Su Ming returned to the stone table, took out his identity token from his robe, and retrieved a green jade slip recording his private accounts.

Under the lamplight, the young man's gaze became exceptionally focused. His fingers lightly traced over the jade slip, causing lines of data to surface.

"Basic Military Merit, three thousand five hundred points."

This was his blood and sweat money earned through grueling months at Iron Wall Pass.

Daily patrols, formation maintenance, rewards for repelling several Beast Tides, and the submitted wolf demon materials.

For an ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, this was already a huge sum.

But in Su Ming's plan, this was merely a small fraction.

The income from repairing and optimizing magical implements for his comrades in the Bing-7 Defense Zone.

Since they were all his own brothers, Su Ming charged extremely low rates, often even accepting materials as payment. Calculated out, it amounted to roughly eight hundred points.

"This part cannot be raised in price," Su Ming calculated in his heart. "This is a debt of gratitude, the adhesive that binds Bing-7 Camp into a solid, unbreakable unit."

Ever since he added the "Flexible Water Force-Dispersing Formation" to Zhao Tiji's shield and performed a "Gravity Balance Calibration" on Old Liu's war blade, news of the equipment upgrades in the Bing-7 Defense Zone had spread like wildfire to several neighboring zones.

Especially Zhang Meng, the captain of the Bing-6 Defense Zone, that famously hot-tempered and stingy man, after personally witnessing Zhao Tiji casually chatting and laughing while withstanding a wolf demon's claws.

When dealing with outsiders, Su Ming naturally wouldn't be polite.

"Material cost plus thirty percent, technical premium plus fifty percent. If it's urgent, double it again."

This was the pricing strategy Lin Yu had taught him.

For a standard "Black Tortoise Shield," repairing and installing a "Flexible Water Force-Dispersing Formation" cost eighty to one hundred Military Merit points.

For a magical implement longsword, adjusting its balance and inscribing a "Micro Vibration Pattern" cost fifty to seventy points.

"Twelve thousand three hundred points."

Still over thirty thousand points short of the fifty thousand needed to exchange for "Earth Vein Spirit Milk"!

Su Ming's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, producing a series of firm, rhythmic sounds. "Tomorrow, I need to go to the Bing-6 Defense Zone to lay down the 'Spiderweb.' That Zhang Meng, although crude, is willing to spend money to save his life. As long as the 'Spiderweb's' effectiveness satisfies him, the subsequent maintenance and upgrade fees will become a steady, long-term source of income."

"Not only that," Lin Yu added within the Consciousness Sea. "Once Bing-6 and Bing-8 are both covered, these three defense zones will form an interconnected network. At that point, tell them that for a small fee, they can get real-time shared early warning information from the surrounding zones!"

Su Ming's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head, a self-mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Master, I understand the principle. It's about making them dependent on me. When my formations become a necessity for their survival, the Military Merit will naturally flow in continuously."

"That's right," Lin Yu laughed. "Sustain your cultivation with your skills, and hone your skills through battle. In the world of cultivation, killing and plundering is the lowest tier—that's trading your life for money. Doing business is the middle tier—that's trading goods for money. Only this monopolized technology is the highest tier—that's making people beg to give you money."

Su Ming put away the jade slip and token. His mind, which had been tense from refining the Void Stone, finally relaxed completely.

Twelve thousand three hundred points.

This was his hope for repairing his Dao foundation.

"Sleep!"

Su Ming blew out the spirit lamp and lay down on the stone bed, still fully clothed.

The wind and snow still howled outside the window, but to Su Ming's ears, the sound didn't seem so grating anymore.

...

The next morning, the sky was a depressing leaden gray.

Su Ming rose early, performed a set of fist forms within the stone hut to loosen his muscles and bones, then slung the beast-skin pouch filled with Formation Flags and formation plates over his shoulder and pushed the door open.

Su Ming tightened the Formation Master robe around him. The moment he stepped past the boundary marker of the Bing-6 Defense Zone, a sense of oppression, like that of a primordial giant beast, assaulted him.

"Hahahaha! Brother Su! I've been waiting for you!"

Accompanied by thunderous laughter, an iron-tower-like figure rushed before him, bringing with him a gust of wind reeking of blood. The newcomer was none other than Zhang Meng, captain of the Bing-6 Defense Zone. The man was built like a bear, with a face full of bristling sideburns, looking exactly like a violent bear that had just woken from hibernation.

He extended a palm-sized hand and brought it down hard on Su Ming's shoulder. If this slap landed solidly, forget a Qi Refining stage cultivator, even a piece of granite would crack.

Su Ming's expression didn't change. His footwork shifted subtly, and the *Like Water Art* within him quietly circulated. The muscles in his shoulder rippled like waves. At the instant the giant palm descended, a flexible force rippled out from the point of contact, dispersing most of the brute force that could have shattered bone.

Even so, the frozen ground beneath Su Ming's feet emitted a crisp *crack* and sank down half an inch.

"Captain Zhang, your enthusiasm is a bit too much for my slight frame to bear," Su Ming said with a cupped fist salute, his tone neither servile nor overbearing, a professional smile on his face.

This Zhang Meng lived up to his name. He had the build of a bear, a face full of explosive sideburns, and held a spiked club, looking like a black bear walking upright.

Usually, Zhang Meng, relying on his seniority, looked down his nose at everyone. But the moment he saw Su Ming, that dark face instantly bloomed into a chrysanthemum-like smile.

Su Ming cupped his fists. "It's all for killing demons and preserving lives. Since Brother Zhao spoke up, I, your younger brother, naturally must do my best. However, laying this 'Spirit Response Spider Web' is quite intricate, and the materials..."

"Materials are nothing!"

Zhang Meng waved his hand grandly, full of heroic spirit. "Brother Su, just name it! Whatever you're missing, I'll have someone go fetch it from the storehouse right now! If the storehouse doesn't have it, I'll go rob another camp! As long as you can get that whatever-web laid down for me, forget materials, even if you wanted this meat on my bones... uh, let's forget that part."

The surrounding soldiers burst into a roar of laughter.

Su Ming also smiled. "Captain Zhang, you jest. I've brought all the necessary materials. It's just that the positioning and nodes for setting up the formation need to be finely adjusted according to the terrain of our Bing-6 Defense Zone. Also, once this formation is activated, the monthly spirit stone consumption..."

"That's a given!" Zhang Meng thumped his chest. "I know the rules! Old Zhao told me all about it. Brother Su, I'm not short on that. As long as the thing works well, the price can still be negotiated!"

"Captain Zhang is straightforward."

"Heh! Old Zhao praised your so-called 'Iron Bucket Formation' to the heavens, saying even a fly flying in would sprain its foot. Today, I want to see for myself if it's really that miraculous!" Zhang Meng withdrew his hand, his booming voice causing the surrounding snow to rustle down.