After finalizing the details with Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, Lin Yan felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders.
He returned to the Hundred Herbs Shop and carefully arranged the subsequent work focus for Uncle Zhang and Brother Li —gradually wrapping up the ordinary medicinal herb business and preparing and training some basic medicine apprentices for the new shop that would soon be cooperating with the Spirit Hall. After handling these trivial matters, Lin Yan was finally able to calm down and examine himself.
This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was incredibly fruitful, but the improvement was also too rapid. He soared from level ten to level twenty-three, his Martial Soul Evolution, and his Soul Ring were enhanced. While his power exploded, it also brought a subtle, almost imperceptible, sense of instability. Like a rapidly built tower, though magnificent, it risks collapse if its foundation isn't solidified. Lin Yan deeply understands the importance of a strong foundation, especially in the Douluo Continent, a world where Soul Power reigns supreme.
Therefore, in the days that followed, Lin Yan did not rush to reach a higher Soul Power Level, but chose to settle down. His daily life became very regular: in the early morning, when the sun was rising and the purple aura was coming from the east, he would meditate in the backyard of the Hundred Herbs Shop, no longer pursuing the increase of Soul Power, but focusing on guiding the Soul Power in his body to flow slowly in his meridians, refining and purifying it again and again, so that it was as easy to use as his own arm and as smooth and transparent as a body.
In the mornings, he would personally process some of the shop's core medicinal herbs, or prepare samples of wound medicine and cold remedies. This process not only reviewed and deepened his understanding of the properties of the herbs, but also served as a tempering of his character. Processing medicinal herbs requires patience, meticulousness, and precise control of heat, which is similar to condensing Soul Power. Feeling the texture and temperature of the herbs with his fingertips, his Soul Power flowed gently within his body like a stream, resonating both internally and externally, allowing him to gain increasingly refined control over his own power.
In the afternoon, he would engage in basic physical training and practice controlling his Martial Soul. The evolved Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul resilient and full of vitality, and he needed to relearn every change in it. Sometimes he would make the Blue Silver Grass dance like a serpent, sometimes it would condense into a shield, and sometimes it would spread out into a vine net. This in-depth exploration of the essence of the Martial Soul allowed him to understand the Blue Silver Grass beyond its Soul Skill and begin to touch upon its essential abilities as Plant-type Martial Soul.
Nighttime is a time for reflection and planning. He recalls every battle in the Star Dou Great Forest, reflects on his gains and losses, and compares the insights he gained on the brink of death with what he has learned in his daily life.
In this almost "secluded" immersive cultivation, time quietly slipped away. In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. Lin Yan could clearly feel that his level 23 Soul Power Soul Power had become completely stable, solid and heavy, and its circulation was now completely unimpeded. With a thought, his Soul Power could instantly reach the desired location. His temperament had also become more reserved, his eyes deep, and his previous sharpness had been replaced by composure. Like a piece of unpolished jade, after careful carving, it began to radiate a warm and profound luster.
It was during this period of consolidating his cultivation that the cooperation with the Spirit Hall rapidly unfolded. Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo was extremely efficient, and after receiving approval from the higher-ups at the Spirit Hall, resources were quickly allocated. In the central area of Nuoding City, a new shop, several times more impressive than the original Hundred Herbs Shop, was quickly renovated and hung with the plaque " Hundred Herbs Hall ". Lin Yan also fulfilled his promise and began to provide unified pharmacist training for the personnel selected by the Spirit Hall.
The training was held in the backyard of the new Hundred Herbs Hall. The first batch of trainees consisted of ten young Soul Master or staff members selected by the Spirit Hall from Nuoding City and the surrounding areas, who possessed a certain foundation in herbal medicine or were quick-witted. Lin Yan's teaching method was simple and easy to understand. He did not hold back his knowledge, explaining everything clearly, from the identification of medicinal materials and the interaction of medicinal properties, to the temperature and proportions of grinding, extraction, and blending, and personally demonstrating each step.
He particularly emphasized cultivating the trainees' "feel" and "medicinal sense," stressing that preparing medicines was not simply a matter of piling up steps, but rather required carefully sensing the subtle changes that occurred during the fusion of medicinal materials. Initially, these trainees were somewhat inexperienced, with a high failure rate, but under Lin Yan's patient and meticulous guidance, they progressed rapidly. Watching them go from clumsy to gradually becoming proficient, able to independently prepare qualified wound medicine and cold medicine, Lin Yan felt a great sense of accomplishment. This group of trainees would become the backbone of the Hundred Herbs Hall's future expansion.
Once his cultivation was fully consolidated and the first batch of trainees were basically ready to graduate, Lin Yan resumed his active Soul Power cultivation. With a solid foundation, although his cultivation speed was not as astonishing as when he was devouring Soul Ring, it was still far beyond that of ordinary people, steadily and firmly climbing upwards.
