Great Merchant Lin Qing? I'd Say Great Philanthropist Lin Qing!

The real world.

"???"

Passersby on the street were all stunned.

They only saw Ma Hongjun suddenly drop to his knees, wet his pants, and begin to babble incoherently.

"W-what's going on?"

"No idea, he just suddenly went crazy."

"He even wet his pants, how disgusting."

"Tsk tsk, is this the kind of character a Spirit Master has?"

Whispers and murmurs regarding Ma Hongjun's behavior filled the air.

Er Ni also looked at Lin Qing with confusion.

"Xiao Qing, what's wrong with him?"

"Maybe he was born with a screw loose. Don't mind him."

Lin Qing smiled and shrugged.

He lowered the carriage curtain and instructed the driver, "Go around."

"Yes."

The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage steered around the collapsed Ma Hongjun to continue on its way.

Inside the carriage.

Er Ni whispered, "Xiao Qing, was that your doing?"

"Mm."

Lin Qing nodded.

"Just a small lesson. Who told him to look at you like that?"

That lecherous thing dared to set his sights on Er Ni; he was clearly courting death.

Hearing that it was for her sake, Er Ni blushed, feeling a sweetness in her heart.

"Thank you..."

"Silly."

Lin Qing ruffled her hair.

"In the future, if anyone bullies you, tell me. I will definitely teach them a lesson for you."

"Mm!"

Er Ni nodded vigorously, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

After returning Er Ni to their rented courtyard and getting her settled.

He began to contemplate his next plan.

Opening a shop was a certainty; he needed more money to collect Whale Rubber.

The questions were: what industry to enter? Where would the startup capital come from? How to break into the market? All of these required careful planning.

Just as he was thinking.

"Hum!"

A familiar vibration appeared without warning.

Lin Qing snapped his head up.

On the living room table, a black urn had appeared out of nowhere.

[Ding! You have received the relic of 'Great Profiteer Lin Qing'!]

[Would you like to listen to the last words immediately?]

"Another relic?"

Lin Qing's eyes lit up, and he strode to the table.

"Listen to the last words."

[Ding! Playing last words!]

Light and shadow unfolded before his eyes.

[My name is Lin Qing.]

The narrator's voice was gentle and smooth, carrying the distinct shrewdness of a merchant.

[Reborn and transmigrated to the Douluo Continent... into an ordinary merchant family.]

In the vision, an infant lay in an ornate cradle.

The surroundings were filled with exquisite mahogany furniture, silk curtains, and servants standing by with their hands at their sides.

The family background was clearly very affluent.

[At the age of six, I awakened the Martial Soul "Heavenly Eye" with an Innate Soul Power of level eight.]

The testing crystal bloomed with a dazzling light.

His parents were so excited they hugged each other.

"A genius! Our family has produced a genius!"

"Send him to the Martial Soul Hall! Send him to the best Soul Master Academy! In the future, he will surely become a powerful Soul Master and bring honor to our ancestors!"

But young Lin Qing shook his head.

[Yet, having been influenced by my family since childhood, I had no interest in being a Soul Master; instead, I wanted to do business and become a merchant.]

In the study.

Seven-year-old Lin Qing lay on the desk, staring at the account book with bright eyes.

Those dense rows of numbers seemed to have a life of their own in his eyes.

"Father, I want to learn how to do business."

"What?!"

His father was stunned.

"You... you have the talent of a Soul Master! Why do business?"

"But I think making money is more interesting than fighting."

Little Lin Qing raised his head, his eyes clear and firm.

[Therefore, I chose to abandon the path of a Soul Master to become a merchant!]

The narrator's voice carried a hint of pride.

"???"

The Lin Qing in reality twitched the corner of his mouth.

"This guy's train of thought is a bit peculiar..."

In a world like the Douluo Continent where strength is respected, to give up being a Soul Master to go into business?

This choice...

"It really is unique."

That was the only way he could evaluate it.

He continued watching.

[I started from the bottom.]

The scenes flashed by rapidly.

