Chapter 127 | The Net

Chapter 127: 127 | The Net

That morning, a fresh requisition from Alchemy Peak reached Madam Shen’s desk.

Elder Liu had requested another shipment of Yang-attribute herbs, including three hundred Mid-Grade Crimson-Sun Roots and fifty High-Grade Dragon-Fire Lotuses.

Madam Shen reviewed the request briefly before approving it with her jade seal.

Denying it outright would only attract attention.

She marked the shipment for the slower Eastern Valley distribution channel.

"Deacon Han."

A nearby attendant immediately approached.

"Vice-Manager Shen."

"Route this shipment through the Eastern Valley channel," Madam Shen instructed. "Place it into the normal distribution queue with the other less-urgent consignments."

Deacon Han glanced at the requisition.

"That route usually takes longer than the direct channel."

"Then let the normal process take its course."

"Understood."

He bowed and turned to leave.

"Also place the accompanying spirit stone request under routine verification," Madam Shen added. "Nothing beyond the usual procedure."

"Yes, Vice-Manager."

After he left, Madam Shen returned to the ledger.

Everything remained in order.

The herbs had been approved. No request had been denied, and no rule had been broken. Yet the shipment would reach Elder Liu later than the direct route would have allowed.

Madam Shen moved on to the next requisition, her expression unchanged. One delayed shipment was ordinary enough, and the next could be handled the same way. She did not need to force the pressure; given enough time, the delays would begin to speak for themselves.

Two hours later, the heavy wooden doors of the administrative office swung open.

Two young men in the verdant-green robes of Alchemy Peak entered hurriedly. Both were Peak Qi Gathering disciples, and their anxious expressions made it clear they had come about the delayed shipment.

"Vice-Manager Shen!"

The lead disciple stepped forward.

"Why was our Master’s shipment sent through the Eastern Valley channel? The herbs were approved, yet the delivery has already been delayed."

Madam Shen slowly raised her eyes from the ledger.

"The shipment was assigned to the Eastern Valley route," she replied calmly. "That route is currently handling several other consignments, so the delivery will take longer."

"But Elder Liu needs those herbs soon," the second disciple protested. "Can’t you move the shipment back to the direct route?"

Madam Shen closed the ledger.

"The Resource Hall does not change an assigned route simply because a peak requests faster delivery. The order has been recorded properly, and it will be delivered through the designated channel."

The two disciples exchanged frustrated looks.

"Vice-Manager, our Master’s supply cannot be delayed like this."

"Then she should have requested priority before the order was assigned," Madam Shen replied evenly. "Once the distribution has begun, the Resource Hall follows the established order."

The lead disciple clenched his jaw but could find no clear grounds to argue.

"We understand."

"Good. Then let the Resource Hall complete the process."

The two disciples bowed stiffly and withdrew.

Once the doors closed, Madam Shen returned her attention to the ledger. The shipment had not been denied; it had simply been slowed through an ordinary distribution route, leaving no obvious reason for anyone to question the delay. For now, that was enough.

Night had fallen over the Crimson Nimbus Sect, leaving the Cloud-Sea Pavilion quiet beneath the pale glow of its moon-pearls.

Lin Tian sat comfortably in his spirit-wood chair, the warmth of his [Primordial Yang-Tyrant Body] quietly keeping the cold mountain air at bay. Across from him stood Madam Shen, no longer bound by the formal restraint she maintained within the Resource Hall.

"Report, my Resource Queen," Lin Tian said calmly.

A faint smile touched Madam Shen’s lips at the private title. "My Sovereign, the first step has been completed. Elder Liu’s disciples came to question the delay, but I followed the established procedure and sent the shipment through the Eastern Valley channel."

Lin Tian nodded. "Good. Nothing was denied?"

"Nothing," Madam Shen replied. "The herbs were approved as requested. They will simply reach Elder Liu later than they would have through the direct route, while the accompanying spirit stone request remains under routine verification."

"That’s exactly how it should be," Lin Tian said. "Elder Liu is a Core Formation expert. We cannot pressure her through anything that looks deliberate. A few small delays, spread over time, will be enough to make each disruption more troublesome as her need for those supplies grows."

Madam Shen gave a slight nod. "For now, she has no reason to suspect anything unusual. To her, it will appear to be nothing more than a routine delay within the sect."

