United Marketplace, South Street.
Today, colorful strears flutter and drums resound throughout.
Yan’s Pill Shop reopens, hosting a grand Spirit Banquet, widely inviting heroes from all sides.
Patriarch Yan Zongsheng leads several major elders of the clan to appear at the Pill Shop.
Except for the Zheng Family, the head of the Eight Great Families of the Wilderness, the other six families personally sent congratulatory gifts.
The surrounding seventeen Qi Cultivation Clans and so renowned loose cultivators also ca to offer their congratulations.
Yan Qingwan was pushed to the forefront by the clan, receiving praise from everyone, thanking them one by one, and personally gifting the Pill dicine she crafted by hand. For a mont, she was unmatched in fa and glory.
The first female Pill Master of the Wilderness, the most beautiful Pill Master, acclaid for dual talents in beauty and skill... all kinds of praises adorned her.
Li Ji’an stood at the end of the crowd, watching Yan Qingwan receiving everyone’s attention from afar, silently offering his blessings.
It was over five hundred years ago when the Wilderness of Fallen Dragon Ridge was allowed to open for developnt. At that ti, countless families, loose cultivators, and sects ca here seeking opportunities on the map. After many cycles of washing out, those sects and families with a solid foundation reaped enough rewards to withdraw, leaving only the current Eight Great Clans to occupy their respective Second Tier Spirit Veins, while seventeen Qi Cultivation Clans occupy the Tier One Spirit Veins, gradually stabilizing the situation.
Previously, this place was chaotic, orderless, and due to being far from the northern cities, within ten thousand miles, there was no decent trading marketplace. Many materials had to be purchased from outside, which was quite inconvenient.
No family was willing to use their occupied clan land to establish a marketplace.
Until over ninety years ago, two Qi Cultivation Clans fought fiercely for this place, ultimately benefiting the current eight Foundation Establishnt Clans, who established a trading and residential market, making a modest contribution for the countless loose cultivators here.
Li Ji’an suspected that three years ago, when the Yan Family and Wei Family finally reconciled and cooperated, apart from the issue regarding Wei Huai Ren, they primarily learned a lesson from this Spirit Vein Land of United Marketplace, knowing that if they continued to fight, it would be another double-loss where both the sandpiper and the clam gain nothing.
"Zheng Tianxiang, representing the Zheng Family, presents a Centennial Reishi to congratulate Yan’s Pill Shop, and to Grand Alchemist Yan!" As the door attendant announced, the ceremony reached its peak.
As the head of the Eight Great Clans of the Wilderness, the Zheng Family boasts three Foundation Establishnt mbers, firmly securing the top position in the Wilderness. They occupy the largest Second Tier Middle Grade Spirit Vein Dao Field, with their territory covering a hundred miles, dominating nearly eighty percent of the pill dicine and magical artifact business in the Wilderness.
They excel in both strength and financial power.
If a descendant with a superlative Spirit Root is born within the clan, perhaps one day, a Core Formation True Man could be nurtured.
By then, the entire southern wilderness of Fallen Dragon Ridge would belong to the Zheng Family.
If not for the seven other families understanding the harm of letting one family dominate, they would have already allied to compel the Zheng Family to abide by the joint agreent set by the Eight Clans.
However, given their clan strength, even openly competing against the other seven families, it’s difficult for the others to shake their market share at all.
"Qingwan, after several years without eting, I never imagined you would achieve such success, congratulations!" After greeting the heads of the seven families, Zheng Tianxiang approached Yan Qingwan, with a warm smile and extraordinary deanor.
"Young Master Zheng is courteous, but please be mindful of your address," Yan Qingwan replied with a calm expression and an undisturbed tone, though a trace of displeasure could be detected.
"Ah, Qing... Alchemist Yan still blas , but I am also helpless," Zheng Tianxiang shook his head helplessly.
"But no matter, now that the clan tasks with managing the marketplace, in the future... I’ll have more ti to communicate. I, Zheng, believe that over ti, hearts will be revealed." After speaking, without waiting for Yan Qingwan to reply, Zheng Tianxiang was escorted into the courtyard like a revered figure among the assembled family heads.
Li Ji’an stood aside, observing Zheng Tianxiang being warmly welcod through the door, a faint peculiar smile appearing on his face.
It was peculiar because, after seven years in the Yan Family, he had naturally heard so rumors.
