59: Chapter 59 The Heavenly Origin Fruit Appears! A Top-Tier Investment Yields a Huge Success, and a Spot in the Foundation Establishment Secret Realm is Secured!

[Age 33, December 29th. Late night.]

[The candlelight in the study is blown askew by a draft.]

[You read the anonymous letter over and over again three times.]

["The Qin Family tragedy, orchestrated by the Zhao family."]

[The Zhao family.]

[Six hundred li north of Yunzhou, the local tyrants of Chishui City.]

[You are no stranger to this name. The Zhao family primarily deals in mining, has collaborated with the Ling Family, and has deep-rooted influence in Chishui City. The Clan Master, Clan Master Zhao, is at Foundation Establishment Level 2.]

[The next day.]

[You call Qin Yao to the front hall.]

[She has changed into clean clothes, the wound on her left arm is bandaged, but her face is still pale.]

["The person you want to kill, the Zhao family?"]

[Qin Yao looks up abruptly.]

["How does Shopkeeper Shen know?"]

["Not important." You push the anonymous letter in front of her. "Tell me about your situation."]

[Qin Yao is silent for a long while, her tone dry.]

["The Qin Family was originally a small family in Chishui City, dealing in medicinal herb cultivation. Three years ago, the Zhao family took a fancy to a piece of spiritual farmland owned by the Qin Family, and my father refused to hand it over. Clan Master Zhao sent men to raid us at night; out of thirty-seven members of the family, I was the only one who survived."]

[She lowers her head, clutching the corner of her clothes.]

["When I escaped, I didn't bring anything. Only a Heavenly Origin Fruit that had been passed down in the family."]

[Heavenly Origin Fruit.]

[You remember this name.]

["Clan Master Zhao, Foundation Establishment Level 2." You pick up your teacup. "Do you want me to kill him now?"]

["Not now." Qin Yao shakes her head, her tone serious. "I know Shopkeeper Shen's strength, and I know this matter cannot be rushed. I just... want to ask for a promise."]

[You look at her for three breaths.]

["Fine. I give you this promise. But there are conditions."]

["Please speak, Shopkeeper Shen."]

["Regarding the Zhao family, I will act when I am certain. Before that, you are not allowed to act without authorization, not allowed to expose your whereabouts, and not allowed to cause trouble for Shens Shop."]

[Qin Yao stands up and bows.]

["Qin Yao will listen to Shopkeeper Shen's arrangements."]

[You nod and call Hu Wansan.]

["Clean out the secret room on the west side of the front shop and arrange for Miss Qin to stay there. Her food and clothing expenses should be on par with the staff, no more, no less."]

[Hu Wansan accepts the order and then leans in a bit closer.]

["Boss... what about the sister-in-law..."]

["I will tell her myself."]

[Hu Wansan slips away.]

Shen Ji stares at the text on the light screen.

A sense of distance is often more effective than sweet words.

The more polite you are, the less people can figure out your bottom line.

In the last simulation, he brought people into the backyard too early, which led to a restless household, and Liu Qingqing almost burned the house down.

This time, he must remain steady.

Four or five children are enough.

Any more, and the amount of spiritual energy feedback would exceed the limits of his meridians; that wouldn't be a pleasant surprise, but a shock.

He continues to look down.

[Age 34, January.]

[The news leaked after all.]

[Liu Qingqing heard from the Second Elder that a young female cultivator was living in the front shop of Shens Shop, and she came with her sword that very afternoon.]

[Wood Spirit Sword. Grade 3.]

[Liu Qingqing kicked open the door of the front shop, her green dress fluttering, her face full of killing intent.]

["Shen Ji! Where is she?"]

[Hu Wansan was so scared that he dropped his account book.]

["S-Sister-in-law—the Boss is in the back—"]

["I'm not asking about him." Liu Qingqing held her sword horizontally. "Where is that woman?"]

[Qin Yao walked out from the side room.]

[She glanced at the sword in Liu Qingqing's hand, paused, but did not retreat.]

[The two women looked at each other in the middle of the shop.]

[One fiery, one gentle.]

[One holding a sword, one empty-handed.]

[Liu Qingqing looked Qin Yao up and down, her gaze lingering for a breath on her face, figure, and clothing respectively.]

["She doesn't look bad." She sneered. "How long has she been staying here?"]

["Replying to Madam Liu, three days." Qin Yao bowed, her posture very low. "Qin Yao is grateful for Shopkeeper Shen's life-saving grace, and is temporarily borrowing a side room to recover from injuries. Shopkeeper Shen has not stepped into this place even half a step."]

[Liu Qingqing's sword tip dropped slightly by two inches.]

[She turned to look at you.]

[You were leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.]

["Done checking?"]

["You're quite open about it." Liu Qingqing put away her sword. "Next time you take someone in, tell me first."]

["I was planning to tell you tonight."]

["Tonight? You certainly know how to pick your timing." Liu Qingqing flicked her sleeves, turned and walked a few steps, then looked back at Qin Yao.]

["Leave once your injuries are healed, don't linger."]

[After speaking, she left with big strides.]

[Qin Yao stood where she was, her hand clutching her clothes loosening and tightening again.]

["Shopkeeper Shen, Madam Liu, she..."]

