Cultivation: Being Immortal

Yunzhong City, auction

The disciples from Five Elements Sect were amazed by Lin Jiang's arrogance, even the sect's golden core. Five Elements Sect only gives a salary of ten thousand spirit stones to the golden core disciples per year. Even though no one relies on the salary to make a living, it's still a lot.

"No wonder Xiao Yi wants to become a disciple of Nascent Soul. He's so rich. Senior brother, tell me, how did Zhang Wanjing Martial Uncle choose him over me at such a young age?"

"Ahem, junior brother, be careful. What if Nascent Soul can hear our conversation?"

"That couldn't be true."

"A few years ago, some Martial Uncles wanted to join forces to steal Xiao Yi' business, but Zhang Wanjing Martial Uncle stopped them. At that time, I thought those Martial Uncles were too petty. Now, I realize that the fool is actually myself."

"After we go back, we need to cling to Senior Brother Xiao's leg. It's so ridiculously powerful."

Inside the private box of Five Elements Sect, the disciples were whispering and discussing. The heartless Lin Jiang naturally became the main topic of their conversation.

"Kid, now it's time to spill the beans. How much money did you make? If you don't tell the truth, I won't let it go tonight."

"Teacher, I don't have much money. I can earn around one hundred thousand spirit stones in a year from the restaurant. The Pill Hall and Talisman Hall would give me about two hundred thousand, so in a year it won't exceed four hundred thousand spirit stones. This is my twenty years' worth of savings."

Lin Jiang reluctantly confessed that eighty percent of what he said was true. Even though he may seem wealthy and heartless now, it was actually accumulated over twenty years. He had advanced this year's dividends in advance.

"Twenty years, forty thousand in a year? You have more wealth than me, kid. Despite that, you're still thinking about the fifty thousand spirit stones?"

"Teacher, you don't understand the hardships your disciple has been through. These years, I've been frugal and saved every penny. I even used up most of my savings on the Spirit Integrating Pill..."

Lin Jiang immediately complained about being broke. He thought these years had been quite unpleasant. When Yue Qing and the others received money, they would spend it carelessly. As for him, he had to be frugal.

Even so, the expenses over the years were not small. The largest portion went to the Spirit Integrating Pill, followed by Small Shadiao. He had already reached the peak of the Third Order with Small Shadiao. Finally, there were Lin Jiang's own expenses. His cultivation had reached the peak of the Building Foundation stage, and he had consumed a lot of medicine over the years. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was like eating it as a meal.

The real place to save money was in personal enjoyment. If he were like Yue Qing and marry multiple mistresses, have a dozen children, and frequently attend Palace Banquets for lavish feasts, no amount of money would be enough.

"Alright, alright, stop complaining about being broke. I won't take anything from you."

"Even if you wanted to take it, it wouldn't be possible. This time I came to Yunzhong City, I've spent all my money."

Lin Jiang said that he had a bunch of nice things in his storage bag, which he thought he could get for free. But actually, they were all exchanged with shiny spirit stones.

"No one is arguing with you. You can go and deliver the elixirs now."

Zhang Wanjing told Lin Jiang that he was being too arrogant, as he defeated all his opponents directly.

Lin Jiang nodded and quickly went to deliver the elixirs. Along with the transaction fee, he took out two hundred and ten thousand spirit stones and filled up a whole medium-sized storage bag.

Afterwards, Lin Jiang swaggered back with Zhang Wanjing. He wasn't afraid of being robbed anymore. If he had been an independent cultivator before, now he had to think about where to hide.

······

"Lin Wu, you really shocked your Third Auntie last night. It seems like you're doing well in the Five Elements Sect."

Early the next day, Lin Die came to Lin Jiang's door and spoke to him.

"It's alright, nothing special."

"You were right not to go back to the Lin family, the Lin family wouldn't give you such great benefits."

"Third Auntie can speak openly."

"Third Auntie also took a liking to the Five Elements Golden Fruit Pill from last night, it was intended for Lin Dongyan's breakthrough."

"Lin Dongyan？"

"Your eldest uncle's descendant, the eighth generation of the Lin family."

"Sorry, Third Auntie, I also need this pill."

"You are Zhang Wanjing's disciple, can't you get any Pill Refining treasures from the Five Elements Sect? This shouldn't be the case."

"My master indeed had a quota for a pill, but he gave it to my senior brother. He didn't want to show favoritism, and I didn't even mention it."

Lin Jiang shook his head, the Five Elements Sect also distributed a batch of Pill Refining treasures in the previous years, but Lin Jiang didn't bother to apply, not wanting to make things difficult for Zhang Wanjing.

"That would be a shame, as Lin Dongyan has great talent."

"Auntie, how skilled is the Lin family in alchemy now?"

