Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

He then looked at Zheng Yuanshan.

Zheng Yuanshan remained calm, slowly sipping his tea as if he hadn't heard anything.

Lin Zhao understood the situation.

He gave Old He a wink.

Old He understood and got up to go through a series of tedious formalities—offering tea, inquiring about greetings, reminiscing, talking about the weather, and discussing what he had seen and heard on the road.

The entire process took a full half hour.

Lin Zhao leaned back in her chair, her face expressionless, and secretly transmitted her voice to Yan Chiheng:

"Are all these Core Formation families like this? They can't even get to the point of talking for ages."

Yan Chiheng's telepathic message returned quickly, carrying a hint of helplessness and a touch of mockery:

"What do you think? These people just like to use a bunch of nonsense and rules to show off their noble status."

My partner's family, which is in the Core Formation stage, is like this. They insist on three infusions and three toasts when drinking tea, which is incredibly annoying.

Otherwise, why would I have fought with them? It's because I couldn't stand the woman's family, and in the end, it escalated into a physical fight.

Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow: "My family is also a Foundation Establishment family with a history of three hundred years, why don't we have so many rules?"

"Your family?" Yan Chiheng's voice transmission carried a smile. "Your family is a Foundation Establishment family, but for a while you even dropped to the Qi Refining level. You can barely protect yourself, so you don't have the time to deal with these bullshit rules."

Moreover, Yunxia Mountain Range is on the front line of the beast tide, so survival is the top priority. Who cares about these things?

Try somewhere else—a small temple can harbor many powerful figures; the more problematic a force is, the more it loves to put on airs.

Lin Zhao thought about it and realized it was true.

He glanced at the brother and sister.

The older brother sat upright, while the younger sister lowered her head and looked meekly. Although the spiritual energy fluctuations around them were stable, they always seemed somewhat unstable—a sign of an unstable foundation.

It was also a Foundation Establishment stage created using special secret techniques, and it's impossible for them to even reach the Core Formation stage in their lifetime.

No wonder he's such a coward; he didn't even have the courage to fight before.

After a lot of work, we finally got down to business.

Zheng Yuanshan put down his teacup, his expression becoming serious: "Lord Lin, to be honest, we are here on behalf of the Prince of Qin's Mansion, seeking cooperation with Cangyun Mountain."

Lin Zhao picked up her teacup, gesturing for him to continue.

"The dynasty is in turmoil, and I'm sure Governor Lin has heard about it."

Zheng Yuanshan sighed, "Our ancestor's lifespan is coming to an end, and all the forces are stirring up trouble."

Although the Qin Prince's Mansion was a branch of the royal family, it also wanted to secure some resources and gamble on a chance to survive the future chaos.

Lin Zhao put down her teacup without replying.

Zheng Yuanshan continued, "We would like to use Cangyun Mountain's trade routes. As for security... we would like to ask Cangyun Mountain for help. Of course, the compensation will be in accordance with the rules, and we will not let you suffer any losses."

Lin Zhao looked at Elder He.

Old He nodded slightly – this is a good thing.

The market cannot monopolize this business, and the three dynasties are not without other channels, but Dingfeng Plain is the most convenient.

Yan Chiheng's thirty-odd Foundation Establishment cultivators were worried about having no work to do; another caravan meant more income.

Moreover, Cangyun Mountain is an essential route, and the market can also take a cut, ensuring a steady profit.

Lin Zhao pondered for a moment: "Okay. We'll have Elder He discuss the specific details with your people later."

Zheng Yuanshan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Thank you, Garrison Commander Lin."

What followed was another round of small talk—discussing current events, the difficulties of ruling a dynasty, and anxieties about the future.

The younger sister of the brother and sister would steal glances at Lin Zhao from time to time. Every time Lin Zhao looked at her, she would quickly lower her head, a faint blush rising on her face.

Lin Zhao remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was utterly speechless.

It was finally easy to get them off the train.

Yan Chiheng stood at the entrance of the main hall, watching the departing figure, and suddenly laughed out loud: "Lin Zhao, well done! I think this isn't a business negotiation today, it's clearly a matchmaking event."

Lin Zhao glanced at him.

"Didn't you see?" Yan Chiheng winked. "The way that girl looked at you, she practically wanted to devour you. She not only wants to do business with you, but she also wants to find a son-in-law."

Lin Zhao sneered, "How about I introduce you?"

Yan Chiheng quickly waved his hands: "No, no, no! Although I don't get along with my Daoist partner's family, I have a good relationship with her. Don't get me into trouble."

Mr. He stood aside, smiling without saying a word.

The three returned to the main hall, and as soon as the door closed, the smiles on their faces faded somewhat.

Lin Zhao sat down again, tapping her fingers lightly on the armrest.

He remained silent for a long while.

Lin Zhao spoke up: "What do you all think?"

Yan Chiheng spoke first: "Where did you notice something was wrong?"

Lin Zhao nodded: "These three people are fine—I saw through Zheng Yuanshan and that brother and sister two years ago. It's true that they came to ask for cooperation, and it's also true that they came to see me."

He paused, his fingers stopping on the armrest.

"But the problem lies with the Core Formation ancestor of the Zheng family."

Old He's brow twitched slightly: "Rumor has it that the old ancestor's lifespan is coming to an end, within the next twenty years."

"That's the problem." Lin Zhao started tapping his fingers again, each tap echoing in the quiet hall. "I've heard this message far too many times."

He looked at Elder He: "Lan Jingchi of the Bihai Chamber of Commerce told me about it. A Foundation Establishment friend of mine from my time in Tongming Immortal City also told me about it."

Now that the people from the Qin Prince's mansion have arrived, they're using the same rhetoric—and they themselves don't have much faith in their own Core Formation cultivator.

Lin Zhao's gaze swept over the two of them: "When did it become so easy to find out about the lifespan of a Core Formation cultivator who could control a vast dynasty for hundreds of years?"

Yan Chiheng's expression changed.

"You mean..." he lowered his voice, "that someone deliberately spread this news?"

Lin Zhao did not answer, but just looked at Old He.

Old He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "People get old and become demons. How could someone who has lived for nearly five hundred years die so easily?"

Even if their time is truly near, they will keep it tightly under wraps and never let the news spread. Unless…”

"Unless he wants people to know," Lin Zhao continued.

Yan Chiheng gasped, "No way? You mean, the Zheng family patriarch himself released this news?"

Lin Zhao nodded.

Silence fell again in the hall.

The lights of the market outside the window shone through the window, casting flickering shadows on the three people's faces.

Old He spoke first, his voice a few decibels lower than usual: "If it really was orchestrated by the Zheng family patriarch, then that's terrifying. What kind of fish is he trying to catch by spreading the news that his lifespan is about to end?"

"Fishing for fish that want to bite."

Lin Zhao said, "The powerful families within the dynasty that are eager to make a move, the surrounding forces that are eyeing us covetously, and... outsiders like us who have designs on third-tier spiritual items."

Yan Chiheng's expression turned serious: "Fortunately, we came here without first attacking the dynasty's forces."

He paused, and the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became: "If you had gone straight for that third-tier spiritual item two years ago, you would probably have fallen into a trap by now."

Although we are disciples of a sect, if we actively get involved and a Core Formation cultivator seizes the opportunity to retaliate, the sect can't really say anything—after all, we were the ones who struck first.