Sometimes, human nature is just like that. When something is given freely, people look at it suspiciously a few times before reluctantly reaching out, wondering if they’re being tricked. They can’t help but pick and choose with free things. But if everyone else is fighting for it, people won’t even think twice—they’ll scramble for it at all costs.

Lin Qinghen wasn’t exactly fond of all these twists and turns, but since that’s how the world works, he could play along just fine and handle it with ease. Even without the Lang Clan, he could manage things himself, but their involvement would only make things smoother.

You have to throw your chips one by one. Lin Qinghen had Yin Jiuxiao send word to the Lang Clan to wait for a bit; it wasn’t the right time for them to enter the city.

With the rest of the day, he paid a visit to Die Meng. He did what he needed to and left the outside world to stir. During this time, Die Meng Medicine Hall had hired a few new people, the store was expanding, and it looked much better than before.

Lin Qinghen brought Lin Yunsi along to familiarize him with the place and meet the people there. He also wanted to tally up the store’s cash flow and inventory to see how long he could keep this operation going out of pocket.

Lin Yunsi had been here once before, but upon seeing it again, he couldn’t help but sigh. Die Meng really was a tiny medicine hall, small enough to be insignificant. If it weren’t for Lin Qinghen’s presence, he would never have chosen this place.

Lin Yunsi sat around for a while today, meeting a bunch of people and getting a better understanding of his “colleagues.”

He already knew about Yu Yinyin; the Bee Crystal Butterfly’s essence was rare and a Heavenly Tier Six Star. Even within the Spirit World, it held a certain status. Although Lin Qinghen called her Master, Yu Yinyin now listened to him in all things. For instance, when Lin Qinghen decided to implement a cooperative contracting system, he had sought her opinion beforehand.

Using the Bee Crystal Butterfly’s essence solely on Die Meng’s small medicine garden would be a waste—Yu Yinyin’s capabilities extended far beyond that. So far, she had only revealed a small portion of her potential. Once the southern plot of land was distributed and contracted, Yu Yinyin would have her time to shine. The real show was still to come.

Once the Plantation in Lei City is fully developed, Die Meng’s presence will be everywhere. The Bee Crystal Butterfly is an additional asset, separate from farmland and not something he’d just hand out for free. Lin Qinghen would never let himself be shortchanged—he would always find a way to make it worthwhile in other ways.

The others might not be as talented, but they were undoubtedly loyal. Old Shopkeeper Xie had a clear head, managed the store well, and could handle major issues. Lin Qinghen didn’t have to worry about the day-to-day matters, which was more than enough.

Then Lin Yunsi met Xie Yun, the young girl Old Shopkeeper Xie kept close. She was now under Yu Yinyin’s guidance, who took time each day to coach her. The girl had grown visibly more spirited and wasn’t as timid anymore.

The girl caught Lin Yunsi’s attention—her talent was excellent, and Die Meng seemed intent on keeping her hidden, not letting her make too many public appearances. Lin Qinghen cared for her, too; the first batch of Spirit Soul Pills he refined hadn’t even been sold yet, as he had reserved most of them for her.

“Just Spirit Soul Pills won’t be enough,” Lin Yunsi murmured, glancing at Lin Qinghen. “I’ll get her some good stuff.”

Lin Qinghen turned to look at him.

“What’s with that look? Now that I’m part of Die Meng, making some medicine for one of our own is only natural,” Lin Yunsi replied, meeting his gaze. “I know why you went through so much trouble to bring me in. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to.”

After seeing Die Meng today, Lin Yunsi felt even more at ease. Though the place was small, it was well-organized, with each person fulfilling their role. Lin Qinghen’s recent whirlwind actions had changed Die Meng’s situation completely, but everyone remained steady.

This was a medicine hall with a real future. Even though it was still small, the initial team was firmly in place.

Lin Qinghen had made it clear before that he wanted Lin Yunsi to refine medicine for him, so Lin Yunsi understood his role well. He didn’t know why Die Meng didn’t have any prominent alchemists, as the Homeostasis Powder currently sold in the store was reportedly sourced by Yu Yinyin from some other alchemist. But their skills were limited, and they hadn’t shown themselves. They likely weren’t part of Die Meng, just collaborators, and couldn’t refine any Yellow Tier elixirs or higher.

As Die Meng’s chief alchemist, his position was secure. Refining medicine wasn’t a problem. He had checked out Die Meng’s warehouse, and the supplies were minimal—not a burden. He needed to keep his alchemy skills sharp, anyway.

“Alright,” Lin Qinghen nodded, relieved. “Since we have someone to refine medicine now, many things can move forward. Aside from Xie Yun, if any of you lack resources for cultivation, just let me know. If the warehouse is short on any materials, I’ll go find them myself. We can’t let our own people suffer.”

Though Lin Qinghen didn’t have much money on hand and was constantly spending his own, he was generous with his team. Because of this, everyone in Die Meng genuinely recognized him as their young master.

