Chapter 147 | Seeds of Obsession

Chapter 147: 147 | Seeds of Obsession

The morning mist still clung to the towering peaks of Crimson Nimbus Sect, casting a quiet veil over the Cloud-Sea Pavilion.

Inside the main hall, Lin Tian sat calmly.

A subtle ripple passed through the pavilion’s outer defensive array.

A low-level spiritual crane emerged from the mist, carrying a pre-approved access talisman. It landed on the balcony and released a small, heavily sealed jade box before dissolving into spiritual light.

Lin Tian raised a hand. A thread of Qi pulled the box across the room and into his palm.

The faint crest of Alchemy Peak was engraved upon its surface.

He carefully released the seals. The moment the lid opened, a warm surge of pure Yang essence filled the hall, revealing three perfectly preserved High-Grade Crimson-Sun Roots resting upon profound-ice silk.

A jade slip lay among them.

Lin Tian infused it with Qi, and a single line of verdant spiritual text appeared.

"For your theoretical insights. A minor token of academic appreciation."

Lin Tian’s gaze settled on the three roots.

He immediately understood the significance of the gift.

Yesterday’s demonstration had given Elder Liu something she could personally verify. The relief had been temporary, but it was real, and that alone was enough to make the method worth further study.

Sending these herbs allowed her to acknowledge the value of his method while still presenting the exchange as a simple professional transaction.

Her pride remained intact.

Yet she had still taken three rare Yang-attribute roots from her limited private reserve and sent them to him.

"So you are willing to invest in the method," Lin Tian murmured. "That is enough for now."

He placed the jade slip beside the roots.

Soon after, the spirit-wood doors opened.

Madam Shen, Aunt Lin, and Lady Yun entered the main hall one after another.

Madam Shen wore her familiar dark-crimson robes, her expression calm and thoughtful. Aunt Lin had come directly from the Artifact Pavilion, while Lady Yun remained wrapped in her dark outer robe, her presence naturally subdued by her Dark Yin Body.

The three women noticed the jade box almost immediately.

Madam Shen stepped closer.

"What did Elder Liu send?"

Lin Tian gestured toward the table.

" High-Grade Crimson-Sun Root. She sent them as payment for the structural alignment method I demonstrated yesterday."

Aunt Lin studied the roots without touching them.

"She moved quickly."

"She had reason to," Lin Tian replied. "The demonstration gave her something she could verify personally. Sending payment lets her continue investigating the method without openly admitting how much interest she has taken in it."

Lady Yun’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"So she is testing whether the method is worth pursuing further."

"Exactly."

Madam Shen considered the box for a moment.

"Then this is a gain, but only a small one."

Lin Tian nodded.

"That’s how we should treat it."

He did not exaggerate the meaning of the gift. Elder Liu had not become dependent on him, nor had she placed her cultivation in his hands. She had simply taken the next step after receiving evidence that his theory had practical value.

That alone was useful.

More importantly, nothing about the exchange required Shadow Web to intervene. Elder Liu had acted on her own, which made the information far more valuable than anything they could have forced through pressure.

Aunt Lin folded her arms.

"And what do you intend to do with the herbs?"

"Nothing unusual," Lin Tian said. "We keep the transaction clean. No pressure, no demands, and no unnecessary contact."

Madam Shen gave a small nod.

"Then we let her decide her next move."

"Yes."

Lady Yun’s gaze remained on the jade box.

"She will likely examine the method herself before deciding whether to approach you again."

Lin Tian leaned back slightly.

"Which is why we do not need to hurry her."

The three women exchanged brief glances before returning their attention to him.

The first step had been taken.

It was small, but it confirmed that Elder Liu had not dismissed yesterday’s demonstration as empty theory.

For now, that was enough.

Lin Tian looked once more at the three Crimson-Sun Roots.

He would let Elder Liu make the next move.

A small gain was still a gain.

Lin Tian picked up the jade box and stepped away from the desk. He approached Aunt Lin and held out the box.

"Lin," he said, meeting her golden-brown eyes. " High-Grade Crimson-Sun Rootbcontain unusually pure Yang essence. Take them back to the Artifact Pavilion and study them carefully."

