In the shops, a board with a special contract on it was set aside. The shop could write down the ingredients, medicinal pills, or magic treasures that it currently needed, and the commission price would be marked at the end. If someone was willing to take the job, they could take the contract and come to the shop to exchange it for money after the task was completed.

　　At the same time, if guests had anything they wanted to find in the stores, they could also make a request, and the store would have a specialized person in charge of valuing the deal and forming the contract.

　　Of course, these tasks assigned to the stores would be categorized into different levels. Lin Xuanzhi currently didn’t have enough people, and he also needed to cooperate with the other families. Thus, he temporarily entrusted this part of the tasks to the Yuan and Duan families. He could even entrust the tasks to families on the other four continents that he could potentially do business with in the future. As a result, not only could Lin Xuanzhi save manpower and time on his side, but he could also establish business contacts with different families, strengthen ties, and not eat up all the profits alone. In this way, Lin Xuanzhi’s private properties could develop more rapidly and steadily.

　　However, this method, which seemed particularly novel to outsiders, completely revealed Lin Xuanzhi’s ambition to develop his own mercenary group in the eyes of insiders. However, his current foundation was still very shallow, so it was necessary to quietly start from these medicinal pill shops and magic treasure shops.

　　However, even if they could see through his intentions, these insiders still couldn’t do anything.

　　After all, Lin Xuanzhi’s net worth was different now. Many families still needed to rely on him to acquire top-grade magic treasures.

　　As for the entire Lin family’s businesses, Lin Xuanzhi directly handed them over to Ji Lanjun to manage. After all, the Lin family had numerous businesses. Although these business lines weren’t very original or creative, it was already as stable as a large ship, with its own set of operating systems, which couldn’t easily be changed. Even the slightest change could cause problems to occur. Instead, it was better to continue to move forward steadily in accordance with the past methods. It was a lot safer this way.

　　Before, many of Lin Zhan’s private assets had already been in decline, but because Lin Zhan was kind and honest in his dealings, there were still many old-timers who followed him, even in this difficult environment. For example, there was Serene Herb Manor’s Dong Qu in Purple City. Day after day, these loyal shopkeepers held fast to these gradually-withering shops and refused to leave.

　　Lin Xuanzhi asked Qing Zhu to inform these store managers and gather them in one of the most upscale restaurants in Profound City. He treated them to a grand feast and invited them to continue to stay and take care of these new shops, which were either newly opened or transformed from Lin Zhan’s old shops. They would naturally receive preferential treatment with regards to benefits.

　　These shopkeepers applauded one after another, and most expressed their willingness to continue to follow Lin Xuanzhi in those shops.

　　Of course, there were also several people who had already planned to leave. Lin Xuanzhi did not insist on keeping them either. After giving these people a sum of money for their hard work and due remuneration over the past two years, the two sides peacefully ended the contract.

　　This feast went from noon till midnight. When the meal ended, Lin Xuanzhi had already arranged specific shops for those who were willing to stay. They only needed to wait until tomorrow to get together again and elaborate on the business philosophy and points for attention. After that, they could rush directly to the shops they were in charge of and take office.

　　Lin Xuanzhi did not arrange a room for himself in the restaurant. He preferred to sleep at home.

　　Once they walked out of the restaurant’s main door, Yan Tianhen watched the various shopkeepers leave one after another. There was no one around anymore, so he quickly extended his hand to support Lin Xuanzhi.

　　Lin Xuanzhi had drunk a lot of wine. Although the wine they drank today was the best spiritual wine from Heaven and Earth Winery and wouldn’t easily harm his body, he would still get drunk if he drank too much.

　　In order to show his sincerity, Lin Xuanzhi toasted and drank a glass of wine for every shopkeeper who was willing to join. He didn’t seem drunk at all when in front of people in the restaurant. He talked and laughed, articulating his words clearly, which made people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze. However, as soon as he left the restaurant door and nobody else was around, Lin Xuanzhi’s intoxication became visible.

　　“Let’s go sit on the side for a while.” One of Lin Xuanzhi’s hands rested on Yan Tianhen’s shoulder, his voice somewhat hazy.

