Watching Xie Ruolan's clearly disdainful expression, Lin Haoming gave a bitter smile. "In your eyes, Senior Sister Xie, I'm certainly not fat meat—I'm probably not even a scrap of gristle. But in the eyes of some paupers, I'm quite the prize!"
Xie Ruolan looked at this descendant of her former master. Hearing him shower her with flattery made her skin tingle with a strange, undeniable sense of satisfaction. Her star-like eyes circled him once more before she intentionally put on a troubled look.
"While I have a few influential friends these days, I can't just help you for nothing. Opening my mouth for a favor costs face, you know."
Lin Haoming realized she was milking the moment to assert dominance. He felt a bit like a tiger on the plains being bullied by a dog, but given she was a beauty—and he'd always had a soft spot for them—he couldn't truly get angry. Besides, he needed her.
"Senior Sister Xie, we have a history, after all," he said submissively. "As long as you're willing to help, I'll do whatever you say!"
Seeing the once-arrogant Lin Haoming now bowing and scraping, Xie Ruolan felt a rush of adrenaline more intoxicating than when she had reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.
"Fine," she nodded, enjoying his forced smile. "Ancestor Lin was the one who set me on the path of immortality, so I'll help. But it's not a free favor. Wang Chen used to take a ten percent cut; you'll take half of that. How about it?"
"Deal! No problem!" Lin Haoming agreed instantly. He had plenty of spirit stones; he would have taken the job even if he had to pay her.
The moment he agreed, his Merit Bead vibrated. He looked at Wang Chen and realized the bearded man was radiating genuine gratitude. Wang Chen had been struggling to find a trustworthy replacement; now that Xie Ruolan had hand-picked Lin, any future issues wouldn't be his responsibility. He was thrilled to be off the hook.
Xie Ruolan smiled. "Good. From now on, you're one of my people. If you're smart, I'll see you get benefits. It's not impossible for you to return to the inner sect one day."
"I understand. I'll be relying on you, Senior Sister!" Lin Haoming thought back to the snot-nosed kid she used to be and felt a sense of irony at his current situation.
"In that case, go brew me a pot of spirit tea," Xie Ruolan commanded, walking into the back secret room. "I have some inventory for you to sell."
She didn't even like spirit tea that much; she just wanted to see him serve her. Lin Haoming, still relieved that his life was no longer in danger, happily complied.
---
The New Inventory
As she sipped her tea, Xie Ruolan watched Wang Chen hand over the inventory to Lin Haoming. It was a staggering amount of goods:
Pills: Over 1,200 low-grade Xingqi Pills, 60 mid-grade Xingqi Pills, over 280 low-grade Qi-Gathering Pills, 32 mid-grade Qi-Gathering Pills, 64 low-grade Heqi Pills...
Talismans: 29 mid-grade, 5 high-grade...
Tools: 12 low-grade defensive tools, a mid-grade Golden Light Axe, a mid-grade Liangyi Sword...
The total value was at least three to five thousand spirit stones—a fortune equivalent to that of a lower-tier Foundation Establishment cultivator. These were items Xie Ruolan likely considered trash that wouldn't sell well in the higher-level markets. Lin Haoming realized that while he had been a rich young master, he was now just an employee for this new little rich woman.
Xie Ruolan leaned back, resting her chin on her hand with a lazy, elegant air. "Junior Brother Lin, I've given you the opportunity. Work hard. If you mess up, don't expect me to be sentimental."
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you! But... what about my situation at the Grotto?"
"I'll send word to the Stupa Grotto," she said with a playful smile. "As long as you stay here and work peacefully, they won't touch you."
Lin Haoming caught the underlying threat: Stay here and be my servant, and you're safe. Leave or disobey, and you're on your own. He realized the little girl had grown into a very calculating woman.
---
The Aftermath at the Grotto
Back at the Stupa Grotto, Situ Ping and Zhou Zhiye spent days searching for Lin Haoming. Each suspected the other of kidnapping Lin to steal his treasures, leading to a heated argument that turned into a physical fight. Eventually, their master, Kong Xiangming, had to step in to stop them, giving them both a severe reprimand.
Their frustration turned to bewilderment when news arrived that Lin Haoming had resurfaced as a shop manager in the first-level market.
As inner disciples, they knew that anyone running a shop in the market was a representative for someone powerful in the inner sect. Though they were inner disciples themselves, they weren't core enough to challenge high-level backers. They had to swallow the loss.
Situ Ping felt mostly indifferent since he hadn't lost much, but Zhou Zhiye was livid. Between the pills, the tools, and the lost bets, he had lost nearly half his net worth to Lin Haoming. He hated Lin with every fiber of his being, but for now, he didn't dare touch him.