A Huge Haul of Spirit Stones Arrives, a Super Shopping Spree

Han Yuan said, "Alright, I agree! However, the shares from these industries outside the sect will need to be settled once every quarter. For the first quarter, as before, you will need to give me an estimated return in advance. After that, we'll follow the normal profit-sharing schedule."

Di Heng and Liu Zexian both agreed at once.

"We happened to discover four mineral deposits and six plots of farmland over the past few days. They can be placed under your name when the time comes!" Di Heng said with a smile.

"Our family also discovered seven prime locations suitable for raising special beasts over the past few days, along with three mineral deposits. They can likewise be placed under your name," Liu Zexian said with a cough.

Han Yuan's eyelid twitched. Such a coincidence? They had all just happened to be discovered over the past few days? There was no need for this. Failing to report these industries to the sect was not actually a violation of sect rules; it merely meant bearing responsibility for their safety themselves. However, once they were added to the sect's list of industries, the sect would issue protection missions for them. Many missions in the Mission Hall came from such places. If they encountered an irresistible enemy, the sect would also dispatch powerful experts.

"Fine. Let's sign the agreements," Han Yuan said calmly.

"Alright!"

The two had clearly prepared in advance. They each took out agreement contracts and followed the same procedure. Each family prepared three copies: one for each party, while the remaining one had to be submitted to the sect.

With this, Han Yuan became deeply bound to the Liu Family and the Di Family. While gaining benefits, he would naturally have to pay a certain price as well.

In truth, this was not bad either. Han Yuan could hide beneath the influence of the two families, drawing nourishment from them as he grew while also shielding himself from the eyes of others.

A day passed in the blink of an eye.

Han Yuan had been busy for quite some time that day. The handover with the sect in particular had taken considerable effort, but fortunately, everything had been settled.

Before Cangming Tower, Han Yuan quietly watched as a group of people carried box after box of Spirit Stones into the storeroom on the third floor.

Beside him, Chang Chun's body trembled. Every time someone passed by, he shakily recorded the quantity of Spirit Stones that had been handed over in his ledger. The accumulated figure had already become astonishingly enormous.

Qin Feng was also checking the number of Spirit Stones. He had counted until he was numb. To him now, anyone with fewer than a million Spirit Stones could not be considered rich.

Di Qing and Liu Sisi were also waiting nearby, overseeing the work of their respective family members. Even they were shocked by the quantity of Spirit Stones in this batch. Though they were descendants of great families, they had never seen so many Spirit Stones before.

Only Han Yuan remained calm, appearing steady and composed.

How could he not be calm? In his previous life, he had heard of companies losing trillions. These few million Spirit Stones were nothing more than a few million. Though the things were different, the scale was truly nothing remarkable. Just a few million—not even a tenth of a small target.

The cultivators transporting the Spirit Stones finally finished their work.

Liu Sisi stepped forward. "Senior Brother, shall I go check on how they're setting up the Beast Garden?"

"Go ahead. From now on, you'll handle the Beast Garden's management," Han Yuan said with a smile and a nod.

After hesitating for a moment, Di Qing stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Senior Brother Han, may I work for you as well?"

"Haha, that would be wonderful. You'll handle the affairs over at the Spirit Fields too."

Looking at the two of them, Han Yuan said, "For your daily matters, you can first report everything to Chang Chun. From now on, Chang Chun will oversee all affairs of the cave abode."

"Yes!!" Di Qing hurriedly replied.

Chang Chun's face immediately glowed with excitement. "I will definitely handle everything properly."

He was delighted. With this, his position as the cave abode's steward was firmly secured.

"Qin Feng." Han Yuan glanced at Qin Feng beside him.

"Here."

"There are still some functional buildings in the residence, places like the Pill Refining Pavilion. For now, you'll manage them. If anything comes up, report it to Chang Chun."

After a pause, Han Yuan continued, "Chang Chun, you can recruit some people as appropriate and get these places running. Now that we have Spirit Stones to keep things running, it's indeed rather shabby for the cave abode not even to have Menial Disciples to clean up."

"Yes!" Qin Feng said excitedly. He had finally gotten a concrete post.

"Understood!" Chang Chun was also delighted. This way, he would have some direct subordinates under his command as well. The people at the Spirit Fields and Beast Garden did not fall under his authority.

"Mhm." Han Yuan nodded, then said to Di Qing and Liu Sisi, "You two go get busy first. Chang Chun, Qin Feng, come inside. I have matters to arrange."

Liu Sisi and Di Qing left first.

Chang Chun and Qin Feng followed Han Yuan into Cangming Tower.

The three arrived outside the storeroom, where they could see the vast quantity of Spirit Stones piled within!

"What's the total?" Han Yuan asked.

Chang Chun immediately reported, "The Di Family's cave abode industries provided 2.2 million Spirit Stones in advance, while their industries outside the sect provided 500,000 Spirit Stones. The Liu Family's cave abode industries provided 1.9 million Spirit Stones, while their industries outside the sect provided another 400,000 Spirit Stones. That makes a total of 5 million Spirit Stones!"

