Chapter 52: Home Again

The return journey to Blackstone was uneventful.

Chen Wei’s three wagons continued west at a steady pace, stopping only when the draft beasts needed rest.

Lin Yuan didn’t mind.

After several busy days in Green River City, a quiet journey suited him.

He spent most of the time inside the lead wagon or walking beside it.

The information slip from Thousand Treasures Pavilion remained inside his storage bag.

He didn’t need to read it again.

He already knew which techniques interested him.

More importantly, he knew what they cost.

That problem would have to wait until he returned home.

On the afternoon of the final day, Chen Wei called from the front.

"Blackstone."

Lin Yuan looked ahead.

The familiar road stretched through the dry wasteland.

Buildings gradually appeared in the distance.

The Wandering Cloud Tavern stood closest to the road. Blackstone Inn rose farther behind it, while several smaller buildings had spread around the central area.

A few wagons were already parked nearby.

Smoke drifted from a chimney.

Travelers moved between buildings.

Lin Yuan had only been away for a few days.

Still, seeing the place from the road felt different after seeing its name written on a map in Green River City.

Chen Wei glanced at him.

"You’re staring."

"I’m checking whether you brought me to the right place."

"Unfortunately, yes."

The wagons rolled onward.

By the time they stopped near the tavern, Su Mei had already stepped outside.

She looked at Lin Yuan, then at the loaded wagons behind him.

"You’re back."

"I noticed."

"Did you buy a technique?"

"No."

Su Mei nodded.

"Didn’t find one?"

"I found several."

That was enough for her.

Another figure appeared behind Su Mei.

Xiao Lan.

Her eyes immediately went to Lin Yuan’s hands.

Then his storage bag.

Then back to his face.

"You remembered?"

Lin Yuan reached into the storage bag and took out the wrapped package he’d bought in Green River.

Xiao Lan accepted it with both hands.

Her expression brightened.

"I knew the owner wouldn’t forget his loyal employees."

"Employee," Su Mei corrected.

Xiao Lan looked at her.

"You’re getting some."

Su Mei considered that.

"Employees."

Lin Yuan walked toward the entrance.

"At least wait until the customers are served."

"We’re professionals," Xiao Lan said.

Su Mei followed him inside.

"One of us is."

Lin Yuan decided not to ask which one.

The tavern was busy enough for the middle of the afternoon.

Several tables were occupied.

A merchant sat near the window with a pot of tea and a stack of papers. Two cultivators were finishing a meal near the opposite wall.

The kitchen smelled of broth and roasted meat.

Nothing looked unusual.

Nothing looked neglected either.

Lin Yuan glanced around once before heading toward the kitchen.

A pot simmered over one stove. Ingredients for the evening meal had already been prepared.

Su Mei entered behind him.

"We ran low on rice yesterday. Qiao had enough to cover us."

"I brought more."

"I saw."

"Anything important happen?"

"No."

Lin Yuan waited.

Su Mei looked at him.

"That’s all?"

"What kind of disaster were you expecting?"

"None."

"Then you had a successful trip."

Lin Yuan smiled.

Fair enough.

He had hired people so the tavern wouldn’t require him every hour of the day.

Apparently, that idea was finally working.

Lin Yuan stopped by Blackstone Inn afterward.

Fang Yu was behind the counter.

Only two room keys remained hanging on the wall.

She looked up from the ledger.

"You’re alive."

"So are you."

"Obviously."

Lin Yuan nodded toward the keys.

"Busy?"

"Ten rooms."

"Problems?"

"One broken cup and one cracked washbasin."

"That’s all?"

"Did you want more?"

"No."

"Then we’re doing well."

Lin Yuan nodded.

Apparently, Blackstone had survived without him.

"Need anything?"

"The washbasin."

"Add it to the supply list."

"Already did."

Lin Yuan should have expected that.

He left her to work.

His next stop was the wagon area.

The problem Wu Jian had mentioned in Green River became obvious once Lin Yuan actually looked for it.

Three wagons were parked nearby.

Two Ironhoof Beasts rested beneath a simple shade.

Another draft beast stood beside a wagon while its owner held a bucket beneath its mouth.

There was no proper place for the animals to drink.

Lin Yuan found Qiao Ren outside his shop, moving several crates.

Qiao looked up.

"You’re back."

"I need timber."

Qiao stared at him.

"Green River didn’t teach you how to greet people?"

"It taught me timber is cheaper here."

Qiao laughed.

"What are you building?"

"A trough."

His expression changed slightly. ℴ

"For the wagon beasts?"

"Yes."

