Earth-Treading Tiger

After seeing off the Four Seas Merchant Guild, Jiang Ding sat cross-legged, eyes closed, nurturing the twelfth meridian, the Kidney Meridian of the Foot Shaoyin, from its 60th to 100th branches. Inner Qi surged from his dantian's vortex, circulating throughout his body before slowly seeping into them.

A slight sting, then a wave of warmth smoothed it over, the cycle continuing.

He estimated that within a day, he would complete the tempering and nurturing of the 1200th meridian, achieving the 'Minor Heavenly Cycle' realm.

As for the severe losses of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, he could only express regret.

In business, there are always gains and losses; risks and profits are borne by oneself.

He didn't have a good impression of the Fierce Tiger Stronghold and the like, but that didn't matter. Business is business, and nothing else should be mixed in.

As long as they delivered the goods, he would pay, without any discrimination.

Knock knock!

"Master, the Brocade Dragon Merchant Guild's Master Ding Feng is here with a guest," Huang Deyou said from outside the door.

"Invite them in."

Huang Deyou hesitated, then after a long pause, he reluctantly left.

He didn't understand his master's standards for receiving guests. It was one thing for figures like Long Shi and Liu Qi of the Wild Wolf Gang, but he had personally welcomed the Four Seas Merchant Guild, yet now he was ignoring the arrival of the Guild Master of the Brocade Dragon Merchant Guild, a larger organization.

Huang Deyou nervously explained the situation.

"It seems young master Jiang is displeased," a burly man in a hooded cloak chuckled.

"No matter."

Ding Feng entered with a kind smile.

Upon entering the courtyard, the masked strongman was taken aback, his expression turning cold.

Jiang Ding's gaze swept over him, lingering for a moment.

This was an old acquaintance, the bandit leader who had previously led the attack on Long San's caravan. He hadn't expected this person to be involved in this negotiation.

"Young Master Jiang, I have some reputation in the East Spirit Prefecture. Friends from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks will give me face when they pass by," Ding Feng said, stroking his beard with a smile.

"This is Lu Hou, the seventh leader of the Fierce Tiger Stronghold, one of the 'Seven Tigers' of the Fierce Tiger Stronghold. He has been entrusted by the stronghold master, the elder Lu Jingtian, the 'East Mountain Flying Tiger,' to come and negotiate with you."

"As for the outcome, I am merely a mediator, and it has nothing to do with me."

He said this, but he didn't leave, merely stepping aside.

Jiang Ding smiled faintly.

"The original price is no longer valid. You must also add a Minor Void Breaking Pill!"

Lu Hou threw back his hood, revealing a face crisscrossed with scars, and said menacingly, "Young Master Jiang, long time no see. Are you well after killing my nephew all these days?"

Jiang Ding glanced at him.

Ding Feng sat calmly, seemingly lost in thought.

"See them out."

Jiang Ding picked up his teacup.

Lu Hou and the other man were stunned. Weren't they told that the Blue Fluorescent Butterfly was extremely important to him, so much so that he would even use a Pill for Breaking Stages?

"What, do you two need me to escort you out?"

Jiang Ding's hand rested on his sword hilt, a hint of killing intent emerging, he asked.

Lu Hou's ferocious expression changed. Recalling the scene of him killing people like chickens, he became fearful.

This deal was made by the stronghold master and other major powers. If it all fell apart because of him...

Thinking this, his face paled, and he looked at Ding Feng beside him.

"Haha!"

Ding Feng laughed heartily, breaking the dead silence in the room. "Young Master, why be so harsh? In business, there's always a price you set and I counter. There's no reason to reject someone a thousand miles away from the start."

Jiang Ding sneered, "And there's no reason for any Tom, Dick, or Harry to come here trying to extort me. Who knows how many nephews he has? If one nephew can be exchanged for a Minor Void Breaking Pill, then the entire Fierce Tiger Stronghold must be full of his nephews."

"You..."

Lu Hou's veins bulged. Under Ding Feng's sharp gaze, he had to restrain himself.

Jiang Ding didn't even look at him. "Do you know the price I agreed upon with the Four Seas Merchant Guild?"