"Excellent work," Lin Tian said, a faint calculating smile appearing on his lips. "Keep it ordinary. No sudden changes, and no unnecessary pressure."

"Understood, My Sovereign."

Lin Tian gave a small nod. "Good. You may go, Shen-er."

As Madam Shen stepped back, the doors opened and Aunt Lin entered the room. The Master Forger of the Artifact Pavilion carried a velvet tray holding three dark-jade communication tokens.

She approached Lin Tian and placed the tray before him. "My Master, the newest batch is complete. Following your instructions, I kept the refinement within the level expected of me. They should appear to be ordinary Mid-Grade communication tokens if inspected by others."

Lin Tian picked up one of the tokens and activated his [Insight Eye]. Subtle crimson runes flickered across his pupils as he examined the formation inside the jade, confirming that it appeared to be an ordinary Mid-Grade token.

"You’ve done well, Aunt Lin," Lin Tian said. "Keeping your true ability concealed is important. If an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Master Forger suddenly produced Peak-Grade artifacts, the sect would inevitably take notice."

Aunt Lin nodded. "I understand. But the transmission range is still limited. I could strengthen the formation, but that would make its spiritual fluctuations more noticeable."

Lin Tian examined the token again. He had already learned the basics of artifact refinement from Aunt Lin, and with his [Insight Eye], he could now see how spiritual power moved through the formation.

"The problem isn’t the amount of spiritual power," he said. "It’s how much of it is lost while passing through the formation."

He placed a fingertip against the central node and carefully channeled a thin thread of golden Liquid Qi into the token. Instead of increasing the formation’s power, he adjusted the connection between two spiritual channels, guiding the flow along the jade’s natural spiritual veins rather than forcing it along an unnatural path.

A faint hum came from the token.

Aunt Lin’s eyes narrowed as she studied the formation. Lin Tian made one final adjustment before withdrawing his Qi. The token’s outward appearance remained unchanged, still looking like an ordinary Mid-Grade communication token, but its spiritual flow had become smoother, allowing the transmission to travel farther with less spiritual loss.

After confirming the adjustment was stable, Lin Tian applied the same correction to the remaining two tokens.

Aunt Lin picked up one of them and inspected the formation herself. "You didn’t increase its grade. You changed the spiritual flow within the formation."

"Exactly," Lin Tian replied. "Its refinement level remains Mid-Grade. Only its transmission efficiency has improved."

A trace of admiration entered Aunt Lin’s gaze. "Using the jade’s natural spiritual veins instead of forcing the formation along fixed paths... I’ve worked with this material for years, yet I never thought to approach it this way."

Lin Tian gave her a faint smile. "You laid the foundation. I only made a small adjustment."

He handed the three tokens back to her. "Distribute them through the Shadow Web. The improved transmission should make coordination easier."

Aunt Lin carefully accepted the tokens. "Understood, My Master."

As Aunt Lin prepared to leave with the communication tokens, the shadows in the corner of the room shifted subtly.

Lady Yun stepped out from the darkness, her dark outer robe blending with the dim surroundings. Her Dark Yin Body helped conceal her aura and movements, making her presence difficult to detect.

She inclined her head. "My Master."

"Lady Yun," Lin Tian said. "Madam Shen has begun slowing Elder Liu’s supply deliveries, and Aunt Lin has improved our communication tokens. Now I need information."

Lady Yun nodded.

"Begin with the outer areas of Alchemy Peak," Lin Tian instructed. "Do not confront anyone, and do not reveal your presence. I only want information."

His gaze remained calm as he continued.

"Study Elder Liu’s daily movements. Pay attention to the disciples she relies on and the patrol patterns around the peak. Most importantly, observe whether the delayed Yang-attribute herbs have any effect on her Phantom Burns."

"Understood, My Master."

"Don’t force anything," Lin Tian added. "If you discover a useful lead, follow it quietly. If the trail becomes dangerous, withdraw."

Lady Yun gave a slight nod. "I will return with whatever useful information I uncover."

"Go."

Lady Yun stepped backward, her figure fading into the dimness until she was gone.

After she disappeared, Lin Tian walked toward the balcony. The cold night wind moved through his robes as he looked across the mist-covered peaks of the Crimson Nimbus Sect, his gaze settling on the distant glow of Alchemy Peak.

The first step had been taken.

Nothing had changed yet, and that was exactly how Lin Tian wanted it.