The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

After hearing Yanshuang's firm response, Yun Yunxun shook his head with a smile and said no more.

His niece was exceptionally talented, the most gifted spirit-root cultivator in the clan, and skilled in artifact refinement. In the future, she would also learn the art of alchemy.

How could she marry into the Yulin Wang family to bear children and strengthen their lineage?

Not only would he oppose it, but so would his brother Yunshan, his cousin Yunyang, and the entire Yun clan.

To Yun Yunxun, Wang Liyuan—even as the most talented scion of the Yulin Wang family—was no match for his niece.

As they prepared to head to the docks to board their boat, Yun Yanshuang's gaze was drawn to a roadside stall.

Among the various items on display, a fist-sized, vibrant green spirit ore caught her eye.

She approached the stall and crouched down, picking up the ore to inspect it. "Fellow cultivator, how much for this spirit ore?"

"Young lady, you have a keen eye. This is 'Greenwater Essence,' a second-grade Yellow-tier spirit ore, an excellent material for artifact refinement.

If you're interested, I can sell it to you for 300 lower-grade spirit stones. What do you think?"

The stall owner, a middle-aged man with graying temples who appeared to be in his fifties, smiled ingratiatingly. Judging by Yun Yanshuang's demeanor, he assumed she came from a cultivation family.

"300 spirit stones for a second-grade Yellow-tier spirit ore? That's a bit steep," Yun Yanshuang replied softly.

Her clan's obsidian ore, when sold at the cultivation market, fetched only 200 lower-grade spirit stones per piece.

"What price do you have in mind, then?" the stall owner asked.

"200," she replied.

"That's too low," the man said hesitantly.

"To be honest, my clan also sells second-grade Yellow-tier spirit ores at that price. If you're willing, I'll buy this ore right now," Yun Yanshuang said with a faint smile.

Hearing this, the stall owner fell silent, deep in thought.

"230 spirit stones. Young lady, this ore is something I risked my life to retrieve from a secret realm. I spent countless spirit talismans and pills to obtain it. 230 is my absolute minimum," the man said earnestly.

"210 is the highest I'm willing to pay," Yun Yanshuang replied firmly.

Having spent years alongside her elder brother and uncle handling external affairs, Yun Yanshuang was no longer the naïve child she once was.

She wasn't swayed by the stall owner's story, recognizing it as a tactic to justify a higher price.

"You're a tough negotiator, young lady," the stall owner said with a wry smile.

"Not at all. I believe my offer is more than fair compared to the market price.

At 230, no one in the market would buy it unless it caught the eye of someone from the Three Families or Seven Sects. But considering their standards, it's unlikely they'd be interested in this ore.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have been gathering dust on your stall for so long," she countered calmly.

"Sigh… you win. 210 it is," the man said with a resigned sigh.

Indeed, as Yun Yanshuang had guessed, the 'Greenwater Essence' had been sitting unsold on his stall for nearly half a year.

Occasionally, someone would inquire about it, but they'd walk away as soon as they heard the price.

If he didn't sell it soon, this ore—which wasn't particularly useful to him—might as well become a permanent fixture on his stall.

Now that someone was willing to pay more than the standard market price, he decided to accept.

"You're straightforward, fellow cultivator," Yun Yanshuang said with a sweet smile, turning to her uncle. "Uncle Yunxun, pay the man, please."

Yun Yunxun chuckled and handed a pouch of spirit stones to the stall owner. "Count them yourself, fellow cultivator."

"No need. You're from a cultivation family; I trust you wouldn't cheat a lone rogue cultivator like me," the man said with a smile as he weighed the pouch in his hand.

Despite his words, he discreetly used his spiritual sense to verify the contents—210 lower-grade spirit stones, not a single one missing.

"Yanshuang, why did you want to buy this 'Greenwater Essence?'" Yun Yunxun asked curiously.

After leaving the stall, Yun Yunxun glanced curiously at his niece.

"Uncle Yunxun, you might not know, but this 'Greenwater Essence' can be paired with the family's obsidian to craft an alchemy furnace.

If successfully made, such a furnace could sell for as much as 500 lower-grade spirit stones in the market.

