Chapter 39: Water Mixed in the Wine

Although Lin Dong’s talent for cultivation was extremely poor, his aptitude for understanding spiritual techniques was the complete opposite. It would be impossible for him to grasp the Control Reality realm in just one morning, but by practicing for two hours every day, he occasionally had a flash of insight and could figure out the deeper meaning behind some of the mantras.

As word spread about the inn’s affordable and high-quality wine, coupled with the limited supply, business flourished even more than during the martial arts competitions. Before long, it was time for the Gu Huan Sect to open its doors and recruit disciples. That evening, while Lin Dong was still practicing in his room, Bai Jingtai forcibly pulled him out.

Bai Qi had successfully joined the Gu Huan Sect, and since family members weren’t allowed to accompany them, such a great occasion demanded celebration. Moreover, Bai Jingtai had important matters to discuss with Lin Dong.

After several rounds of drinking, emboldened by the alcohol, Bai Jingtai finally spoke after holding back his words for a long time: “Young Lin, could you find a way to set up a Spirit Speed Array in the Gu Huan Sect as well? Although outsiders aren’t allowed in, there must be a way. Besides anything else, I, Bai the Fatso, have plenty of money. I can’t believe there isn’t even one person in the Gu Huan Sect who isn’t greedy for money.”

“No!” Lin Dong replied without hesitation.

“Why?” Bai Jingtai grew impatient. If a Spirit Speed Array could be set up there, Bai Qi’s strength would soar, earning her the favor of the sect leader and elders. Then, his dream of leaving a foundation for his descendants could come true.

“I’ll tell you the truth… The Spirit Speed Array has already been set up. That elderly man back then only taught me how to move it. It can only move about a hundred meters at most—there’s no way it can reach the Gu Huan Sect,” Lin Dong explained.

Bai Jingtai sighed heavily. With anyone else, he would think they were trying to overcharge or were worried about the array spreading. But with this Lin Dong… since their relationship was already so close, there was no need for such words.

Seeing Bai Jingtai so disheartened, Lin Dong hesitated for a while before saying, “The Gu Huan Sect’s leader once stayed at the inn for a while. I have a somewhat good relationship with him. How about… I go to the Gu Huan Sect and try to talk to him? Bai Qi is already a disciple there. It doesn’t violate the sect’s rules for the leader to take her in personally—it’s just adding another disciple, so it shouldn’t be difficult.”

Bai Jingtai’s face lit up with joy. “Really?”

Lin Dong nodded. He understood why Bai Jingtai was desperate to get Bai Qi into the sect. He hadn’t intended to help at first, as it might affect Tianhao. But seeing Bai Jingtai’s determination, he couldn’t help but speak up.
“Great, great!” Bai Jingtai stood up with a flushed face. As a direct disciple of the Guhuan Sect’s sect master, even if Bai Qi’s talent wasn’t enough to inherit the sect master position, anyone among his fellow disciples who became the sect master would still be his teacher, allowing him to become an elder.
“Alright, I’ll go to Guhuan Sect tomorrow. Do you want to come with?” Lin Dong asked.
Bai Jingtai thought for a moment before shaking his head. “With so many people around, if it’s known that Bai Qi became a disciple through connections, he’ll surely be envied by his fellow disciples.”
“Fair enough. Then I’ll set off early tomorrow morning.”
Since Bai Jingtai wasn’t coming, Lin Dong didn’t feel like making the trip to Guhuan Sect himself. He could just go to Master Zhang’s house early the next day and ask him to take a message to Guhuan Sect, taking the opportunity to handle Master Zhang’s matters as well.
During the martial arts competition, Lin Dong had asked the chubby Zhang Heng to deliver a message to his father at the inn so he could have someone to look after Xiao Shuang at Qiushui Academy. Master Zhang arrived the next day. Though they had been enemies last time they met, one seeking someone to protect his daughter at the academy and the other concerned about his son’s future and his own ability to take over all of Guhuan Sect’s business, they got along well this time.
Lin Dong believed Master Zhang would be happy to make the trip to Guhuan Sect.
“Younger brother Lin, I… I don’t even know what to say…” Bai Jingtai’s voice was choked with emotion. Before coming to Xilan City full of hope and longing, he had thought about so many things, but he never imagined that the person who had saved his life once could do so much to help him.
“If you don’t know what to say, then don’t say anything. When I need a large amount of spirit stones, just don’t forget to sell them to me at a low price, Brother Bai.” Lin Dong smiled.
“There’s no need to discuss the price. Just tell me how much you need, and I’ll give it to you. I’ll go back in a few days and ensure that a cartload of spirit stones arrives within ten days.”
“Even brothers need to keep accounts clear. What needs to be settled must be settled. As for the spirit stones, there’s no rush now. I’ll send someone to inform Brother Bai when I need them.” Lin Dong shook his head firmly. Maybe he didn’t need many spirit stones now, but once the inn and his own cultivation level improved, it wouldn’t be just one or two carts. Giving too much would only annoy Bai Jingtai in the end, not worth it.

