I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

The development of Qingze was in full swing, and the Lin family's convoy traveled between Shattered Star Lake and the new territory every day. The sound of the wheels rolling over the stone road became the most familiar rhythm in the early morning in Chuyang City.

Three months later, the first batch of medicinal herb seeds sprouted in the wetlands.

Tender green seedlings broke through the soil, trembling slightly in the morning light, with glistening dewdrops still clinging to their leaves.

Lin Xuanjing squatted on the edge of the field, gently brushing away the soil with her fingers to check the growth of the roots.

She moved very gently, as if afraid of damaging those delicate roots.

A rare smile appeared on that usually expressionless face.

She divided the layout of the herb garden into three areas.

Shade-loving aquatic medicinal herbs are planted in wetlands near water sources.

Bixin Orchid, Water Cloud Orchid, and Cold Pool Lotus are neatly arranged in the paddy field, their leaves thick, bright in color, and glistening with an oily sheen in the sunlight.

Drought-resistant medicinal herbs are planted on gentle slopes with higher elevations.

Condensing Essence Grass, Jade Marrow Lingzhi, and Perilla Leaf are the main raw materials for refining Barrier-Breaking Pills and Condensing Essence Pills. The market demand is large and the price is stable.

The outermost open area is reserved as a planting area for spirit beast feed, such as Solomon's seal sweet potato, moonflower grass, and chalcedony rice.

Harvesting crop after crop, piling up haystacks as high as small mountains, and then transporting them back to Suixing Lake by convoy.

Lin Xuanfeng's guard team added two more outposts on the outskirts of Qingze, doubling the scope of their patrol.

The patrol routes were also replanned to cover all directions where monsters might invade.

The dense forest to the southeast, the river valley to the northwest, and the hills to the north—every potentially dangerous area was included in the monitoring scope.

The team members have gotten used to the rhythm of the new base: patrolling in the early morning, training in the morning, maintaining facilities in the afternoon, and taking turns on duty at night.

Life was monotonous yet fulfilling; everyone's face bore the marks of hardship, but their eyes were sharper than ever before.

Lin Xuanqing's formation setup was also progressing step by step.

The outer early warning arrays have all been activated, with thirty-six array bases arranged in a ring, enveloping the entire Qingze in an invisible net.

Any intruder, no matter which direction they approach from, will be detected by the array immediately. Their location, number, and cultivation level will all be displayed on the array panel in the control room.

The protective array in the core area is also mostly complete, with multiple layers of defense. Even a Golden Core cultivator would have to put in a lot of effort to force their way in.

Setting up the Spirit Gathering Array is the most time-consuming part. It requires placing array bases at the nodes of each spiritual vein and then connecting them into a whole using spiritual patterns.

The changes in Qingze are visible to the naked eye.

What was once just a wilderness of meadows and lakes has now taken shape.

The spiritual fields were neatly divided, with crisscrossing irrigation canals and stone paths connecting the various areas. Irrigation could be carried out simply by manipulating the array in each area.

The newly built houses, with their blue bricks and gray tiles, are situated on the lakeside and blend seamlessly with the surrounding scenery, resembling a traditional Chinese ink painting when viewed from afar.

In the morning mist, the outlines of the houses are faintly visible, like a scene from a painting.

……

When the news reached Burning Bone City, Cheng Wanjun's expression turned grim.

In a private room on the third floor of Wanbaoge, a detailed report about Qingze was spread out on the table.

The report was very thick, at least dozens of pages long, and it was filled with detailed records of the possible area of ​​the spiritual fields in Qingze, the approximate varieties of crops to be planted, the expected yield, and the approximate construction progress.

Cheng Wanjun's fingers glide lightly across the paper, his gaze lingering on each line of text. His brows furrow more and more, and the rhythm of his fingers tapping on the table quickens.

"Qingze." He repeated the name, his tone flat, but beneath that flatness lay a hint of gloom: "There are so many wonderful places beyond the Great Wall."

There are only so many places with spiritual veins around Burning Bone City, and they are all tightly controlled by various major forces.

The Cheng family, the He family, and the Liu family—which of them didn't take decades or even centuries to establish a foothold in Burning Bone City?

Expanding even an inch of territory requires repeated struggles with other forces.

He never expected that the Lin family could actually solve the problem of raw materials on their own.

It wasn't about buying or robbing; it was about cultivating fertile land from a barren wasteland.

The old man in gray bowed, his voice low, as if afraid of disturbing something:

"Patriarch, according to our scouts, the Lin family's herb garden has planted its first batch of herbs, and the herb-producing area for spirit beast feed has also begun to produce. Although the scale is not yet large, at this rate, the Lin family will be able to achieve self-sufficiency in feed and supplementary materials within a year at most."

Cheng Wanjun remained silent for a moment, his gaze falling out the window.

