I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Three days later, in the central commercial street of Burning Bones City.

Before dawn, the area in front of the Aoki Trading Company was already crowded with people.

The lanterns along the street were still lit, casting flickering light on and off the heads of the thronging crowd.

Most of them were just there to watch the spectacle.

After all, not many people dare to set up a merchant guild in such a special place as Burning Bone City.

This place is home to branches of major chambers of commerce in the southern region.

The most influential Fengxing Chamber of Commerce occupies a prime location in the very center of the main street, with its magnificent three-story building.

The other Nascent Soul faction, the Gold and Stone Merchant Guild, which focuses on spirit mines, may not show off, but everyone knows who is behind them.

There are also some chambers of commerce that are not well-known but have strong backgrounds, each guarding its own corner and running its own business.

Only the Lin family, a mere force from beyond the Great Wall that had only recently formed its core, dared to steal their business?

It should be noted that none of the established Golden Core families in Burning Bone City had this idea.

They all stayed within their own small plot of land, focusing on their own businesses.

The Cheng family makes magical artifacts, the He family makes transportation, and the Liu family makes elixirs.

Each guards its own territory, without encroaching on the other's territory, maintaining a delicate balance.

But the chambers of commerce are different.

The two are fundamentally different.

One is a platform that only sells the spiritual items it produces.

It's not just selling, it's acquiring.

The independent cultivators and demon-hunting teams have made some gains in the Fulong Mountains, so they should put their skills to use now, right?

Elixirs, animal hides, and animal bones cannot be consumed or used by oneself; they must all be exchanged for spirit stones.

Major chambers of commerce are naturally the first choice.

Buy low, sell high, and the difference is the profit.

The chamber of commerce itself does not produce anything, yet it can generate a continuous stream of revenue.

There are only so many independent cultivators.

With one more chamber of commerce, there will naturally be competition among these independent cultivators.

There are too many monks and not enough porridge; if there are too many people sharing, each person's bowl will have less.

Therefore, all the onlookers around the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce had the same question in their minds: What exactly are the Lin family's trump cards that make them dare to compete with them in Burning Bone City?

Of course, not everyone was just there to watch the spectacle.

Among the crowd were independent cultivators who had come because of its reputation, old customers from Chuyang City who came specifically to support it, and passersby who were simply attracted by the grandeur of the four-story building.

They looked up at the plaque covered by red silk, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.

Lin Xuandong stood at the door, dressed in a brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist, and wearing the proper smile typical of a merchant.

His smile was neither arrogant nor humble, just right, but beneath it lay a hint of nervousness that only he knew.

His fingers clenched slightly inside his sleeve, his gaze sweeping across both ends of the street from time to time, checking every detail.

Are the red ribbons hanging properly at the entrance? Are the welcoming staff in place? Are the spirit beast eggs on the shelves placed in the most conspicuous position?

"Shopkeeper, the Cheng family has arrived." A shop assistant quickly walked to his side, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of nervousness.

Lin Xuandong followed his gaze.

Across the street, a middle-aged man in a gray robe stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the facade of the Aoki Trading Company.

His face was ordinary, but his eyes were very bright, like two polished black pebbles, silently taking in everything.

Behind him were two young men, equally well-dressed, with a scrutinizing look in their eyes. Their gaze swept over the shop assistant's face before settling on the spirit beast eggs on the shelf.

Lin Xuandong remained expressionless, nodded slightly, and said in a steady voice, "Reception according to protocol. Prepare tea and snacks, be polite, but there's no need to try to ingratiate yourself."

The shop assistant obeyed and left, walking a few steps faster than usual.

Immediately afterwards, the He family's spirit beast workshop also sent people.

A burly man stood on the periphery of the crowd, arms crossed, his gaze lingering on the spirit beast eggs for a long time.

He didn't go inside, but just watched from afar, like a wolf eyeing its prey, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips.

The Liu family did not send anyone.

Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the auspicious time has arrived.

