After leaving Dalin Village, Lin Yan did not return straight to Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy. Instead, he began wandering around Nuoding City.
Although Lin Yan had been in Nuoding City for a year, he had never come out to properly explore it. Nuoding City was not a large city, but as the hub of the surrounding region, it still had streams of people weaving through its streets and shops standing in rows.
As Lin Yan passed along a street that was neither a main thoroughfare nor particularly out of the way, a tightly shut street-facing door caught his attention.
A conspicuous notice reading "Property for rent" was pasted on the door. The location was decent, and the premises looked neither too large nor too small. An idea surfaced in Lin Yan's mind.
Open a shop. A medicine shop.
Once the idea arose, it quickly became clear and concrete.
What Lin Yan held in his mind went far beyond a single formula for wound medicine. He also had a considerable number of simple yet highly effective formulas for ready-made medicines that treated common colds and fevers, bruises and injuries, and digestive troubles.
In this world, low-level Soul Masters and ordinary people had an enormous demand for medicines with reliable effects and fair prices. The wound medicine had already proved that.
More importantly, a medicine shop could serve as an excellent cover for him.
The "whale rubber" Lin Yan longed for was, in the general understanding of this world's people, still merely an item with a special aphrodisiac effect.
If a child of around ten like him frequently visited markets to ask about such a thing, or even bought it in large quantities, he would undoubtedly draw many strange looks and unnecessary suspicions, and might even bring trouble upon himself.
But purchasing it in the name of a medicine shop would seem far more reasonable and allow him to conceal his true purpose as much as possible.
Besides, Lin Yan assessed his current situation. Although his Soul Power had already reached rank ten, his body had yet to be tempered to its limit, and he had no leads whatsoever on an ideal Soul Beast for his first Soul Ring. Leaving the academy's protection before obtaining a Soul Ring and rashly venturing into the outside world, where danger lurked on every side, to hunt Soul Beasts or seek opportunities would indeed be no different from throwing his life away. He needed time, resources, and a safer, more independent foothold.
The only thing at the academy that still attracted him was the collection on the library's second floor... If, after the term began, his request to read on the second floor was denied, there would be no need to remain at the academy.
A medicine shop could solve precisely these problems: first, as long as it was properly managed, it could provide a steady cash flow and keep him from sitting idle while his reserves ran dry; second, it could provide cover for his collection of whale rubber; finally, it could give him a place in Nuoding City that was entirely under his control, where he could cultivate in peace.
With his mind made up, Lin Yan no longer hesitated.
Lin Yan knew that trying to rent a shop himself at his age might cause unnecessary trouble. He could only trouble Uncle Village Chief to make another trip.
Lin Yan first found an inn to stay at, then wrote a letter and had someone deliver it to Dalin Village.
The day after the letter was sent, Village Chief Lin Daniu arrived in Nuoding City and found Lin Yan.
"Boy, I read your letter. You said you needed my help with something. What exactly is it? Your Uncle Village Chief won't shirk his duty," Lin Daniu said, patting his chest.
"Uncle Village Chief, I'm really sorry to have made you come all this way. This was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and I really couldn't find anyone else to help, so I could only trouble you," Lin Yan said apologetically, scratching his head.
"You're treating me like an outsider, aren't you? Just tell me what you need."
"Well, it's like this... I found an ancient book in Nuoding Academy's library with lots of practical medicine formulas in it. Seeing how well the wound medicine sold before, I figured business would definitely be good if I opened a medicine shop. Besides, even if I keep cultivating, I might not reach any great heights anyway. I might as well open my own medicine shop and make a living."
Lin Yan casually made up an excuse.
"That's wonderful! Last time, when you told me you wanted to go out and make your way in the world, I was worried. You're still so young. This is good. You won't have to take risks."
Lin Daniu was excited after hearing this. Unlike his worried expression last time, he was genuinely happy now. Lin Yan could clearly feel that Lin Daniu's happiness came from the heart.
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Uncle Village Chief."
"It's all right. As long as you're doing well, I can rest easy."
Lin Daniu did not delve into the change in Lin Yan's thinking. Children often changed their minds. He simply asked, "What do you need me to do?"
"You just need to..."
Next, Lin Yan explained in detail what he needed Lin Daniu's help with.
Afterward, following Lin Yan's instructions, Lin Daniu approached the landlord as a distant relative and negotiated with him. Lin Yan had provided ample funds, and Lin Daniu's honest, straightforward manner also put people at ease, so the negotiations went exceptionally smoothly. Before long, he signed the lease at a reasonable price.
With the shop secured, Lin Yan's plan had taken its most crucial first step.
Next, Lin Yan took out an illustrated booklet he had carefully drawn himself. It contained detailed drawings and written descriptions of the shapes and appearances of several dozen medicinal herbs he needed.
"Uncle, sorry for the trouble, but after you go back, could you follow the illustrations in this booklet, like following a picture to find a fine steed, and find some of these herbs for me to look at? I'll check them first. If there are no problems, you can get the villagers to help gather them and buy the herbs from them. Once you've bought them, bring them to me, and I'll buy them from you at ten percent above your purchase price as payment for your efforts."
Lin Yan handed the booklet to Lin Daniu.
Lin Daniu took the booklet and flipped through it. Finding that he had seen many of the plants inside before, he closed it and promised, "Xu Xiaoyan, don't worry. Your uncle will make sure this is handled properly!"
After going over a few matters with Village Chief Lin Daniu, Lin Yan began making the remaining preparations for the medicine shop. The rented premises already had some basic fittings and could be used after a little cleaning and tidying.
By making inquiries through the innkeeper and some locals, Lin Yan found an elderly physician who had retired from a clinic because of his age. The old physician, surnamed Zhang, was experienced and kindly. It was only because his stamina had declined that he could no longer cope with the clinic's heavy workload, and he was looking for something less demanding.
Once again, Lin Daniu stepped forward, this time as an "elder of the young proprietor," and successfully hired Physician Zhang to attend the shop. His main responsibility was to provide simple advice on medicine use to patients who came to purchase ready-made remedies-after all, Lin Yan primarily sold established pill and powder preparations, rather than writing prescriptions and dispensing herbs.
In addition, following Lin Yan's instructions, Lin Daniu hired two young assistants who looked honest, dependable, and quick with their hands. They were responsible for miscellaneous shop duties, cleaning, and helping dispense medicine by taking finished products from designated medicine cabinets.
Once everything was ready, the Hundred Herbs Shop quietly opened for business on this street in Nuoding City.