Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 221: Post-War Recovery

Though Gu Can’s injuries were catastrophic and he remained unresponsive, his condition had stabilized. He was alive, but trapped in a persistent vegetative state.

Qin Lu and Gu Yue had reached a consensus: they would wait. Qin Lu needed time to heal his own injuries and settle the Qin Sect’s affairs before they could embark on the journey to Shuntian City.

After spending less than half an hour at the Gu residence, Qin Lu bid farewell and returned to his own manor.

He immediately dispatched servants to summon every member of the Qin Sect.

Within the hour, the main hall of the Qin manor was filled.

Lu Xian and his wife, Lu Anchen and his wife, Cao Yunxi and his family, Nie Feng, Ning Ning, Feng Xi, Shi Geng, Wu Zhengtian—everyone was present.

Looking at the dozen faces gathered around the table, Qin Lu felt a profound sense of relief.

In a war that had claimed nearly half the market’s Foundation Establishment experts, for the Qin Sect to emerge largely unscathed was nothing short of a miracle.

Of course, luck wasn’t the only factor. The sect’s strength had grown quietly but significantly. Ever since Feng Xi’s fortuitous breakthrough to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, the average cultivation level of the group had risen to the mid-stage. Three members—Cao Yunxi, Lu Anchen, and Nie Feng—were already at the ninth layer, just a step away from perfection.

They were few, but they were elite.

Qin Lu sat at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over his people. The room fell silent.

“What about Lu Xuan?” he asked softly.

The atmosphere thickened. Lu Anchen stood up, his expression somber.

“Reporting to the Sect Master. Lu Xuan’s body was recovered. We found a geomantically auspicious site outside the market a few days ago and buried him there.”

“I see…” Qin Lu nodded slowly. “Did he have any final wishes?”

“None that he spoke of,” Lu Anchen replied. “However… since arriving in White Jade Market, he had grown close to a woman from one of the brothels. If he had a regret, it would be leaving her unprotected.”

Qin Lu knew of the affair. “Take care of her. Give her Lu Xuan’s share of the sect’s earnings. And if she’s willing, bring her into the Qin Sect. We look after our own.”

“Yes!”

Lu Anchen sat down, relieved.

Qin Lu sighed, looking around the room. “The attack came too fast. No one was prepared. That we are all sitting here today is a blessing.”

“Truly…” Lu Xian patted his chest, exhaling loudly. “Escaping this calamity took a lifetime of luck.”

“Luck indeed,” Cao Yunxi added, wiping sweat from his brow. “An evil cultivator landed right next to me. If a Foundation Establishment Senior hadn’t intervened, I’d be dead.”

“Same here,” another chimed in. “Senior Gu saved me and Ruling. I never got the chance to thank him… and now…”

The conversation buzzed with stories of near-misses and survival. But amidst the somber reflection, there was an undercurrent of excitement.

Pride.

They looked at Qin Lu not just with respect, but with awe.

In the last ten days, the Qin Sect’s reputation had skyrocketed. The battle had been witnessed by thousands of Loose Cultivators, and Qin Lu’s exploits were the talk of the town.

He hadn’t just survived. He had killed two second-rank Demon Beasts. He had slaughtered the terrifying Strange Child. He had held off the Blood Demon’s entire elite guard single-handedly, buying time for the rest of the market’s defenders to escape.

Rumor had it that his contribution was second only to the legendary Su Hao.

And then there was the partnership with Gu Yue. Witnesses had seen them fighting side-by-side against the blood avatar, displaying power far beyond their realm. With Gu Can incapacitated but alive, the public perception was clear: the Qin Sect now effectively commanded three powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators.

With the other major families decimated, the Qin Sect had quietly become the number one power in White Jade Market.

Qin Lu let them talk for a while before raising his hand. The room quieted instantly.

“Feng Xi tells me our businesses took a hit. I want a detailed report.”

The mood shifted from celebratory to professional. One by one, the managers stood up to report.

The Qin Sect currently operated eleven shops: a gambling den, a pill shop, a robe shop, an artifact shop, a restaurant, a pawnshop, two talisman shops, and three butcheries.

Everyone had a role. The only exception was Lu Anchen’s wife, Xu Ruling. She was a quiet, reclusive woman who spent her days cultivating at home. She sat silently next to her husband, her arm in a sling, her face pale from some unseen injury sustained during the chaos.

As the reports came in, Qin Lu’s frown deepened.

Seven of the eleven shops had been severely damaged or destroyed.

He did a quick mental calculation. Even with the inventory they had managed to save, the losses were staggering—easily exceeding ten thousand Spirit Stones.

“It’s a heavy blow,” Qin Lu admitted, rubbing his temples. “But stone and wood can be replaced. We rebuild. What is the status of the repairs?”

The managers launched into their plans for reconstruction and restocking. The hall filled with the hum of logistics and strategy.

Across White Jade Market, similar meetings were taking place in the ruins of other family halls. Everyone was licking their wounds.

But it was precisely this drive—this refusal to stay down—that was bringing the market back to life at a speed no one had expected.