Cultivation begins with earning spirit stones

Chapter 31 Preparing to Open a Shop

But Zhang Lin had already prepared a response.

"Brother Lin said that he was sent out by his master to gain experience and collect spiritual herbs."

"Opening a general store was just a side thing; the main purpose was to have a place to stay and to collect some local medicinal herbs."

Zhang Lin appeared calm.

He also said that although Qingyun Town is small, it is located on the edge of the Southern Wilderness Continent, and the types of medicinal herbs in the mountains are very different from those in Yunmeng Continent. Some of these herbs are very valuable in Yunmeng Continent.

These words are reasonable.

It's perfectly normal for disciples of the Danxia Sect to set up a shop along the way to collect herbs when they go out to gather them.

Qi Yuntian pondered for a moment, then nodded.

That makes sense.

He patted Zhang Lin on the shoulder and said, "It's your good fortune to be chosen by the disciples of Danxia Sect."

"Our Shangqing Temple is too small to keep people here. I'm so happy for you that you have a brighter future."

"Thank you for your understanding, senior brother." Zhang Lin cupped his hands in thanks.

"No need to thank me," Qi Yuntian waved his hand, then added, "There's just one thing you need to remember."

"Please speak, senior brother."

Qi Yuntian's tone was unusually solemn. "Danxia Sect is a major sect with many rules and complex interpersonal relationships."

"With your qualifications, if you ever go there, observe more, listen more, and speak less. Don't offend people easily, and don't trust people easily either."

"Your disciple will remember this."

Zhang Lin bowed deeply.

Qi Yuntian nodded, took out a cloth bag from his pocket, and handed it over.

"This is my monthly allowance for the past few months, a total of fifteen spirit stones. Please take it; it's a small token of my appreciation as your senior brother."

Looking at the cloth bag, Zhang Lin felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Fifteen spirit stones are no small sum for Qi Yuntian.

Shangqing Temple was poor, and the disciples' monthly allowances were pitifully small. Even Qi Yuntian, as the abbot's eldest disciple, received only five spirit stones a month.

These fifteen spirit stones were his monthly allowance for three months.

"Senior brother, this..."

"Take it." Qi Yuntian stuffed the cloth bag into his hand. "When you're out and about, you can't get anywhere without money."

"Although Danxia Sect is good, you've only just started working with that senior brother, so they might not give you spirit stones. These fifteen spirit stones aren't much, but they should be enough for you for a while."

Zhang Lin held the cloth bag, remained silent for a moment, then clasped his hands in a deep bow.

"I will always remember my senior brother's kindness."

Qi Yuntian smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said nothing more.

Zhang Lin bid farewell to Qi Yuntian and returned to his residence, where he packed a few changes of clothes and some odds and ends into a bundle.

He stood in the room, looking around.

He lived in that little house for more than three months.

It was cramped and simple, but it was also his first place to live in this world.

Zhang Lin wasn't sentimental; he shouldered his bag, turned, and went out.

When he reached the mountain gate, he stopped and looked back.

The gate of Shangqing Temple is dilapidated and worn, the paint on the plaque above the gate has peeled off, and the three characters of Shangqing Temple are somewhat blurred.

Several Taoist priests were sweeping the courtyard, chatting and laughing, seemingly engrossed in something.

Smoke curled up from the kitchen chimney, creating a serene atmosphere in the afternoon sun.

Zhang Lin withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked down the mountain.

He didn't turn around.

It took half an hour to walk down the mountain, and we finally reached the foot of the mountain.

Zhang Lin changed into a clean, light blue robe made of magical artifacts, covered with a black brocade robe, and tied a jade belt around his waist. He walked calmly toward Qingyun Town.

By the time we arrived in Qingyun Town, the sun was already setting.

The streets were sparsely populated, mostly with ordinary vendors packing up to go home and wandering monks.

Zhang Lin went straight to Heming Hall.

