After a long time away, they came to Profound City again. Obviously, there were more people here than before. Beautiful and handsome disciples of cultivation families could be found everywhere, walking along the streets dressed in bright and elegant clothes, looking very lively.
There would be a huge entrance examination for the sect in a few days. Almost all the cultivators who wanted to take this opportunity to enter Profound Sky Sect had already arrived.
Lin Xuanzhi took Yan Tianhen to the Flowing Moon Pavilion, where the rest of the Lin family were staying, and met the disciples who were going to participate in the examination.
This time, when they saw Lin Xuanzhi again, they were all polite and courteous.
“Young Master.”
Lin Xuanzhi gently raised his hand, “No need to be polite.”
He looked around at the Lin family’s most promising disciples, “How is your training these days?”
Lin Zezhi replied, “Thanks to this location, which is rich in spiritual Qi, that the Yuan Family provided, our cultivation has unexpectedly improved by leaps and bounds, though I have not had any breakthroughs yet.”
“Although the spiritual intensity here can’t be compared to that of our Lin family’s training room, it’s close.” Lin Zhantian spoke up. He squeezed his fist, his eyes were shining, “I have passed through to the second layer of the Foundation stage.”
Yan Tianhen’s eyes brightened and he smiled, “Brother Zhantian is really fierce!”
Lin Zhantian used to look solemn and unsmiling but, at this time, he seemed to have loosened a lot. “Thank you, Young Master and Ah Hen.”
Lin Xuanzhi asked a few more people some questions and was relieved to learn that they had achieved a lot in their cultivations.
Lin Xuanzhi said, “I have some things to do in the next few days. If you need anything, you can take this opportunity to tell me all about it.”
The crowd looked at him while he looked at them, but no one said anything.
In the end, Lin Zhantian said, “We have no special needs. Although young master was not here, our situation was perfect, whether it be in terms of our meals, our pill supplies, or where we practice. It’s quiet and peaceful here, so we’re not worried about anything. All we have to do is just cultivate. I feel a bit guilty.”
“Yes.” Lin Zezhi also nodded, “It’s hard enough for you to cultivate in the mountains while worrying about us at the same time.”
Lin Xuanzhi laughed, “The Lin family is one whole group. I can’t just focus on myself and ignore you.”
Everyone repeatedly expressed their thanks.
Lin Xuanzhi paused and added, “Zhantian, I remember there seems to be a rule in the Lin Family that if our disciples were selected into a celestial-level sect, they would receive a reward.”
Lin Zhantian knew the rules of the Lin family very well and didn’t hesitate to say, “There is indeed such a rule. Each person who is selected as an outer-door disciple can receive a thousand gold reward. If they are selected as an inner-door disciple, they can receive a ten thousand gold reward. If they are selected as a core disciple, they will also receive a ten thousand gold reward.”
This was a set of incentives for the family that ensured that the disciples would not be ashamed of their empty pockets after entering a celestial-level sect. They would be able to establish themselves early inside the clan and even make friends with other family members.
Every family had such regulations, but the methods and rewards were not the same.
When Lin Xuanzhi heard this, he casually said, “I already discussed it with our family’s Master before coming to Profound City. If disciples of the Lin Family are selected into celestial-level sects, they will not only receive the original reward, but also get an additional bonus every month.”
Many of the disciples’ eyes brightened.
Lin Dong asked, “What is the reward?”
Lin Xuanzhi answered, “Those who are selected as outer-door disciples can receive a hundred gold coins per month, while those who are selected as inner-door disciples can receive a thousand gold coins per month. In addition, there are also a large number of concessions when purchasing pills and magic weapons from the Lin Family’s house. The specific contents are still in discussion, and will put into practice at a later date.”
In other words, the higher one’s position was in the sect, the more rewards the Lin Family would give.
Lin Xuanzhi’s suggestion completely changed the one-time reward structure that the Lin Family used in the past and turned it into a to a continuous reward form. As a result, there was no doubt that it created further incentive for the Lin Family’s disciples.
All of the disciples inhaled a breath of cold air. You should know that for them who only had enough allowance to have a bite to eat every month, a hundred gold coins a month could be considered a huge sum. How could this not make people excited?
They were so excited that some of them thought that even if they had to crawl, they would still crawl into the gates of Profound Sky Sect.
However, after the surprise, doubts arose.
This kind of incentive depended on strong financial resources and family power. Although the Lin Family had been promoted from a third-class family to a first-class family, their financial background had not undergone a dramatic change. Could the Lin Family really take out so much money?
Lin Zhantian frowned slightly, “Young Master, will such rewards cause some burden to the family?”
“Since I dared to bring it up, it’s based on the strength of the Lin Family. Although our family may look the same as before, it’s only temporary. I can assure you that our family will certainly become first-class in all aspects within the next year. All of you don’t need to think about anything else, just concentrate on cultivating and unite as one against a common enemy when the Lin Family needs you.”
“We will definitely serve the Lin Family in the future,” Everyone declared in unison.
One of the reasons why Lin Xuanzhi came here was to see the state of his family’s disciples. The other was to cheer them up and encourage them. And the third was to distribute some pills that could protect their lives during the examination while meeting its regulations.
After finishing these three things, Lin Xuanzhi stopped bothering these disciples who were either cultivating temporarily or devoting themselves completely, and let them disperse themselves.
However, Lin Zhantian, Lin Zezhi and Lin Yufan, who did not have to take part in the examination, were left behind.
After the door was closed, Lin Zhantian could not help but step forward and ask, “Young Master, you just said that the Lin Family would give out such a sum of money every month. Will it really not cause too much of a burden to the family?”
Lin Xuanzhi knew that he could not hide from his cousin, who knew the Lin Family’s situation the best. He motioned for him to sit down first, then pulled Yan Tianhen with him to sit.
