Marketplace Strife

By the time he reached the council hall, Xiao Yan heard emotion-laden voices from within before he even entered.

The three elders alternated between hurling curses and heaving sighs. Xiao Zhan spoke rarely, carrying himself with the steadiness expected of a Lineage head.

Xiao Yan paused outside the hall. Only then did Xiao Yu catch up, her pretty face flushed red. She adjusted her breathing before entering with Xiao Yan.

The four inside paid little attention to such trivial matters unrelated to the current marketplace dispute. Seeing Xiao Yan enter, Xiao Zhan asked before he could greet them and bow.

"Yan'er, you should already know what happened. Jia Lie Bi found an alchemist from somewhere. Yesterday's auction humiliated him into a rage, and this afternoon, he had that alchemist produce Rejuvenation Powder for sale. It has now stolen half the traffic from our marketplace. You've been studying alchemy for four months now. How is it going?"

The three elders all looked toward Xiao Yan. They remembered that the prescription Ya Fei had brought that day had been for Rejuvenation Powder. If Xiao Yan could refine it, then regardless of its quality, the Xiao Family would not be as passive as it was now.

They all knew Xiao Yan's talent was exceptionally high. They believed he possessed an unusual aptitude for mastering alchemy as well, and so they held out some hope.

Yet every alchemist needed a teacher's long-term guidance before achieving anything. Even if Xiao Yan was heaven-blessed, the three of them did not dare hope that he could reach the standard of an old alchemist in merely four months.

"Rejuvenation Powder? I've been able to refine that for a long time." As Xiao Yan spoke, he brushed his Storage Ring. Three-foot-tall wooden racks appeared at his side, divided into several layers and lined neatly with rows of jade bottles.

In the span of a few breaths, the hall was filled with wooden racks holding jade bottles.

Xiao Zhan had anticipated this outcome. His expression remained as still as an ancient well, as though victory lay securely in his grasp.

The three elders, however, were not as well-informed as he was, and every one of them was wildly excited.

"So what if the Jialie Family found an alchemist? Our Xiao Family has an alchemist of its own!"

"Since the Jialie Family wants to fight, then let's fight!"

"I say that old alchemist Jia Lie Bi found does not have many years left in him. Once he dies, let's see what Jia Lie Bi does!"

Xiao Yu's blood boiled as she listened. She wished she could immediately take the medicine around them to the Xiao Family marketplace and sell it.

Xiao Yan's expression was exceedingly calm. He shook his head slightly. "I didn't take out these medicines so the Lineage could start selling them immediately."

The smiles of the three elders froze. Xiao Zhan was also rather puzzled. "Why is that?"

Xiao Yan explained, "The Jialie Family suddenly began selling medicine. Perhaps they were unprepared and do not have enough stock to supply all the mercenaries at once. And even if they had plotted meticulously and prepared beforehand, the marketplace's capacity will still be pushed beyond its limit."

"I think it would be better to wait three days and let all those problems surface. Let the Jialie Family provoke the mercenaries' resentment, then we'll sell ours."

Xiao Zhan considered it for a moment. Recalling their verbal clash at the auction, he laughed. "Jia Lie Bi is greedy beyond measure and narrow-minded besides. This Rejuvenation Powder business will stuff him to death."

Xiao Yan smiled. "Also, aside from Rejuvenation Powder, I have Blood-Clotting Powder with even better medicinal effects. Even if the Jialie Family can keep up with the supply, their quality cannot compare."

"Blood-Clotting Powder?" None of them had heard of such a thing. They exchanged glances, but Xiao Zhan was the first to react, saying excitedly, "A self-developed prescription... My, Xiao Zhan's son, truly is extraordinary!"

The First Elder said, "If you need anything, just ask the Lineage. Yu'er, put your cultivation aside for the next two days and help your cousin Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yu was somewhat unwilling, but when she thought of how it was for the Lineage's business, she still nodded in agreement.

After leaving the hall, Xiao Yan headed toward the back mountain. Xiao Yu followed him for quite a while before asking, "Where are you going?"

