He even did things Lin Qinghen didn’t know about.

In secret, he contacted people from the Lang Clan Mercenary Group—not just anyone but the Alchemist Association, and even himself, Yin Jiuxiao.

To deal with such a force, charging in recklessly wouldn’t work. Their defenses were solid, and their numbers were many. Capturing the leader to take down the rest wasn’t going to be simple. There were countless barriers to overcome, and Yin Jiuxiao knew his current strength wasn’t yet enough for this.

In many ways, Yin Jiuxiao’s strategy was similar to Lin Qinghen’s. Fighting alone wouldn’t work; he needed a force of his own. Lin Qinghen was laying out his plans, and he wasn’t about to fall behind.

With Yin Hengxie managing the Yin family, Yin Jiuxiao had long lost interest in that mess, hardly finding anyone there pleasing to the eye. Besides, whether he wanted the power of the Yin family wasn’t a pressing question—he was the Young Master of the Yin family. With his strength revealed, no one would challenge him, and Yin Hengxie would probably be more than happy to hand everything over.

But now that the Yin family was stable, Yin Jiuxiao had no plans to interfere.

For now, he had decided to tell Lin Qinghen everything about himself. Whether he would reveal it to others depended on circumstances and what Lin Qinghen needed. He could hold himself back as a hidden trump card without showing his full hand, but he would still do what needed to be done.

In his previous life, Yin Jiuxiao had never fought alone. From the moment he returned for vengeance, he had gradually established his own power base. He hadn’t tried too hard, yet after a few battles, plenty of people willingly followed him.

But now that Lin Qinghen had chosen to settle down in Lei City, Yin Jiuxiao had no intention of wandering off. With a wife, who would want to roam about, braving the wind and rain?

If he had to pick a foundation nearby, Lang Clan was the obvious choice.

Others didn’t know how Lang Clan had risen, but Yin Jiuxiao knew very well.

Lang Clan had once been a loose band of mercenaries. Back when the Yin family was powerful, they weren’t even worth mentioning. The current leader had connections with the old Yin family.

He had been a minor servant in the family, barely making a name for himself. As an outsider, he felt unappreciated, and during the chaos in Lei City, he took off with some of the Yin family’s possessions.

Over time, he collaborated with a scattered mercenary group and gradually built what Lang Clan is today, even taking over a large piece of the Yin family’s original territory, becoming a local power.

Because of his past, Lang Clan’s leader has been eyeing Lei City, eager to settle old grudges and crush the Yin family beneath his heel.

Yin Jiuxiao had previously looked down on them, but there weren’t many choices around here—especially after hearing more about them.

Due to their formation history, Lang Clan wasn’t exactly rock solid. Like the Yin family, their internal structure was unstable, which was a chance Yin Jiuxiao couldn’t pass up.

Lang Clan had two Heavenly Tier leaders. The head leader was the one who had taken the Yin family’s possessions, while the other was more of a strategist, originally leading the old mercenary group that formed Lang Clan. Together, they recruited Spirit Masters scattered around Lei City, building the current Lang Clan.

However, the two had gradually developed differences, or rather, they had them from the beginning, but things exploded recently over collaborating with the Lei City Alchemist Association.

The leader wanted to avenge his years of resentment toward the Yin family, aiming to strike Lei City and using the Alchemist Association as a backdoor to sneak in.

The strategist, however, disagreed. He held no grudge against Lei City and only wanted to obtain the special Red Round Wheat, hoping to expand their influence with it rather than clash with the Yin family in Lei City.

This difference had persisted for a long time. In the beginning, they tolerated each other, but now that the future of the entire mercenary group was at stake, it had become an irreconcilable issue.

If they genuinely joined forces with the Alchemist Association, there would be no turning back.

Lin Qinghen didn’t know this, but Yin Jiuxiao did. Seeing this, he decided to make his move.

When Lang Clan connected with the Alchemist Association, Yin Jiuxiao reached out to the strategist.

The message he sent was simple: Lei City was more dangerous than expected, and collaborating with the Alchemist Association would yield nothing. The Red Round Wheat was out of reach, and attempting this would likely backfire. Additionally, Yin Jiuxiao subtly hinted that it would be wise to reclaim control if things weren’t going his way.

This was an indirect suggestion for the strategist—essentially a call to rebel.

The strategist had considered this but hadn’t acted because he lacked the strength.

Both Lei City and the surrounding areas were isolated, making it difficult to find other suitable allies. And a single misstep could bring disaster. So, he remained cautious about Yin Jiuxiao’s message.

Yin Jiuxiao had sent this message before Lin Qinghen made his moves, careful not to reveal himself.

