What does this have to do with the Shen family?

Lin Qinghen couldn’t immediately connect the dots, but he didn’t show his surprise right away. He simply raised an eyebrow, a look open to interpretation, waiting to see how the other party would respond.

As expected, Mu Jiu took the cue and continued.

“The Red Round Wheat in Die Meng’s Medicine Garden is indeed of superior quality. It’s top-notch, just a hair’s breadth from breaking through to a five-star level, though it hasn’t quite reached it yet,” Mu Jiu said. “The primary ingredient determines the quality of the final product, but there are exceptions. I’ve long heard that among the Seven Great Families, the Shen family is an alchemist family with exceptional natural talent. Their family’s alchemy abilities aren’t like regular alchemists’; they have a special effect on enhancing pills. Now I finally get to see it.”

As an alchemist, Mu Jiu was naturally highly sensitive to anything related to pills.

Lin Qinghen wasn’t worried after hearing this; if he decided to work with the Alchemist Association in the future, they would discover it sooner or later. But figuring it out and discovering the real reason behind it were two different things.

He had heard of the Shen family Mu Jiu mentioned—they were indeed somewhat connected to him. It was Shen Luoying’s family. However, due to Shen Luoying’s situation, the Shen family was on bitter terms with Lin Zhongtian and hadn’t even sent anyone to attend Lin Qingshuang’s birthday banquet. If they had shown up, people like Lin Yunsi and Yuan Rongrong from Fu Xin Hall wouldn’t have had the chance to sit in the main seats at the Lin family’s pill refining competition.

The Shen family’s inherited talent was quite different from other alchemist families. Their family’s spiritual essence was also a type of Xiao Cao, but on close inspection, you could see faint golden threads running through the leaves. This golden thread symbolized the Shen family’s extraordinary alchemist ability—they could create pills of higher quality, even elevating the materials’ base level.

Alchemy talents sometimes mutate, but only the Shen family had successfully passed down such talent through generations. Because of this, the Shen family had been one of the longest-standing families on the continent. However, since only a few direct descendants inherited this golden-threaded talent in each generation, their number of direct heirs was limited. Otherwise, with such a heaven-defying talent, Fu Xin Hall would have no chance to compete.

The current Shen family patriarch’s famous victory was in refining the Nine Revolutions Qiankun Pill. Using only eight-star heavenly-tier materials, he refined a nine-star heavenly-tier pill and became the only living nine-star alchemist in the Spirit World. It was said that Shen Luoying’s talent back then was equally astounding, but she was tragically ensnared in the Lin family’s backcourt schemes.

Lin Qinghen had never met anyone from the Shen family, but the abilities granted by his system bore some resemblance to theirs. The difference was that he had to earn his enhancements.

“There’s a big world out there, and Shen family members aren’t the only alchemists with talent enhancement abilities,” Lin Qinghen replied unhurriedly, “And besides, who said I don’t have five-star Red Round Wheat?” He added casually, “President Mu, it’s not that easy to see through Die Meng’s alchemists. If you’re trying to probe me, we can take our time after a proper partnership is established.”

Mu Jiu chuckled, knowing when to stop, and didn’t pursue the matter further. This was his first time encountering someone like Lin Qinghen. Despite deciding to collaborate, Mu Jiu’s curiosity lingered—just what was Lin Qinghen planning to do next?

He had a feeling Lin Qinghen’s skills extended far beyond what he had shown so far.

When Lin Qinghen and Mu Jiu returned to the Yin household, everyone in the hall was still exactly where they had left them, not a single person moving an inch. Yin Hengxie’s anger over the Lang Clan matter was boiling up, but for Lin Qinghen’s sake, he forcibly restrained it.

Lin Qinghen didn’t keep him waiting for long, nor did he disappoint him. He returned with Mu Jiu and, without wasting any words, took out a Gathering Origin Spirit Stone from his bag and tossed it to Yin Hengxie right in front of everyone.

The fury in Yin Hengxie’s heart immediately died down by half.

In his rush to catch it, his hands trembled. After all, he hadn’t touched such a thing in eight years.

“Qinghen…”

Lin Qinghen cut straight to the point, not in the mood for any nonsense.

“This was part of my deal with the Alchemist Association. Don’t think for a second that this thing naturally belongs to the Yin family. I’m giving you one to use for three months. As for the remaining one, it depends on how the Yin family performs,” Lin Qinghen stated plainly. “And don’t get any funny ideas. Though my spiritual power isn’t that high, everyone knows I carry protective spiritual devices. If anyone gets a foggy mind and tries to attack me, I may or may not die, but for sure, the Yin family’s good days will come to an end.”

The Simulation Training Ground was for the benefit of the entire Yin family, not just a handful of people.

At that moment, Mu Jiu also spoke up, reinforcing Lin Qinghen’s point to discourage anyone in the Yin family from making foolish moves.

“Our Alchemist Association has indeed struck a deal with Die Meng. Without Lin Qinghen, the association would no longer operate in Lei City. We’re already at odds, so if the Yin family insists on making foolish moves, they can join us in mutual destruction.”

Yin Hengxie wouldn’t dare.

Anyone with a working brain knew better than to touch a hair on Lin Qinghen’s head right now. In fact, they’d have to protect him with their lives, fearing any harm would befall him.

“I swear to protect Qinghen,” Yin Hengxie declared solemnly. “Anyone in the Yin family who dares to disrespect the Young Master or the Young Master’s wife will face family punishment. Those who commit severe offenses will be executed publicly. I mean every word.”

The conviction in his voice was firm, a stark contrast from his earlier tone.

