merchants, even if one were honest, either not hosting at all or serving such meager food would be unacceptable. If it were just one such table, it might only draw some covert ridicule. But with another table costing 981 taels of silver, the disparity was obvious even to the simplest-minded.
It wasn’t unusual for the main table to have better food, but a difference of hundreds of times wasn’t just hosting a banquet—it was an act of humiliation. The people at the main table would surely gain great prestige, while those at the other nineteen tables would be furious.
Liu An nodded and said, “At first, I thought the new prefect didn’t want to spend money. One tael per table was definitely not enough. Ordering such food must have been his way of expecting us at Lin’s Inn to add more dishes on our own. It wasn’t until I heard about the 981 taels per table that I realized my assumption might be wrong. When the official brought out a bill of one thousand taels, saying it was to be paid in full, and specifically instructed that the food and drinks must be prepared according to the specified standards, I realized this wasn’t aimed at Lin’s Inn. It’s likely the new prefect has some other ulterior motives.”
Lin Dong frowned slightly. This new prefect was strange in every way. It was already troublesome enough that Lin’s Inn’s secrets couldn’t be known by the royal family; they didn’t want to worry about him affecting the inn’s business as well.