"It's alright. Among the fourth generation descendants of Second Elder Brother Lin He, there is a prodigy in alchemy named Lin Chengzhi. He is currently a fifth-level Alchemist. The family has paid a great price to let him study under Pill King Li Ruoxu for ten years."

"Being a fifth-level Alchemist is impressive. Auntie, would you be interested in collaborating once and concocting a batch of Spirit Integrating Pills?"

"Do you have the ingredients for the Spirit Integrating Pill?"

"The Spirit Integrating Pill requires twelve main ingredients. I have gathered nine of them and forty-five types of auxiliary medicinal materials. Do you have the recipe?"

"Yes, tell me what materials you have obtained. Perhaps we can gather enough for a batch."

"They are all here."

Lin Jiang took out a storage bag from his person and handed it to Lin Die. He had over a dozen storage bags on him, each containing various things.

"We are missing one main ingredient, but it's not a problem. I'll send a message to Lin Ying and ask her to go to the Wilderness to find it."

"Alright, I'll leave these herbs to you. When the medicine is finished, please give me at least one pill. Is that okay?"

"You're being stingy, only taking one?"

"Consider it a small favor to the family."

Lin Jiang shook his head. He already had a Spirit Integrating Pill and a Five Elements Golden Fruit Pill. With another one, he thought it should be enough. It shouldn't be as difficult as breaking through the Building Foundation stage.

"No, I can't take advantage of you like this."

"How about this? Does Lin family have a fourth-order Demon Core? I want to help Small Shadiao break through."

"Yes, a few years ago, father killed a fourth-order monster."

"Is it a flying-type?"

"No, it's a Rock Beast, but if you need it, we can help you get it."

"Then it would trouble you. I will buy a Tier 4 Demon Core with money, but I don't have any now. Can I wait a few more years?"

"We are all family, let's not talk about this."

"Business is business. How about this, you should have people in Medicine City too, right? After I go back, I will find them and get you some good things."

Lin Jiang said, with his authority, it wouldn't be difficult to get some good things from the Five Elements Sect.

"Don't violate the rules of your sect."

"Don't worry, I'm not foolish. Everything is reasonable and compliant."

Lin Jiang nodded, he wouldn't do anything improper, guaranteeing that others would have nothing to criticize.

"Alright, it's settled then. When the time comes, you will go to the Lin family's residence in Medicine City. Remember to be discreet and not expose our relationship."

"I know."

"I'm leaving first."

Lin Die nodded and then went to find Zhang Wanjing. It seemed like they just passed by and had a few words. The time they spent discussing was not long.

In the following days, Lin Jiang continued to buy things. He still needed some other medicines for his injury, and he wanted to buy them all at once. If he didn't have enough money, he would borrow from others. His reputation was very good, so it was easy for him to borrow money.

After the celebration in Daqing, Lin Jiang helped Zhang Wanjing with the accounts. Wow, this time the Five Elements Sect spent billions of spirit stones.

"Master, I think we should have gotten one-fifth of the good things from the Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration, right?"

"What 'we,' it's the sect's."

"Yeah, our sect's."

"Almost, about 80% of the good things were taken by other forces, and the remaining 20% were bought by independent cultivators like Li Ruoxu. Most independent cultivators and small forces only managed to buy about 10%."

"Is this considered a trap?"

It can be considered as one or not. First of all, whether it's the Yunzhong City Centennial Celebration or our Medicine Conference, we have brought out really good things. But these good things are very expensive, and not everyone can afford them. The real buyers are those forces in Yun State that have medium or higher strength, just like this time's Pill Formation treasures.

Even if a few dark horses occasionally appear, it doesn't matter. After all, the three sects are not afraid of Yun State having a few more small forces at the Golden Core stage. The Foundation Establishment treasures will not be brought out.

We are playing this way, hoping that independent cultivators will participate, to trade and provide some of the good things they have obtained, to integrate resources for mutual benefits and without harm.

"It's an opportunity to harvest them. They really know how to play."

"This is the way things work in Yun State. The major sects have many traps waiting for you to fall into. You have no choice but to fall into them. Do you know why I am eager for changes in the sect? It's because once the sect declines, if the Zhonghang Sect and Cloud Sword Sect don't weaken, they will not hesitate to pounce on us and devour us. Then we will be the ones being harvested."

"If there are signs of decline in the Zhonghang Sect and Cloud Sword Sect, we will also take a bite and help accelerate their weakening."

"Definitely, in the world of cultivation, the strong prey on the weak. If you're weak, you're just a piece of meat. That's why the three sects have been cautious about expanding for many years. Expansion can fail, so they choose to adopt a defensive stance."

"It's equally cruel."

Lin Jiang sighed. The life of an independent cultivator was harsh, just like being part of a sect. Unless you remain a small fry, responsibility and obligations are shouldered by others. Otherwise, you have to confront this kind of cruelty head-on.

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