Chapter 394: Mutual Benefit

How could Xiao Tianchi be here in the government office?
After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Dong waved his hand casually, carrying a fierce killing intent. He didn’t target Xiao Tianchi’s vital points directly, causing him to fly backward.
Stumbling back several steps, Xiao Tianchi glared at Lin Dong in horror.
With just a light wave of his sleeve, he could send himself flying back without even making contact—what level of strength was this?
“Master Xiao, it’s me!” Lin Dong projected his mind outward. After confirming there were no outsiders, he smiled and removed his black headband.
“Lin Dong?” Xiao Tianchi was surprised.
“Brother Lin, how did you come here?” Liu Xiu was overjoyed and quickly led him forward.
“I need your help with something,” Lin Dong explained casually, smiling. “I’m actually curious—why is Master Xiao here?”
“Brother Lin, it’s a long story. If your matter isn’t urgent, let’s go inside and talk,” Liu Xiu said.
Lin Dong nodded. Although the thirty portraits were urgent, they weren’t as critical as the wood or carpenters needed for Jie Duan Liang’s ancient style. Wasting a few minutes wasn’t a big deal.
Walking side by side with Xiao Tianchi toward the open room Liu Xiu had shown them, Lin Dong turned and asked, “Master Xiao, how’s Tianhao these days?”
“He reached the eighth level of the Mind State phase a month ago. Throughout the Great Han Nation, there’s no one his age who can surpass him—even those destined to become peak warriors can’t!” Xiao Tianchi’s face was filled with pride. “I originally planned to send someone to inform you, but Tianhao wanted to surprise you personally after reaching the first level of the Heart Reversal phase and becoming the youngest warrior. Who would have thought I’d meet you here today?”
“The youngest at the eighth level of the Mind State phase…” Lin Dong tapped his lips. While happy for Tianhao, he also felt secretly pleased.
When he was at the first level of the Heart Stirring phase, this gifted Tianhao had already reached the eighth level. And while he had reached the first level of the Heart Reversal phase three months ago, Tianhao had only reached the eighth level of the Mind State phase a month ago.
Even accounting for the Lingyun Tree branches and Wenle Dan from Wuyou Cave, which aided his training, the gap in their progress was clear.
This gifted boy had surpassed him. Next… Lin Dong’s smile grew wider.
Next was the gifted boy’s fiancée.
When he was at the first level of the Heart Stirring phase, Yunlan was already at the first level of the Heart Reversal phase. Now, he had leaped two major phases to reach the first level of the Heart Reversal phase, while Yunlan had only advanced three minor phases to reach the fourth level.

Using this calculation, Lin Dong was full of confidence in surpassing Yun Lan. Moreover, he still hadn’t used the two spiritual materials and elixirs that aided cultivation—Fengguo and Wenledan. Although Yun Lan also had Lingyun Tree branches and Wenledan unused, Lin Dong had already used up most of the medicinal effects of the Lingyun Tree branches. Still, the most potent Han Fengguo was only enough for him alone, which meant it wouldn’t be difficult to close the gap of one or two cultivation levels. If lucky enough to obtain a few more high-grade spiritual materials and elixirs sufficient only for his own use, though this idea was somewhat selfish, surpassing Yun Lan wasn’t entirely impossible.

“By the way, Shopkeeper Lin, what’s your current strength?” Xiao Tianchi asked.

“First stage of the Xin Ni period!” Lin Dong replied honestly. There was no need to hide this from Liu Xiu, who had guided him earlier. Even if he kept it hidden, Liu Xiu, having stayed at the inn for over a year, already knew his cultivation speed. He could guess that Lin Dong was at the first stage of the Xin Ni period and likely above the fifth stage of the Xin Shen period. Besides, Liu Xiu already knew that Lin’s Inn had an expert like Old Ding, so the threat posed by Lin Dong’s strength to the imperial court was already evident.

Liu Xiu and Xiao Tianchi were stunned and looked at Lin Dong in surprise.

Lin Dong casually raised his eyebrows. “Luck helped—I often came across some spiritual materials and elixirs that aided cultivation.”

The two were speechless. What kind of luck would it take to raise an ordinary person with average talent to the level of a strong warrior in just a few years? Even the largest sects, with all their resources, couldn’t achieve such a thing.

Entering the room, they found it spacious but dimly lit, with only an oil lamp casting a small glow. Of course, this didn’t affect Lin Dong’s vision. With a glance, he could see the entire room.

The room was simply decorated. Aside from tables, chairs, and a wooden bed, there was only one huge bookshelf filled with books. No one would have guessed this was a prince’s room.

