69: Chapter 69 Planning, Planning!

Fifteen minutes later, holding a Jade Slip, he walked into a teahouse on the street corner.

Sinking his Divine Sense into it, information about the Lin Family flooded into his mind like a tide.

The Lin Family, an established cultivation Family in Tianlan Province City, was famous for cultivating Spiritual Plants and dealing in Medicinal Pill Materials, with a profound foundation.

With several Golden Core True Persons presiding over it, the Family was a significant force within the Prefecture City.

But Lin Feng's situation was even worse than he had anticipated.

As an illegitimate son, his status in the Family was awkward, and he was heavily marginalized.

Although his father was a high-ranking member of the Lin Family, he had many children, each with extraordinary talent, and had no time to spare for this son with low cultivation and mediocre talent.

After acknowledging their relationship, he was assigned to the Hundred Herbs Hall, a Spirit Medicine shop in a remote location in the West City, under the guise of training, but it was essentially no different from exile.

"An illegitimate son, marginalized..." Su Chengyuan rubbed his teacup, lost in thought.

A marginalized Disciple eager to prove himself and having no say in the Family was much easier to control and cooperate with than those arrogant direct descendants in high positions.

Having made up his mind, Su Chengyuan paid for the tea and headed toward the West City according to the address on the Jade Slip.

Hundred Herbs Hall was located on a quiet street in the West City.

The shop's storefront was small, the interior was dimly lit, and the shelves were sparsely stocked with some low-grade Spiritual Plants, most of which were in poor condition and ignored by everyone.

A thin young man was lazily slumped over the counter, dozing off.

It was Lin Feng.

Su Chengyuan pushed the door open and entered, the sound of the door hinges creaking waking the young man.

"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy?" Lin Feng's spirits lifted when he saw a customer, and he hurriedly came forward to greet him.

When he saw the visitor's face clearly, he was first stunned, and then a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.

"Wang... Senior Wang? It's you!" He quickly came out from behind the counter and gave a respectful bow.

"Little Brother Lin, I hope you have been well." Su Chengyuan smiled and nodded. "I came to the Prefecture City to handle some business and didn't expect to run into you here. You are..."

The joy on Lin Feng's face faded, replaced by bitterness and embarrassment: "It's a long story. I've made a fool of myself in front of Senior."

He invited Su Chengyuan to the back hall, served some coarse tea, and then briefly recounted his experiences after returning to the Family.

His words were filled with helplessness regarding reality and confusion about the future.

After a few pleasantries, Su Chengyuan asked as if casually, "How is the business in Little Brother Lin's shop?"

At the mention of this, the smile on Lin Feng's face faded slightly, and he said with a bitter smile, "To be honest, Senior, as you can see, it's deserted. The Family only allocates me low-grade Spiritual Plants; I can't even earn a few Spirit Stones in a year."

"Big Families have many troubles." Su Chengyuan took a sip of tea and didn't comment much on the Lin Family's internal affairs, but instead changed the subject, "However, since we happened to meet today, it's perfect. If I need some older Spirit Medicines in significant quantities, I wonder if Little Brother Lin could obtain them?"

Lin Feng's eyes lit up: "Of course I can! Senior, just say the word! As long as there are Spirit Stones, let alone older ones, I even have ways to transfer second-tier spiritual herbs from the Family!"

To him, this was not just business, but an Opportunity to prove his ability to the Family.

"Only, Senior, you aren't joking with me, are you?" After calming down, he found it somewhat hard to believe. "I am just..."

"I never joke." Su Chengyuan interrupted him. "The person behind me needs a stable, reliable, and tight-lipped supplier of Spirit Medicine. I think you are very suitable."

Lin Feng's chest heaved violently. After a long silence, he suddenly stood up and gave a deep bow to Su Chengyuan: "If Senior can trust Lin Feng, Lin Feng will certainly not fail your trust! As long as there is a demand, I will handle things on the Family side!"

"Good." That was exactly the attitude Su Chengyuan wanted. "Don't be in a hurry; this matter needs careful planning. If you trust me, first find a way to see if you can connect Hundred Herbs Hall's supply channel with the Family's core Spirit Medicine Garden.