Time flies, spring comes and autumn goes, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Inside the " Hundred Herbs Hall " Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch, in a quiet room, Lin Yan slowly opened his eyes. The pale golden Soul Power flowing around his body gradually subsided and finally receded into his body. He felt the abundant Soul Power in his dantian, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Peak level 29.
He was only a hair's breadth away from the level 30 Soul Elder realm. He could clearly feel the existence of that barrier. His Soul Power had accumulated to its peak, as if he was just one step away from breaking through the barrier and stepping into a completely new world. But this thin membrane was like an insurmountable chasm. No matter how hard he tried to break through, he was always a little short and could never truly reach that realm.
"As expected, it still doesn't work..." Lin Yan muttered to himself, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.
For the past three years, he has never slacked off in his cultivation. His Soul Power has increased from level 23 to level 29, just one step away from level 30. If this speed were to spread, it would be enough to leave most so-called geniuses speechless. After all, many Soul Master may never be able to break through the bottleneck of level 30 in their entire lives.
However, Lin Yan himself was well aware of the problem. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was too weak. Although the first two Thousand-Year Soul Ring greatly enhanced its origin, his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was still in the early stages of evolution. Compared to those top-tier Beast Martial Soul and Tool Martial Soul, it seemed to lack a crucial "foundation" or "explosive power" when condensing Innate Soul Power and breaking through high-level bottlenecks. Plant-type Martial Soul often encounter greater resistance in the early stages of cultivation, especially at level 30, the crucial threshold from Soul Grandmaster to Soul Elder, compared to Power Attack System and Agility Attack System Martial Soul of the same level.
"It seems that relying solely on slow, methodical progress and existing resources, the chances of naturally breaking through to level 30 in a short time are slim." Lin Yan stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the bustling streets of Nuoding City.
Sunlight bathed him, highlighting his even more upright posture and more mature face. Three years had faded the last traces of childishness from his face, leaving a sense of composure and wisdom in his brows.
He already had a backup plan in mind. If conventional methods failed, then the only shortcut was the opportunity that could defy fate—the immortal Immortal Herb of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
Tang San relied on the Immortal Herb there to resolve his Martial Soul's flaws and lay the foundation for becoming a god. Lin Yan was familiar with the plot and knew the location and effects of those Immortal Herb. He hadn't gone to touch them before because firstly, his own strength was insufficient, and going to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well rashly would be tantamount to suicide; secondly, he wanted to try to break through his Martial Soul's limitations through his own efforts.
"Wait two more months." Lin Yan's gaze was firm as he made his decision. "If I still can't break through level 30 within two months, I'll have to start planning for some Immortal Herb. The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, the Infernal Delicate Apricot... and that 'Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew'..."
He didn't feel much guilt about the idea of intercepting Tang San's Immortal Herb. In this real world, opportunities and treasures belong to the virtuous (or powerful).
On the other hand, Lin Yan's businesses have also undergone tremendous changes in the past three years. With the participation of the Spirit Hall, " Hundred Herbs Hall " has expanded outwards at an astonishing speed. Starting from Nuoding City, the signs of " Hundred Herbs Hall " have appeared in major cities of the surrounding Fasinuo Province, and even some more distant main cities.
With a unified store design, standardized medicines, the backing of the Spirit Hall's reputation, and mature prescriptions provided by Lin Yan (mainly basic but in-demand medicines such as wound medicine and cold medicine), Hundred Herbs Hall quickly opened up the market and won an excellent reputation. Although to avoid conflicts with the Spirit Hall's existing interest system and considering management costs, it has not yet opened stores in imperial capitals like Heaven Dou City and Star Luo City, in vast second- and third-tier cities and important transportation hubs, " Hundred Herbs Hall " has become a household name, almost synonymous with "high quality," "affordable," and "reliable."
Of course, the rapid expansion in the early stages meant huge investments. Shop rent, staff salaries, medicinal herb procurement, logistics and transportation... each item was a huge expense. Although the partnership with the Spirit Hall was a revenue-sharing arrangement, Lin Yan, as the leader in terms of technology and overall direction, also needed to bear the corresponding initial investment. Therefore, although Hundred Herbs Hall's turnover has been rising steadily over the past three years, the net profit that actually ended up in Lin Yan's hands was not as exaggerated as one might imagine.
Even so, after three years of accumulation, Lin Yan's personal assets had reached an astonishing figure—over 100,000 Gold Soul Coin! This was a fortune many people couldn't earn in a lifetime. Keep in mind, back in Nuoding City, an average family's annual expenses were only a few dozen Gold Soul Coin. With this money, whether for purchasing cultivation resources (such as buying older medicinal herbs or rare metals) or supporting his future plans, it was more than enough. Moreover, as all the shops were fully operational and the initial investment was recouped, the subsequent profits would snowball. Financially, Lin Yan could now rest easy.