Chapter Fifty-Nine A Ring

The next day.

Wang Yang called, "Teacher, we've already dispatched people to search the entire Stone Grotto Forest. So far, we've found a total of one hundred and eight stalactite caves."

Lin Yi was quietly delighted; at last, the exploration of the stalactite caves in the Stone Grotto Forest was complete. Now, he just wondered how much Spirit Marrow Liquid they would ultimately harvest.

Lin Yi nodded. "Alright, I understand. Bring the information to me yourself."

If outsiders overheard this, they would be terrified. To have Old Master Wang deliver the documents personally—only Lin Yi could command such a thing.

"Yes, sir."

Wang Yang dared not voice a single complaint.

Before long, Wang Yang arrived and knocked on the door. It was Dou Dou who answered.

"Grandpa, who are you looking for?" Lin Dou Dou asked.

"Is Mr. Lin in?" Wang Yang peered cautiously into the room.

"He's here. I'll go get him." With that, Lin Dou Dou ran off, her ponytail bouncing, and knocked on Lin Yi's door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Lin Yi, there's an old man here to see you," she called.

"Alright," Lin Yi replied, putting away the freshly refined pills.

When he walked out, he saw Wang Yang standing at the doorway like a child, too timid to enter.

"Come in," Lin Yi said.

Only then did Wang Yang step inside, pulling out a file folder and handing it to Lin Yi. "Teacher, in here are the locations of all the stalactites in the Stone Grotto Forest. Please have a look."

Lin Yi opened the folder; not only were the locations clearly marked, but each cave’s environment and dimensions were detailed as well.

He scanned the contents swiftly.

"Good. You’ve done well with this task," Lin Yi said, smiling softly.

A smile appeared on Wang Yang's aged face as well. "Teacher, this is only what a student should do."

Lin Yi undid his Qi Transformation technique and produced a bottle of Vitality Pills from thin air.

"There are five Vitality Pills in here. They can replenish one's vital energy; for martial artists below the Innate Realm, one pill will let them go three days without food or water. How you use them is up to you."

With that, Lin Yi tossed the pill bottle to Wang Yang.

For Lin Yi, these pills meant little. Last time, he’d ransacked the Tong family and obtained enough century-old herbs to refine over a thousand of them.

These days, only Spirit Pearls and Golden Cores truly interested him; everything else was of little value, mostly given to Dou Dou.

Wang Yang hurriedly caught the bottle, uncorked it, and took a sniff. Instantly, he felt a rush of heat surging through his body.

"Thank you, Teacher," he said gratefully.

In the Innate Realm one cultivates internal energy; below Innate, one tempers the body, which requires abundant vital energy.

With these five pills and the improved strengthening technique Lin Yi had previously taught, Wang Ke’s strength was sure to make a breakthrough.

Wang Yang put away the pills, then hesitated. "Teacher, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention…"

"What is it?" Lin Yi asked.

"Well, do you remember Cui Cheng, the one who sold the Feng Shui Stone at the last auction?"

"I remember. What about him?" Lin Yi replied with a faint smile.

That Cui Cheng had auctioned a half-finished Feng Shui Stone, and when Lin Yi merely shook his head, the man bore a grudge.

To teach him a lesson, Lin Yi had fully activated the stone’s energy, which also meant it was now completely spent.

Wang Yang continued, "This time, he’s found some so-called Feng Shui master and issued a public challenge—he wants to challenge you."

Lin Yi found it all rather tedious. Such challenges were inherently unfair, mere child’s play for him.

So he asked, "Is there any reward?"

Wang Yang smiled awkwardly. "No, it’s just a matter of reputation."

"Then forget it. Decline on my behalf," Lin Yi said, amused.

Unless Cui Cheng could offer something that truly tempted him, such a challenge was meaningless.

"But it might damage your reputation," Wang Yang worried.

"What reputation do I have?" Lin Yi laughed. He honestly didn’t care what others thought of him. If he did, he wouldn’t be living in such a humble house.

Wang Yang had no answer, for Lin Yi truly had no concern for reputation—only unfathomable strength.

No one could see his depths, nor guess his intentions. He was like the ocean, forever inscrutable.

"Then I’ll decline the challenge for you," Wang Yang said.

"Go ahead."

After sitting a while longer, Wang Yang took his leave.

Lin Yi then began preparations for his journey to the Stone Grotto Forest in Shan Province.

"Hmm, I’d better call Angel to come along."

With Angel by his side, everything always went smoothly; she handled every detail perfectly.

He called Angel and asked her to come over.

Before long, Angel arrived.

"Mr. Lin, you called for me so urgently; is there something you need?" she inquired.

Lin Yi tapped his finger lightly on the tea table. "Sit and have some tea first."

Though puzzled, Angel obediently sat down.

The tea in the cup was nothing like she’d seen before—more like diluted milk.

