The Xiao Clan's Killing Intent

In the blink of an eye, six days passed.

Xiao Clan.

A middle-aged man with a square face hurried through the courtyard toward a room.

"Clan Head."

Servants and clan members alike bowed to the man along the way.

Xiao Zhan gave a slight nod in response but did not slow his pace.

Having just finished morning training, there was still a mountain of family affairs waiting for me. Those three old fellows summoned me so urgently—I wonder what this is about.

Nothing showed on his face, but he was rather annoyed inside.

Over the past few years, because of Yan'er, the three elders had been deeply dissatisfied with him, finding fault with him openly and behind his back.

Only after Yan'er's talent returned and he broke through to Dou Zhe again did they restrain themselves somewhat.

Then, a few days ago, Yan'er revealed that he had been taken as a disciple by a mysterious old alchemist. The three elders finally stopped their nitpicking attitude altogether.

Let's see why they were in such a hurry to summon me.

Xiao Zhan looked at the open door and stepped inside.

It was a small meeting room, simply furnished with only several chairs and a table.

Three figures were already seated. Upon seeing Xiao Zhan enter, they rose one after another and greeted him, "Clan Head."

"Mm." Xiao Zhan nodded expressionlessly, though a trace of secret delight flashed through his eyes.

In the past, let alone standing up, it would have been good enough if those three old fellows did not find an excuse to scold him.

Once Xiao Zhan sat down, he got straight to the point. "Why did you summon me so urgently?"

"Clan Head, it is nothing major. We wanted to discuss the Jia Lie Clan's marketplace," the Second Elder said.

"The Jia Lie Clan?" Xiao Zhan smiled. "Didn't Yan'er already say so? Their healing medicine is rootless water. We only need to wait quietly until their supply runs out."

The Second Elder said helplessly, "Clan Head, the problem is that more than ten days have passed, yet they are still selling normally. They sell nearly two hundred bottles every day."

"They must have quite a lot of stock." Xiao Zhan froze briefly, then laughed.

Yet none of the three elders in the meeting room laughed. Instead, they looked at Xiao Zhan with grave expressions.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhan awkwardly withdrew his smile.

"Clan Head, that medicine may not be from their stockpile," the Second Elder said. "Over the past few days, many mercenaries have abandoned Blood-Clotting Powder and begun fighting to buy Return Spring Powder instead."

The Third Elder said, "They nearly came to blows several times."

"You're joking, right?" Xiao Zhan asked in surprise.

How could inferior healing medicine like Return Spring Powder, which sold for more than Blood-Clotting Powder, suddenly reverse its reputation and become something people fought over?

The First Elder said solemnly, "Clan Head, that is the truth."

Xiao Zhan looked at the three of them. "What did you summon me here to say?"

The Second Elder replied, "According to the information we gathered, an alchemist arrived in Wu Tan City a few days ago. His name is Wang Teng, and he is Liu Xi's junior brother. Clan Head, should we discuss how to handle this with the Third Young Master?"

As he spoke his final words, he made a slicing gesture.

The news that the Jia Lie Clan's Second Elder, Jia Lie Nu, had met with an accident while escorting medicine back to Wu Tan City had already spread throughout the city.

Many people were curious about who had acted to kill that three-star Da Dou Shi.

But the four people in the Xiao Clan's meeting room knew perfectly well. They had already confirmed it with Xiao Yan and learned that it had been the work of the mysterious alchemist teacher behind him.

Thus, upon learning that the Jia Lie Clan had gained the aid of another alchemist, the three elders once again conceived thoughts of murder.

However, they did not intend to do it themselves. They wanted Xiao Yan's teacher to act instead.

That person had been able to deal with Jia Lie Nu, so his strength was beyond doubt. Besides, there was the precedent of Liu Xi.

Xiao Zhan considered it but did not state his position. "Buy a few bottles of Return Spring Powder first. I'll speak with Yan'er later."

"This matter cannot be delayed. Jia Nan Academy will arrive before long," the First Elder said.

