43: Chapter 43 Initial Contract and Hidden Aid at the Shop

The message was as brief as this: Midnight, North Mountain Hollow, Old Lanruo Temple, Qin.

When Lin Chen received the message, he was meditating inside the cave, trying to tame the surging spiritual energy within his body caused by his Foundation Establishment.

Old Man Shi hunched his body, repeated these few words, and then retreated back into the corner, as if he had only spoken some inconsequential small talk.

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes; the flickering firelight inside the cave reflected two tiny flames in his pitch-black pupils.

Qin—this character represented not just Qin Ruowei, but also that heavy old ledger and a crack that might tear open the Li Family's blockade.

He stood up and walked over to Su Qingyao, who was concentrating on drawing basic Talismans.

Her expression was focused, the cinnabar brush dancing across the yellow paper. Although there was occasional hesitation, she poured all her heart and mind into every stroke.

A rich scent of medicinal herbs mixed with a faint fragrance of ink emanated from her, adding a touch of worldly warmth to this cold, damp cave.

"Qingyao, I need to go out tonight." Lin Chen's voice was very low.

Su Qingyao's hand holding the brush paused slightly. She didn't look up, only softly replied, "Mn," before asking, "Do you have enough Medicinal Pills? I just refined a new batch of Qi-Returning Pills; the quality is better than last time."

"It's enough." Lin Chen's gaze fell on her slightly tired profile, and his heart warmed slightly. "When I'm away, if there's any unusual movement, Senior Liu will take charge of the Formation. Above all, prioritize your own safety."

He didn't offer further explanation, and she never asked.

This silent tacit understanding was more profound than any grand vow.

At nightfall, the moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, leaving the mountain forest in pitch-black darkness.

Lin Chen followed the route in his memory, moving silently through the night.

After Foundation Establishment, his five senses became exceptionally sharp. The rustling of wind through the treetops, the cry of night owls in the distance, and even the crawling of insects hidden under rotting leaves were clearly fed back into his mind, forming a three-dimensional sound map.

The old Lanruo Temple in the North Mountain Hollow had long been dilapidated, leaving only a few broken walls and ruins.

Lin Chen did not approach directly but circled to the hillside behind the temple, using an old locust tree as cover to take in the entire ruin.

His Divine Sense spread out quietly like spilled mercury, confirming that within a hundred zhang, there was no one else except for a figure sitting on a section of broken wall, their aura slightly hurried.

The figure was wearing dark, agile clothing suitable for movement; it was Qin Ruowei.

She seemed to have been waiting for a while. The mountain night wind blew through her tied-up long hair, making her appear lonely yet stubborn.

After confirming it was safe, Lin Chen stepped out from the shadows, his footsteps making a faint rustling sound on the fallen leaves.

Hearing the sound, Qin Ruowei stood up abruptly, her right hand subconsciously pressing against the short blade at her waist, her body taut like a bow.

"It's me." Lin Chen's voice sounded exceptionally calm in the night.

He walked slowly to the patch of open ground where the moonlight could pierce through the clouds, raised his hand, and slowly wiped away the ointment on his face that had changed his skin tone, revealing his true appearance.

It was a young but sharp-featured face, devoid of the timidity and mercenary nature of a Loose Cultivator, replaced by a calmness inconsistent with his age.

Especially those eyes, which were startlingly bright in the dim light, as if they could see through a person's heart.

Qin Ruowei's pupils contracted suddenly.

She had imagined various appearances for the other party, but she hadn't expected him to be so young.

But this did not affect her judgment; a person who could scheme against the Qi Family and Li Family under dual pressure could never be measured by age.

She didn't ask about his background, only released her grip on the knife hilt and took out a stack of neatly folded papers and a scroll from her bosom.

"This is a list of all the herb-gathering teams, Loose Cultivators, and small herb gardens around Liuyun Market that have not signed a life-contract with the Li Family. It includes the types of medicinal herbs they excel at gathering, their general activity ranges, and past transaction prices." She handed the papers over, getting straight to the point.

Lin Chen took them and browsed quickly by the faint moonlight.

The handwriting on it was elegant and powerful. Every piece of information was marked in great detail, even noting the temperaments and taboos of certain herb gatherers.

This was definitely not the work of a single day.

"This is the cooperation contract I drafted." Qin Ruowei then unfurled the scroll.

Lin Chen's gaze fell onto the scroll.

The core of the terms was not much different from what he had expected: she, Qin Ruowei, would, as an individual, establish and manage a brand-new shop for the "Lin Family" in Liuyun Market, dealing in Medicinal Pills and Talismans, and would be responsible for all daily procurement, sales, accounting, and intelligence gathering.

