A Turn of Fate

Qingyun Town.

As the morning sun rose, two figures arrived outside the town on an ox cart.

Besides the words "Qingyun," the towering plaque over the town gate also bore a D character.

"Tieniu, how do we recruit people? Do we go straight to the Six Harmonies Martial Hall?"

Xiao Liuzi was somewhat bewildered, unsure where to begin.

"Why would we go to the Six Harmonies Martial Hall?" Tieniu shook his head.

"Practically everyone knows our Martial Arts Grounds crippled their hall master. While that rumor is still hot, we need to poach people from the areas the Six Harmonies Martial Hall used to control!"

Understanding dawned on Xiao Liuzi, though he still looked at Tieniu with some doubt.

"What do we do next?"

"First, we visit the shops under the Six Harmonies Martial Hall's jurisdiction. If we can draw over a few merchants, it'll be a huge help to our village's commercial development."

Tieniu's explanation left Xiao Liuzi puzzled.

"But our village has nothing. Why would those merchants come?"

Tieniu draped an arm over Xiao Liuzi's shoulders and said quietly, "I heard quite a few merchants under the Six Harmonies Martial Hall suffered heavy losses because its martial artists used underhanded methods against them over business rivalries..."

A glint of cunning flashed through Tieniu's eyes. "Tell me, if we uphold justice for them, and even recover what rightfully belongs to them, wouldn't they at least open a branch in our village?"

Xiao Liuzi suddenly understood.

"Once merchants settle in our village, we can persuade more of the surrounding villages to join us."

"With more people, we can attract more merchants looking to make money. Wouldn't that make our village grow? Wouldn't trade flourish?"

With just a few words, Tieniu won Xiao Liuzi over completely, and Xiao Liuzi gave him a thumbs-up.

"That's Tieniu for you! You really are a mighty bull!"

"Come on, let's visit the Chen Family Cloth Shop first!"

Tieniu strode into Qingyun Town ahead of him.

"Why the Chen Family Cloth Shop?"

Xiao Liuzi followed close behind, his face full of humble eagerness to learn.

"The Chen Family Cloth Shop used to have plenty of branches. Later, I heard the Six Harmonies Martial Hall used disgraceful methods to seize and buy out a lot of their shops, leaving them much diminished. They're our ideal target!"

Tieniu smiled mysteriously. "Besides, everyone needs the clothes a cloth shop sells. If they open a shop in our village, wouldn't that make it more attractive to the surrounding villagers?"

"Right, right! Grain and oil shops, smithies, and places like those would be useful too!" Xiao Liuzi said hastily.

"There's no rush. One at a time!" Tieniu said with a smile. "The Six Harmonies Martial Hall once wanted to become a second-rate martial arts hall, so its territory is pretty sizable. And we can do all this openly!"

"Even if the people at the Six Harmonies Martial Hall find out, they'll have to hold their noses and swallow it."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the Chen Family Cloth Shop.

An attendant spotted them and immediately came forward with a warm welcome.

"What clothes would you gentlemen like to see? We have martial artists' training outfits and fine garments in every style imaginable..."

Tieniu waved a hand and said with a smile, "Call your shopkeeper over! We're from the Martial Arts Grounds!"

The Martial Arts Grounds?

The attendant was utterly confused, but Tieniu's imposing presence told him he was a martial artist, so he dared not neglect him.

"Please wait a moment."

Before long.

Hearing that martial artists had come, the shopkeeper of the Chen Family Cloth Shop hurried over.

Upon seeing Tieniu's tall, burly frame, he immediately addressed him with the utmost respect.

"You look rather familiar, sir. May I ask what brings you here?"

"That's only natural. Not long ago, I brought back those martial artists from the Six Harmonies Martial Hall whose legs had been broken! Plenty of people in Qingyun Town recognize me."

At those words, the shopkeeper and attendant instantly recalled something.

The attendant even cried out in surprise.

"You're the martial artists from that Immortal Cultivator's Martial Arts Grounds?"

As a shop under the Six Harmonies Martial Hall's jurisdiction, they naturally knew its current situation.

Ever since Hall Master Cheng's dantian had been destroyed, many martial halls had been itching to make a move.

Recently, they had heard that Zhao Bao was training like mad, trying to break through and keep things under control. But if he failed, the Six Harmonies Martial Hall probably would not last long before being swallowed up.

After all, in the world of martial artists, the strong reigned supreme! The territory under the Six Harmonies Martial Hall was a fat piece of meat.

In their eyes, Tieniu and his companions were important figures.

"That's us!"

Although the phrase "martial artists from an Immortal Cultivator's Martial Arts Grounds" sounded rather awkward, Tieniu did not bother explaining further.

"I've come to your Chen Family Cloth Shop with a sky-high fortune to bestow upon you."

The shopkeeper's expression sharpened as he instantly realized something.

With eager hope in his eyes, he said, "Please show us the way, sir."

"I hear the Exquisite Silk Shop seized quite a few of your shops? We're here to uphold justice for you!"

Brimming with confidence, Tieniu said, "Not only can we help recover your shops, we can also make them compensate you. As long as you have sufficient evidence, we'll follow the rules and report the matter to the Central Hall!"

At those words, delight spread over the shopkeeper's face.

Tieniu nodded. Although he had not mentioned any demands of his own, the shopkeeper of the Chen Family Cloth Shop was a shrewd man.

He naturally understood that pies did not simply fall from the sky.

"May I ask your names?"

"Tieniu."

"Xiao Liuzi."

The shopkeeper immediately began his performance.

"Gentlemen, you have no idea what we've suffered. We were originally running our business here in peace, but ever since the Six Harmonies Martial Hall ousted the previous martial hall, they've repeatedly suppressed us and brazenly seized several of our shops. We could only endure in silence."

"If you can uphold justice for us, we're willing to offer you thirty percent of those shops' net profits."

At those words, Tieniu immediately frowned.

"What sort of people do you take us for? We from the Martial Arts Grounds are here to uphold justice, not extort you! If we accepted your benefits, what would that make us? How would we be any different from the Six Harmonies Martial Hall?"

Tieniu's righteous, stern tone left the shopkeeper of the Chen Family Cloth Shop stunned.

Seeing this, Xiao Liuzi cleverly chimed in.

"Here's the situation. Our Martial Arts Grounds plans to recruit a large number of residents to settle there. If the Chen Family Cloth Shop could open a branch in the village and help it grow and prosper, we would be deeply grateful."

Following the wording he and Tieniu had agreed upon, Xiao Liuzi immediately continued.

"Besides, our Martial Arts Grounds offers preferential terms to support shops. The first ten shops to settle there will have their existing tax rates cut in half."

At those words, the shopkeeper of the Chen Family Cloth Shop understood everything.

How could a shopkeeper like him be anything but astute?

He immediately realized that he had stumbled upon an enormous opportunity!

The Martial Arts Grounds was clearly trying to dig out the Six Harmonies Martial Hall's roots while building up its own territory.

If they seized this chance, the Chen Family Cloth Shop could rise again.

"Please wait a moment, gentlemen. This is a matter of great importance. I'll fetch the family head at once to make the decision!"

Watching the shopkeeper of the Chen Family Cloth Shop rush off in a flurry, Tieniu nodded in satisfaction.

He knew.

This was as good as settled!