Chapter 45: Tread the Tiger

After seeing off the Four Seas Merchant Guild,

Jiang Ding sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to nurture the 60th to 100th branches of the twelfth primary meridian, the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian; within his dantian’s qi vortex, true qi surged forth, circulating throughout his body before slowly seeping into those branches.

A faint sting arose, only to be soothed by warmth, repeating in an endless cycle.

He estimated that within a day, he would complete the refinement and nurturing of 1,200 meridians, achieving the “Small Zhou Tian” realm.

As for the Four Seas Merchant Guild’s heavy losses, he could only express regret.

In business, there must be losses and profits; risks and rewards are borne by each party alone.

He had a poor impression of groups like the Tiger’s Den, but it didn’t matter—business dealings must remain untainted by personal matters.

Watching the two figures recede, Jiang Ding’s eyes flashed with cold light, then he calmed himself, closed his eyes, and resumed cultivating the fine branches of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian.

%BENXIAOSHUO{SHOU;FA，>QING{NIN!DAO{QU:KAN！

“Oh?”

“As for the outcome, I am merely a mediator—it has nothing to do with me.”

Thud! Thud!

Lu Hou’s spine chilled, as if watched by some ferocious beast.

“Three days from now, we will visit again.”

Jiang Ding smiled, his killing intent growing wild within his heart.

He didn’t understand his host’s standards for guests—gangs like the Wild Wolf Clan’s Long Shi and Liu Qi were ignored, yet when the Four Seas Merchant Guild came, he personally greeted them; why then did he ignore the chairman of the Brocade Dragon Merchant Guild, who was even larger?

Huang Deyou nervously explained at length.

The wealth already revealed was more than enough; with slight pressure, they produced several times the number of breakthrough elixirs—how would the true master of Dongling Prefecture, the Zhendong Marquis, feel? If roles were reversed, Jiang Ding imagined the mindset of a major power’s leader who hadn’t yet broken through to the Primordial Stage, and even he himself couldn’t help but send troops to seize it.

Thinking of this, his face paled slightly as he turned to Ding Feng beside him.

“Young Master Jiang, I have a modest reputation in this region of Dongling Prefecture; friends from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks all grant me face.”

“Young Master, your…”

As long as the goods are delivered to his door, he pays—no discrimination whatsoever.

As long as the chieftain and other Qi-Perfect experts don’t show up, they can dominate the region.

The speed at which he refined the fine branch meridians surged again, doubling from forty to eighty per day.

“The original price is void; you must add one more Xiao Po Xu Pill!”

Jiang Ding listened intently.

Jiang Ding placed his hand on his sword hilt, letting a sliver of killing intent show as he asked.

Jiang Ding glanced at him.

“Small Zhou Tian—achieved.”

“Blue Fireflies on Dongling Mountain are rare; if this batch is lost, it may take another ten years for them to regrow.”

Jiang Ding smiled faintly.

Jiang Ding’s gaze swept over, lingering briefly.

Lu Hou’s veins bulged, but under Ding Feng’s icy stare, he forced himself to hold back.

“You…”

Helpless, Ding Feng could only take his leave and report to the powerful figures behind him, letting them decide.

“I understand.”

“Why must Young Master Jiang pretend ignorance?”

Ding Feng sat calmly, as if lost in distant contemplation.

“Leave now. Return the Blue Fireflies within three days, or this deal is void.” Jiang Ding lifted his teacup and hurled it to the ground, letting it shatter, hot tea splashing everywhere.

Jiang Ding didn’t even look at him: “Do you know the price I agreed upon with the Four Seas Merchant Guild?” “Four Xiao Po Xu Pills to break through to Qi Minor Completion, one Po Xu Pill to break through to Qi Major Completion,” Ding Feng recited like a ledger: “Three have already been paid; fifteen thousand pairs of Blue Fireflies exchange for one Xiao Po Xu Pill, and the final fifteen thousand pairs for the Po Xu Pill.”

!.

Lu Hou threw back his hood, revealing a face crisscrossed with scars, snarling: “Young Master Jiang, long time no see. How have you been since you killed my nephew?”