Inside the shop, Sun He was fiddling with an abacus behind the counter, the clattering sound of the abacus particularly clear in the quiet shop.

Upon seeing Zhang Lin enter, Sun He put down his abacus, stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and put on a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, what brings you here? Please, have a seat."

Zhang Lin sat down in the living room, took the teacup handed to him by Sun He, took a sip, and got straight to the point.

"Fellow Daoist Sun, I'd like to open a shop."

Sun He tilted the teapot in his hand slightly, spilling a few drops of tea.

"Open a shop?"

He put down the teapot and looked Zhang Lin up and down, his eyes filled with surprise and scrutiny.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you are a disciple of the Danxia Sect. What are you doing running a shop while you're out training?"

"Collect the medicine." Zhang Lin said succinctly, "Qingyun Town is near the edge of the Southern Wilderness Continent, and the types of spiritual medicines in the mountains are very different from those in Yunmeng Continent."

"I would like to set up a medicine collection point here to collect the local medicinal herbs and transport them back to Yunmengzhou for sale."

"At the same time, we also sell some low-grade pills and unused magic artifacts from the Danxia Sect to exchange for spirit stones for working capital."

This reason is reasonable and consistent with Qi Yuntian's previous statement.

Sun He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and slowly nodded.

"That's true. It's quite common for Danxia Sect disciples to set up a collection point when they go out to gather herbs."

He paused, then continued, "However, opening a shop is no small matter. A shopfront, a source of goods—everything requires spirit stones and considerable effort. Have you thought this through, Fellow Daoist Lin?"

"I've thought it through." Zhang Lin nodded. "The shop doesn't need to be too big; one storefront will suffice."

"Regarding supplies, I have some pills and low-level magic weapons on hand, which can last for a while."

"I don't stay at the shop for long periods of time. It only opens on the fifth day of each month. Now, I would like to trouble Fellow Daoist Sun to introduce me to the market steward."

After listening to Zhang Lin's request, Sun He pondered for a moment and slowly nodded: "I am quite familiar with Steward Zhou."

"A branch of the Zhou family in Qingxuan City has served as the market steward in Qingyun Town for twenty years. He has deep roots and is adept at handling affairs. If Fellow Daoist Lin wants to open a shop, he will inevitably have to deal with him."

He stood up, took out a brocade box from behind the counter, opened it, and inside lay a jade token with the words "Fangshi" engraved on the front and the character "Zhou" engraved on the back.

"This is the token that Steward Zhou gave to this old Taoist priest before the New Year. With this, you can go to the Steward's Hall behind the market to find him." Sun He handed the token to Zhang Lin and added, "However, this old Taoist priest has a word of advice to give."

"Fellow Daoist Sun, please speak."

"The market is a mixed bag, with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Although Fellow Daoist Lin is a disciple of the Danxia Sect, he is still a newcomer and his foundation is not yet stable."

Sun He stroked his beard, his gaze deep. "Show your strengths when you should, and hide your trump cards when you shouldn't. Fellow Daoist Lin, you should weigh the pros and cons yourself."

Zhang Lin bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Fellow Daoist Sun. I will remember it."

After bidding farewell to Sun He, Zhang Lin left Heming Hall, walked westward along the main street of the market for more than a hundred steps, and turned into a small alley.

At the end of the alley, a small courtyard with blue bricks stands quietly, with a wooden plaque hanging above the gate that reads "Market Affairs Hall".

The courtyard gate was open, and inside stood two black-clad cultivators, both at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, with magical artifact tokens hanging from their waists, their eyes warily watching the passersby.

Zhang Lin stepped forward and handed over the jade token.

The black-clad cultivator on the left took the token, examined it, and then looked up at Zhang Lin, scrutinizing him before his expression subtly changed.

"Please wait a moment, young master. I will go and inform Steward Zhou."

After saying that, he turned and went into the courtyard.

A short while later, footsteps came from inside the courtyard.