Chapter 324: Spiritual Fruits in Exchange for Caves

After Ma Chun and the others left, Lin Dong thought for another moment. Once he was sure nothing was overlooked, he took out pen and ink and began carefully planning out the details of pastries and baked goods. He wrote down everything he could recall about the approximate ingredients and methods, detailing them thoroughly, while listing any missing pieces at the end. As for whether these pastries and baked goods with only rough ideas of their ingredients and methods could actually be made successfully, Lin Dong had no way of knowing. For example, regarding bread, he only knew it required wheat ground into flour, followed by fermentation and baking. Even just the precise steps left him confused, let alone whether there were other key ingredients involved. As for cream, he only guessed it might be related to milk or goat’s milk—otherwise, he was completely clueless. The same applied to everything else; Lin Dong could hardly think of any specialty pastries with extremely detailed recipes. Everything now depended on Yu Linglong’s abilities.

Busy until the morning, when everything that needed to be written down was recorded, Lin Dong folded all the sheets and went to the front yard to hand them over to Yu Linglong. Only after finishing all this did he have some free time. Returning to his room, he immediately entered a meditative state to cultivate. The next day, Lin Dong used the transportation portal to reach the Autumn Wind City Inn, then walked from the back yard to the front yard. By the stone table in the yard, You Beide sat upright. Upon seeing Lin Dong arrive, he quickly stood up, greeted him with a bow, and forced a smile on his face. “Shopkeeper Lin, it’s been months since we last met. Lin’s Inn is doing better and better.” “Oh, it’s just a small, ordinary inn,” Lin Dong replied indifferently. He wasn’t sure what You Beide wanted, but out of respect for You Qinxang, he didn’t dwell on past matters. Just as Lin Dong sat down on the stone bench and reached for the teapot, You Beide moved first—flipping a teacup in front of Lin Dong before pouring him a cup of tea. The whole sequence was executed in one smooth motion, so fast that it was all done even before Lin Dong’s hand reached halfway, leaving him stunned. Did pouring tea actually require spiritual energy? Lin Dong glanced at You Beide’s smiling face. Compared to last time, this leader of the You clan was far more polite, even showing a hint of flattery.

I’m afraid he has come with a request, and it’s quite significant—otherwise, there’s no reason for the head of a mid-sized sect to adopt such an attitude. Besides, half a year ago, You Beide caused trouble here; not to mention trying to please him, even just coming here requires considerable courage.

After You Beide filled his teacup as well, Lin Dong smiled and said, “Head You is a distinguished guest of Lin’s Inn. Why be so polite?”

“Whereas! Did Manager Lin return yesterday?” You Beide smiled and changed the subject. It wasn’t that he wanted to be polite, but he had to. Still, he didn’t want to keep being courteous on this matter. For such an impolite act, it was enough to make his stance clear.

“He arrived last night,” Lin Dong replied casually. “Fearing to disturb Head You’s cultivation, we had Liu An arrange to meet with him here this morning.”

You Beide nodded, hesitated for a moment, then raised his teacup toward Lin Dong and said casually, “This Hongyun Tea from Lin’s Inn must be something special, right?”

“It’s Hongyun Tea picked at dawn when there’s dew—it can be considered the finest among them,” Lin Dong explained. Not wanting to waste more time in pleasantries, he asked, “Head You, what brings you to see Lin Dong this time? Do you have any instructions?”

“Not at all! Not at all!” You Beide waved his hands quickly, laughing. “It’s nothing serious. Last time, I saw a few spiritual fruits in your daughter’s possession. After asking, I found out they were gifts from Manager Lin. So I’m here to ask if you still have any.”

“Spiritual fruits?” Lin Dong frowned slightly, not expecting the request to be for the Qinglan Fruit and Wanhong Fruit.

“Yes!” You Beide stared intently at Lin Dong, carefully observing his expression as he continued, “My daughter said these two kinds of spiritual fruits—Wanhong Fruit and Qinglan Fruit—are both useful for cultivation. Especially the Qinglan Fruit; if taken by someone in the early stages of the Mental Energy phase, a pair of them can elevate them by one realm. As Manager Lin knows, our Xingli Sect was severely weakened last time. Although we’ve recruited many new disciples recently and obtained the mines and spiritual techniques from the Ningji Sect, it will take time to develop further. With these two fruits, we could greatly shorten that time.”

