Chapter 43: The Cost of Progress

Blackstone Inn filled nine of its twelve rooms by the end of its second day.

Lin Yuan learned this because Fang Yu came into the tavern shortly after breakfast and placed a small record book on the counter.

"Nine."

Lin Yuan looked at it.

"Nine what?"

"Occupied rooms."

"Already?"

Fang Yu gave him a look.

"You built an inn because people needed rooms."

"I know."

"Then why are you surprised?"

Lin Yuan had no answer to that.

She opened the record book.

"Three guests for one night. Four for three nights. Two haven’t decided when they’re leaving."

"Any problems?"

"Room Four wants another blanket."

"That’s a problem?"

"It’s the largest one so far."

"Good."

Fang Yu closed the book.

"Also, someone tried putting three people in a single room last night."

Lin Yuan remembered her interview.

"You said that happens constantly."

"It does."

"What did you do?"

"Charged them for another room."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Problem solved."

Fang Yu picked up the record book.

"That’s what I thought."

She left.

Lin Yuan watched her cross the road toward the inn.

Hiring her had been easier than trying to manage the place himself.

It also left him with something he hadn’t had much of lately.

Time.

After the breakfast crowd thinned, Lin Yuan went upstairs.

He sat cross-legged on the floor and took out the small bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills.

Three remained.

He tipped one into his palm, swallowed it, and began circulating his cultivation technique.

The medicinal effect spread gradually through his meridians.

His Qi moved smoothly.

Cycle after cycle, he refined what he could until the pill’s effect weakened.

When Lin Yuan finally opened his eyes, the Qi within him felt slightly denser.

The change was small.

But it was there.

He returned the bottle to his storage bag.

Two pills remained.

The pills helped.

That was enough.

Later that morning, Lin Yuan took his sword beyond Central Blackstone.

He practiced until the sounds of the roadside hub faded behind him.

His movements had become smoother over the past several weeks, but he deliberately changed familiar transitions rather than repeating them.

Some worked.

Others didn’t.

One change nearly pulled him off balance.

Lin Yuan corrected his footing and tried again.

The next attempt held.

He continued until sweat darkened his robe.

When he finally sheathed his sword, his breathing was heavier but controlled.

A bell rang faintly from the direction of the road.

Lin Yuan turned.

A caravan had arrived.

Work again.

By the time Lin Yuan returned, the new arrivals had divided themselves across Blackstone.

Two cultivators entered Qiao’s General Goods.

One wagon stopped near Duan He’s shop.

The remaining travelers headed for Wandering Cloud Tavern.

Their caravan leader was a woman in her thirties with a narrow face and a blue traveling cloak.

She looked around before sitting.

"This place grew."

Lin Yuan poured tea.

"You’ve been here before?"

"Months ago."

That narrowed it down very little.

Back then, most travelers had passed once and disappeared.

The woman pointed across the road.

"That wasn’t there."

"Opened two days ago."

"And that?"

She pointed toward Duan He’s business.

"Beast-material trader."

She looked toward Qiao’s shop.

"I remember the tavern."

"That’s something."

"I remember the water more."

That made sense.

"How many rooms do you need?"

"Three."

"Ask across the road."

She glanced toward Blackstone Inn.

"You’re sending customers away?"

"I own that too."

"Oh."

She picked up her tea.

"Then never mind."

Lin Yuan returned to the counter.

A few minutes later, Fang Yu came out of the inn.

She spoke briefly with the caravan leader.

Then she looked toward Lin Yuan and held up two fingers.

Two rooms left.

The caravan leader needed three.

Lin Yuan almost laughed.

He had built twelve rooms because eight hadn’t been enough.

Less than three days after opening, twelve was already beginning to look smaller than expected.

The caravan took the remaining two rooms.

Two members agreed to share.

Nobody slept downstairs.

Progress.

The caravan stayed through the afternoon.

Its members bought supplies from Qiao.

Duan He purchased several bundles from their wagon.

One traveler sold a small stack of beast hides directly to another hunter outside his shop.

Business moved around Blackstone without Lin Yuan touching most of it.

By late afternoon, the Territory Core gave a faint response.

Lin Yuan checked it during a quiet moment.

Territory Core

Owner: Lin Yuan

Territory: Blackstone Wasteland

Core Level: 3

Spiritual Environment: Faint

Territory Revenue: 563 / 2,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Forty-six since his last check.

The number was moving faster.

Lin Yuan dismissed the panel.

The Revenue was growing.

His spirit stones were another matter.

He had spent fifty on the Roadside Hub.

The tavern’s Middle Spirit Grade enhancement required one hundred eighty.

A suitable Foundation Establishment technique could cost several hundred.

The new inn had an enhancement available as well.

And Blackstone wasn’t going to stop creating new expenses simply because he had several old ones.

Lin Yuan returned to work.

That evening, the tavern quieted earlier than usual.

Su Mei handled the last table.

Xiao Lan cleaned the kitchen.

Lin Yuan stepped outside.

Across the road, Blackstone Inn had lights in almost every window.

Eleven of twelve rooms were occupied now.

Fang Yu sat behind the counter, writing in her record book.

Qiao was closing his shop.

Duan He’s doors were already shut.

A pair of wagons stood off the main road rather than blocking it.

Three mounts were tied to two thick wooden posts nearby.

Lin Yuan stopped.

He hadn’t put those there.

Qiao came outside carrying an empty crate.

Lin Yuan pointed.

"Those yours?"

Qiao followed his gaze.

"The posts?"

"Yes."

"I put them in this afternoon."

"You could’ve told me."

"You were busy."

Lin Yuan walked closer.

The posts were ugly.

Thick wood.

Rope marks already scratched the surface.

But the mounts were no longer tied beside Qiao’s baskets.

"How much?"

Qiao shrugged.

"Two pieces of old timber."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"You’re improving my territory for free?"

"I’m protecting my baskets."

"That sounds more believable."

Qiao carried the crate inside.

Lin Yuan looked at the hitching posts again.

He hadn’t asked Qiao to put them there.

He hadn’t needed to.

Farther down the road, Duan He had cleared more space behind his shop for unloading carts.

Across from them, Blackstone Inn had solved a lodging problem that had existed only weeks ago.

The Roadside Hub kept the busiest stretch of ground firmer beneath the growing traffic.

Blackstone was changing in small ways every day.

Lin Yuan returned to Wandering Cloud Tavern.

The building had gone quiet by the time the last customer left.

Lin Yuan sat alone at one of the tables.

For months, spirit stones had been simple.

He earned them.

He spent them when something useful appeared.

That had worked when Blackstone consisted mostly of one tavern.

Now the choices were getting larger.

One hundred eighty for the tavern enhancement.

Several hundred, most likely, for the Foundation Establishment technique he would eventually need.

Fifty had already gone into the Roadside Hub.

The inn could be enhanced later.

Other needs would appear.

Lin Yuan rested an arm on the table.

He knew what Blackstone could spend.

What he didn’t know was exactly how much he could comfortably spend now.

That was easy enough to fix.

Tomorrow, he would count his spirit stones.

Not every bowl of noodles.

Not every room.

Not every sale across Blackstone.

Just what actually belonged to him.

Then he could decide what came next.

Outside the window, lights still shone from Blackstone Inn.

Lin Yuan watched them for a moment.

Blackstone was earning more than before.

Now he needed to decide where that growth mattered most.