Just this one move had already shattered their understanding.

“Greetings, Elder Li Changqing.” The two quickly stood up and respectfully bowed to Li Changqing.

Their minds were in turmoil. Seeing Yan Botao standing next to Li Changqing with a smile on his face, they understood everything.

Li Changqing was the backbone of the Yan family.

Yan Botao’s advancement to the innate realm must have something to do with Li Changqing.

Neither of them were fools. They understood that the useless painter was just a facade for Li Changqing, who was in fact an unparalleled expert!

“Don’t be nervous, I just wanted to have a chat with you. Sit down.” Li Changqing gestured with his fingers, and the two quickly sat down, looking at Li Changqing with humble expressions.

“The idea of the families in Changting Town uniting to form an alliance was mine.” Li Changqing slowly said, “Being stuck in Changting Town for a lifetime is not what you want.”

“So, take this opportunity to unite and venture out. Your families may have a better future. When resources become abundant, your two families may become innate families, and having innate disciples in the family will no longer be a dream.”

Li Changqing directly painted two big pies for them.

“Elder is right.” Both of them nodded, agreeing with Li Changqing’s words.

With the power of the three families, there was definitely a chance to venture out.

Even if they couldn’t compete with those families with innate disciples, it was still better than living in Changting Town. The opportunity was greater, but the three families had always kept to their own.

The idea of an alliance was a pipe dream.

Who could trust whom?

But now, with Li Changqing, it was different.

With such an expert in charge, they naturally agreed.

Moreover, with Li Changqing backing them, they no longer had to fear the power of other trading companies.

You have an innate disciple backing you?

So do we, who’s afraid of whom?

And seeing Yan Botao’s respectful demeanor, it was clear that Li Changqing’s cultivation was not ordinary. They had witnessed Li Changqing’s strength, a mysterious powerhouse.

At this moment, both of them had a gleam in their eyes.

As long as they could leave Changting Town, they might really be able to reach the height that Li Changqing mentioned.

“As for the trading company, Clan Leader Yan should have told you. So, I came to see you, hoping that you two will treat the trading company as your own business.”

“If you do well, it will also be very helpful to your own families. In addition, Clan Leader Yan was able to become an innate disciple today because he has been doing well recently. If you two do well, I will also help you reach that realm.” Before they could swallow the big pie, Li Changqing stuffed another one into their mouths.

They had to eat this pie, whether they wanted to or not. If they didn’t, Li Changqing would really find someone to feed them.

But the pie that Li Changqing painted was indeed to their taste!

Innate!

This was the realm they had been dreaming of.

Especially since Yan Botao had entered the innate realm, they were even more eager for this domain.

“We will follow Elder Changqing’s teachings and work hard.” Bai Jingfei and Zhao Yiqiu sincerely said.

“I’ll leave the matters of the other families to you two.” Li Changqing looked at them. He knew very well that the families in Changting Town were waiting for the Zhao and Bai families to make a statement after they returned.

Most people would choose to follow their choice.

Because these small families basically had no choice.

The two understood Li Changqing’s meaning and then excused themselves.

After sending the two away, Yan Botao returned to Li Changqing.

“Great Steward, I have discussed with the elders in the clan and we want to name the trading company ‘Changqing Trading Company’. What do you think?” Yan Botao said to Li Changqing.

“Changqing Trading Company?” Li Changqing raised his eyebrows. He liked the name, but this was a trading company formed by many families, led by the Yan family. Wasn’t it inappropriate to use this name?

“Yes, it symbolizes that our trading company will be evergreen.” Yan Botao said with a smile.

“Then I have no objections.” Since it was Yan Botao’s good intention, Li Changqing agreed.

“Also, about the idea you mentioned to me before, is it really okay?” Yan Botao asked, “If our trading company wants to develop, do we really need to start from this aspect?”

“Of course.” Li Changqing said, “Whether it’s Yunling Trading Company or Minghai Trading Company, their models are almost the same, all based on similar goods.”

“The reason why both of them can operate for a long time is because they haven’t been able to swallow the entire market of Minghong Prefecture and haven’t reached saturation, so they have given small trading companies a chance to breathe.”

“If we forcefully want to get a share of the pie, it will be hard for us to grow. Just like our Yan family’s branded clothes, the Zhao family also wants a share, but they can’t get it. Changting Town is too small, our Yan family alone has saturated the market, leaving no opportunity for them.”

“After so many years of development, Minghong Prefecture has long been divided by them. If we join in, it won’t cause any waves, but will only be pushed back by the market. So, of course, we have to take a different path.”

Yan Botao understood what Li Changqing was saying.

“However, if we join in, those small trading companies will find it hard to survive. They are barely getting by now, but if we really break in, they might only be left with the bones.” Yan Botao said with a bitter smile.

“That’s how the market is, there’s no way around it.” Li Changqing shook his head, “Survival of the fittest, if they don’t prepare for the worst, they will eventually be eliminated.”

Speaking of this, Li Changqing was really moved.

In his previous life, the profession of a woodcarver was very popular.