With one Xiao Po Xu Pill, he could become a Qi Major Completion expert in a few days, making him a notable figure in Dongling Prefecture. He said this, yet didn’t leave—only stepped aside slightly.

“The big bosses’ demand is,” Ding Feng paused, fixing his gaze on the boy: “At least three Po Xu Pills to break through to Qi Major Completion!”

Ding Feng remained unmoved, certain the other would yield.

No matter how strong one’s background, could it rival the imperial family?

“This is Seventh Chief of the Tiger’s Den, Lu Hou, one of the ‘Seven Tigers’ of the Tiger’s Den, sent by the chieftain, Old Man Lu Jingtian, the ‘Flying Tiger of Dongshan,’ to negotiate with you.”

When the treasures are presented, most will be claimed—who can object?

“Master Jiang, Master Ding Feng of the Brocade Dragon Merchant Guild has arrived with guests,” Huang Deyou said outside the door.

“Good. Very good.”

Ding Feng smiled: “This deal was made jointly by several big bosses—how could one Xiao Po Xu Pill and one Po Xu Pill be enough to divide?”

Ding Feng wore a friendly smile as he stepped inside.

“Come in.”

Jiang Ding looked inward; his true qi surged like streams through the twelve primary meridians and their countless fine branches, endlessly flowing before returning to the dantian’s vortex, never ceasing.

Lu Hou and the others froze—wasn’t the Blue Firefly critically important to him, even worth breakthrough elixirs? “What, do you need me to carry them for you?”

Lu Hou’s fierce expression changed; he recalled Jiang Ding’s image of killing like swatting flies, and grew fearful.

“Then what’s left to say?” Jiang Ding said coolly. “You bring the Blue Fireflies, I give the pills—cash and goods settled.”

But yielding was out of the question.

“Show them out.”

Jiang Ding nodded calmly: “You’re treating my place like a wish-granting bodhisattva? Three Po Xu Pills? I could put a price on them in the martial world—they’d buy the heads of five Qi-Perfect warriors.”

Jiang Ding lifted his teacup.

“Please consider carefully.”

Lu Hou involuntarily swallowed.

“Hah!”

“It seems Young Master Jiang is displeased,” chuckled a hooded giant.

Jiang Ding sneered: “But that doesn’t mean any stray cat or dog can come here to extort. Who knows how many nephews he has? If one nephew equals one Xiao Po Xu Pill, then the entire Tiger’s Den must be his nephews.”

Huang Deyou blinked, waited a long while, then gritted his teeth and left.

At one moment, Jiang Ding’s aura surged sharply, then slowly settled.

Behind this matter stood powerful figures on all sides—none could afford to lose, so how could he dare decide for them? “Regardless, according to the Four Seas Merchant Guild’s precedent, it’s impossible.”

Ding Feng laughed, breaking the oppressive silence: “Young Master, why be so harsh? Business is about haggling—no one starts by shutting the door on potential customers.”

Ding Feng’s face changed as he pleaded, offering every reason imaginable, but the other remained silent, as if lost in another world.

No yielding—not an inch.

This man was an old acquaintance—the very bandit chief who had led the attack on Long San’s caravan; he never expected him to be the one handling this negotiation.

Upon entering the courtyard, the masked giant froze, his expression turning cold.

Ding Feng’s face remained unchanged: “Young Master Jiang, Qi-Perfect warriors are leaders of their own factions—they’re not easily summoned. Moreover…”

Ding Feng stroked his beard and smiled.

“No problem.”

This deal was made jointly by the chieftain and other major power leaders—how could he end up with not even a single hair’s worth?

His words carried an implicit threat.

The next realm is the Great Zhou Tian.

After cultivating one thousand fine branch meridians within each of the twelve primary meridians, one must shatter the barriers of the eight extraordinary meridians—Ren and Du—with the force of a great river, nurturing them until they match the twelve primary meridians—that is the Great Zhou Tian.

Even among immortals, over ninety-five percent of mortals never reach this realm.

Whoosh! Jiang Ding activated his nearly perfected Lesser Concealment Art, and his figure vanished.

(End of Chapter)