“ zhè wèi shī dì ， nǐ lái zhè lǐ yǒu hé shì ？” jiàn yǎn qián de shào nián mào bù jīng rén ， ér qiě xiū wèi cái dào líng dòng qī dì èr céng ， lǎo zhě de yǔ qì shí fēn lěng dàn 。
“这位师弟，你来这里有何事？”见眼前的少年貌不惊人，而且修为才到灵动期第二层，老者的语气十分冷淡。
"Disciple Brother, what brings you here?" Seeing the young man before him unremarkable in appearance and only at the second layer of Flexible Spirit Period, the elder's tone was quite cold.
tā de biǎo qíng ， jǔ dòng lín xuān quán dōu kàn dé hěn qīng chǔ ， xīn zhōng àn àn lěng xiào ， zì jǐ dōu shì lā jī ， hái zhè me shì lì ， xiū zhēn zhě zhī jiān ， hái zhēn méi yǒu shén me rén qíng kě yán 。
他的表情，举动林轩全都看得很清楚，心中暗暗冷笑，自己都是垃圾，还这么势力，修真者之间，还真没有什么人情可言。
Lin Xuan observed his expression and actions clearly. He secretly sneered inwardly; even though he himself was trash, this person still acted so snobbish. There truly wasn't any human emotion among cultivators.
xīn zhōng wàn fēn bǐ shì ， rán ér biǎo miàn shàng ， lín xuān què méi yǒu yī sī yī háo de xiǎn lù chū lái ， fǎn ér zhuāng zuò yǒu xiē nán yǐ qǐ chǐ de dào ：“ zhè wèi shī xiōng ， xiǎo dì shì xiǎng lái dān fáng tǎo yí gè qīng sōng de chāi shì 。”
心中万分鄙视，然而表面上，林轩却没有一丝一毫的显露出来，反而装作有些难以启齿的道：“这位师兄，小弟是想来丹房讨一个轻松的差事。”
He felt extremely disdainful in his heart but did not show it on the surface. Instead, he pretended to be somewhat hesitant as he said, "Senior Brother, I came here hoping for a simple task."
jiù xiàng shàng miàn suǒ shuō ， xiān dào jiān nán ， jiù suàn shì yǒu líng gēn ， dà duō shù rén de chéng jiù yě yǒu xiàn ， zhōng qí yī shēng zài líng dòng qī pái huái 。
就像上面所说，仙道艰难，就算是有灵根，大多数人的成就也有限，终其一生在灵动期徘徊。
As mentioned earlier, the path of cultivation was arduous; even with a spirit root, most people's achievements were limited. They would linger in the Flexible Spirit Period their entire lives.
yǒu xiē rén huī xīn sàng qì ， bù xiǎng chī kǔ ， bù yuàn yì jì xù xiū liàn ， jiù huì zài mén pài lǐ tǎo yī xiē qīng sōng de chāi shì ， hùn chī děng sǐ 。
有些人灰心丧气，不想吃苦，不愿意继续修炼，就会在门派里讨一些轻松的差事，混吃等死。
Some became disheartened and unwilling to endure hardship or continue cultivating. Instead, they sought out easy tasks within the sect to live comfortably and wait for death.
yǎn qián de lǎo zhě jiù shì qí zhōng zhī yī 。
眼前的老者就是其中之一。
The elder before him was one such person.
tīng le lín xuān de huà ， lǎo zhě wù yǐ wéi duì fāng yě shì zhè zhǒng rén ， ér zhè yàng de wù huì ， zhèng shì lín xuān gù yì zào chéng de jié guǒ ， hǎo fāng biàn xià miàn de xíng shì 。
听了林轩的话，老者误以为对方也是这种人，而这样的误会，正是林轩故意造成的结果，好方便下面的行事。
Upon hearing Lin Xuan’s words, the elder mistakenly thought he was also someone like that. This misunderstanding was precisely what Lin Xuan had deliberately created to make things easier in the future.
