Chapter 68: Please, My Lord, Have Mercy (Please Subscribe)

After becoming Xiao Zhangqing's concubine, the Lin sisters' standing in Nanshan Fang was already known to everyone, and the younger sister Zixi's mindset had changed, recognizing Xiao Zhangqing's status as her lord.

But she was not content; unlike her older sister Lin Ziyu who merely orbited Xiao Zhangqing, with life reduced to cultivation and attending his meals and daily needs, having no other ambitions, and passing idle time on trifles.

Zixi accepted her role as Xiao Zhangqing's concubine, yet she still wanted to achieve something! In her view, even as a concubine she must be useful, earn her lord's respect, and even be able to help him in some way. Thus Xiao Zhangqing's daily routines and talisman drawing were fully managed by her older sister Lin Ziyu, and Zixi devoted all thoughts beyond cultivation to their original business, Guangju Hall.

Zixi first, through Xiao Zhangqing's connections, met the cultivator Zheng Bo of the Yi‑character No. 26 Cave during a banquet.

It was at the gathering that the very low First Tier Lower‑grade artificer, whose Dao Partner had once been the head chef of Lai Feng Lou, was present.

After the gathering, Zheng Bo repeatedly invited Xiao Zhangqing to his home as a guest to taste his wife's cooking.

Xiao Zhangqing declined several times, but the other party was tireless, not angry at all, and remained very courteous.

This contrasted sharply with the prominent Mu family of the high‑status households; after a few such instances, Xiao Zhangqing thought that one should not strike a smiling face, and also wanted to sample the private kitchen of the Lai Feng Lou head chef, so he took the Lin sisters to the banquet.

At the banquet, Zixi became acquainted with Zheng Bo's Dao Partner, Chen Meixue.

Chen Meixue not only possessed astonishing culinary skills but also had unique insights into wine brewing, and after the banquet Zixi often consulted her.

Since Zheng Bo wanted to draw closer to the boundless‑potential Symbol Path Genius Xiao Zhangqing, his Dao Partner Chen Meixue naturally did not underestimate Zixi, even though Zixi was merely Xiao Zhangqing's concubine.

Regarding Zixi's inquiries, she answered virtually every question.

Thus, with Chen Meixue's help, Zixi gradually refined her brewing technique, broke through the bottleneck, and actually produced a First Tier Spirit Wine! In the remote Nanshan Fang, any of the hundred cultivation arts, once one reaches entry level, can firmly establish oneself, rise to the middle‑upper tier, and be courted by major forces.

The First Tier Brewing Technique is considered one of the most obscure of the hundred cultivation arts, found only in great immortal cities or sects that possess a lineage of spirit‑plant masters.

In Nanshan Fang, Zixi's mastery of the First Tier Brewing Technique is unique! Even Lai Feng Lou itself cannot brew First Tier Spirit Wine; occasional sales are merely imports carried by caravans from elsewhere.

Therefore.

When Zixi presented her self‑brewed First Tier Spirit Wine, it instantly caused a huge sensation in Nanshan Fang; any cultivator with sufficient status and enough Spirit Stones in their purse would, when free, go to Guangju Hall for a drink.

Because the First Tier Spirit Wine is not only tasty, but after drinking one feels ethereal, a wonderful sensation akin to spending a spring night with a dual‑cultivation adept.

Moreover, drinking the First Tier Spirit Wine provides a certain boost to one's cultivation.

Of course, Zixi's Spirit Wine is not of high quality within the First Tier; its benefit is noticeable for early‑stage Lian Qi cultivators, but negligible for mid‑ to late‑stage practitioners.

Yet even a minute effect still manages to attract people.

Thus, under the First Tier Spirit Wine's "dimensional‑reduction strike," Guangju Hall's business quickly regained brilliance, far surpassing its former peak.

No matter how powerful the Mu family is, they are the top family in Nanshan Fang, with Late‑Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed there, but their product quality is poor; Nanshan Fang cultivators would never rush daily to deliver Spirit Stones merely to curry favor with the Mu family.

Thus the balance of offense and defense shifted.

Three months after Zixi unveiled the First Tier Spirit Wine, the Mu family's tavern shut its doors for good.

Another half a year passed.

Guangju Hall's reputation kept growing; besides the First Tier Spirit Wine, one must admit Zixi is also a business genius.

She implemented a series of management and publicity strategies with excellent results, achieving great success, and gradually developing a trend to rival Lai Feng Lou. Over the past decades, in the realm of taverns, Lai Feng Lou has been the undisputed number one in Nanshan Fang, with no equal.

And the profits of Lai Feng Lou are enough to make even a Foundation Establishment cultivator envious, causing them to abandon a venture to the immortal city and stay in Nanshan Fang!

"No wonder Foundation Establishment cultivators are also tempted."

When Xiao Zhangqing looked at the ledger and heard Zixi report the past month's profit of Guangju Hall, he couldn't help feeling moved.

Now, after deducting rent, labor, and material costs each month, Guangju Hall's net profit is a full nine hundred plus Lower‑grade Spirit Stones! With a bit more effort, breaking a thousand in a month won't be hard.

Without any particular skill, many Late‑Stage Lian Qi cultivators who have been toiling for decades might only earn one or two thousand Lower‑grade Spirit Stones.

Even Symbol Masters at Lingfu Pavilion, who are only First Tier Middle‑grade, are already rare talent in Nanshan Fang, an absolutely high‑income group, with monthly salaries of only about four hundred Lower‑grade Spirit Stones.