Lin Dong couldn’t help but laugh. This Head You really had big ambitions—wanting enough Qinglan Fruit and Wanhong Fruit to support the entire development of Xingli Sect at once.

“Master Lin…” Seeing Lin Dong smile, You Beide didn’t hesitate and spoke up, “If Master Lin could generously offer his help, everyone in the Xingli Sect would be deeply grateful. Once Qin Xiang takes charge of the Xingli Sect, as her husband, you would become the head of the largest sect in Qiufeng Mansion, which I’m sure will bring you many benefits as well.”
Lin Dong was truly amused. “I don’t quite understand what you mean, Sect Master You. I remember half a year ago, right here, you insisted repeatedly that I stay away from Miss You, even shaking that stone table to pieces over it.”
Lin Dong gently tapped the table and said calmly, “That stone table was replaced not long ago.”
You Beide’s expression stiffened. Those words were too direct.
Suppressing his anger, You Beide shook his head and said, “Last time, it was just a test—to see Master Lin’s attitude toward Qin Xiang. After all, I only have one daughter, so I must be cautious about her future.”
“What was the result of the test?” Lin Dong asked with a smile.
Anger surged once again in You Beide’s heart. Yes, he had miscalculated last time. But since he had come all this way and spoken so clearly, why insist on bringing up that matter?
Taking a deep breath, under Lin Dong’s gaze, You Beide forced a smile and said, “Master Lin is willing to endure such great hardships for Qin Xiang, which naturally satisfies me greatly.”
“As I thought…” Lin Dong looked as if he had expected exactly this.
Furious, You Beide wanted to avenge himself from last time. If he had to retaliate, why make a show of it? Did he really think that just because he had a precious asset, no one would dare to challenge him?
“Sect Master You didn’t ask about Miss You’s feelings, did you?” Lin Dong said leisurely, “Miss You and I are just friends. Besides, I already have an unmarried wife.”
“I’ll persuade Master Lin’s unmarried wife,” You Beide said confidently. He refused to believe that Lin Dong had no interest in You Qin Xiang. Once he dealt with this so-called unmarried wife, everything would be resolved.
With Qin Xiang’s status, beauty, and talents, could this Master Lin really refuse her?
“Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master You.” Having drawn out what he wanted, Lin Dong wasn’t bothered to continue. With a cold smile, he said, “Sect Master You must have accidentally seen Miss You take the Wanhong Fruit and then schemed to get it from her, right? To scheme even against your own daughter—how heartless.”
You Beide’s expression changed as he was about to speak, but Lin Dong continued slowly, “Not long ago, you threatened and manipulated me to stay away from Miss You. Now you’re flattering me—as a sect leader, your opportunism is quite remarkable.”

“Manager Lin!” You Beide’s gaze turned cold.
“Even using his daughter as a bargaining chip—such shamelessness…” Lin Dong mused to himself, “is also one of the rarest examples in the Great Han Nation.”
“Lin Dong!” You Beide suddenly stood up, speaking in a stern tone, “Don’t think you’re something special just because you have Wanhong Fruits and Qinglan Fruits. Don’t forget, with the strength of the Xingli Sect, it would be easy to wipe out the entire Lin’s Inn.”
Lin Dong remained silent and continued, “What’s more, not even understanding the situation clearly, yet still coming here to demand spiritual fruits. I wonder how you became the sect leader—your judgment is truly poor.”
Boom…
Once again, the stone table turned into dust under You Beide’s slap.
Watching You Beide’s pale face with cold eyes, Lin Dong remained calm as a mountain, dismissing him with disdain, “Is the Xingli Sect that strong?”
“Manager Lin thinks that with the Guhuan Sect as your backing, the Xingli Sect can’t do anything to you, right?” You Beide sneered, “The strength of the Guhuan Sect is on par with ours. If the Xingli Sect really set its mind to it, would Sect Leader Xiao dare to protect you at any cost?”
“Let’s find out by trying,” Lin Dong said nonchalantly. “Sect Leader You is convinced I have a large amount of Wanhong Fruits and Qinglan Fruits, isn’t that because of my relationship with the Guhuan Sect and their sudden surge in strength? I have so many Wanhong Fruits and Qinglan Fruits that I could elevate the Guhuan Sect from a small sect to a medium-sized one in a short time. With such a huge benefit, how could Sect Leader Xiao just stand by and do nothing?”
“What if I ally with Sect Leader Xiao?” You Beide asked coldly. “Sect Leader Xiao is a sensible person. Getting half, or even facing the destruction of his sect, wouldn’t be a hard choice for him.”
“I still say the same thing—Sect Leader You can give it a try,” Lin Dong said indifferently.
“Then…” You Beide’s expression darkened as spiritual energy surged within his dantian.
Lin Dong remained as calm as ever, his tone light, “If Sect Leader You wants to try and capture me, to see if I’ll hand over the spiritual fruits to save my life, go ahead. Of course, the prerequisite is that you’re willing to pay a higher price if you fail.”
“A price?” You Beide was stunned. His anger instantly subsided, replaced by uncontrollable excitement. “Manager Lin is willing to provide the Qinglan Fruits and Wanhong Fruits to our Xingli Sect?”
“Otherwise, why would I say Sect Leader You’s judgment is so poor? Talking so much to an annoying person—do you think I have nothing better to do?”