“ zhè bù hǎo bàn a ！” lǎo zhě méi tóu jǐn suǒ ， lù chū yī fù wéi nán de yàng zi ：“ lǎo fū suī rán shì dān xiá shān zá wù de zǒng guǎn shì ， dàn xià miàn gè chù de fēn guǎn shì dōu mǎn le ， bìng bù quē rén ， shī dì zhè ge yāo qiú shù wǒ ài mò néng zhù 。”
“这不好办啊！”老者眉头紧锁，露出一副为难的样子：“老夫虽然是丹霞山杂务的总管事，但下面各处的分管事都满了，并不缺人，师弟这个要求恕我爱莫能助。”
"This is difficult!" The elder frowned deeply, appearing troubled: "Although I am the head of miscellaneous tasks at Danxia Mountain, all the subordinates are already full and there's no shortage of people. Disciple Brother, I'm sorry but I can't help you with this."
“ hēng ， lǎo hú lí 。” lín xuān xīn zhōng mà le yī jù ， tā zuò shì qíng xiàng lái wěn zhòng ， móu dìng ér hòu dòng ， qǐ huì méi yǒu nòng qīng chǔ ， jiù mào mào shī shī de pǎo lái le ， qián yī zhèn tā yǐ jīng qiāo qiāo dǎ tīng dé hěn qīng chǔ ， dān xiá shān guǎn shì de wèi zi gēn běn jiù hái yǒu kòng quē ， zhè lǎo jiā huǒ shì gù yì wéi nán 。
“哼，老狐狸。”林轩心中骂了一句，他做事情向来稳重，谋定而后动，岂会没有弄清楚，就冒冒失失的跑来了，前一阵他已经悄悄打听得很清楚，丹霞山管事的位子根本就还有空缺，这老家伙是故意为难。
"Hmph, old fox." Lin Xuan inwardly cursed. He always acted cautiously and planned his moves carefully; he wouldn’t have come so rashly without knowing everything beforehand. A few days ago, he had secretly investigated and found out that the position of head at Danxia Mountain was still vacant. This old man was deliberately making things difficult.
bù guò zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng yě zài lín xuān yì liào zhī zhōng ， xiū zhēn zhě qí shí yě hěn **， tā zhè me zuò shì xiǎng lāo diǎn yóu shuǐ ， suǒ yào huì lù ， yìng duì zhī cè lín xuān zǎo jiù xiǎng hǎo le 。
不过这种情况也在林轩意料之中，修真者其实也很**，他这么做是想捞点油水，索要贿赂，应对之策林轩早就想好了。
However, such a situation was within Lin Xuan’s expectations. Cultivators were also quite cunning; he wanted to gain some benefits by asking for bribes. He had already thought of his对策.
xīn zhōng lěng xiào ， jiāng duì fāng de yì tú kàn dé yì qīng èr chǔ ， dàn biǎo miàn shàng ， lín xuān yī rán zhuāng chū yī fù cài niǎo de mú yàng ， jiē jiē bā bā de dào ：“ hái …… hái qǐng shī xiōng bāng máng ， xiǎo dì méi yǒu líng gēn ， xiū xíng yě nán yǒu suǒ chéng ， hái bù rú dāng gè guǎn shì xiāo yáo zì zài ， ruò shī xiōng kěn xíng gè fāng biàn ， zhè ge …… zhè ge wǒ yuàn xiào jìng nǐ 。”
心中冷笑，将对方的意图看得一清二楚，但表面上，林轩依然装出一副菜鸟的模样，结结巴巴的道：“还……还请师兄帮忙，小弟没有灵根，修行也难有所成，还不如当个管事逍遥自在，若师兄肯行个方便，这个……这个我愿孝敬你。”
He sneered inwardly and understood the other's intentions clearly but still acted like an inexperienced novice, stammering: "P-Please Senior Brother help me. I don't have a spirit root, so my cultivation is difficult. It would be better to be a head and live freely. If you can grant this favor, I will gladly offer this."
shuō wán lín xuān cóng huái zhōng tāo chū yí gè bāo guǒ ， yòng bù bāo le yī céng yòu yī céng ， shén shén mì mì de ná dào lǎo zhě de miàn qián 。
说完林轩从怀中掏出一个包裹，用布包了一层又一层，神神秘秘的拿到老者的面前。
After speaking, Lin Xuan took out a package from his chest, wrapping it layer upon layer with cloth before presenting it to the elder.
