Chapter 95: The Circumstances of the Jia Lie Clan
As the next few days slowly passed by, the amount of healing medicine that the Jia Lie Clan sold in their marketplace at Wu Tan City began to decrease. On the last day, when the last bottle of healing medicine was finally sold, the Jia Lie Clan members responsible for selling the medicine had little choice but to embarrassingly smile at the mercenaries jostling outside. “I’m very sorry. Due to a shortage of stock, our stall will be temporarily closed.”
The mercenaries who were squeezing for a better spot outside the stall became silent upon hearing those words. After glaring furiously at the stall workers for a long time, they began to start scolding angrily.
As the crowd dispersed, some of the less courteous customers verbally abused the medicine sellers.
The news that the Jia Lie clan had ceased the sales of healing medicine spread throughout the entire Wu Tan City in less than an hour. The first reaction of everyone was shock followed by some who gloated at their misfortune, some who felt regretful, and some who sighed…
Without the support of the healing medicine, the Jia Lie Clan, in the fight against the Xiao Clan, was totally defeated. Following their miserable defeat, the Jia Lie Clan was severely weakened and their influence within Wu Tan City was unlikely to ever recover to the high influential level that they had enjoyed in the past.
The Xiao Clan’s home, Meeting room.
“The Jia Lie Clan has lost the source of their healing medicine?” Hearing the news that his subordinate had brought him, Xiao Zhan was momentarily stunned before abruptly standing up. The happiness on his face was difficult to hide.
In his excitement, he exchanged glances with the three elders, only to find that their faces were also filled with uncontrolled happiness. Xiao Zhan agitatedly took two steps in the hall. A while later, he finally suppressed his happiness and asked the messenger with a smile, “What about Liu Xi, their Alchemist?”
“I have no idea. Ever since that day when Jia Lie Ao and young master Xiao Yan fought, he was never seen again.”
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan and the three elders were surprised. They shifted their gaze stealthily at Xiao Yan, who was sitting in one corner.
“Why are you looking at me? This has nothing to do with me.” Seeing the four pairs of eyes looking at him, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes and innocently said.
Xiao Zhan helplessly shook his head. In any case, he did not believe Xiao Yan’s denial. Nothing to do with him? Then why was it that Liu Xi would vanish after having a conflict with him?
“That’s right. Clan leader, a member of the Jia Lie Clan inner circle accidentally leaked out that the Jia Lie Clan’s second elder, Jia Lie Nu, was killed by a black cloaked man when he was transporting medicinal ingredients.” After a brief hesitation, the messenger finally said in a low voice.
Xiao Zhan’s strolling legs suddenly froze. He drew his eyelids and nodded before waving his hand to dismiss the messenger. He stared intently at Xiao Yan and said with a wide smile, “Yan Er, I don’t think that there is anyone in the entire Wu Tan City who has the ability to kill the three star Da Dou Shi Jia Lie Nu other than your teacher.”
Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and sighed. He helplessly nodded his head. “Jia Lie Nu is indeed dead.”
Hearing the admission from Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan also shook his head and sighed. The Jia Lie Clan, which had fought for decades with the Xiao Clan, had actually fell into a decline because of a single young man. This feeling… Xiao Zhan bitterly smiled and said, “I know that the reason for the esteemed elder to extend his help is because of you. Still, if there is time, please convey our Xiao Clan’s thanks. We owe him so much.”
Xiao Yan shrugged his shoulders and carelessly nodded his head.
“Now, let us see how the Jia Lie Clan tries to get out of this mess.” Xiao Zhan laughed quietly. The gloating manner in his laughter was hard to hide. In the competition for the healing medicine market, the Jia Lie Clan had pulled out after a big loss and this huge loss had severely weakened the Jia Lie Clan while the Xiao Clan benefitted greatly.
In these short two months, the Xiao Clan had miraculously pulled themselves from their initial miserable position to win the competition. In addition, the two months of profit from the healing medicine was equivalent to their annual income from before. Moreover, their influence within Wu Tan City had obviously surpassed both the Jia Lie Clan and the Ao Ba Clan. Even the Primer Auction house had made gestures of goodwill because of Xiao Yan. With the accumulation of these factors, the Xiao Clan had the greatest spot in the limelight in the entire Wu Tan City.
Nevertheless, a centipede dies but never falls. Although the Jia Lie Clan had received a terrible blow, they were still a force that couldn’t be underestimated. The armed forces that the clan had built up over the years was a force no one in Wu Tan City dared look down on.
