The Xiao family heard from rogue cultivators that a Xu Trading Company had appeared in Yuehu Commandery.
After inquiring, they learned some news about the Xu family.
And Xiao Changyuan just happened to have served as Immortal Official in Qingjiang County, knowing part of the Xu clan's trajectory before their rise.
He was now at late seventh layer of Qi Refining, ranked among the elders in the Xiao family, with his presence at most major and minor deliberations.
The Xiao family also thirsted for middle and top-grade pills and middle and top-grade magical artifacts.
Even though Longjiang Commandery's overall strength far exceeded Yuehu Commandery, middle and top-grade pills and magical artifacts appearing in the market were still extremely rare.
Besides the Clear Wave Lake Liu family having such pill refiners and artifact refiners in their clan, almost no Qi Refining families did.
Most could only refine middle-grade pills and artifacts.
The success rate for top-grade was very, very low.
If that failed, they would try to trade with the Xu family for some top-grade Qi Gathering Pills, Barrier Breaking Pills and such, along with top-grade magical artifacts.
At the mountain base entrance, Xiao Changyuan looked up at the sky. Semi-transparent light screens flickered in and out of view. He couldn't help sighing inwardly, "Why does the Xu family have so many array restrictions? Could they have recruited or cultivated an array master?"
Compared to pill refiners and artifact refiners, array masters and talisman masters were clearly fewer.
Those who could be called grandmaster array masters and grandmaster talisman makers were even rarer, like phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
Seeing Ren Xiaoyao and Xu Derong, the guards at the mountain bowed with cupped hands, "Young Master Xiaoyao, Miss Rong."
Then looking at Xiao Changyuan, they asked again, "Who is this person?"
"Xiao Changyuan. I heard he was our Qingjiang's first-generation Immortal Official and has old ties with my father. He's come to visit our Xu family."
The two guards exchanged glances, then made way and said, "Please."
Without Xiao Changyuan, the two would probably have been let through directly.
After all, the array restrictions wouldn't block them.
Climbing the mountain path's bluestone steps, Xiao Changyuan clearly felt the spiritual energy on the mountain was no less abundant than the commandery city and its surroundings. Probably only clan territories occupying spiritual energy nodes could surpass it.
Of course, Xiao Changyuan naturally wouldn't ask about it in person.
This obviously involved the Xu family's secrets. If he asked, this trip would likely gain nothing.
…
Xu family main hall.
"Please wait here, Uncle Xiao. Someone has been sent to notify my father. He should arrive soon. We'll take our leave now."
"Thank you, dear niece." Xiao Changyuan smiled slightly.
At Discipline Hall, when Xu Mingyuan heard that Xiao Changyuan had come to visit and arrived together with Xu Derong and the others, he was immediately surprised.
"Interesting. It's only been this long, yet the Xiao family has already come looking for us.
Looks like our Xu Trading Company's reputation has gradually spread."
After thinking it over, Xu Mingyuan stepped on his sword and left, heading to the Xu family residence.
It really was Xiao Changyuan!
"Brother Xiao, it really is you. What wind blew you back to Qingjiang from Longjiang?" Xu Mingyuan walked into the hall with a smile, bowing with cupped hands.
Xiao Changyuan also stood up, smiling as he cupped his hands, "Brother Mingyuan, it's been a long time."
"Brother Xiao, please sit."
After Xiao Changyuan sat down, he said, "Xiao also stayed in Qingjiang for many years. Thinking of it now, I came to revisit old haunts.
I just didn't expect the changes to be so great. Quite moving."
"Oh, Brother Xiao has already toured Qingjiang?"
"That's right. The changes are too great. In a few decades, it might rival the commandery city's prosperity.
Additionally, Xiao happened to encounter Brother Mingyuan's disciple and daughter in the county by chance."
"Is that so? My daughter is mischievous. Did she offend Brother Xiao in any way?"
"Brother Mingyuan jests. If your daughter counts as mischievous, wouldn't some of my Xiao family's juniors all be domineering and arrogant?"
"Hahaha~"
The two looked at each other and laughed heartily.
"Brother Xiao, why did you come to visit my Xu family?"
Hearing this, Xiao Changyuan fell silent for a moment, picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and praised, "Good tea."
Only then did he say flatly, "Now the Xu family's fame has risen like a crane. Your reputation has even spread to my Longjiang Commandery. My Xiao family has also heard of it.
At first, Xiao truly couldn't believe it.
After all, Xiao only left Qingjiang a dozen years ago, yet your Xu family has already become an immortal cultivation family but at this moment, I have to believe it.
Brother Mingyuan, I didn't expect you would also embark on the immortal cultivation path."
"Just lucky." Xu Mingyuan bowed with cupped hands. "Brother Xiao didn't come to my Xu family just to reminisce and express emotion, right? Also to trade for middle and top-grade pills and artifacts?"
"Brother Mingyuan is as perceptive as ever. Having heard of it, I came to take a look."
"If so, why doesn't Brother Xiao go to our Xu Trading Company? Whatever middle and top-grade pills and artifacts my Xu family can sell are all displayed in the trading company."
