I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

He didn't point it out, but straightened up and looked calmly at the group of people.

"There is indeed something wrong with this meat." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "However, it's not a problem with our shop."

"What do you mean?" The burly man slammed his hand on the table, his copper-bell-like eyes glaring at Lin Xuandong, his chest heaving violently like a volcano about to erupt. "Are you saying we framed you?"

"I didn't say that." Lin Xuandong maintained his smile, a smile that was neither too deep nor too shallow, just right.

"However, since you all think there's something wrong with the meat, then this meal is on me. In addition, I'll give each of you a serving of fresh meat slices so you can watch us take them out of the cold storage, slice them right in front of you, and cook them right in front of you. How does that sound?"

The burly man was taken aback, not expecting Lin Xuandong to respond in this way.

He subconsciously turned to look at his companion, the fierce glint in his eyes turning into confusion.

The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

They had rehearsed various scenarios beforehand.

The store denied it, the store offered compensation, the store argued, but no one had ever rehearsed the store's nonchalant "treating" of guests.

The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

Some people lowered their heads and pretended to drink tea, some fiddled with their chopsticks, and some cast their gaze out the window as if searching for something.

Just then, another commotion broke out at the shop entrance.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Several people dressed in Cheng Family Business attire pushed through the crowd and strode into the store.

They were well-dressed, with the Cheng family's Wanbaoge logo embroidered on their chests, and walked with an air of "I'm here to uphold justice."

The leader was a middle-aged man with a pointed face, high cheekbones, slightly sunken eyes, and a faint, cold smile on his lips.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the hall, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, his voice sharp: "Qingmu Merchant Guild, you're selling stale meat and passing off inferior goods as superior ones! This can't be left like this! As a member of the Burning Bone City Merchant Alliance, our Cheng Family Merchant Guild has a responsibility to maintain market order!"

Lin Xuandong's eyes narrowed slightly.

It turned out to be the case.

The disturbance was just a prelude; the real goal was to ignite public opinion and amplify the impact.

His suspicions were confirmed at that moment.

These people didn't act on a whim; they were arranged by someone else.

The Cheng family didn't just happen to be passing by; they were prepared.

The middle-aged man with the pointed face walked up to the octagonal table, looked down at the plate of meat on the table, and shook his head repeatedly. He shook his head so much that he seemed afraid others wouldn't see it.

He even deliberately reached out, picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, and held it up to the light so that everyone could see its "dark" color.

"Tsk tsk tsk, the color of this meat looks off."

He tossed the slices of meat back onto the plate, clapped his hands as if brushing off something dirty, and said with utter contempt, "Manager Lin, your Lin family is also a Golden Core clan, how can you do such unethical business? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at if word gets out?"

The atmosphere inside the store grew increasingly tense.

Some of the diners around him kept their heads down and remained silent, some whispered among themselves, and some had already put down their chopsticks, their faces showing hesitation.

Seeing that someone was backing them up, the troublemakers became even more arrogant.

The burly man at the head of the group slammed his fist on the table and shouted, causing the bowls and plates to bounce and spill soup all over the table.

"Refund! Compensation!"

"Who would dare to come to a store like this in the future?"

"The Lin family is going too far! They think they can bully us rogue cultivators just because they're a Golden Core clan?"

Lin Xuandong looked around at the diners who had been incited, their hesitant eyes, wavering expressions, and whispered conversations. He quickly considered how to deal with them.

He can't force it.

Forcing the issue will only escalate the situation and turn it into a case of "the Lin family abusing their power."

We can't back down either, because backing down would be tantamount to admitting they have a problem, and the reputation of the Aoki Trading Company would be ruined.

He took a deep breath, about to speak.

"Make way."

A steady voice came from the shop entrance; it wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable power.

The crowd automatically parted to both sides, like the tide receding, revealing the passageway in the middle.

Lin Che walked in.

Today he was dressed in a dark blue casual robe, with a jade belt around his waist, and his hair was neatly styled. He exuded an aura of authority without being angry.

Their steps were unhurried, each step firm and resonant, the soles of their boots making a soft sound as they touched the bluestone slabs. The sound was gentle and unhurried, yet it resonated in everyone's heart like a drumbeat.

As my gaze swept across the hall, the clamor seemed to be suppressed by an invisible hand, gradually subsiding until only the bubbling sound of the hot pot remained.