The Jia Lie Clan was also well aware of the current influence of the Xiao Clan. Hence, after they knew that it was hopeless to continue to compete, they gathered their body like a poisonous snake and began licking their wounds, seemingly waiting for an opportunity to devastate their enemy.
However, the days that were occupied in such a manner did not last long. Two days after the Jia Lie Clan announced the ceasing of the sales of the healing medicine, the Ta Lan City medicinal supplier sent a group led by two Da Dou Shi. They aggressively entered the Jia Lie Clan family home and rudely demanded that Jie Lie Bi pay up the three hundred thousand gold coins owed to them within two days.
The action by the Ta Lan City medicinal ingredient supplier was equivalent to worsening the problem for Jia Lie Clan. At this moment, however, Jia Lie Bi did not dare to recklessly offend a party that was not weaker than the Jia Lie Clan regardless of how angry he was. Therefore, he could only swallow his bitterness and attempt to raise money.
After searching all over the Jia Lie clan, however, they could only find a hundred thousand gold coins. This was a far cry from the debt they had.
Helplessly, Jia Lie Bi could only thicken his skin and attempt to borrow money from the powers which the Jia Lie Clan had better relationships with. However, there are far more people willing to share in your happiness than aid in your sorrow. Seeing the current pathetic state of the Jia Lie Clan and the hostility from the Xiao Clan, those powers which once had a good relationship with the Jia Lie Clan did not want to get involved in the mess.
Helping the Jia Lie Clan now would undoubtedly offend the rising Xiao Clan. As a result, even after putting in tremendous effort, Jia Lie Bi was unable to raise a sufficient amount of money.
With his face filled with gloominess, Jia Lie Bi returned home and raged like a war god. After which, he unwillingly voiced a shocking suggestion: Selling the marketplaces.
Jia Lie Clan had a total of three middle sized marketplaces and four small sized marketplaces in Wu Tan City. The ones that Jia Lie Bi intended to sell were two of the middle sized marketplaces with the best location and popularity.
Once these words were out, the members of the Jia Lie Clan reacted strongly. Even the entire Wu Tan City was in a state of shock. The revenue from theses two marketplaces basically made up half of the income of the Jia Lie Clan. Being forced into selling their marketplaces showed just how desperate they had become.
If a marketplace had a sufficient crowd, it was a business venture that would definitely be profitable. However, there were only slightly more than ten marketplaces in the entire Wu Tan City. These marketplaces were usually controlled by both the Jia Lie Clan and the Xiao Clan. The Ao Ba Clan did not rely on a marketplace for a living. Instead, their income mainly comes from underground gambling dens and brothels. Therefore, after hearing that the Jie Lie Clan intended to sell the marketplace with the best location, many people were tempted. However, after the initial fervor subsided, they became down heartened. In the current Wu Tan city, almost all of the crowds were dominated by the marketplaces of Xiao Clan. Other than the extremely profitable marketplaces of the Xiao Clan, all of the marketplaces could at best only break even. Buying the marketplace at this moment would undoubtedly be a bad business venture. More importantly, whoever bought the marketplaces of the Jia Lie Clan would definitely offend the Xiao Clan. Those who were slightly interested had little choice but to withdraw their interest with plenty of disappointment.
After announcing his intentions to sell the marketplaces, Jia Lie Bi, who had originally thought that there would be a surge of interest, once again tasted embarrassment. He had not expected that the current influence of the Xiao Clan had already reached such a great stage.
With the two day deadline drawing closer and the inability to raise the needed money, Jia Lie Bi began perspiring anxiously. Just as Jia Lie Bi became extremely anxious, a stranger appeared. After spending the entire afternoon discussing about the price, the marketplaces were finally bought by the stranger at a cheap price of two hundred thousand gold coins. In front of the Jia Lie Bi’s extremely gloomy face accompanied by killing intent, the stranger swaggered out with two sales agreements, feeling extremely satisfied.
Upon receiving two hundred thousand gold coins as payment for the two marketplaces, the Jia Lie Clan finally managed to be rid of the group from the medicinal ingredient supplier. Seeing those bandit-like debt collectors leaving the courtyard, Jia Lie Bi felt like crying, though no tears came out.
Not long after sending off the debt collectors, a member of the clan came rushing over to report the latest news. The two marketplaces which they had sold in the morning were now under the name of the Xiao Clan. Hearing this news, the extremely furious Jia Lie Bi was stunned for a moment before finally coughing up blood and fainting.
Watching Jia Lie Bi being hurriedly carried into the room, all the members of the Jia Lie Clan let out a sigh. From then on, the Jia Lie Clan was condemned to be a second rate power in Wu Tan City…