"Uncle Qian! I haven’t seen you in so long."

Yang Wanyi seemed to be familiar with the middle-aged man. She stepped forward and greeted him with a charming smile.

"Yes, it’s been nearly a year. The little girl has grown into a young lady. Truly, girls change at eighteen; I almost didn’t recognize you just now."

The middle-aged man gave a simple, honest smile, his gaze falling on Luo Feng beside her. His eyes moved back and forth between the two a few times, then he asked:

"Miss, is this young man Luo Feng?"

Yang Wanyi nodded, reached out and pulled Luo Feng over, a smile appearing on her face as she introduced, "Luo Feng, this is Elder Qian, he’s specifically in charge of all the affairs of our Dayang Commerce Alliance here in Big Market City."

"Greetings, Uncle Qian."

Luo Feng cupped his fists toward Elder Qian, his expression respectful.

"Good! Good!"

Elder Qian was in the middle of sizing up Luo Feng. Seeing that Luo Feng was handsome and carried himself with courtesy, he laughed heartily and said:

"I’ve been in Big Market City all this time and haven’t had the time to return to Dayang City this past year. I was always wondering who it was that could capture our young miss’s heart. Seeing you today, you truly are a hero in his youth. At such a young age, there’s already a decisive, killing aura between your brows. You’re no creature of the shallow pond. Senior Huang didn’t misjudge you—having a Disciple like you, he should have been able to leave in peace!"

These words from Elder Qian came from the bottom of his heart. He had roamed the rtiad for half his life and met countless people, and he was very confident in his eye for character.

Though Luo Feng was young, the gaze in his eyes carried the bearing of someone destined for high position, definitely not an ordinary person. Even if he was unknown for now, in the future he would surely become a figure in his own right.

Besides, judging from the rumors in the rtiad, the other party had already begun to show his edge; his rise was only a matter of time.

However, when it came to the last part, Elder Qian’s eyes dimmed somewhat.

Yang Wanyi leaned close to Luo Feng’s ear and whispered, "Elder Qian and Elder Huang were old acquaintances. He once even asked Senior Huang for guidance in saber technique."

Luo Feng nodded and said, "Master passed very peacefully."

"That’s good then."

Elder Qian nodded with a touch of sorrow, then suddenly asked, "I received the City Lord’s Spirit Mirror the day before yesterday, saying you would arrive in Big Market City last night. I even had people prepare a banquet to wash away the dust for you. Why have you only just arrived now?"

Yang Wanyi’s willow brows arched, and a hint of coldness flashed in her bright eyes as she said, "There was a bit of an incident on the road."

With Elder Qian’s sharp eye, he could tell at a glance this was no small matter. He frowned and said:

"It’s not convenient to talk here. Let’s go back first."

The group walked toward the depths of Big Market City.

A short while later, they arrived before a grand residence and walked inside.

In a spacious main hall, Elder Qian waved for the others to withdraw, then asked, "Miss, Young Master Luo Feng, what exactly happened on the road?"

Yang Wanyi sat down at a seat to the side and said, "We were ambushed by experts on the way. It was Elder Zhou Yuan of Heavenly Position Business Line."

"What, Heavenly Position Business Line dared to ambush you? They must have eaten a leopard’s gall and a bear’s heart!"

Elder Qian flew into a rage, slapping a tea table into splinters with one palm. Yuan Qi surged all over his body as he ground his teeth and said:

"I’ll send a Spirit Mirror to the City Lord immediately. Today I’ll make Heavenly Position Business Line understand that our Dayang Commerce Alliance is not to be trifled with! They actually dared make a move on the Miss and the Young Master—I’ll personally slaughter that bastard Zhouyan!"

Luo Feng looked at Elder Qian, his brows lifting slightly. The other had seemed so amiable, yet once angered he was like a completely different person.

He exhaled and stopped Elder Qian, saying, "That wouldn’t be appropriate for now."

Yang Wanyi also said, "Yes, Uncle Qian. Behind Zhouyan stands the Crown Prince."

"The Crown Prince!"