["Don't be afraid." You pushed open the door. "If she really wanted to do something, she would have slashed you the moment she entered; she wouldn't have wasted words with you."]

[Age 34, February 1st. Birthday.]

["Ding!"]

["Birthday has arrived, starting to draw annual traits."]

[The wheel spins. White light.]

["Congratulations on obtaining the trait: Thick-Skinned (White) — When rejected, mental state recovery speed increases by 10%."]

[You throw the trait into the warehouse with an expressionless face.]

[Three years in a row, white.]

[Your luck is as stable as an old dog.]

[Age 34, March to August.]

[You devoted all your energy to cultivation.]

[The spiritual energy feedback from Shen Tian and Shen Yue is still continuing.]

[Added to the lingering aftereffects of the feedback after the birth of your third child, Shen Yun, your meridians are becoming increasingly full.]

[Age 34, Autumn.]

[September 7th. Shens Shop backyard secret room.]

[You sit cross-legged on the cushion, circulating spiritual energy through your meridians for thirty-six major cycles.]

[The last bit of obstruction dissipates.]

[Peak of Qi Refining Level 9.]

[You are only one step away from Foundation Establishment.]

[But this final step is as heavy as Mount Tai.]

[The spiritual energy in Yunzhou is thin, and the success rate of a forced breakthrough is less than 30%.]

[You need a treasure land rich in spiritual energy, or a Foundation Establishment Pill.]

[Age 34, October.]

[Qin Yao finds you.]

[She places a jade box on the table and opens it.]

[Inside the box lies a fruit the size of a fist, golden all over, with flowing spiritual light.]

[Heavenly Origin Fruit.]

["Shopkeeper Shen." Qin Yao's tone is firm. "This is something that has been passed down in the Qin Family for four generations, and it is of great help for breaking through to Foundation Establishment."]

["Your trump card for saving your life, I don't want it." You close the jade box and push it back.]

["Qin Yao's life was saved by Shopkeeper Shen." She pushes it back again. "Keeping this, I still can't break through to Foundation Establishment. Instead of letting it rot in my hands, it's better to give it to someone who can use it."]

[She pauses for a beat.]

["In addition, Qin Yao wants to stay in the firm and become an appraiser. I studied appraisal in Chishui City for three years; although I can't be considered proficient, I can still see the authenticity and quality of ordinary spiritual materials."]

[You look at her.]

["An appraiser is fine. But you will not live in the backyard, you will not enter the residence, and you will work in the front shop. Your salary will be calculated at 70% of a shopkeeper's."]

[Qin Yao is stunned.]

[She probably didn't expect you to agree so readily, but with such clear conditions.]

["... Yes."]

[You accept the Heavenly Origin Fruit and turn to leave.]

[Behind you, Qin Yao stands where she is, looking at your back, not moving for a long time.]

[Age 35, February 1st. Birthday.]

["Ding!"]

[The wheel spins. White light.]

["Congratulations on obtaining the trait: Early Bird (White) — Morning cultivation efficiency increases by 8%."]

[You rub your temples.]

[Four years, still white.]

[The golden traits must have been exhausted in your past life.]

[Age 35, May.]

[Qin Yao's appraisal ability exceeds your expectations.]

[Although her connections in Chishui City were severed, she knows the supply chain of alchemy materials in the Central Plains like the back of her hand.]

[Through her connections, Shens Shop successfully connected to the surplus channels of three second-rate alchemy shops in the Central Plains.]

[The profit is not high, but it is stable.]

[More importantly, after this line was opened, Shens Shop's market share of alchemy materials in Yunzhou jumped from 30% to 50%.]

[After reviewing the account books, Liu Qingqing rarely gave a compliment.]

["That Qin Yao is still somewhat useful."]

[Age 35, December.]

[Winter Solstice.]

[You are sitting in the study, with a map of the spiritual veins around Yunzhou spread out in front of you.]

[Peak of Qi Refining Level 9.]

[Heavenly Origin Fruit in hand.]

[But within five hundred li of Yunzhou, there is no place with spiritual energy concentration capable of supporting a Foundation Establishment breakthrough.]

[The nearest sacred site for Foundation Establishment is within the territory of the Tianxuan Sect in the Central Plains, but that is a restricted area of the sect, and outsiders are not allowed to enter.]

[You repeatedly deduce, but you still cannot find a suitable location.]

[There is a knock at the door.]

[Hu Wansan pushes the door and enters, his expression strange.]

["Boss, someone has come to the door."]

["Who?"]

["Huo... Young Master Huo."]

[You stand up abruptly.]

[At the courtyard gate.]

[Huo Quji is carrying the blood-burning spear, travel-worn, and still covered in half-dried mud.]

[As soon as he sees you, he grins.]

["Brother Shen! Guess what good news I brought this time?"]

[He takes a token from his bosom and slaps it into your palm.]

[The token is pitch black, with the character "Xuan" carved on the front and flame patterns on the back.]

[Tianxuan Sect.]

[Huo Quji lowers his voice, his eyes flashing with intensity.]

["The Tianxuan Sect is opening a secret realm ruin soon, opening on the 15th of next month."]

["I can bring one person in, the quota is reserved for you."]