Ten-year-old Lin Qing set up a stall in the market, selling small handmade trinkets.

"Auntie, this grasshopper is three copper soul coins. Look how intricately it's woven!"

"Uncle, buy one for your child to play with, it's cheap!"

He was all smiles, his tongue as sweet as honey.

Late at night, under an oil lamp, he carefully recorded every single income and expense.

How much was earned, how much the cost was, how much the profit was—the account book was written clearly and concisely.

[Just like that, starting from small-scale trading, I slowly accumulated capital and earned the first pot of gold for my startup.]

[Three years later, my stall turned into a small grocery store.]

Lin Qing stood behind the counter, skillfully haggling with customers.

"The cost price for this batch of fabric is high; I really can't go any lower."

"You're a regular customer, so how about this: I'll throw in two handkerchiefs for free."

[Two years later, the grocery store expanded into a medium-sized shop, and I began hiring assistants, becoming a shopkeeper myself.]

[Five years after that, I established a small chamber of commerce.]

In the conference room, Lin Qing sat at the head of the table with over a dozen managers below him.

"The profit from the three branches this year has increased by thirty percent compared to last year. Very good."

He nodded with a smile.

"But it is not enough."

"Next year, we must expand our business to the three neighboring cities."

[In fact, I achieved it. My shops and chamber of commerce began to gain fame, but I was only an ordinary person. I needed security, so I initiated a sponsorship program.]

[I sponsored orphans and sent them to the Soul Master Academy.]

In front of a dilapidated orphanage.

Lin Qing handed a heavy bag of Gold Soul Coin to the old dean.

"Use this money to buy winter clothes and bedding for the children."

"And also..."

He looked at the children in the courtyard who were gazing at him with eager eyes.

"If any of them awaken soul power, let me know. I will cover all their tuition and living expenses."

"Thank you... thank you, Mr. Lin!"

The old dean was so moved that tears streamed down his aged face.

[My good reputation has gradually spread.]

People whispered in the streets and alleys.

"Have you heard? Boss Lin donated money to build another school!"

"What a kind man he is..."

"My nephew only got into Nuoding Soul Master Academy because of his sponsorship!"

"..."

[Decades later, my chamber of commerce became a renowned commercial empire spanning every city on the continent.]

[This commercial empire remained so stable precisely because countless soul masters I once sponsored chose to support me after they succeeded.]

The magnificent seven-story headquarters was located in the most prosperous district of Heaven Dou Imperial City.

In the top-floor office, the white-haired Lin Qing sat behind a large mahogany desk, his eyes still sharp and shrewd.

"Chairman, here is this year's financial report."

The secretary respectfully handed over a thick file.

Lin Qing took it and flipped through the pages carefully.

After a while, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Net profit increased by eighteen percent, not bad. Notify the managers of all branches that the year-end bonus will be increased by ten percent."

"Yes!"

[And soon, it was time for me to reach the end of my life.]

On a soft hospital bed, the old man slowly closed his eyes, a peaceful smile on his lips.

Beside the bed, his descendants sobbed softly.

There were also many people who had rushed from all over the continent to pay their respects, ranging from ordinary people to Title Douluo.

These were all people whose lives had been changed or supported by him.

[After my death, I left enough money for my descendants to live on and donated all my remaining inheritance.]

In the solemn auditorium, his will was publicly announced.

"Mr. Lin Qing has divided his entire estate into three parts."

"The first part is to be used to establish the 'Qinglin Charity Foundation' to provide long-term support for impoverished soul master students."

"The second part is to be used to build three hundred schools and three hundred medical clinics across the continent."

"The third part..."

The reader paused, their voice choking with emotion.

"Is to be donated to the thirty-seven orphanages he supported during his lifetime."

"..."

In reality, Lin Qing remained silent for a long time after reading this last testament.

Complex emotions welled up in his heart.

"He seemed like a great villainous merchant... but in reality, he spent his whole life using his own money to help others."

Starting from nothing to build a commercial empire.

Wealthy enough to rival a nation, yet he gave it all away.

This kind of life...

"It's quite remarkable."