I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

"He Zhenyue, the head of the He family, has arrived!"

An announcement was made outside the Cheng family's gate.

A magnificent hearse was parked outside the gate, its roof inlaid with jewels and its curtains embroidered with gold thread. It was pulled by four pure white steeds, each with its head held high, its mane fluttering in the wind, exuding an extraordinary aura.

The guard immediately recognized the famous vehicle in Burning Bone City and straightened his back, raising his voice eight octaves higher than usual as he loudly announced the news to the clan.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and He Zhenyue stepped out, standing with his hands behind his back.

Today he was dressed in a dark gold brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist. He had a square face and a dignified air about him, as if he had long held a high position.

His gaze swept over the Cheng family's gate, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.

The guards immediately stepped forward, bowed, and led the way through the gate, past the screen wall, and through a long bluestone path.

The Cheng family's ancestral lands covered a vast area, with huge weapon-refining workshops on both sides of the passageway. The workshops had bluestone walls and iron tile roofs, and from a distance they looked like low fortresses.

Piles of ore were stacked at the entrance of the workshop.

The clanging and hammering of metal came from every workshop, weaving together a noisy yet orderly symphony, the air filled with the smell of metal and the lingering warmth of the furnace.

He Zhenyue walked through several workshops, turned a corner through a moon gate, and suddenly the view opened up before him.

The reception hall is located at the deepest part of the Cheng family estate, with flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, and two stone lions standing proudly in front of the door, exuding a majestic aura.

He pushed open the door and walked in familiarly, clearly having been here several times and being very familiar with the layout.

The aroma of tea wafted through the hall.

Cheng Wanjun and Liu Zhengyun were sitting on either side of the tea table, drinking and chatting.

Cheng Wanjun, dressed in a gray-blue robe, with a calm expression, was holding a teacup and gently swirling it to observe the color of the tea.

Liu Zhengyun, dressed in a moon-white robe, with a slender face, held a teacup in his hand and was smelling the aroma of tea.

The two of them looked up at the same time when they heard the door open.

"Old He, why are you so late?" Cheng Wanjun put down his teacup, smiled and waved, "Come and sit down! We've been waiting for you."

He Zhenyue didn't stand on ceremony. He strode over to the tea table and plopped down in the chair opposite the two men.

His movements were so bold that the chair creaked as he sat on it.

Liu Zhengyun nodded slightly as a greeting, then lowered his head and took a sip of tea.

Cheng Wanjun warmly invited, "Come and try my new tea. This is top-quality Lingxiyuan tea, produced by Yunshui Xiange. I had to ask for a lot of favors to get two ounces."

As he spoke, he picked up the purple clay teapot, reheated the cup, and poured a cup for He Zhenyue.

The tea is poured into the cup, its color a bluish-green, and the steam rises in wisps, condensing into a thin white line in the air that lingers for a long time.

Upon hearing this, He Zhenyue also became interested.

He had heard of the tea at Yunshuixian Pavilion, but had never tasted it.

That is the top spiritual tea producing area in the Southern Region, with an annual output of only tens of thousands of catties. Most of it is divided up by those major sects and families, and very little flows out.

It was indeed not easy for Cheng Wanjun to get two ounces.

He picked up the cup, brought it to his nose, sniffed it, and then took a small sip.

Before the tea even touched my throat, a wonderful aroma rushed onto my tongue.

It wasn't an intense, overwhelming shock, but rather a gentle, warm, and comforting sensation, like the gentle warmth of spring sunshine.

A rich, refreshing fragrance fills the entire mouth, with a subtle hint of honey sweetness that slowly melts on the tongue.

Then, a sweet aftertaste welled up in my heart, slowly rising from the depths of my throat, lingering and lasting, making me want to take another sip.

He Zhenyue squinted, savored the taste for a moment, and nodded: "As expected of Yunshui Xiange, it's really good."

"Of course." Cheng Wanjun also picked up his cup, took a small sip, and a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes.

