326: Come empty-handed?

Early the next morning, Xu Sanyan pulled back the covers and crawled out of bed. Just as he got up, a full body embraced him from behind. Wang Zixuan pressed against his back and softly instructed, “Mr. Lin, be careful. The Fourth Elder, who was originally responsible for the western district, is from the Great Madam’s lineage. Although she has no enmity with mother, there’s not much interaction either.”

“Understood,” Xu Sanyan replied, then turned and squeezed her firmly. Amidst Wang Zixuan’s charming cries, he got up and left.

Wang Zixuan did not accompany him, because she had other things to do; she needed to arrange those forty Magic Treasures.

As he pushed open the door, he saw a servant already waiting outside. The servant bowed and saluted, “Greetings, Young Master Lin. The master has instructed me to help Young Master choose a residence. Please follow me.”

“Alright.”

Xu Sanyan followed the servant outside. After leaving the Wang Family manor, he looked up at the towering, steep mountains behind him. The sunlight was half-blocked by the mountains, making the city seem somewhat dim.

The two walked through the streets, one after the other. Xu Sanyan looked at the neatly arranged small courtyards on both sides; these were where the collateral branches of the Wang Family resided.

Occasionally, they passed some larger residences. According to the servant’s introduction, these were the dwellings of the Wang Family Elders.

The servant stopped in front of a medium-sized courtyard. “This courtyard will belong to Young Master Lin from now on.”

Saying this, he pushed open the main gate, revealing a three-courtyard residence with clean and tidy bluestone paving.

The servant led him around. Xu Sanyan saw a small, exquisite garden in the inner courtyard, which was very elegant.

“If Young Master needs any maids or servants, you can select them from the Internal Affairs Pavilion. They are all collateral descendants of the Wang Family, inexpensive, and trustworthy since they are our own people,” the servant said with a strange smile, seemingly implying something.

“Hmm… alright.”

Xu Sanyan nodded. Playing with one’s own people—truly a great Family, they sure know how to have fun.

“If Young Master has no other instructions, this humble one will take his leave.”

“Understood.”

Xu Sanyan took out two Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch and threw them to him. The servant received them, bowed in thanks, turned, and left, also helping to close the main gate.

Xu Sanyan sat on a stone stool in the pavilion, surveying the place. This residence would be his from now on.

“Bang bang bang~”

A knocking sound came from outside the door, followed by a man’s voice, “Is Young Master Lin home?”

Xu Sanyan was a little surprised. He had just taken possession of this house; someone was already here before his butt even warmed the seat?

He opened the main gate to see two young men standing outside. They looked similar, only one was slightly taller and the other slightly shorter.

Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes. They came empty-handed?

The taller young man cupped his hands and smiled, “I am Wang Ying, and this is my younger brother, Wang Yu. We greet Young Master Lin.”

“Do you two seek me for something?” Xu Sanyan tilted his head slightly.

Wang Ying, Wang Yu, English?

Wang Ying spoke, “We were originally serving under the Fourth Elder. Hearing that Young Master Lin has taken over the Fourth Elder’s position, we specifically came to meet you and inform you of the situation.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Xu Sanyan nodded understandingly, then moved aside to let them in. “Come in and speak.”

“Alright.”

The three sat under the pavilion. Wang Ying said, “Young Master Lin is new here and probably doesn’t understand many things. Allow me to explain them to Young Master.”

“Thank you for your trouble,” Xu Sanyan gestured for him to proceed.

Wang Ying tapped lightly on the stone table. “The area within ten thousand li of Qianqiu City is the Wang Family’s territory. There are twenty-seven large and small Families in total. The Feng family was annihilated not long ago, reducing the number by one.”

“There are twelve Sects. I heard that White Dragon Temple was also completely massacred, reducing the number by another one.”

Wang Ying gestured, dividing the stone table into four sections, and pointed to the western section. “This is the area under Young Master Lin’s jurisdiction. There are four clans and one Sect here, which is much fewer than the other three sides.”

Xu Sanyan slowly nodded. Only by this comparison did he realize that the Family forces in the west were so few. No wonder it was assigned to him to manage. He estimated that the profits were too small, and no one was willing to take it on.

After this incident, many lucrative positions in the Wang Family became vacant, and no one was willing to take over this barren land in the west.

Wang Ying, unaware of his thoughts, continued, “The four clans are all small families and have always been honest. Their annual tributes have never been lacking, so there’s no need to worry about them. However, that Sect requires more attention.”

Xu Sanyan looked at him, puzzled. “How so?”

“That Sect is called ‘Xuanku Mountain’. There is a tan milk cave in the mountain, and within the cave is a pool called the tan milk Pool. The water from this pool is extremely precious. When consumed internally, it can purify the lungs and internal organs, and when used externally, it can strengthen the body. It is Xuanku Mountain’s most precious treasure.”

Wang Ying paused here, then continued,

“Xuanku Mountain’s strength is not weak. Their Sect’s Old Ancestor is also a He Dao Realm expert. Although they are nominally under the Wang Family’s jurisdiction, they are more like a state within a state. They don’t pay tribute; they only trade ten drops of tan milk with the Wang Family each year.”

“Trade?” Xu Sanyan’s tone was surprised. They still had to pay money?

“Yes, the Family Head and Xuanku Mountain’s Old Ancestor agreed that the Wang Family would spend Spirit Stones to purchase ten drops of tan milk from Xuanku Mountain each year.”

“Can’t we buy more?” Xu Sanyan had some guesses, but still asked.

Wang Ying shook his head. “It’s not that we don’t buy, but that they don’t sell. If it weren’t for the Wang Family’s strength, they wouldn’t even be willing to sell these ten drops. This kind of treasure is priceless and has no market.”

“Indeed…”

Xu Sanyan nodded in agreement. If he owned such a treasure, he probably wouldn’t be willing to sell it externally either.

Wang Yu interjected at this point, “The Family Head’s intention is to pressure Xuanku Mountain, but without pushing them too hard. While restricting their development, we also need to find ways to obtain more tan milk.”

“Previously, the Fourth Elder’s method was to support those four small families, letting them be the trailblazers, competing with Xuanku Mountain both openly and secretly, while we watched the tiger fight from the mountain.”

“Xuanku Mountain is stronger than those four families, but they are bound by the rules set by the Wang Family and dare not truly act against them. They can only compete within the rules.”

Xu Sanyan remained silent, deep in thought. Suddenly, he asked, “What do they compete for?”

Wang Ying explained, “Naturally, it’s about earning Spirit Stones. Xuanku Mountain has many Disciples, and their daily cultivation expenses are also very high. Qianqiu City is one of the two major cities in Luan Yun Mountain, with many Cultivators, so if they want to earn Spirit Stones, they naturally come here.”

“Besides tan milk, Xuanku Mountain also operates many businesses in this city. The Xuanku Pill Pavilion is their business, and they are also skilled at cultivating Spirit Medicine, which is a considerable income.”

Xu Sanyan slowly nodded, so that’s how it was. He then asked, “How exactly did the Fourth Elder do it?”

“Price suppression.”

Wang Yu explained, “No matter what kind of Spirit Medicine Xuanku Mountain cultivates, we would signal the other four families to cultivate it together. We would openly lower the price to acquire Xuanku Mountain’s Spirit Medicine, while secretly acquiring the other four families’ Spirit Medicine at the normal price.”

Wang Ying added, “But we can’t push them too hard. We have to let them make a profit, but not much, just enough to cover their daily expenses.”

Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. This method sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before…

“What if they don’t come to Qianqiu City to sell?”