Before they even began planting, everyone was already comparing results.

Lin Qinghen didn’t expect this reaction from them, but a little healthy competition was always good. Comparisons lead to improvement, after all.

“I’m not playing favorites,” he replied with amusement, but still answered seriously. “The restrictions on the sign-up slots earlier were because certain things hadn’t been properly sorted—”

He paused, glancing to the side.

There were always some people who didn’t know what was good for them and tried to interfere, weren’t there?

His gaze shifted toward the Alchemist Association’s direction, where Mu Jiu was standing.

Mu Jiu had received quite a bit of news in recent days. Technically, there was no need for him to be here today, yet he still showed up, just to see Lin Qinghen in person.

There was a twinge of resentment—he had hoped Lin Qinghen would stumble so he could regain a little face for himself and perhaps secure some advantage for the Alchemist Association. But the other’s plans kept unfolding one after another, leaving him feeling uncertain instead.

Still, it wasn’t enough to turn into real hatred.

Seeing how things were going, Mu Jiu’s earlier dissatisfaction faded, replaced by a genuine respect for Lin Qinghen. With the Lang Clan now involved, he had no choice but to acknowledge his superiority.

He couldn’t afford to offend him. In Lei City, no one could stand in Lin Qinghen’s way.

With this realization, Mu Jiu lowered his head slightly and offered a conciliatory smile.

Lin Qinghen noticed and understood immediately, feeling a bit better in spirit.

He turned back to address the crowd. “Everything’s sorted out now. So, today there’s no limit on the alliance pledges. Form a line, one by one.”

The crowd was silent for a moment, then erupted into cheers.

Thus, Lin Qinghen’s citywide reform in Lei City officially began.

Today, Lin Qinghen was busy, signing one alliance pledge after another and watching as each piece of land was claimed.

Countless people passed by him, looking at him with eager, expectant eyes. The noise filled his senses, but he remained calm and collected.

Even though there were no restrictions, Lin Qinghen didn’t let things go too late. When the time came, he reassured those still waiting that they could sign tomorrow without any problem.

The plantation in the southern part of the city was vast, and with the Lang Clan now behaving, the area had become much more stable. There was even a plot outside the city that could be cleared. The supply of land was more than sufficient, with enough to spare for everyone.

After finishing the sign-ups, Lin Qinghen didn’t immediately leave. Instead, he took a stroll around the plantation, checking for any remaining issues.

Anyone who had questions received his guidance directly, as he didn’t consider himself an outsider. He made sure everything was in perfect order before he was done.

As night fell, the plantation was still bustling. Many people were filled with enthusiasm, seemingly prepared to work through the night in a fervor of activity.

Lin Qinghen remained steady and calm, navigating even the chaos with ease, exuding a sense of composure that reassured many. People who saw him felt an inexplicable comfort, and, due to recent events, their goodwill toward him had only increased. Many greeted him respectfully with, “Master Lin,” and Lin Qinghen would smile and nod back in response.

He wasn’t planning to stay up all night with them, though. After making sure everything was in order, he left the plantation. Members of Die Meng quickly drove over, intending to escort him back to the Yin family, but he declined.

“You go on,” he said. “Someone’s coming to pick me up.”

His gaze shifted in another direction.

Under a tree up ahead was a parked carriage, with Wei Lin sitting in the front. The carriage door at the back was half-open, as if someone inside had been waiting there for some time.

Perhaps they heard the commotion, as someone soon emerged from the carriage.

The staff from Die Meng recognized him at once—it was none other than Yin Jiuxiao, the person dear to their young master’s heart.

They then witnessed their usually composed and mature young master Lin Qinghen take on the demeanor of a young boy. A smile broke across his face, brighter than any he had shown all day, and he jogged a few steps forward, diving straight into Yin Jiuxiao’s arms.

Yin Jiuxiao caught him steadily, holding him skillfully, and asked softly, “Tired?”

Lin Qinghen shook his head and replied no, then asked how things went on his end.

“Very smoothly,” Yin Jiuxiao replied, meeting his gaze and gently patting his back. “Don’t worry.”

Yin Jiuxiao had spent the day handling reports from various departments. Both had their responsibilities to attend to, so they couldn’t stay together all the time, each managing their own duties.

Once Yin Jiuxiao had finished his work with the Yin family, he came immediately to pick him up.

When he arrived, Lin Qinghen was still inspecting the plantation. Wei Lin had asked if he should go in to let Lin Qinghen know, but Yin Jiuxiao stopped him.

“Just wait,” he said. “Don’t disturb him.”

Once Yin Jiuxiao said that, Wei Lin didn’t move. He thought to himself that Yin Jiuxiao was truly something else.

Since working with him, Wei Lin had come to see how two-faced this man could be. No wonder when they first met, Yin Jiuxiao couldn’t stop talking about Lin Qinghen.

Earlier, Yin Jiuxiao had interrogated the department heads, and though they tried to put on a good front, none had expected his scrutiny. They thought he might miss things, and even dared to cover up some truths in his presence.