“ zhè shì shén me ？” lín xuān gù yì zhuāng chū yī fù hěn shén mì de yàng zi ， guǒ rán chéng gōng xī yǐn le lǎo zhě de zhù yì 。
“这是什么？”林轩故意装出一副很神秘的样子，果然成功吸引了老者的注意。
"What's this?" Lin Xuan deliberately acted as if he was very secretive, successfully catching the elder’s attention.
jiāng yī céng céng de bù dǎ kāi ， lù chū le jīng yíng tī tòu de yī jiǎo ， suī rán méi yǒu kuī jiàn quán mào ， dàn lǎo zhě yǐ sǒng rán dòng róng ：“ jīng shí ？”
将一层层的布打开，露出了晶莹剔透的一角，虽然没有窥见全貌，但老者已耸然动容：“晶石？”
He opened each layer of cloth, revealing a translucent corner. Although he couldn’t see its full appearance, the elder was already greatly surprised: "Crystal stone?"
jīng shí ， jiù shì yùn hán yǒu fēng fù tiān dì líng qì de shí tou ， xiū zhēn zhě bù lùn shì liàn gōng 、 zhì qì 、 hái shì dòu fǎ ， jīng shí de zuò yòng dōu bù kě dài tì ， bèi dàng zuò chéng jiāo yì de huò bì 。
晶石，就是蕴含有丰富天地灵气的石头，修真者不论是练功、制器、还是斗法，晶石的作用都不可代替，被当作成交易的货币。
Crystal stones were rocks rich in primordial qi from heaven and earth. Cultivators used them for cultivation, crafting tools, or battling; they were indispensable and served as currency.
rán ér jīng shí kuàng shù liàng xī shǎo ， kāi cǎi chū lái de yě dōu bèi qián bèi ， gāo shǒu men zhàn jù le ， dī jiē xiū zhēn zhě dà duō jiàn guò jīng shí ， dàn shì néng yōng yǒu de ， què shǎo zhī yòu shǎo 。
然而晶石矿数量稀少，开采出来的也都被前辈，高手们占据了，低阶修真者大多见过晶石，但是能拥有的，却少之又少。
However, crystal stone mines were scarce, and most of those extracted were taken by senior cultivators and experts. Low-ranking cultivators often saw crystal stones but few could possess them.
zhè ge shào nián de xiū wèi cái líng dòng qī dì èr céng ， jū rán yōng yǒu zhè me zhēn guì de dōng dōng 。
这个少年的修为才灵动期第二层，居然拥有这么珍贵的东东。
This young man’s cultivation was only at the second layer of Flexible Spirit Period, yet he had such a precious item.
rán ér jiāng bù quán bù dǎ kāi yǐ hòu ， tā de biǎo qíng què biàn dé yǒu xiē shī wàng ， bāo guǒ lǐ zhuāng de bìng bú shì zhēn de jīng shí ， ér jǐn jǐn shì jīng shí de cán piàn ， dà yuē xiǎo bàn kuài 。
然而将布全部打开以后，他的表情却变得有些失望，包裹里装的并不是真的晶石，而仅仅是晶石的残片，大约小半块。
But after fully opening the cloth, his expression turned somewhat disappointed; it wasn’t real crystal stone, just fragments, about half a piece.
dāng jīng shí suì liè yǐ hòu ， lǐ miàn de líng qì yě huì liú shī bù shǎo ， běn lái jiù zhǐ yǒu yī xiǎo bàn ， zài kòu chú liú shì de ， cán piàn lǐ shèng xià de líng lì zhǐ yǒu yī kuài wán zhěng xià pǐn jīng shí de sì fēn zhī yī 。
当晶石碎裂以后，里面的灵气也会流失不少，本来就只有一小半，再扣除流逝的，残片里剩下的灵力只有一块完整下品晶石的四分之一。
When crystal stones shattered, much of their primordial qi would dissipate. With only a small portion left, the remaining essence in these fragments was merely one-fourth of a lower-grade crystal stone.