“Quite simple!” Lin Dong remarked casually. Deep down, he didn’t feel the emotional resonance he would have felt if he had seen Zhou Zhengye and Fu Chun living in humble conditions, sleeping at desks late at night. Liu Xiu wasn’t Zhou Zhengye or Fu Chun. Their simple rooms reflected their dedication to serving the people. Lin Dong believed that even if Zhou Zhengye became a noble or prime minister someday, he was unlikely to change. As for Liu Xiu, he was merely biding his time. If he ever truly ascended to the throne, Lin Dong doubted he could maintain such dedication.

“I just want to remind myself that it’s not time to enjoy things yet,” Liu Xiu said honestly, without trying to put on an act in front of Lin Dong.
Lin Dong smiled and sat down on the wooden chair.
Liu Xiu immediately brought tea and water. After the hot, inferior Hongyun tea was placed on the desk, Lin Dong took a sip and got straight to the point: “Liu Xiu, I’ve come here to ask you to help me go to the Qianye Mansion and ask the Sixth Prince to take back the thirty portraits of ladies that he lent or sold to the Fenglin Tavern in Lingnan City.”
“Sure! I’ll set off right away,” Liu Xiu replied without hesitation. No matter how much stress he faced in the palace, in his heart, Lin Dong remained his greatest benefactor and a figure like a father and brother. As long as it didn’t seriously affect his struggle for the throne, he would unhesitatingly agree to any of Lin Dong’s requests.
The reason he agreed so quickly, even before fully understanding the request, was that Liu Xiu knew Lin Dong would never make a demand that could seriously impact his claim to the throne.
After taking a few seconds to fully grasp Lin Dong’s request, Liu Xiu smiled and said, “This isn’t difficult. I’ve been quite familiar with the Sixth Prince since I left the capital.”
Lin Dong nodded slightly—his purpose seemed fulfilled. Liu Xiu had worked as a clerk at Lin’s Inn for over a year, so he knew that Liu Xiu’s willingness to make such a promise meant he was almost certain of success.
“This is rather urgent. When I came here, I brought a tamed seventh-tier Hundred-Wing Bird. Later, you can ride this bird there, and upon returning, hand it over to the owner of Lin’s Inn in Qiufeng City at night,” Lin Dong said.
“A seventh-tier Hundred-Wing Bird? The men in black that appeared on the southern road of Lingnan City over two months ago…”
Liu Xiu and the others were slightly surprised. The story of the merchants in Lingnan City hunting down Hundred-Wing Birds at high prices had already spread throughout the Lingnan region. A mysterious man in black who single-handedly saved all the families in Lingnan City had caused quite a stir.
“That man in black was me!” Lin Dong nodded.
Liu Xiu was moved but hesitated to speak.
“Say whatever you want. Our relationship… doesn’t need to be hidden, does it?” Lin Dong smiled.
“Brother Lin, could I borrow this Hundred-Wing Bird for a while? Also, since that man in black is a savior to all the major families, although it’s unlikely they’ll ask him to pay a huge price in return, if used properly, it would be of great help to me if you could step in as that man in black when I need it,” Liu Xiu explained.

“I don’t want to get involved in your affairs, so no need for the man in black. As for the Hundred-Winged Bird…” Lin Dong explained, “I need it to open branches in the next one or two months. After that, I can lend it to you without problem.”
“Thank you, Brother Lin!” Liu Xiu was overjoyed. The identity of the man in black meant having an additional contact useful when dealing with the various powerful families in Lingnan City. While it was quite useful to him, it wasn’t essential to the point of being indispensable.
The Hundred-Winged Bird was different. Liu Xiu often had to travel far, and having a magical bird by his side could save him a great deal of time.
Time was the most precious thing for Liu Xiu. All he lacked now was time.
“Enough, it’s time to talk about how Lord Xiao came to the government office.” Lin Dong didn’t shy away from expressing his curiosity. He had a vague idea of why Xiao Tianchi came to the office, but what really intrigued him was what kind of sensational move Liu Xiu planned.
“Actually, it’s nothing much. I’ve already sent someone to Lingnan City to bring you news. Given the distance, it should take about three to five days to arrive.” Xiao Tianchi smiled. “The gist is that I’ll cooperate with the prince to secretly send people to join the city guard as soldiers. Then, the prince will go to Qiufeng Mansion to identify troublemakers from various sects and demand their removal under the guise of justice. With the pride of these sects, they surely won’t take a young prince seriously. The city guard will then subdue these sects one by one and demand compensation in the form of spirit stones, spirit weapons, elixirs, and skills. Finally, our Gu Huan Sect will praise the prince even more.”
“With a just cause, unafraid of power, and with scattered warriors gathered through personal charisma, combined with masterful tactics, they can defeat stronger opponents and bring about great influence over 40-50% of the sects within the mansion. Plus, even the most renowned Gu Huan Sect acknowledges the prince’s just actions this time. On top of that, the prince swiftly eliminates most of the corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants in Qiufeng Mansion without causing chaos… It would be hard for the prince not to become famous throughout the Han Kingdom in one go.”
Lin Dong was speechless. This plan was indeed similar to his own initial guesses. The difference was that he could vaguely infer that Liu Xiu wanted to use the already subdued officials and wealthy people to carry out a real or fake purge that wouldn’t provoke strong resistance. As for the even more drastic measure involving the sects, he couldn’t figure out where Liu Xiu planned to start.