Xiao Zhan understood the implication in his words.

Once Jia Nan Academy arrived, Yan'er would be leaving. If they could not crush the Jia Lie Clan's marketplace business before then, the Xiao Clan's own supply of healing medicine would become critical.

Meanwhile.

Outside Wu Tan City, a vast stream of people was lining up to enter the city.

There were mercenaries and caravans among them, a mixed and disorderly crowd.

After several carriages entered the city, they traveled along the streets, turning this way and that before arriving at the rear entrance of the Jia Lie Clan estate.

"Clan Head, they've returned! They brought back the medicinal herbs they purchased!"

Jia Lie Bi was doing morning training when the steward ran over with an excited expression and reported.

"Inform Jia Lie Ku to take inventory." Jia Lie Bi did not stop moving as he gave the instruction calmly.

"Yes." The steward turned and left, unable to stop himself from sighing inwardly. The Clan Head truly was the Clan Head. Such an important matter, yet he was not excited in the slightest.

However, he did not know that after he had gone far away, Jia Lie Bi stopped moving, rushed to the pavilion, and lifted the teapot to gulp down several large mouthfuls.

"Phew, phew!"

Jia Lie Bi supported himself against the table and sat down. His heart pounded wildly, as though it were about to leap from his throat.

"They're back! They're finally back!" Jia Lie Bi clenched his fists and muttered to himself.

Ever since the incident involving the Second Elder, Jia Lie Nu, the Jia Lie Clan's latest trip to purchase herbs had weighed on his heart like a huge boulder.

Over the past few days, Jia Lie Bi had lost his appetite, tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep.

Yet as the Clan Head, he had to set an example and could not show anything unusual.

Now that he knew the herb-purchasing team had returned safely, he could finally breathe a long sigh of relief.

To gather enough money to buy the medicine this time, he had taken out the hundred thousand gold coins remaining in the family coffers, then mortgaged two marketplaces to the Oba Family in exchange for another hundred and fifty thousand gold coins.

A total of two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins!

If anything happened to that money, the Jia Lie Clan would be plunged into irredeemable ruin.

After all, when he had gone to Telan City to purchase supplies last time, he had only paid a hundred thousand gold coins as a deposit and still owed the supplier three hundred thousand.

"Thanks to the blessing of our ancestors, nothing went wrong with this purchase." Jia Lie Bi stepped out of the pavilion, solemnly knelt, and knocked his head against the ground three times.

After calming himself, Jia Lie Bi headed straight for Wang Teng's residence.

But he found no one there.

Wang Teng was even more proactive than Jia Lie Bi, the Clan Head himself. Upon learning that the purchased herbs had arrived, he did not even bother washing up before rushing directly to the medicine room.

When Jia Lie Bi reached the medicine room, he saw eight wooden crates lined up in a row, all opened. A group of guards was carrying the herbs from within into the medicine room.

Wang Teng paused before each crate, examining the herbs.

"Master Wang Teng, I just went to find you. The servants said you had come to the medicine room," Jia Lie Bi said as he stepped forward to greet him.

"Clan Head Jia Lie." Wang Teng glanced at him, his smile radiant. "I heard the herbs had arrived, so I came over immediately."

He picked up a medicinal herb and sniffed it, saying blissfully, "Not being able to refine medicine these past few days has made me feel awful all over."

Every day I don't refine medicine is another day without improvement. It's holding me back from getting stronger!

Jia Lie Bi did not know Wang Teng's thoughts. But judging from his expression, he could tell Wang Teng was not pretending; the emotion came from the bottom of his heart.

"Master Wang Teng, it is all because I, Jia Lie Bi, am incompetent that I have dragged you down." He bowed respectfully to Wang Teng.

Wang Teng put down the herb and looked at Jia Lie Bi in surprise.

This man is awfully polite. I used his money to buy ingredients, improved my alchemy, earned medicinal herbs, and completed my mission.

And yet he was sincerely thanking me?