Lin Xuandong walked up the steps, faced the crowd, and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

His movements were unhurried, his bend neither too deep nor too shallow, and his voice was clear and resonant, carrying far in the morning breeze:

"Fellow Daoists, today is the official opening of the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce's Burning Bone Branch. Our Chamber of Commerce mainly deals in spirit beasts, spirit beast meat, pills, and various spiritual materials. All spirit beasts are personally bred by the Lin family, ensuring superior quality and fair prices. For the first three days of opening, everything is 10% off. Welcome to come and shop."

As soon as he finished speaking, the red silk ribbon fell to the ground.

The four large characters "Aoki Shokai" shone brightly in the morning light.

The plaque was carved by Lin Xuanjing himself; the characters were vigorous, the strokes sharp as knives, and each stroke was infused with spiritual power.

There were faint array patterns flowing around the plaque, which could gather spiritual energy within a radius of a hundred feet, making the spiritual aura of the entire shop three times stronger than the surrounding area.

The independent cultivators had been waiting impatiently for a long time.

The crowd of onlookers and the cultivators from various families who came to gather intelligence poured in, like a tidal wave, instantly crowding the spacious storefront to the point of being impassable.

……

On the fourth floor of the Chamber of Commerce, Lin Che looked out the window at the grand opening ceremony.

The streets were bustling with people, and the noise could be clearly heard even through the windows.

His gaze was calm, but in those deep eyes there was contemplation, expectation, and a hint of inexplicable solemnity.

Although it is unknown what kind of obstacles they will encounter later, at least before the opening, Aoki Shokai did not encounter any obstacles.

None of the Cheng, He, or Liu families openly caused trouble.

This relieved him, but it also made him more vigilant; the calm before the storm is often the most unsettling.

To be honest, the Lin family took this step rather quickly.

From a small family outside the Great Wall to establishing a chamber of commerce in Burning Bone City, the leap is not small.

The Kelin family had no choice but to expand.

Developing Blacktooth Swamp requires spirit stones, and the spirit items produced need a channel for sale.

Chuyang City is such a small place that it simply cannot absorb this production capacity, nor can it generate enough revenue.

There are also the garrison of Chuyang City, the Lin family's own guards, and the cultivation resources of the clansmen.

These expenses are increasing every year, snowballing and getting bigger and bigger.

The Lin family can hold on for now, but what about ten or twenty years from now?

The number of garrison troops will increase, the guard force will need to be expanded, and the number of descendants of the Lin family will increase, leading to an exponential increase in the consumption of spirit stones.

Without selling the top-tier bloodline spirit beasts they cultivate, opening a branch of the Green Wood Merchant Guild in Burning Bone City is the best option.

The Lin family originally intended to focus on the spirit beast industry, just like these Golden Core forces.

However, in order to conceal the fact that the Lin family was a beast-taming family, it transformed into a comprehensive business association.

As a result, they made a fortune by sheer chance.

The reason is that no chamber of commerce has moved into Chuyang City.

With the Lin family's influence, the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce had no rivals in Chuyang City.

Even excluding the Lin family's output, they can earn a considerable amount of spirit stones every year just by buying low and selling high.

But once we get to Burning Bone City, things are hard to say!

"Tsk tsk tsk, so many people." Qin Yulin, who was leaning back in a blue-and-white wooden chair behind him, couldn't help but sigh, holding a cup of spiritual tea in his hand and taking small sips: "Your Lin family is going to get rich again."

Qin Yulin was wearing a light blue dress today, her hair was casually tied up and adorned with a jade hairpin, and she exuded a lazy and carefree air.

She leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and swung her toes gently.

"It's alright." Lin Che didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the window. "I'll make you rich too. I'll get you more orders, and I guarantee you won't have to worry about spending your spirit stones."

"Tsk! You're dreaming!" Qin Yulin immediately sat up straight, glared at him, her round eyes full of wariness: "I won't let you exploit me! I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to study the formation!"

After saying that, she ran away without looking back, her steps quick and her skirt fluttering, as if she was afraid that Lin Che would really grab her as a conscript and exploit her ruthlessly.