They provided mostly accurate information, but there were still evasions here and there. And what happened next? Each discrepancy was caught by Yin Jiuxiao, who had done his homework thoroughly, and each offender was duly reprimanded.

Although it was Wei Lin who delivered the punishment, he felt that Yin Jiuxiao wasn’t merely a passive observer.

Some of the department heads were high-star Earth Tier with an edge in essence, and Wei Lin found it challenging to handle them.

Yet when the fighting began, he realized there was something strange about Yin Jiuxiao’s power. It was mysterious and subtle, and seemed to assist him without being noticed.

When Wei Lin brandished his dagger, he could feel an energy pressing down on the blade, helping to subdue the opponent.

He didn’t dare say it aloud, but he suspected that the power resembled demonic qi.

He sensed a distinct corrosive quality, though not entirely the same. It didn’t belong to him, and he dared not ask.

If Yin Jiuxiao’s power truly included demonic qi, it explained how he’d managed to kill the leader.

Though those men were Yin family members, Yin Jiuxiao showed no mercy. His authoritative presence allowed no disobedience.

But when it came time to pick up Lin Qinghen, he was like a different person entirely—his expression softened considerably, and he even brought along a cloak, waiting outside the plantation like a gentle and caring husband.

The two of them chatted quietly for a while, exchanging intimate words, and then boarded the carriage together.

Wei Lin couldn’t make out what they discussed, nor did he want to listen. Driving toward the Yin family estate, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

A power couple—one you wouldn’t want to cross.

Late into the night, the roads of Lei City weren’t easy to navigate. This area had long been barren, with only a few sparse lanterns lit along the way.

Wei Lin drove steadily, hearing occasional laughter from the carriage behind him.

Soon, the road ahead began to brighten, bit by bit.

This late-night journey felt like a metaphor for Lei City’s future. Lin Qinghen had already paved the way, and now it was just a matter of time.

It seemed everyone was full of hope.

In Lei City, Lin Qinghen was certainly the most unconventional of them all.

When others rested, he would mobilize the entire city, keeping everyone moving. Now that Lei City was finally on the move, he, in turn, was able to take a step back.

He had only been busy for those few days. Once all the pledges were signed, he didn’t return to the plantation. He’d seen enough, after all. There was no point in checking repeatedly. He wasn’t idle—there was always more for him to do.

He had taught them what they needed to know. Any questions could be directed to the Alchemist Association and Die Meng; for issues of order, people could approach the Yin family.

After all, it was Yin family land, and it had been agreed from the start that they wouldn’t simply collect benefits. They had to send people to maintain order.

At this point, he retreated to the small room in his courtyard, focusing on his research.

One aspect involved brewing various secret formula potions. Fortunately, the ingredients weren’t expensive, and now that the Lang Clan was on board, gathering these materials on a large scale was much easier.

Lin Qinghen had never hidden the formula ingredients—anyone with some skill could identify them, though the precise ratios eluded them.

On this point, Lin Yunsi had firsthand experience.

After joining Die Meng, Lin Qinghen held nothing back, even keeping him close by.

But once Lin Yunsi tried doing it himself, he realized the difficulty. Lin Qinghen would explain various concepts, citing sources and past experiments, leaving Lin Yunsi utterly bewildered.

Only then did he realize just how shallow his own knowledge was. Everything Lin Qinghen achieved was due to his foundations, not mere luck.

This only made him more determined.

“Don’t feel discouraged. Even my master, who’s a Heavenly Tier, can’t pull it off,” Lin Qinghen reassured him warmly. “Take it slow.”

He treated Lin Yunsi as a true apprentice, though sometimes Lin Yunsi wondered aloud, “Aren’t you worried, teaching me all this?”

Lin Qinghen glanced at him and shook his head.

Lin Yunsi was now part of Die Meng, having sworn an oath. As far as Lin Qinghen was concerned, he was his own person. Lin Yunsi had enough talent to make teaching him worthwhile—not just anyone would get this treatment.

Yu Yinyin had asked him once, and he’d answered that while his master excelled in other areas, it was better to invest time elsewhere when one couldn’t achieve mastery.

Jiuxiao, too, was aware of these matters. They were all people Lin Qinghen trusted, but knowing and mastering were two different things. Lin Yunsi was more like a test subject to him.

All things considered, Lin Qinghen hoped Lin Yunsi would soon be able to help lighten his workload.

Although there was no rush on the potion brewing front—the spirit plants in the fields weren’t ready for irrigation yet—supplying the entire Lei City was a monumental task, and even this was already exhausting.

Besides, Lin Qinghen had confidence in his own skills. His main expertise remained firmly in his hands. Lin Yunsi struggled with even the basic formulations, let alone understanding the principles behind them.

There was no chance of a “student surpassing the master” scenario here, nor did he fear betrayal.

More importantly, Lin Qinghen was already planning to look ahead and free up some time for other projects.

His method of using the demonic qi in the soil to enhance and improve spirit plants was universally applicable. Initially, to meet deadlines, he’d only selected five spirit plants with particularly strong meridians.

But if he kept searching, he’d surely find more than just those.