The sound of shattered porcelain filled the room.

Zhang Xiao, the Ancestor of the Zhang family, had just overturned the teaware on the table in a fit of rage.

The room was silent, everyone too scared to speak.

“Damn those Qin family members! They dared to capture my son. Do they think they can bully the Zhang family? Is that old hag Qin Wenxuan looking to add new wounds to her old ones?”

Seeing the situation, another elder of the Zhang family, Hao Gou, quickly tried to calm him down. “Ancestor, don’t worry. The Third Elder is only injured and not in grave danger. The most important thing now is to get him back.”

Hao Gou didn’t have the Zhang surname because he was married into the family.

He had good talent, and ten years ago, the Zhang family had given him a Foundation Establishment Pill, making him the second Foundation Establishment cultivator in the family.

He then steadily climbed the ranks to become the First Elder.

Hao Gou was usually quite authoritative within the Zhang family, but in front of the Ancestor, the most powerful cultivator, he had to be careful and speak respectfully.

Zhang Xiao, not being a fool, calmed down a bit and asked, “So, the Qin family doesn’t want to release him?”

Elder Hao Gou lowered his eyes and replied, “The Qin family said the Third Elder broke the agreement, sneaked into the secret realm, and injured an important junior of their family. They demand an explanation.”

“Hmph, an explanation! It’s already generous of us not to demand one from them. Now they want an explanation from us. Tell Qin Wenxuan, is the Qin family looking to start a war with the Zhang family?”

“Ancestor, the Celestial Bureau forbids families from starting wars without cause, and our Zhang family… we are indeed at fault.”

Hao Gou seemed to be patiently persuading, but in his mind, he was impatiently complaining:

Does this old fool still think the Qin family is the same as before?

Just look at the matter with the pharmacy.

The Qin family is much stronger now.

Yet, he keeps threatening them.

Does he really think the Qin family is afraid?

Idiot.

The mention of the Celestial Bureau brought Zhang Xiao back to some sense.

He pondered for a moment and asked, “What does the Qin family want to release him?”

Someone below replied, “The Qin family said they want to meet and discuss it.”

This so-called discussion was just a polite way of saying that the Qin family was using the Third Elder Zhang Li as leverage to demand benefits from the Zhang family.

The negotiation was really about what conditions the Zhang family would have to meet for the Qin family to release him.

Thinking about how the Qin family was using his son as a threat made Zhang Xiao furious again.

However, he had no choice but to endure it for now, planning to settle the score later.

Zhang Xiao angrily said, “Those Qin family scoundrels have never seen any good things. Whatever they want, as long as it’s not too much, give it to them…”

Everyone else quickly agreed.

The Zhang family was wealthy and looked down on the Qin family’s demands.

Hao Gou stood aside with his hands clasped, listening to them insult the Qin family.

He didn’t say a word.

The Zhang family members were arrogant from top to bottom.

If it wasn’t for his family’s weakness back then and the need for an alliance through marriage, Hao Gou would never have joined this family with no prospects.

The Qin family was growing stronger, and this time they clearly had the upper hand.

They wouldn’t let this chance slip by easily.

Moreover, in his opinion, whether Zhang Li could keep his life was still uncertain.

However, saying this out loud would definitely displease the old fool Zhang Xiao.

Being a son-in-law in the Zhang family, Hao Gou’s position was already sensitive.

Recently, he had hoped to gain some face within the family through the matter of the Revitalization Pill, but the results were disappointing, even bringing some gossip upon himself.

Now, with the Ancestor’s son involved, a sensitive matter, since they had already made up their minds, there was no need for him to say more.

So, he kept silent.

The Zhang family didn’t take the Qin family’s demands seriously and agreed to a meeting between the two families.

However, as it was a formal negotiation, the meeting place was crucial.

Neither side would feel safe on the other’s territory, so they finally decided on “Fifth Inn.”

The “Fifth” in Fifth Inn referred to a surname, not the number.

It was well-known that the cultivation world had two great noble families, the Fifth and the Feng families.

Therefore, Fifth Inn was run by the Fifth noble family.

The noble families maintained absolute neutrality and did not get involved in local affairs, but no one dared to provoke them.

Choosing Fifth Inn ensured that even if a conflict arose, neither side would dare act rashly.

In the largest private room on the third floor of the inn, the Qin and Zhang families faced each other.

Ancestor Wenxuan of the Qin family sat steadily, surrounded by Qin Dexin, the Grand Elder, and Clan Leader Qin Deming.

On the Zhang side, both of their Foundation Establishment cultivators were present, along with several elders for support.

Negotiations were fundamentally about power.

Thus, the Ancestor might not speak, but they had to be present, as Qin Ruqing would say, to “hold the fort.”

Ancestor Wenxuan held a teacup gracefully, pointing to a chair in front of her when she saw Zhang Xiao standing, his face dark with anger.

She said, “Why doesn’t Elder Xiao sit? At your age, your legs and feet aren’t as good. Please, sit down.”

Zhang Xiao was truly an elder, being 150 years old.

Ancestor Wenxuan was not even 100 yet, so calling him Elder Xiao sounded respectful but was actually mocking.

Sure enough, Zhang Xiao’s face darkened even more at this.

His gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed on Ancestor Wenxuan, and his aura flared as if he couldn’t hold back any longer.

Ancestor Wenxuan calmly took a sip from her cup and said, “Elder Xiao, don’t forget this is Fifth Inn.”

Indeed, as soon as she said this, an invisible spiritual sense seemed to sweep across the room.

This spiritual sense was openly detectable, carrying a faint warning.

Hao Gou tightly gripped Zhang Xiao’s sleeve, pulling him towards the chair.

Zhang Xiao snorted and finally sat down heavily.

What he feared was not the Qin family but the noble family behind Fifth Inn!