In return, the Lin Family must provide a stable and sufficient supply of Medicinal Pills and Talismans, and be responsible for the absolute safety of the shop, especially regarding external pressure from the Li Family.

Profits, split fifty-fifty.

She would have full decision-making power over the daily operations of the shop, only needing to consult with Lin Chen on major matters such as shop transfer or the appointment/dismissal of core personnel.

The final clause was her hope that the Lin Family could provide her with a place to live, a place where she could completely get rid of the entanglement of those blood-sucking relatives of the Qin Family.

Lin Chen read it extremely carefully, not missing a single word.

His right fingertips subconsciously rubbed the coarse stone ring on his thumb; the cold touch made his thinking clearer.

"The terms are very comprehensive." Lin Chen looked up and stared directly into Qin Ruowei's eyes. "But there are a few places that need modification."

Qin Ruowei didn't speak, just watched him quietly. She picked up a palm-sized, flat piece of wood from the ground and unconsciously tapped her long fingers against it, making a "da, da" sound, waiting for what he had to say.

"First, intelligence." Lin Chen extended a finger. "You can handle the shop's accounts and daily intelligence yourself, but I need a separate line. All deep intelligence regarding the movements of the Li Family, the Qi Family, and the high-level Cultivators in Liuyun Market must be reported to me regularly and separately. Only you and I will know about this line."

Qin Ruowei's fingertips tapping the wood paused. After pondering for a moment, she nodded: "That's fine."

"Second, a place to live." Lin Chen continued. "I can arrange for you to stay near Luoxia Valley; it's absolutely quiet and undisturbed. But for the time being, your identity can only be that of an 'externally hired Chief Manager' for the Lin Family in the market."

He deliberately blurred the specific location, only mentioning Luoxia Valley as a decoy that had already been targeted by Deacon Ya Jiu.

A flash of understanding crossed Qin Ruowei's eyes.

This was expected; the other party could not possibly expose his core base to an ally he had just met.

She nodded again: "Reasonable."

"Third, the profit split." Lin Chen's tone was unquestionable. "Six-four. Six for the Lin Family, four for you. But within that four percent, you can use one-tenth as your personal compensation without it going into the shop's public accounts. My people cannot live for just a breath of air."

Qin Ruowei's fingers tapping the wood stopped completely.

She looked at Lin Chen in surprise.

She had assumed the other party would use his advantage to push her share even lower, but she hadn't expected him to proactively carve out a portion of the profit as a personal guarantee for her.

This was not just a concession in terms of profit, but a gesture of sincerity.

She was silent for a long time; the mountain wind blew, and her clothes rustled in the wind.

Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "That's fine. But I need to see the samples of the first batch of goods first, and... the sincerity with which you will deal with the Li Family's suppression."

Qin Ruowei's gaze became as sharp as a knife. "Li Mao is not a pushover. Once our shop opens, he will certainly use every means to kill it off. I need to know, when his people block my door, is it a fierce tiger standing behind me, or a paper tiger?"

Lin Chen smiled, a smile of extreme confidence.

He didn't answer directly but asked in return: "Do you think someone who could escape unscathed from the dual blockade of the Qi Family and the Li Family, and then turn around to find you, would be afraid of a dog that only knows how to bark?"

Before the words had even faded, he stopped suppressing his aura.

A pure and heavy Spiritual Pressure belonging to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, like an invisible mountain, suddenly descended upon the ruins!

The Spiritual Pressure was not violent but incredibly dense, as if even the air had frozen because of it.

Qin Ruowei felt her breath catch; all the spiritual energy in her body trembled under this pressure, nearly coming to a standstill.

Her Qi Refining Stage 4 cultivation was, in front of the other party, as insignificant as an ant compared to a Dragon.

She widened her eyes in shock, staring fixedly at the young man in front of her.

Foundation Establishment! He was actually a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

This Spiritual Pressure lasted only for a breath before Lin Chen retracted it completely, as if it had never appeared.

"Is this sincerity enough?" Lin Chen asked in a calm tone.

Qin Ruowei's chest heaved violently. Her eyes looking at Lin Chen had changed completely, from scrutiny and guard to a complex mix of awe and fanaticism.

She nodded vigorously, her voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Enough!"

"Very good." Lin Chen handed the contract back to her. "Modify it as we agreed. Three days later, at this same hour, wait for me at the exit of that abandoned mine tunnel on the west side of Liuyun Market. I will bring the first batch of samples of Medicinal Pills and Talismans, and... help you solve the first problem."