Yin Jiuxiao’s sudden action startled Lin Qinghen for a moment. After everything that happened today, this was the first time he actually felt panicked.

What’s the point of a frail body like Yin Jiuxiao’s trying to stand as a shield? If anything happened to him, then all the plans Lin Qinghen carefully prepared today would lose much of their meaning.

But Yin Jiuxiao wasn’t the only one concerned about this.

When Yin Hengxie saw him step in, he visibly lost his composure even further. Lin Qinghen’s calculation had been correct—Yin Jiuxiao was indeed his greatest weakness.

In that instant, as Yin Jiuxiao shielded Lin Qinghen, he couldn’t fully see what was happening.

By the time Lin Qinghen got a clearer view, he realized that Yin Hengxie had somehow mustered incredible speed to block Xu Yaoyang’s strike for Yin Jiuxiao. In mid-air, Yin Hengxie took the hit from Xu Yaoyang’s powerful move, and at the same moment, the Nine Heavens Exquisite Cloud Sword struck with stored energy, piercing Xu Yaoyang straight through the heart, leaving him no chance to fight back.

Lin Qinghen didn’t fully witness the final clash; he had been blocked from view, and the intense impact of the spiritual force, combined with a blinding flash, made everyone instinctively raise their hands to shield their eyes, leaving none of them able to catch the full details.

Even Yin Hengxie himself hadn’t seen clearly. By the end of the fight, his vision was blurry, and he was acting almost purely on instinct. After that last strike, he was already nearly exhausted, seeing only hazy shapes before his eyes.

But Xu Yaoyang, in his dying moment, saw everything clearly.

He noticed there were two swords embedded in his chest.

One was Yin Hengxie’s sword—a familiar weapon he had clashed with countless times over the years. But the other sword was unfamiliar, almost shapeless, like a shadow appearing out of nowhere.

Yet this second sword was even more precise and painful than Yin Hengxie’s.

Xu Yaoyang looked down at his chest, expecting to see two wounds. But there was no sign of them, though the intense pain searing through his heart was undeniable. When he lifted his head, he saw those eyes.

Yin Jiuxiao stood in front of Lin Qinghen, and those normally dull, gray eyes of his had changed, becoming a haunting blend of black and red.

He stared at Xu Yaoyang, no longer resembling the useless blind man he had been before.

Xu Yaoyang saw Yin Jiuxiao silently mouth the words, his face dark and ominous, “You dare touch him?”

Xu Yaoyang tried to speak, but felt blood and something else rising in his throat.

How… could this be?

There were too many secrets about the Yin family he never knew. Only in his final moments did he catch a glimpse, but it was already too late.

Without uttering a word, Xu Yaoyang closed his eyes for the last time.

“Yin Jiuxiao!”

Lin Qinghen finally snapped back to reality, a bit of worry mixed with anger, as he shouted Yin Jiuxiao’s full name. He quickly pulled him over, checking him from head to toe to make sure he was unharmed. After giving him a stern warning to never act like that again, he finally felt a little relieved.

“What were you thinking?” Lin Qinghen scolded, “Stay behind me!”

The fall of a Heavenly Tier expert never went quietly.

As Lin Qinghen pulled Yin Jiuxiao back, the scene of Xu Yaoyang’s death was especially brutal. A bloody mist hung in the air, and fine drops of blood sprinkled in front of them, staining them both.

The spiritual power once belonging to Xu Yaoyang scattered, floating from his body like small light particles before finally vanishing into the air.

It was over.

In this battle, Yin Hengxie had taken the brunt of it. Yin Miao and Yu Yinyin hadn’t sustained any real injuries and hadn’t even expended much energy.

But despite it all, Yin Hengxie was still standing. The Nine Heavens Exquisite Cloud Sword, originally silver, was now covered in blood. He turned and looked at the members of the Alchemist Association.

No one had ever seen such a look in Yin Hengxie’s eyes—it was as if his bloodlust had reached its peak.

The two enshrined elders from the Alchemist Association were visibly shaken.