Qiao glanced toward the parking area.

"About time."

"You noticed?"

"I watched someone carry six buckets yesterday."

"And you didn’t build one?"

"It’s your land."

"A convenient answer."

"It saved me timber."

Lin Yuan’s gaze moved toward several old boards stacked beside the shop.

Qiao immediately followed his eyes.

"No."

"I haven’t said anything."

"You didn’t need to."

Building the trough didn’t take long.

One of Qiao’s customers had experience repairing wagons and agreed to help for a small payment.

They chose a spot beside the wagon area where the animals could reach it without blocking the road.

The design was simple.

Thick timber.

Reinforced edges.

Wide enough for several beasts to drink from.

By late afternoon, the trough was finished.

Getting enough water to the trough was another problem.

Spirit-Touched Water was useful precisely because it wasn’t ordinary water. Filling a large trough with it every day would make little sense.

For the next gathering, barrels could be filled from the nearby stream in advance, while merchants could still rely partly on the water they carried for their own animals.

It wasn’t a permanent solution.

If Blackstone continued attracting larger caravans, the settlement would eventually need a better way to move ordinary water from the stream to the wagon area.

Lin Yuan looked at the empty trough.

One problem had been handled.

The other could wait until he had a better solution.

Not everything needed to be solved in a single afternoon.

He turned back toward the tavern.

Only after dinner did Lin Yuan finally return to his room.

He closed the door and sat beside the table.

For the first time since leaving for Green River, he was alone inside his own territory.

The faint spiritual Qi surrounding Blackstone was familiar.

Lin Yuan relaxed.

Then the Territory Core responded.

His attention shifted inward.

A translucent panel appeared.

Territory Core

Owner: Lin Yuan

Territory: Blackstone Wasteland

Core State: Awakened

Core Level: 3

Spiritual Environment: Faint

Territory Revenue: 731 / 2,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Lin Yuan paused.

Seven hundred thirty-one.

Blackstone had continued generating real business while he was away.

Lin Yuan smiled.

That was better than any report Su Mei could have given him.

His gaze remained on the panel.

Then the display changed.

Territory Condition Recognized

Another line appeared beneath it.

Increasing concentration of recurring trade activity detected.

Lin Yuan straightened slightly.

The Core continued.

Compatible Territory Development Available

His attention sharpened.

Roadside Hub had been the first Territory Development unlocked after the Core reached Level 3.

Now another had appeared.

Lin Yuan focused on the notification.

The information expanded.

Travelers’ Market

Compatible Area: Central Blackstone

Development Requirements: Met

Activation Cost: 120 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Effects:

Establishes a recognized market zone within Central Blackstone.

Trade Space — Designated stalls and temporary trading spaces within the market zone receive minor environmental stabilization and maintenance.

Market Recognition — Recurring commercial activity within the market zone contributes more strongly toward future territory development conditions.

Lin Yuan read the information carefully.

A market.

After the first merchant gathering and the growing trade around Blackstone, the reason for its appearance was obvious.

His eyes moved down.

Activation Cost: 120 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Lin Yuan’s expression changed slightly.

Of course.

He had just returned from Green River after comparing Foundation Establishment techniques.

The Returning Current Foundation Art had interested him most.

He was already short of the amount needed to purchase it.

Spending another hundred and twenty stones now would push that goal even farther away.

Lin Yuan looked back at the development effects.

The Travelers’ Market wasn’t an immediate source of profit.

Its real value was preparing Central Blackstone for larger, more organized trade while helping create the conditions for future territory developments.

That made it difficult to ignore.

One hundred twenty spirit stones.

Lin Yuan rested an elbow on the table.

A few months ago, spending five spirit stones on the old well had felt significant.

Now investments worth more than a hundred kept appearing in front of him.

He wasn’t sure whether that counted as progress or a problem.

Probably both.

Lin Yuan looked at the panel one final time.

Activation Cost: 120 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

There was no reason to decide tonight.

The next gathering was still days away.

Tomorrow, he could inspect Central Blackstone and see where a proper market area would fit.

More importantly, he had to decide whether Blackstone’s next step was worth pushing his own farther away.

Spending one hundred twenty stones on the market would bring Blackstone forward.

It would also put the Foundation technique he’d just found that much farther out of reach.

Lin Yuan dismissed the panel.

He had gone to Green River City looking for the next step in his cultivation.

He had found it.

Now Blackstone had shown him its next step too.

Lin Yuan stared at the empty space where the panel had disappeared.

For the first time, growing Blackstone and growing stronger were asking for the same spirit stones.