Now that I've acquired this 'Greenwater Essence,' crafting an alchemy furnace myself will save us a significant amount of spirit stones," Yun Yanshuang explained cheerfully, holding the ore in her hands.

"I see," Yun Yunxun said with an enlightened nod.

"Let's head back to Yulin County. My elder brother and uncle should be returning to the inn soon from their visit to the Yulin Wang family," he suggested.

Yulin Wang Family Estate

Yun Yanshui sat atop a carriage, managing the transport of goods.

Inside the carriage he drove were 300 weapons crafted by the family's armory—blades, spears, swords, halberds, and even armor.

To ensure productive negotiations with the Yulin Wang family, his uncle had even retrieved three first-grade Yellow-tier spirit tools from the family's treasure vault to present as gifts.

In addition, the other carriages carried tea leaves, gold, silver, jewelry, textiles, and 30 pounds of spirit rice.
Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

"Uncle Yunlin, does my uncle always bring so many gifts whenever he visits the Yulin Wang family?" Yun Yanshui asked, bored as he sat on the carriage, glancing at Yun Yunlin beside him.

"Yes," Yun Yunlin replied with a nod.

"But the Yulin Wang family has never reciprocated. Don't they understand the concept of courtesy?"

Yun Yanshui couldn't hide his frustration.

The spirit tools were painstakingly crafted by his sister, the spirit rice cultivated through his elder brother Yantian's hard work alongside their clansmen, and the jewelry, textiles, and weapons were the fruits of the Yun family's collective labor.

The thought of offering their hard-earned goods as tribute to the Wang family, who gave nothing in return, left Yun Yanshui deeply dissatisfied.

"This is the price of needing their favor," Yun Yunlin said with a sigh.

He too found it difficult to stomach, but sacrifices had to be made for the family's future.

"If only our clan could surpass the Yulin Wang family, we wouldn't need to bow to them," Yun Yunlin lamented.

Sitting quietly beside him, Yun Yanshui said nothing, lost in thought.

"We've been waiting here for quite a while. Why hasn't the Wang family sent someone to greet us?" Yun Yanshui finally asked, his patience wearing thin as he glanced at the grand gates of the Wang estate.

"That's typical of the Yulin Wang family. They do this to emphasize their status and superiority," Yun Yunlin explained.

He had accompanied Yun Yunyang on visits to the Wang family several times before, and each time, they were left waiting outside for over half an hour before someone from the Wang family arrived to greet them.

"Uncle seems to have incredible patience," Yun Yanshui muttered, glancing at Yun Yunyang sitting calmly under the shade of a tree.

"Brother Yunyang is used to this," Yun Yunlin said with a wry smile.

As the uncle and nephew spoke, a group of figures emerged slowly from the Wang family estate.

Leading the group was none other than Wang Zhongtian, the patriarch of the Yulin Wang family.

"Brother Yunyang, my apologies for keeping you waiting. Clan affairs have kept me quite busy," Wang Zhongtian said with a smile.

"No harm done," Yun Yunyang replied courteously, rising to return the greeting.

"Please, come inside. I've had tea and refreshments prepared," Wang Zhongtian said warmly, leading Yun Yunyang, Yun Yanshui, and the others into the estate.

"Brother Wang, I've come today to discuss a matter," Yun Yunyang began after they were seated.

"Brother Yunyang, feel free to speak openly," Wang Zhongtian replied with a hearty laugh.

"I wanted to inquire if there are any vacant shops available for rent in the cultivation market by Yulin Lake.

Our Yun family hopes to rent a shop, and I was wondering if you could assist us in this matter."

"Well…" Wang Zhongtian's expression shifted into one of feigned difficulty.

"To be honest, shops in the cultivation market are always in high demand and are entirely occupied by members of the Three Families and Seven Sects. There are no vacant shops available for rent.

However, since we are close friends, my Wang family would be willing to offer one of our shops to you, Brother Yunyang."

"That would be most generous of you, Brother Wang. What would the rent be?" Yun Yunyang asked.

"I won't take advantage of you. Just 30 mid-grade spirit stones per month," Wang Zhongtian replied with a smile.