The two talked for a while longer before Bai Jingtai got up to take his leave. Early the next morning, Lin Dong rushed to Master Zhang’s residence. As expected, Master Zhang set off right away. Since it was inconvenient for Lin Dong to return to the inn so early, he simply found a room in Master Zhang’s house to practice. By noon, Master Zhang brought good news with great enthusiasm.

After reading the letter, Xiao Tianchi agreed right away to take Bai Qi as his disciple. As for Master Zhang’s needs, the Spirit Stone Pills of the Gu Huan Sect were not enough, but the spiritual fruits from the mountains and the spiritual beasts hunted by the disciples could be left in Master Zhang’s care.

Returning to the inn with the good news, as soon as Lin Dong stepped in, he was surrounded by noisy chatter.

“Shopkeeper Lin, it’s you back!”

Looking up, Lin Dong saw that the familiar customers all stood up upon seeing him enter.

“Shopkeeper Lin, you need to find a way to get some wine soon. I’ve been thirsty for half a day already.”

“Yes! Go to Lou’s Wine Shop. Their three-year-old wine isn’t as good as yours, even though it’s more expensive.”

Lin Dong smiled and nodded at each table, his gaze then shifting to Wang Liuzhi, who was running over.

“Shopkeeper, the wine Lou’s Wine Shop delivered yesterday was mixed with a lot of water,” Wang Liuzhi said indignantly. “Fortunately, you have a good reputation, so no one blamed you. As soon as something went wrong, I went to Lou’s Wine Shop, but they were rude—just said, ‘Buy it if you want, or go elsewhere.’ Then those guys started beating me and drove me out.”

Shou Zhugan said viciously, “I’ve already sent Shou Zhugan to find people. Once you give the order, I’ll lead them to wipe out Lou’s Wine Shop.”

Lin Dong shook his head. The Lou family was a prominent family in Xilan City. To destroy their shop, one would need to bring fifty or sixty hooligans, just like they did to Fulai Wine House last time—costing five or six hundred silver taels. Besides, since they weren’t causing trouble at the inn, there was no need to use force. Doing so would also harm the inn’s reputation.

After thinking for a while, Lin Dong asked, “Was it Lou Wentang who led the people who delivered the wine last night?”

Wang Liuzhi shook his head. “The delivery guy said Lou Wentang was sick.”

Lin Dong frowned slightly. It seemed Lou Wentang had been sent away.

With a constant stream of customers at the inn, the number of customers buying ten or twenty jin of wine from Lou’s Wine Shop might decrease a bit, but the inn also bought wine from them. Lou’s Wine Shop would sell the same amount of wine every month, either more or less.

As long as they weren’t stupid, they surely wouldn’t do something like mixing water into their wine and ruining their own business. After all, the inn only sold Bai Li Xiang wine, in limited quantities, which had no impact on Lou’s Wine Shop’s business outside Xilan City.

“Xiao Liu, write down the guests who drank watered-down liquor and demand ten times the original price as compensation. I’m going to Lou’s Liquor Shop to take a look.”
“Owner, are you going alone?” Wang Liuze asked anxiously.
“It’s not a fight; why bring so many people?”
Lin Dong glared at Wang Liuze, turned, and left the inn, heading straight for Shili Street.
Upon entering Lou’s Liquor Shop, Lin Dong scanned the lobby. By a square table on one side, Lou Wanzhang was chatting cheerfully with a middle-aged man.
Seeing Lin Dong enter, Lou Wanzhang grinned widely and laughed, “Boss Kuang is truly prescient! He arrived even before afternoon.”
Boss Kuang?
Lin Dong glanced at the middle-aged man and realized he must be Kuang Tianwei, the owner of Fu’s Restaurant.
Lou Wanzhang was undoubtedly acting under Kuang Tianwei’s influence, believing that Lin’s Inn’s thyme was better than Lou’s Liquor Shop’s because Lin’s Inn had added some ingredient to it.
Since these two were so convinced, they probably also thought that Lin’s Inn had accidentally discovered the effect of this ingredient on thyme, and that this ingredient only worked on thyme.