Lin Che smiled and shook his head, walked to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of spiritual tea.

The tea is clear and green, with wisps of steam rising from it, and a delicate aroma that slowly diffuses into the air.

He watched Qin Yulin's retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Qin Yulin is now a retainer of the Qingmu Trading Company.

However, Lin Che did not bring this up first.

On the contrary, it was Wang Qinian, the head of the Burning Bone City Fengxing Chamber of Commerce, who personally approached him after learning that the Lin family was going to establish a branch in Burning Bone City.

To celebrate, he transferred Qin Yulin's service contract to the Lin family, making her a service member of the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce.

Lin Che naturally accepted this offer immediately.

But no matter how you look at it, this whole thing is very strange.

Why did Wang Qinian do this?

Qin Yulin is undoubtedly the most sought-after array master of the Fengxing Merchant Guild in Burning Bone City; countless families would kill to have him.

Are we just handing it over to them like that, without any conditions?

They refused the spirit stones, refused the compensation, and even the phrase "let's cooperate more in the future" was uttered so casually.

This just doesn't make sense.

When asked why.

Wang Qinian only said that he was optimistic about the Lin family's development, without revealing any details.

But there's good news.

Wang Qinian promised that he would not target the Lin family and reassured them that they could continue developing the Chamber of Commerce in Burning Bone City.

Without the Fengxing Chamber of Commerce, the biggest obstacle, it will be much easier for the Lin family's Qingmu Chamber of Commerce to take root!

Squinting at the view outside the window, Lin Che fell into deep thought.

…………

In the lobby on the first floor, shelves were neatly arranged, displaying a dazzling array of spirit beast eggs, cubs, meat, pills, and spiritual materials.

The shop assistants moved among the customers, patiently answering each one's questions with polite smiles on their faces.

The second floor is the VIP area, which is more elegantly decorated and is specially designed to receive high-net-worth clients and merchants who make large-volume purchases.

The third floor is the studio of the worshippers, and currently only Lu Yunzhou lives there.

The fourth floor is the Lin family's private area and is not open to the public.

On the first day of business, business was even better than expected.

The Lin family's spirit beasts have long been renowned in Burning Bone City.

Those regular customers who came all the way from Chuyang City almost always placed orders without even asking about the price.

The first batch of Azure-eyed Eagle cubs sold out in less than half an hour.

The Wind-Treading Spirit Steed was snapped up by several demon-hunting teams, and even the one used for display was not spared.

The meat of spirit beasts is also very popular.

The spirit birds with first and second-tier bloodlines were all bought up by the restaurants that came after hearing the news.

The owner of a restaurant ordered six months' worth of food at once, saying he wanted to take it back for the head chef to taste, and even asked if he could have exclusive supply.

Lin Xuandong neither agreed nor refused, but simply smiled and said, "We'll talk about it another time."

The sales of elixirs were not as booming as those of spirit beasts, but they were still quite good.

The Lin family's pills are made from spiritual herbs from the Spirit Herb Valley, ensuring consistent quality. In addition, due to the opening promotion, the price is 10% lower than similar pills on the market.

Those shrewd, independent cultivators naturally wouldn't miss out.

However, what Lin Xuandong cared about most was not how many goods he sold.

What he cared about was who came and who didn't.

The middle-aged man in gray from the Cheng family wandered around the shop, asked about the prices of several spirit beast eggs, and looked at the quality of the pills before leaving without giving a clear answer.

He didn't buy anything, but he didn't show any hostility either. He was neither enthusiastic nor indifferent; he just watched silently with his eyes.

The burly man from the He family stood on the first floor for half an hour, staring at the Wind-Riding Spirit Steeds for a long time.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the steeds' hooves, then looked at their backs and muzzles, as if assessing something.

Finally, he turned and left without saying a word.

As expected, the Liu family did not send anyone.

Lin Xuandong went upstairs to report to his father on the day's opening.

"Father, sales were very good today. The spirit beasts are almost sold out, and we've also sold 70% of the pills and spirit beast meat."