Seeing the approach, the strategist knew he was dealing with no ordinary person. They left things open-ended, each side testing the other.

Yin Jiuxiao knew they were after Die Meng’s Red Round Wheat, and he was prepared to protect Die Meng for Lin Qinghen, removing any potential threats at all costs.

Initially, he hadn’t rushed, planning to take his time. The Alchemist Association, devious as they were, kept stalling. But who knew Lin Qinghen would act so quickly, shaking things up and hastening their actions?

Honestly, his Qinghen was a treasure—he’d unknowingly helped him push things forward.

The changes within the Yin family weren’t a secret. News had already spread. The night the Discipline Hall met, the entire Lei City heard about it.

The Alchemist Association, however, hadn’t followed through as expected, leaving Lang Clan’s plans ruined.

More importantly, if Lei City united, Lang Clan would be in danger.

Lin Qinghen’s actions were like a stone hitting the water, sending out waves that unsettled everyone.

Yin Hengxie wasn’t one to show mercy. Given the chance, he would reclaim lost land swiftly, perhaps as soon as the next day.

This wasn’t just an internal disagreement within Lang Clan anymore—it was a life-and-death crisis.

Yet the Lang Clan leader was still unwilling to let go, even continuing to contact the Alchemist Association to uncover the reasons behind it all, while the strategist was ready to flee with everyone in tow.

But even sensing danger, it was still the leader who held power in the Lang Clan. The strategist, weaker in power, couldn’t overrule him. As the founder of the original mercenary group, he felt helpless and ultimately turned back to Yin Jiuxiao—the mysterious figure who had sent him that message and who had been right at every turn.

After all, he didn’t want to see his own creation destroyed. His determination to reclaim control had never been stronger.

Originally, Yin Jiuxiao just wanted a foothold, but with Lin Qinghen in the picture, he had to make Lang Clan submit, and quickly.

Killing off thousands in a mercenary group was unrealistic. Recruiting them would be best. Yin Jiuxiao even thought it’d be ideal to put them to use in Die Meng.

For a thriving medicine hall, its own protection was essential.

Besides, Lin Qinghen was currently balancing Lei City. Though the Alchemist Association and Yin Hengxie had heeded his plans, there were always dissenters, like Steward Wang.

In truth, Lin Qinghen was still painting a grand vision. He lacked the tangible strength to silence everyone, which required time.

Yin Jiuxiao didn’t want him fighting alone; he wanted to help. Not only would this benefit Die Meng, but it was also the best outcome for Lang Clan. If they couldn’t win, joining was a better option than fleeing.

With benefits aligned, this plan could work.

Leaving his courtyard, Yin Jiuxiao moved with swift and stealthy steps, unnoticed by anyone.

Not long after, Lin Qinghen, out surveying farmland, ran into Steward Xie from the Yin family. Steward Xie filled him in on the recent events and relayed Yin Jiuxiao’s decisions in detail.

Honestly, Steward Xie was slightly surprised. This person whom his Young Master had chosen was far from ordinary. Lei City’s so-called “waste” was indeed hiding something and seemed a perfect match for his Young Master.

“Alright, let’s go with his plan,” Lin Qinghen replied, pausing before asking, “Did you tell him I’ll be back late today?”

Steward Xie nodded. “Yes, of course. Your instructions were followed precisely.”

Then he noticed a playful smile spread across Lin Qinghen’s face.

“Alright,” he heard Lin Qinghen murmur to himself, “I’m curious to see exactly what he’s up to.”

Lately, Lin Qinghen had been spending less time on research. He already had plenty to digest from his current work.

Right now, he was interested in studying Yin Jiuxiao.

Plus, Lin Qinghen’s latest system task had left him with no leads.

[Progression Task Two: Seek Out the Lost Spirit Plants.]

「Requirements: Throughout Spirit World’s transformations, many valuable spirit plants have vanished or become extinct. Host must locate at least two of these recorded lost plants.」

「Reward: Natural Affinity +6, Detoxification Pellet (¼ portion), Unlockable Influence: Additional Yield. Completing the task with extra effort may unlock hidden rewards.」

When Lin Qinghen first saw the task, he was blank, without a single idea and even a bit of disbelief.

What? These system tasks are getting harder. You know these are extinct plants—how am I supposed to find them?

This one would need careful planning.

Since binding with the system, he finally pulled himself out of the relentless task-completion mindset.

Without any clues, he wasn’t in a rush. Instead, he focused on planning some real-world accomplishments, digesting the previous system rewards and research.

And, of course, digesting Yin Jiuxiao.

Lin Qinghen also wanted to get a good look at his partner, to see just how many secrets he was keeping. After all, he had time.

No need to rush; he could take his time.