23: Go home carefully

The surrounding gazes, a mix of scrutiny, jealousy, and greed, were like invisible thorns that made Lin Jingyu’s back feel a slight chill.

He sighed inwardly; if not for being backed into a corner by the fifty Spirit Stone debt, he would never have wanted to draw attention with this "Jade Box sweet potato pill" method.

What was the difference between a low-level Cultivator at the Qi Refining Second Layer carrying wealth far beyond his strength to protect and a small child carrying a gold brick through a busy market? The only shield he had now was that no one knew his background or origins.

This uncertainty made those covetous eyes in the shadows hesitate, afraid to act rashly. He quickly gathered the remaining jade boxes on his stall and gave a calm, composed cupped-hand salute to the crowd with their varying expressions.

Then he turned and walked steadily into the denser crowds of the inner circle, his figure quickly swallowed by the bustle.

After confirming he had shaken off any potential followers, Lin Jingyu moved quickly through the quiet, crisscrossing alleys of the inner circle.

He skillfully found a deserted corner, shed his clean outer robe used for stalling, and changed back into the large, dull-colored old robe he had been wearing before.

Next, an old Bamboo Hat with a low-hanging brim covered most of his face. His deliberately restrained aura made him seem to blend into the shadows of the street corner, exuding a sense of aloofness that warned strangers to stay away.

After waiting patiently for over an hour, estimating that enough time had passed to confuse any onlookers, he walked out unhurriedly from the same street entrance he had used to enter the inner circle.

This disguise, which was all too common for hiding one's tracks in the market town, did not attract the attention of other Cultivators.

To minimize the risks on his way home, Lin Jingyu gave up the idea of leaving alone.

He familiarly found the gathering area at the edge of the market town specializing in bulk cargo transport and scanned the flags of several merchant caravans about to depart.

Ultimately, he chose a medium-sized caravan with the words "Wan Tong Hang" embroidered on its flag. He paid ten Broken Spirit Stones as a fee to "join along" and quietly blended in.

This was something the old man Gong Changshou had mentioned during their chat yesterday.

Despite living in the shantytown outside the market town, he knew everything about the happenings within it, large and small.

This caravan was clearly experienced and well-guarded; there were two distinct auras of Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators, enough to deter petty scoundrels and make ordinary Bandit Cultivators think twice.

The massive caravan set off amidst the dull rumble of wheels and the snorting of Pack Beasts. Lin Jingyu stayed in the middle of the group, eyes closed to rest, silent throughout the journey.

When the massive caravan reached the fork in the road closest to the Lin Family lands, Lin Jingyu quietly took his leave.

Watching the caravan disappear into the dust of the other road and confirming there was no one else around, his suppressed excitement finally became uncontrollable.

He took the small "flowing cloud kite" out of the basket on his back.

Holding it gently with both hands, he poured in his spiritual power. The kite grew as it met the wind, instantly transforming into a giant kite with a wingspan of nearly twenty feet, its entire body shimmering with pale green spiritual light.

The bamboo frame was tough, and the talisman paper held an inner radiance. Strands of spiritual power flowed and flickered over the complex talisman lines like living things.

He slowly channeled power into the grooves at the top where five Spirit Stones were placed. The miniature formation was activated, and the light from the five Spirit Stones was suddenly gathered and amplified, bursting with a dazzling spiritual glow.

With a humming sound, the giant kite's wings flapped violently, kicking up dust from the ground as it took flight, light and swift!

Lin Jingyu felt his body lighten as the scenery below rapidly shrank and receded. Every powerful flap of the wings carried him across dozens of yards. The wind whipped against his face, a feeling of pure exhilaration!

In the distance, the outline of the Lin Family settlement quickly became clear and grew larger in his vision.

However, sensing the spiritual light of the five Spirit Stones steadily weakening, his previous exhilaration was quickly replaced by a sharp pang of heartache.

"It's a good item, but what a Spirit Stone glutton!" Lin Jingyu shook his head helplessly. With this "flowing cloud kite," the travel time to and from the Southeast Market Town was compressed to a staggering seven and a half minutes.

But each time, it consumed a significant portion of the Spiritual Qi within the Spirit Stones. It was truly painful to the wallet.

He didn't even know how far those five Spirit Stones could carry him.

By contrast, measuring the earth with his own two legs, though time-consuming and exhausting, only required a few bowls of ordinary food, making it exceptionally "economical."

This absurd comparison left him between laughter and tears.

A few hundred meters from the Lin Family home, he descended and put away the kite.

He walked the rest of the way to his front door and knocked hard.

The courtyard door creaked open, and his younger sister Lin Jingxia skipped out as light as a fawn, her face full of anticipation: "Brother! How did the sweet potato pill sales go?"

Looking at his sister's sparkling eyes, Lin Jingyu intentionally kept her in suspense. He didn't answer directly, but with a smile playing on his lips, he slowly raised one slender finger and wagged it in front of her.

"Did you... earn one Spirit Stone?" Lin Jingxia blinked and asked cautiously, her tone carrying a hint of uncertain hope.

Earning one Spirit Stone in a day was already amazing!

"No," Lin Jingyu's smile widened with a touch of pride. "In one go, they're all sold! Not a single one left!"

"Wow—!" Lin Jingxia instantly jumped up, her small face flushing red with excitement as she pumped her little fists. "Brother! You're incredible! So... how many Spirit Stones did we earn?" Her voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"A few? You girl, you underestimate your brother's skills!" Lin Jingyu gave a mysterious smile and reached out to take his sister's slightly cold hand. "Come, let's talk inside."

Without another word, he pulled her into the dim Main Room and firmly shut the door and windows behind them. The light was suddenly cut off, plunging the room into a hazy gloom, with only a few faint rays of light peeking through the cracks in the door.

Lin Jingxia's heart skipped a beat for some reason, and her cheeks felt slightly warm, wondering what her brother was up to. Then came a soft crackle as Lin Jingyu lit the Oil Lamp on the table.

The flickering yellow flame instantly dispelled the darkness, illuminating Lin Jingyu's smiling face.

Under his sister's confused and slightly nervous gaze, he pulled out a bulging, rather luxurious-looking Silk Pouch from his robe.

With a flick of his wrist, he turned the pouch upside down—clatter clatter! A crisp, pleasant clinking sound suddenly rang out!

One by one, warm and translucent Low-Grade Spirit Stones, reflecting the warm yellow glow of the Oil Lamp like the most brilliant stars fallen to earth, tumbled onto the rough wooden tabletop!

In an instant, they piled up into a small hill!

"So... so many Spirit Stones?" Lin Jingxia's exclamation almost cracked. She suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes wide as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.

She stared intently at the small mountain of glowing Spirit Stones on the table, her petite body trembling slightly from extreme shock.