Less than a month after the Hemostasis Powder went on sale, the Xiao family had captured 70% of the market for healing medicine. The enormous profits brought immense joy to the Xiao family. The previously sparse number of people now streamed in endlessly, making the place as bustling as a small town.
In contrast to the Xiao family, the Jia Lie family was shrouded in gloom. Their previous profiteering behavior had alienated most mercenaries, and the Xiao family's Hemostasis Powder was significantly more effective than their Spring Revival Powder. As a result, the Jia Lie family's healing medicine business was suppressed by the Xiao family to the point of immobility. If not for the limited supply of the Xiao family's healing medicine, the Jia Lie family would likely be reduced to eating gruel.
Although their healing medicine business was suppressed, their profits were still considerable. What troubled the Jia Lie family most was the large quantity of medicinal ingredients required for refining medicine.
As the largest resource warehouse in the city, the Mi Te Er Auction House had refused to cooperate with them. The Jia Lie family gnashed their teeth in anger at this blockade of medicinal ingredients, but no matter how angry they were, they dared not force the Mi Te Er Auction House. One must know that the power behind the Mi Te Er Auction House was one of the top powerful forces in the Jia Ma Empire. A small family in Wu Tan City did not have the audacity to provoke them.
With the auction house route blocked, the Jia Lie family was forced to purchase all medicinal ingredients from the various medicinal ingredient shops in Wu Tan City at several times the market price. Even so, this was only a temporary measure. After all, these medicinal ingredient shops did not have the capacity to supply such a huge quantity of medicinal ingredients long-term.
Moreover, and most importantly, everyone in Wu Tan City could see the animosity and killing intent between the Jia Lie family and the Xiao family. Helping the Jia Lie family at this time would undoubtedly offend the Xiao family. Therefore, after their initial supply to the Jia Lie family, many medicinal ingredient shops no longer dared to provide such large quantities. This action further compounded the Jia Lie family's difficulties, adding frost to snow.
Consequently, the Jia Lie family's supply of medicinal ingredients was almost 80% cut off. The remaining 20% was insufficient to meet the demand for refining healing medicine. Thus, the Jia Lie family, in utter desperation, could only purchase medicinal ingredients from other cities at high prices. This barely averted the crisis of insufficient medicinal ingredients, but precisely because of this, the Jia Lie family's profits once again diminished. If not for their previous accumulated profits, the Jia Lie family would likely have gone bankrupt long ago.
In Wu Tan City now, the Xiao family, riding the east wind of healing medicine, had seen their status rise, even showing signs of surpassing the other two major families.
…..
In the bustling commercial district, Xiao Yan strolled lazily through the intersection. Behind him followed seven or eight burly men dressed in the Xiao family's guard uniforms. Without exception, each of these burly men had four golden stars on their chests, clearly indicating that they all possessed at least the strength of a four-star Dou Zhe.
On the street, the flow of people was somewhat intense. Many fierce mercenaries, exuding a bloody scent, smiled kindly at the languid young man with his hands clasped behind his head. Some more familiar individuals even loudly teased, "Little shop owner, out for a stroll again?"
Every time he heard this form of address, Xiao Yan would purse his lips with a hint of helplessness, then let out a low sigh. Half a month ago, Xiao Zhan had suddenly told him to manage this commercial district. Regarding Xiao Zhan's action, the Xiao family had debated for a long time. Managing a commercial district at just over ten years old was unprecedented in the Xiao family, but remembering that Xiao Yan was no longer the same as before, some people could only agree. Thus, Xiao Yan, who had been relaxing in the family, had to come here.
Although the commercial district was very large, what pleased Xiao Yan was that the management was not too tiring. He entrusted some of the crowded intersections and the prices of some popular areas to the old butler his father had specifically sent. Every day, he would occasionally take a group of strong men to inspect and manage the safety issues in the commercial district. Life was quite stable and carefree.
Xiao Yan appeared to have a calm and indifferent temperament, but he was extremely fond of talking with mercenaries about the thrilling adventures of their missions, strange magical beasts, and the rare mountain caves where cultivation techniques left by predecessors could be found. These things made the adventurous blood in Xiao Yan's veins boil, making him wish he could immediately enter the deep forest to find those mysterious and powerful cultivation techniques and fighting skills.
Xiao Yan was young, and his delicate, tender face naturally made it difficult for people to feel ill will towards him. Moreover, whenever he was happy, he would take out a pile of healing medicines and give them to others. Therefore, this made the straightforward mercenary strongmen very fond of him. Over time, this commercial district's number of regular customers was almost the highest among the Xiao family's commercial districts.
Recalling the events of the past half-month, Xiao Yan felt a little emotional. This kind of life wouldn't last long; at most, in a little over a month, he would go out to cultivate with Yao Lao. After that, he probably wouldn't return for one or two years.
Throwing away the melancholy in his heart, Xiao Yan looked up. A somewhat humble and scrawny figure suddenly ran over from the crowd.
Stopping his steps to look at this scrawny man, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, "Ke Lu, why aren't you going to do your great business of getting rich? What are you doing here at my place?"
The humble man in front of him was a famous pickpocket in the commercial district—er, that is, a petty thief. Xiao Yan didn't want to completely eliminate those who lived in the shadows with this kind of profession. He clearly understood that everything had two sides. Although this profession was looked down upon by everyone, the information they provided was extremely well-informed. No matter what happened in Wu Tan City, they could always know a little.
"Heh heh, young master." Smiling obsequiously at Xiao Yan, the scrawny man named Ke Lu said with a fawning smile, "This humble one has come to report something to you. Just now, I heard my subordinates say that Miss Xun'er and her group were outside the commercial district, being verbally harassed by a man. This humble one then quickly came to report the news."
"Oh, right, Jia Lie Ao of the Jia Lie family is also there. It seems he also knows that man. They have quite a few people."
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, and his indifferent expression slowly turned cold. He turned his head and said softly, "Xiao Li, call people. As long as they're alive, call them all to me!"
"Yes!" A strong man respectfully replied, then quickly turned and ran deep into the commercial district.
"Lead the way." Turning his head, Xiao Yan gestured with his chin at Ke Lu and said indifferently.
Seeing Xiao Yan's expression suddenly turn grim, Ke Lu quickly nodded, not daring to say anything more, and hurriedly led the way.
"These sons of bitches, they dare to come to my Xiao family's territory and mess around... Xiao family members, if I, Xiao Yan, let you leave here peacefully today, then I don't need to be the district master anymore!" Licking his lips, Xiao Yan said softly and coldly, causing Ke Lu's body in front to tremble, and his speed to quicken even further.