43: Taking an inch and wanting a mile

"Bang!"

"How audacious!"

"..."

At Canshu Peak, in the Liu Family's deliberation hall, several figures sat on both sides of a long table stretching several zhang.

The Elders of the Liu Family all had their hair and beards bristling, faces flushed red, and expressions cold as they spoke up one after another.

"Old Ancestor, why not eliminate one of the families to see if they still have such courage!"

From below, a younger Elder at the Qi Refining Level Seven spoke to the figure who was meditating with closed eyes at the head of the table.

"Exactly! It's only been two months since Old Ancestor Liu Minzhao passed away, and these people dare to jump out, wanting a share. Isn't this treating our Liu Family as easy to bully?"

Another Elder chimed in, agreeing.

The other Elders also expressed their anger, and the deliberation hall became noisy.

"Enough!"

"Since they want to interfere with the Market, then let them interfere."

"It's just giving up a few points of profit."

The person at the head of the table was Liu Wenyan. He opened his closed eyes and spoke in a deep voice, interrupting the clamor of the various Elders.

"This..."

Upon hearing this, the Elders' expressions all changed, and they involuntarily looked towards Liu Wenyan.

An Elder was about to say something more but was stopped by the Grand Elder of the Liu Family, who was seated at the upper left.

"Since Old Ancestor has spoken, then just do as he says. Do not speak further."

Hearing this, the Elders suppressed the words they were about to say.

Liu Wenyan stood up, nodded to the Grand Elder, and left the place.

"Mere ants, I will tolerate you for a while longer."

Liu Wenyan's face was cold, and he snorted before returning to his Immortal Cave.

Several days later, the Liu Family sent an Elder to participate in the Market discussions proposed by the various Cultivators.

People from the six major Families of Qingyuan Town were all present on this day.

They also invited Zhou Kaiding and other Family heads to serve as witnesses.

Afterward.

The Liu Family agreed to jointly control the Lake Heart Island Market with the Wang, Li, and other Five Families. Both sides would each send a Cultivator at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining to jointly guard the place and maintain the Market's rules.

However, since Cultivators were dispatched to jointly guard the Market, it was natural that a portion of the Market's profits would also have to be shared with the Five Families.

This was the Five Families' main objective.

After some intense negotiation, the Liu Family agreed to concede 30% of the profits.

Of the Spirit Stones and other resources obtained from the Market, the Liu Family would take 70%, and the Wang, Li, and other Five Families would collectively take 30%.

This result left Zhou Kaiding quite surprised; the Liu Family had actually made concessions so easily.

This was a far cry from their previous unyielding approach.

This time, the so-called attack on the Wang Family's shop was likely a self-orchestrated act by the Wang Family.

Zhou Kaiding returned to Jade Moon Peak.

He recalled how an Elder from the Wu Family had visited his home earlier, proposing a marriage alliance between the two Families, which Zhou Kaiding had firmly rejected.

Among the various Families that had spoken out in support this time, many were in-law Families of the Five Families, having been drawn in by them.

Now that the Five Families had gained a share from the Liu Family, these Families would likely also reap considerable benefits.

Zhou Kaiding didn't mind that the Zhou Family hadn't gained any advantages from this matter, as all gifts come with a price.

The three Cultivators who attacked the Wang Family's shop likely paid the price with their lives for this.

Zhou Kaiding no longer concerned himself with these matters.

Both sides were colossal powers for the current Zhou Family.

He and Mo Xuan alone couldn't take advantage of the situation.

Therefore, the most important thing now was to curb greed and develop discreetly.

Several months passed.

The changes at the Lake Heart Island Market had also ceased; the Market was now essentially divided into two.

70% of the area was still managed by the Liu Family, with Elders at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining rotating to guard it.

The other 30% of the area was controlled by the Wang, Li, and other Five Families. Each of the Five Families sent several Cultivators to form an enforcement team and rotated Elders at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining to be in charge.

For a time, the Market seemed to have split into two, with clear distinctions.

Coincidentally, the Zhou Family's Green Spirit Pavilion was located in the area controlled by the Five Families.

Zhou Kaiding felt helpless, recalling the words of the Wu Family Elder that day, and knew he would likely be targeted.

Indeed, over these past few months, Green Spirit Pavilion's business had significantly declined.

Fortunately, with its previous reputation, it wasn't completely without income.

Most of the qingling rice was purchased by the Liu Family.

This surprised Zhou Kaiding; from the opening of Green Spirit Pavilion until now, the Liu Family had always been a major customer.

It seemed the Liu Family also had a special fondness for this qingling rice.

However, besides slightly enhancing the Physical Body's strength with long-term consumption, this qingling rice had no other effects.

Zhou Kaiding speculated that it might be related to the Liu Family's beast taming.

With insufficient strength, Zhou Kaiding could only tolerate it for now.

However, if they were truly too pushy, he would have no choice but to violate the contract, abandon this place, and find another Family.

One day.

Zhou Kaiding was cultivating diligently on Jade Moon Peak.

Yang Huaiyuan came to visit, but Yang Linxi did not accompany him.

Zhou Kaiding ended his Cultivation and welcomed Yang Huaiyuan to Jade Moon Peak.

Seeing him alone and with an unusual expression, Zhou Kaiding knew something must have happened.

"Brother Yang, has something happened?"

By a stream on Jade Moon Peak, Zhou Kaiding and Yang Huaiyuan walked together to this spot, and he asked.

Hearing this, Yang Huaiyuan looked at the gently flowing stream before him and pondered for a moment.

"Brother Zhou, do you know what the Wang, Li, and other Five Families are up to now?"

Yang Huaiyuan countered with a question.

"This..."

Zhou Kaiding mused inwardly. Due to being targeted in the Market, he had visited the Market much less frequently in recent months.

Most of his time was spent cultivating diligently on Jade Moon Peak, and besides the changes in the Market, he truly didn't know what else these Five Families had done.

Seeing Zhou Kaiding hesitate, Yang Huaiyuan no longer kept him in suspense.

"These Five Families have actually extended their reach to the Liu Family's Black Iron Vein."

Yang Huaiyuan let out an unidentifiable sigh and told Zhou Kaiding.

"What?"

Zhou Kaiding was stunned and exclaimed in surprise.

This Black Iron Vein was a large vein controlled by the Liu Family. The black iron it produced was a primary Material for first-tier Magical Artifacts and was quite valuable.

The Liu Family could support the Cultivation needs of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and besides the Market, they relied even more on this Black Iron Vein.

This could be considered the very foundation of the Liu Family. How could they tolerate outsiders interfering? Wouldn't that be courting death?

"How dare they be so insatiable?"

"Do they really think the Liu Family is a soft persimmon?"

Zhou Kaiding's expression changed, and he spoke in a deep, questioning tone.

Hearing this, Yang Huaiyuan had a puzzled expression and a complex tone:

"But they not only did it, they succeeded."

"I heard that each of the Five Families sent several Cultivators to guard that Black Iron Vein."

"It seems they have already achieved their wish."

Zhou Kaiding finally understood why Yang Huaiyuan's expression had been so unusual when he first arrived.

Since Liu Minzhao's demise, how could the Liu Family's style have changed so drastically?

After all, even without Liu Minzhao, the Liu Family still had Liu Wenyan, a great Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

Even if the Five Families joined forces, how could they force him to make such a significant concession?

Zhou Kaiding and Yang Huaiyuan exchanged glances, both completely baffled.