Chapter 39

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Chapter 39: Following

East City Market

Ever since Wen Xing disappeared at the big market, it seemed like half of the fun was gone.

Most of the vendors were just like everyone else, working hard to practice and sell goods, barely making a living.

Immortality was too far away for them.

This made Lin Jiang feel like he didn’t belong among them, even though he was just an ordinary person now.

“Just checking in when I have nothing to do.”

System: Life Check-in System

Host: Lin Jiang

Lifespan: 125/37500

Lin Jiang looked at the remaining lifespan balance on the system, feeling a bit numb.

The thousand years of lifespan he had previously consumed seemed insignificant to him now.

“I wonder if there’s any cultivation technique that can give lifespan to others. If so, I’ll become prosperous.”

Sometimes, Lin Jiang would think like this.

There were countless cultivation techniques in the cultivation world, and if there was one that could give lifespan to others, he would become prosperous.

He could become rich and be the wealthiest in the cultivation world by relying on this technique.

However, Lin Jiang had never heard of such a technique, though he had heard of some magic techniques that could absorb other people’s lifespan.

Unfortunately, he didn’t need that kind of technique.

“Friend Lin, are you going back?”

Seeing that there wasn’t much business, Lin Jiang decided to head home and greeted the vendors on both sides.

Lin Jiang replied with a simple nod and casually said hello before leaving.

Lin Jiang knew that after he left, his stall would be taken over by two other people.

They wouldn’t pay him rent like Zhang Ruifeng did; they were just taking advantage.

Lin Jiang didn’t mind and ignored them.

Lin Jiang usually doesn’t go straight home.

Instead, he likes to take a stroll in the bustling market or other crowded places.

If someone is following him, it’s easy for him to shake them off.

It’s a habit he’s developed over many years.

He had done this countless times before without noticing anyone following him.

But today, Lin Jiang could feel someone’s gaze constantly on his back.

This feeling was very obvious, and it made Lin Jiang feel heavy-hearted.

He didn’t know if the mastermind from before had targeted him again or if he had unintentionally revealed his wealth and attracted someone’s attention.

This made Lin Jiang even more afraid to go home.

He kept wandering outside until it was dark, but he still felt the presence of someone following him.

“I can’t keep not going home forever. Who could this be?”

Lin Jiang kept analyzing in his mind.

He didn’t know who was following him, but he couldn’t stay away from home forever.

Although Yunzhong City didn’t have a curfew, cultivators also got tired and needed a place to rest.

The most important thing was that if he kept avoiding going home, it would surely alarm the person behind him.

So, Lin Jiang gritted his teeth and returned home.

With the protection of the courtyard walls and formations, that feeling finally disappeared.

“What’s going on? Is it related to the mastermind behind Mo Lin and his gang?”

Lin Jiang questioned once again.

He actually hoped that this time the person following him was connected to Mo Lin.

He wasn’t afraid of enemies showing up, but he was afraid of them not showing up.

“Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao haven’t woken up yet.”

Lin Jiang glanced at the Spirit Beast Bag and saw that Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao had been asleep for a year and still hadn’t woken up, but they were both alive and getting stronger.

“As long as I stay inside the city and don’t go out, those people dare not attack me freely. Don’t go to the black market in the future either. It’s too remote.

Although there are killings inside the city, they just don’t dare to do it openly.”

Lin Jiang made a decision.

As long as he stayed inside the city, no one would dare to openly kill him.

The rules in Yunzhong City were very strict, and rules were the most precious thing in Yunzhong City.

“Still here.”

Several days later, in East City Market, Lin Jiang felt that surveilling gaze again, but there were too many people in the market, and he couldn’t tell who it was.

Lin Jiang pretended not to know and continued to sell his spiritual talismans.

He had been blending in East City Market for a few years now, and he had gained some fame.

Old customers would often come to buy his talismans.

“Taoist Friend Lin, won’t you consider joining my team?

We have thirteen members, all at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

And we have been in Yunzhong City for decades, known for our reliability.”

Today, an old customer came to buy talismans again and also proposed that Lin Jiang join his team.

His team consisted of thirteen elites in the Qi Refining Period, and they had a good reputation in the Qi Refining Period circle of Yunzhong City.

