As the population in Xiushui Village grew, with more outsiders moving in, Village Chief Du knew that if they delayed any further, they would miss a golden opportunity and let someone else seize it. He had originally planned to begin preparations after the New Year but hadn't expected Lin Xiao to approach him at this moment.
Hearing Chief Du's response, Lin Xiao realized that the chief had likely been thinking along the same lines. They began discussing the possibilities in detail.
"Chief, based on the current flow of visitors to our village each day, I believe we can start opening restaurants and inns. While the food won't be able to compete with Lingxian Shizuo, it will still be a good option for travelers looking for a meal."
"For example, Uncle Hu from our village is an excellent cook, and he's a good man too. We could ask if he's interested. If he agrees, the sect could invest in building a restaurant and have him run it."
Uncle Hu's family supposedly had a famous chef in their ancestry. Although the legacy seemed to have faded over time, the men in his family continued to cook, and every meal from their home had the most enticing aromas.
Chief Du was a bit surprised at the offer for the sect to invest but didn't question it. Instead, he nodded happily, "With the sect backing it, that sounds great. I'll speak to Hu Xiao'er tomorrow."
If Lingxian Sect was involved in the village's operations, there would be no opposition from the villagers. In fact, Lingxian Sect held more sway in the village than Chief Du himself. Where Chief Du might have needed to negotiate or work with village elders to push through changes in the past, now, just mentioning the sect would ensure compliance from the villagers.
Even though the villagers had noticed that Lin Xiao and the other immortals didn't act too differently from before, there was an unspoken reverence for them. Everyone knew that, regardless of how approachable they seemed, the immortals had the power to take lives with a wave of their sleeves.
This respect had grown especially after the incident with the bandits, when the forest on North Mountain was scorched black. The villagers, though unconscious at the time, had noticed how quickly the forest regenerated, with new sprouts emerging in the middle of winter from the once-barren, charred land.
These mysterious happenings were clear evidence that they now lived next to a sect of immortals.
Chief Du was confident that as long as he told the villagers that this was being done by Lingxian Sect, no one would dare to resist; in fact, they would likely support it wholeheartedly.
Next, Lin Xiao brought up the topic of inns and a few other businesses, discussing with the chief the number of workers they would need, the land required, and potential candidates from the village to fill key positions.
Once they finalized the plans, Chief Du would meet with the selected villagers to discuss the roles.
The two of them, along with Dou'er, then left to scout suitable locations for the businesses. With Lin Xiao using his spiritual energy to carry them along, Chief Du felt as though he was floating the entire way.
After inspecting the sites and finding no issues, Lin Xiao finalized the locations and handed Chief Du the money to handle the land purchases.
Despite the village's growing reputation, land prices, set by the government, were still low. The cost of purchasing these plots was minimal, and Lin Xiao had more than enough silver on hand to cover it.
Once back home, Chief Du began documenting the areas he intended to buy and planned to go to the county office first thing in the morning to complete the legal paperwork.
With these matters settled, Lin Xiao returned to the mountain and had Liu Yunan record all the details of the new projects.
Meanwhile, back at Lingxiao Escort Agency in Songyang County, the staff were surprised to see Qin Jianghe return with two older women. When he introduced them as his mother and aunt, they understood but were curious about his intentions in bringing them to the agency.
Most assumed that since their leader was from the village, he was simply showing filial piety and had brought them to help out in the back courtyard.
Only Gu Yuxiao and her two cousins, Fang Mancang and Fang Manliang, knew the truth—that both women had come from Lingxian Sect, just like Qin Jianghe.
Since the three hadn't yet formally returned to the sect, they eagerly took the opportunity to surround Qin's mother and Tie Tou's mother, peppering them with questions about life in the sect.
Qin Jianghe, usually too busy with work, had little time to share stories with them, and since he spent most of his time in Songyang County rather than at the sect, he didn't have much to tell.
What they didn't know was that every time Liu Yunan sent a voice transmission talisman to Qin Jianghe, it was filled with so much detail that he was nearly overwhelmed. Though he hadn't been physically present at the sect, he was well-informed about everything happening there.
But Qin Jianghe wasn't much of a talker and had been too busy to relay all this information to his three comrades.
As soon as Qin's mother laid eyes on Gu Yuxiao, she immediately recognized her as a young woman, despite her masculine clothing. She couldn't help but take a liking to her bright and lively features.
Tie Tou's mother felt the same.
Seeing how curious Gu Yuxiao was about the sect, the two older women kindly took her hand and sat her down, sharing stories and details about their time in Lingxian Sect.
Fang Mancang and Fang Manliang, benefiting from being near Gu Yuxiao, were also able to hear these fascinating stories about the sect.
During their conversation, Qin's mother learned about Gu Yuxiao's background and how her father had entrusted Qin Jianghe to look after his daughter. Touched by the story, she felt a growing sense of affection and pity for the young woman.
Meanwhile, Qin Jianghe headed to the kitchen and took out the food Jiang Youfu had prepared for them, heating it on the stove.
As the aroma spread through the house, everyone in the main hall, deep in conversation, suddenly heard their stomachs rumble.
Even the escorts on duty at the front of the agency were tempted by the smell, nearly forgetting their responsibilities as they longed to rush to the back courtyard for a taste.