Elder Qian’s brows knit into the shape of the character ’川’, and his gaze quickly calmed. He asked, "Miss, what is going on here? How did this end up involving the Crown Prince?"

Yang Wanyi and Luo Feng exchanged a glance, then began to recount the entire matter from beginning to end.

When he finished listening, a contemplative look appeared on Elder Qian’s face.

As for a mere Heavenly Position Business Line, Dayang Mansion could afford to not take it seriously. But if it involved the Crown Prince, the matter became extremely thorny.

Dayang Mansion, as it was now, did not yet have the strength to oppose the Crown Prince.

Luo Feng saw what Elder Qian was thinking and said:

"There’s no need to make a fuss over this for the time being. The hatred between me and Waner—I will personally settle that with the Crown Prince in the future. For now, the most important thing is how to seize the throne of the First Commerce Alliance and make the Crown Prince and Heavenly Position Commerce Alliance’s scheme come to nothing. That will count as giving them a lesson as well."

Hearing this, Elder Qian nodded and looked at Luo Feng with a smile. "I’m ashamed—having lived to such an age, when something happens I’m still not as calm as you, Young Master."

Luo Feng said modestly, "Uncle Qian overpraises me."

Seeing that Luo Feng was neither arrogant nor impatient, Elder Qian appreciated him even more. He turned back to Yang Wanyi and said:

"Miss, how is the preparation of the three treasures for the Business Alliance Conference coming along?"

Yang Wanyi nodded. "The treasures are all on me: one Profound Level top-grade Cultivation Technique, one fourth-grade Spirit Weapon, and one mid-grade fifth-grade Spirit Pill."

Luo Feng sat to the side, listening quietly. On the way, he had already learned from Yang Wanyi what the Business Alliance Conference entailed.

The Business Alliance Conference’s contests were divided into three rounds.

As a commerce alliance, wealth was of paramount importance. The first round was a contest of wealth. The major commerce alliances of the Canglang Dynasty each took out three treasures, and ranking was based on the value and rarity of these treasures.

Sharp judgment was also a crucial quality for merchants. The second round was called the Appraisal Meet, and what was tested was each person’s ability to appraise treasures.

The final round was simple and direct: the younger generation of the various commerce alliances would fight on the arena stage, and their rankings would be determined by strength.

After all three rounds are over, the final ranking of the major Commerce Alliances will be determined according to the total points, and the number one Commerce Alliance will be selected.

Hearing Yang Wanyi’s words, Elder Qian stroked his chin and said:

"These are indeed rare treasures. The Heavenly Position Commerce Alliance has already lost much of its foundation and may not have the strength to compete with us. I just don’t know if His Highness the Crown Prince will intervene. If he does, in the first round, our Dayang City Commerce Alliance will probably have little chance of winning."

Yang Wanyi nodded slightly and said, "Even if we lose the first round, I will still go all out in the second appraisal meeting and the third arena battle to fight for first place. In that case, the throne of the number one Commerce Alliance will still belong to our Dayang Commerce Alliance."

Hearing their conversation, Luo Feng’s heart stirred. He had quite a few treasures on him; perhaps he could lend a hand when the time came.

"That’s all we can do."

Elder Qian nodded, then suddenly said to Yang Wanyi and Luo Feng, "I almost forgot the proper matter. Miss, Young Master, you’ve traveled a long way. I’ve already ordered people to prepare a banquet. Let’s go to the dining hall to eat first, and then I’ll arrange rooms for you to rest."

"Luo Feng, you must be hungry too."

Yang Wanyi looked over at Luo Feng.

"Yeah, a bit."

After rushing on the road all day, Luo Feng also felt his stomach growling.

"Then let’s go."

Yang Wanyi smiled gracefully and took the lead.

Elder Qian followed behind the two. Looking at Yang Wanyi’s beaming face, a knowing smile flashed in his eyes.

He had watched Yang Wanyi grow up. She had always acted her own way; aside from Yang Dingtian, this was the first time he’d seen her care so much about another person’s opinion.

The banquet was extremely sumptuous; from the dishes alone, Luo Feng could see the deep foundation of a major Commerce Alliance.

