Raising the Price

With a sharp rush of air, Xiao Yan picked up an iron rod and swung it straight at Liu Xi's pale face.

With the strength of Xiao Yan's body, even without using a Combat Technique, this rod would make Liu Xi's head burst like a smashed watermelon.

Sensing the murderous intent in that strike, Xiao Yu and Xiao Ning stood rooted to the spot, their bodies stiff. Xiao Yan's clean ruthlessness—killing the moment he said he would—completely overturned the gentle image he had once held in their minds.

Xiao Yu never could have imagined that the youth who usually bickered with her, threw little tantrums, and took advantage of her would be so seasoned and ruthless once he truly got serious.

No mercy at all! Just as the rod was only half an inch from Liu Xi, Xiao Yan's Soul Power sensed danger approaching. He hurriedly gave up the attack and dodged sideways. A streak of green lightning flashed past his forehead, slicing off two strands of hair that slowly drifted to the ground.

"Xiao Yan Gege!" Xun Er's heart had leaped into her throat, and only when she saw Xiao Yan dodge did she let out a breath of relief.

After dodging the attack, Xiao Yan braced his left hand against the ground, exerted force through all five fingers, and sprang up one-handed. The instant his feet landed, he twisted his body and threw the rod in his right hand. It shot straight toward Galio, who was standing off to the side in a daze.

Since he could not kill Liu Xi, then he would slaughter the Galio Clan's young master, that little idiot Galio.

With a snap, a merciless iron hand reached out from behind and seized the flying rod in a death grip. Galio looked at the iron pipe that had nearly pierced his eyeball, his legs going weak as he collapsed onto his buttocks, trembling all over.

Even though Xiao Yan had applied Eight Extremities Collapse, it was still caught by that hand.

There was nothing to be done. The gap in their Cultivation Levels was simply too great. Even a fully mastered Mystic High-Rank Combat Technique could not bridge such an enormous gulf in Cultivation Level.

"So young, yet your heart is this vicious!"

After crushing the iron rod with a burst of force, two figures appeared behind Liu Xi and Galio with cold laughs.

The Galio Clan's clan leader, Galio Bi, and the Oba Clan's clan leader, Oba Pa—both were Da Dou Shi! "Whether my son is vicious or not is none of your damn business. I like that my son takes after me. Got a problem with that?" Xiao Zhan walked over from behind Xiao Yan with the three elders and a group of guards.

Xiao Zhan patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, raised his thumb, and praised him. "Well done."

Xiao Yan shrugged, looking dissatisfied. "Pity I didn't turn their heads into watermelon juice."

Hearing the father and son play off each other, Galio Bi's face darkened to the extreme. After all, his son had nearly died just now!

Xiao Zhan looked at the gloomy-faced Galio Bi and said, "What, you want to fight? Everyone in my Xiao Clan is ready anytime."

"You!"

Oba Pa grabbed Galio Bi and shook his head. Although their two clans had joined forces, it was only an economic alliance. Even if their combined strength surpassed the Xiao Clan and they had more Da Dou Shi, it was impossible for them to go to war with the Xiao Clan.

After all, if it truly came to a life-and-death struggle, this alliance would inevitably fall apart in the end, with each side scheming against the other. More importantly, if they killed Xiao Zhan or wiped out the Xiao Clan, Nalan Jie would definitely come to avenge them.

The matter of Nalan Yanran breaking off the engagement had been kept hidden all along, and no outsiders knew of it.

Neither of their clans could bear the wrath of a Dou Wang.

"Good, good. Just you wait, Xiao Zhan!" Galio Bi laughed in fury, threw down a threat, turned, and left.

When he passed Liu Xi and saw how he still looked like he was recovering from shock, he was utterly speechless. How had this man become something as sacred as an alchemist!

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, "Mister Liu Xi, let us go."

"Huh? Ah? What about that girl?" Liu Xi was still unwilling as he looked at Xun Er, like some lecherous pig.

Galio Bi's and Oba Pa's eyelids twitched violently. The two of them almost had the urge to slap this lust-addled idiot to death on the spot. Galio Bi clenched his fists tightly, and after a moment, he forced out an ugly smile. "This matter can be discussed at length after we return. It is not wise to stay here long."

"Oh, oh, all right, then." Liu Xi could only nod unwillingly, then reluctantly followed Galio Bi out of the marketplace.

At this moment, Liu Xi did not notice that deep in Xiao Yan's eyes, a strange wisp of Killing Intent was hidden.

Xiao Yan watched Liu Xi and the others leave, then asked, "Father, how did things go?"

When Xiao Zhan and the three elders heard Xiao Yan's words, their expressions immediately darkened.

The four of them shook their heads in puzzlement at the same time. Xiao Zhan sighed and said, "Sigh, it failed. We only obtained a small quantity of medicinal ingredients from the Mittel Auction House. The other major medicinal merchants all said they needed time to consider it before giving us a reply."

The Great Elder said, "The major Herb Gathering Teams in Wutan City were the same. I suspect the Oba Clan and the Galio Clan may have played some tricks."

Hearing this, to everyone's surprise, Xiao Yan was not dejected at all. Instead, his eyes brightened, and he looked as though everything was already under control.

"Yan Er, you already guessed this?"

"I wouldn't really say guessed. Let's go back and wait first. It shouldn't take long before the major medicinal merchants and Herb Gathering Teams of Wutan City come to us. We just need to wait." Xiao Yan spoke with calm confidence.

Sure enough, that very night, the largest medicinal merchants and Herb Gathering Teams in Wutan City came to the Xiao Clan's Meeting Hall together as though by agreement, seeking an audience with Xiao Zhan to discuss the medicinal ingredients.

"Brother Xiao Zhan, we truly are sorry this time. I don't think we'll be able to sell the medicinal ingredients to you."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan furrowed his brows and said in a low voice, "These medicinal ingredients are not especially precious. They are all the lowest-grade medicinal ingredients. Not only does our Xiao Clan need a large quantity, but our offered price is also twenty percent higher than the market price. Xiao truly cannot understand why you refuse to sell."

Everyone looked at one another. Naturally, none of them wanted to offend Xiao Zhan. After all, the Xiao Clan was the strongest clan in Wutan City, and no one wanted to provoke them.

"Is it because you went to the Galio Clan and Oba Clan at noon, told them about our purchase of medicinal ingredients, and they offered a higher price?" Xiao Yan scraped the tea leaves with the lid of his teacup off to the side, lowering his head as he spoke softly.

The major medicinal merchants present swallowed. Although this sort of behavior was not wrong, saying it aloud did not sound good and could easily offend people.

Bang! Xiao Zhan slapped the table, and the aura of a Da Dou Shi flooded the entire hall. Behind him, the head of a green lion appeared indistinctly, imposing without anger.

"No wonder we visited you in the morning, yet you only came at night. So you went to the Galio Clan and Oba Clan in between."

One of the medicinal merchants gave a bitter smile. "Brother Xiao Zhan, doing business isn't easy for us either. Half a year ago, Clan Leader Galio Bi and Clan Leader Oba Pa came to us. Every month, we provide them with medicinal ingredients, and they are willing to pay thirty percent above the market price, so we..."

Just as Xiao Zhan was about to lose his temper, Xiao Yan interrupted his father and said, "Everyone, there is no need to be flustered. Our Xiao Clan also does business, so we naturally understand your difficulties. Goods have always gone to the highest bidder."

"How about this: our Xiao Clan will make another offer—fifty percent above the market price. In addition, we will sign an agreement with you. For the next three years, no matter how much of these four medicinal ingredients you have, we will take it all, and we can pay you a ten percent deposit in advance."