In the distance, in the direction of the Aoki Chamber of Commerce, a long queue still stretched from the entrance of the hot pot restaurant all the way to the end of the street.

The bustling scene contrasted sharply with the deserted area in front of Wanbaoge.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the window frame twice, then looked away.

"Are there any unusual activities among the merchants in the business alliance?" he asked, his voice tinged with wariness.

"Not at the moment," the old man in gray replied.

"They are still abiding by the rules of the Merchant Alliance and have not made any private deals with the Lin family. However..."

He paused, a hint of hesitation in his voice: "Several companies have already started tentatively inquiring, asking them again if they could... reconsider the cooperation."

Cheng Wanjun's fingers suddenly stopped, his knuckles turning white.

"Tell them that the rules of the business alliance cannot be broken."

His voice turned cold, like frost in winter: "Anyone who dares to do business with the Lin family in private is going against the Cheng, He, and Liu families. Let them think carefully about the consequences."

"Yes." The gray-robed elder accepted the order and withdrew.

Cheng Wanjun sat back down in his chair, picked up his teacup, and found the tea had gone cold.

He didn't drink; he just held the teacup, his gaze fixed on the report, lingering there for a long time.

The He family, the Spirit Beast Workshop.

He Zhenshan sat in his study, with a copy of the map of Qingze spread out in front of him.

The map was hand-drawn by the scouts. Although it wasn't as detailed as the Lin family's map, it roughly estimated the main areas and general facilities.

His finger traced the locations marked "Spirit Herb Garden," "Farming Area," and "Spirit Beast Ranch" on the map, and his expression changed from disdain to seriousness.

"This Lin Che is truly a visionary," he murmured to himself, his voice carrying a complex meaning.

We started planning more than a decade ago, spending a lot of effort to purify this barren land, just so that it could be used today.

This patience and this vision are qualities that not everyone possesses.

If it were the He family, they would probably give up after five years if they didn't see any returns, let alone twenty.

"Manager, shall we...?" the steward tentatively asked.

"Don't act rashly." He Zhenshan raised his hand to interrupt him, his gaze still fixed on the map:

"Let the Cheng family worry about the business alliance, and let my elder brother and the others worry about the development of our family! The Lin family is currently only a potential threat to us, not something that would make us go to great lengths. As for transportation, it won't be so easy for them to get involved."

"Yes." The butler withdrew.

He Zhenshan sat alone in his study, gazing out the window at the sky shrouded in twilight.

He suddenly recalled the scene when he first heard about the Lin family many years ago.

At that time, he thought it was just a small family from outside the Great Wall, and that he could just send someone to inquire about it.

Now, that small family has grown to the point where he has to take it seriously.

The Liu family's backyard, near the pharmacy.

Liu Zhengming sat in the study, with three bowls of soup base from Lin Family Hot Pot Restaurant in front of him.

This was the third time he had sent someone to buy it, and each time it was different: clear broth, spicy broth, and mushroom broth.

He poured the three soup bases into three small bowls, scooped up a spoonful, put it in his mouth, and savored it.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and his tongue moved gently around in his mouth, discerning the flavor of each spice.

He could recognize most of the medicinal herbs, but there were a few that he just couldn't identify.

The spices had a very special flavor; they weren't ordinary medicinal herbs, but rather some kind of variety he had never seen before.

"Manager, our pill sales have dropped by another 10% this month." The apprentice pushed open the door, holding an account book in his hand, his face showing some worry: "It's been declining for three consecutive months."

Liu Zhengming put down his spoon, took the account book, flipped through it, and frowned slightly.

Numbers don't lie. In the months since the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce opened, the sales of pills at Liu Family Pharmacy have been slowly declining. Although the decline is not large, the trend is obvious.

"Is it the Aoki Trading Company?"

"Yes."

The apprentice sighed: "Although the quality is similar to ours, the price is ten percent cheaper, and..."

Moreover, those independent cultivators who went to eat hot pot would often visit the Qingmu Merchant Guild after their meal and buy a few bottles of pills on the way.

Our customers have been largely diverted, especially independent repair shops, which are most price-sensitive and will go to whichever is cheapest.

Liu Zhengming remained silent for a moment, then closed the account book and placed it on the table.

"Okay. You can go now."

"Yes." The apprentice withdrew, making a soft sound as he closed the door.

Liu Zhengming picked up the spoon again, scooped up a spoonful of red soup, and put it in his mouth.

The spiciness exploded on his tongue, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn't stop.

He scooped up another spoonful of clear broth; the cool, clear broth diluted the spiciness, leaving a slightly sweet aftertaste.

"The Lin family..."

……

Burning Bone City, fourth floor of the Green Wood Merchant Guild.

