The Breaking Clan's residence, main hall.
Yang Wudi and Zhao Linchuan sat in the seats of honor and guest, respectively, while Zhu Zhuqing stood quietly behind Zhao Linchuan.
A plainly dressed female disciple served two cups of clear tea. The leaves did not appear to be of any famous variety, and faint bitter aura rose with the steaming water.
Yang Wudi forced a somewhat awkward smile and made a welcoming gesture. "Young friend Lin Chuan, this is merely wild rough tea. Please forgive the poor hospitality."
Zhao Linchuan lifted his teacup, gently blew aside the floating leaves, and took a sip. He teased, "Clan Leader Yang, it has been many days since we last met. It seems the Breaking Clan's circumstances are even more difficult than I imagined?"
"Alas..." Yang Wudi let out a heavy sigh and shook his head with a bitter smile. "Young friend Lin Chuan, there are things you do not know."
"Ever since you left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, our pill business with them has been completely cut off."
He clenched his fist. "Not only that, they have used their influence to suppress us in every regard. We have even lost much of the family fortune we had managed to save. Now... alas, things have indeed become increasingly difficult."
"Oh?" Zhao Linchuan raised his brows slightly and leaned forward, his expression curious. "I recall that your previous cooperation with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was quite stable. How was it suddenly cut off?"
"Could something have changed?"
An angry look appeared on Yang Wudi's face, and his voice sank.
"It was all that scoundrel Ningbo! Not long after you left, he somehow obtained a huge batch of extremely cheap herbs of appalling quality, some of them even spoiled. He forced them on us