"Four Minor Void Breaking Pills that can help break through to Minor Accomplishment of Inner Qi, and one Void Breaking Pill that can help break through to Great Accomplishment of Inner Qi," Ding Feng recited as if he knew them by heart. "Three have already been paid. The remaining ones will be one Minor Void Breaking Pill for every 150,000 Blue Fluorescent Butterflies, and finally, 150,000 for the Void Breaking Pill."

Lu Hou involuntarily swallowed.

If he had one Minor Void Breaking Pill, within a few days, he could become a master of Great Accomplishment of Inner Qi, becoming a notable figure in the East Spirit Prefecture.

As long as the stronghold master and other Inner Qi Perfection experts didn't interfere, he could roam freely.

"Then what else is there to say?" Jiang Ding said calmly. "You bring the Blue Fluorescent Butterflies, and I'll give you the pills. Money for goods, clear and settled."

"Young Master Jiang, why ask when you already know the answer?"

"This deal was put together by several big bosses," Ding Feng said with a smile. "How could one Minor Void Breaking Pill and one Void Breaking Pill be enough to share?"

"Oh?"

Jiang Ding tilted his head as if listening intently.

"The bosses' intention is..." Ding Feng paused, staring at the young man before him. "At least three Void Breaking Pills for breaking through to Inner Qi Great Accomplishment!"

"I understand."

Jiang Ding nodded and said calmly, "You guys are treating me like a Bodhisattva you can wish upon. Three Void Breaking Pills could buy the heads of five Martial Artists at Inner Qi Perfection on the Jianghu, and that's at market price."

Ding Feng's expression remained unchanged. "Young Master Jiang, Martial Artists at Inner Qi Perfection are usually lords of their own domains. I'm afraid they won't be so easy to invite. Besides..."

His words carried an implicit threat.

"The Blue Fluorescent Butterflies on East Spirit Mountain are limited. If anything happens to this batch, it might take another ten years for them to grow."

"Good, very good."

Jiang Ding smiled, a killing intent growing wildly within him.

Lu Hou's spine chilled, as if being stared at by some ferocious beast.

"Please consider it, Young Master."

Ding Feng was not afraid, seemingly confident that the other party would concede.

"Leave. Return the Blue Fluorescent Butterflies within three days, or the transaction is void." Jiang Ding picked up his teacup and threw it on the ground, letting it shatter. Scalding tea splashed everywhere.

He would not yield, not one bit.

The wealth he had revealed was already substantial. To immediately offer several times the number of Pills for Breaking Stages under slight pressure – how would the true owner of East Spirit Prefecture, Marquis Zhen Dong's manor, react to that?

If he were in their shoes, imagining the mindset of a major power's leader who hadn't yet broken through to Innate, he would be tempted to dispatch troops to seize it.

No matter how strong his background, could it possibly rival the imperial family?

Most of the treasure would be offered up, and who could do anything about it then?

"Young Master, you..."

Ding Feng's expression changed. He tried to persuade Jiang Ding with various reasons, but the latter remained silent, as if lost in thought.

However, he absolutely could not concede.

There were powerful figures behind this matter, and none of them could afford to suffer a loss. How could he dare to make a decision for them?

"Regardless, according to the old rules of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, this is absolutely impossible."

Helpless, Ding Feng could only take his leave to report back to the powerful figures behind him so they could make the decision.

"We will visit again in three days."

Watching their retreating figures, Jiang Ding's eyes flashed with cold light before he calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and began to meditate, nurturing the small branches of the Shaoyin Kidney Meridian.

At a certain moment, Jiang Ding's aura surged significantly before slowly subsiding.

"Minor Heavenly Cycle, achieved."

Jiang Ding looked inward. His Inner Qi surged like a stream through the twelve main meridians, their large and small channels, and their minute branches, flowing endlessly before returning to the dantian's qi vortex, an unending cycle.

The speed at which he tempered the minute branches of his meridians had doubled again, from forty to eighty per day.

The next stage was the Great Heavenly Cycle.

To nurture a thousand minute branches in each of the twelve main meridians, then break through the checkpoints of the eight extraordinary meridians, such as the Ren and Du, with the force of a great river, and nurture the eight extraordinary meridians to the same extent as the twelve main meridians – this was the Young Eagle's Great Heavenly Cycle.

Even among those in Immortal Sects, over ninety-five percent of mortals never reached this realm in their lifetime.

Whoosh!

Jiang Ding activated the Minor Breath Concealment Technique, which was nearing Minor Accomplishment, and his figure vanished.