He made the lens barrel from sealed bamboo tubes to block out stray light.

  He also added small sliding and locking mechanisms to the bamboo tube.

  Thus, a zoom microscope was complete.

  With this device, Lin Lin could study the cell structure of cultivators and demon beasts.

  But problems remained. The image seen through the microscope was too dim, even with supplemental lighting.

  This was because the lenses were uncoated, causing a thirty to forty percent loss of incident light.

  Lin Lin was not a god. With current conditions, he simply could not build a coating machine. He had to make do.

  But at this moment, he also realized the severity of the issue: his own strength alone was still too weak.

  He had previously wondered if he could handcraft a lithography machine in this world.

  After all, before his transmigration, his father had worked on lithography machines.

  He himself had studied lens design for lithography and had handcrafted a simple three-hundred-millimeter lithography machine.

  It had sounded feasible.

  The reality was far from it. The light transmittance of the lithography machine's lenses was abysmally low.

  Without coating, all the light would be lost.

  But in reality, where could he get a coating machine?

  Laser equipment? Where could he get that?

  People. It still came down to people.

  In this cultivation world, where everyone competed for heavenly treasures and treated human life like dirt,

  only Lin Lin was troubled by a lack of people.

  In the month or two after getting the microscope, Lin Lin gradually kept a low profile.

  He did not show himself in public as often, instead passing those opportunities to Ma Zhaoyuan.

  Regarding cultivation resources, Lin Lin kept his promise and transferred Liu Yueyan's monthly sect allowance of spirit stones to him.

  This made Ma Zhaoyuan gradually let down his guard against Lin Lin and turn his spearhead towards Li Wangxuan and Zhang Shan.

  Ma Zhaoyuan began secretly building his own influence among the inner disciples, aiming to push out Zhang Shan and Li Wangxuan.

  Sensing the crisis, Zhang Shan and Li Wangxuan unconsciously united.

  The inner disciples formed cliques, gradually splitting into two factions.

  Amidst this turbulent situation, Lin Lin did not step in to calm things down. Instead, he took the opportunity to consciously cultivate the outer disciples.

  Most of these outer disciples came from humble families that could not provide them with cultivation resources.

  Leaders like Liu Fenghai would never support them either. They were just treated as errand boys in the sect, never given spirit stones or pills.

  Seeing their path to immortality stretching endlessly ahead, most outer disciples harbored an inexplicable hatred for the inner disciples.

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  And Lin Lin precisely exploited this.

  After just two months, Qingfeng Sect was divided into three camps.

  And the faction representing the outer disciples, led by Lin Lin, became the third force within the sect.

  As the时机 gradually matured, Lin Lin began to make his next move.

  One day, Lin Lin went to chat with the several disciples guarding the cave.

  These cave guards already had a decent relationship with Lin Lin.

  They knew that Lin Lin had initially stooped just to survive.

  Besides, over the past year, Lin Lin had often taken the blame for them. Over time, they trusted this disfigured senior brother a lot.

  Lin Lin casually steered the topic towards resources. "You guys work hard enough. If only you could get some good cultivation herbs, your path would not seem so endlessly long."

  One burly disciple among them was named Feng Jinbao.

  He worked hard diligently every month, just to get a few more resources from the sect.

  Recently recruited by Lin Lin for guard duty, he had even made a small profit in spirit stones.

  Hearing Lin Lin's words, he could not help but vent his bitterness.

  "Tell me about it. We work so hard, and all we get is one foundational pill a year. That is not even enough to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining."

  The other outer disciples nodded in agreement.

  It had only been three years since Liu Fenghai seized Qingfeng Sect. Many inner and outer disciples were newly recruited.

  They had all joined at the first or second level of Qi Refining, so the gap was not big initially.

  Three years later, many inner disciples were at mid Qi Refining, while the outer disciples were still struggling at the starting line.

  Not to mention that genius girl Liu Yueyan. Reaching Foundation Establishment at such a young age was only because she ate pills like meals.

  Thinking back, the words of inner disciples like Li Wangxuan were complete nonsense.

  Survival of the fittest, the strong rule? Were not these people all propped up by resources from their families?

  Where was the fairness in cultivation education resources, that they could spout this Darwinian cultivation nonsense?

  "Fellow junior brothers, it is not like I have not thought about this problem. Anyone who has been to the pill refinery knows that whenever there are extra pills, I distribute them to others."

  "Unfortunately, although I am the acting sect leader now, Ma Zhaoyuan still lords it over me. I have the will but not the way. Take the spirit stones I pay you for standing guard, for example—they all come out of my own pocket."

  With just a few words, Lin Lin drew another sigh from everyone present.

  How they wished Lin Lin really was the sect leader, able to give them some support.

  Feng Jinbao's face darkened. He was still unconvinced. "What is Ma Zhaoyuan anyway? What gives him the right to order everyone around?"

  Another disciple lowered his voice and replied, "Do not say that. He is a late Qi Refining cultivator. His father is Elder Ma, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. When he comes out of seclusion, he will make trouble for you."

  Feng Jinbao wanted to say more but stopped. His face black, he lowered his head.

  The atmosphere was right. Time for Lin Lin to start pouring the persuasion.

  "Junior brothers, although I cannot control the sect's cultivation resources, I do have a personal business opportunity."

  "I have a deal here that needs five spirit stones as capital. After it is done, I will return your five spirit stones in full, plus give each of you five foundational pills."

  "Of course, five spirit stones is no small amount. If you cannot come up with them, that is fine. You can pawn something to me, or even write me an IOU. That is also acceptable."

  "This is, of course, not. As long as you trust me, Lin Lin, you can give it a try. If you think it is too risky, that is only human, and I will not hold it against you."

  As soon as he said this, the outer disciples looked at each other, hesitant to agree.

  Even though these outer disciples were honest and simple, they knew the world was treacherous.

  Five spirit stones was a considerable sum, and Lin Lin had called it a business deal.

  Since it was a business deal, there was profit and loss.

  Or, Lin Lin might simply cheat them out of their five spirit stones. What could they do about it?

  Lin Lin was at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. With a Foundation Establishment Pill, he had a chance to break through to Foundation Establishment.

  By then, even if they united, they would not be a match for Lin Lin.

  But nothing in this world was ever simply about gain and loss.

  "I am in!" Feng Jinbao immediately pulled five spirit stones from his inner pocket near his chest.

  For kids from ordinary families, they were already behind at the starting line.

  If they did not take a risk now, they would never have a chance.

  Besides, after spending time together day and night, Feng Jinbao trusted this senior brother's character.

  Seeing this, the others also pulled out their spirit stones.

  After all, this seemed like one of the rare opportunities they had to their cultivation.

  Lin Lin quickly told them to put them away. "No rush. You can find trusted fellow disciples and invite them to join. Five days from now, at the seventh hour, here at the cave entrance. Bring your spirit stones and your swords and wait for me."

  "Yes."

  "Also, guard this cave strictly. No one is allowed to."

  With that, Lin Lin saw the time had come and activated the flying artifact, Peak Mountain Sword, that Liu Fenghai usually used.

  He lightly stepped onto the Peak Mountain Sword and headed towards Qingfeng Town.