From heading up the mountain yesterday to returning today, Lin Yan hadn’t alerted anyone. He had thrown the bear meat into the cellar in his courtyard.
The cellars at the foot of the mountain were all very cool. Storing it for ten days to half a month would be no problem at all.
After arranging everything, Lin Yan deliberately left his courtyard and appeared in public a few times. If the Cyan Pine Martial Arts Hall were to investigate, these people would be his witnesses, confirming he had been in his courtyard.
However, even after he had eaten all the bear meat, no one from the Cyan Pine Martial Arts Hall had come here.
’Has the Cyan Pine Martial Arts Hall not yet extended its search this far, or does its master believe his disciple died at the hands of a wild beast and decided not to investigate?’
Lin Yan frowned. But regardless of the reason, out of an abundance of caution, he decided not to venture out for the time being and to wait a while longer.
Ten days passed, and the height of Lin Yan’s Martial Arts Tree reached one and a half inches.
On this day, as he was practicing his martial arts in the courtyard as usual, a voice came from the gate.
"Is Young Master Lin in?"
The visitor was Xia Mingtang, a top-tier Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist assigned here by the Tang Family.
Xia Mingtang pushed the door open and entered. As the Tang Family’s top-tier Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist here, second only to Lin Yan, Xia Mingtang was the one who truly managed the specific affairs. Right now, his expression was anxious. "Young Master Lin, a batch of our medicinal herbs was stolen yesterday."
"Stolen? By mountain bandits?"
Lin Yan frowned. The Tang Family had operated in Sanshan County’s territory for many years without incident. Had he run into bandits as soon as he arrived?
"Not bandits."
Xia Mingtang knew Lin Yan had misunderstood and explained, "Young Master Lin, my apologies for being unclear. A batch of herbs that our Tang Family Pharmacy was supposed to purchase locally yesterday was intercepted by another family."
From Xia Mingtang’s explanation, Lin Yan finally understood what had happened.
In Sanshan County, besides having their own mountains for growing medicinal herbs, the Tang Family also purchased local herbs. Some Traveling Merchants would go down to the villages, collect the herbs, and then deliver them in bulk to the Tang Family’s local pharmacy.
Usually, yesterday would have been the day the Traveling Merchants made their monthly herb delivery. However, Xia Mingtang had waited in the storeroom for half the day and not a single Traveling Merchant had shown up.
Upon making inquiries today, he learned that these Traveling Merchants had been stopped on the road by men from the Wei Family. They were forcibly taken away by Wei Family Martial Artists and coerced into selling all their herbs to the Wei Family.
Like the Tang Family, the Wei Family was also in the medicinal herb business, but the Wei Family’s operations were confined to the territory of Sanshan County.
Lin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. As a local medicinal herb merchant in Sanshan County, the Wei Family must have resented the Tang Family for horning in on their business. Yet, they had made no moves all these years, only to pull a stunt like this right after Zhang Xin left. ’Are they convinced they can just walk all over me?’
"What is the Wei Family’s strength?"
"The Wei Family father and son are both Third-Time Skin Smoothing powerhouses. The Wei Family Patriarch achieved the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing eight years ago. Two years ago, Lord Zhang sparred with the Wei Family Patriarch, and Lord Zhang had the upper hand."
Hearing Xia Mingtang’s answer, Lin Yan recalled the height of the Martial Arts Tree displayed when he had touched Zhang Xin during the welcome banquet: three feet and four inches.
Two years ago, the Wei Family Patriarch was weaker than Zhang Xin. Now, at most, he would be on par with Zhang Xin, at the Realm of three feet and four inches.
That was two and a half inches higher than his own.
’I could probably win a fight against him. With my Sword Intent and Stone Waist Barbarian Ridge, I should be fine. But I can’t finish him in one blow. It’s too risky. Better not.’
"Young Master Lin, what should we do next? Should we go negotiate with the Wei Family?" Xia Mingtang asked, interjecting when he saw Lin Yan fall silent.
Lin Yan shook his head. "Forget it. If the Wei Family wants to intercept our supplies, then we’ll just raise our purchase price."
Hearing Lin Yan’s reply, a trace of disappointment flickered in Xia Mingtang’s eyes, but he wasn’t surprised.
