Setting the Direction

Bai Ningshuang and Bai Chen were away, leaving Luo's Herb Shop somewhat deserted.

Yet it was precisely this quiet that gave Luo Can some rare peace to think carefully about what to do next.

After all, according to his memories of the original story, once Tang San awakened his martial soul, his growth would become absurdly rapid—Twin Martial Souls, Tang Sect Secret Techniques, Immortal Herb opportunities, Sea God's Inheritance... Within twenty years, the entire continent would probably bear the Tang name.

By then, without some strength and influence of his own, he could easily end up as cannon fodder.

"I have to speed things up..."

As he pondered, the shop door was pushed open.

"Morning! Huh? Boss Luo is manning the shop himself today?"

The man was a sturdy fellow in his forties, with a vicious scar left by a bear claw across his left cheek, yet his smile was remarkably hearty.

"Morning." Luo Can looked up from behind the counter and nodded in greeting. "The usual?"

"Mm, the usual three. I'm heading into the mountains tomorrow."

Luo Can turned and walked to the third row of medicine cabinets on the right. He deftly opened several drawers, took out three packets of pale yellow medicinal powder and two bottles of dark green ointment, then scooped some grayish-white powder from a porcelain jar and wrapped it in oil paper.

Hunter Wang took the medicine packets and counted out ten silver coins from the leather pouch at his waist, placing them on the counter.

As he put away the medicine, he casually chatted, "A pack of Wind Wolves showed up in that old forest to the west. Their pelts can fetch a good price, so we ought to make a killing this time."

Luo Can put away the silver coins and casually asked, "Wind Wolves are pack-dwelling Spirit Beasts. There are at least a dozen in a pack. You're going alone?"

"No way!" Hunter Wang lowered his voice and leaned closer. "A few old friends are coming with me. But honestly, Boss Luo, things haven't been peaceful lately..."

He looked around and only continued after confirming there was no one else in the shop.

"I heard from merchants returning from Nuoding City that something happened over there. They said Spirit Hall was investigating someone's whereabouts. They even sent deacons to a godforsaken place like Holy Soul Village, questioning people door to door. Tsk, tsk... Even the countryside isn't safe anymore."

Luo Can's eyes flickered, but his expression remained calm.

"Ordinary folk like us should avoid prying into Spirit Hall's affairs. Knowing too much may not be a good thing."

"Exactly, exactly!" Hunter Wang nodded repeatedly. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he tucked the medicine away and left.

Luo Can watched his back disappear around the street corner, his fingers tapping lightly against the counter.

Spirit Hall was looking for someone, and they had even gone to Holy Soul Village.

According to the timeline, Tang San should still be under six and had yet to awaken his martial soul. Had Spirit Hall already discovered traces of Tang Hao?

No, probably not that early. In the original story, Tang Hao had lived in seclusion in Holy Soul Village for years. Spirit Hall only truly took notice after Tang San awakened Twin Martial Souls and Xiao Wu exposed her identity as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. At this point, it was likely just a routine inspection, or perhaps they had heard some rumor.

He shook his head and temporarily set the matter aside.

What mattered most right now was developing his own forces as quickly as possible.

Watching the direction Hunter Wang had gone, Luo Can fell into thought.

Hunter Wang was a typical lower-class Spirit Master—his martial soul was an ordinary broadsword, his Innate Soul Power was level three, and after decades of hard cultivation, he had only become a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster.

But he had a small hunting party of eight people under his command. They were all low-level Spirit Masters who specialized in hunting Ten-Year Spirit Beasts, selling their pelts, flesh, blood, and bones just to barely make a living.

There were countless Spirit Masters like them across Douluo Continent.

Their talent was limited, and resources were scarce. Most would struggle to ever break through to Soul Elder in their entire lives. Yet because of that, they craved opportunities to change their fate all the more.

"Perhaps I should focus more on these lower-class Spirit Masters."

A clear plan gradually formed in Luo Can's mind.

He could recruit them and give them resources. Soul Power Pills, Body Refining Pills, suitable Spirit Bones, even top-tier meditation techniques—he could provide them all and cultivate these lower-class Spirit Masters into a useful force in the shortest possible time.

Just as Luo Can was thinking this over, the door was pushed open again.

Customers streamed into the herb shop throughout the morning.

While measuring medicine and taking payment, Luo Can listened to their idle chatter and boasting, piecing together news from the outside world through their scattered conversations.

"I heard from my wife's younger brother's second granduncle that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is recruiting outer disciples! Anyone under twelve with Innate Soul Power of level four or above can sign up!"

"What, Old Zhang? You want to send your boy there?"

"Why not? My boy's martial soul may be a bit useless, but he has Innate Soul Power of level four! Even if he can't become a Core Disciple after joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, being an outer disciple would still be better than working as a blacksmith in town, right?"

"Give it up! Your boy's martial soul is just some lousy sickle. Going there would be pointless. What kind of place is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? One of the Upper Three Sects! You think they'd take a fancy to a sickle martial soul?"

"Heh, how would you know if you don't try?"

Luo Can silently wrapped up the herbs and handed them to the middle-aged man named Zhang.

This scattered information only strengthened his earlier idea.

