Seeing Lu Ming suddenly step forward to disrupt his plans, Lin Changkong's eyes turned slightly cold. He said in a frigid tone, “Your Thunderfire Hall's medicinal garden was damaged this time. Moreover, judging by your past yields, I doubt you have the capacity to take on these four hundred stalks of Moon Spirit Grass.”
“Whether we can handle it is not for Hall Master Lin to worry about,” Lu Ming said with a smile. “However, our Thunderfire Hall can guarantee that the majority of our Moon Spirit Grass will match the quality of this batch. If Hall Master Lin can produce herbs of even better quality than ours, then our Thunderfire Hall will naturally withdraw from the competition.”
Lin Changkong's face darkened. He truly could not comprehend where Lu Ming got such confidence.
“Oh? Can you guarantee that most of the four hundred Moon Spirit Grass stalks the Thunderfire Hall provides to the Li family in the second half of the year will be of this quality?” The Li family elder named Li He asked, his eyes lighting up.
Moon Spirit Grass was a highly crucial component of the Li family's annual revenue. Several of the pills produced by the Li family required Moon Spirit Grass as an ingredient, and the higher the quality of the Moon Spirit Grass, the better the quality of the pills they produced would be.
Lu Ming nodded confidently.
“It seems your Thunderfire Hall has mastered some secret technique for cultivating Moon Spirit Grass,” Li He said slowly, looking thoughtful.
There were many methods to cultivating medicinal herbs in this world. Certain secret techniques could improve the quality and success rate of specific spiritual herbs. However, such secret techniques were rare and precious; in the hands of any faction, they were geese that laid golden eggs.
The fact that the Thunderfire Hall could produce so many high-quality Moon Spirit Grass stalks this time and guarantee stable production in the future made it highly likely, in the eyes of outsiders, that they had mastered some secret cultivation technique.
Yet, no one could have imagined that the so-called secret technique was actually a type of spiritual fire. Furthermore, it did not target just a single spiritual herb, but all spiritual medicines in the world...
“If you can truly deliver four hundred Moon Spirit Grass stalks as promised in the second half of the year, then our Li family will naturally award this partnership to the Thunderfire Hall.” The Li family elder's gaze toward Lu Ming and the others grew warm and enthusiastic. Previously, he had been somewhat dissatisfied with Li Yan for always showing bias toward the Thunderfire Hall. Now, however, he secretly praised Li Yan's foresight in securing such an excellent partner for the Li family.
“Then our Thunderfire Hall will certainly not disappoint,” Lu Ming said, filled with joy. Cultivating four hundred Moon Spirit Grass stalks would indeed take a lot of time, but this revenue would completely turn around the Thunderfire Hall's financial distress.
The normal supply of Dharma Inscription Pills required for Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's cultivation would also be restored.
Li Yan also nodded with a smile. This outcome was naturally the most satisfying. The Li family would obtain top-grade Moon Spirit Grass, and she could also support and help the Thunderfire Hall, saving her from having to explain herself to her daughter.
“Hall Master Lin, my apologies. If the Li family needs more Moon Spirit Grass in the future, we will certainly seek a partnership with the Golden Gang Sword Hall,” Li Yan said apologetically to Lin Changkong.
Lin Changkong remained expressionless. Without saying another word, he turned and left.
Xu Xiong followed behind him, casting a vicious glare at the Thunderfire Hall group.
They had not expected that their scheme and target against the Thunderfire Hall would fail once again.
Once the two left the Li family estate and boarded the carriage back to the Golden Gang Sword Hall, Xu Xiong cursed as soon as he stepped inside, “What a fucking joke! Where the hell did they pull out Moon Spirit Grass of that quality?”
His face was still filled with utter disbelief.
Lin Changkong's face was also slightly dark. He had never taken the Thunderfire Hall seriously, especially after Zhang Yue left. In his eyes, the Thunderfire Hall was no different from a ruined hall, with the entire Divine Ability Hall held together solely by that old bag of bones, Lu Jin. He had originally thought he could easily suppress the Thunderfire Hall with a few casual schemes, but what was the result?
Under his suppression, the Thunderfire Hall had not only won the champion hall of Qingyuan Ward, but had now also produced a secret cultivation technique for Moon Spirit Grass, capable of producing a large quantity of top-grade Moon Spirit Grass every year in the future.
If this continued for a year or two, the Thunderfire Hall would rise completely.
More importantly, the Thunderfire Hall was no longer just being held up by Lu Jin, an old man with no remaining potential. To Lin Changkong, that boy Lu Ming posed a far greater threat.
