The Anxious Li Family
The Li Family's shop was located on the eastern side of Taihang Marketplace, next to the Xu Family's three-story commercial building.
The shop is two stories high and occupies three-tenths of the land, like a guard protecting the Xu Family's shop.
At the entrance of the shop stood two charming female cultivators, dressed in elegant and dignified blue robes.
This female cultivator was also Li Family Twin Beauties Li Family.
This beautiful woman was quite well-known in Taihang Marketplace, not only for her sweet and charming appearance, but also for her gentle voice and patient answers to every cultivator's questions.
And there are no fees involved.
The Li Family used this as a gimmick to attract many cultivators to the Li Family shops to buy elixirs.
However, both female cultivators were frowning today, and in front of them, a cultivator was constantly pacing back and forth at the entrance of the market.
The monk was wearing a dark blue Daoist robe, and his face looked somewhat haggard.
He stared at the increasingly sparse crowd inside the shop, his expression growing increasingly ferocious.
If Ye Jingcheng were here, he would definitely recognize that this is Li Xiangfei, who went to Taichang Market to participate in the alchemy exchange meeting.
However, compared to his former high spirits, Li Xiangfei is now far from being the same.
His cultivation level improved further, reaching the peak of the eighth level of Qi Refining, an improvement of more than one level.
"Have you been neglecting any cultivators lately?" Li Xiangfei pondered for a long time but still couldn't figure it out, so he finally asked.
"Why is it that I've asked so many cultivators, and they all say our shop is excellent and the quality of our elixirs is very good, but they just don't buy anything?"
Li Xiangfei's calm words were tinged with anger. Compared to the Li Family's heyday half a year ago, the Li Family had truly fallen into decline. The Lineage's highest-ranking cultivator had become Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator, and the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators had decreased from six to only two.
If that were all, it would be fine, after all, the Li Family still has Foundation Establishment and remains one of the Lineage. What worries them is the recent poor sales of the Li Family's shops.
The Li Family's main Aristocratic Clan is alchemy, and most of the Lineage's finances are devoted to alchemy and cultivating spirit medicine.
If the elixirs cannot be sold, the Lineage's finances will deteriorate, and the strength of the Lineage's cultivators will not improve, thus creating a vicious cycle.
At that time, the salary will only be paid for elixirs, and taking too many elixirs will result in a huge amount of toxicity.
"It should be the Ye Family..." The two female cultivators sounded somewhat timid. Although they were female cultivators, in the eyes of ordinary Rogue Cultivator, they were like fairies.
However, in the eyes of the cultivators in power within the Li Family, they were merely collateral relatives at the early stage of Qi Refining.
They could become victims of the Li Family's secret favor with immortality at any time.
"Nonsense! The Ye Family only sent us Spirit Feeding Pill, we also sent us Grain Avoidance Pill!" Li Xiangfei spoke up again.
His anger intensified, and his eyes made no attempt to conceal his hatred for the Ye Family.
Not only did the Ye Family secretly murder their patriarch, but they also demanded compensation from the Li Family. Now that the compensation has been paid, they want to suppress their alchemy and seize their profits.
"Brother Fei, Fifth Uncle wants you to come up for a meeting!" A voice rang out from inside the shop.
Li Xiangfei could only stomp his feet three times in anger, clench his fists, and go upstairs.
On the second floor, Li Mutian was already waiting there. His eye sockets looked somewhat sunken, and he was in a worse state than Li Xiangfei.
Have you found the reason for the decline in sales of the Lineage's elixir?
"It's most likely the Ye Family, but most of the Rogue Cultivator seem to have been sworn to by the Heavenly Dao Oath and will keep quiet about it from us. But strangely, these same Rogue Cultivator are buying from other Lineage without any problem, so I'm still looking for the reason!" Li Xiangfei said, forcing himself to speak. He had asked many Rogue Cultivators, but had not been able to find out the reason.
They could only watch helplessly as the Lineage business declined day by day.
Moreover, this downward trend progressed from gradual to sharp.
"Fifth Uncle, let's lower the price. If they're heartless, they can't blame us for being unjust!"
"Lower the price? Do you think our Li Family isn't dying fast enough?" Li Mutian roared, almost kicking his beard in anger.
"The Xu Family is right next door. We've lost their protection, and even our Xu Family's backers are turning their backs on us. They're clearly using the Li Family as a scapegoat. We've lost our value. Lowering our price now will only offend the Xu Family and Mo Family even more. Do they really think the Li Family is still what it used to be?"
"The Ye Family's price reductions are only for giving away Spirit Feeding Pill for raising Spirit Beast. They are the only ones doing this, so they can't afford to offend anyone. You haven't found out the reason, yet you're so angry. I'm truly disappointed!" Li Mutian said.
This prompted Li Xiangfei, which made him somewhat anxious.
The Li Family bought two Foundation Establishment. His brother Li Xiangyu, had already taken one. Li Yufu had promised them both, but Li Mutian's tone clearly indicated that he wanted to deprive him of his spot.
"Fifth Uncle, then I..."
"It's not like there's no chance to make amends!"
"Go to the Chen Family later. The Chen Family cannot suffer a single penny less for the losses our Li Family has endured. Half of the reduced sales of our Lineage's products must be purchased by the Chen Family. If they don't, then they can expect to be liquidated along with our Li Family!"
"Besides, we must form a marriage alliance with the Chen Family to enhance our Lineage's influence among Rogue Cultivator!"
"Secondly, you must secretly find something to use against the Ye Family. Ye Jingyu and Ye Jingcheng of the Ye Family are cultivating so fast, spread rumors that they have extraordinary treasures. We can't let the Ye Family sit idle!"
"Third, you must find a cultivator to ask the Chu Family. The Ye Family is good at keeping secrets, but the Ye Family Chu Family may not be so. Find out what they have secretly promised. Even if that doesn't work, find a few Rogue Cultivator and perform a soul search!"
"In addition, reduce the stipends of all clansmen by 20%, cut back on food and clothing, and hoard Spirit Talisman and Law Artifact. This will not only be useful to the Lineage, but will also increase their hatred and unleash their greater potential!" Li Mutian said three points in one breath.
This made Li Xiangfei nod repeatedly.
However, he seemed to remember something and then spoke:
"Fifth Uncle, I told you before that there was an 80% chance that the cultivator at the Taichang Market alchemy trade fair was Ye Jingcheng. Now he has transformed himself into not only Foundation Establishment cultivator but also a second-tier Alchemist. Now, based on what you've said, I'm 90% sure that person is him. Moreover, I also met Ye Jingteng Taiyi Illusion Peak that time!"
"And what's even stranger is that he met with Ye Jingcheng alone. Although I can't say the specifics, I, Fifth Uncle, think there's definitely something fishy going on with the Ye Family!"
"I will have the clansmen in the sect continue to investigate this matter. Since they have gone, they should secretly spread the news that the Ye Family purchased Purple Mansion treasure in Taichang Market and that Ye Haicheng has broken through to the Purple Mansion!"
"I refuse to believe that the Xu Family and Mo Family can remain indifferent. Now that the Chu Family has gained considerable influence, they will absolutely not tolerate the Ye Family!"
"And arrange for a few more clever Rogue Cultivator; the cultivators the Lineage sent to investigate the Taihang Mountain Range have died again!" Li Mutian added on his deathbed.
Li Xiangfei nodded repeatedly before walking down.