304: Number one on the power ranking

Jiang Shuwan looked at Feng Ming's determined gaze, and the worry in her heart gradually dissipated as she nodded gently.

Throughout their journey, Feng Ming had never given her cause for concern. No matter how great the difficulties they encountered, he always handled them with composure. This time, she chose to believe in him as well.

Qin Hu and Guan Rong exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with light. They had chosen to follow Feng Ming back then precisely because they recognized his strength and wisdom.

Now, seeing him plan so meticulously—not only possessing formidable strength but also having a comprehensive strategy—their resolve to follow him grew even stronger. Being able to serve such a master was the greatest fortune of their lives.

Meanwhile, inside the Hua Clan Merchant House branch in Liangzhou City, a scene of bustling activity unfolded.

Over a hundred servants sat at tables, their fingers flying over abacuses, with account books piled into small mountains before them. The clattering sounds of the abacuses rose and fell, enveloping the entire room in a tense and busy atmosphere.

On the other side of the room, in front of a massive redwood desk, four elderly men dressed in luxurious attire and exuding an air of distinction leisurely sipped tea, chatting and laughing, standing in stark contrast to the surrounding hustle and bustle.

These four were none other than the heads of Liang Province's Four Great Families. They had reserved this room in the Hua Clan Merchant House specifically to handle the acquisition of Herbs from the Trial Grounds.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and an elderly man in a cyan robe walked in—he was the Steward of the Hua Clan Merchant House's Liang Province branch.

Upon seeing the Steward enter, the four Family Heads quickly rose to their feet and bowed respectfully, their Faces filled with deference.

The Hua Clan Merchant House was immensely powerful, with branches spread across the major continents, and it was not something their Four Great Families could afford to offend.

"Greetings, Steward."

The Steward waved his hand, indicating that they need not stand on ceremony, then stepped aside to reveal the young man behind him, smiling as he said, "This is a member of the Feng Family, here to discuss business with you all."

"You may negotiate among yourselves. If you reach an agreement, all the better. If not, do not cause trouble within the Merchant House, or I will not be lenient."

With that, the Steward turned and left, leaving the four Family Heads and the young man alone in the room.

The young man casually locked the door, then turned and cupped his hands in a respectful salute to the four Family Heads, his smile gentle yet dignified: "I am Feng Da, a Junior of the Feng Family, here on behalf of my Young Master to discuss cooperation with you all. Shall we sit and talk in detail?"

"Feng Da? The Feng Family?" The leading elder's eyes flickered with confusion, then his expression changed. "Could you be one of Your Excellency Feng Ming's people?"

Feng Da smiled without answering, walking directly to the redwood desk and taking a seat. He poured himself a cup of tea and spoke slowly: "My Young Master is currently in the Trial Grounds and wishes to speak with the four of you personally. However, there is a delay in communication between the Trial Grounds and the outside world. I hope you can wait a moment."

Hearing this, the four Family Heads were all startled. After exchanging glances, they hurriedly sat down opposite the desk, no longer daring to show the slightest hint of disrespect.

Feng Ming's reputation was now thunderous in Liang Province. He had slain Li Cheng, overpowered Zhang Bai, and firmly held the top spot on both the heaven ticket ranking and the power ranking. Such a figure was not someone they could afford to offend.

"We have long heard of Your Excellency Feng Ming's fame. It is our honor to cooperate with you. Waiting a moment is no trouble at all," the leading elder quickly said, his attitude much more respectful.

Feng Da nodded, took out a communication stone, and relayed the Four Great Families' words to Feng Ming in the Trial Grounds.

At that moment, in the camp within the Trial Grounds, Feng Ming also took out a Trial stone. With a light tap of his fingertip on its surface, he prepared to speak directly with the heads of the Four Great Families.

A moment later, Feng Da received Feng Ming's message. He looked up at the four nervous Family Heads and relayed it word for word: "My Young Master wishes to purchase your Herbs."

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze. The expressions of the four Family Heads changed, and they fell into silence.

The four elders were momentarily stunned upon hearing Feng Ming's words. The leading elder stroked his graying beard and laughed heartily: "I thought it was something major! So, young friend, you want Herbs. That's no difficulty at all!"

"May I ask what grade of Herbs you specifically want? Tell us the types and quantities, and we will immediately give you a fair price without any deception."

Feng Da calmly relayed Feng Ming's words: "My Young Master says that having him quote prices would be too cumbersome. Instead, he asks the four of you to name your prices first. However, we want all the Herbs you have at Grade Seven and above."

"All Grade Seven and above?"

These words struck the four elders like thunder, their smiles instantly freezing on their Faces, their eyes filled with disbelief.

The elder on the left was the first to regain his composure, waving his hands repeatedly: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Young friend, are you toying with us? Grade Seven and above Herbs from the Liangzhou Trial Grounds are incredibly precious, and the quantity is quite substantial. How could you alone handle them all?"

The elder on the right also added in a grave tone: "Even the top Aristocratic Families in Liang Province wouldn't dare claim they could take all Grade Seven and above Herbs in one go. Young friend, your words are overly presumptuous."

Feng Da's lips curved slightly, his smile faint yet carrying an undeniable certainty: "Whether we can handle it or not is not for the four of you to worry about. The fact that I could find you is proof enough of my standing within the Hua Clan Merchant House. If you don't trust my Young Master, do you not trust the reputation of the Hua Clan Merchant House?"

"Now, I'll let Feng Da show the four of you our strength."

Feng Da stepped forward and raised his hand, summoning a gleaming white storage ring.

With a flick of spiritual power from his fingertip, the Restriction on the storage ring was unlocked, revealing a mountain-like pile of Spirit Stones inside. Their lustrous glow dazzled the four elders.

These Spirit Stones were not gifts from Madam Hua but profits from the Feng Family's recent sales of Medicinal Pills. Merely the tip of the iceberg, it was already a sum sufficient to shake Liang Province's business world.

The Medicinal Pill industry was inherently highly profitable, and Feng Ming's improved Pill Formula had driven costs extremely low. Now, the Feng Family had effectively become a walking money-making machine.

The Grade Seven and above Herbs from the Liangzhou Trial grounds were nothing significant in his eyes.

The countless Spirit Stones inside the ring caused the four elders' expressions to shift repeatedly, eventually settling into a look of numbness.

The leading elder regained his composure, his tone still resolute: "Even if you can afford it, this matter is absolutely impossible."

"The Grade Seven and above Herbs from the Liangzhou Trial have already been pre-ordered by major Aristocratic Families to the tune of seventy to eighty percent, with many having paid deposits. If you wanted a few plants, we could still help you gather them. But you want all of them—how are we to explain this to our regular customers?"

Another elder also said gravely: "Young Friend Feng, your strength is formidable, and no one dares underestimate you on the path of Cultivation. But business has its own rules. We are not in the business of one-time deals; we value long-term relationships more. This matter cannot be resolved simply by having more money. Please reconsider, young friend."

The smile on Feng Da's Face gradually faded. He sighed softly, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of coldness: "My Young Master says he doesn't understand the rules of your Herb Trade, nor does he care to. He only knows that goods are sold to those who recognize their value. You sell the goods; he pays the money. That's only natural."

"He does not intend this to be a one-time deal either and hopes for long-term cooperation with the four of you in the future. However, this time is different from before. My Young Master says he must have these Grade Seven and above Herbs."

"My Young Master says we have not resorted to force to take them by strength, which is already giving you enough Face and showing our sincerity. Yet you insist on citing rules. In the Face of absolute strength and benefit, your rules seem rather laughable."

"Why don't you take a look—does it resemble a rule?"