Lin Xuandong stood by the window, looking at the two long queues downstairs, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

The hot pot restaurant has been open for more than three months, and its popularity has not waned but has instead become even more explosive.

Every morning, before dawn, people line up, and some even come the night before to reserve a spot and start meditating right at the entrance.

Those regular customers who came from Chuyang City have become regulars at the hot pot restaurant, coming at least two or three times a week.

New customers attracted by the aroma became repeat customers after trying it, and word spread quickly.

"Father, elder brother." Lin Xuandong turned around and looked at Lin Che and Lin Xuanqi, who were drinking tea:

"The progress in Qingze is going smoothly, and the hot pot restaurant is still booming. As for the business alliance... several merchants have started to loosen their grip and have been contacting us privately. Although they haven't said it explicitly, they're all testing the waters in their words."

Lin Che put down his teacup, his gaze calm, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice: "No rush, let them wait a little longer. Now is not the time to talk to them."

Lin Xuandong was taken aback: "Why? They took the initiative to come to us, isn't this the perfect opportunity for us to open a breach? The sooner we reach an agreement, the sooner we can break the blockade of the Business Alliance."

Lin Che shook his head, a smile appearing on his lips.

"They're coming to us now because they want to hedge their bets, not because they genuinely want to cooperate. The Business Alliance is still in place, and the Cheng, He, and Liu families are still around. They don't dare to openly violate the rules of the Business Alliance."

Even if they sign a contract with us now, they could back out at any time if the Cheng family puts pressure on them.

Rather than discussing an unstable partnership now, it's better to wait until Qingze is fully developed and we can be self-sufficient before talking to them.

At that point, they won't be "forced into it," but rather "begging us."

Lin Xuandong nodded thoughtfully.

Lin Xuanqi put down the account book in his hand, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and added:

"Father is right. We have the initiative now, so there's no rush."

In Qingze, the first batch of spiritual herbs in the herb garden has sprouted, and the first batch of spiritual plants in the feed planting area will soon be harvested.

In six months at most, we will be able to achieve semi-self-sufficiency in feed, and after a year, complete self-sufficiency will not be a problem.

At that point, the business alliance's blockade will crumble on its own. What will they use to hold us hostage? What will they use to force us to submit?

"That's right." Lin Che stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and gazed at the Burning Bone City in the twilight. "We have plenty of time. They're the ones in a hurry, not us!"

……

Night deepened in the City of Burning Bones.

The lights of the Aoki Chamber of Commerce are still on, there are still queues outside the hot pot restaurants, and people are still busy on the land of Aoze.

Cheng Wanjun stood at the window on the third floor of Wanbaoge, gazing at the ever-burning light of the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce in the night, his fingers gently tapping on the window frame.

"Invite the heads of the Liu and He families," he finally spoke, his voice low and deep. "I think we need to devise a new plan."

The old man in gray was slightly taken aback, then bowed and accepted the order: "Yes, I will make the arrangements immediately."

The following day, at 9:00 AM, in a private room on the third floor of Wanbaoge.

Cheng Wanjun arrived early.

He stood by the window, watching the bustling crowds on the main street below. The independent cultivators, merchants, and demon-hunting teams walked past the Wanbaoge gate, but rarely stopped.

Their steps were hurried, their gazes fixed on the direction of the Aoki Trading Company at the end of the street.

There, long queues had formed outside the hot pot restaurants, a stark contrast to the deserted entrance of Wanbaoge.

"Patriarch, Patriarch He has arrived." The gray-robed elder's voice rang out from behind.

Cheng Wanjun turned around, and He Zhenyue strode in, followed by an attendant.

Today he was dressed in a dark gold brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist. He had a square face and a solemn expression between his brows.

"Old He, have a seat." Cheng Wanjun gestured to the chair next to the tea table, his tone more polite than usual.

He Zhenyue didn't exchange pleasantries. He plopped down, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. The tea was a bit hot, and he frowned, but didn't put it down.

"Hasn't Old Liu arrived yet?" he asked.

"Soon." Just as Cheng Wanjun finished speaking, footsteps came from outside the door.

Liu Zhengyun pushed open the door and entered, dressed in a moon-white robe, with a gaunt face, and holding a wooden staff in his hand. The staff was jet black, with faint spiritual patterns flowing around it.

"Master Cheng, Master He." He nodded slightly and sat down on the other side of the tea table, his movements unhurried.

The three of them sat down, and the private room was quiet for a moment.

Cheng Wanjun picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea for each of them, and then poured one for himself.

The tea was a clear, green color, with wisps of steam rising from it, its aroma filling the air, yet it did not diminish the somber atmosphere.

"I invited you two here today to discuss matters concerning the Lin family." Cheng Wanjun put down the teapot and got straight to the point: "You should both be aware of the progress of Qingze's development."