Lin Zhen slammed his hand on the table, a triumphant smile on his face. "Do you all understand what this means?!"
He didn't wait for an answer. "The market for these two pills is colossal! Every cultivator, from the moment they step onto the path, uses them. The Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, and even Golden Core realms all consume vast quantities of these foundational pills for their disciples and guards!"
He began to pace, his energy infectious. "Currently, our Lin Clan pills are of standard quality, no better or worse than those produced by the Ji, Nangong, and Wang Clans. We compete on price and relationships, which has been a losing battle as they've united against us."
His eyes blazed with strategic fire. "But with these! With pills that are thirty to fifty percent more effective? Who would buy their inferior products when they can buy ours? We won't just reclaim our lost market share; we will dominate it! We can even charge a premium, and people will still flock to us!"
He painted the picture for them. "Think of the major sects and armies. They purchase these pills by the thousands. If they can get a pill that allows their disciples to break through faster, or that strengthens their soldiers' bodies more effectively with fewer side effects... they will pay any price! Our income will not just recover; it will multiply!"
The senior alchemy elder who had first spoken up now had tears of joy in his eyes. "Patriarch... this is... this is our salvation! For years, we've watched our business erode. With these recipes, we can not only survive, we can thrive! We can become the premier pill suppliers in the entire region!"
Lin Canghai looked from the pills in his hand to his son, Lin Feng. The pride in his eyes was immense. "Feng'er, you have no idea what you've done for this clan. This is a greater victory than any won on the stage today."
Lin Feng bowed his head slightly. "I only did what was necessary for the clan."
The atmosphere was electric with renewed hope and ambition. The shadow of the Pill Valley and their proxy clans seemed to recede, pushed back by the tangible promise of these two simple-looking pills.
Lin Zhen finally stopped pacing and looked at his son, the current patriarch. "Canghai, your first order of business tomorrow is to gather our most trusted alchemists. We will begin production of these new pills immediately. Secrecy is paramount. The refining process for these recipes must be kept within a tight, loyal circle. We cannot allow these formulas to be leaked."
Lin Canghai nodded firmly, his mind already racing with logistics and security measures. "Understood, Father. I will see to it personally."
As the clan leaders continued to discuss the implementation, the mood in the side hall had been completely transformed. The defensive, besieged mentality was gone, replaced by a fierce, forward-looking confidence.
Lin Yun watched it all, a quiet satisfaction warming his heart.
***
**
*
The storm that had gathered around the Lin Clan, threatening to break it apart, had finally passed. In its wake, a profound calm settled over the manor. The frantic energy of the birthday celebration and the subsequent life-and-death struggles gave way to the quiet, purposeful rhythm of daily life.
For two days, the main family compound was graced by the presence of Lin Feng and Lin Wanrou. Their time was spent in deep discussion with their parents and grandfather, solidifying plans for the future. The air was filled with a sense of strategic preparation rather than crisis management.
Rong Yanan, her duty to protect her junior brother fulfilled, departed quietly on the first morning after the banquet. Her departure was as serene as her arrival, a silent white figure disappearing into the sky, leaving behind a lingering sense of awe and the formidable shadow of her master's protection.
Lin Yun did not waste these two days of peace. The taste of victory, however small his part had been, had ignited a fiercer determination within him. He rose before dawn each day, his body moving through the familiar forms of the Fleeting Cloud Step in the secluded family garden. The movements were becoming more fluid, more instinctive.
[Fleeing Cloud Step: Progression: 378/50000 to Level 3.]
He also diligently checked his system, hoping for a mission that would grant a significant leap in power. But it seemed his luck had run out after the initial windfall. The missions that appeared were mundane, low-ranking tasks.
[Mission: Basic Physical Conditioning. Run 10 laps around the training ground. Reward: 5 EXP, 1 Spirit Stone.]
[Mission: Spiritual Energy Control. Meditate for one hour without interruption. Reward: 8 EXP, 1 Spirit Stone.]
[Mission: Alchemy Practice. Successfully concoct one batch of Low-Grade Qi Gathering Pills. Reward: 15 EXP, 2 Spirit Stones.]
The rewards were pitiful, a trickle compared to what he needed. Yet, he did not complain. He completed every single one, treating them as foundational training. The small, steady stream of EXP began to accumulate.
[Current EXP: 375/1000 EXP to Level 2.]
Progress was slow, but it was progress. He estimated at least a month or two to reach level 2. It all depended on luck, after all.
On the morning of the third day, as Lin Yun finished his practice, the morning sun casting long shadows across the dew-kissed grass, Yu Tao'er approached. She held a clean set of academy robes in her hands, her expression a mixture of her usual gentle servitude and a new, deeper respect.
"Young Master," she said, her voice soft. "The carriage is prepared. Today is the day you return to the academy to prepare for the upcoming assessment."
Lin Yun nodded, wiping a sheen of sweat from his brow. The academy assessment. In the whirlwind of clan affairs, he had almost forgotten about it. It was a routine evaluation of the disciples' progress, but now it held a new significance. It would be his first public appearance since the clan competition.
"Thank you, Tao'er," he said, accepting the robes.