The Strongest Sect of All Times

Patriarch Ai, who was just in a meeting with the rest of the Ai Family, heard that Sect Head Jun had arrived at the shop and quickly rushed over. 

As he passed through the gate, he hadn’t even seen the man before humbly greeting, “What wind has blown Sect Head Jun here?” 

“The northwest wind,” Jun Changxiao emotionlessly responded. 

Ai Shangni heard his tone and immediately judged that the man was a bit upset and tensed up. 

Was it possible that a junior of the Ai Family was blind and offended Sect Head Jun?

In Patriarch Ai’s eyes, Jun Changxiao was a god of wealth, one the family would depend on for development. With the need to count on his pills, Ai Shangni would naturally not dare to offend him. 

Cautiously walking into the room, he asked, “Is Sect Head Jun a little annoyed?”

“Ah,” Jun Changxiao sighed. “Don’t mention it.”

Ai Shangni relaxed. 

The three words “don’t mention it” confirmed that the Ai Family had nothing to do with this matter.

“Sect Head Jun, we have a long-standing friendship.” Patriarch Ai spoke as he sat down: “Tell me what has been bothering you and this Ai will do his best to dispel your doubts or share your sorrows.”

Jun Changxiao asked, “Patriarch Ai, have you heard of the Liyang Xiao Family?”

…Did the Xiao Family annoy Sect Head Jun?

Worthy of being a businessman! He was able to understand the picture with just one thought. 

“Of course, of course,” Ai Shangni said. 

Jun Changxiao let his elbows rest on the armrests, chin in his hands. “This Xiao Family has offended this lord.”

Sure enough!

Ai Shangni secretly thought, The Xiao Family is equivalent to a seventh-grade sect. Daring to offend the Ironbone Sect, have they grown so old they’re tired of living?

If someone of the Xiao Family heard this, they would be heartbroken. When they offended the Ironbone Sect many months ago, the Ironbone Sect had not been so grand. Since the situation had changed, the Xiao Family was to lie low for a while. But in the end… trouble came knocking!

“Patriarch Ai.” Jun Changxiao said, “I am a person who holds grudges and dislikes people with double-dealings…”

Ai Shangni quickly said, “Sect Head Jun! My Ai Family and the Xiao family have no relationship; this Ai is not a person who plays both sides!”

Even if there was a relationship before, it was absolutely shattered now!

Jun Changxiao said, “Since we are friends, this Jun naturally believes your words.”

Saying this, he placed two healing pills on the table. “I am indebted to you for your support at the Vast Spirit Gate. These two pills can be seen as a gift to Patriarch Ai.”

“This…”

“If you do not receive them, you are treating me as an outsider.”

Ai Shangni said, “Many thanks Sect Head Jun for the pills.”

Speaking like that, he was quite happy to take the pills, since according to the previous auction, these two pills were valued at 1.2 million taels!

“Patriarch Ai.”

Jun Changxiao said, “How is the collection of ingredients?”

“I have them!”

Ai Shangni quickly took them out, saying, “Sect Head Jun, the collection is not great this time. If you wait some more time, this Ai can personally bring it to the Ironbone Sect.”

Jun Changxiao put the medicinal herbs away and said, “Oh, right. I have a list of seeds here. Are there any shops that might have them on-hand?”

Ai Shangni took the form and after glancing at it, he smiled, “Sect Head Jun, the herbs are a little hard to find, but my Ai Family has many of these in stock.”

Saying so, he handed the list to Manager Ma and tasked him with bringing the seeds over. 

Once the guy walked off, Ai Shangni walked closer and whispered, “Sect Head Jun, this Ai has a question he doesn’t know how to ask.”

“Just ask.”

“Have your honorable disciples taken the Body Reconstructing Pill?”

“Indeed.”

“Then your honorable disciples’ valiant displays at the Vast Spirit Gate, did those have to do with the Body Reconstructing Pill?”

“It has much to do with it.”

Score!

A smile appeared on Ai Shangni’s face. 