Xiao Changyuan smiled, "Xiao can't stay long in Yuehu Commandery. These two items are scarce in the trading company after all. Whether I can wait for them depends on luck. Even if they appear, I'd have to compete with numerous rogue cultivators..."
"So you want to trade directly from the source." After thinking for a moment, Xu Mingyuan said flatly, "This isn't impossible either. However, if it's only trading for a few middle and top-grade pills, then please go look at the trading company, Brother Xiao.
But if Brother Xiao represents the Xiao family behind you and wants to establish stable trade with my Xu family, that can still be discussed."
After speaking, Xu Mingyuan sipped his tea, quietly waiting for his reply.
People like Xiao Changyuan were quite shrewd. To deal with such people, beating around the bush was useless. One must be straightforward, laying out the pros and cons clearly and letting them decide themselves.
After a moment of silence and consideration, Xiao Changyuan said, "If I represent the Xiao family, does your Xu family truly have so many resources to trade?"
"Whether to believe is up to Brother Xiao. My Xu family never forces anyone to trade."
Xiao Changyuan's eyes flickered, "If we trade, how would the trade work?"
"Top-grade pills are twenty percent above market price, top-grade artifacts ten percent higher. Can be exchanged for any immortal cultivation resources, including spirit rice, spirit stones, spirit herbs, spirit ores, demon beast materials, even demon beasts, spirit insects, rare techniques and secret arts, Foundation Establishment techniques, and so on."
"So diverse?"
Xiao Changyuan was secretly shocked. Usually family trades mostly involved spirit stones, spirit ores, demon beast materials, spirit herbs and such.
Taking spirit rice, spirit insects, techniques and secret arts for trade was quite rare. However, this also showed the Xu family was indeed a newly promoted immortal cultivation family, quite thirsty for all immortal cultivation resources.
"Why increase top-grade pills by twenty percent? If it's trade between families, that's wholesale business. Your Xu family should lower prices."
Xu Mingyuan had anticipated this and said flatly, "Twenty percent includes foreseeable risk."
"Placed in the market and trading with rogue cultivators, because quantities are small, there's almost no risk. But trading with family clans like your Xiao family, though the profits are greater, the risks are also considerable.
Which family doesn't have a few rivals or competitors? If trading causes my Xu family to face suppression and persecution from your Xiao family's competitors, will the Xiao family pay in full for all these losses to my Xu family?"
After a pause, he continued, "Trade is trade. Whether mundane trade or trade between immortal cultivators, it's all payment and delivery with no further responsibility.
Therefore, my Xu family must assess the risks."
Xiao Changyuan felt he had a point, but also felt something wasn't quite right. However, this trade was the Xiao family coming to them, not the Xu family begging to trade. The initiative had always been in the Xu family's hands.
Even without trading with the Xiao family, the Xu family wouldn't suffer any losses.
In the immortal cultivation world, regardless of commandery, top-grade pills and artifacts were precious resources, considered premium trades even in the Imperial City.
Pills were still manageable, but premium artifacts and top-tier artifacts were almost impossible to trade in large quantities.
First due to material limitations, second due to the refiner's attainments.
Otherwise, wouldn't the core disciples and elders of first and second-rank families in the Imperial City all have premium artifacts in hand?
"I must carefully consider this matter, or need to return and discuss with the family."
"Naturally. Trading with a major family clan isn't something I alone can decide in my Xu family either."
"Then I won't stay long."
With Xu Mingyuan being so direct, Xiao Changyuan naturally couldn't make further requests to meet the pill refining grandmaster and artifact refining grandmaster.
Probably only after the two families had multiple trades and a closer relationship would it be possible.
Seven or eight days later.
Xiao Changyuan visited Dongxi again, bringing a trade list with quite a substantial quantity.
Pills were mainly top-grade Barrier Breaking Pills and top-grade Qi Gathering Pills. As for artifacts, there were two top-grade magical artifacts.
Involving top-grade magical artifacts, Xu Mingyuan went to ask Wu Mingsheng. If the demon beast materials, spirit iron, and spirit ores the Xiao family gave had profit margins, then he would directly refine them.
After all, the Xu family also didn't have many top-grade magical artifacts and couldn't possibly give away those in their own hands.
"Elder Mingyuan, this old man only has a thirty percent success rate refining top-grade magical artifacts. One set of materials costs around dozens of spirit stones. If successful on the first try, the profit is considerable. However, failing three or four times is also normal."
Hearing this, Xu Mingyuan fell into silent contemplation.
"Direct refusal isn't good. Then just refine one top-grade magical artifact. How long will it take?"
"At fastest three to five days, at slowest over half a month."
Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly, then went back to the hall to negotiate with Xiao Changyuan.
Suggesting he could convert the top-grade artifact to pills, or directly cancel the trade for one of the top-grade artifacts.
Xiao Changyuan thought secretly: Looks like the Xu family also lacks top-grade magical artifacts, or this artifact refining grandmaster's attainments are limited.
Being able to refine top-grade magical artifacts qualified one to be called an artifact refining grandmaster.
The success rate of top-grade magical artifacts represented their true worth.
