A few dayster,snow fell inNanli City.


    After stopping for a few days, it started snowing again.


    It was peaceful in Nanli City, and the streetsbecame lively.


    It was almost time for the holidays and the Lunar New Year.


    On the streets, everyone was busy buying Lunar New Year goods, and paper cuttings could be seen pasted on the windows of the houses lining the streets.


    Bright rednterns were hung, decorating the streets.


    People selling Lunar New Year goods could be seen everywhere.


    Even the cultivators residing in Nanli City could not help feeling infected by the festive atmosphere in the Mortal Realm.


    Nanli City wasfull ofa happy atmosphere.


    The one exception was the Jiang residence. Its atmosphere waslow and depressing.


    Afew days ago, the Qi family started buyingrge amounts of herbs at particrly high prices.


    Among these herbs,manyof them seemed worthless and were of little medical value.


    Almost all the cultivators and herb suppliers sold their herbs to the Qi family at high prices.


    Jiang Zhen had strong business acumen and could tellthere was the Qi family’spurchaseof herbs.


    He found manyalchemists to studythe herbs the Qi family had purchased.Unfortunately, hecould not figure outwhat kind of pill they werefor.


    This came as no surprise.


    The Immortality Pill prescription from Ning Yechen was self-made, and no records of it existedinmedical literature.


    Qi Rongchang was very intelligent as well.


    He knew that the Jiang familywould definitelycatch wind of this, so when he sent the orders to purchase the herbs, he included herbs that were not in the prescription.


    Even if the Jiang family studied fora lifetime, theywould never findtheanswer.


    Meanwhile, at the Jiang residence,Jiang Zhensatin the main hall, frowningand rubbing his temples,looking exhausted.


    With the TreasuresMerchant Alliance as thewitness, he did not dare to hold onto control of themercial streets in Nanli City.


    After the Qi family gained control of thestreets, they startedsuppressingthe Jiang family’s business!


    Many of his former merchantshad nowturned tothe Qi family!


    He was up to his elbows trying to fight back against the Qi family!


    In the family, other thana fewsupervisors and hisyoungerbrother, Jiang Ming, everyone else was useless!


    This was especially so for his son, Jiang Li, who only used tocare about women and did not have the slightest business talent.


    After losing his manhood, he keptlosinghis temper and smashing things, showingno signs of doing anything productive!


    If Jiang Li werenot Jiang Zhen’s only son, he would havebeendriven out of thefamily!


    The Jiang family wasstill unable to find the mysterious character who hadattackedJiang Li and Jiang Gan.


    No onein the family knewwhen they hadoffended such a powerfulfigureor when thispersonmight strike again.


    After Chen Rou’s death, Jiang Zhenandthe rest of the familyhad beenlivingin fear.


    They were terrified that they would be next.


    The mental torture left the Jiang family exhaustedphysically and mentally.


    It was one thing after another,makingJiang Zhenfeel troubled and hishead ache.


    “Big Brother.” JiangMingwalked into the main hall and greeted Jiang Zhen.


    During this time, hehad been responsible for recruiting alchemists toresearch the Meridian Recovery Medicine sold by the Qi familyand the recently purchased herbs.


    At the same time, he was busy sendingpeopleto track down Jiang Gan’smurderer.


    Seeing Jiang Ming, Jiang Zhenlooked expectant andhurriedly asked, “How did it go? What have you learned about the Qi family''s prescription?”


    Jiang Ming shook his head and said with regret, “Nothing. The herbstheQi family purchasedare too wide inscopeand strange. Ifounddozens ofalchemiststo studyit,but it was no use.”


    Jiang Zhen leaned back in his chair in disappointment and rubbedhis brow. “In that case, why are you here?”


    “The Qi family sentpeople again.They want to buy herbs from us attentimes the price.”Jiang Ming steppedforward, took outthe list from his chest, and handed it to Jiang Zhen.


    Jiang Zhen did not bother looking at the list. He justgrabbed it andtoreitto shreds. He shouted furiously, “Tell them to get lost! Otherwise, cut off their heads and send them back! Even if the herbs rot in the warehouse, over my dead body will we sell it to them!”


    Jiang Ming stood by the sideandponderedbriefly beforepersuading, “Why don’t we raise the price and sell the herbs to them?”


    “You want to sell the herbs to the Qi family?” Jiang Zhenredat Jiang Ming.


    Jiang Ming nodded solemnly.“You know about our debts.”


    The Jiang family’s businessrelied mainly on selling Fire Lotus Medicine.


    Now that the Qi family had taken over Nanli City, the Jiangfamilycould no longer suppress the prices ofthe ingredients for the Fire Lotus Medicine.


    The cost of production for the Fire Lotus Medicinehad greatly increasedwhile their sales channels had dwindled.


    Recently, they made huge orders for Fire Lotus Medicine ingredients from other ces using credit, and part of the debt wasdue monthly.


    They also had to pay tribute to the Sacred Lotus Sectmonthly, costing them arge amount of spirit stones.


    Despite looking well off, the Jiang family had to make high cash outflows, so they hardly had any cash on hand.


    Now that the Qi family was hurting their business, they did not have enough cash to make their payments due next month.


    If they were unable to pay their debts on time, it would deeply affect their reputation.


    Once their reputation took a hit, it would bedifficultto cooperatewith other businesses in the future!


    Jiang Zhen was trying to solve this problem but to no avail.


    They had thought the Jiang familywasbound to win thpetition,so they had made a huge order for the Fire Lotus Medicine ingredients on credit.


    As long as they had won thepetition and taken overNanli City’smercial activities, it would have been easy for them to payoff the debts.


    Unexpectedly, they lost, putting the Jiang family into such dire straits.


    “Sigh. Tell me about your n. Since you want us to sell the herbs to them, I’m sure there’s more to this.” Jiang Zhen lookedat Jiang Ming.


    His younger brother was rather shrewd.


    The Jiang family was able to have such sess thanks to the two of them.


    Sadly, neither of their sonslived up to expectations.


    Jiang Min smiled and suggested, “Big Brother, I have an idea! The Qi familyis probably buyingthose herbs to make the Meridian Recovery Medicine. Thismedicine isn’t forbody tempering,so it won''t affect our business. Why don’t we take this opportunityto sell the herbstheyneed at high prices and produce more Fire Lotus Medicine?


    “When the timees, we can sell them at high prices to meet ourfunding glow! This way, the city will still belong to us!”