Chapter 80

"WHAT? The Jade Crystal Lustrous Fruit is gone? What's going on!" the city lord asked angrily, wondering if someone had taken it for themselves. But that couldn't be, these people were all personally trained by him. Could it be...?

"Lord, it was Miss Lin Qin. She said she needed the Jade Crystal Lustrous Fruit for cultivation. And you said that anything that helps with cultivation can be taken freely, as long as it's not excessive and reported afterward!" a young maid with a clear voice replied.

"Hmm..."

"Lord, there's nothing else. I'll take my leave now; there's still a lot to do!" The young girl wasn't particularly afraid of the city lord, but her tone was extremely respectful.

"Alright, you may go. And this month, you'll receive extra provisions. I heard that something happened at your home. Take whatever you need from the treasury, and tell them it's my order."

"Thank you, Lord!" The young girl looked at the city lord with gratitude, bowed, and ran out. She was determined to work hard to repay the city lord! As she ran, she thought, both sides are good people, and even Miss Lin Qin, who secretly gave her silver. Hmm, is this considered bribery?

After the young girl left, the city lord's face fell. He reached out into the void and pulled out the only remaining Jade Crystal Lustrous Fruit. This had been his only indulgence for so many years, and now it had been taken away by Lin Qin. He didn't know when the next batch would be ready. Thinking of the mischievous Lin Qin, the city lord smiled bitterly, walked out of the room with his hands behind his back, and looked up at the sky, holding the Jade Crystal Lustrous Fruit. In two months, how much would Lin Zheng and his group transform? He was really looking forward to the Seven Heroes Competition!

The wind picked up, and the clouds in the sky slowly dispersed, allowing the afternoon sun to shine down in large patches.

After sending off Wen Tianqing and Temu Zhan, Lin Zheng returned to his room to treat his injuries. The suppressed injuries suddenly burst forth, and Lin Zheng felt a tearing pain inside his body. Although the Three Lives Stone in his chest continued to rotate steadily, Lin Zheng noticed a subtle change after the battle, though it was very faint. Unable to explain it, he decided to stop investigating and sat down to focus on healing his internal injuries.

A cold and hot current flowed through his body, gradually restoring some of his strength. The spiritual energy in his meridians began to flow orderly, and the golden meridians seemed to have expanded slightly. The golden small hub became more solid, and the pattern it formed became clearer. Lin Zheng sent a thread of spiritual energy to his chest, but it still sank without a trace, with no reaction. Looking at the slowly rotating Three Lives Stone, Lin Zheng felt helpless and had to calm down again to focus on healing his injuries.

As night fell, Lin Zheng woke up from his meditation. His injuries were mostly healed, but he still needed some time to recover. The gap between Sages was indeed vast. One step was like a chasm, and each step was harder than the last. The Ninefold Cycle Step, spanning the heavens and earth! These were the well-known words on the Barbaric Continent, describing how each transformation after reaching the Sage realm was as difficult as ascending to heaven, and the more steps taken, the harder it became. After the ninth transformation, one would reach a realm akin to a celestial being, and entering the Heavenly Realm would be just around the corner.

Lin Zheng left his room and walked around the estate. People were busy with their work. Lin Zheng went to the kitchen and ordered a grand feast. The cooks happily agreed and quickly began to prepare, making the kitchen noisy. Ignored by everyone, Lin Zheng touched his nose and left the kitchen, heading to the main hall.

"Third Brother, how are your injuries?" Lin Qin sat at the table, eating nuts and spitting out the shells. Seeing Lin Zheng enter, she quickly asked.

"Girl, this kid is much tougher than you think. Like, like a cockroach that can't be killed. Yes, a cockroach!" the rogue wolf glanced at Lin Zheng and then turned to Lin Qin.

"Nothing serious, just a few days of rest, and I'll be fine. But this time, I made some significant gains. I believe after some time to digest them, I'll make another breakthrough." Lin Zheng said as he sat next to Li Ruoshui, picked up her teacup, and drank it all.

"Then we'll set off tomorrow according to the plan! Everything is ready. While you were healing, the Wen and Tumu families sent gifts, and the city lord has already sent the dowry and a substantial gift in advance!" Lin Wen added.

"Alright, let's finalize it. I've already ordered a grand feast for tonight. We'll have a good meal, and then start our journey tomorrow. Lin Wen, go and urge them, and also invite the Luo family over." Lin Zheng said to Lin Wen.

Lin Wen nodded and left. Soon, various delicious dishes were laid out on the table, and the rogue wolf brought out several jars of wine that smelled mouth-watering, grinning at everyone.

"Hey, Old Wolf, where did you get this from?" Lin Qin teased.

"Well, a few days ago, I passed by a house, and the family insisted on giving me a few jars. I couldn't refuse their kindness, so I took them!" the rogue wolf said with a high-minded air.