By leveraging Tianhao’s connections with the Guhuan Sect and colluding with Xiao Tianchi, and then using the power of the Guhuan Sect—now on par with the Xingli Sect as the top sect in Qiufeng Prefecture—to defeat other sects one by one, this plan is quite good as long as it ensures those sects don’t unite! If successful, half of the sects in the prefecture would be subdued, and with a legitimate reason, it wouldn’t cause too much resentment among the other sects. If it were the Tianwei Pavilion representing imperial power, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But if it were just local officials, it would be catastrophic. Spreading rumors to downplay Prince Liu Xiu’s identity among the people, combined with a series of harsh internal measures, could cause tremendous and lasting upheaval throughout the Great Han Dynasty. Subduing sects as a mere prefect would be equivalent to bringing them down from their pedestal; Liu Xiu would instantly become a hero in the eyes of all nobles who revere sects, as well as a super-official who dares to defy power in the eyes of the common people. Even if Emperor Qianwei didn’t want it, he would have to let Liu Xiu rise to prominence for a few years. Moreover, Emperor Qianwei might not even be displeased—after all, Liu Xiu’s actions gave him an opportunity to vent his anger at those who disregard imperial authority. Of course, there are many benefits, but also surprisingly many drawbacks. Overstepping one’s bounds would anger the Tianwei Pavilion. Gaining widespread fame while having no foundation would make him a rival to the princes… Either way, a single mistake could plunge Liu Xiu into irreparable disaster. As for the benefits for the Guhuan Sect, Lin Dong believed Liu Xiu would distribute the compensation as rewards to warriors willing to join the city guard. These compensations would undoubtedly go into the Guhuan Sect’s pocket. The sect wouldn’t suffer much loss—its disciples could disguise themselves, and with the many unknown high-level spiritual techniques they had given earlier, they could hide their true identities, making it a deal where the benefits outweighed the costs. With these compensations of varying uses, the Guhuan Sect would have enough strength to stand out in the entire Lingnan Commandery. It’s a win-win situation—only the sects in Qiufeng Prefecture suffer. “It seems you’re determined to ascend the throne,” Lin Dong sighed slightly. If Liu Xiu failed, he didn’t want to offend the Tianwei Pavilion, which had received orders to assassinate the new emperor, by interfering with someone who would stop at nothing to seize the throne. If Liu Xiu succeeded, he also didn’t want to end up in irreconcilable conflict with that young man from the past. Yet, Liu Xiu’s future only had these two possibilities. Liu Xiu nodded firmly, his delicate face showing gloom and determination.

“Alright, you two go chat! I’m heading back first. Later, Liu Xiu, you come out first—I’ll instruct the Hundred-Winged Bird to obey the first person to exit.” Lin Dong drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, as if making up his mind, then stood up.
“Brother Lin, I…” Liu Xiu hesitated. He could tell Lin Dong was very dissatisfied with his answer, but he didn’t know how to explain.
To prevent the throne from falling into the hands of unscrupulous princes and to save the people of the Han Dynasty from suffering? To strive his best to ensure the people lived in prosperity and peace? The former was his second wish; strict governance was merely one of the methods he might employ once he ascended the throne. Liu Xiu didn’t want to deceive Lin Dong, and he knew that even if he explained, Lin Dong wouldn’t believe him.
“It’s fine! Just a bit annoyed.”
Lin Dong waved his hand, smiled, and turned to leave. For the people of the Han Dynasty, having Liu Xiu as emperor would likely be the best choice—after all, Liu Xiu had a decent nature. His annoyance stemmed from the fact that the young man he once valued was now involved in a throne struggle he disapproved of.
Lin Dong wasn’t willing to impose his personal preferences on Liu Xiu, thinking Liu Xiu had let him down.
As long as Liu Xiu was willing to regard Lin’s Inn as a cherished memory of his past efforts, Lin Dong would consider him an outstanding employee who had made significant contributions to the inn.
After going outside to summon the Hundred-Winged Bird and giving his instructions, Lin Dong channeled his spiritual energy into his legs, leaped onto the roof, transformed into a shadow, and rushed toward Lin’s Inn.