Chapter 329
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 a.s.signed 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 s.h.i.+p, 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 a.s.sets 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 gla.s.s 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 n.o.body 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?”