The Huang Artifact Refinery Shop was divided into two floors, with the first floor selling common and intermediate-grade magic artifacts, mainly catering to Qi Cultivation practitioners in the early and middle stages, while the second floor featured superior and supreme-grade magic artifacts.
In terms of decoration, the design was intricate, with the first-floor wooden door carved with fierce tigers and delicate roses, and the second floor adorned with dragons and phoenixes dancing, symbolizing profound meanings.
The Huang Family came from a lineage of artifact refiners, boasting three Third-Rank Artifact Refiners within their clan.
Their artifact refining business was also surprisingly successful.
Lin Xianzhi, accompanied by a large group of Lin Family cultivators, had arrived, and their light words immediately drew the attention of the Huang Family cultivators.
One of the wooden windows on the second floor opened to reveal an elder in a yellow brocade robe, appearing before everyone's eyes. The tea in front of the elder had long since lost its warmth, as if he had been waiting for a considerable time.
It was Huangyun Qi, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Huang Family.
From his elevated position, he looked down at the Lin Family members, finally fixing his gaze on Lin Xianzhi.
"Nephew Xianzhi, you schemed to trick us out of several of our shops and over a hundred Spirit Trees. Now you come here, possibly to bully an old man like me!"
One reference to 'nephew,' one mention of 'bullying.'
Suddenly, a great commotion arose among the loose cultivators and the families of other shops.
Many had heard the rumor that Lin Xianzhi was grievously injured and beyond cure, and yet now he had dared to confront the Huang Family.
"Old Huangyun Qi really knows how to bite first like an evil dog!" Lin Xianzhi was not angered and spoke calmly about the affair of Peach Blossom Valley, leaving right and wrong to be distinguished by others.
"Lin Xianzhi, I won't quibble with you. I have already made concessions. Do you really want to engage in a magical contest with me?" Huangyun Qi let out a cold shout, and as he released his late-stage Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure, it turned into a wave of Spirit Might, bearing down on the hearts of the Lin Family cultivators.
"I'm offering you the shop out of respect, recognizing the Lin Family as a Foundation Establishment clan. If it weren't for this respect, today you wouldn't even dream of taking away a single shop!"
Huangyun Qi's aura and presence broke forth, instantly creating a powerful sense of oppression, and his words became increasingly sharp.
Especially those eyes, which did not bear the aged look of an elderly person but were instead full of vitality, with a contained killing intent.
He certainly looked as if he was on the verge of starting a fight at any moment, and indeed, Huangyun Qi had the confidence to do so. Xingzhou was a remote region with fewer resources compared to other states, and the Purple Mansion Family only had one branch, which was the Huang Family's in-laws, the Li Family.
In this Qingyun Market, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was already a towering presence.
"Do you intend to defy the Qingxuan Sect?" Lin Xianzhi flicked his finger lightly, and a Qingxuan Spirit Contract soared into the air.
But who would dare to impersonate a direct disciple? Especially a Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator.
"Regarding the Huang Family's shops, I will report to my master later. Additionally, I would like to ask Huang Daoist for a demonstration of your might to see if it's as fierce as before," Xie An stated.
Xie An's words turned Huangyun Qi's face from bad to worse, his Foundation Establishment late-stage demeanor completely gone.
Setting aside that he dared not engage in a spell fight with a Sect disciple, the Foundation Establishment late-stage Sect cultivators were far superior to their family cultivators. After all, their Cultivation Techniques and Magic Artifacts couldn't compare.
Not to mention that there was a Purple Mansion Loose behind it all.
Huangyun Qi also knew about Zi Xuan Hermit, a well-established Purple Mansion Loose.
But what confused him was that Lin Xianzhi had refused to leave the family and become a direct disciple, which should mean that Zi Xuan Hermit and the Lin Family had parted ways.
Not without good reason was Huangyun Qi a veteran in these affairs, knowing that sometimes the situation was beyond one's control. Saying anything more was useless, he quickly waved his hand.
"There must have been some mistake with the ten shops; since Zi Xuan Hermit wants them, my Huang Family will give up two more shops!" Despite the smile on his face, Huangyun Qi was bleeding inside.
In the Qingyun market, their Huang Family owned thirty percent, but most of the shops were rented out. To come up with twelve shops, they would have to pay a heavy price to take them back from the tenants.
This operation would result in a loss of tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, and these shops were the family's foundation. After this move, the family's foundation would be severely weakened.
If they did not find new sources of wealth, it would be difficult for the Huang Family to support even three Foundation Establishment cultivators, let alone nurture the younger generation.
Seeing Huangyun Qi apologize like this, both Xie An and Lin Xianzhi decided to accept the offer, knowing that pushing too hard could lead to desperate actions from the other side, which would benefit no one if it came down to a matter of life and death.
For the Lin Family members, the previous gloom was swept away, replaced by a sense of exhilaration.
The subsequent matters were straightforward. The Huang Family agreed to gather twelve shops within a day and proactively offered to give the Huang's Artifact Refining Shop to the Lin Family.
The Lin Family kept the promise and gave the seven shops to Zi Xuan Hermit but managed them on his behalf, while the remaining two better shops were given to Xie An.
The Lin Family still gained three shops as before.
Each shop could bring in a few thousand Spirit Stones a year, instantly revitalizing the Lin Family's finances.
Moreover, the production of the Lin Family's Spiritual Wine was also on schedule. A special restaurant would be opened to sell Second Rank Inferior Grade Qing Peach Spiritual Wine and Second Rank Intermediate Grade Monkey Wine.
The Monkey Wine was developed by the family's brewmasters, who after a month of repeated adjustments and brewing, created it. Although it didn't have the exact taste of natural Monkey Wine, it was nearly the same, with all the effects of Monkey Wine intact. It was bound to make a splash in the market and earn a fortune.