He possessed a High-grade Divine Ability Bone and had exceptional comprehension of divine ability spells, making him even more troublesome than Zhang Yue had been.
If they truly allowed this kid to grow up, he would become a major disaster.
Lin Changkong suddenly realized with a hint of gloom that his suppression had not only failed to work, but had instead acted as a catalyst for the Thunderfire Hall's growth. It was truly bizarre.
“Hall Master, should we have the Peach Mountain Bandits strike the Thunderfire Hall's medicinal garden again? This time, we'll plow up all their fields and tear out the roots. Let's see how they cultivate anything then!” Xu Xiong said, a murderous glint in his eyes.
Lin Changkong shook his head. “The Peach Mountain Bandits' action this time has already alerted the authorities. Even the Ward Office has increased patrols recently, and the Thunderfire Hall's medicinal garden is a key focus of defense. Therefore, the Peach Mountain Bandits will not strike the garden again.”
“Then are we just going to sit back and watch the Thunderfire Hall grow stronger day by day?” Xu Xiong asked unwillingly.
Lin Changkong lowered his eyes, his expression dark and sinister. A cold, ruthless voice slowly drifted from his lips.
“Of course, we won't let them rest easy.”
In the Li family guest hall.
Once the other medicinal garden managers had departed, Li Yan finally relaxed. Stepping down from her seat, she complained, “You brat, you didn't even give me a heads-up about such a major matter. You had me resorting to those petty, underhanded tricks for nothing.”
“I didn't have enough time, Aunt Li. Please don't be angry,” Lu Ming pleaded. He had been incredibly busy these past few days and genuinely had no time to send word.
Naturally, Li Yan was not truly angry. She turned her gaze to Lu Jin and asked, “Hall Master Lu, can your Thunderfire Hall really provide these Moon Spirit Grass stalks in the second half of the year? If it's not enough, it's fine; we can source the rest from other channels. I understand your intentions, and I won't let this opportunity fall into the hands of the Golden Gang Sword Hall.”
She was worried that Lu Ming had only said those things earlier due to his grudge against Lin Changkong.
Hearing this, Lu Jin smiled and nodded. “Please rest assured, Matriarch Li. Since Ming'er has spoken, our Thunderfire Hall will naturally fulfill the contract.”
Hearing even the cautious and steady Lu Jin say so, Li Yan was completely reassured. It seemed Lu Ming's intervention earlier had not been merely a boy's reckless impulse.
“Come with me for a moment.”
After conversing briefly with Lu Jin, Li Yan spoke to Lu Ming and turned to walk toward the side hall.
Lu Ming followed her, making a guess in his heart. Most likely... it was about Jing Yi. Had she sent more news?
Upon entering the side hall, Li Yan, as expected, took out a pink paper crane glowing with spiritual light. Her face was filled with helplessness. “It's a Flying Crane Letter from Yi'er. I've been complained to by her who knows how many times recently. In the end, I had no choice but to tell her about your recent situation.”
“Then, a few days ago, I received this Flying Crane Letter. Have a listen.”
She handed the pink Flying Crane Letter to Lu Ming, who took it and infused a strand of primordial energy into it. Soon, the familiar, clear, and pleasant voice of the young girl drifted from the crane's beak.
“Mother, did Lu Ming really awaken a High-grade Divine Ability Bone? That's amazing! I always said he was special!”
“But can the Thunderfire Hall really provide him with enough cultivation resources?”
“Mother, the Spiritual Fish Feast of the Divine Ability Clans in Qingyuan Ward is coming up this year, right? Can you find a way to let him participate? Pretty please? I beg of you! If you can make this happen, even if you don't let him write back, it's fine! I'll also practice hard over here and won't slack off anymore!”
“Also, remember not to tell him that I asked you to do this. Otherwise, with his stubborn personality, he probably won't accept it.”
The young girl's crisp and pleasant voice echoed in Lu Ming's ears. Hearing her coaxing and pleading tone, he dazed slightly, his expression turning somewhat complex.
Li Yan let out a helpless sigh. “I really don't know what kind of spell you've cast on my daughter.”
Lu Ming rubbed his nose sheepishly. “It's probably because the incident back then had too great of an impact on Jing Yi. I was by her side at the time, helping her get through her most terrifying moment, so...”
Li Yan stared at him for a moment without saying anything, before finally speaking, “I have already promised Yi'er that I will help you secure a spot in the Spiritual Fish Feast.”
Lu Ming, however, looked puzzled.
“The Spiritual Fish Feast? What is that for? Are we going to eat fish?”
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