Aunt Lin accepted the box with both hands. "My Master, how should I use them? Should I prepare them for the furnace?"

"Do not rush to consume them," Lin Tian replied. "Their value is not limited to feeding a flame. First determine how their pure Yang essence interacts with the spiritual materials and formations you already use. I want a clear result before even a small portion is committed to refinement."

Aunt Lin’s eyes brightened with understanding.

"So these roots are for testing?"

"For testing first," Lin Tian said. "If you discover a stable application, incorporate it into your ordinary artifact work. If not, preserve the remaining roots. We do not waste a valuable resource simply because it looks useful."

Aunt Lin nodded seriously. "Understood, Master. I will handle them personally."

"Good. Keep your work within the normal duties of the Artifact Pavilion. Nothing about this needs to attract attention."

She gave a respectful nod. "I understand."

Lin Tian briefly touched her shoulder before she turned toward the forging chambers.

"Improve what you can, Aunt Lin. Let the results speak for themselves."

Aunt Lin’s expression softened with quiet determination. "I will."

She carried the jade box away, leaving Lin Tian alone with the other two members of the Shadow Web.

The room settled into silence again.

Lin Tian turned toward Lady Yun.

"Yun-er, what have you learned?"

Lady Yun remained composed, her dark outer robe falling neatly around her figure. She had been observing the situation around Alchemy Peak and the ordinary movements connected to Elder Liu, but her report contained no sign of an immediate confrontation.

"Elder Liu has not made another move," she said. "She returned to Alchemy Peak after yesterday’s meeting, and this morning the roots arrived through a normal courier channel."

Lin Tian nodded.

"Anything unusual?"

"Nothing that requires action. She appears to be investigating the method rather than openly pursuing you. There has been no unusual activity around the Cloud-Sea Pavilion."

Madam Shen folded her arms, considering the implications.

"Then the gift itself is the important part."

"Yes," Lin Tian replied. "She chose to spend part of her own resources because she believes yesterday’s demonstration was worth pursuing."

Madam Shen glanced toward the doorway through which Aunt Lin had departed.

"That is already a meaningful change."

"It is a small one," Lin Tian said. "We should treat it exactly that way."

He did not exaggerate the meaning of the gift. Elder Liu had not become dependent on him, nor had she placed her cultivation in his hands. She had simply taken the next step after receiving evidence that his theory had practical value, and that alone was useful.

More importantly, Elder Liu had acted on her own, which made the information more valuable than anything they could have forced through pressure.

Aunt Lin’s work had also given them another reason to leave the situation undisturbed.

"What do you want us to do next?" Madam Shen asked.

"Nothing unusual," Lin Tian said. "Keep the Resource Hall’s procedures unchanged. No special treatment, no sudden pressure, and no unnecessary contact."

Madam Shen nodded.

"Her requests will continue to be handled according to normal sect procedures."

"Good. A clean record is more useful than a hidden hand."

Lady Yun looked toward the balcony.

"And I will continue observing from a distance."

"Do that," Lin Tian replied. "Do not approach her directly unless something genuinely changes."

Lady Yun gave a small nod. "Understood."

Lin Tian leaned against the spirit-wood desk and looked toward the mist-shrouded Alchemy Peak beyond the balcony.

"Yesterday, she only heard my theory. Today, she has invested resources in studying it. The difference matters."

Madam Shen’s expression became thoughtful.

"Do you think she will return?"

"She may," Lin Tian said. "But whether she does or not, the choice must remain hers."

He glanced at the jade slip beside him.

"Three roots are not a declaration of trust. They are evidence that she considers my method valuable enough to investigate further."

The room fell quiet for a moment.

No one needed to say more.

Elder Liu had acknowledged the value of his method in the only way she was willing to do so for now: through action rather than words.

It was not trust or dependence, but it was progress.

Lin Tian nodded once.

"There is no need to rush."

For now, he would let Elder Liu decide what came next.

For Lin Tian, that restraint mattered. A method that drew Elder Liu closer on her own terms was far more valuable than any pressure.

The first gain had been small, That was exactly the kind of progress Lin Tian wanted.