“Taoist Friend Chen, forget it.

I’m used to being a free spirit all on my own.”

Lin Jiang shook his head and refused.

Taoist Friend Chen had invited him several times, even talking about his team’s matters multiple times, but Lin Jiang still declined.

He was not concerned with how these people viewed him.

A group of Qi Refining Period cultivators meant nothing to him, especially since they had a good reputation.

His worry was that their actions could bring danger.

Taoist Friend Chen’s team was similar to other independent cultivators in Yunzhong City.

They lacked a stable income and did various tasks like being bodyguards, treasure hunting, or hunting beasts in the mountains.

All these activities were extremely dangerous, even for elite Qi Refining Period cultivators like Taoist Friend Chen and his team.

In fact, many people had died over the past few years, and Lin Jiang was aware of two such cases.

Lin Jiang had many opportunities to make money.

His greatest advantage was time.

Even if he earned only a few spirit stones each year, he could accumulate more wealth than most Qi Refining Period cultivators over time.

That’s why Lin Jiang never took risks.

As long as he survived, that was enough.

“That’s a shame.

If you joined us, our team would become much stronger.

Being an independent cultivator is difficult. We need to stick together to have a chance to build our foundation.”

Taoist Friend Chen explained how being an independent cultivator was challenging.

They earned a little money, but most of it went toward cultivation and daily expenses.

It was tough to save tens of thousands of spirit stones.

So they decided to join forces, pooling their resources to build foundations one by one.

Unfortunately, Lin Jiang refused.

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright, our fate just hasn’t aligned yet.”

Taoist Friend Chen said, “I understand why Lin Jiang declined.

There aren’t many late-stage Qi Refining cultivators who can become first-grade premium Talisman Makers.

Those with such abilities can easily make money, so they don’t need to live by the sword like us.”

Taoist Friend Chen left with the spiritual talisman, and Lin Jiang closed his stall and packed up as well.

Taoist Friend Chen was his most frequent customer. Nearly every time he visited, he would buy out Lin Jiang’s entire inventory for the next few days.

Ignoring the person who had been watching him, Lin Jiang returned home alone.

As usual, he checked on Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao in his Spirit Beast Bag before heading inside to cultivate.

Now, Lin Jiang’s cultivation progress was much faster than before, thanks to his increased investment.

The Spirit Gathering Formation and high-quality dan pills had cost him quite a bit, but they were certainly effective.

Without them, Lin Jiang felt it would take him another three to five decades to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Outside Lin Jiang’s house, a person observed for an hour and eventually left.

They had figured out Lin Jiang’s daily routine and knew that once he returned home, he rarely went out.

The observer went to a mansion and reported to a middle-aged man, “Master, Jiang Lin has returned home again.”

“Still no plans to leave the city?”

“No, after my observation, this person is very introverted, doesn’t socialize much, and rarely goes out. I secretly inquired and learned that he has been living in Yunzhong City for many years, and his routine has always been the same.”

“Yes, that’s the aspect of this person that I can’t figure out.”

“Master, does Jiang Lin truly have valuable treasures on him?”

“Hehe.”

The middle-aged man smiled.

As far as he knew, Jiang Lin had considerable wealth.

He had been renting a house in South City for almost twenty years, paying an annual rent of four thousand spirit stones.

That was not something an ordinary person could afford, let alone his other expenses.

Even if he were the legitimate son of a big family, it wouldn’t explain this.

“Master…”

“Keep watching.

We’ve waited for many years, so a bit more time won’t matter.

Once we capture this target, you and I won’t have to worry about cultivation for the next twenty years.”

“Yes, master.”

The young man agreed immediately, happily.

They had done this kind of work many times before.

His master had special status and was well-connected with wealthy individuals in Yunzhong City, allowing them to target the rich.

Of course, they didn’t target just anyone.

They had to investigate thoroughly, especially those who were wealthy but lacked power or background.

Those were the ideal targets in their eyes.

Taking down one of these “fat lambs” would bring them enormous profits, far more than they would normally earn over several years.

And this time, their target was an especially large “fat lamb” in their eyes.

Taking just one of them would mean not having to worry about cultivation for the next twenty years.