Lord Zhang was a veteran Third-Time Skin Smoothing powerhouse, so the Wei Family wouldn’t have dared to try anything. But Young Master Lin had only recently broken through to the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, while the Wei Family had two such Martial Artists. It was normal for Young Master Lin to back down.
In any case, the Wei Family wouldn’t dare completely offend their Boss. At most, they would only intercept one or two batches of herbs. As for raising the purchase price, that was within Young Master Lin’s authority.
Lin Yan truly didn’t want to cause trouble. Besides, raising the purchase price would benefit the herb gatherers who went up the mountains, which could be considered a way of looking after the common people.
After sending Xia Mingtang away, Lin Yan continued his Cultivation.
SWISH SWISH SWISH!
The Longsword in his hand was like a carving knife. With a swing through the air, delicate, hollow patterns appeared on the petals of a yellow flower in the corner of the courtyard wall.
He sorted the herbs he had gathered and sold them to the Tang Family Pharmacy, while also continuing to study the Silk Binding Sword Intent.
Silk Binding Sword Intent: to lift the heavy as if it were light, to hear thunder in the most subtle of details.
To Lin Yan’s pleasant surprise, as he studied the Silk Binding Sword Intent, the circulation of his Qi Blood also became more refined. The force he generated was no longer just about wide, powerful movements; it had gained a thread of skillful subtlety.
’So, developing a Mental Realm also helps with Qi Blood control. I comprehended "Intent" with the help of a Martial Arts Fruit, and now I can use the subtlety of that "Intent" to reverse-engineer the control of my Qi Blood’s power. This has doubled my results with half the effort.’
This exquisite control over his Qi Blood fascinated Lin Yan. Compared to this, fighting and killing the Wei Family was truly not to his liking.
The Wei Family.
"Father, that Lin Yan doesn’t dare to confront our Wei Family. He just told his subordinates to raise the purchase price for the herbs."
Listening to his son, a sneer appeared on Wei Li’s face. "I’ve investigated this Lin Yan sent by the Tang Family. He comes from a common background in Guangping County. The only reason he could have reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing is that his ancestors performed some great deeds. Even as a Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist, a person like that is bound to be a timid coward."
"Father, your judgment is truly sharp."
"He wants to raise the purchase price? The Traveling Merchants have to dare to sell to him first." A cruel glint appeared in Wei Li’s eyes. "Shaoyou, give the order. If any Traveling Merchant dares to sell their herbs to the Tang Family Pharmacy, our Wei Family will break their arms and legs."
Wei Shaoyou was taken aback. "Father, won’t this anger the Tang Family?"
The Tang Family has a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist!
"This is Sanshan County. Even if a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist from the Tang Family came to the county, our own Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists here wouldn’t just stand by and watch." Wei Li lowered his voice and continued, "Besides, the Tang Family is overwhelmed with its own problems right now. They don’t have the mind to worry about things over here."
"Father, did you hear some rumors?"
"In Guangping County, a new group called the Four Seas Gang has emerged and is fighting with the Inspection Bureau. The Tang Family chose to remain neutral, which means they’ve pleased neither side. Both factions are putting pressure on the Tang Family. It’s already a struggle for them to maintain their livelihood in Guangping County; they have no capacity to worry about Sanshan County."
"Honestly, if I were the Tang Family, whether I chose the Four Seas Gang or the Inspection Bureau, joining either side would allow them to crush the other. They would reap far more benefits that way. But it’s better for us that the Tang Family is being foolish. This works out perfectly for us."
"I see."
Wei Shaoyou had a moment of realization. No wonder his father dared to intercept the Tang Family’s medicinal herbs at a time like this.
As the largest pharmacy business in Sanshan County, their Wei Family could have originally purchased herbs at a much lower price.
But because of the Tang Family’s presence, the moment they tried to lower the prices, the herb gatherers would just sell their herbs to the Tang Family instead. The father and son had long been filled with resentment toward the Tang Family.
Though they were full of resentment before, they could only endure it out of fear of the Tang Family’s power. But with an opportunity like this, as long as they could drive the Tang Family away, their Wei Family could suppress the prices however they wished. If the herb gatherers refused to sell, they could only watch their herbs rot.

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