“ zhè jīng shí cán piàn shì xiǎo dì ǒu rán dé dào de ， rú guǒ shī xiōng kěn shòu yǔ wǒ guǎn shì zhī zhí ， wǒ yuàn yì jiāng tā sòng gěi nǐ 。”
“这晶石残片是小弟偶然得到的，如果师兄肯授予我管事之职，我愿意将它送给你。”
"This fragment is something I accidentally found. If Senior Brother grants me the position as head, I will gladly give it to you."
lǎo zhě dùn shí xīn dòng le qǐ lái ， suī rán jǐn jǐn shì jīng shí cán piàn ， dàn duì yú tā zhè yàng de dī jiē xiū zhēn zhě lái shuō ， yī rán kě yǐ shuō shì hěn dà yī bǐ cái fù ， guǎn shì zhī zhí ma ， bù guò shì jǔ shǒu zhī láo ， bù lāo bái bù lāo 。
老者顿时心动了起来，虽然仅仅是晶石残片，但对于他这样的低阶修真者来说，依然可以说是很大一笔财富，管事之职吗，不过是举手之劳，不捞白不捞。
The elder’s heart stirred. Although just a fragment, for him, a low-ranking cultivator, it still represented significant wealth. The position of head was merely an easy task; he couldn’t afford not to take advantage.
tā jiǎ zhuāng chén yín le yī xià ：“ hǎo ba ， shī dì zhè me yǒu chéng yì ， wǒ zěn me néng bù ** zhī měi ne ？”
他假装沉吟了一下：“好吧，师弟这么有诚意，我怎么能不**之美呢？”
He pretended to ponder: "Alright, Disciple Brother is so sincere, how could I refuse such kindness?"
shuō wán ， ná chū yí gè běn zi fān le fān ：“ fèi dān chǔ cún shì hái quē yī míng guǎn shì ， nǐ jiù qù nà lǐ rèn zhí 。”
说完，拿出一个本子翻了翻：“废丹储存室还缺一名管事，你就去那里任职。”
After saying this, he took out a notebook and flipped through it: "The waste pill storage room still needs one more head. You can go there."
lín xuān dà xǐ ， guǒ rán yǔ zì jǐ yuán xiān cāi xiǎng shè jì de yī yàng ， biǎo miàn shàng tā què lù chū yī fù wéi nán de biǎo qíng ：“ fèi dān chǔ cún shì a ， zhè ……”
林轩大喜，果然与自己原先猜想设计的一样，表面上他却露出一副为难的表情：“废丹储存室啊，这……”
Lin Xuan was overjoyed; indeed, as he had originally planned. But on the surface, he showed a look of difficulty: "Waste pill storage room? This..."
jiàn lín xuān miàn lù nán sè ， sì hū yǒu fǎn duì de yì si ， lǎo zhě lián máng dào ：“ shī dì nǐ bù zhī dào ， fèi dān chǔ cún shì de gōng zuò zuì qīng sōng ， nǐ bú shì xiǎng xiāo yáo ma ， dào le nǎ ér jiù kuài huó sì shén xiān a ， shī xiōng wǒ kě shì hǎo xīn zhào gù nǐ de 。”
见林轩面露难色，似乎有反对的意思，老者连忙道：“师弟你不知道，废丹储存室的工作最轻松，你不是想逍遥吗，到了哪儿就快活似神仙啊，师兄我可是好心照顾你的。”
Seeing Lin Xuan’s hesitant expression and apparent opposition, the elder hurriedly said, "Disciple Brother, you don’t know that working in the waste pill storage room is the easiest task. You wanted to live freely; go there and you’ll be as happy as a神仙. I’m just looking out for your best interests."
“ zhēn de ma ？” suī rán míng zhī dào tā shuō de mǎn kǒu jiǎ huà ， dàn zhèng zhèng lín xuān de xià huái ， tā dāng rán bú huì fǎn bó ， fǎn ér zhuāng zuò yī fù xìn yǐ wéi zhēn de yàng zi ：“ yuán lái rú cǐ ， wǒ tīng le fèi dān hái yǐ wéi bù hǎo ， nà me xiè xiè shī xiōng le 。”
“真的吗？”虽然明知道他说的满口假话，但正正林轩的下怀，他当然不会反驳，反而装作一副信以为真的样子：“原来如此，我听了废丹还以为不好，那么谢谢师兄了。”
"Really?" Although he knew it was all lies, Lin Xuan didn’t refute him but instead acted like he believed it: "I see. I thought waste pills were not good, so thank you, Senior Brother."