Especially the main ingredients for refining second-rank pills like the 'clear spirit pill' and 'bone forging pill,' or even the foundation establishment pill. When I come back next time, I hope to see your sincerity."

"Definitely! Definitely!" Lin Feng promised excitedly.

Su Chengyuan didn't stay long. After leaving an opening for cooperation, he took his leave.

Back at the inn, Su Chengyuan recounted everything that happened during his meetings with Zhao Shan and Lin Feng, as well as the information he had gathered, to Su Cheng.

"The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce isn't very strong, with only a Foundation Establishment Peak President presiding in the Prefecture City, which meets our expectations.

This Zhao Shan is quite upright and can serve as our contact with the Chamber of Commerce. Next, we'll see if they have the courage."

"The Lin Family is powerful, but Lin Feng is useful. He is looked down upon by everyone in the Lin Family and now desperately needs an Opportunity to prove himself.

As long as we give him this Opportunity, we don't have to worry about him not being used by us. By using him, we can leverage the Lin Family's Spirit Medicine resources, saving us countless troubles."

Su Cheng listened quietly, the eyes behind the mask sparkling with the light of wisdom.

"And for Lin Feng..." Su Cheng paused, "An illegitimate son marginalized by his Family suddenly gains access to vast resource channels—how do you think his so-called brothers will think? What will they do?"

Su Chengyuan's heart stirred, instantly understanding his son's underlying meaning.

"Are you planning to... use the Lin Family's internal strife to push Lin Feng completely to our side?"

"No." Su Cheng shook his head, "I just want to see if a rabbit locked in a cage will grow biting teeth after tasting the sweetness of a carrot.

We give him fish, but we must also teach him how to fish. A Puppet who only knows how to be obedient isn't worth much.

An ally who knows how to use the resources we provide to clear his own obstacles is what I want."

Su Chengyuan looked at his son before him, filled with emotion.

He was still on the first level thinking about how to cooperate, while his son was already on the fifth level, starting to think about how to cultivate a qualified 'Agent.'

This Heart-Nature and calculation really didn't seem like that of a teenage boy.

"Then next, we..."

"Wait." Su Cheng said only one word, "Wait for the people from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to come looking for us themselves."

...

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, inside a heavily guarded secret room.

The atmosphere was quite heavy.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce, a middle-aged Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Peak, was sitting around an octagonal table with three Vice Presidents at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

In the center of the table, three jade boxes sat quietly.

Zhao Shan stood bowed to the side, not even daring to breathe loudly.

"Perfect Quality qi gathering pills..." The President picked up the Medicinal Pill and examined it repeatedly, his eyes flashing with sharp light. "I've only heard of Medicinal Pills of this quality being given as rewards to Genius Disciples in those great Sects. That Alchemist's background is definitely not simple."

"Indeed." A lean-faced Vice President nodded in agreement. "To be able to refine such Medicinal Pills, the Legacy behind them is likely beyond our imagination. This is indeed a massive Opportunity."

"Hmph, an Opportunity? I think it's more like a trap!" Another Vice President with an aquiline nose snorted coldly, his eyes full of suspicion. "An unidentified Loose Cultivator and an Alchemist who dares not show his face want our Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to risk our lives for them? On what grounds? What if this is a trap set by one of our rivals?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the secret room became even heavier.

"Vice President Li has a point." The President mused, "This matter indeed requires caution. Zhao Shan, did you notice anything unusual when you were in contact with that Wang Lin?"

Zhao Shan hurriedly recounted all the details from his initial meeting with Su Chengyuan to helping him, and then to this meeting.

"Ruthless in action, exceptionally intelligent, and also values loyalty..." After hearing this, the President's evaluation of Su Chengyuan rose even higher. "This person is definitely no ordinary character. But the more he is like this, the more careful we must be."

A flash of ruthlessness crossed the eyes of Vice President Li with the aquiline nose: "President, in my opinion, it would be better to just capture that Wang Lin! He's just an Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. Under torture, we can force out the location of the Alchemist behind him! As long as we can control the Alchemist, won't this wealth be our own?"