Lin Dong’s reply once again made You Beide’s anger surge even higher. After taking several deep breaths, You Beide finally managed to calm down. Sitting down on a stone bench, he gritted his teeth and said, “What conditions does Shopkeeper Lin have? Just state them.”

“Other than supplying the Green-Blue Fruits and Red-Flowered Fruits to the Gu Huan Sect, I don’t have much left—only about a dozen per month,” Lin Dong said indifferently. “In other words, that’s my price.”

“So little?” You Beide was astonished.

“Do you think Green-Blue Fruits and Red-Flowered Fruits are common vegetables?” Lin Dong sneered.

A dozen per month was enough to meet the elders’ needs—yet they still thought it was too little… If it weren’t for the fact that You Beide already knew about the value of those fruits, killing someone to silence them would mean incurring a grudge against You Qinxang equal to killing her father, forcing her to live in torment for life. He wouldn’t give even one.

You Beide hesitated. Just a dozen of each—compared to the Gu Huan Sect, it was definitely not enough. If things went this way, the future of the Qiufeng Mansion would likely belong to the Gu Huan Sect.

Looking up at Lin Dong, You Beide exhaled and said firmly, “If Shopkeeper Lin can marry Qinxang, it would be a good thing for both him and the Xingli Sect.”

Lin Dong was speechless. Even after speaking so harshly, You Beide still hoped for a son-in-law who would bring him precious spiritual fruits out of thin air. This man was truly beyond words.

“Shopkeeper Lin…” You Beide continued to persuade, “The relationship between the Gu Huan Sect and you is purely based on interests. Such a relationship isn’t stable. Given Xiao Tianchi’s character, it’s hard to guarantee he won’t take advantage of the situation someday. But if you can marry Qinxang—who is the best candidate to become the future leader of our Xingli Sect—then that relationship will be unbreakable.”

Lin Dong lost patience and waved his hand. “I asked you to give a price. You keep rambling on. If you really think I have some connection with Qinxang, go ahead and commit suicide in front of me first.”

“Commit suicide?” You Beide thought he heard wrong. Those words sounded completely illogical.

To make You Beide give up his idea and stop wasting time, Lin Dong pushed his sarcasm to the extreme, “With your character, if you really became my father-in-law, it would be the greatest humiliation of my life as Lin Dong.”

You Beide’s anger was so intense it could be described as furious. Almost instinctively, he raised his right hand high, channeling surging spiritual energy into his meridians, ready to slam it onto Lin Dong’s head.

“Remember what I just said. If you want to try other methods, go ahead.”