“ hē hē ， shī dì bù bì kè qì 。” lǎo zhě jiāng jīng shí cán piàn shōu rù huái lǐ ， jiào lái yī wèi tóng zi ：“ zhè wèi shī dì rú jīn shì fèi dān chǔ cún shì de guǎn shì ， nǐ dài tā xià qù lǐng qǔ yāo pái xìn wù 。”
“呵呵，师弟不必客气。”老者将晶石残片收入怀里，叫来一位童子：“这位师弟如今是废丹储存室的管事，你待他下去领取腰牌信物。”
"Haha, there’s no need to be polite." The elder put the crystal stone fragment in his pocket and called a child: "This Disciple Brother is now the head of the waste pill storage room. Go down with him and give him your badge as proof."
wàng zhe lín xuān yuǎn qù de bèi yǐng ， lǎo zhě liǎn shàng lù chū dé yì de xiào róng ：“ fèi dān chǔ cún shì ， què shí qīng sōng ， jiù shì yì diǎn yóu shuǐ yě méi yǒu ， zhè me lā jī de zhí wèi yě néng dé dào yī kuài jīng shí cán piàn ， zhēn shì shén me yě bù dǒng de cài niǎo 。”
望着林轩远去的背影，老者脸上露出得意的笑容：“废丹储存室，确实轻松，就是一点油水也没有，这么垃圾的职位也能得到一块晶石残片，真是什么也不懂的菜鸟。”
Looking at Lin Xuan's retreating figure, the elder smiled smugly: "The waste pill storage room is indeed easy; there’s no oil to be gained. Even such a low-ranking position can get a fragment of crystal stone. Truly an ignorant novice."
lǎo zhě zì yǐ wéi zhuàn le ， què bù zhī dào lín xuān cái shì zuì dà de shòu yì zhě ， ér qiě jīn tiān suǒ yǒu de yī qiè dōu zài tā de suàn jì zhōng 。
老者自以为赚了，却不知道林轩才是最大的受益者，而且今天所有的一切都在他的算计中。
The elder thought he had made a profit but didn’t know that Lin Xuan was the real beneficiary, and everything today was part of his plan.
měi yī jù huà ， yán yǔ dòng zuò ， lín xuān dōu shì yǒu mù dì de 。
每一句话，言语动作，林轩都是有目的的。
Every word and action from Lin Xuan was purposeful.
lái zhī qián ， tā jiù dǎ tīng qīng chǔ le zhè ge féng guǎn shì de xìng gé ， tān cái lìn sè ， rú guǒ bù gěi hǎo chù ， tā shì bú huì bàn shì de 。
来之前，他就打听清楚了这个冯管事的性格，贪财吝啬，如果不给好处，他是不会办事的。
Before coming here, he had thoroughly investigated this Feng head’s character—greedy and stingy. Without benefits, he wouldn’t do anything.
běn lái gěi tā yī kuài jīng shí yě méi shén me ， dé dào zhōu yàn hé zhāng yǔ de cái bǎo hòu lín xuān shēn jiā shí fēn fēng hòu ， kě zì jǐ yí gè líng dòng qián qī dì zǐ ， yōng yǒu jīng shí tài xiǎn yǎn le ， bù xiǎo xīn ， huì yǐn qǐ yǒu xīn rén de zhù yì ， suǒ yǐ lín xuān gù yì jiāng jīng shí dǎ suì ， huàn chéng gěi tā cán piàn de huà ， zì jǐ jì kě yǐ jié yuē bàn kuài jīng shí ， ér qiě yě jiù bù yǐn rén zhù yì ， yī jǔ liǎng dé 。
本来给她一块晶石也没什么，得到周燕和张宇的财宝后林轩身家十分丰厚，可自己一个灵动前期弟子，拥有晶石太显眼了，不小心，会引起有心人的注意，所以林轩故意将晶石打碎，换成给他残片的话，自己既可以节约半块晶石，而且也就不引人注意，一举两得。
Originally, giving him a crystal stone wasn’t much; after acquiring Zhou Yan and Zhang Yu's treasures, Lin Xuan’s wealth was substantial. But as a low-ranking first-layer disciple, having a crystal stone would be too obvious, potentially attracting unwanted attention. So, he deliberately broke the crystal stone into fragments, saving half of it while avoiding suspicion.