Now that Xu Yaoyang was gone, Yin Hengxie indeed held all the authority here. Still, despite his clear resolve, he couldn’t shake a lingering question.

What was Lin Qinghen really trying to accomplish?

Even Yu Yinyin didn’t fully understand. Lin Qinghen hadn’t explained much beforehand, only saying they’d discuss it after things were settled.

Now that he had managed it, within just two days, both the Alchemist Association in Lei City and the Yin family had willingly aligned themselves with him, ready to follow his lead. It was time for him to achieve his true goal.

Lin Qinghen dismissed the irrelevant people in the hall, leaving behind Yu Yinyin, Yin Jiuxiao, Mu Jiu from the Alchemist Association, and a few loyal family members, including Yin Hengxie, Yin Miao, and Elder Ye, who was currently behaving very obediently.

Before everyone, he spread out a map of Lei City. Several key areas were marked on the map, with notes written on it.

If asked what Lin Qinghen wanted to achieve, the answer had never changed. He wasn’t interested in playing power games. From the beginning to the end, he simply wanted to cultivate a prosperous farm.

The inspiration came from his new crop research, which gave Lin Qinghen confidence and presented him with a new challenge.

These plants needed specific soil mixtures and proportions and required a larger plantation area. Most importantly, the growth period differed significantly from the Red Round Wheat. The shortest growth cycle was three months, and the longest, such as the source tree for Gale Powder, would take nine months to bear fruit.

Unlike Red Round Wheat with its special Yellow Tier One Star growth traits, Lin Qinghen’s newly modified spirit plants required a considerable amount of ripening agents, with higher-grade demands than Red Round Wheat. He had tried it before—even with excellent pill quality, the cost of ripening agents would still cause a financial loss.

So, from a profitability standpoint, ripening agents were no longer a viable option, and the income from Die Meng wasn’t enough for Lin Qinghen to indulge in them for long.

Faced with such challenges, he had to shift his thinking quickly.

First, to speed up pill refining proficiency and reduce production time, he couldn’t waste these months. He needed funds for initial investment, and if Die Meng couldn’t provide it, the Alchemist Association certainly could.

Second, with ripening agents off the table, Lin Qinghen needed to expand the plantation scale to maximize profits. He wasn’t worried about his core technology being stolen—the larger the operation, the better. Die Meng didn’t have the land, but the Yin family did.

Yin Jiuxiao had mentioned it to him as soon as he arrived in Lei City. The city was divided into factions. Yin Hengxie controlled the northern area, Elder Ye held the central section, and Xu Yaoyang managed the southern area.

Each area had its own characteristics. Yin Hengxie’s northern area was lively, linking to resource-rich outlying areas that attracted adventurers. Elder Ye’s central section was more stable and secure, while Xu Yaoyang’s southern region had suffered the least damage and held large tracts of arable land.

“I must kill Xu Yaoyang,” Lin Qinghen explained, “firstly, because he’s always been restless, stirring up most of the internal conflicts within the Yin family, leading to endless trouble. Secondly, because he’s truly a vile person who deserves to die.”

Lin Qinghen continued, “He’s been hoarding the limited farmland, driving up prices and strangling Lei City. It’s time he paid for his deeds with his life.”

Indeed, many lands in Bei Zhou were contaminated with demonic qi, limiting usable farmland. However, Lin Qinghen had discussed this with Die Meng’s old shopkeeper and learned that Lei City was still catering to the interests of a few people.

Currently, only one-third of Lei City’s farmland was in use; the remaining two-thirds was monopolized by Xu Yaoyang, with prices rising sky-high.

Lei City was so poor, yet its plantation rental prices ranked among the highest in Bei Zhou. When Lin Qinghen visited Die Meng’s garden, he saw that the medicine hall’s fields were cramped together as a last resort.

Yin Hengxie’s northern area, where he managed the land, had the lowest plantation prices. In some respects, Yin Hengxie was fairer.

Even the Alchemist Association’s initial partnership with Xu Yaoyang was largely due to this land issue, as the medicine hall needed a steady supply, and Xu Yaoyang held them hostage.

Now, this stranglehold was gone.

“With Xu Yaoyang dead, Yin family head, all of Lei City’s land is now under your control,” Lin Qinghen turned to one person, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Elder Ye Hongming? Do you have any objections? I mean all the land.”

Elder Ye wished he were invisible. Everyone’s gaze was on him, so how could he dare utter a “no”? If he didn’t agree, he’d be the next Xu Yaoyang.

“I have no objections,” he gritted out, “Naturally, I’ll follow the family head’s orders.”

Yin Hengxie listened to Lin Qinghen’s words, not quite understanding. “So, Qinghen, you mean we’ll lower the plantation fees? I have no issue with that. It’s long overdue…”

But Lin Qinghen shook his head, interrupting him.

“No, family head, you haven’t understood my intent,” Lin Qinghen said. “I’m talking about developing all the arable land in Lei City. The Alchemist Association won’t be able to take it all at once, right?”

“Lei City only has so many medicine halls, and how many workers do they employ? Not nearly enough.”

To maximize development in a short time, everyone needed to get involved.

“So, what do you mean?”

Lin Qinghen smiled, pausing for a moment to choose his words carefully.

—He’d have to explain this idea, a sort of family-based contract responsibility system, to these people who were still entrenched in a feudal mindset.

Even if they didn’t fully understand, it didn’t matter. He had gone through so much trouble to reach this point so that this plan could be implemented.

This was the true goal of a farmer at heart.

Author’s Note:

Lin Qinghen: I’ve done all this just to get everyone to farm with me. I hope they appreciate it. Thanks.