Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

Yi Yang pushed open the door to the side hall of the Judgment Hall.

There were three people sitting inside the room.

Ji Yunzhang and Wen Shiheng were sitting on either side of the table drinking tea. When they saw him enter, they both stood up and greeted him.

"Lord Yi, you've finally emerged from seclusion."

Wen Shiheng smiled and waved.

Yi Yang's gaze swept around the side hall of the Judgment Hall.

They discovered that besides the two of them, there was another person sitting in the guest seat directly opposite the counter.

The man appeared to be around forty years old. He wore a sandalwood-colored robe with a dark pattern. The material was not particularly flashy, but the cuffs were stitched with the gold-locking needlework technique unique to Qingzhou Prefecture. A white jade clasp hung from his waist, and it was of excellent quality.

Her hair was neatly tied up, her chin was clean-shaven, and she exuded an aura of "I have money, but I don't want you to know it at a glance."

Yi Yang's divine sense swept over the man without alerting him.

His strength is at the late stage of True Qi.

The method of practicing internal energy does not belong to the system of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau, nor is it the method of the three major sects.

The other person exuded a calm and composed aura, unlike a martial artist who engages in fighting and killing; he seemed more like someone who deals with business and government affairs year-round.

With such strength, one could definitely be considered a figure of considerable importance in Suining Prefecture today.

Seeing that Yi Yang's gaze was on the guest, Wen Shiheng took the initiative to introduce him: "Lord Yi, let me introduce you. This is Lin He, the president of the Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce."

Wen Shiheng paused, then added, "President Lin has been out of the city for over a year, so you may not have met before."

Upon hearing this, Lin He quickly stood up, clasped his hands in greeting to Yi Yang, and greeted him with the friendly, business-like smile of a businessman:

"Commander Yi, I have long admired your name. It is a pleasure to meet you."

He took half a step forward and said with a smile, "Although I only have the opportunity to meet you today, I have heard about your great name all the way back, Commander. From White Fish City to Xuanjian Pavilion, your deeds have spread throughout half of Suining Prefecture."

"President Lin, you're too kind." Seeing that the other party was very polite, Yi Yang returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

At that moment, his mind was racing with thoughts.

Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce.

He remembered.

Back in Yunlin County, Song Tiecheng had mentioned the power structure of the prefectural city to him.

There are three major sects, two powerful families, and the Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce, which controls the economic lifeline.

But in the past year or so, Jinyang Temple has been sealed off, Xuanjian Pavilion's gates have been breached, the sect leader of Cangwu Mountain has died, the Wu family has been wiped out by his own hands, and the Liu family has been keeping a low profile.

One storm after another swept through Suining Prefecture.

However, the Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce, which is also a major force, has never appeared.

It turns out the head of the household wasn't there.

Yi Yang thought about it again.

Currently, apart from the Sky Patrol Division, the only major power in the prefecture that hasn't been affected is probably the Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce.

Jin Yang Temple and Xuan Jian Pavilion suffered heavy losses, and Cang Wu Mountain lost its sect leader-level combat power. The Liu family was already cautious and timid.

The Suiyuan Chamber of Commerce, by virtue of its absence from the turmoil in the prefectural city, has become the most complete force at present.

"Where has Chairman Lin been this past year? Has he expanded his business overseas?" Yi Yang asked casually.

Lin He waved his hand, his smile undiminished, and replied:

"To my shame, I went to Qingzhou City to handle some purchasing business, but it ended up taking more than a year. I only recently returned, and I never expected the city to have changed so much."

When he said the words "the world has changed," he glanced at Yi Yang out of the corner of his eye, so quickly that others might not have noticed.

But Yi Yang noticed it.

Lin He was sizing him up.

It wasn't just ordinary polite greetings; it was a scrutiny with a purpose.

On his way back to the prefectural city, he had already read through the intelligence about the new commander three times.

Anyone who heard that a sixty-year-old man had come to the prefectural city, wiped out nine evil cult strongholds and century-old families, and even cut off the head of the abbot of Jinyang Temple, would take a second look.