The things carved out could be called works of art.However, as technology advanced, machine engraving emerged. Not only were the engravings beautiful and intricate, but the speed was also significantly faster.

A large wooden carving would take a month to complete by hand, but a machine could produce a pile in a day.

Having spent so many days in this world, Li Changqing had come to a realization.

In his previous life, he was a simple and honest man, who ended up being at the mercy of others.

In this life, he must take control of his own destiny.

If he didn’t want to be eaten, he had to be the one doing the eating.

“Did you just kill someone?” Li Changqing glanced at Yan Botao.

“Yes.” Yan Botao nodded, “If we don’t kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, they might have other messy ideas. Moreover, they must give our Yan family an explanation for this matter.”

“Although they all had a hand in this, Ma Sandao was brought in by Xue Hong, so naturally, he was the one we made an example of.”

“Xue Hong was able to bring in a Prenatal expert, have you checked his background?” Li Changqing asked curiously.

“Xue Hong’s brother-in-law works at Zhanhe Residence.” Yan Botao replied, “His brother-in-law is named Zhou Xun. Ma Sandao was brought in by him. He knew Ma Sandao when he was at Zhanhe Residence. After Ma Sandao left Zhanhe Residence, he still had secret contact with him.”

“I hope this won’t bring trouble to us. If there’s any trouble, just tell me directly.” Hearing about Zhanhe Residence, Li Changqing knew it was a force not to be underestimated.

Although it was not in Minghong Prefecture, it was not far away.

“Great Steward, rest assured.” Yan Botao smiled, “Although Zhou Xun could bring in Ma Sandao and has some influence in Zhanhe Residence, he would be too scared to cause trouble for our Yan family after Xue Hong’s death.”

“After all, the Prenatal and Postnatal Realms are two different worlds. There’s no intersection between them. Zhou Xun won’t seek revenge on our Yan family because of this.”

“Alright.”

“Is everything settled with Xue’s family after Xue Hong’s death?”

“Great Steward, rest assured. Since Xue Hong left his house, our Yan family members have already gone to Xue’s house. Everything in Xue’s house is now ours. Your share, Great Steward, has also been prepared.”

Yan Botao quickly replied.

“There’s one more thing.” Li Changqing said, “Send Ma Sandao’s body to Zhanhe Residence to claim the bounty. Isn’t he on the Black List? As the hunter who killed Ma Sandao, we should be able to get the money.”

“Uh…”

Yan Botao was stunned, “Indeed, Ma Sandao is on the Black List, and the bounty is as high as 150,000 taels. But generally speaking, the hunter has to go in person to…”

“Isn’t the person who killed Ma Sandao you?” Li Changqing said with a smile.

“Me?”

Yan Botao was stunned.

“Ma Sandao sneaked into the Yan family with ill intentions and was killed by you, Yan Botao. What’s the problem with you claiming the reward?” Li Changqing said indifferently, “What faster way is there to spread the news that the Yan family has a Prenatal expert and killed Ma Sandao?”

“The Changqing Trading Company needs to establish branches in other cities, and people need to know that there is a Prenatal expert backing our Changqing Trading Company. We can’t go around telling people, can we?”

“I don’t like to show my face, and I don’t want Hengsheng to know, lest he stop practicing diligently. As the Great Steward of the Yan family, I can back you up, but I won’t get involved in other matters.” Li Changqing made it clear.

“Yes, I understand.” Yan Botao understood Li Changqing’s meaning.

He also thought that what Li Changqing said made sense.

The only thing Yan Botao couldn’t understand was why he, being so powerful, had to hide it from his son.

Why?

To let his son experience hardship from a young age?

What a strange habit.

But everyone has their own choices, and Yan Botao couldn’t say anything.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

The next morning.

Li Hengsheng had a good sleep. When he woke up, he was thinking that he hadn’t seen Lu Qiaoqiao for two days. He wondered if something had happened.

After all, he still needed to get information about his son from Lu Qiaoqiao.

And on this ordinary morning.

Changting Town underwent earth-shattering changes.

The Bai and Zhao families jointly sent invitations to other families.

They gathered at Shiyanzhai for a meeting in the early morning.

The Yan family slept soundly that night, but the smaller families did not. They were restless.

The Yan family wanted to annex them, and they were considering the worst outcome while waiting for Bai Jingfei and Zhao Yiqiu’s answers.

In addition, the Xue family disappeared from Changting Town overnight.

The Yan family ransacked the Xue family. Those who submitted were driven out of Changting Town, and those who attempted to resist were killed on the spot.

Normally, the disciples of Dao Mountain Ancient Land stationed in Changting Town should intervene to balance the relationships between the families and prevent them from killing each other too fiercely.

But strangely, none of the disciples of Dao Mountain Ancient Land intervened.

One reason was that Yan Yuyun was a disciple of Dao Mountain Ancient Land, and they didn’t want to get involved out of respect for her.

More importantly, who would want to offend a Prenatal expert?

If the Yan family were still a Postnatal Realm family, they would intervene. But now that the Yan family had become a Prenatal Realm family, they turned a blind eye.

(End of Chapter)