Chapter 91: Coercion

Although the snow was thick, the group of young people thought about how they could practice martial arts soon, change their fate, and get ahead like Xu Yang. Plus, they were well-prepared, so they all truly persisted until they reached the city, with no one falling behind.

Xu Yang only led them to the vicinity of the Huang family before going to the Liu family. Whether they could change their fate depended on their own good fortune.

Soon, he learned from Zhang Bo that the Liu family determined that Bao Gang had met with an accident and gave Bao Gang's family some money as a pension.

This move instantly won over people's hearts, and everyone called the Liu family righteous.

Even Xu Yang had some good feelings toward the Liu family. After all, he knew how Bao Gang died, and it could be said it had absolutely nothing to do with the Liu family.

The Liu family could take out money to give to Bao Gang's family; regardless of whether it was to win over people's hearts, they really gave it.

In any case, this matter couldn't be traced back to him.

In the afternoon, when he arrived at Weiyuan Hall, he saw the people selected by the Huang family this time. There weren't as many as last time; there were only five.

The Huang family had raised the standard this time; they didn't want a single D-grade root bone.

Their luck wasn't as good as last time either; there was no genius like Lu Ren, and not a single B-grade root bone.

All five people were C-grade root bone, one C-plus, and four C-minus.

It is said that the Huang family's Second Master, Huang Ping, was so angry he was half-dead and had no choice but to grit his teeth and increase the cultivation intensity.

Of the dozen or so people who came from White Stone Square, one was actually selected; it was his cousin Xu Zheng, one of the four with C-minus root bone.

"Brother A-Yang!"

Seeing Xu Yang appear, Xu Zheng waved at him excitedly, his face flushed red.

Xu Yang only nodded faintly. Although they were cousins from the same clan, they were already outside the five degrees of kinship. Before he became a martial artist, Xu Zheng wouldn't even greet him when he saw him.

Xu Yang didn't pay any more attention to the Huang family's affairs, and the things he was worried about didn't happen either.

Three days later, the heavy snow gradually melted, and he also practiced according to his routine.

In the morning at the Liu family, in the afternoon at Weiyuan Hall.

……

"Tap tap..."

Qiu Yongqiang's expression was flustered as he ran all the way, snow water splashing under his feet.

Finally arriving home, he pushed open the door to see his Eldest Brother, Qiu Yongjian, lying on the bed with a pale face, a blood-stained garment piled on the floor beside him.

"Eldest Brother, are you okay?"

His eyes were full of anger, but he first asked about Qiu Yongjian's injuries.

Qiu Yongjian revealed a miserable smile: "Second Brother, your idea of hiring offerings is correct. Without martial artist offerings, let alone business, even your life—others can take it whenever they want."

Qiu Yongqiang could no longer control himself and roared: "Hong Xu is too much! He uses force when he can't compete in business. Does he think only his Hong family has martial artists? I have already sent someone to notify Wenjie."

The Hong family and the Qiu family both operated tea businesses, but the Qiu family had good channels, and the tea they sold was not only of good quality but also lower in price. For many years, although there was competition, they had never resorted to force.

He didn't expect that this time, with the heavy snow, the goods from outside couldn't be transported in. The Hong family started raising prices, and because the Qiu family had a lot of goods and was worried they wouldn't sell, they didn't raise prices, which led to the Hong family's price hike failing, and thus they started making trouble again.

After several negotiations, he didn't expect the Hong family to change from their initial demand for the Qiu family to raise prices together, to wanting the Qiu family to share their procurement channels with the Hong family.

The Qiu brothers naturally wouldn't share such secrets with their opponents. He didn't expect the Hong family, failing to coerce them, to resort to force today.

Hearing this, Qiu Yongjian's expression changed: "Bad. I only found out today that Hong Xu's demands kept changing because his eldest son, Hong Feng, had broken through to Qi Gathering Minor Success in his martial dao cultivation, which is why he acted to coerce us with force.

You go quickly and stop Wenjie. Don't let him go to the Hong family. He has only just reached Qi Gathering and is far from being Hong Feng's opponent. If they fight, Hong Feng won't be soft-handed.

You tell him to go find a senior brother from Weiyuan Hall and invite someone who can speak up.

Be quick. Hong Xu only gave us one day to consider. If we don't hand over the channels in one day, he will have Hong Feng take action."

Hearing about Hong Xu's eldest son, Hong Feng, reaching Qi Gathering Minor Success, Qiu Yongqiang's face also changed drastically. He immediately didn't care about much else and hurried out to intercept his son, Qiu Wenjie.

Fortunately, he stopped him. Qiu Wenjie hadn't reached the Hong family yet. He quickly explained Hong Feng reaching Qi Gathering Minor Success and his Eldest Brother Qiu Yongjian's method.