Lin Dong stared coldly at the palm swinging down with fierce force, unshaken in the slightest. Not to mention that You Beide wouldn’t dare take such a risk—even if he did, Lin Dong was confident he could easily dodge it in an instant.
The howling wind stopped abruptly. You Beide’s palm hung in midair, unable to descend or retreat. His face turned as red as pig liver.
Being pushed to this extreme by mocking insults—what could be more humiliating? You Beide felt this was the true humiliation. Yet he had no choice but to swallow his pride.
It was all for profit. Though the ten Blue-Green Fruits and Ten Thousand Red Fruits fell short of expectations, they could still be used to boost the strength of the elders. With these elders, the Xingli Sect could also rise to a higher rank.
At the very least, the Xingli Sect would surely be able to join the ranks of mid-tier sects—sects with over a thousand disciples under the Mental Energy stage, capable of acting in unison, dominating their territory.
“Stop wasting my time. Tell me what you can offer as quickly as possible,” Lin Dong said indifferently.
“Spiritual weapons, ores, spirit stones, and then manpower,” You Beide said through gritted teeth. “That’s all we have in the Xingli Sect.”
“Continue!” As the one in the upper hand, Lin Dong naturally wouldn’t offer a price first. Besides, none of You Beide’s offerings matched what he truly wanted.
“Ten third-tier spiritual weapons per month, fifty second-tier spiritual weapons, two hundred first-tier spiritual weapons,” You Beide said, staring intently into Lin Dong’s eyes. Seeing no reaction, he thought for a moment before adding, “Also, Manager Lin probably doesn’t need ores. As for spirit stones, our Xingli Sect only produces first to third-tier spirit stones. Although the quantity isn’t small, our daily expenses are high too. Ten thousand third-tier spirit stones per month is already the limit. Finally, for manpower—if Manager Lin needs it, as long as it doesn’t attract the attention of the Tianwei Pavilion, our Xingli Sect is willing to stand by Lin’s Inn at any time. We can also send a group of disciples to serve as guards there.”
“Is there no problem with this?” Lin Dong pointed at his own head. As You Beide grew furious, he sneered, “Sending disciples to Lin’s Inn as guards—expecting others to discover that Lin’s Inn has something worth attracting a sect? Or are you just trying to send disciples there to gather information so you can strike later?”
You Beide’s chest heaved violently.
There was something wrong with his head. The head of a whole sect being called insane right in front of others.

Who could bear such humiliation? You Beide believed that only the sect leaders of the Great Han Nation had the patience to endure it. Suppressing his anger, You Beide said in a deep voice, “If Manager Lin disapproves, he doesn’t have to take it.” Lin Dong glanced at You Beide sideways and said, “Sect Leader You, this attitude doesn’t seem conducive to making money through harmony. If you think I’m begging you for the spiritual fruit, then go ahead and leave.” You Beide found it hard to breathe. He kept reminding himself to say neither more nor less—having been scolded so much, one more insult wouldn’t matter. He would wait; it wouldn’t be too late to avenge today’s humiliation once he no longer needed the spiritual fruit or had figured out its source. With a pale face, he forced out a ugly smile and asked, “Manager Lin, this is already the utmost we can offer as the Xingli Sect. Going beyond this will affect the cultivation of our disciples. How about I add some more ores?” “What do I need ores for? Is that all?” Lin Dong smiled meaningfully. You Beide was stunned, hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head. “Sect Leader You, your sincerity isn’t enough,” Lin Dong said, waving his index finger in front of You Beide. “What other conditions does Manager Lin want? Just say it,” You Beide replied in a deep voice. “The Heaven and Earth Cave!” Lin Dong cut straight to the point. “I want the Heaven and Earth Cave!” You Beide’s eyes filled with terror.It seems wanting to see Lin Dong more clearly, he stepped back and exclaimed, “How… how do you know about the Heaven and Earth Cave?” “You knew I had the Blue-Green Fruit and the Red-Flower Fruit,” Lin Dong said disdainfully. “Why can’t I know that the Xingli Sect has the Heaven and Earth Cave?” “Was it Qin Xiang? Did Qin Xiang tell you?” You Beide was filled with anger and resentment. That girl—just liking the owner of a mundane inn was one thing, but she even easily revealed the Heaven and Earth Cave, which the Xingli Sect regarded as its greatest secret, to outsiders. “So what if it was her?” Lin Dong said coldly. “Sect Leader You, aren’t you planning to scold Miss You when you get back?” You Beide remained silent; he indeed had such plans. “If that’s the case, there’s no need to continue talking,” Lin Dong said coldly. “For me, dealing with ordinary people is far more comfortable than dealing with someone like you. I only agreed to discuss the Blue-Green Fruit and the Red-Flower Fruit out of respect for Miss You.” You Beide hypnotized himself dozens of times before finally suppressing the anger that made him feel inferior even to ordinary people.