dì èr zé shì zhuāng zuò shén me yě bù dǒng de xīn rén ， zhè ge féng guǎn shì shǔ yú shōu le huì lù yě bù yí dìng hǎo hǎo bàn shì de nà zhǒng rén ， zì jǐ zhuāng zuò hěn lǎo shí ， shén me bù dǒng de yàng zi ， tā kěn dìng huì ná zuì chà de zhí wèi hù nòng zì jǐ 。
第二则是装作什么也不懂的新人，这个冯管事属于收了贿赂也不一定好好办事的那种人，自己装作很老实，什么不懂的样子，他肯定会拿最差的职位糊弄自己。
Secondly, pretending to be an inexperienced novice, Feng head might hand him the worst position even after accepting a bribe. Lin Xuan had investigated that no one needed waste pills, so its storage room was never visited and offered the worst position.
lín xuān diào chá guò le ， fèi dān yīn wèi méi yǒu rén xū yào ， tā de chǔ cún shì cóng lái yě méi yǒu rén bài fǎng ， yì diǎn yóu shuǐ yě méi yǒu ， shì zuì chà de guǎn shì zhí wèi 。
林轩调查过了，废丹因为没有人需要，它的储存室从来也没有人拜访，一点油水也没有，是最差的管事职位。
Feng head would definitely trick him into going there.
wú liáng de féng guǎn shì kěn dìng huì piàn zì jǐ qù nà lǐ 。
无良的冯管事肯定会骗自己去那里。
This suited Lin Xuan perfectly because it was a trick rather than an active choice, making it less likely to attract attention.
zhè yě zhèng hé le lín xuān de xīn yì ， yīn wèi shì bèi “ piàn ” qù de ， ér bú shì zhǔ dòng qù de ， jiù gèng bú huì yǐn rén zhù yì 。
这也正合了林轩的心意，因为是被“骗”去的，而不是主动去的，就更不会引人注意。
Feng head thought he was clever but was actually being led by Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan was the true beneficiary once his goals were achieved.
féng guǎn shì zì yǐ wéi hěn cōng míng ， què bù zhī dào wán quán shì bèi lín xuān qiān zhe bí zi zǒu ， lín xuān dá dào le mù dì ， cái shì zuì dà de shòu yì zhě 。
冯管事自以为很聪明，却不知道完全是被林轩牵着鼻子走，林轩达到了目的，才是最大的受益者。
Phantom Rain: If you think this is good, please give me a vote. This book has been signed, so rest assured that there will be an ending. Please feel free to collect it.
"Disciple Brother, what brings you here?" Seeing the young man before him unremarkable in appearance and only at the second layer of Flexible Spirit Period, the elder's tone was quite cold.
Lin Xuan observed his expression and actions clearly. He secretly sneered inwardly; even though he himself was trash, this person still acted so snobbish. There truly wasn't any human emotion among cultivators.
He felt extremely disdainful in his heart but did not show it on the surface. Instead, he pretended to be somewhat hesitant as he said, "Senior Brother, I came here hoping for a simple task."
As mentioned earlier, the path of cultivation was arduous; even with a spirit root, most people's achievements were limited. They would linger in the Flexible Spirit Period their entire lives.
Some became disheartened and unwilling to endure hardship or continue cultivating. Instead, they sought out easy tasks within the sect to live comfortably and wait for death.
The elder before him was one such person.
Upon hearing Lin Xuan’s words, the elder mistakenly thought he was also someone like that. This misunderstanding was precisely what Lin Xuan had deliberately created to make things easier in the future.
"This is difficult!" The elder frowned deeply, appearing troubled: "Although I am the head of miscellaneous tasks at Danxia Mountain, all the subordinates are already full and there's no shortage of people. Disciple Brother, I'm sorry but I can't help you with this."
"Hmph, old fox." Lin Xuan inwardly cursed. He always acted cautiously and planned his moves carefully; he wouldn’t have come so rashly without knowing everything beforehand. A few days ago, he had secretly investigated and found out that the position of head at Danxia Mountain was still vacant. This old man was deliberately making things difficult.