"Of course, I'm finding somewhere secluded to refine medicine." Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yu in surprise.

"Somewhere secluded..." Xiao Yu murmured, pondering briefly. "Come with me."

Xiao Yan followed Xiao Yu into a dense forest, arriving at another cliff on the back mountain. They carefully climbed down along several protruding stones on the cliff face, then followed a crack into another cave.

The moment he entered, Xiao Yan felt a warm heat envelop him. It was as though the coolness outside and this place belonged to two different worlds.

The cave was not small, with flat surroundings and a strange stone pool around three zhang wide at its center. Steam rose from it without end; it was the source of the heat.

Xiao Yan was somewhat astonished. Was this the hot spring where Xiao Yu bathed? He was quite familiar with the back mountain, yet he had never discovered such a place.

"I bathed this morning." Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yu with a strange expression. "Even if you want to serve me, there's no need to be so anxious."

Seeing Xiao Yan in his black robes and remembering that she had dressed him in them herself, Xiao Yu became deeply embarrassed. "Who wants to serve you while you bathe?!"

She snorted. "No... third person knows about this place. Refine your medicine here."

Xiao Yan said nothing more. He took out his medicinal cauldron and materials, began refining medicine, and incidentally found Xiao Yu some work to do.

At first, Xiao Yu watched from the side. But once the medicinal liquid began to appear and she needed to bottle it, she quickly had no energy left for wild thoughts.

By noon, Xiao Yan had finished refining the last batch of medicine. He put everything away and said, "Time to eat."

After leaving the cave, he climbed up the cliff but did not go down the mountain. He found a patch of soft grass, took food from his Storage Ring, and roasted it with beast fire.

Xiao Yu was greatly surprised. After eating with him on the grass, she urged, "Now that you're full, hurry up and refine medicine."

"Even oxen and horses need time to rest, let alone an alchemist." Xiao Yan stretched lazily.

"Then call me once you're done resting." Xiao Yu turned to head down the mountain, but Xiao Yan grabbed her.

Xiao Yan said, "How much time would going back and forth waste? Besides, the sunlight is bright here. Where could there be a better place to rest?"

Xiao Yu frowned. "Rest here by yourself. At worst, I'll come up the mountain earlier."

"The First Elder told you to help me. Right now, I need a suitable pillow." Xiao Yan glanced at Xiao Yu's pair of exceedingly sexy long legs.

A trace of embarrassed anger appeared on Xiao Yu's cheeks. She lifted her leg slightly, but in the end did not kick him. Instead, she knelt on the grass and warned, "You'd better behave yourself."

Xiao Yan rested his head on her without a shred of courtesy and fell asleep before long.

Looking at the youth with his eyes shut tight, even his breathing having become much steadier, Xiao Yu lowered her head to gaze at his face and could not help becoming lost in thought.

After noon, Xiao Yan woke as usual and felt especially refreshed today. Looking at those soft legs, he thought, Ergonomics truly makes a great deal of sense.

Just as Xiao Yu was about to urge him to refine medicine, Xiao Yan slowly asked, "That bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid that can speed up cultivation—your grandfather gave it to Xiao Ning, didn't he?"

Xiao Yu looked at Xiao Yan in some surprise. A jade bottle flew from Xiao Yan's hand.

Xiao Yan rose to his feet and smiled. "Your grandfather did not send you here merely to help. The bottle contains Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid with the same effect. It can accelerate Battle Qi cultivation without side effects. Perhaps it can let you meet Canaan Academy's enrollment requirements early."

Xiao Yu stared blankly at the jade bottle in her hand. When she raised her head again, she could only see Xiao Yan's retreating figure heading down the mountain in the distance. His voice drifted over, "Go cultivate in that cave. I'm heading out for a while."

Xiao Yu nodded, then suddenly realized Xiao Yan had never intended to rest before refining medicine. He had merely used it as an excuse to sleep on her. Furious and embarrassed, she cried, "Xiao Yan, you actually tricked me!"