Without asking, she brought the cup to her lips and took a sip. Instantly, her eyes lit up.

A rush of warmth filled her organs, and in that moment, her cultivation jumped from Hidden Strength to Transforming Strength.

Angel was both shocked and thrilled.

"Mr. Lin, my strength…" she stammered.

"You were already on the verge of a breakthrough. I merely helped you along," Lin Yi said with a gentle smile, sipping his own tea.

Angel looked at Lin Yi with gratitude, savoring the tea slowly, each sip further stabilizing her newfound power.

Even drinking as slowly as she could, the bottom of the cup eventually appeared.

When she finished, she noticed Lin Yi smiling at her, which made her blush.

"Mr. Lin, this tea is delicious," she said stiffly.

"If you like it, I’ll give you some more," Lin Yi replied generously.

"Really? You will?" Angel was delighted.

"It’s just a little spirit tea," Lin Yi said casually. The main ingredient was the spiritual liquid from his Illusory Teapot, combined with special herbs for this effect.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Lin," Angel said.

Lin Yi smiled faintly. After they finished the tea, he got to the point.

"Help me book a flight to Shan Province—preferably one that leaves today," he said.

He’d checked flights earlier; the earliest wouldn’t leave until the next day.

Since he knew there was Spirit Marrow Liquid in the Stone Grotto Forest, he was in no mood to delay.

"That’s no problem. Actually, if you want, you can leave right now. Linda Group has a private plane. I flew here on it myself," Angel replied with a smile.

Lin Yi couldn’t help but sigh—it really was convenient to have money these days.

"Let’s go, then," he said.

The two of them arrived at Linda Group’s Jiang Province branch, where a helicopter waited on the top floor.

Lin Yi had visited the branch before, but hadn’t known there was a helicopter here.

Beside the helicopter stood a woman in a white shirt and a black pencil skirt, standing straight as a rod.

Angel introduced her, "Her name is Kim Anhui, a private pilot with three years of flying experience. She’s actually from Shan Province—the very place we’re heading."

Kim Anhui saluted. "Mr. Lin."

Lin Yi nodded.

They boarded the helicopter and, two hours later, arrived in Wuxi City, Shan Province.

It was less than a hundred miles from the Stone Grotto Forest. Lin Yi decided to stop in Wuxi first, hoping to find some quality medicinal herbs.

Wang Yang and the ten great families handled the market in Jiang Province, while Angel collected jade for him.

However, the quantity of herbs and jade Lin Yi required was enormous; relying on Jiang Province alone would never suffice.

"Mr. Lin, what are we doing in Shan Province this time?" Angel asked.

"Looking for something," Lin Yi replied mysteriously. "Do you know where the largest herb market is?"

"Yes—there’s an underground market in Xiantai District here in Wuxi. Not only does it have the largest medicinal herb market, but also antiques and paintings," Angel answered.

They took a taxi and, in less than ten minutes, arrived at the underground market in Xiantai District.

Lin Yi and Angel browsed for quite some time but didn’t find anything truly valuable.

Suddenly, Lin Yi’s eyes fell on a black ring.

"Boss, where did you get this ring?" he asked.

"Oh, that? It’s an heirloom from my ancestors, definitely a treasure from the Tang dynasty. If you want it, I’ll let it go for eighty thousand," the elderly proprietor replied, flashing a gold tooth.

Lin Yi smiled faintly. The ring had originally belonged to him.

He’d given it to a disciple, but now that it had surfaced here, it was likely that disciple was gone.

He sighed softly.

"Mr. Lin, is something wrong?" Angel asked.

"Nothing. Boss, I’ll take the ring—eighty thousand, right?" Lin Yi said with a gentle smile.

Money was of no concern; if a problem could be solved with money, it wasn’t a problem at all.

"Yes," the old man replied, heart skipping a beat at Lin Yi’s quick agreement. Could the ring really be valuable after all? But he doubted it—after all, it had sat unsold for over two months, with plenty of inquiries but no buyers.

"Angel, pay him," Lin Yi said.

"Alright." As Angel prepared to pay, a voice called out from behind.

"Wait! I want that ring—I’ll pay double!"

The speaker was a pretty woman with large eyes, accompanied by a handsome young man.

The old man’s eyes lit up, and he quickly clutched the ring. "Miss, you really mean double?"

By the time he spoke, the young woman had stepped forward and nodded, pulling a black credit card from her bag.

"My goodness—a black card," the old man exclaimed. This was a true heiress; her refined clothing was clearly custom made.

"Hurry up, I’m in a rush," she said, waving her card.

"No problem, I’ll get the POS machine right now," the old man replied with a grin.

Angel, however, was displeased. She frowned and said, "Boss, we were here first."

The old man was unconcerned. "Miss, there’s no transaction yet and no contract. I sell to the highest bidder."

The beautiful woman shot Angel a triumphant look, which only annoyed her further.