The three of them drank a few more cups of tea, and after several rounds, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Cheng Wanjun put down his teacup, his smile slowly fading, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Alright, let's get down to business."

He Zhenyue and Liu Zhengyun also put down their teacups and sat up straight in unison.

"The Lin family doesn't seem to have good intentions." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of gravity. "We can't just let them continue like this, can we?"

He had assumed that the major merchant guilds in Burning Bone City would step in to curb the development of the Greenwood Merchant Guild.

After all, the more chambers of commerce there are, the more people there are to share the pie.

But the result?

Three months have passed, and those major chambers of commerce have made no move whatsoever, as if the Aoki Chamber of Commerce never existed.

Looking back now, there must be a reason why there are so many merchant guilds in Burning Bone City.

There was no infighting or hostility between those large chambers of commerce; each kept to its own territory and did not interfere with each other. It was probably related to the Fang family above them.

The Fang family has been stationed at Fen Gu Guan for over a thousand years, and "stability" has always been their top priority, both internally and externally.

It is estimated that they stipulated from the beginning that major chambers of commerce should not engage in vicious competition, otherwise they would be expelled from Burning Bone City.

Otherwise, these chambers of commerce would probably have already started fighting each other.

The Chamber of Commerce may not care, but they can't afford to.

During this period, Cheng Wanjun had been secretly observing the Lin family.

From an outsider's perspective, the Lin family's potential far exceeded his expectations.

Their skills in cultivating spirit beasts are very advanced, and their alchemy and even weapon crafting skills are rapidly improving.

If the Lin family is allowed to continue developing like this, it may not have any impact on the major powers, but it will be a different story for Golden Core families like theirs that are rooted in Burning Bone City.

How could Chuyang City survive the beast tide?

How is that possible!

When the beast tide came, Chuyang City was the first to be hit. Such a small city couldn't even last for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

In that time, the Lin family will definitely have to relocate as a whole in order to survive.

Where would they choose?

The most likely location is around Burning Bone City, which is closest to Chuyang City and has an existing business association base, making it a logical step to move there.

At that point, it won't be as simple as just the Aoki Trading Company.

When a Golden Core family moved in, they brought not only a merchant guild, but also family members, vassal forces, spirit beast populations, spirit herb cultivation, and spirit material mining...

That's taking away their living space.

The benefits in this area are already insufficient to be divided among everyone.

Burning Bone City isn't particularly big or small, but there are only a handful of truly profitable businesses.

If another Golden Core family joins the fray, no matter what he does, they will all get a share of the profits.

Even if the three families stick together, there will still be four families sharing the food, and everyone's bowl will be one piece less.

"If the Lin family continues down this path," Cheng Wanjun's voice deepened, "we'll be the ones who suffer."

He Zhenyue chuckled, picked up his teacup, took another sip, and said dismissively, "What threat could that newly formed Golden Core family pose to us?"

The He family's spirit beast transportation network spans thousands of miles around Burning Bone City. How could a newly arrived family from beyond the Great Wall possibly shake it after decades of accumulation?

Liu Zhengyun didn't show it on his face, but he wasn't too worried about the Lin family either.

The Liu family's elixirs are renowned for their effectiveness and reasonable prices. They have been operating in Burning Bone City for generations, and their reputation cannot be built overnight.

It's just a Golden Core family that happened to appear outside the pass; what can they possibly accomplish?

Cheng Wanjun shook his head: "Prevention is better than cure."

He looked at He Zhenyue, his gaze becoming more serious: "Old He, you think the Lin family poses no threat, but what if the Lin family also enters the transportation industry?"

He Zhenyue paused for a moment.

"Currently, the He family dominates this market. What if the Lin family gets involved?"

Even if they can't compare to the He family in the short term, don't forget that the spirit beasts they cultivate are excellent.

The Wind-Stepping Spirit Steed is 30% faster than your land-based spirit beasts, and the Azure-Eyed Eagle can handle aerial transport.

When the time comes, if their shipping speed is faster and their prices are lower than yours, will anyone choose them?

Will it take away some of your market share?