"Father, don't worry. I'll go to Weiyuan Hall and invite a senior brother with weight to come forward."

Qiu Wenjie gave Qiu Yongqiang a reassuring look and then turned and left. However, when he stepped into the inner courtyard of Weiyuan Hall, he looked around blankly, not knowing who to invite for a moment.

Among the many senior brothers in the inner courtyard, there were quite a few who could solve this matter with a single word, but he had almost no friendship with these people and hadn't even spoken to them.

Even if he were to thicken his face and invite them, they wouldn't help him.

Having been in the inner courtyard for so long, he just hung out with Xu Yang and the others; those with backgrounds didn't look down on him at all.

"Right, Senior Brother Zhang Yong."

He suddenly remembered that Zhang Yong was also Qi Gathering Minor Success and they had some friendship. Zhang Yong should be willing to help.

Qiu Wenjie walked quickly to Zhang Yong and cupped his hands: "Senior Brother Zhang Yong, my family has provoked a Qi Gathering Minor Success expert. I want to invite you to come forward and negotiate with the other party..."

Zhang Yong put away his stance training and didn't refuse immediately, but carefully asked about the situation of the person the Qiu family had provoked.

"This person is named Hong Feng, from the Tiger Roar Fist Hall. His talent is average; it should have taken him three or four years to reach Qi Gathering Minor Success. They are bullying people too much. My Qiu family and the Hong family both operate tea businesses..."

Qiu Wenjie didn't hide anything and told the whole story of how the Hong family and the Qiu family formed a grudge and why it had developed to this step.

In the end, he added: "If Senior Brother Zhang can help come forward to negotiate, my uncle and father will definitely prepare a generous gift to thank you."

He didn't intend to let Zhang Yong work for nothing; he also knew the ways of the world.

He didn't expect Zhang Yong to change his previous attitude and shake his head: "Sorry, I cannot help with this matter."

Qiu Wenjie's face was deathly pale: "Senior Brother Zhang, you are also at Qi Gathering Minor Success cultivation. If you come forward to negotiate a few words, Hong Feng won't give you no face. If you think the gift is light, you can say so."

Zhang Yong sighed and then said: "It's not that I think the gift is light. If it were just a matter of a few words, we are fellow disciples, so helping you negotiate would be fine.

But according to your account, the Hong family is coveting your family's supply channels and wants to swallow your Qiu family to strengthen their Hong family; it is definitely not a temporary impulse.

If I come forward to negotiate, it is definitely not a matter of just saying a few words; we will definitely have to see the real thing in action.

Now, before the martial examination Dragon Ascension, I have no certainty of reaching Qi Gathering Major Success. If I get injured and delayed, then there will truly be no hope at all..."

At this point, Qiu Wenjie already understood that Zhang Yong would not change his mind, and saying more would be useless.

How could people with the same cultivation level fight without getting injured? It was even possible they would perish together.

Zhang Yong's heart for martial arts was firm, and he would never delay his martial dao for someone like him with only average friendship.

"I understand, Senior Brother Zhang. I'll go ask other senior brothers."

Qiu Wenjie bowed to Zhang Yong and then turned and left, but looking around the vast inner courtyard, he didn't know who to invite again.

Zhang Yong had such concerns, and other senior brothers would inevitably have them too.

Unless it was someone with a strong background who could make Hong Feng not dare to move with a single word, otherwise, whoever he asked would be refused.

Sun Tao, Jiang Ping, Gu Fang, Zhao Zhifei!

The few people with the deepest backgrounds in the inner courtyard flashed through his mind one by one, and finally, he decided to thicken his face and invite Jiang Ping.

Sun Tao represented Weiyuan Hall and couldn't come forward casually.

Gu Fang was a woman and also wouldn't show her face to negotiate with people.

Zhao Zhifei was arrogant and only befriended people with backgrounds; he didn't look down on children from poor families. He didn't even look down on Lu Ren. Only Jiang Ping was relatively amiable and had some chance.

While pondering, he walked quickly to Jiang Ping and cupped his hands: "Greetings, Senior Brother Jiang."

Jiang Ping looked at this junior brother he had no impression of and raised his brows: "Something up?"

Qiu Wenjie took a deep breath and said quickly: "It's like this, Senior Brother Jiang. Someone wants to seize my family's industry, and I want to invite you, Senior Brother..."

Jiang Ping interrupted: "Get lost!"

Qiu Wenjie's face flushed red. He said sorry to Jiang Ping in a stifled manner, feeling his heart was in a mess, not knowing who to invite to save the Qiu family.

Suddenly, someone blocked his path. He subconsciously looked up and saw Xu Yang looking at him with a cold expression, with Wu Yongfeng standing beside him.

"If you have something, why didn't you come to me?" Xu Yang frowned. ===== CHAPTER 92 =====