Young Head of the Marketplace Less than a month after the release of the Blood Clotting Powder, the Xiao Clan won seventy percent of Wu Tang City’s healing medicine market. The huge profit filled the Xiao Clan with joy. The courtyard and doorway, which were rarely used recently, were now used constantly and were now as lively as a market.
Compared to the Xiao Clan, the Jia Lie Clan was filled with gloominess. Due to their recent profiteering ways, they had aroused the dislike of the majority of the mercenaries. Moreover, the Xiao Clan’s Blood Clotting Powder was more potent than the Return the Spring Powder. Hence, the Jia Lie Clan’s healing medicine business continued to be suppressed by the Xiao Clan’s business. Had it not been for the Xiao Clan’s daily limit on the sale of their healing medicine, the Jia Lie Clan would not have had any business at all.
While their market share in the healing medicine industry had shrunk, there was still a tidy profit to be made. The main headache for the Jia Lie Clan lied in the large amount of medical ingredients needed for them to make their medicines.
The largest resource warehouse in the city, the Primer Auction House, had already rejected having any further cooperation with them. Facing this embargo on medical ingredients, the Jia Lie Clan was filled with fury. Despite their anger, however, they did not dare use any force against the Primer Auction House. Supporting the Primer Auction House was a force that could rank amongst the most powerful of the entire Jia Ma Empire. A small family clan in Wu Tang City like them did not have the ability to provoke them.
Unable to procure goods from the Auction House, the desperate Jia Lie Clan could only purchase all the stocks of the medical ingredients shops in Wu Tang City at a price several times higher than their market value. Nevertheless, this was only a temporary measure. The medical ingredient shops did not have the ability to meet such a large demand in the long-term.
More importantly, everyone in Wu Tang City had recognized the anger and killing intent between the Xiao Clan and Jia Lie clan. Helping the Jia Lie clan now would undoubtedly offend the Xiao clan, which was getting stronger each day. Therefore, after their first sales of medicinal ingredients to the Jia Lie Clan, many medicine shops did not dare to sell to them in bulk again. This restriction had also worsened the predicament of the Jia Lie Clan.
With this, the Jia Lie Clan’s source of medicinal ingredients from Wu Tang City was cut by nearly eighty percent. The remaining sources were far too insufficient to meet the demand from the manufacturing of their healing medicine. Due to this, the utterly helpless Jia Lie Clan could only use high prices to purchase medicinal ingredients from other cities, barely managing to overcome the crisis caused by the shortage of medicinal ingredients. By doing this, however, the Jia Lie Clan’s profit once again shrank. If it was not for the profit from the healing medicine, the Jia Lie Clan would have faced bankruptcy already.
Currently in Wu Tang City, the Xiao clan’s position was rising with the help from their healing medicine and was even faintly showing the momentum to surpass the other two large clans.
......
Xiao Yan was sluggishly walking on a street within the rowdy marketplace. Behind him, seven to eight tall and sturdy, large men were adorned with the Xiao Clan’s guard uniform. On all of the chests of these large men, there would be four or more golden stars. Clearly, all of these large men had the strength of at least a four star Dou Zhe.
On the street where the flow of people was rather large, many fierce and tough mercenaries that were emitting the scent of blood all gave a friendly smile upon seeing a young man walking lazily with his hands behind his head. Occasionally, those who were more familiar would laughingly ask: “Young head, have you come to patrol the marketplace again?”
Each time he was faced with such a form of address, Xiao Yan would helplessly pull his mouth before letting out a soft sigh. Half a month ago, Xiao Zhan had suddenly placed him in charge of this marketplace in the name of training him. Regarding Xiao Zhan’s action, the Xiao Clan had an argument. Having someone manage a marketplace in his teens was unheard of in the Xiao Clan. However, after considering Xiao Yan’s much elevated position in the clan, some eventually agreed. Thus, Xiao Yan, who was originally resting at home, was placed in charge of this marketplace.
Although the marketplace was huge, the management of it was not very tiring. Which was something that comforted Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan threw the miscellaneous matters regarding the division of the streets and the discussion of the rental rates of the shops in the prime locations to the old housekeeper that his father had specially assigned to him. Each day, he would occasionally bring a group of large men to patrol the streets and manage the security issues of the marketplace, spending his days in a calm, yet unrestrained manner.
On the surface, Xiao Yan appeared to be mild and indifferent. However, he loved to gather with the mercenaries and discuss the stimulating and dangerous experiences they had during missions, the strange monsters and the Qi Methods that are left behind in caves. These discussions increased Xiao Yan’s thirst for risk-taking and adventure. He desired to enter those remote mountains that had almost no traces of people to search for those secretive, yet strong Dou Techniques and Qi Methods.
Xiao Yan’s young age and his delicate face already made it difficult for others to have ill feelings. On top of this, each time the discussion became exciting, he would retrieve the limited healing medicine from his breast pocket and pass them around for free. This caused those straightforward mercenaries to have a good impression of him. Over time, the marketplace managed by Xiao Yan had the highest number of customers returning amongst the Xiao Clan’s marketplaces.
Recalling the events over the last half a month, Xiao Yan emotionally smiled. Such days were numbered. At most, after another half a month, he would have to leave with Yao Lao on a training journey and it would be at least another one or two years before he would return.
Throwing away his melancholy, Xiao Yan raised his head. A wretched and skinny image from the crowd came rushing at him abruptly.
Pausing his steps and looking at the ordinarily dressed small man, Xiao Yan’s eyebrows creased as he spoke indifferently: “Ke Lu, why are you here instead of being out there making your fortune?”
The dreadful looking small man, Ke Lu, in front of him was the marketplace’s well known pickpocket, gold finger. When faced with this kind of shady occupation, Xiao Yan did not unrealistically attempt to eliminate them. He knew only too well that if there is a front side, there will be a back side. Although such an occupation is looked down upon, they are extremely well informed. Regardless of whatever happened anywhere in Wu Tan City, they would have some information on it.
“Hehe, young master,” Facing Xiao Yan with a flattering smile, the skinny small man called Ke Lu said with a smile: “This lowly person is here to inform you that I have information from my subordinate saying that Xun Er Xiao-jie was verbally insulted by a man of unknown origin just outside the marketplace. I came here after hearing about it.”
“Oh right, Jia Lie Ao of the Jia Lie clan was also amongst present. It seems like he is acquainted with the man wearing funeral clothes and talking to Xun Er Xiao-Jie. Quite a few people were also accompanying them.”
Narrowing his eyes, Xiao Yan indifferent face gradually became cold. Slightly slanting his head, he softly said: “Xiao Li, call the others. As long as they are alive, they need to be here.”
“Understood!” A large man respectfully replied before hurriedly turning around and running towards the interior of the marketplace.
“Lead the way,” Said Xiao Yan indifferently as he turned around and raised his chin.
Looking at the sudden coldness on Xiao Yan’s face, Ke Lu hurriedly nodded. Not daring to utter any unnecessary words, he immediately began leading the way.
“This bastard dares to come to the Xiao Clan’s territory to molest a member of the Xiao Clan. If I, Xiao Yan, allow you to leave the marketplace unharmed, I will abandon my post as the head of the marketplace!” Licking his lips, Xiao Yan’s ghastly voice caused Ke Lu, who was at the front leading the way, to tremble and pick up his pace.