“Rest assured, Manager Lin. Qin Xiang is my only daughter, and her talent represents the future of our Xingli Sect. How could I possibly punish her?”
“Is that so?” Lin Dong smiled.
“Of course!” You Beide declared firmly.
“Then let’s continue the discussion!” Lin Dong asked, “The Heaven and Earth Cave, along with the price you mentioned earlier—Master You, what’s your decision?”
“Impossible!” You Beide shook his head. “Once our Xingli Sect finds a way to withstand the tearing forces inside the Heaven and Earth Cave, it will become a treasure so precious that even the largest sects will envy it. Moreover, even if we can’t find such a solution, the cave still offers great benefits for disciples’ cultivation. Besides, disassembling it would yield a large amount of Jinghong Stones. Just these scattered Jinghong Stones, deprived of their greatest function, would be enough to arouse the interest of major sects.”
“Then why don’t you give it a try?” Lin Dong asked. “If it really has such great value, why ask me for Qinglan Fruits and Wanhong Fruits? Not only do you suffer losses, but the quantity is also limited. Just give those Jinghong Stones to a major alchemy sect—there will be plenty of spiritual materials and fruits available for cultivation.”
You Beide was speechless. This Manager Lin was clearly pretending to be ignorant while knowing everything. The Qinglan Fruits and Wanhong Fruits from Lin’s Inn had never been rumored outside, clearly due to strict secrecy. The danger of possessing such treasures isn’t something only Manager Lin understands.
With such a large quantity of Jinghong Stones, not only would selling them attract curious parties, but even within the sect, only the elders and disciples proven completely loyal to the sect would know about them. The fear is that information might leak, leading to the destruction of the sect.
“If you can’t explain it, then don’t try to tell me how valuable the Jinghong Stones are,” Lin Dong said impatiently. “Will you give me an answer or not?”
“The Heaven and Earth Cave? Absolutely not.” To avoid ending the conversation badly, You Beide tried to make his voice sound resigned and sincere. “If Manager Lin is willing, we can try to find additional benefits in other areas.”
“That’s unnecessary. The only thing from your Xingli Sect that could interest me is the Heaven and Earth Cave. Everything else is just extra,” Lin Dong said indifferently. “Besides, all I want is a nominal agreement.”
“A nominal agreement?” You Beide was confused. “What does Manager Lin mean…”

Lin Dong explained, “The Heaven and Earth Cave belongs to me, but those from the Xingli Sect—those who submit their names to me—can also enter to cultivate. Moreover, I won’t collect the Jinghong Stones privately. In other words, the Heaven and Earth Cave will always remain within the Xingli Sect. Of course, this is on the condition that there aren’t too many people, and it must be ensured that the cave’s location isn’t leaked.”

You Beide’s expression instantly became unpredictable. This proposal was barely acceptable. As long as no one collected the Jinghong Stones privately, the Xingli Sect’s disciples and elders could also enter to cultivate, meaning the sect would only lose in name alone.

What’s more, what does a name matter? This isn’t the secular world; contracts don’t count. Between sects, it’s strength that matters. In the future, once the Xingli Sect could take action against Lin Dong and ensure the Heaven and Earth Cave’s location wouldn’t be exposed, it would still be possible to drive him out of the cave.

“Sect Master You, you’re not trying to haggle over the price again, are you? If that’s the case…” Lin Dong stood up and said leisurely, “I don’t have time to waste on you.”

“Alright, I agree,” You Beide said, unable to fathom Lin Dong’s temperament. Gritting his teeth, he agreed.

“Can Sect Master You make the decision?” Lin Dong asked.

“Yes!” You Beide nodded firmly. If a sect master couldn’t make a decision in such a clearly advantageous situation, he would be far too incompetent.

“Then I’ll assume Sect Master You can make the decision,” Lin Dong said with a smile. “One more thing—let me warn you in advance. As I said before, if Sect Master You tries to ally with Sect Master Xiao to steal the Qinglan Fruits and Wanhong Fruits from me, or if you try to ambush me and use it as leverage, or send people to spy on me at the Lin’s Inn to investigate the locations of the Qinglan Trees and Wanhong Trees… you can try anything. Of course, make sure I never find out. Otherwise, for every condition other than the Heaven and Earth Cave, the price will double.”

You Beide’s expression became even more interesting once again.

Lin Dong watched You Beide quietly, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery.

Suddenly, You Beide gritted his teeth and thrust his right hand out, aiming at Lin Dong’s throat, which was less than two meters away.

Lin Dong smiled calmly. This Sect Master You really couldn’t resist temptation.

Without hesitation, Lin Dong kicked out, targeting You Beide’s lower abdomen.

