ragginovel Chapter 32 Renting a Shop
Chapter 32 Renting a Shop
A middle-aged cultivator dressed in brocade robes strode out. He had a handsome face, a long beard, and a calm and composed aura, clearly having spent many years immersed in the late stage of Qi Refining.
This person was Zhou Demao.
"But is it Fellow Daoist Lin in person?" Zhou Demao asked with a beaming smile, bowing respectfully. His warm attitude made Zhang Lin slightly wary.
"My name is Lin Xuan. I greet Steward Zhou." Zhang Lin returned the greeting, using a pre-prepared alias.
"I have long heard of Fellow Daoist Lin's name. Come, come, please come inside." Zhou Demao laughed and stepped aside to let Zhang Lin into the courtyard.
Zhang Lin stepped in, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings discreetly, but he said, "Deacon Zhou, you are too kind. I am merely a newcomer to your esteemed place and have no reputation whatsoever."
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Lin, you're too modest." Zhou Demao waved his hand and led Zhang Lin towards the front hall.
"Even a disciple who is only a nominal disciple from the Danxia Sect is a remarkable figure in our Qingyun Town, let alone someone like you who is an outer disciple."
"To be honest, I've been sitting in this market hall for twenty years, and I've seen at least eight hundred or a thousand cultivators come and go, but I only see a handful of people from the nine great sects in a year."
The deacon's hall was not large; the front hall was for receiving guests, and the back hall was for office work.
The room was simply furnished yet elegant, with several landscape paintings hanging on the walls and a celadon incense burner on the table, emitting wisps of sandalwood incense.
Guests and hosts were seated separately, and waiters served fragrant tea.
Zhou Demao picked up his teacup, gently blew on the tea foam, and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Lin is a highly accomplished disciple of the Danxia Sect. What brings you to a small place like Qingyun Town to open a shop?"
"On a training trip for my sect, I'm collecting some medicinal herbs along the way." Zhang Lin picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "Some spiritual herbs are scarce in Yunmeng Continent, but they are commonly found in the mountains near Qingyun Town."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Demao's eyes lit up slightly: "Oh? Yunmeng Continent, that's the top sect of Danxia Sect, with abundant spiritual veins. Fellow Daoist Lin can cultivate there; his future is limitless."
"You flatter me, Steward Zhou." Zhang Lin put down his teacup. "I was just lucky to be accepted into my master's tutelage."
"My master often said that practitioners should not only know how to shut themselves in and practice asceticism, but also know how to manage their own affairs. Therefore, he asked me to set up a medicine collection point here."
This explanation was watertight.
Zhou Demao nodded repeatedly: "Danxia Sect truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Nine Great Mysterious Sects; its teaching of its disciples is indeed extraordinary."
He sighed, "Unlike us cultivators from small places, who spend our whole lives tending a few acres of spiritual fields, reaching the late stage of Qi Refining at most, we don't even dare to dream of Foundation Establishment."
"Deacon Zhou has a solid foundation; he may well have the opportunity to advance further," Zhang Lin said casually.
"Haha, thank you for your kind words, Fellow Daoist Lin." Zhou Demao waved his hand with a smile, put down his teacup, and said seriously, "In that case, I won't beat around the bush. Fellow Daoist Lin wants to open a shop, do you have a shop location you like?"
"Not yet." Zhang Lin shook his head. "I'm new here and unfamiliar with the market. I hope Steward Zhou can give me some guidance."
Zhou Demao pondered for a moment, then got up, walked to the wall, pulled back a curtain, and revealed a map of the market.
The map shows the street layout of the market, with East Street, West Street, South Street, and North Street crisscrossing and lined with shops.
"The East Street of the Market is of average location, but it is quiet and peaceful. Most of the people who come and go are independent cultivators with some wealth and scions of noble families."
Zhou Demao pointed to an area on the east side of the map, then moved it to the west side.
"West Street is bustling, but it's a mixed bag, with all sorts of people from all walks of life. If Fellow Daoist Lin wants some peace and quiet, East Street would be more suitable."
Zhang Lin looked at the map and had already made up his mind.
Are there any vacant shops on East Street?
"Yes." Zhou Demao nodded. "There is a shop in the middle of East Street. It has two courtyards, with the shop in the front and a courtyard in the back. The courtyard has three rooms that can be used as a warehouse or a temporary place to stay."
