Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

"I don't have that much ability," he said calmly. "I just like to plan carefully before acting, to solve the resource problem for the Foundation Establishment stage first, and then consider the Core Formation stage."

In hindsight, this move was the right one.

Old He asked, "Guardian, when did the news first start circulating that the Zheng family patriarch's lifespan was limited?"

Lin Zhao turned around: "How long ago was the earliest version you heard?"

Old He pondered for a moment: "It's been thirty or forty years, I first heard about it from passing caravans."

Lin Zhao smiled, but there was little warmth in her smile.

"Thirty or forty years," he said slowly. "This scheme has been going on for quite a long time."

A normal Foundation Establishment cultivator doesn't have the energy to spend decades planning—only a Core Formation cultivator has the resources, patience, and time to wait for the fish to bite.

Yan Chiheng scratched his head: "But how can you be sure this is a setup? What if he really is nearing his end?"

Lin Zhao returned to her seat, not answering directly, but instead asking, "Do you know what our biggest advantage is?"

Yan Chiheng thought for a moment: "So we haven't been exposed yet? At least we haven't taken any action, either openly or covertly."

Lin Zhao shook her head.

"We are still young," he said. "We have two hundred years to prepare for Core Formation. We have time and opportunity to wait. Even if we miss this opportunity, there will be another one."

He tapped his finger on the armrest.

"But the Zheng family patriarch might not be able to wait that long."

Yan Chiheng was stunned for a moment, then he understood.

Lin Zhao had not yet broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and the Thunder Gathering Pool was still being nurtured in the mine. He and Lin Zhao's supernatural abilities had not been fully deduced.

Lin Zhao's strength is far from its peak. When she is truly ready, it won't be the Zheng family patriarch scheming against Lin Zhao anymore.

Lin Zhao took the initiative.

Yan Chiheng took a deep breath: "So, what about our previous plan to send twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators to infiltrate the dynasty and investigate third-tier spiritual artifacts? Are we still going to do it?"

"Let's do it," Lin Zhao said, "but let's make some changes—focus on intelligence. Only ten of the thirty-five Foundation Establishment cultivators will be assigned to specifically collect information."

We need to make them feel that we have some interest in the dynasty's resources, but not a strong one; it would be best if we could get them, but it wouldn't matter if we couldn't.

Old He frowned: "What if they still become suspicious?"

Lin Zhao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a calm tone, "We only sent people to gather intelligence; we didn't actually take any action."

There's no reason for a Core Formation cultivator to attack us directly—our sects aren't just for show.

Yan Chiheng then asked, "What if he's unreasonable and tries to force me?"

Lin Zhao put down her teacup and looked up.

There was nothing in his eyes, but Yan Chiheng felt a chill run down his spine for no apparent reason.

"Let's see whose reasoning is better," Lin Zhao said softly.

In the world of cultivation, strength ultimately reigns supreme.

He still had the Luo Yu Blade Jade Talisman given to him by Master Qianqiu, which sealed a third-tier Core Formation technique and could be used three times in total.

This is the biggest reason why Lin Zhao dared to get involved in the affairs of the Zixuan Dynasty.

Furthermore, there are different levels among Core Formation cultivators. The Zheng family patriarch was only an ordinary early Core Formation cultivator, while True Person Qianqiu was a late Core Formation cultivator of the sect.

Given Master Qianqiu's protective nature, the attack talisman that can be used three times must be quite powerful.

The Zheng family patriarch might not be able to withstand it.

"From now on, I will only send people to gather intelligence; I will not take any further action."

He said, "The markets should also be more restrained, especially those who are robbing cultivators; they should be kept in check."

Yan Chiheng nodded.

Old He nodded in agreement.

Lin Zhao looked out the window, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

He was only fifty-three years old, at the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

The patriarch of the Zheng family was just an ordinary Core Formation cultivator. He had been famous for a long time, and even if he didn't have twenty years left, he was unlikely to have fifty years left to live.

Lin Zhao estimated that the situation of the Zi Xuan Dynasty should become clear within ten years.

He's not in a hurry.

In the days that followed, the market town of Cangyun Mountain became much quieter.

As Lin Zhao instructed, the people in the market should minimize going out, but caravans should continue operating as usual, and spirit stones should be earned as usual.

But I don't do anything flashy or attention-grabbing.

On the surface, the market was still the same bustling market—monks came and went in an endless stream, and shops were thriving.

But observant people will notice that there are far fewer people loitering on the streets, and Yan Chiheng's gang of thieves has also become much more discreet and restrained.

But some people just can't stop.

For example, Yan Lie.

---

In the northwest corner of the market, deep in a secluded alley, there is an inconspicuous alchemy shop.

The shop was small, with only one storefront. A faded wooden plaque hung above the door, bearing the four characters "Yan Ji Dan Pu" (炎记丹铺).

There wasn't even a waiter at the door to greet people; only a faint scent of medicine wafted out from under the door, reminding passersby that the place was still open.

Yan Lie sat in the back room of the shop, mechanically wiping a pill-refining furnace in his hands.

There were some things that were inconvenient to do at the garrison headquarters, so in addition to refining pills there, he also opened a shop in the market and spent most of his time there.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. He looked up and saw a young cultivator walk in—a Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivator in his early thirties, with a hint of smugness in his eyes.

"Master Yan." The young man cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for the batch of pills you sponsored last month. My cultivation has improved again."

Yan Lie stood up, a habitual smile plastered on his face: "It's good that it's useful, it's good that it's useful."

The young man took out an IOU from his pocket and placed it on the table: "Don't worry, I will repay you many times over when I successfully establish my foundation in the future."

"Your business will be my business then."

Yan Lie smiled and nodded, watching the young man leave.

As the figure disappeared into the alleyway, the smile on his face gradually faded.

He looked down at the IOU, on which were crookedly written the words "Owe Master Yan thirty bottles of pills, to be repaid in due time," along with the young man's signature and divine imprint.

Yan Lie stuffed the IOUs into the drawer, stacking them together with the others from before.

The drawer was filled with a thick stack of IOUs like these—some were yellowed and dated thirty years ago.

Where did all those people go?

Some died, some disappeared, some left disheartened after failing to establish their foundation, and some actually succeeded in establishing their foundation but never came back.

Yan Lie closed the drawer and continued wiping the stove.

He is no longer the young man he once was.

With only early Foundation Establishment cultivation and a low-grade Dao Foundation, one's cultivation path in this lifetime has basically come to an end.

But his alchemy skills are indeed remarkable—a second-tier high-grade alchemist, there are few in the entire Zixuan Dynasty who are better than him.

In addition to his regular alchemy work at the garrison headquarters on Cangyun Mountain, he also runs a shop in the market every month, earning a considerable amount of spirit stones in extra income.

But most of these spirit stones ended up in the pockets of those "geniuses".

He himself knew that those people's words could not be trusted.

True geniuses are people with great perseverance and determination. They have a clear plan for their future and do not make promises lightly.

Those who talk a good game are most likely ingrates.

But what could he do?

He had long since let go of the matter of his fiancée.

Thirty years have passed, and he can't even remember what that person's face looks like.

What he truly couldn't swallow was the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the Shen family back then—