Han Yuan nodded. Twenty percent of the quarterly returns from the industries outside the sect came to 900,000 Spirit Stones. That was only one quarter and only twenty percent of the profits, meaning the total returns reached 18 million Spirit Stones. On average, a single industry earned 900,000 Spirit Stones a year.

"Keep one million Spirit Stones for the cave abode's operations. As for the other four million, I want to spend it all," Han Yuan said blandly.

Chang Chun was utterly stunned. Spend... spend it all?

Qin Feng nearly stopped breathing as well. Four million—he was going to spend it just like that.

"Do you remember the list I had you gather?" Han Yuan asked.

"Uh, of course I remember!"

"I remember."

Chang Chun and Qin Feng both hurriedly nodded.

Chang Chun immediately said, "I've added information on several more items during this period. It's all here."

Qin Feng also replied, "I investigated the common items in the marketplaces and the sect's Trade Market that you asked me to gather information on. Here's the list!"

The two each took out a list.

"Now, mark out the items that are easy to purchase," Han Yuan instructed.

Hearing this, Chang Chun and Qin Feng exchanged astonished looks.

However, neither dared ask further questions. They hurriedly took out the lists they had gathered and began comparing them item by item.

Han Yuan stood nearby, making comparisons alongside them.

Chang Chun had found more than one hundred and twenty types of items, which was indeed quite a lot. Yet many were niche items—either scarce in quantity, exorbitantly priced, poor in value for money, or simply unavailable on the market.

Thus, a hundred items were easily cut away. After another comparison, more than ten unsuitable items were removed.

In the end, only nine items remained for Han Yuan to choose from.

"Blood Vein Grass: Its leaves have red veins and it can be refined into Qi and Blood Pills to improve one's physical constitution. Directly consuming ten-year Blood Vein Grass can permanently raise one's body-tempering aptitude by a small amount. It becomes ineffective after three doses. Price: 30 Spirit Stones per plant, ten-year growth."

"Spirit Infusion Grass: It can be refined into Qi Gathering Pills and Qi Condensing Pills. Directly consuming ten-year Spirit Infusion Grass can permanently increase the speed of absorbing spiritual energy by a small amount. It only takes effect once. Market price: 80 Spirit Stones per plant, ten-year growth."

"Spirit Rhino Snake Gallbladder: The gallbladder of a Yellow-grade High-rank demonic beast. It has some effect in clearing and sharpening the spiritual eyes. Consuming it permanently raises one's aptitude for cultivating eye-type spells by a small amount. Market price: 200 Spirit Stones per gallbladder!"

"Meridian Opening Pill: A Yellow-grade High-rank pill that can expand the width of one's meridians. It only takes effect once. Market price: 500 Spirit Stones per pill!"

"Spirit Essence: An accompanying ore found in Spirit Stone mines. It can improve the spiritual energy and Spiritual Power Quality of various items. It is mostly used in crafts such as artifact refinement, pill refinement, and talisman making. Cultivators can also refine it to slightly improve their Spiritual Power Quality. Price: 800 Spirit Stones per piece!"

"Ghost Fruit: It commonly grows in dark, damp swamps. It can permanently raise one's aptitude for cultivating Spiritual Sense. It only takes effect once. Market price: 1,000 Spirit Stones per fruit!"

"Nine-Leaf Sword Qi Grass: A weed that grows in Sword Valley. Absorbing the Sword Qi on its leaves can permanently improve one's aptitude for sword arts cultivation. Each leaf can only be used once, but the common variety is merely One Leaf Sword Qi Grass, which only takes effect once. Market price: 1,500 Spirit Stones per plant, one leaf!"

"Hundred Poisons Bee Honey: It can permanently improve one's resistance to poisons. Price: 2,000 Spirit Stones per box!"

"Longevity Pill: A Yellow-grade High-rank pill. Consuming it can permanently increase one's lifespan by one year. At most, five pills can be consumed. Price: 5,000 Spirit Stones per pill."

When Han Yuan saw the final item, his gaze could not help but turn fixed.

Longevity Pill?

Longevity Pill!

His brows furrowed slightly as he considered whether this pill could truly increase one's lifespan, or whether it merely enhanced something else that indirectly prolonged life.

"Do you have the pill formula for the Longevity Pill?" Han Yuan asked.

"We only have information on some of its main ingredients," Chang Chun said. "It is refined using fifty-year Blood Generating Fruit and Spirit Tree Heart Core!"

Han Yuan pondered inwardly, This Longevity Pill probably enhances the vitality and life force of the physical body, thereby indirectly increasing one's lifespan.

He had heard some theories before. The ultimate limit of a person's lifespan could only be broken through cultivation breakthroughs. This pill could prolong one's life only because the physical body had weakened while the soul's lifespan had yet to reach its limit. It could improve the condition of the body, but there was absolutely no way it could break through the soul's ultimate lifespan limit.

"Still, since this pill can permanently increase 'lifespan,' it must have something extraordinary about it."

Han Yuan made up his mind and said to the two, "During this time, prepare to purchase these nine items. There's no need to buy them all in one go. Buy as much as you can first."

"Yes!" Chang Chun and Qin Feng replied in unison.