　　Yan Tianhen quickly supported Lin Xuanzhi to a small stone stool under a flowering tree by the roadside and sat down. He crouched down in front of Lin Xuanzhi and looked up at his face anxiously. “Dage, are you dizzy? Can you still walk? Otherwise, why don’t we settle for a night at the nearby inn?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s pair of eyes were slightly moist as he gazed down at Yan Tianhen’s face, which was covered with cracks. He suddenly raised his hand and caressed Yan Tianhen’s face.

　　Yan Tianhen was startled by this sudden action, but he didn’t move, allowing Lin Xuanzhi’s fingers to touch his face and facial features.

　　“Dage…”

　　“How can my family’s Ah Hen be so good-looking?” Lin Xuanzhi sighed.

　　Yan Tianhen stared blankly. He subconsciously wanted to feel his own face.

　　But he didn’t touch it, because Lin Xuanzhi’s two palms held his face. His hand could only touch the back of Lin Xuanzhi’s hand.

　　Lin Xuanzhi wanted to hold Yan Tianhen’s hand but Yan Tianhen’s hand exerted a little strength and pressed down Lin Xuanzhi’s hand.

　　Yan Tianhen laughed, “I’m afraid that in this world, only Dage thinks I look good.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi just smiled at him and did not speak for a while.

　　Yan Tianhen felt that such a Lin Xuanzhi was really rare and smiled at him again.

　　Lin Xuanzhi smiled for a long time, then he stopped smiling and sighed softly, “Ah Hen, you are fine now, and you will also be fine in the future.”

　　Yan Tianhen nodded, “Of course I will be fine, so will Dage.”

　　“En. Stay away from Lie Fenkong. He doesn’t hold good intentions toward you.”

　　Yan Tianhen thought, Who is Lie Fenkong?

　　He always felt that the name sounded quite familiar, but he shouldn’t know this boy…No wait, how could he forget this guy who pretended to be mysterious?

　　He once heard this name when he was on Yudai Mountain outside Sky Peak City.

　　Horrified, cold sweat suddenly appeared on Yan Tianhen’s back — how did Lin Xuanzhi know this fellow’s name?

　　Yan Tianhen asked tentatively, trying to probe for more information, “Dage, do you know who Lie Fenkong is?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi lightly answered, “Demon Venerable, right? Is there anyone who doesn’t know that?”

　　Yan Tianhen froze.

　　Demon Venerable?

　　I didn’t even know he was actually a Demon Venerable!

　　“Dage, how do you know?” Yan Tianhen asked cautiously and uneasily.

　　Lin Xuanzhi stared at him for a while, until Yan Tianhen’s scalp started tingling. Just when Yan Tianhen thought that he had already sobered up, Lin Xuanzhi suddenly replied, “He’s the one who pulled you into the demonic path.”

　　The more Yan Tianhen listened to it, the more that he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He patiently explained, “Dage, that Ghost Masked Man taught me how to cultivate the demonic path.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi shook his head, “I’m talking about…the previous life.”

　　“…The previous life?”

　　More and more, he couldn’t understand what Lin Xuanzhi was talking about.

　　The night wind blew up, carrying wisps of coolness.

　　Soul Plate shouted a few times in Lin Xuanzhi’s mind, fearing that this boy would accidentally completely disclose all his secret cards.

　　Although he didn’t know what exactly Lin Xuanzhi did to Yan Tianhen in his last life, but judging from Lin Xuanzhi’s pained reaction whenever he mentioned it, it must be at least on the same level as the hatred from killing his wife and snatching his son. Moreover, Lin Xuanzhi absolutely didn’t want Yan Tianhen to know even a little about this.

　　Perhaps because the night wind was too cold, or because Soul Plate’s voice was too loud, or perhaps because his intoxication had already dissipated, Lin Xuanzhi’s pair of eyes gradually cleared up.

　　With a sudden jolt, he realized exactly what kind of stupid words he had uttered just now.

　　Lin Xuanzhi immediately steadied his mind, took a deep breath, and pressed his forehead. “I am drunk today. If I said something that I shouldn’t have said, Ah Hen may treat it as if I was dreaming and talking in my sleep.”

　　Yan Tianhen, “…”

　　To actually be able to become this drunk, that’s quite something.

