16: You shouldn't have been so pretentious.

A sallow, sickly face of a middle-aged man poked out.

The moment his cloudy eyes saw Lin Jingyu, a flicker of light and relief burst forth.

"Fellow Daoist! You've finally come!" His voice was hoarse, carrying the exhaustion of staying up all night, as he hurriedly opened the door completely.

"The hundred Jade Boxes you wanted—my whole family worked through the night, and we finally finished on time!"

The light inside the room was dim. On the stone table in the center, a hundred palm-sized Jade Boxes were stacked neatly.

The jade was the most common Isothermal Jade, containing no spiritual energy at all. It might be worth something in the mortal world, but in the cultivation world, it was no different from ordinary stone.

However, each Jade Box had been meticulously polished, and a thin layer of grease had been evenly applied to the surface, making them look warm and lustrous.

"Not bad! Thank you for your hard work!" Satisfaction showed in Lin Jingyu's eyes as he readily pulled out two Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them over.

The shop owner's withered fingers tightly gripped the Spirit Stones. A smile instantly broke out on his sallow face, and his fatigue vanished.

"It's only right! It's only right!" he said repeatedly.

The material cost for these hundred Jade Boxes was negligible, not even half a Spirit Stone.

What was truly expensive was the effort of his entire family staying up all night.

But a net profit of over one Spirit Stone was a windfall for a Loose Cultivator in this shantytown.

"Sorry for the intrusion. I'll borrow this space to pack them as quickly as possible." Lin Jingyu took off his heavy back basket.

"Feel free! Use it as you like! I'll keep the remaining Jade Boxes safe for you. Come back next time!" The shop owner eagerly stepped aside.

Lin Jingyu began working quickly and with focus.

He carefully placed the golden, oily sweet potato pills into the lustrous Jade Boxes, ten to a box.

His movements were light to avoid damaging the pills' crispy skin.

There were several vendors selling sweet potato pills on the outskirts of the market.

But without exception, they were either wrapped in oil paper or piled in large baskets, looking extremely crude.

Compared to his meticulously packaged Jade Box sweet potato pills, which contained the essence of hundred-year mountain sweet potatoes, the difference was like heaven and earth!

This was a 'product' that could be sold at a high price!

The back basket was soon empty, and fifty Jade Boxes were filled.

The remaining fifty empty boxes were put away for next time.

Lin Jingyu stacked the filled Jade Boxes back into the half-person-high back basket. Since there wasn't enough space, he borrowed a large bamboo basket from the shop owner.

Bidding farewell to the profusely grateful stone shop owner, he successfully passed through the detection array and stepped into the bustling market.

His goal was clear—Immortal Residence!

He wanted to see if that 'Fat Sheep Fei' was awake yet.

That note saying 'No thanks needed' seemed polite on the surface, but the subtext was clearly: 'Please humiliate me ruthlessly with Spirit Stones!'

Lin Jingyu was thick-skinned enough to take whatever was given; he definitely wouldn't find it too hot to handle!

This was a chance for a carp to leap over the Dragon Gate.

Whatever scraps a tycoon let slip through their fingers would be enough for several years of his cultivation resources.

"What? You're saying the guest in room three-nine-three... left?"

Lin Jingyu's voice suddenly spiked, distorted with disbelief, his eyes widening like copper bells.

He almost thought he had misheard!

The super financial backer, the mobile treasure vault he had exhausted his family fortune and risked his life to save... just... quietly... patted his butt and left?

He had even prepaid the room fee!

An indescribable sense of loss and frustration instantly welled up in his heart.

"Yes, guest." The shopkeeper behind the counter, an old man at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, was still quite polite.

"However, before that distinguished guest left, he left a letter on the counter, as well as a... well, a slightly damaged Medium Grade flying Magical Artifact, a paper kite. He also paid one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone as a storage fee."

The shopkeeper paused and added, "He specified that it can only be delivered if the name matches. May I ask for your honorable name?"

"Mid-Grade... Spirit Stone?"

These words were like four heavy hammers smashing ruthlessly into Lin Jingyu's heart!

He felt his vision go dark, his breathing hitched for a moment, and he subconsciously clutched his aching chest.

