Hoping for votes, holding strong on the Top Recommendations List! －－－－－－－－－－－－－ Strictly speaking, Elder Huang was the true "host" of this medicinal trade fair, as he personally arranged the layout of the entire venue on the third floor of the Yongfu Inn, including the placement of every guild's table.
Ye Qin's table was, naturally, also specially arranged by Elder Huang. It was situated somewhat secluded, near the window at the very back, partially obscured by the pearl-strung curtains hanging from the ceiling—unobtrusive, yet offering a clear view of the entire trade floor.
The grand hall of the Yongfu Inn was brightly lit, bustling with noise and crowded, quite lively.
At the very center stood the trading platform, surrounded by ten long tables arranged in a circle. The Ten Great Guilds each occupied one table, with about four or five people per table. The Medicine King Guild's table had the largest contingent, numbering over ten people, among whom three were particularly mysterious, clad in white robes that set them apart with an ethereal elegance.
In addition, there were a small number of specially invited guests seated at several dozen smaller tables scattered around the periphery.
Though the guild leaders usually maintained stern visages before their subordinates, in the presence of other top leaders of equal standing, they spoke freely, laughed, and exchanged greetings.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
Three sharp claps drew the attention of the high-ranking members of the Ten Great Guilds.
At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in white rose from the Medicine King Guild's table, offering a gentle hand gesture toward the assembled guests with a smile, signaling for quiet.
He was plainly dressed, clad from head to toe in simple white homespun cloth. His only adornment was a pure white jade pendant hanging from his waist. Due to his long association with medicinal ingredients, a faint fragrance of herbs clung to him. A composed smile perpetually graced his lips, exuding a gentle, scholarly air that gave the impression that everything lay perfectly within his control.
This man was none other than Li Hong, the Guild Master of the Medicine King Guild—the supreme leader of the fifth-largest guild in Pingzhou. Highly capable, he had led the Medicine King Guild to increasing prosperity over the decade since he took command, maintaining its status within the jianghu and strengthening its power considerably.
Those who met Li Hong were often surprised: how could such an outstanding figure have produced a son as distasteful and worthless as Li Pingxi? Not only was the boy’s martial talent disastrously poor, but he was also unruly, a profligate rake proficient in gluttony, drink, philandering, and gambling. At this rate, it seemed likely that the next successor to the Medicine King Guild might not bear the surname Li at all.
Inheritance of the leadership among Pingzhou’s jianghu guilds usually passed not automatically from father to son, but to the most outstanding disciple within the sect. If his son showed merit, he would naturally inherit the position; if not, the hope of succession would be slim.
Li Hong stood near the trading platform, waving his hand toward the crowd, a faint smile playing on his lips as he surveyed the dozens of high-ranking members from the Ten Great Guilds present.
Fire Cloud Guild, Cao He Guild, Dongyang Salt Guild, Black Iron Guild, Nine Shepherd Guild... These names were once familiar equals. But starting tonight, they would no longer have the right to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Medicine King Guild.
Because the Nan family had returned—that mysterious Immortal Cultivation family that had dominated Pingzhou for a century before vanishing for twenty years, now making its reappearance. The new head of the Nan family had promised that the Medicine King Guild would continue to act as their proxy, managing the Ten Great Guilds of Pingzhou.
He had witnessed the unfathomable power of this Immortal Cultivation lineage with his own eyes.
Yet, what truly occupied Li Hong’s mind was not the Nan family's promise for the Medicine King Guild to remain their agent.
It was the fact that the new Nan Clan Leader had discovered his son possessed rare aptitude for Immortal Cultivation. The new Leader promised that if the Medicine King Guild exerted itself greatly in facilitating the Nan family’s re-establishment of dominance over the Ten Great Guilds in Pingzhou, he would accept Li Pingxi as his personal disciple upon completion, teaching him the arts of immortality.
From that moment on, the Li family would produce its first Rogue Immortal, stepping onto the path of cultivation. If Li Pingxi could, in the future, father several grandsons who also possessed cultivation aptitude, the entire Li lineage might transform into a true cultivation family spanning generations, with limitless prospects.
Compared to the future of Immortal Cultivation, the position of Medicine King Guild Master was utterly insignificant. In order to bring forth one Rogue Immortal for the Li family, he was currently staking the entire future of the Medicine King Guild on this sure-to-win gamble.
Thinking this, a cold sneer touched Li Hong’s heart. To wager the entire Medicine King Guild for the sake of the Li family, what did it matter?
The trade hall quickly settled into silence.
“Esteemed guests, tonight marks the first Rare Medicinal Ingredient Trade Fair hosted by my Medicine King Guild. I, Li Hong, am deeply honored to invite the entire leadership of the Ten Great Guilds to this event. However, before we commence trading, I must announce one matter.”
Li Hong, radiating absolute confidence, addressed the assembly: “The matter I must announce is this: starting tonight, the Medicine King Guild formally assumes command over the Ten Great Guilds of Pingzhou. All guilds within Pingzhou territory must henceforth follow the directives issued by the Medicine King Guild.”
The trade hall on the third floor of the Yongfu Tower instantly fell into a deathly silence. Apart from the Medicine King Guild’s own high-ranking members, the leaders of the other nine guilds, along with the invited guests, exchanged looks of profound shock.
The Medicine King Guild intends to dominate Pingzhou?
Has this fellow Li Hong gone mad with ambition to rule Pingzhou? Did he truly believe that the other nine guilds, having maintained their foothold in Pingzhou for decades, even centuries, were mere figureheads?
Suddenly, one person could not help but burst into loud laughter.
Then, the entire hall erupted in a booming roar of derision; almost no one took Li Hong’s declaration seriously.
“Brother Li, you have too great a sense of humor! Your Medicine King Guild ranks only fifth among the Ten Great Guilds, yet you dare aspire to the throne of Pingzhou’s overlord? Even Brother Tie Yuyang of the Fire Cloud Guild, who ranks first, harbors no ambition so vast.”
“Brother Li, one can eat carelessly, but one cannot joke recklessly like this! Should our nine guilds unite, extinguishing your mere Medicine King Guild would be as simple as lifting a hand. All your branch halls across Pingzhou’s prefectures and eight counties would be thoroughly purged overnight.”
The leaders of the nine guilds reacted variously: some openly mocked, sneering with disdain, deeming the Medicine King Guild utterly delusional. Others remained silent; they might have had some cordial ties with the Medicine King Guild, but such a blatant violation of established boundaries, an offense against the entire Pingzhou jianghu guilds, was something no one could defend.
Regardless, none of them regarded Li Hong as any significant threat. Because he, Li Hong, and the Medicine King Guild, lacked the stature to instill any genuine sense of danger in the assembled company.
Li Hong's public declaration to take over the Ten Great Guilds struck the leadership of the other nine as utterly absurd. For any single guild among the Ten Great to harbor thoughts of conquering all of Pingzhou was preposterous, as no single entity could possibly absorb the other nine.
Furthermore, the leaders gathered here today, daring to come to Zhuqi County and attend this trade fair, had already made comprehensive preparations against any sudden schemes or betrayals. The first-rate experts guarding the Yongfu Inn alone numbered over a thousand—a terrifyingly well-drilled fighting force. Should the Medicine King Guild dare cause trouble at this fair, it would be inviting its own doom; uniting the nine guilds to wipe out the Medicine King Guild would be no difficult feat.
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