The next day, the snowfall eased slightly. Heavy snow blanketed every corner of the rooftops and streets, turning all of Nanli City into a vast world of pristine white.
Beneath Nanli City's largest martial arts arena, countless people had gathered, awaiting a rare and momentous contest.
Today, the Qi Family and the Jiang Family, the two great merchant associations of Nanli City, would engage in a merchant association competition!
The victor would gain the chance to control all of Nanli City, while the loser might be driven out of the merchant trade forever!
The crowd below the stage could hardly wait to witness this historic moment in Nanli City's history. They whispered among themselves, their heads gathered together in conversation.
"Tell me, who do you think will win this merchant association competition—the Qi Family or the Jiang Family?"
"I'd say the Jiang Family is more likely to win!"
"Sigh, if the Jiang Family gains even more power, Nanli City will probably become their world!"
"Exactly. The Jiang Family already relies on its exclusive Body Tempering Spirit Liquid to jack up prices outrageously. It's expensive as hell!"
"They also keep driving down the purchase prices for the Monster Materials we hunt!"
"If the Jiang Family takes control of all the merchant associations in Nanli City, how are we supposed to live?"
"We risk our lives hunting monsters in the Demon Realm Forest every day, only to earn this little!"
"The Qi Family absolutely can't fall!"
Among those present, the overwhelming majority hoped the Qi Family would win.
This contest concerned not only the two merchant associations, but also the future livelihoods of countless cultivators throughout Nanli City.
Relying on its immense power, the Jiang Family had run wild in Nanli City with no one able to restrain them. They bought materials