When the troublemakers saw Lin Che, their arrogance noticeably diminished.

They couldn't withstand the pressure from a Golden Core cultivator.

The burly man at the head of the group instinctively took a half step back, then forced himself to stand firm, but his slightly trembling legs betrayed his inner fear.

"Patriarch." Lin Xuandong bowed slightly, stepped aside, and gave his father the seat of honor.

Lin Che nodded, walked to the octagonal table, and looked down at the plate of meat.

He didn't touch it, he just looked at it, his gaze calm as still water, without any change in expression.

But those people felt an invisible pressure, as if a mountain was pressing down on their shoulders, making it almost impossible for them to breathe.

"This meat doesn't come from the batch of spirit birds delivered today at all." Lin Che's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

He straightened up, his gaze sweeping over all the diners present, his voice steady and powerful.

"From today onwards, all ingredients for Baiweizhai will be changed to spirit birds raised by our Lin family in Qingze. The water quality in Qingze is better, and the meat of the spirit birds raised there will be more delicate, with slightly different textures. This is a unique characteristic of Qingze spirit birds, completely different from before!"

He turned his head and his gaze fell on the group of burly men.

"Gentlemen, would you like to explain why the meat you brought is different from the meat sold at Baiweizhai today?"

The burly men's faces changed drastically, their lips trembled, but they couldn't utter a single word.

Their hands were clenched tightly under the table, their knuckles white, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Upon seeing this, the sharp-faced middle-aged man from the Cheng family immediately spoke up, his voice several decibels higher than before: "Master Lin, you are...you are threatening a witness! A dignified Golden Core cultivator, threatening us small merchants in front of so many people, aren't you afraid..."

Lin Che glanced at him.

The gaze wasn't harsh, but it made the sharp-faced middle-aged man involuntarily take a step back, his words stuck in his throat.

"A witness?" A faint smile appeared on Lin Che's lips, but it sent a chill down the spine of the sharp-faced middle-aged man.

"You came so fast, without even checking the meat in our shop, and you already know there's something wrong? How did you know?"

The middle-aged man with the pointed face opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn't say anything.

His gaze darted left and right, as if he were looking for an excuse or a way to escape.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The only sounds were the bubbling of the hot pot broth and the suppressed breathing of the diners.

Lin Che withdrew his gaze and turned to all the diners present, his voice as steady as a mountain:

"Gentlemen, today's events were deliberately framed by someone who wanted to ruin the reputation of my Lin family. The innocent will clear themselves. As an apology, I will give each of the customers in the store today an extra pound of Golden Spike Spirit Chicken."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall immediately eased considerably.

The doubts on the faces of those diners who were initially hesitant gradually disappeared, replaced by relief and a touch of embarrassment.

They almost got caught up in the chaos and joined in the commotion, and now, looking back, they felt a little embarrassed.

Several regular customers stood up, raised their glasses, and toasted Lin Che from afar: "Master Lin, you are truly virtuous! We trust the Lin family!"

At this moment, the tide of public opinion completely reversed.

Suddenly, Lin Che's gaze abruptly fell upon the troublemakers, as if a blade were slicing through them.

"If you insist, we can always seek justice from the City Lord's Mansion! Xuan Dong, prepare all the ingredients for today; we're going to the City Lord's Mansion!"

Seeing that things were going badly, the troublemakers exchanged glances, immediately jumped up from their seats, pushed through the crowd, and rushed out the door.

The speed was many times faster than when they arrived, and it even knocked over two chairs, which rolled several times on the ground.

Seeing this scene further confirmed what Master Lin had said.

They were indeed there to cause trouble.

"Sure enough! These guys are obviously here to cause trouble!" A burly man slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his anger even more intense than before.

"The Cheng family's arrival is too coincidental! I've had a feeling something was off for a while!" Another elderly diner stroked his beard and shook his head repeatedly.

The diners booed.

Lin Che narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the group from the Business Alliance, a half-smile playing on his lips: "What, do you need me to keep you here for dinner?"

The men, their faces pale and ashen, dared not linger and rushed out the door in a panic.

……

The fourth floor of the Aoki Chamber of Commerce.

Lin Xuandong closed the door and turned to look at his father, who was already sitting down at the tea table.