Hao Gou also sat beside him, smiling as he said, “No need for idle talk. Let’s get straight to the point. What conditions does the Qin family want for releasing our Third Elder?”

Qin Deming glanced at Hao Gou.

This man was a son-in-law of the Zhang family but had risen to the position of First Elder( Grand Elder ), indicating a deeply scheming nature.

However, no matter how deep his schemes, the leverage was with the Qin family this time, and they were determined to extract a significant price from the Zhang family.

As the clan leader, Qin Deming began to speak.

“Regarding this matter, it’s clear that the Zhang family breached the agreement first, and your Third Elder injured a significant junior member of our family.

Even if this goes to the Celestial Bureau, our Qin family is in the right.

However, our family values peace, so if the Zhang family can agree to our three conditions, you can take Elder Zhang Li back.”

The Zhang family members couldn’t help but roll their eyes at this. “Values peace”?

Everyone knew that the Qin family’s reputation, especially that of Ancestor Wenxuan, was built through conflict.

They had heard that Clan Leader Qin Deming was mild-mannered, but now they saw he was just as shrewd.

Qin Deming didn’t care what they thought and continued straightforwardly:

“First: Elder Zhang Li injured an important junior member of our family, who is still bedridden and has suffered permanent damage.

Therefore, the Zhang family must compensate this junior with 20,000 low-grade spirit stones and another 10,000 spirit stones to our family.”

As expected, the first demand was for money.

The Zhang family members felt disdainful, thinking the Qin family was beneath them.

Second Elder from Zhang mocked inwardly but said aloud, “Compensating the junior is one thing, but why should we also pay your family an additional 10,000 spirit stones? Qin family, isn’t that too much?”

Qin Deming, following his daughter’s advice, adopted a greedy demeanor and hurriedly said, “What do you mean too much? Zhang Li ruined our junior’s future; compensating with 20,000 spirit stones is already lenient.

The 10,000 spirit stones are for the damage to our family’s reputation caused by Zhang Li’s unauthorized entry into the secret realm. It’s a fee for the loss of our family’s honor.”

Reputation loss fee! What kind of ridiculous compensation was that?

Even Hao Gou was taken aback by this demand.

Was the Qin family really just after spirit stones?

If it was only about spirit stones, resolving this matter would be much simpler.

“There’s some truth in what the Qin family says, but 20,000 spirit stones is a significant amount.

Could we know which junior member was injured so that, besides the spirit stones, we can provide additional medicinal compensation?” Hao Gou’s words were skillfully spoken, essentially asking which junior member was injured.

Without knowing this, the Qin family could claim it was an important member, but it might just be an insignificant side branch.

If that were the case, paying 20,000 spirit stones would be a huge loss for the Zhang family.

Before Qin Deming could respond, Qin Dexin, who was lounging in her chair with her arms crossed, sneered and mocked, “Why beat around the bush? Don’t you already know in your hearts whether the injured junior is important or not? If it were an ordinary member, would your Third Elder abandon his mission to chase after a child?”

Hao Gou felt awkwardly silenced.

It was true; they knew the injured person must be significant.

Zhang Li wouldn’t have deviated from his mission for someone insignificant.

Zhang Xiao gave Hao Gou a look.

The Zhang family was wealthy and didn’t need to haggle over spirit stones with the Qin family.

Hao Gou understood and said, “Very well, we agree to pay the total of 30,000 spirit stones. What is the second condition?”

Qin Deming’s lips curled into a satisfied smile at the promise of spirit stones.

He continued confidently, “Second: The Qin family wants the development and settlement rights for the West Market on South Street!”

The West Market on South Street was a prime commercial area with high economic potential, making this demand significant.

Hao Gou immediately furrowed his brow, and the Zhang family members’ faces changed in an instant.

They had expected a demand for spirit stones, but this was going too far.

South Street was a prime commercial area controlled by the three major families of Nanning County.

The Zhang and Han families, being old families of Nanling, had already taken the best spots when the Qin family moved in later.

Now, the Qin family suddenly wanted access to the West Market, revealing their ambition!

The Second Elder of the Zhang family promptly said, “No way. Originally, the Qin family had no right to settle in South Street.

Allowing you to enter the East Market was already a result of negotiations. Now you want the more lucrative West Market? Absolutely not!”

The Revitalization Pill incident had already affected the Zhang family’s pharmacy business.

Allowing the Qin family into the West Market would be like letting them trample all over the Zhang family.

Qin Deming, unperturbed, calmly replied, “Second Elder, there’s no need to be so agitated. Today is for negotiations, after all.

Our Qin family didn’t say we wanted to take over the West Market.

We just want the right to enter.

Besides, there are only a few prime spots in the West Market, and business is already stable.

Even if our Qin family opens a few small shops, it won’t make much of a difference.

There’s no need for your esteemed family to be so tense.”

Qin Deming’s words subtly elevated the Zhang family while downplaying his own, trying to present the Qin family as harmless and unthreatening.

This tactic was crude, yet when Qin Deming glanced at the Zhang family members, he saw their furrowed brows gradually easing.

Heh! These fools are actually buying it!

Qin Deming marveled inwardly.

His daughter had been right.

The Zhang family, prideful of their status as an old family in Nanling, looked down on newer families like the Qin’s.

This was the perfect angle to exploit.

Seeing the Zhang family’s faces soften, they set up a soundproof barrier and said, “We need to discuss this.”

This indicated they were willing to negotiate.

Fine, discuss all you want. Either way, the Qin family stands to gain.

Soon, the barrier was lifted.

The Second Elder raised a hand, “Five shops. The Qin family can open a maximum of five shops in the West Market.”

Qin Deming pretended to be dissatisfied, “Second Elder, are you joking? What can we do with just five shops? We need at least ten.”