Top-tier artifact refining grandmasters could have sixty to seventy percent success rates refining top-grade magical artifacts, with a twenty to thirty percent chance of refining premium artifacts.
Xiao Changyuan understood in his heart. After silent contemplation, he said, "Then convert to three bottles of top-grade Qi Nurturing Pills, two bottles of top-grade Essence Restoration Pills. The rest are all top-grade Qi Gathering Pills."
"Agreed." Xu Mingyuan smiled slightly. "However, the pill quantity is substantial and will take over half a month."
"Xiao also needs to return once to bring the resources."
The Xiao family couldn't possibly place large amounts of resources with an elder at only the seventh layer of Qi Refining. If an accident truly occurred, the Xiao family would cry themselves to death.
Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly.
He felt that next time the Xiao family came, it probably wouldn't be Xiao Changyuan alone.
Sure enough, half a month later.
The Xiao family contingent included one more late ninth layer Qi Refining and one peak eighth layer Qi Refining immortal cultivator.
The Xu family naturally had already prepared everything to be delivered.
The top-grade artifact refinement, though it failed the first time, succeeding on the second attempt was still quite good.
Pills were even less of a problem.
With the assistance of [Withering and Flourishing Life and Death], Xu Chuan's pill Dao attainments grew increasingly profound, not far from the Eight Flames level of the Nine Flames Formula.
This time, the Xu family still only had Xu Mingyuan appear, though he called upon Wu Zhen, this late eighth layer Qi Refining rogue cultivator who had recently joined the Xu family.
Who currently staying at the Battle Hall, the other two also knew some immortal arts and naturally entered the Immortal Arts Hall.
…
Xu family main hall.
"Brother Changyuan, how should these two be addressed?" Xu Mingyuan looked at the two gray-haired elders beside Xiao Changyuan.
"These two are both elders of my Xiao family. This is the Second Elder, and that one is the Seventh Elder."
After Xiao Changyuan's introduction, Xu Mingyuan said, "He's called Wu Zhen, a rogue cultivator recruited by my Xu family."
Then the corners of his lips curved in a faint smile as he waved his wide sleeves, "Three Fellow Daoists, please all be seated."
Xiao family Second Elder got straight to the point, "Fellow Daoist Xu, regarding the pills and artifacts my Xiao family requested, how is the preparation?"
"Second Elder is straightforward."
Xu Mingyuan swept his sleeve over the table surface. Immediately, a neat row of porcelain bottles appeared on the table, each bottle bearing a label then with a casual wave, these pills fell one by one onto the tea tables beside each person.
Xu Mingyuan was in no rush, sipping fragrant tea, letting them check slowly.
This was the Xu family's clan territory. If they wanted to cause trouble, just three late Qi Refining cultivators couldn't possibly escape the Xu family.
Wu Zhen didn't know what they were trading, but at this moment when Xiao Changyuan and the others opened the bottle stoppers to check, thick pill fragrances immediately permeated the entire hall.
"All top-grade pills. Quite a few Qi Gathering Pills, plus Barrier Breaking Pills, Qi Nurturing Pills, Essence Restoration Pills. This quantity is truly substantial.
Indeed, the decision to join the Xu family was correct. Even the Zhou family probably can't easily produce so many top-grade pills."
Shortly after, the three from the Xiao family exchanged glances and all nodded slightly.
Xiao family Second Elder stroked his beard with a smile, "Not bad. All top-grade pills. For the Xu family, a newly promoted Qi Refining family, to produce so many top-grade pills at once truly surprises this old man.
Among the surrounding commanderies, probably not every Foundation Establishment family could produce them."
"Second Elder praises us. My Xu family's sincerity has been shown. It's the Xiao family's turn."
Xiao family Second Elder hesitated slightly, then took out a storage bag and tossed it to Xu Mingyuan.
With a sweep of divine sense, Xu Mingyuan's expression immediately darkened.
"Second Elder, this is half short of the agreed resources. This matter is no joke. If you have them, quickly produce them. After all, it concerns whether several of you can walk out of my Xu family intact today."
A strange atmosphere permeated the entire main hall.
"Brother Mingyuan, don't be anxious. For safety, the other half is in my hands. Because we rushed here, I momentarily forgot to hand it to Second Elder."
Hearing this, Xu Mingyuan immediately smiled, "So that's how it is. I was too hasty."
Xiao Changyuan also took out a storage bag and delivered it before Xu Mingyuan.
With a divine sense sweep, in front of the three from the Xiao family, Xu Mingyuan transferred all resources to his own storage bag, then returned both bags with a faint smile, "My Xu family runs a small business with honest operations, absolutely not taking even a penny more from customers."
Both Xiao family Second Elder and Seventh Elder's expressions showed some displeasure but they also didn't say much.
Xu Mingyuan said, "I've heard the Xiao family is a great clan in Longjiang Commandery, ranked among the top even among fifth-rank families, with stable family allies. Seems to be called the Gu family, right?
I wonder when your esteemed clan's young friend Xiao Yan and the Gu family's Miss Gu Xuanxuan will hold their wedding ceremony?
My Xu family would gladly present a generous gift then."