A powerful gust of wind erupted, its force and speed shocking You Beide.

His hand, which had been reaching for Lin Dong, changed to a palm as he tried to block Lin Dong’s kicking leg.

Boom…

The four stone benches firmly embedded in the stone slab were sent flying in all directions as if struck by a hurricane.

The stone surface was completely flipped upside down by the onslaught of the hurricane. At the chaotic energy center, You Beide kept retreating step by step, only managing to stabilize himself after more than a dozen steps. As for Lin Dong, he had only taken a few steps back. “Your strength…” You Beide was filled with inexplicable fear. Although he had defended himself in a moment of surprise, being pushed to such a situation by just one strike clearly meant that the other party’s strength was no less than his own. Ninth level of the Mental State phase! To possess such strength at just over twenty years old—even with the Blue-Green Fruit and the Red-Flower Fruit, it should be impossible to achieve this in a place like the Autumn Wind Mansion. After all, the effects of the Blue-Green Fruit and the Red-Flower Fruit don’t increase with more consumption; they both have limitations. Combined, their medicinal effects could at most enhance one’s strength by four or five minor levels, and that’s only for the early stages of the Mental State phase. If it were at around the fifth level of the Mental State phase, the enhancement would be at most two or three levels. If someone could reach the ninth level of the Mental State phase at such a young age, why would they run an inn? Whether they went to a major sect or the Heavenly Might Pavilion, they could have anything they wanted. “Just practiced casually for a few years!” Lin Dong waved casually at You Beide and said, “Since Master You has decided to double the amount of spirit weapon spirit stones, if you’re still not satisfied, you can try again.” You Beide wished he could slap himself. Doubling the amount of spirit weapon spirit stones—with some effort, it wasn’t impossible to come up with that amount. But it wasn’t a small sum, and it was better to save it if possible. After all calculations, he hadn’t expected this shopkeeper Lin to have such strength. In the end, it was only his own carelessness that was to blame. If he had known earlier, he could have used his mental senses to investigate the other party’s strength first. Gritting his teeth, another spirit sword silently appeared in You Beide’s hand, and he immediately aimed it at Lin Dong’s heart. He had no choice but to try again and see if there was any opportunity in the other party’s combat experience. If the other party didn’t have any powerful spiritual techniques, it wasn’t impossible to hold them back. In Lin Dong’s hand, the Wishful Stool appeared rapidly and blocked the incoming spirit sword. With a loud crash, both of them kept retreating. You Beide twisted his waist and stamped his right foot hard on the ground, charging at Lin Dong again. Lin Dong waved his right hand, sending the Wishful Stool flying toward him. Seeing this, You Beide was overjoyed. In a fight, who throws away their weapon? Their combat experience was practically zero. After swinging his sword to cut down the Wishful Stool, You Beide was about to pursue further when a howling wind sound arose again. Looking down, he saw that the severed Wishful Stool had risen out of thin air and was sweeping toward his right leg. Its momentum was no less fierce than before. Controlling a spirit weapon from afar?

You Beide’s heart instantly turned icy. Such a spiritual skill was likely at least at the eighth level at the very least. Helplessly, he swung his sword again to push back the Ruyi Stool. By the time the stool gathered momentum to advance once more and You Beide was ready to strike again, a howling wind sound came to his ears. Turning his head, he was shocked—within such a short time, Lin Dong had already appeared behind him, delivering a firm palm strike, creating a pincer attack from both front and back. You Beide cried out inwardly, kicked off the ground with his right foot, and flew to the left just short of a meter away from both the Ruyi Stool and Lin Dong’s palm. Seeing that Lin Dong hadn’t taken the opportunity to pursue and seize control, You Beide’s expression darkened as he stopped as well. With sheer speed alone, it was impossible to capture anyone, let alone since he had been at a disadvantage earlier. If Lin Dong continued to press him, he would eventually be defeated unless something unexpected happened. “Master You, would you like to try again? Or perhaps another method?” Lin Dong smiled brightly. By now, the Xingli Sect must have been pushed to its limits. “No need!” You Beide shook his head and weakly bowed to Lin Dong. “I’ll deliver the first batch of spiritual artifacts and spirit stones within a month.” “Don’t forget the transfer contract for the Heaven and Earth Cave,” Lin Dong said calmly. “By then, I’ll also hand over the first batch of Blue-Green Fruits and Scarlet Fruits to you.” “In that case, I take my leave!” You Beide said. “Take care. Next time, I hope I won’t have to ask someone to make another stone table,” Lin Dong said leisurely. “Goodbye!” You Beide turned and strode toward the entrance of the courtyard. Halfway there, he stopped again. After much hesitation, he finally set off again. He wanted to ask Lin Dong whether, if he hadn’t come to Linji Inn to threaten Lin Dong into staying away from You Qinxang, Lin Dong would still have rejected his proposal. You Beide really wanted to know the answer, but he couldn’t bear to lose face—even though he had already lost all dignity. Watching You Beide leave, Lin Dong clapped his hands, looking relaxed and content. Although You Beide’s purpose for coming to Linji Inn was somewhat beyond expectations, the outcome was still quite good. Though the Blue-Green Tree and Scarlet Tree were now known to You Beide, adding a layer of danger to Linji Inn, the benefits gained were substantial. Especially the Heaven and Earth Cave, which could now be rightfully claimed as his own—this was undoubtedly excellent news. As for whether You Beide might have ulterior motives in the future, Lin Dong didn’t care at all. By the time You Beide thought he had the strength to deal with Linji Inn, Linji Inn’s strength would no longer depend on whether the Blue-Green Tree and Scarlet Tree were known throughout the world.

