Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Uncle Zhao, who routinely delivers supplies and messages every month, arrived as scheduled.

He was still wearing a crisply starched gray robe, and his full head of silver hair was neatly combed.

His wrinkled face was serious, without a trace of a smile.

Lin Zhaoru stepped forward to greet him as usual. After a few pleasantries, she steered the conversation to the elixirs that cultivators were most interested in:

"Uncle Zhao, is it possible to exchange for Gathering Yuan Pills in the clan? I've already run out of pills."

Uncle Zhao shook his head slightly, his voice steady and calm, carrying an unquestionable tone:

"The clan elders are currently breaking through the bottleneck of becoming a first-tier high-grade alchemist and don't have time to refine other pills. The clan's stockpile of Gathering Yuan Pills should be prioritized for the cultivation of the ancestral disciples."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If you need it urgently, you'll probably have to go to the market and buy it yourself."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhao's heart sank slightly.

This means that the cost of cultivation will increase significantly—the preferential channels within the family have been temporarily closed.

When the topic turned to the current situation of his peers, Uncle Zhao spoke a few more words, mentioning Zhao Ziming's hopeless infatuation with Lin Xuan.

"Xuan knows what Zimo is thinking."

Uncle Zhao spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about something unrelated to himself, "But for now, she only sees him as a younger brother and has no other intentions. Besides—"

He paused briefly, a complex emotion flashing in his cloudy yet still clear eyes:

"Xuan had a big fight with her father a while ago, and their relationship is very strained. Now is not the time to talk about this."

Lin Zhao's doubts deepened.

Sister Xuan has always been cheerful and straightforward, and is not someone who makes trouble unreasonably.

The conflict with my uncle this time was so intense that it was probably more than just a matter of cultivation and interpersonal relationships.

He tentatively asked, "Uncle Zhao, what about Sister Xuan...?"

Uncle Zhao waved his hand, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Lin Zhao knew she wouldn't get any more information out of him.

It seems we still need to find out more about Liu Yifeng's background before making any decisions.

However, at this time, many people are unwilling to get involved in the conflict between the Liu family and Master Feiyu, so they have to ask someone they know.

Lin Zhao then asked, "Uncle Zhao, if the Liu family and Master Feiyu continue this commotion, how will it end? Will it affect the stability of the market?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhao couldn't help but chuckle.

He shook his head, his tone resolute:

"You're overthinking it. Remember, Qingfeng Market has only one master—that is Master Qingming."

His gaze darkened slightly: "As long as the head of the workshop remains firmly in his position, these current events are nothing more than minor disturbances beneath the surface, and they won't cause any major upheavals."

The Lin family has stood for over three hundred years; what storms haven't we weathered? Put away your worries and focus on your cultivation. These matters are none of your concern.

Uncle Zhao's words were resolute.

Lin Zhao outwardly agreed respectfully, but the doubts in his heart did not dissipate. Instead, they spread like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating even larger ripples.

---

After Zhao Bo left, Lin Zhao sat alone in the room, her mind filled with turmoil.

He reviewed the information he had gathered that day, but a vague unease lingered.

The original plan was to use the spirit stones accumulated over five years to exchange for more valuable Gathering Yuan Pills through internal family channels—a standard benefit for family members cultivating.

But Uncle Zhao directly told him to go to the market to buy it, citing the shortage of pills as the reason.

This is unusual in itself.

The Lin family has over three hundred cultivators, with more than one hundred at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

The Gathering Yuan Pill is the most suitable cultivation resource at this stage, yet the family is unable to supply it.

Furthermore, why is it always Sister Xuan, a woman, who is at the forefront of the disputes related to the Liu family?

What about the younger generation of the Lin family? Is there truly no one capable, or is there another hidden reason?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his family's power in Qingfeng Market was actually much weaker than he had imagined.

Although the Lin family has declined, it is still a cultivation family with a history of more than 300 years and its foundation remains.

In recent decades, I haven't heard of any serious injuries that could cause serious damage.

However, considering the current situation—a shortage of core medicinal ingredients, a strained market economy, and increasingly cautious and low-key actions in external affairs—it's clear that...

Beneath this calm surface, there are likely hidden currents he is unaware of.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Lin Zhao's mind like lightning, causing his back to stiffen slightly:

Could it be that the family isn't truly declining—but rather actively shrinking its power?

Bring your scattered fingers back and clench them into a fist.

Either it's to be on high alert and defend against foreign enemies, or it's to deliver a more powerful and accurate punch at a crucial moment!

"Furthermore, were the seemingly ordinary words spoken by Uncle Zhao today intended as a hint, or were they unintentional remarks?"

Lin Zhao took a deep breath, suppressing the pounding in his heart. "There's too little information... It seems I need to go out and explore."

---

After saying goodbye to his father, Lin Zhao set off for the market to buy the Gathering Yuan Pills necessary for his cultivation.

Shops selling elixirs lined the streets of Qingfeng Market.

The largest and most established shop is naturally the one opened by "Baicao Sect", one of the three major sects.

The three major sects' businesses are spread across seventeen markets, but prices have always been high.

In addition, the shops owned by the shop owner and several Foundation Establishment cultivators also sell elixirs.

However, these places often only do large-scale business and are not enthusiastic about cultivators like him who buy pills in small quantities.

Lin Zhao walked easily to a small shop called "Juchuntang".

This shop is quite peculiar; it only sells Gathering Essence Pills.

It is said that the shop owner is a first-level mid-grade alchemist who has devoted his life to this art. With no distractions, the quality of his pills is extremely stable, and the price is 10% lower than the market price. They are often in short supply.

He stepped into the store.

A fragrant aroma, a blend of various medicinal herbs, wafted to my nose.

The shop was simply furnished, with medicine cabinets lining all four walls. A young man dressed in a blue cloth robe and with a simple face was bent over a wooden table checking accounts.

"Fellow Daoist, please. I'd like to purchase five bottles of Gathering Yuan Pills," Lin Zhao said, stepping forward to explain his purpose.

The young man looked up at the sound, his eyes calm and unwavering. Without saying a word, he turned away swiftly.

He took out five small bottles, as white as mutton fat jade, from the medicine cabinet behind him, checked that the sealing talismans were intact, and then gently pushed them onto the counter.

"Thank you for your kindness, thirty low-grade spirit stones."

Lin Zhao opened the bottle stoppers one by one. Ten round, plump, and white pills lay quietly inside each bottle, their medicinal properties pure.

He counted them correctly and handed over thirty spirit stones brimming with spiritual energy from his storage bag.

Feeling the storage bag suddenly become much lighter, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

Five years of hard work have been wiped out in an instant.

At the current rate of consumption, without any spirit stones coming in, the savings won't last a year.

A first-tier low-grade talisman master can no longer support his current cultivation.

Cost reduction and revenue generation are now urgent priorities.

---

After purchasing the elixirs, Lin Zhao did not go straight home.

He turned to the most bustling area of ​​the inner district and entered a five-story pavilion called "Tea Talk Pavilion".