Chapter 128. Azure Willow City.
One Month Later...
The autumn breeze carried with it the scent of the sea.
Azure Willow City, the once-quiet coastal city, had now become livelier than ever before.
Since the Lin Family’s promotion to a Rank Eight cultivation family, merchants from every corner of the Loushi Kingdom had begun flocking to Azure Willow City.
However, the Lin Family’s new status alone was nowhere near enough to attract such overwhelming attention.
The true reason lay elsewhere.
Every few days, batches of pure-quality medicinal pills would mysteriously appear on the market.
These included Body Tempering Pills, Qi Refinement Pills, Golden Core Pills, and even the exceedingly rare Pill Poison Removal Pills.
Each pill possessed exceptional purity, making them far superior to the ordinary pills commonly found throughout the kingdom.
No one knew where these pills came from.
Some believed the Lin Family had secretly recruited an extraordinary alchemist while others insisted that a reclusive pill grandmaster had chosen Azure Willow City as his place of retirement.
No matter which rumor people believed, one fact remained beyond dispute.
Every batch of pills sold out almost the moment it was placed on the market.
Merchants naturally flocked wherever profits could be found.
As more people gathered in Azure Willow City hoping to purchase those pills, businesses selling weapons, spirit herbs, beast materials, clothing, restaurants, and inns all began flourishing alongside them.
The entire city entered a period of unprecedented prosperity.
Outside the city walls, however, the busiest place was no longer the marketplace.
It was the shoreline.
The rhythmic sound of hammers echoed without pause as hundreds of workers labored beneath the blazing sun.
Enormous wooden pillars were driven deep into the seabed.
Massive stone blocks were hauled by spirit beasts before being lowered into the shallow waters to form sturdy breakwaters.
Body Tempering experts moved tirelessly between the construction sites, carrying materials that ordinary workers could scarcely lift.
With so many hands working together, the outline of an enormous harbor had already begun to take shape.
Standing atop a nearby cliff, Lin Xuan quietly overlooked the construction.
Beside him stood Su Qinglan and the master craftsmen responsible for the project.
An elderly builder stepped forward and respectfully cupped his fists.
"Patriarch, the first phase has progressed smoothly. The breakwater foundations have already been completed. If everything continues according to schedule, the first docks should be ready within another two months."
Lin Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good."
His gaze remained fixed upon the endless sea.
For generations, the sea had been viewed as nothing more than a barrier separating Azure Willow City from the rest of the kingdom.
But now, it was an opportunity.
Once the harbor was completed, merchant ships would be able to sail directly into Azure Willow City, bringing countless resources from beyond the coastline.
The city’s prosperity would no longer depend solely upon overland caravans.
Su Qinglan looked toward the bustling shoreline and smiled faintly.
"I never imagined our family would one day build a port."
She let out a soft laugh.
"When Young Miss first proposed the idea, I thought she was simply dreaming."
She watched another massive stone block disappear beneath the waves.
"Looking at it now... I believe she saw farther than any of us."
Lin Xuan smiled without replying.
His gaze remained fixed upon the endless horizon, where the sea met the sky.
The harbor was only the beginning.
Sooner or later, Azure Willow City would become the kingdom’s greatest gateway to the sea.
Lin Xuan watched the bustling construction site for a few moments longer before speaking again.
"Has there been any progress on acquiring that blueprint?"
Su Qinglan’s faint smile gradually disappeared and slowly shook her head.
"Unfortunately... no. I have personally contacted my natal family and they strongly refused.
The elders made it very clear that they would not part with it, even after I offered eighty bottles of pure-quality Golden Core Pills on the Lin Family’s behalf."
Lin Xuan merely nodded.
"I expected as much."
His gaze drifted back toward the sea.
After all, that blueprint was one of the greatest treasures possessed by the Su Family.
It contained the complete design of a large-scale city defensive formation, something that had protected the Su Family’s ancestral city for generations.
No matter how tempting the offer, they would never allow such a strategic asset to fall into another family’s hands.
If their positions were reversed, Lin Xuan knew he would have made the same decision.
Even if someone offered him enough gold to match his own weight, he would never sell it.
He had only asked Su Qinglan to try because there was no harm in testing his luck.
After all, miracles occasionally happened.
This time, however, luck was not on his side.
"It’s alright."
Lin Xuan smiled faintly.
"Drop the matter. If they aren’t willing to sell it, then we won’t force the issue."
His attention shifted toward the engineers and workers below, all of whom were still tirelessly directing the construction.
Lin Xuan looked toward the elderly master builder.
"If you feel the current manpower isn’t sufficient, you’re free to recruit more workers."
He glanced across the vast construction site before continuing.
"I don’t mind spending a little more if it means the work can be completed sooner."
The elderly builder immediately cupped his fists.
"Understood, Patriarch. I’ll begin making arrangements as soon as I return."
Lin Xuan gave a slight nod.
"Oh and one more thing, if this port is completed within the two months like you said.
I’ll be providing every worker who participated in its construction with a bonus from the Lin Family. Make sure they still get proper rest though."
The elderly builder’s eyes lit up.
"I thank the Patriarch on everyone’s behalf."
Below the cliff, many of the workers had also overheard Lin Xuan’s words.
Cheers immediately erupted across the construction site.
"Thank you, Patriarch!"
"We’ll definitely finish it within two months!"
"Leave it to us!"
The already bustling construction site became even more lively as everyone threw themselves back into their work with renewed enthusiasm.