For lower-class Spirit Masters and ordinary people, an opportunity to change their fate was worth fighting for with everything they had, no matter how slim the chance.

And what he could offer was far more enticing than a mere outer disciple position at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Just as he was thinking this, the shop door was pushed open once more.

A youth of around fifteen or sixteen walked in. He seemed nervous and stood there for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and walking up to the counter.

"B-Boss..." His voice was dry. "Do you... buy herbs here?"

The moment he spoke, several customers browsing the herbs turned to look at him in surprise.

Anyone with eyes could tell that the herbs in Luo's Herb Shop were of exceptional quality—common herbs were mature and well-preserved, while many rare medicinal ingredients could not even be found in herb shops in large cities.

This youth looked like he came from a poor family. What decent herb could he possibly have?

Luo Can raised his eyes and examined him.

The youth wore ragged clothes and had dark skin. He looked like an utterly ordinary farm boy.

But his Soul Power was at level nineteen.

"What kind of herb? Let me see it." Luo Can asked.

The youth pulled a small cloth bundle from his chest and carefully placed it on the counter. He slowly unwrapped layer after layer until a purplish-red herb was revealed within.

The herb was around three inches long. Its leaves unfurled in layers like clouds, its veins a pale gold, and it emitted a crisp medicinal fragrance.

Purple Cloud Grass.

And judging by its quality, the Cloud Dew Pattern on its leaves indicated that it was at least a hundred years old.

A trace of surprise flashed through Luo Can's eyes. Purple Cloud Grass was not a top-tier spiritual medicine, but even a hundred-year-old one was rare. This herb usually grew in extremely damp and shadowy cliff crevices or deep caves, places ordinary herb gatherers could hardly reach.

"Where did you pick it?" he asked.

The youth nervously rubbed his hands together. "L-Laoya Mountain, thirty miles outside town. There's a very deep cliff crevice on the far side. I accidentally slipped while gathering herbs the day before yesterday and fell onto a protruding stone ledge. Then I... I found this herb in a crack in the rocks..."

Luo Can nodded and placed the Purple Cloud Grass back into the cloth bundle.

"Are you sure you want to sell this herb?"

"Mm." The youth nodded heavily, a trace of bitterness flashing through his eyes. "My family... needs money. My mother is sick, and we urgently need money to buy medicine."

Luo Can took out ten Gold Soul Coins from the cashbox beneath the counter and lined them up on the countertop.

A collective gasp rang out in the shop. Ten Gold Soul Coins were enough for an ordinary family of three to live comfortably for more than a decade.

The youth's eyes lit up, and he reached out to take them.

"Wait." Luo Can pressed down on his hand.

The youth froze, panic flashing in his eyes. "B-Boss, what is this...?"

"I'll give you two choices." Luo Can looked at him. "First, take these ten Gold Soul Coins, and the Purple Cloud Grass is mine. We'll be even."

He paused, then continued.

"Second, join Luo's Herb Shop and become a shop assistant here. This Purple Cloud Grass will serve as your token of allegiance."

The youth was stunned.

He looked at the Gold Soul Coins on the counter, then at Luo Can. His mouth opened, but he could not speak for a long while.

The other customers in the shop also fell silent, holding their breath as they watched.

Luo Can was in no hurry. He calmly waited for his answer.

This youth had good luck to find a hundred-year-old Purple Cloud Grass in such a dangerous place, and his Soul Power was already close to level twenty.

Such talent was considered excellent among lower-class Spirit Masters. He had potential.

"...I-I choose the second one."

The youth took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly.

"Very good." The corners of Luo Can's mouth curled up as he put away the ten Gold Soul Coins. "Starting tomorrow, you'll work at the shop. Three silver coins a month, paid at the beginning of each month."

"Mm!" The youth nodded heavily, but then he rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Um... Boss, can I get one month's wages in advance? My mother is still waiting for money to buy medicine..."

Luo Can glanced at him without saying anything. He simply turned around, took a bottle of medicine from another cabinet, and placed it before him.

"Take this. Twice a day, one capful each time. As long as the patient isn't critically wounded and on the verge of death, it can cure them. Then come to the shop on time tomorrow at the hour of the dragon."

"Thank you, Boss! Thank you!"

The youth took the medicine bottle and clenched it tightly in his hand. He gave Luo Can a deep bow before turning and running out of the shop.

The moment he left, the other customers surged forward and began asking questions all at once.

"Boss Luo! Are you still hiring? My boy is fourteen this year, with Innate Soul Power of level three. He's a hard worker!"

"My niece is twelve. Her martial soul is Green Vine. Her Soul Power is a little low, but she's diligent and quick with her hands..."

"Boss, do you think I could do it? I'm a little older, but I can definitely run errands and handle odd jobs!"

Luo Can raised a hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

"Luo's Herb Shop is indeed still hiring."

His gaze swept across their eager faces as he slowly said,

"I do need to recruit some assistants. They must be under twenty, possess Innate Soul Power, be dependable, and willing to work hard. Anyone interested can bring their children to the shop in three days. I'll personally interview them, and I'll also provide them with opportunities for advancement in the future."

The moment his words fell, the shop instantly erupted into an uproar.