However, such a situation was within Lin Xuan’s expectations. Cultivators were also quite cunning; he wanted to gain some benefits by asking for bribes. He had already thought of his对策.
He sneered inwardly and understood the other's intentions clearly but still acted like an inexperienced novice, stammering: "P-Please Senior Brother help me. I don't have a spirit root, so my cultivation is difficult. It would be better to be a head and live freely. If you can grant this favor, I will gladly offer this."
After speaking, Lin Xuan took out a package from his chest, wrapping it layer upon layer with cloth before presenting it to the elder.
"What's this?" Lin Xuan deliberately acted as if he was very secretive, successfully catching the elder’s attention.
He opened each layer of cloth, revealing a translucent corner. Although he couldn’t see its full appearance, the elder was already greatly surprised: "Crystal stone?"
Crystal stones were rocks rich in primordial qi from heaven and earth. Cultivators used them for cultivation, crafting tools, or battling; they were indispensable and served as currency.
However, crystal stone mines were scarce, and most of those extracted were taken by senior cultivators and experts. Low-ranking cultivators often saw crystal stones but few could possess them.
This young man’s cultivation was only at the second layer of Flexible Spirit Period, yet he had such a precious item.
But after fully opening the cloth, his expression turned somewhat disappointed; it wasn’t real crystal stone, just fragments, about half a piece.
When crystal stones shattered, much of their primordial qi would dissipate. With only a small portion left, the remaining essence in these fragments was merely one-fourth of a lower-grade crystal stone.
"This fragment is something I accidentally found. If Senior Brother grants me the position as head, I will gladly give it to you."
The elder’s heart stirred. Although just a fragment, for him, a low-ranking cultivator, it still represented significant wealth. The position of head was merely an easy task; he couldn’t afford not to take advantage.
He pretended to ponder: "Alright, Disciple Brother is so sincere, how could I refuse such kindness?"
After saying this, he took out a notebook and flipped through it: "The waste pill storage room still needs one more head. You can go there."
Lin Xuan was overjoyed; indeed, as he had originally planned. But on the surface, he showed a look of difficulty: "Waste pill storage room? This..."
Seeing Lin Xuan’s hesitant expression and apparent opposition, the elder hurriedly said, "Disciple Brother, you don’t know that working in the waste pill storage room is the easiest task. You wanted to live freely; go there and you’ll be as happy as a神仙. I’m just looking out for your best interests."
"Really?" Although he knew it was all lies, Lin Xuan didn’t refute him but instead acted like he believed it: "I see. I thought waste pills were not good, so thank you, Senior Brother."
"Haha, there’s no need to be polite." The elder put the crystal stone fragment in his pocket and called a child: "This Disciple Brother is now the head of the waste pill storage room. Go down with him and give him your badge as proof."
"Yes!"
Looking at Lin Xuan's retreating figure, the elder smiled smugly: "The waste pill storage room is indeed easy; there’s no oil to be gained. Even such a low-ranking position can get a fragment of crystal stone. Truly an ignorant novice."
The elder thought he had made a profit but didn’t know that Lin Xuan was the real beneficiary, and everything today was part of his plan.
Every word and action from Lin Xuan was purposeful.
Before coming here, he had thoroughly investigated this Feng head’s character—greedy and stingy. Without benefits, he wouldn’t do anything.
Originally, giving him a crystal stone wasn’t much; after acquiring Zhou Yan and Zhang Yu's treasures, Lin Xuan’s wealth was substantial. But as a low-ranking first-layer disciple, having a crystal stone would be too obvious, potentially attracting unwanted attention. So, he deliberately broke the crystal stone into fragments, saving half of it while avoiding suspicion.
Secondly, pretending to be an inexperienced novice, Feng head might hand him the worst position even after accepting a bribe. Lin Xuan had investigated that no one needed waste pills, so its storage room was never visited and offered the worst position.
Feng head would definitely trick him into going there.
This suited Lin Xuan perfectly because it was a trick rather than an active choice, making it less likely to attract attention.
Feng head thought he was clever but was actually being led by Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan was the true beneficiary once his goals were achieved.
Phantom Rain: If you think this is good, please give me a vote. This book has been signed, so rest assured that there will be an ending. Please feel free to collect it.