Baiyu City gained fame, Qingfeng Ridge set up a trap, and outside Xuanjian Pavilion, a True Qi Perfection cultivator was killed.

Every single incident exudes ruthlessness and decisiveness.

But the old man in front of him, apart from his dark gray official robes, looked like an ordinary old man next door. His aura was as restrained as a stagnant pool, and there was no trace of the late True Qi cultivation level described in the intelligence report.

Either the intelligence was wrong, or this commander was hiding too well.

Lin He leaned towards the latter, and rubbed the edge of the jade buckle with his thumb inside his sleeve.

Because he couldn't see through Yi Yang's cultivation level. As the president of a chamber of commerce, he was usually very good at judging people, but he couldn't see through him, which meant that the other party was not simple.

According to the intelligence he obtained, the other party should be at the late stage of True Qi.

"Lord Yi, it's too formal to talk standing up."

Ji Yunzhang chimed in, "President Lin just got back and said he'd treat us to a meal to welcome us back. Shall we go?"

Wen Shiheng chimed in, "That's right, Chairman Lin is a big spender, we have to make him bleed today."

Lin He smiled and waved his hand: "You two are too kind. It is my honor to have the three of you here."

"Commander Yi, would you do me the honor?"

Yi Yang did not refuse.

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

The four left the Sky Patrol Office and soon arrived at Yong'an Street in the east of the city.

Crane Tower.

Crane Tower.

The most famous restaurant in the prefectural city, a three-story building with flying eaves and brackets, with two strings of red lanterns taller than a person hanging at the entrance, and the calligraphy on the plaque is the work of a famous calligrapher from Qingzhou.

I had passed by Yiyang a few times before, but never went inside.

When Lin He arrived at the door, before the waiter could come up, a middle-aged man who looked like a manager came down from the second floor, bending over slightly as he ran over.

"President, you're back. The private room is ready, your usual seats."

Yi Yang glanced at Lin He in surprise and asked, "Is this building yours?"

Lin He smiled, neither denying nor saying much, and gestured for him to proceed.

Lin He led the three to a private room on the third floor. With a push of the window, they could see the street scene of half of the prefecture.

He didn't look at the menu and just called out the names of the dishes to the waiter outside the door.

"Steamed snow mountain pork, braised lion's head meatballs, a bowl of dragon tendon soup, and a pot of 'Crane's Crest Red'."

Ji Yunzhang's eyelids twitched upon hearing this.

"President Lin, have you brought out all your resources? These dishes are all made with the meat of demon beasts at the True Qi Realm level."

Wen Shiheng chimed in from the side, "That's right. That pot of 'Crane's Crest Red' alone costs three spirit crystals, right? This meal will probably cost you at least ten spirit crystals."

Lin He smiled and personally poured tea for the three men, saying, "Please don't stand on ceremony, gentlemen. This restaurant is also one of my properties."

The food was served very quickly.

Yi Yang glanced at the desktop.

The meat of the snow mountain porcupine is sliced ​​thinly and steamed in a steamer until it becomes translucent and melts in your mouth.

The meat of the Fiery Cloud Lion was made into fist-sized meatballs and simmered with Blood Qi Powder, giving the meat a subtle medicinal aroma.

The most eye-catching thing is a copper pot in the very center, with the soup boiling and thin, snow-white veins floating inside. This must be the Dragon Tendon Soup. These are all highly nourishing ingredients that are extremely beneficial to the blood and qi of a True Qi Realm martial artist.

Yi Yang's nose twitched.

The meat tastes different from that of ordinary livestock; it doesn't have a gamey or muttony smell, but rather a rich and intensely fragrant aroma.

"President Lin, this feast is too extravagant." Yi Yang didn't touch his chopsticks.

"Commander Yi, please don't stand on ceremony with me." Lin He raised his wine cup and gestured to Yi Yang. "Speaking of which, I have something to apologize to you about."

Yi Yang picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed it a couple of times.

The monster meat melted in my mouth, and the medicinal properties went down my throat, warming me comfortably.

"What crime are you apologizing for?"