"Hehe, I heard that a few days ago, the Wu family in the city lost a batch of valuable aged wine. I wonder if it was the family you visited?" Li Ruoshui asked with a smile.

"Hmm, this wolf doesn't know. This matter has nothing to do with such a noble and upright wolf. Don't think the wrong way!" the rogue wolf said with a righteous expression.

Everyone laughed. Soon, Lin Wen brought the Luo family over. Except for Luo Lingling, the other three bowed deeply to Lin Zheng and his group. Before Lin Zheng could speak, they had already risen. Lin Zheng had to invite them to sit down. Luo Lingling sat next to Lin Qin, and after some hesitation, Lin Wen forced them to sit down.

"Alright, don't be so formal. We'll be leaving for a while, and the Lin estate will be under your management." Lin Zheng drank a cup with everyone and slowly said. He then explained their departure and drank another cup. "Luo Lingling, the management of the estate's finances will be in your hands. Take care of the other courtyards as well. I've already asked the city lord to look after the Lin estate. If anything happens, you can go directly to the city lord's residence. I've already made the arrangements. Of course, you can also go to the Wen and Tumu families!"

Lin Zheng paused and then said to the old Luo, "Old Luo, all matters in the estate will be under your control. Handle all the social engagements as you see fit. If anyone comes to give gifts, accept them all." He believed that the news of today's events had already spread among the various factions. During the upcoming competition with the other six cities, many would join their faction, and now was the best time to build relationships. Human relationships were strange; if someone gave a gift and you didn't accept it, they would feel disrespected. Only by accepting the gift would they feel at ease, even if you didn't agree to their request. Lin Zheng and his group now had the qualifications to do so.

After finishing his speech, Lin Zheng drank a third cup with everyone, and the old Luo, his son, and daughter-in-law left. They had a lot to prepare, and even Luo Lingling, after eating a few bites, rushed off to work. Luo Lingling was now very busy. As the "little landlady," she now controlled a large new industry. Although many people were about to go to the Unrivaled Peak for cultivation, their servants, subordinates, and families would stay in Unrivaled City for two months. A large number of people also flooded into Unrivaled City to watch. Most of these people stayed in the inns that Luo Lingling had converted from residential buildings, and the daily income was substantial. As Luo Lingling moved towards becoming a "big landlady," she also began to transform.

Only Lin Zheng and his group remained. Without any reservations, they began to discuss how to visit the other cities. Li Ruoshui, blushing, leaned on Lin Zheng, listening to the others' discussions. The rogue wolf waved his hand and shouted that he would definitely go as a distinguished guest, but was then given a lot of wine by Lin Qin and others. The rogue wolf, naturally, was not afraid of any challenge, but he lost the chance to speak. Everyone discussed excitedly for a long time, even though it was just a proposal and not even an engagement, they were still very enthusiastic and discussed until late at night.

Lin Zheng and Li Ruoshui left the discussion early, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. They sat on the roof and talked for a while. The moon was bright, and the night was beautiful. The moonlight poured down like a waterfall, and the two sat side by side, with the stars twinkling in the sky. The gentle night breeze stirred their hearts, which were tightly intertwined.

The next morning, everyone got up, washed, and had breakfast. They prepared to set off for Zeshui City. The city lord's carriage was already waiting outside. The Luo family saw Lin Zheng and his group off, and in the morning mist, the carriage slowly accelerated and headed out of the city.

Just outside the city, they heard several shouts. A hurried sound of hooves followed, and two horses galloped up to Lin Zheng's carriage. On the two tall horses sat Wen Tianqing and Temu Zhan. They dismounted and threw several wine skins to Lin Zheng and his group.

"Finally caught up! If this brute hadn't insisted on getting the wine, we would have been here earlier. We almost missed it!" Wen Tianqing said, holding a wine skin.

"Ha, this is the famous wine from the Tumu family. Here, it's for your journey. Old Tumu can't say much, but I wish you a smooth journey and a quick return!" Temu Zhan raised his head and drank a whole skin of wine, then smiled at the rogue wolf. The rogue wolf laughed loudly and drank a whole skin of strong wine. Wen Tianqing, changing his usual scholarly demeanor, also drank a whole skin of wine and laughed heartily. Lin Zheng and his group smiled at each other and drank the wine in one go.

After drinking, they chatted for a while. Temu Zhan and Wen Tianqing mounted their horses and galloped away without looking back. They also had to start their special training, as they would fight for Unrivaled City in two months. Lin Zheng and his group got back into the carriage, escorted by two teams of impressive soldiers, and continued their journey to Zeshui City!

PS: Here's the second update. It's very hot today, and I almost got baked after going out for a walk. Everyone, please pay attention to sun protection, especially the ladies! Yes, I'm still asking for red votes and favorites!