After leaving the small courtyard, Lin Xuan headed straight for the Gold Source Hall.
On the day of registration, the steward responsible for guiding him through the entry procedures had already given him a rough tour of the place. He had some understanding of it.
But along the way, Lin Xuan noticed that wherever he passed, as long as there were people, they would all stare at him in surprise and whisper among themselves.
Lin Xuan just smiled.
He hadn’t expected that everything that happened during the outer sect competition would spread so quickly. It seemed almost everyone knew about it.
Still, that was fine—he could gain more energy points this way. Naturally, he had no objections.
As long as these people didn’t come to provoke him, a few glances wouldn’t cost him anything.
So Lin Xuan paid them no further mind and continued on his way to the Gold Source Hall.
He arrived shortly after.
Though called a hall, the Gold Source Hall was actually just a very spacious building. Inside, there were numerous shelves, neatly categorized with different treasures, each marked with a price for selection. It was quite similar to the supermarkets of his previous life.
At the same time, as the only place in the outer sect where various cultivation resources were sold, it was bustling with people and quite lively.
Lin Xuan gave it a quick once-over before striding inside.
As soon as he entered, a steward on duty nearby noticed him, his eyes lighting up. With a full smile, he walked over.
“What an honor to have you, Junior Disciple Lin, visit the Gold Source Hall. I’m Li Hang, the steward on duty here. You can call me Steward Li. I assume you’re here to purchase cultivation resources, Junior Disciple Lin? Though my cultivation talent is lacking, I’ve been at the Gold Source Hall for a few years and know it quite well. If you have any needs, feel free to ask me directly. I can help you pick the most suitable treasures.”
Steward Li Hang spoke with a fawning tone. Before Lin Xuan could even respond, he had already said a mouthful. Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel a bit speechless.
Li Hang’s voice wasn’t low, and his words spread through the hall, immediately causing a stir.
“What did Steward Li say? Is he that Lin Xuan, Senior Brother Lin?”
“That’s right, he’s the current top outer sect disciple, Senior Brother Lin Xuan. I participated in the competition too; I recognize him.”
“He doesn’t look that impressive, aside from being handsome. How is he so strong?”
“Yeah, at the time, we didn’t know that Senior Brother Lin had only been in the sect for a month and was already at the Qi Gathering stage.”
“And he won streak after streak in the competition, even defeating Senior Brother Chen, who had already broken through to the Qi Transformation stage and grasped the rudiments of sword intent, taking first place!”
“That’s incredible!”
“...”
In the hall, almost everyone’s gaze converged on him, buzzing with discussion, all shocked by Lin Xuan’s achievements.
Because Lin Xuan’s performance in this outer sect competition was simply too astonishing. It was likely a record that the Flowing Cloud Sect hadn’t seen in decades, or even a century.
So, even though the competition had ended several hours ago, nearly half a day, the excitement hadn’t faded; instead, it had grown even more intense. Wherever he went, it caused a stir.
At the same time, everyone was also a bit speechless at Steward Li Hang’s actions.
This Steward Li Hang had an uncle who was an outer sect elder, which was how he got assigned to the lucrative Gold Source Hall. But he usually spent his days idly slacking off, never taking things seriously. Normally, he was quite arrogant, ignoring everyone else.
Today, as soon as Lin Xuan arrived, he completely changed his tune, sticking to him like a plaster, putting on a flattering smile, as if Lin Xuan were his elder rather than an outer sect disciple. It made everyone watching want to laugh.
Of course, they understood Li Hang’s approach.
After all, Lin Xuan’s displayed talent was too terrifying. Within the entire Flowing Cloud Sect, including the higher-ups and core disciples, he could probably rank among the top few. Such a super genius, as long as he didn’t meet an untimely end, would achieve no small success. Becoming a core disciple and rising to the sect’s leadership was perfectly normal. He was essentially a future top powerhouse of the sect.
Li Hang currying favor now meant that when Lin Xuan rose to prominence later, even a few crumbs from his table would be enough for Li Hang to thrive. So Li Hang’s attitude was hardly surprising.
After all, Lin Xuan’s talent was just that monstrous.
Some in the crowd even secretly envied Li Hang. He had thick skin, didn’t mind being mocked, and had latched on immediately. Among them, many also wanted to curry favor with Lin Xuan. But doing so publicly, lowering themselves to flatter a new disciple, was a bit embarrassing. So they hesitated.
And then Li Hang rushed in first. They could only hold back, silently regretting it.
In the center of the crowd, Lin Xuan felt the gazes and whispers converging on him and smiled calmly. He hadn’t expected to enjoy treatment akin to a celebrity from his previous life so soon in this one.
But he also knew that these people valued only his potential and talent, not his actual strength. If he ever stagnated or slowed down, he would face a completely opposite situation. He might even be condemned by everyone.
Because he stood too high. Falling would be utterly miserable.
So he dared not slack off. He needed to turn this potential into real strength as quickly as possible to face any challenge without fear. In this martial world, strength reigned supreme.
With that, Lin Xuan stopped wasting words and said directly, “I’ll trouble you, Steward Li. Please recommend some Qi Gathering stage resources, like pills and herbs for cultivation. The stronger the effect, the better. Price is no issue.”
“Alright! Please follow me, Junior Disciple Lin.”
Li Hang replied solemnly. He knew that a genius like Lin Xuan disliked trouble and preferred straightforwardness. To curry favor, he had to make Lin Xuan satisfied. So he led Lin Xuan to the pill section on the east side of the hall, stopping before the innermost shelf.
He took down a small bottle and handed it to Lin Xuan.
“This is the Qi Condensing Pill, a third-grade upper-tier pill. It’s one of the most suitable pills for Qi Gathering stage cultivation. One bottle contains three pills, priced at three contribution points.”
Li Hang then picked up a large jar from nearby: “Inside here are Water Origin Fruits, third-grade upper-tier spiritual herbs. They warm and strengthen the body, enhance power, and can also remove toxins like pill residue. With these Water Origin Fruits, you can take pills continuously for cultivation without worrying about toxin buildup affecting your foundation. The price is five contribution points per fruit.”
“And this...”
“...”
Li Hang went on to recommend eight different types of pills and spiritual herbs to Lin Xuan, all without exception at the third-grade upper-tier level—the most precious resources in the Gold Source Hall. Their values were considerable, with the cheapest costing several contribution points.
Li Hang knew that Lin Xuan, thanks to the Grand Elder’s favor, had received an additional reward of five thousand contribution points from the outer sect competition, which was why he dared to make such recommendations. Otherwise, even Chen Yuze might not be able to afford so many valuable resources, let alone other outer sect disciples.