His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement, but when he said the next sentence, his tone became a bit somber: "Both the Cheng family and the He family sent people to come and see, but they didn't take any action or make any statement. The Liu family didn't send anyone."

Lin Che nodded, his gaze still fixed on the view outside the window.

On the street, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the shop assistants were busy organizing the shelves, restocking, and moving things.

"No rush." ​​His voice was calm, as if he were saying something he had long anticipated. "If they don't move, we won't either. Opening the store is just the first step; the real test is yet to come. I'm going back now. Master Qin is here to oversee things; if anything happens, just contact her."

Lin Xuandong nodded: "Okay."

……

As night fell, the lights of Burning Bone City gradually came on.

On Qingyun Street, pedestrians gradually thinned out, and shops closed one after another. Only a few restaurants still had their lights on, emitting bursts of noise.

The signboard of the Aoki Trading Company glowed faintly in the night, like an inextinguishable lamp.

Lin Xuandong sat on the fourth floor, with a thick stack of account books spread out in front of him.

His face was etched with exhaustion, and his eyes were bloodshot, yet the light in those eyes was astonishingly bright.

The first day's sales exceeded his expectations by 30%.

He picked up his pen and began writing a message to his father, detailing today's sales figures, reactions from various parties, and his own analysis and suggestions.

Meanwhile, at the Cheng family's Wanbao Pavilion.

Cheng Wanjun sat in his study, with a detailed report on the first day of the Aoki Chamber of Commerce's opening laid out in front of him.

His fingers glide lightly across the paper, his gaze fixed on each line of numbers, his brow furrowing slightly.

"The Azure-Eyed Eagle cubs sold out in half an hour; the Wind-Treading Spirit Steed was snapped up by three demon-hunting teams; four long-term supply agreements were signed for spirit beast meat; sales of pills..." As he read, his voice grew softer and softer, and his brows furrowed more and more tightly.

"Patriarch, the Lin family's spirit beasts are indeed of a higher quality than those on the market."

The old man in gray stood beside him, speaking cautiously.

"If they continue to expand like this, it won't directly affect our magical artifact business, but once they establish a foothold in Burning Bone City, it's hard to guarantee they won't infiltrate the garrison's equipment supply. The garrison's magical artifact procurement has always been a major part of our Cheng family's business. If the Lin family gets a share of that pie..."

Cheng Wanjun remained silent for a moment, then tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

"Observe first, don't act rashly." His gaze fell on the window, on the ever-burning light of the Qingmu Chamber of Commerce: "But don't let them get too comfortable either. Contact the He family and the Liu family, and see their attitude."

"Yes."

He Family Spirit Beast Workshop.

He Zhenshan sat in his study, with a report spread out in front of him.

He read the report over and over again three times, his expression changing from disdain to seriousness, and then from seriousness to silence.

"The Wind-Treading Steed... is it really that good?" He looked up at the butler, his voice less arrogant than before.

"Yes." The steward nodded. "I went to see it myself. The speed and stamina of that spirit steed are indeed much stronger than our land-based spirit beasts. Especially since the Lin family also has the Azure-Eyed Eagle. If that thing were used for air transport, it would probably be a huge blow to our spirit beast transport business..."

"Alright." He Zhenshan raised his hand to interrupt him, his brows furrowed. "I will report this to the patriarch. You may leave now and continue to keep an eye on things."

"Yes."

The backyard of Liu's Pharmacy.

Liu Zhengming sat in the study, a bottle of pills produced by the Lin family laid out in front of him.

He poured out a single pill, placed it in his palm, and examined it carefully for a moment.

The pills are round and plump, with fine red patterns on the surface, uniform color, and excellent quality.

He leaned closer to smell it, then gently crushed the powder with his fingers, placed it on the tip of his tongue, and sipped it slightly.

"The quality is not bad." He put down the medicine bottle, his tone calm. "However, it's not enough to shake our foundation. We don't need to pay too much attention to the Lin family's affairs for now. Let the family handle that."

"Yes." The apprentice acknowledged the order and withdrew.

……