"The shop isn't large, but it has everything you need, which is perfect for someone like Fellow Daoist Lin who's just arrived."
"How much is the rent?"
"Eighty spirit stones per month, with a six-month contract."
Eighty pieces.
This price isn't cheap, but it's not too expensive either. For shops on East Street, this price range is considered mid-to-high.
Zhang Lin hesitated for a moment, then said, "Could I take a look at the shop first?"
"Of course." Zhou Demao stood up and called over a waiter, "Take Fellow Daoist Lin to East Street to see that shop."
The attendant obeyed and led Zhang Lin out of the hall of affairs. They walked east along the main street of the market for half an hour before stopping in front of a shop.
The shop was not large, with a frontage of about 1.5 feet and a depth of more than 20 feet.
The stone steps in front of the door and the mottled wooden door are clearly quite old.
The waiter unlocked the door and entered.
The shop was empty, dusty, and cobwebs covered the corners.
However, the house structure was still quite sturdy, with no rotten beams or pillars, and no cracks in the walls.
Passing through the front shop, there is a small courtyard behind it, paved with bluestone slabs, and a well in the corner.
Behind the courtyard are three side rooms. The rooms are not large, but they are well-lit and can be lived in after a little tidying up.
Zhang Lin walked around the courtyard and was satisfied.
"This is the one."
Back in the deacon's hall, Zhou Demao had already prepared the contract.
The contract was written on specially made spirit paper, with neat handwriting and clear terms.
The monthly rent is eighty spirit stones, with a deposit of one month's rent and three months' rent paid upfront, and a six-month contract.
Zhang Lin carefully read through the contract, making sure there were no hidden clauses, before picking up the pen and signing his name, "Lin Xuan".
Zhou Demao stamped the seal of the market administration office and handed one of the contracts to Zhang Lin.
"Fellow Daoist Lin, the contract has been signed, and the shop is yours," Zhou Demao said with a smile. "I wish you great success in your business."
"Thank you, Deacon Zhou." Zhang Lin cupped his hands, took out 320 spirit stones from his storage bag, and handed them to Zhou Demao.
Eighty coins are for a deposit, and two hundred and forty coins are for three months' rent.
Zhou Demao took the spirit stones, counted them, and put them into his storage bag. The smile on his face faded slightly, and he lowered his voice and said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, there is something I must remind you of."
Zhang Lin's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "Deacon Zhou, please speak."
"Although Qingyun Town is small, the markets are rife with intrigue." Zhou Demao lowered his voice even further, so that only the two of them could hear him. "East Street, West Street, South Street, and North Street are each occupied by powerful forces."
"East Street is relatively quiet, but there are a few old shops with powerful backers. Since you're new here, it's good that you don't know some things. But one thing: don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't meddle in what you shouldn't meddle in."
He paused, then added earnestly, "After you open your shop, Fellow Daoist Lin, you should make the necessary favors, and avoid provoking those you shouldn't."
"The name of Danxia Sect is useful in Qingyun Town, but if something really happens, it's too late to help. I know this may not be pleasant to hear, but it's for your own good."
Zhang Lin remained expressionless, cupped his hands and said, "I have noted it down. Thank you for your guidance, Deacon Zhou. I appreciate this favor."
Zhou Demao nodded in satisfaction, a smile returning to his face: "Fellow Daoist Lin is a smart man, so I won't say any more. Go ahead, and if you need any help, just come to the Hall of Affairs to find me."
After saying goodbye to Zhou Demao, Zhang Lin returned to his shop on East Street and began to tidy up.
He first opened all the doors and windows to allow air to circulate, and then used his true energy to activate the Wind Control Technique, slowly circling inside the room.
A gentle breeze swept through the shop, carrying away cobwebs from the corners, dust from the floor, and the musty smell that had accumulated over the years, pushing them outside the door.
The waiter hadn't left yet; he stood at the door watching and couldn't help but exclaim, "Immortal Master, what skill you have! Your wind manipulation technique is far more adept than that of the other rogue cultivators in town!"
Zhang Lin smiled faintly and did not reply.
Once the wind stopped and the dust settled, the shop was mostly clean, with only some stains remaining in the nooks and crannies, which would be carefully cleaned tomorrow.