Lin He took out a palm-sized sandalwood box from his pocket and pushed it in front of Yi Yang.

"Commander Yi, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

Yi Yang's gaze fell on the box.

"What does Chairman Lin mean by this?"

"Hey, Commander Yi, please don't misunderstand." Lin He quickly waved his hand, his expression very sincere. "This is not a bribe, it's an apology."

He sighed, his face full of self-reproach.

"I'm often away from home, and I haven't been able to properly manage my subordinates. A few days ago, I heard from them that you bought a precious artifact at Lingzhen Pavilion in the east of the city. They didn't recognize its value and actually accepted your money."

"When I heard about this, I gave that shopkeeper a thorough dressing down. You are the commander of the Zhenfu Guard, risking your life for the peace of the prefecture. It's only right that our merchant guild presents you with a sword. How could you accept money?"

Yi Yang understood; the Lingzhen Pavilion in the east of the city was also his property.

He spent eighteen spirit crystals to buy Yuexin that "Fallen Petals" sword.

Wen Shiheng and Ji Yunzhang watched from the side, their eyes filled with envy, and said:

"President Lin is very generous."

"That's right. I heard that the storage ring on Chairman Lin's hand was bought from Qingzhou. It's quite valuable."

Even high-ranking officials at the deputy chief inspector level in the Sky Patrol Bureau may not all possess storage artifacts. These things are indeed rare.

Lin He smiled and said a few words of modesty, but his gaze fell on Yi Yang, waiting for him to accept the gift.

Yi Yang did not refuse again.

He took the box to his side, but did not put it into his bronze ring in front of everyone.

Don't flaunt your wealth.

He's lived two lives, so he understands this principle better than anyone else.

"Then I shall accept it without hesitation."

He placed the box next to his seat and picked up his wine glass.

"This toast is for Chairman Lin."

As he spoke, his consciousness silently probed into the sandalwood box.

There was no sword in the box.

There was only a neatly stacked pile of spirit crystals.

Fifty pieces.

It was more than double the money he spent on the sword flower.

Lin He is truly adept at navigating social situations.

Lin He also took a sip, and the smile on his face relaxed a little.

After several rounds of drinks and most of the dishes had been eaten, the meal was enjoyed by both host and guests.

Lin He was a businessman, and he controlled the conversation at the dinner table perfectly. He chatted about the recent situation in the prefectural city, asked about the organizational adjustments of the Sky Patrol Bureau, and mentioned that he had found prices had risen by 20% since his return, all in a tone that was neither too light nor too heavy.

Yi Yang ate and listened at the same time, memorizing what he needed to remember.

Chairman Lin has a unique way of speaking: he seems to talk about everything, but he always leaves room for interpretation in every sentence. When asking about the Sky Patrol, he stops short of going too far, never overstepping the mark. On the surface, he's cheerful, but in reality, every question is a test of the waters.

A shrewd person.

During the fourth round of drinks, Yi Yang picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of bone marrow, chewed it a couple of times, and then looked back at Wen Shiheng.

"Lord Wen, you came to see me twice before you went into seclusion. What was it about?"

Wen Shiheng put down his wine cup and exchanged a glance with Ji Yunzhang.

Ji Yunzhang nodded slightly.

Wen Shiheng turned to Yi Yang and gestured towards Lin He.

"It's related to Chairman Lin."

Yi Yang raised an eyebrow. So it really is related to this Chairman Lin?

Upon hearing that he was mentioned, Lin He, slightly intoxicated, leaned forward and lowered his voice, saying:

"My lords, I heard some news that hasn't spread yet since I returned from Qingzhou."

Ji Yunzhang put down his wine glass, intrigued.

"Oh? What news is so surprising to you, Chairman Lin?"

Lin He's gaze swept across the three faces one by one, finally landing on Yi Yang's face, and he lowered his voice even further.

"There are rumors circulating in Qingzhou."

"The imperial court seems to be interested in opening up trade with the Wu Kingdom in the southern border region."

"Furthermore, they are preparing to set up a special office in Qingzhou to handle this matter."