He Zhenyue frowned slightly, his fingers gently stroking the rim of the cup.

Although he looked down on that small family from beyond the Great Wall, what Cheng Wanjun said was indeed true.

Good spirit beasts are the core competitiveness of the transportation industry.

The Lin family does have an advantage in this regard.

Cheng Wanjun then looked at Liu Zhengyun: "The Lin family is indeed not a threat at the moment, but what if the Lin family establishes a foothold in Burning Bone City? Wouldn't it be a bit too late to target them then?"

Liu Zhengyun pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment.

"That makes sense." He finally spoke, his voice still calm, but beneath that calmness lay a hint of seriousness: "We can't let the Lin family develop so easily in Burning Bone City."

He raised his head and looked at Cheng Wanjun: "Since you called us here today to discuss the Lin family's affairs, you must have a plan. Tell me about it."

Cheng Wanjun nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

"I plan to use the influence of our three families to take the lead and unite those affiliated families to establish a business alliance."

"A business alliance?" He Zhenyue raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the Burning Bone City Merchant Alliance." Cheng Wanjun stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked to the window.

"I will draft the rules of the Business Alliance. All businesses operating in Burning Bone City can apply to join, but they need to pay membership fees and abide by the unified rules of the Business Alliance. Resource procurement will be negotiated in a unified manner, customer resources will be shared, and prices will be coordinated and unified. As the three of us are the initiators, we naturally have the leading role."

"If the Lin family joins, they'll have to listen to us. Prices can't be arbitrary, the scope of their spirit beast sales will be restricted, and even the acquisition of spirit items will have to follow the Merchant Alliance's rules." He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the two faces. "And if they don't join..."

He paused, his tone turning colder: "That's easy. If they don't join, they're outsiders. Members of the Merchant Alliance are not allowed to conduct any transactions with the Qingmu Merchant Guild. They have to choose between us and the Lin family for their supply channels. Those small and medium-sized merchants will decide for themselves whether to follow us or the Lin family."

He Zhenyue and Liu Zhengyun were silent for a moment, their eyes met, and they saw the same thing in each other's eyes.

This move can both restrict the Lin family and integrate resources, which is also beneficial to all three families.

Once the merchant alliance is established, their influence in Burning Bone City will be greatly enhanced. They will not only have more confidence when facing the Lin family, but also have more leverage when facing those large merchant guilds.

"Alright, let's do it that way." He Zhenyue nodded first, picked up his teacup and took another sip. When he put it down, his tone was more deliberate: "Your Cheng family will take the lead, and our He family will assist from the side."

That's what he said, but he also had his own ulterior motives.

If the Cheng family takes the lead, they will put in the most effort, and if anything goes wrong, the Cheng family will bear the main responsibility.

The He family only needs to cooperate; they won't offend anyone, and they can still get a share of the benefits.

Liu Zhengyun shared the same idea and immediately chimed in, "I agree too. Let's settle it like this. The Cheng family will take the lead, and the Liu and He families will provide full support. If there's anything you need, Brother Cheng, just let me know."

Cheng Wanjun showed no abnormality on his face, and his smile remained calm.

But he knew perfectly well what was going on.

How could he not know what those two were thinking?

However, there are also advantages to being in a dominant position.

He will draft the rules of the business alliance, and he will have the dominant power. As the business alliance grows stronger in the future, the Cheng family's status will also rise accordingly.

Risk and reward always go hand in hand.

He stood up, walked to the tea table, picked up the purple clay teapot, poured out the remaining tea from his cup, and refilled it.

As the tea is poured into the cup, steam rises and the aroma of tea fills the air.

"Very well, since that's the case," he raised his teacup, his voice booming and echoing in the empty hall, "our Burning Bone City Merchant Alliance is officially established from this day forward!"

He Zhenyue and Liu Zhengyun also picked up their teacups and raised them together.

The three teacups clinked together in mid-air, making a crisp sound.

"Let's celebrate the founding of our business alliance with this instead of wine!"

"good!"

The three of them tilted their heads back and drank it all in one gulp.