Jun Changxiao also understood and wanted to better hype up the Body Reconstructing Pill and was thus anticipating how high the auction price would soar. 

The higher the auction price, the greater his own profits. 

Even if his pockets were already filled with 10 million, Sect Head Jun would not dislike having more silver taels. 

After half an hour. 

Storekeeper Ma brought out the seeds; all of them were high quality too. 

It was obvious, this was basically a huge favor!

Jun Changxiao shamelessly accepted them and humbly said, “There are still matters in the sect, so this Jun will say goodbye.”

Ai Shangni sent him off. 

“Patriarch Ai has such a good relationship with Sect Head Jun.”

“In Vast Spirit Gate, Patriarch Ai supported the Ironbone Sect and was even willing to lend him 10 million taels.”

“Tsk, tsk. Since they’re so close, the Ironbone Sect must be bringing the Ai Family big business.”

The passersby gossiped. 

…

After seeing Jun Changxiao off, Patriarch Ai walked back to the clan halls and stood with his hands behind his back in the main hall. 

“Patriarch, what happened?” Ai Shangke asked in confusion. 

“Ah.”

Ai Shangni sighed, “The Liyang Xiao Family has offended Sect Head Jun.”

“Ah?”

Ai Shangke’s eyes widened. 

Ai Shangni sat down, hands resting on a teacup. “Sect Head Jun should know that we and the Xiao Family have commercial relations, coming to our herb shop to see our stance.”

Ai Shangke asked, “Patriarch, what do we do?”

Ai Shangni took a sip of tea. “Sect Head Jun is my Ai Family’s god of wealth, we definitely cannot offend him. Thus, immediately break off contracts with the Xiao Family’s businesses.”

Ai Shangke said, “But, the Xiao Family just sent over the dues a couple days ago. Third Elder also signed the contract with them…”

“We must break the contract even if we violate the terms!” Ai Shangni firmly said. 

Violate the terms? Then they would have to pay ten times the earnest fee!

Although Ai Shangke was aggrieved, since the patriarch had spoken, the contracts would be broken!

“I will relay the orders.”

“Wait, do it carefully. If there are other industries where our Ai Family has ties with the Xiao Family, regardless of the cost, cut them off entirely!”

“Mhm.”

…

Xiao Family. 

The Sixth Elder who was in charge of the herbs and pills dejectedly walked into the hall with a few bank notes.

“Sixth Brother, where did you get so much money?” Great Elder Xiao asked.

“From the Ai Family,” Sixth Elder sighed. 

Second Elder smiled. “Why did Patriarch Ai give you so much money? Did they suddenly look kindly upon my Xiao Family’s pharmaceutical business?”

“Although our Xiao Family is not big, our business has taken over at least Liyang City’s marketspace.”

Third Elder smiled too. “The Ai Family definitely regards us as important and so it is natural for them to cultivate deeper relations.”

The Ai Family had developed the new pills recently and rode on a new wave of wealth. Now that they had taken initiative to give them money, the Xiao Family felt their spirits fluttering. 

“Hah.”

Sixth Elder slammed the bank notes onto the table and snarled, “What nonsense are you talking about? This is the penalty the Ai Family paid for breaking the contract!”

Penalty?

When they heard this word, their smiles solidified. 

Great Elder Xiao knit his brows. “What happened?”

Sixth Elder placed a letter on the table and huffed, “The Ai Family sent people to deliver this a moment ago, saying that they will cut off all business communications with our Xiao Family!”

“What?”

The elders all crowded around to read the letter. 

Indeed, the characters clearly wrote: “My Ai Family will henceforth cut off all commercial relations with the Xiao Family.” The signer was Ai Shangni — there was even a handprint!

The people who were excited a moment ago felt a hammer slam into their foreheads, souls seeming to instantly leave their bodies and almost collapsing to the floor!

Although there was a lot of money in the penalty, if all relations were cut with the Ai Family, they had no way to get high quality medicine or herbs. How were they supposed to do business now?

Kacha!

Great Elder Xiao crumpled the letter and angrily said, “Our Xiao Family has definitely offended someone.”