Not long ago, Xiao Zhangqing publicly claimed his symbol technique had broken through to First Tier Upper‑grade, nearly doubling his income to seven or eight hundred Lower‑grade Spirit Stones.

If one does not sacrifice cultivation time to earn side income, a monthly earnings would still be less than Guangju Hall's.

And a First Tier Upper‑grade Symbol Master's income would not be worse than that of a typical early‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator—when earning Spirit Stones by legitimate means.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator behind Lai Feng Lou, reluctant to abandon his foundation to venture elsewhere, makes sense.

"Who could have thought, that along with taking concubines, it turned into a little gold mine."

Xiao Zhangqing was happy yet a bit unsettled.

Suddenly he felt like a freeloader!

Since Zixi brewed the First Tier Spirit Wine, Guangju Hall's reputation, of course, is not entirely about freeloading. Behind Lai Feng Lou there are Foundation Establishment cultivators, so it is not coveted by major forces or Foundation families; behind Lingfu Pavilion and Baibao Lou are sects like Luoxia Sect and Baihua Valley, which are Dan‑forming sects.

If Guangju Hall had no backing, such high profits and daily gold influx could not be sustained by just the Lin sisters; it would inevitably be seized.

Even though Nanshan Fang knew the Lin sisters were Xiao Zhangqing's concubines, when the First Tier Spirit Wine was first brewed, it was also coveted.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhangqing quickly displayed his First Tier Upper‑grade symbol technique publicly, preventing it from being snatched.

"I already said, you don't have to give me all the monthly profit. You two sisters can keep a portion yourselves, and buy whatever you want."

After reviewing the ledger, Xiao Zhangqing also looked at the two bags brimming with Spirit Stones, the profit of Guangju Hall for the past month.

The large bag contained dull, gray Lower‑grade Spirit Stones, while the smaller bag held noticeably brighter, more radiant Middle‑grade Spirit Stones with richer stored Qi.

In the past six months, Guangju Hall has made huge profits, and Xiao Zhangqing has not been stingy.

The Lin sisters have replaced all their robes and implements, all now First Tier Upper‑grade, and the Pills they need for cultivation assistance are also plentiful.

Now the older sister Lin Ziyu has reached the Sixth Layer of Lian Qi, and the younger sister Lin Zixi has reached the Fifth Layer.

"I have no need to spend Spirit Stones now; holding them is useless."

Xiao Zhangqing sat while Zixi stood beside him, her maid posture perfectly proper.

Yet when speaking, she slightly lifted her delicate chin, a faint smile at the corner of her mouth; though her words did not reveal it, the self‑satisfaction in her brows and eyes was unmistakable, as if waiting to be praised.

She set her mindset straight, accepting her role as Xiao Zhangqing's concubine wholeheartedly.

But she did not want to be a concubine wholly dependent on her lord; the business of Guangju Hall and the monthly Spirit Stone contributions gave her the strongest sense of achievement.

"Very well. If you want anything, just tell me at any time."

Xiao Zhangqing nodded and accepted the Spirit Stones.

He now also intends to start hoarding Spirit Stones, looking for a way to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill.

It has already been a year since he began pursuing the Prison Dragon Bracelet.

In one year, his cultivation broke through two levels consecutively! He has already quietly entered the ninth layer of Refining Qi!

At this speed, if it were spread, the sensation would probably rival his breakthrough of a first‑grade superior talisman technique! One can only say that the resources of the Earth Spiritual Root are terrifying! The gap between that and his original lower‑grade spiritual root is likely dozens of times! After another year or a year and a half of consolidation, Xiao Zhangqing will be able to start preparing to break through the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Now Xiao Zhangqing's cultivation has reached the ninth layer of Refining Qi; as long as he deliberately hides it, outsiders cannot detect any sign.

If the Foundation Establishment succeeds, there will be great commotion and strange sounds in heaven and earth, and it cannot be concealed.

When a lower‑grade spiritual root establishes the foundation, it will probably drop countless people's jaws.

Da Yu is the second person in the Cultivation World for centuries! Yet in the Cultivation World, extraordinary encounters and events beyond common logic are not uncommon.

Just like the head of the Mu family, Mu Renjie, after a few years of seclusion, leapt directly from the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage to a strength comparable to the later stage of Foundation Establishment—how could there be no extraordinary encounter?

Furthermore, in the Cultivation World of Da Yu, who among the Nascent Core True Immortal or the Nascent Soul True Lord, who truly stand above the clouds and dominate the winds, does not have his own unique destiny?

"Everything of mine belongs to you, my lord. You don't know what I truly desire, do you? It's been almost two years…" Lin Zixi whispered softly.

"Hm?"

Xiao Zhangqing suddenly reached out, seized Lin Zixi's wrist, and pulled her into his embrace…

"Ah—"

Lin Zixi let out a startled cry, did not struggle, and naturally sat on Xiao Zhangqing's thigh.

Xiao Zhangqing wrapped one hand around her slender waist, placed the other on her long, supple thigh, and gently stroked with both hands, "What do you want? Tell me."

"Please have mercy, my lord~"

Lin Zixi blushed as she finished the sentence, then closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly, exhaling like a fragrant orchid.

Although she has always been bold, even daring to risk her life.

But this is her first experience of such a thing, and she cannot help feeling shy.

She had only ever heard many times the lingering sounds between her sister and the lord.

Just as Xiao Zhangqing bent down, his ruby‑red lips poised, the door was suddenly pushed open and sister Lin Ziyu walked in…

(End of chapter)