"Fat Sheep Fei, oh Fat Sheep Fei!

You casually and generously gave the inn a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone as a 'storage fee,' but you couldn't let some crumbs slip through your fingers for me?"

That was a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone! One was worth a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones! It was enough for him and his sister to save for several years by living frugally!

The massive psychological gap made his lips tremble, and his heart wept a river of tears.

"I... I..." He swallowed hard, his throat tight and dry, his voice incredibly raspy, "...Lei... Lei Feng!"

"Oh! So it is Fellow Daoist Lei!" The shopkeeper realized, his face breaking into a professional smile.

"It is indeed you! Please wait a moment."

From a hidden compartment under the counter, he took out a wax-sealed letter and an exquisite paper kite about a foot long.

The paper kite was made of a tough spiritual bamboo and talisman paper, with smooth lines and a faint spiritual glow flowing through it.

However, there was a deep crack on the left wing, and a small piece of the tail feather was missing; the spiritual glow was dim.

It was the same kite that Fei Yangyang had hurriedly retrieved after it was damaged during the attack yesterday.

With trembling hands, Lin Jingyu took the letter and tore open the seal.

A few lines of sharp, powerful calligraphy leapt into his eyes:

"To Fellow Daoist Lei Feng:

Your life-saving grace is as high as the mountains and as deep as the sea; I shall remember it in my heart and never forget it as long as I live!

I truly should have stayed to share a drink and conversation with you, discussing the world for three months without end, to repay even a fraction of this debt!

However, in yesterday's emergency, I used the talisman treasure 'Coiling Dragon Sword Talisman.' Its aura was detected by the elders of my family, who strictly ordered my immediate return without delay.

Moreover, as the opening of the Abyssal Secret Realm approaches, the clan fears I might suffer further injury and is pressing me urgently.

I shall wait expectantly at the mountain gate of the Qinglan Sect for your arrival, Brother Lei!

At that time, we shall join hands to explore the Secret Realm and sweep away the competition. Wouldn't that be delightful!

I originally wanted to leave some Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills to help with your immediate needs, but then I thought of your noble character, Brother Lei, how you view money as dross. If I were to gift you such worldly items, it would truly be a stain on your integrity.

After much thought, I have decided to gift you this Medium Grade artifact, the 'Cloud-Flowing Kite.' This was given to me by my master when I first entered the Dao and has accompanied me through many years of wandering. Although it is slightly damaged, it carries deep sentiment.

I hope you will not reject it, Brother Lei, and keep it as a memento. When we meet again in the future, let this kite be our proof!

—Respectfully, Fei Yangyang."

Buzz—!

Lin Jingyu felt as if ten thousand bronze bells were booming in his head at the same time!

He suddenly saw heavy snow falling before his eyes!

In his ears, he seemed to hear that desolate and vast song, 'A Spray of Plum Blossoms'.

"The snowflakes flutter~ the north wind whistles~~ Heaven and earth~ are a vast~ expanse~~~"

An indescribable sense of grief, indignation, and regret flooded over him like the surging waters of a river.

He wanted to immediately slap himself a hundred times, left and right!

Why did he act so aloof yesterday! Why did he say 'No thanks needed'!

He should have lunged forward and grabbed the tycoon's thigh, crying about his poverty with snot and tears:

"Big boss! I'm poor! I can't even put food on the table! The Black Wind Stockade wants to kill me! Please, Spirit Stones! Please, Medicinal Pills! The more, the better! Humiliate me to your heart's content!"

And the Abyssal Secret Realm? Sweeping away the competition?

He was just a bottom-tier shrimp at the Qi Refining Second Layer; he couldn't even enter the mountain gate of the Black Wind Stockade.

Let alone a behemoth like the Qinglan Sect.

The massive sense of loss felt like a knife twisting in his heart.

Dispirited, he held the broken 'Cloud-Flowing Kite,' his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold bamboo frame.

"Sigh..." A long sigh seemed to drain all the strength from his body.

Forget it, at least... the flying Magical Artifact he had been longing for was finally his.

He wouldn't have to rely on his legs to travel to and from the market anymore.