On the table there were things that flew in the sky, walked on the ground, and swam in the water—everything imaginable. All kinds of rarely seen delicacies made his fingers itch with appetite.

While Luo Feng was wolfing down food and drink, in another grand building of the Big Market City—

Inside a luxurious great hall, two people stood at the doorway, gazing at the blooming flowers outside.

The one on the left was small and thin, around sixty or seventy years old, wearing a black robe. Standing in the shadows, he looked like a withered tree; if one didn’t look closely, one might even overlook his existence. The person on the right was tall and slender, with a sickly pallor on his face. His narrow eyes gleamed with cold light; he was a youth of about eighteen or nineteen.

"Elder Zhou Yuan and the others have already been gone for a day. By reason, they should have returned by now," the youth said slowly.

The black‑robed elder only nodded slightly, not making the slightest sound.

The youth was none other than Zhouyan, the current Family Head of the Heavenly Position Commerce Alliance. A hint of lecherous wickedness surfaced in his eyes as he chuckled:

"I wonder how well they completed their task. If they could capture that girl Yang Wanyi and bring her back, that would be perfect. Of all the women I’ve seen, Yang Wanyi has the fiercest temper. If I could tame her, that’d be a pleasure of a lifetime, hahaha..."

As his thoughts grew more wanton, the youth couldn’t help bursting into loud laughter, making the flowers in the entire garden tremble lightly.

Just then, a Heavenly Position Business Line guard flew over and knelt in front of the two. It was the very captain of the guard that Luo Feng and Yang Wanyi had encountered when they entered the city.

"Greetings, Family Head, Elder Qi Yuan!"

The guard captain kowtowed. When his gaze fell on the black‑robed elder, a deep dread—and even fear—flashed in the depths of his eyes.

Zhouyan raised his brows and hurriedly asked:

"Has Elder Zhou Yuan and the others returned? Did they bring Yang Wanyi back?"

The guard captain’s expression stiffened. He lifted his head and said, "We have yet to find Elder Zhou Yuan, but..."

The guard captain glanced at Zhouyan’s face, somewhat hesitant.

"But what? Spit it out! Careful or I’ll kill you with one palm!"

Hearing that Elder Zhou Yuan had not returned, Zhouyan frowned, his face full of impatience.

The guard captain’s body trembled. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and hurriedly said, "Yang Wanyi and a young man have arrived at the Big Market City."

"Yang Wanyi arrived at the Big Market City safe and sound!"

At those words, Zhouyan flew into a rage. The fire in his narrow eyes seemed ready to burst into flames.

"Family Head, it seems Elder Zhou and the others have failed."

The black‑robed elder lifted his eyes and finally spoke. Ghostly light flickered within them, and his hoarse voice grated harshly on the ears.

His sweet dream shattered, veins bulged on Zhouyan’s forehead. He gnashed his teeth and said:

"Useless trash, the lot of them! So many people, and they can’t even get this done! That Yang Wanyi is only a Martial Artist at the Seventh Layer of the Spiritual Rotation Realm. How could a dignified Eighth Layer Spiritual Rotation Realm Martial Artist possibly fail!"

A glint of eerie light flashed in the black‑robed elder’s eyes as he said slowly:

"With Elder Zhou’s strength, he indeed shouldn’t have failed. There are only two possibilities. First, Elder Zhou and Yang Wanyi somehow missed each other. Second, the youth following beside Yang Wanyi is a deeply hidden genius, and Elder Zhou and the others have already been slain by him."

Suppressing his anger, Zhouyan barked at the guard captain, "How old is that youth, and what is his cultivation!"

"Around sixteen years old, as for his cultivation... I... I don’t know..."

The guard captain answered in a trembling voice. He was only a Martial Artist at the Fourth Layer of the Spiritual Rotation Realm and naturally couldn’t see through Luo Feng’s cultivation.

"You don’t know? Then what use are you? Die!"

Zhouyan roared and struck with his palm.

Bang!

Before the guard captain could even speak another word, his body was smashed into the ground by a violent force, turning into a pile of minced flesh.