Returning to the backyard, Lin Dong first went to Old Ding’s room. After convincing the great deity Old Ding to stay in Lingnan City, he tidied up the wine jars in the room. The two then made their way to Lingnan City through the storage room. After arranging a room for Old Ding and drinking some wine together, Lin Dong headed to the main hall to find Ma Chun. As soon as he arrived in the front yard, Ma Chun came up to him. “Owner, I was just about to go look for you in the backyard.” “Good, I was also planning to find you,” Lin Dong said with a smile. “I’ve already met You Beide. He might have noticed Miss You’s rapid improvement in strength and figured out how she tricked him into giving her the Qinglan Fruit and Wanhong Fruit. He came to Lin’s Inn to demand these two spiritual fruits.” “Did the owner agree?” Ma Chun asked. Lin Dong nodded. “Of course. It’s not free either. There are spiritual artifacts, spiritual fruits, and the Heaven and Earth Cave… In any case, it’s a profitable deal. I’m telling you this so that you can find Xiao Liu and have him arrange someone to meet You Beide in Qiufeng City and take care of various spiritual arrays.” “Okay, I’ll go find Brother Liu right away!” Ma Chun nodded, turned around, then quickly turned back and said awkwardly, “I almost forgot. Owner, the promotional materials are already being printed in large quantities. As for the training grounds, we’ve reached an agreement—four training grounds at a full package cost one thousand taels of silver per day.” “That works!” Lin Dong nodded. “You handle these matters as you see fit. How’s Lin’s Gymnasium coming along?” “It’s already under construction. It should be completed in about half a month.” Before Lin Dong could ask further, Ma Chun continued, “The price for the grassland belonging to the Three-in-One Garden is still under negotiation. The clerk in charge at the county government seems to realize the great use we’ll have for this land, so he’s demanding a high price. I’ll go again tomorrow or the day after. If we can’t reach an agreement, I’ll think of other ways.” “Just handle it as you see fit. Although the land isn’t expensive, there’s no need to be overpaid,” Lin Dong said calmly. “If it doesn’t work out, it’s fine to delay it for three to five months. We can also see if this clerk has any rivals. Has the guild joined?” “They’ve already joined,” Ma Chun explained. “The pricing for restaurants in Lingnan City is similar to that in Qiufeng City. As per your instructions, I haven’t reported the prices of the specialty dishes or Cheng Bao and Yu Linglong’s signature dishes. According to the rules of the Lingnan City Guild, if you start selling items without reporting the prices, you’ll be fined, ranging from ten wen to one hundred taels of silver, depending on the situation.” Lin Dong understood. With a few thousand taels of silver prepared, dozens of dishes should be enough to cover the fines.

Rather than letting the wealthy and ultra-wealthy families in Lingnan City know in advance from the guild about the main ingredients and prices of the dishes, thus losing some of their curiosity, this money was well spent.
All of this promotion was ultimately aimed at arousing the curiosity of these wealthy and ultra-wealthy families, encouraging them to try Linji Inn, and then using various advantages to officially attract them.