With Die Meng unified and bustling, everyone seemed to have their purpose. Lin Yunsi, however, stole a glance at Yin Jiuxiao. This man was mostly silent, occasionally leaning in to speak quietly with Lin Qinghen. Who knew what they were talking about? Judging by their conversation in the carriage earlier, Yin Jiuxiao wasn’t simple. His mind worked fast, at the very least.

Lin Qinghen was a mystery; Yin Jiuxiao even more so.

There were so many interesting things here. Lin Yunsi had only glimpsed a small corner of it, but he was already reluctant to leave.

He thought to himself, maybe his family patriarch, Lin Zhongtian, would have more than one thing to regret—he not only let Lin Qinghen go but also Yin Jiuxiao.

Tsk, leaving the Lin family and venturing out alone had definitely been the right choice.

Lin Yunsi worked faster than Lin Qinghen, and once he got serious, he was diligent. By the next morning, Die Meng’s counter was stocked with new medicines he had refined. Alongside the few types of medicine Lin Qinghen had made, there was finally a variety, making it look like a proper medicine hall.

Today was different; even before Die Meng opened, a line had formed outside. When asked, it turned out everyone was there to buy medicine.

The Spirit Soul Pills sold yesterday had apparently already made an impression. Two types: a Five-Star and a Seven-Star, each with a distinct effect. Compared to similar products, they were clearly superior.

The absorption of spiritual energy was much faster, and people felt exceptionally refreshed after cultivation. Despite the higher price, they were well worth it.

Now, after using this, going back to other medicines just felt lacking. It was hard to go back once you’d had the best.

Spirit Soul Pills are consumables, and Yellow Tier elixirs were affordable for many in the city. So, early in the morning, people were already lined up to buy more. Some had even come to see if the rumors about the medicine’s miraculous effects were true.

The new medicines sold out in less than a cup of tea’s time. The few bottles Lin Yunsi had made to clear out inventory were also snatched up. Latecomers could only leave with some Homeostasis Powder, disappointed.

“Apologies, our materials are limited, so we can only make this much,” the young assistant at the counter explained with a polite smile. “If we could make more, we definitely would, right?”

Customers grumbled a bit, but hearing this, they asked about the materials Die Meng was using, noting that they were indeed superior.

“It’s our young master’s new spirit plants! We’re really short on supply right now. The Young Master has been busy these days finding people to help plant them. Not just Die Meng, but even the Alchemist Association is waiting on these materials. We just can’t mass-produce yet, but we’re working on it.”

It was clear to anyone listening where the conversation was headed—back to the Plantation recruitment in the city’s south.

Running out of medicine was one thing, but now the hesitant folks were beginning to realize just how valuable this opportunity was.

So it really was quality stuff!

However, when people rushed to sign up for the plantation, they found that it wasn’t so simple.

The medicine was limited, and so were the spots for signing the alliance pact the next day. Only ten slots were available, just a few more than yesterday.

Lin Qinghen showed up briefly in the morning, and people eagerly awaited him. But the first ten had come even earlier; they were unfamiliar faces from the city’s north, and they wasted no time, heading straight to press their handprints on the alliance stone, receiving their seeds, and heading to inspect the land.

Those in the back looked on enviously, feeling a pang of regret.

Due to rumors and his appearance, the city’s people had seen Lin Qinghen as a villain, an overbearing figure. But today, he seemed pleasant and nothing like a bad guy.

Even a few people brought children along, and one timid child around four or five years old, after a moment of hesitation, looked up at Lin Qinghen and whispered, “Thank you, Big Brother.”

Lin Qinghen was taken aback. That hadn’t been staged by him.

Die Meng had supplied medicine during the recent rat infestation when this family had many injured people and couldn’t afford expensive treatment. They had been preparing to buy pricy alternatives when affordable Red Round Wheat appeared, and they were genuinely grateful.

“I don’t get all those terms, but I trust the Young Master wouldn’t harm us,” the man said. “Don’t worry; we’ll do our best.”

Moved by his sincerity, Lin Qinghen gifted him a bottle of elixirs.

“I think your child is approaching the Spirit Awakening stage. Die Meng has some Nurturing Origin Pills, but the stock is low, so I haven’t displayed them,” he said. “Consider it a token of friendship. Use it well for cultivation.”

His last words were for the child, and he ruffled the boy’s hair gently.

He seemed so unpretentious, nothing like the rumors. It wasn’t even a single pill—it was an entire bottle of Nurturing Origin Pills, perfect for someone about to undergo Spirit Awakening. For an ordinary family, it was a wonderful gift.

Despite signing up for only ten slots, Lin Qinghen stayed calm and cheerful, showing no signs of annoyance even when some later customers grew impatient. This was unlike the city’s big shots, who often looked down their noses at others.

“Everyone, please allow some time for preparation. I need to inspect each plot to prevent issues later. I hope you understand,” Lin Qinghen said lightly. “Come back tomorrow. There’s no rush; there’ll be more opportunities.”

In just these few days, the people of Lei City began to wake up. Due to the new medicines, Die Meng’s reputation in the city grew rapidly.

And it seemed that the city’s perception of Lin Qinghen was beginning to shift as well.