Combining this with the scene when, before going to the Yan Clan Territory, during the night when Yan Qingwan hosted him at the marketplace, his Spiritual Sense accidentally discovered Yan Qingwan lying on her bed sobbing quietly, he could almost confirm the rumor was true.
It was said that the Zheng Patriarch and Yan Patriarch were once sworn brothers, who ventured into the Wilderness over five hundred years ago, even encouraged by Yan’s ancestor to co along.
Subsequently, with mutual assistance, both achieved success.
However, eventually, due to the clichéd disputes of interest, tensions arose, and they never communicated until their deaths.
By this generation, although the Zheng Family is the strongest, the remaining seven families also have Foundation Establishnt Ancestors, all of whom have weathered storms, experienced intrigue and deception. They are not so easily fooled.
The Zheng Family’s desire to advance further is not easy.
Thus, they voluntarily reestablished contact with the Yan Family, reminiscing about the brotherhood of their ancestors.
Moreover, they arranged a childhood betrothal when Yan Qingwan was just born.
However...
What amused Li Ji’an was that when Yan Qingwan turned seventeen, Zheng Tianxiang publicly annulled the engagent.
Compared to the novel plots he had read in his previous life, it seed sowhat opposite to celestial spirits.
The reason for Zheng Tianxiang’s annulnt was simple; the Zheng Family had established ties with one of the five top northern clans, the Array Formation Liu Family, aiming for a marriage alliance!
Moreover, in reality, when Zheng Tianxiang was fifteen, his Spirit Root fully ford, confirming his Gold Elent Spirit Root with nineteen strands of Spirit Charm sensation, just short of an Upper Grade Spirit Root talent, with significant Core Formation potential.
Yan Qingwan almost beca the laughingstock of the entire Wilderness.
Those unaware presud that the Yan Family wanted to curry favor with the Zheng Family, only for the Zheng Family to find her unworthy.
After three rounds of drinking, leaving everyone amiably content, Yan’s Pill Shop finally returned to its previous tranquility.
The following day, the patriarch and the elders returned to their clan, leaving only eight people including Yan Qingwan and Li Ji’an, with one shopkeeper and five servants.
Previously, due to Alchemist Mo, the shopkeeper was not a mber of the Yan clan. Now, as the Pill Shop is an important comrcial strategy for the Yan clan, the shopkeeper must be a clan mber.
Among the five servants, three had been there seven years ago and were familiar with Li Ji’an.
The difference was that seven years ago, Li Ji’an, like them, was also a servant, even just a pill master servant, an outsider with a temporary contract.
But now, they remain servants, while Li Ji’an’s status is that of an Honored Guest Elder.
This was the special status Yan Qingwan secured for Li Ji’an within the clan so he could accompany her to the marketplace’s Pill Shop.
Not counting the private shares Yan Qingwan decided to give him from the Pill Shop’s profits, as an Honored Guest Elder, he also receives a monthly stipend of eight Spirit Stones.
"Uncle Zhong, from now on, the front affairs of the Pill Shop depend on you. Be kind to others, don’t abuse authority, and never tarnish the na of Yan’s Pill Shop," Yan Qingwan instructed individually.
"Don’t worry, Miss. I will take care of everything," Uncle Zhong appeared simple and kind-looking.
"If I am unable to oversee things, Brother Li’s words are my words, don’t neglect them. If sothing happens, I will take responsibility," Yan Qingwan looked at Li Ji’an again.
After spending seven years together, especially four years ago when he saved her on the way back to the clan, offered relentless guidance after Alchemist Mo’s betrayal two years ago, not only in alchemy skill but also providing much comfort and encouragent when she was under imnse pressure, thanks to which she achieved today’s success.
She no longer held the previous disdain due to his weak Spirit Root and limited potential. Now, it’s genuine respect and gratitude from her heart.
Moreover, now she is certain that Li Ji’an’s talent in the Alchemy Dao far exceeds hers. Unfortunately, his weak Spirit Root, low cultivation, and weak Pill Fire hold him back. Otherwise, she is sure Li Ji’an could beco a senior Pill Master.
Because of this, over the past two years, she unconsciously changed his address to "Brother Li," setting aside the superiority of being the eldest miss.
Simultaneously, she had planned that this year, no matter what, she must acquire a Flying Cloud Pill for Brother Li to help him break through to the middle stage of Qi Cultivation.
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