　　“Let’s find an inn to rest first and go back tomorrow.”

　　Yan Tianhen nodded, “Okay. How sober is Dage?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi held out his hand and looked at his fingers. “It’s okay. Holding a sword won’t be a problem.”

　　Yan Tianhen helped Lin Xuanzhi up, supporting some of his weight as they walked towards the nearest inn.

　　Yan Tianhen advised, “Dage, you should drink less wine in the future. If you drink too much, you’ll end up talking nonsense.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi felt the same way. Moreover, most of the reason why he could sober up so quickly was that he’d been frightened by himself — his capacity for liquor was really shallow. Compared to Lin Zhan’s, it wasn’t even worth mentioning. After only a few drinks, he had already started talking carelessly in front of Yan Tianhen.

　　If he had drunk a few more glasses or didn’t sober up fast enough…

　　It was too horrible to contemplate.

　　Lin Xuanzhi slowly spat out the turbid Qi. “I won’t drink in the future.”

　　He didn’t care about drinking, to begin with, and even avoided it somewhat as a taboo.

　　He was a sword cultivator and needed to hold a sword. He must ensure that his hand was as steady as a mountain when he held the sword.

　　Wine is the matchmaker for sex and a poison that pierces through the intestines.

　　Lin Xuanzhi seldom drank alcohol before. Since then, he had kept a respectful distance from such things as wine.

　　……….

　　After Lin Xuanzhi became drunk, he slept for two days before waking up.

　　Thanks to the strong wine, the other shopkeepers also woke up more or less around the same time, so this didn’t delay anything.

　　Lin Xuanzhi made an appointment for the same day and sat with these shopkeepers again to talk about the shops’ opening and operation. Only this time, they did not choose to meet in a restaurant but found a quiet and elegant loft.

　　After all, the shopkeepers had experience in management. Most of the shopkeepers could accept the more fashionable management methods proposed by Lin Xuanzhi, and when they found places he overlooked, they could also give him some suggestions in turn.

　　Lin Xuanzhi understood very quickly and immediately adjusted his original business plan once he judged that these suggestions were feasible.

　　Due to Lin Xuanzhi’s attitude, these managers enthusiastically joined the discussion about improving the shops. After sipping morning tea, drinking afternoon tea, and even partaking in evening tea, the final business plan was finally formed.

　　Lin Xuanzhi spoke some final words, “When managing stores in different locations, we should follow the saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’, so I give all the shopkeepers absolute power to take charge. You can make your own decisions on how to improve the development of the shop. But remember that business is based on sincerity. If you violate this sincerity, even if it is only once, then the shop will change managers.”

　　The shopkeepers hurriedly promised never to behave in such a way.

　　Lin Xuanzhi cupped his hands at the shopkeepers, “Dear uncles, you are all old-timers who have been following my dad for a long time. Some of you are Lin family officials, but most of you are not. You may think that I am too young and inexperienced, or that it will be extremely difficult for me to develop independently from the Lin family and that the future is uncertain.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi looked around at them, “Therefore, I promise everyone today that even if the Lin family falls down one day, I, Lin Xuanzhi, will never fall down. As long as I am the Lin family’s Young Master, the Lin family will not fall down either.”

　　The several shopkeepers all cheered and promised–

　　“Since I have chosen to go with Young Boss, I absolutely believe in Young Boss’s ability and character.”

　　“What Young Boss? Now it’s time to address him as Boss.”

　　“On this point, Boss can rest assured. When we followed Young Master Zhan back then, he was only your age.”

　　“Speaking of this, it’s been almost 30 years.”

　　“At that time, Young Master Zhan was still a young boy.”

　　“Yes, Young Master Zhan was in his prime. I didn’t expect that when he faced our handful of old bones, he was still able to be polite and virtuous.”

　　“Young Master Qing was only a little fellow at that time. He always held a tanghulu in his hand and followed Master Zhan like a little tail. I still remember that scene clearly.”

　　“Haha…”

　　A group of old fellows who fought with Lin Zhan began to recall the beginning years with Lin Zhan. Lin Xuanzhi listened quietly beside them, a slight smile on his face from time to time.