They hadn’t anticipated anything close to this before they arrived.

“Lin Qinghen! What exactly are you trying to achieve?”

Lin Qinghen’s mind was still on Yin Jiuxiao. He raised a sleeve to wipe the blood splatter off his face, which was now smudged with crimson spots.

Yin Jiuxiao, scolded by him earlier, seemed uncharacteristically obedient, keeping his head down as Lin Qinghen carefully wiped his face clean.

But Lin Qinghen himself looked far more terrifying now.

He hadn’t physically struck anyone, yet all of this had unfolded because of him, and now he looked like a figure drenched in blood—blood that wasn’t his own.

Red stained him from head to toe, the color seeping into his clothes, with specks covering him entirely, even on his eyelashes. Lin Qinghen, seeming mildly uncomfortable, wiped his face, smearing the blood across his skin and looking even more frightening.

Only a Yellow Tier Four Star cultivator, yet covered in the blood of a Heavenly Tier powerhouse like Xu Yaoyang.

Lin Qinghen—a man of low spiritual strength yet capable of instilling fear.

The silence was deafening.

After making sure Yin Jiuxiao was fine, Lin Qinghen felt his initial panic ease a bit. After a moment, he spoke slowly, “What are you afraid of? We have a contract, a binding pact that prevents both sides from harming each other while it’s in effect. I won’t harm you.”

The Alchemist Association still had its uses.

Lin Qinghen wouldn’t waste his day slaughtering everyone; he wasn’t bloodthirsty.

And even after the pact expired, he wasn’t worried about them trying to stir up trouble.

Temptations and threats—after the threat, there must be profit.

He had a plan for that too.

If the Alchemist Association had gone to such lengths for the Red Round Wheat, then what about something better?

Among the first improved strains Lin Qinghen had produced, there was one type of spirit plant that the system couldn’t use.

That Ruo Rong Grass—the main ingredient for crafting Healing Pills.

When selecting a recipe, Lin Qinghen had bypassed the Healing Pill because he already had Homeostasis Powder, which served a similar purpose. However, the improvement on the Ruo Rong Grass was one of the biggest.

It had advanced from Yellow Tier Five Star to Seven Star.

Using it to make Healing Pills was no longer comparable to basic Homeostasis Powder. Lin Qinghen had kept it aside precisely to use it as leverage.

Yu Yinyin had been holding onto this item all day—a palm-sized fruit of Ruo Rong Grass.

At Lin Qinghen’s signal, she tossed it to the people from the Alchemist Association.

Per Lin Qinghen’s earlier instructions, they had brought an alchemist with them today. When he received the Ruo Rong Grass, his expression immediately changed.

…Was this really Ruo Rong Grass?

The transformation was even more shocking than that of the Red Round Wheat; it was practically unrecognizable.

Lin Qinghen had already agreed to provide a basic healing elixir. Now, adding a high-level medicinal ingredient like Ruo Rong Grass to it transformed the deal’s significance.

If sold to the mercenary guilds, this would cover most of their regular needs for healing elixirs. The Alchemist Association in Lei City could secure additional partnerships.

With such profits on the line, fear and anger quickly dissipated—human nature was just like that.

“Have you finished looking?”

Lin Qinghen’s voice drifted over, light and nonchalant.

“I’m quite pleased with today’s partnership. Shall we continue this transaction?”

The Alchemist Association, though displeased with the day’s events, had no other options. Lin Qinghen hadn’t played by their rules, but the situation left them no retreat.

They now realized that Lin Qinghen had planned every step meticulously, including the Ruo Rong Grass reveal. He’d never only had the Red Round Wheat in his arsenal; he was simply waiting for them to fall into his trap.

Yet, despite recognizing the bait, they were still drawn to it. Considering the overall situation, they had no choice but to follow Lin Qinghen’s lead.

In front of everyone from the Yin family, the elders of the Alchemist Association gathered, forced to discuss their options. They took little time to agree that working with Lin Qinghen was indeed the best choice.