“I don’t have to lie to you.” Lin Xuanzhi said frankly, “Our family really can’t afford so much money. Recently, they have expanded their business channels, managed the aristocratic families in the East Continent’s main cities, and purchased materials and rented shops which have almost exhausted the foundation of the clan for many years. Even if it would be at least half a year, the clan would have to tighten their belts. You should also be prepared psychologically.”
Lin Zezhi and Lin Zhantian exchanged glances.
Lin Zezhi asked, “Our family’s business has been operating steadily. Why did they suddenly expand so much?”
“The Lin Family has always been running a business of pills and magic weapons, but it’s not any different from what others do. Now that I have become a craftsman and acquired a lot of contacts, it’s only natural that our family should expand its territory and let the family’s financial resources rise up a higher level,” replied Lin Xuanzhi.
The fact that he was a gifted craftsman alone was enough to reduce the resistance in the main cities of the Five Continents when expanding their network.
No one was willing to make enemies with a craftsman, especially one who was a guest of the Bai Family’s Young Master.
Lin Xuanzhi had always taken advantage of the east wind. He made good friends with Bai Yichen and had naturally taken this into consideration.
If a family wanted to be strong, its financial resources must be rich and abundant. Any worshipper would go against the heavens to follow the path paved with golden bricks. This was a truth no family would deny.
To get his reputation starting and relationships in place, Lin Xuanzhi had already sent off all of the magic weapons ordered by those young masters of the aristocratic family. He wanted to meet with them so that it wouldn’t be too difficult to make deals for the Lin Family’s business. After such a deal, cultivators who wanted to buy magic weapons would pay even more attention to and trust the Lin Family’s shops.
If they didn’t start expanding their territory now, then when?
Time was fleeting. Lin Xuanzhi had spent all of his efforts to weave such a big net. How could he let the big fish slip away?
Hence why the Lin Family’s financial resources had almost been emptied.
Lin Yufan’s eyes narrowed slightly, “You’re brave. Aren’t you afraid of spreading such a wide net that those shops grow out of control, thus breaking our business chain?”
Lin Xuanzhi looked at Lin Yufan, “Our family has many businesses and there are always some family fortunes that we don’t know about.”
Lin Zezhi drew up the corners of his mouth. Lin Xuanzhi was even playing with the idea of ancestral property.
Yan Tianhen nodded and raised his chin, “Yeah. At worst, we can sell the gold pillars of the Law Enforcement Hall.”
When this remark fell, four pairs of eyes looked at Yan Tianhen in unison.
Surprised, he turned to look blankly at Lin Xuanzhi, “What is it? Was there something I said wrong?”
Lin Xuanzhi couldn’t help but laugh, “Nothing. Now that Ah Hen mentioned it, I forgot that the warning pillars of the Law Enforcement Hall are made of pure gold.”
Lin Zhantian said, “Those are things left behind by our family’s ancestors. They just can’t be sold at random.”
“Yes.” Lin Zezhi sweated, fearing that Lin Xuanzhi would listen to Yan Tianhen’s words. He might actually gouge out those warning pillars and sell them one day if worse came to worst. “Don’t mess around, the elders in the clan will definitely not agree.” Lin Yufan, however, smiled and quipped, “The coffins of the Lin Family’s ancestors may not be able to hold up.”
Yan Tianhen stuck out his tongue and solemnly said, “I’m just joking, Dage. Please continue with your business.”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled and did not let Yan Tianhen continue to be ridiculed. He added, “The reason why I told you this is not to make you worry about the Lin Family’s situation, but to hopefully give me some support.”
Lin Zhantian replied, “I will support Young Master with all my heart. We are all brothers. If there is anything we can do, Young Master can say it directly.”
Lin Zezhi also nodded.
Lin Xuanzhi said, “The monthly reward I mentioned just now can only be available to the three of you and Ah Hen. I would like to inform you that during the first six months of your stay in the clan, this money will initially be withheld. After the money in the family is transferred, you’ll be given a one-time repayment. What do you think?”
Yan Tianhen was the first to say, “I don’t want it.”
Lin Zhantian said, “I have no problem.”
Although Lin Zezhi felt some regret that he could not receive the huge sum of money in the past half year, it was only some regret.
Lin Zezhi said, “It’s rare for you to open up. I have no problems either.”
Lin Yufan, dressed in a woman’s dress with a golden hairpin in his hair, smiled faintly. He acted like a quiet girl, “I’ll rely on my older brothers. As a woman, I don’t have much to say.”
Lin Zezhi and Lin Zhantian, who didn’t know the truth, didn’t have a big response. But Yan Tianhen, who knew Lin Yufan’s real gender, couldn’t help but stare at Lin Yufan a few times—
You don’t say; when Lin Yufan played the role of a woman, Yan Tianhen really couldn’t see a flaw in his disguise.
These three influential people of the Lin Family have already made it clear. As for Yan Tianhen’s side, it didn’t need to be said that he wouldn’t create trouble for Lin Xuanzhi at such a critical time.
People like Lin Zezhi would surely think that the Lin Family was supported by Lin Xuanzhi, thanks to him being a craftsman. Even if the chain of capital was temporarily cut off and there was no supply of money, it was bound to rise again in the future.
Although the rewards for entering as a core disciple were huge for each of them, they didn’t lack for things and didn’t necessarily desire it now.
If they postponed it for half a year, they could not only sell themselves well in front of Lin Xuanzhi but also get more family rewards in the future. So why not?
After reaching an agreement on the late payment, Lin Xuanzhi got up to leave.
“I’ll see you inside the sect.” Lin Xuanzhi said.
The other three also said, “See you inside.”
—
