I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 79 Decision
It was already early morning when Xie An returned to the Xueling Black Market Villa.

The black market is running smoothly and business is booming.

Perhaps infected by the lively scene, Xie An's mood improved, so he went for a stroll in the black market.

It's been a while since I've been to the black market, and now I see... it feels quite grand and exciting. Compared to when Xie An first took office at the beginning of the year, the scale has almost doubled.

The number of merchants and buyers has nearly doubled.

Quite exaggerated.

All this credit should be attributed to Xie An.

When the annual examination is conducted in court, there is no way to escape the great credit.

Looking at the bustling crowd, Xie An smiled with relief.

Over the past year, Xie An has devoted a lot of effort to this place, which is equivalent to taking over a sapling midway and now watching the sapling gradually grow into a towering tree.

The sense of accomplishment is still great.

Objectively speaking, Xie An did bring about great changes after taking over the Xueling black market.

For example, they switched from charging fixed booth fees to commissions. While this required stricter accounting practices and resulted in some instances of underreporting sales, it undoubtedly boosted the enthusiasm of stall owners. They began actively soliciting customers and promoting their products.

In addition, Xie An and Zhang Lin also vigorously eliminated bandits and others in the surrounding area to ensure the safety of merchants.

In addition, Xie An himself is kind to others, so it would be strange if his business was not good.

Doing business in this world is far less competitive than in the previous life.

Backed by the Tiger and Wolf Sect and with government connections, there was only one black market in the six towns, with no other competitors.

A total monopoly.

Xie An keenly felt that as the scale of the Blood Ridge black market continued to expand, after reaching a certain level, it would have an explosive effect and then siphon off the surrounding commercial resources.

Today's black market is showing signs of developing into a commercial center.

"If the Tiger and Wolf Sect's leaders are ambitious and seek support from the county government, this place could become the commercial center of the six towns. They could also relocate the Blood Ridge black market to the main dock near Shuideng Town... Hiss, the future potential is simply unimaginable."

After the inspection, Xie An walked towards his own villa, feeling emotional.

Having experienced the information explosion in his previous life, Xie An knew very well how important a commercial center was to local development.

When Wei Dian and Lin Yun first established this black market, they probably didn't expect it to develop into this...

As soon as I returned to the villa, I saw Zhang Lin waiting at the door.

"Thank you, brother. You are finally back. I have been waiting for you to come back to discuss this."

Xie An knew what Zhang Lin wanted to discuss, "Come in and talk."

Pushing open the courtyard door and entering the living room, Xie An, in a good mood, lit a stove, filled a pot of water and placed it on the stove, then took out tea leaves and teacups.

Zhang Lin was not as calm as Xie An. "Brother Xie, you are still in the mood to drink tea. Today, Master Wei asked us to consider the future. What do you think?"

Xie An didn't answer immediately, "Brother Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Lin hesitated for a moment, then said: "I have been here for many years, so naturally I regard this place as my home. But now that Incense Master Wei is no longer able to do so, Deacon Lin is going to take the test again to compete for the position of Incense Master. If Deacon Lin fails to come out on top, and the new Incense Master takes the position, we will definitely be marginalized... I am conflicted. I will listen to Brother Xie. Whatever Brother Xie chooses, I will choose." After experiencing many things before, Zhang Lin was determined to follow his elder brother.

Xie An was silent.

He knew that Zhang Lin's considerations were normal.

Xie An also had a keener perception: the black market was flourishing, and it could potentially transform into a major trading hub in the future. He saw it, and so did everyone else. Wei Dian saw it, and so he was unwilling to hand it over, even at the risk of confronting the Hall Master. And Fang Baiyu, naturally, saw it too. Wouldn't he fight tooth and nail to get his hands on this piece of fat meat?

Since Fang Baiyu has set his sights on the black market, Xie An doesn't think Lin Yun has any chance of winning.

The next person to take over as the leader of the Blood Ridge Incense would most likely be Fang Baiyu's man.

Being excluded is inevitable.

What's more, Fang Baiyu is so vicious and far less easy to get along with than Wei Dian. Who knows what will happen to him after being ostracized.

Drawing a clear line with Wei Dian at this moment and looking for another job from now on... is the most self-serving option no matter how you look at it.

But the scene of Wei Dian teaching him the heavy mountain knife appeared in Xie An's mind.

Although Xie An knew that Wei Dian did this mainly because he had his eyes on the Tang Family Fort behind him, he had his own ulterior motives.

But...if there is a purpose for the grace, isn't it still a grace?
What's more, Wei Dian did not force himself to take the dangerous exam, but instead allowed him to find another job in advance.

Puff, puff.

The kettle has boiled, and the boiling water is circulating in the kettle. The lid of the kettle is shaking and making a "clang" sound.

Xie An's thoughts were interrupted by the sound. He picked up the handle of the kettle with a damp cloth and lifted it to brew tea. He poured out the first batch of water, poured a second batch of water, and then handed the blue and white porcelain teacup to Zhang Lin.

"Brother Zhang, to be honest, I also thought about seeking a better career at first. After all, we are Bronze Skin Realm warriors. After leaving the Tiger and Wolf Sect, we can become instructors in the martial arts school in town and live a comfortable life. There's really no need to get involved in this mess."

Zhang Lin heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this. He took a sip of tea and was about to say, "Me too." But before he could finish his words, Xie An changed the subject.

"But I've changed my mind now."

puff.

The tea he hadn't swallowed yet spurted out. Zhang Lin didn't even bother to wipe the water stains from the corners of his mouth. He turned to look at Xie An and asked, "Brother Xie, are you planning to take the test?"

Xie An picked up his own teacup, took a sip, and said, "It may not be necessary to go on stage for the test. But now, Master Wei Xiang's time is running out. I have to stay and accompany Master Wei Xiang on his final journey before we can discuss other things. If I can still do something for the Blood Ridge Black Market within my ability, I will do it."

This was the decision Xie An made after careful consideration.

Wei Dian taught me the heavy mountain sword and then left... What did I become?

Even if Xie An didn't care about others pointing at his spine and scolding him, he couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart.

People don't do that.

As for the test, it was a matter of life and death, and it also depended on the strength of the opponent. It also meant openly standing on the opposite side of Fang Baiyu. These were accompanied by huge risks and required careful consideration. Xie An did not dare to make a rash decision.

Wei Dian's kindness was great, and he could do a lot for the Xueling Black Market. But Xie An was unwilling to risk his life to return the favor.

Xie An always felt that apart from his wife, children and parents, other people were hardly worthy of his consideration in terms of life and death.

(End of this chapter)