With Xu Yaoyang dead, meddling in the Yin family’s internal conflict would yield nothing.

If Yin Hengxie truly changed his ways now, given the Yin family’s influence in Lei City, the Alchemist Association couldn’t afford to antagonize them. Conceding now was the best—and only—option.

And beyond that, Lin Qinghen still possessed alchemists’ most coveted treasures.

One key point lingered—the Alchemist Association had always assumed that Die Meng’s alchemists weren’t highly skilled. The proof was that Die Meng had been offering only Homeostasis Powder in recent days.

The Association knew that Die Meng still had higher-grade ingredients in their stockroom. However, even with eager customers, they only sold Homeostasis Powder.

In this situation, the Alchemist Association continued to believe in its uniqueness.

After all, with so many alchemists in the Association, they assumed both Die Meng and the Yin family would still need them. Lin Qinghen’s reveal of the Ruo Rong Grass only validated this assumption.

With prospects and profits in mind, there was little reason to hesitate.

Lin Qinghen soon received the answer he had been waiting for, and everyone from the Lin family also heard it.

Seeing the Association members bow respectfully to him with subdued gestures, Lin Qinghen responded with a faint smile, “Lei City Alchemist Association wishes to collaborate with you once more.”

Lin Qinghen smiled, “Aren’t you curious about my request this time?”

The Alchemist Association elders exchanged glances before responding, “Die Meng’s medicinal fields and storefronts—the Association will assist…”

Yu Yinyin had discussed these terms in previous negotiations.

Die Meng’s existing storefront and medicine garden were far too small, so expansion had been necessary, though terms weren’t finalized immediately.

Lin Qinghen waved his hand, cutting them off.

“It seems you still don’t understand the situation,” he said. “Yes, Die Meng wanted those things before, but that was then. Things are different now. Why would I need to ask you?”

By now, Yin Hengxie and Yin Miao, standing beside Yu Yinyin, were keenly listening to Lin Qinghen. Die Meng’s alliance with the Yin family was evidently deepening.

Lin Qinghen had a voice within the Yin family now. Whatever he wanted, he could just ask Yin Hengxie for it. A few plots of land were nothing; Lei City had plenty.

The Alchemist Association hesitated, then asked, “What does the Young Master want?”

Lin Qinghen got straight to the point.

“The Association possesses two Gathering Origin Spirit Stones, which I hear were acquired by chance,” Lin Qinghen said. “I want them.”

The Association elders looked stunned, and the two enshrined elders hesitated visibly.

However, Yin Hengxie reacted the strongest. His grip on his bloodied sword tightened as he shuddered and rasped, “Qinghen, what… do you want Gathering Origin Spirit Stones for?”

All the other members of the Yin family also turned to look at Lin Qinghen.

These stones were precious, but their use was very limited, with the main purpose being to serve as the core spiritual source in a simulation training ground.

Simulation training grounds are designed to create near-realistic combat scenarios for Spirit Masters, invaluable for practical training.

But building a training ground is extremely difficult, affordable only for the continent’s top powers.

The Yin family once had one, which was once one of the continent’s finest simulation training grounds, but the family could no longer afford the upkeep and had lost the most critical Gathering Origin Spirit Stone.

Eight years ago, the simulation training ground had been shut down and hadn’t reopened since.

Two Gathering Origin Spirit Stones would allow for basic training ground functionality, which could last around half a year.

But simulation training was only beneficial to the combat system; Lin Qinghen would gain no advantage from it himself.

“For the Yin family,” Lin Qinghen said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’ve said it before—everything that happened today happened for a reason. I’m not here for revenge. If everyone could curb their reckless schemes and cooperate, everyone benefits.”

The Yin family still had hope.

And considering Die Meng’s current size, clinging to a single small medicine shop for growth was too slow.

There was no perfect partner from the start. Lin Qinghen’s immediate dissatisfaction with Die Meng left him with no choice but to pick an adequate foundation and start reshaping it himself.

If you want something done right, do it yourself.

For the Yin family, one round of discipline wouldn’t be enough to earn respect.