He was filled with doubts and finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Father, you said this batch of spirit birds came from Qingze? How come I didn't know that?" He walked to the table, but didn't sit down. He placed his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward slightly, and looked confused.

It's worth noting that he was also temporarily managing Baiweizhai.

For something as significant as changing ingredients, I would definitely inform him immediately.

But he never received any news about the Qingze spirit birds being ready for market.

Moreover, Qingze's spirit beast garden has only just started operating, so how could it possibly produce spirit birds?

Lin Che picked up the teacup, took a sip, and the tea was already a little cold, but he was in no hurry.

"I don't know either." He put down his teacup, his tone flat. "I was just talking nonsense."

"Huh?" Lin Xuan almost dropped the teacup in his hand, the tea sloshed and a few drops splashed onto the table.

"Our Qingze Spirit Beast Garden has only just opened; how could it possibly produce spirit birds?"

Lin Che looked up at his son's shocked face and a smile appeared on his lips: "I was just bluffing them."

"The other party may dare to cause trouble, but they would never dare to take it to the city lord's mansion in Burning Bone City."

What they wanted was public opinion, to make the rogue cultivators of Burning Bone City feel that the Lin family shop was bullying customers and selling inferior goods, thereby boycotting the Green Wood Merchant Guild.

But once the matter reaches the city lord's mansion, it has to go through the proper procedures, including investigation, evidence collection, and confrontation.

Can those fake meats withstand scrutiny? Can the identities of those people be verified? They dare not.

"So they ran away as soon as you mentioned the City Lord's Mansion." Lin Xuandong suddenly realized, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"He truly is a father."

But then his brow furrowed slightly: "But, are we just going to let these people go like this? They framed someone in public, almost ruining Baiweizhai's reputation, and we're just going to let it go like this?"

"Don't worry, the Black Organization has already taken notice of these people." Lin Che stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and looked at the gradually dispersing crowd below: "The mastermind behind this is probably not going to escape, but..."

He paused, his tone turning colder:

"I estimate that even if the investigation goes on, it won't implicate those three companies. They won't be able to find a pretext to criticize them. At most, those troublemakers will implicate the middleman, and the middleman will implicate a scapegoat, and then it will be over. Those companies won't be that careless in their work."

Lin Xuandong was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Lin Che's gaze fell on the direction of Wanbaoge outside the window, and his brows furrowed slightly:

"However, I didn't expect them to use such despicable methods."

But such methods cannot solve the fundamental problem, can they?

"Did they go through all that trouble just to disgust us?"

Lin Xuandong also frowned, his fingers stroking his chin.

"I'm also puzzled. These methods are far too low-level and unlikely to effectively suppress our business. At most, they'll give us a headache for a few days. Those companies aren't stupid; they must know this. So why do they still do it?"

The two of them began to think about it.

Suddenly, Lin Xuandong asked with some doubt, "How did Father know they would come to cause trouble? I can handle this small matter myself, why did you have to go to all this trouble?"

Lin Che was taken aback and stopped thinking.

He turned around abruptly and looked at the timekeeping compass in the corner.

The pointer above has reached the appointed time.

"Oh no." He strode towards the door, his robes billowing in the wind, causing several pages of the account books on the table to turn.

"I just happened to be passing by. I came to take a look, and Wang Qinian from Fengxing Chamber of Commerce asked me to come. It's almost time for our appointment, so let's come back and discuss it further."

"Wang Qinian?" Lin Xuandong was taken aback. "What does he want with Father?"

Lin Che didn't turn around: "They said there's a secret realm about to open, containing several third-tier spiritual items, and most importantly... the main ingredient for forming a Golden Core!"

Lin Xuan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Golden Core Formation?

That is the most important pill for Foundation Establishment cultivators to break through to the Golden Core stage. Its main ingredients are almost impossible to buy on the market, and every time it appears, it is fiercely contested by major forces.

It can be said that over the years, the Lin family has never been able to collect a complete copy.

If the Lin family wants to grow stronger, it can't rely on the father alone.

Among his brothers, Xuan Jing has already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, just one step away from the Golden Core stage.

Collecting Core Formation Spiritual Objects is absolutely the Lin family's top priority right now!

"Father, then please go quickly!" He hurriedly got up and opened the door for Lin Che, his movements much faster than usual.

Lin Che nodded, and with a flicker, disappeared at the top of the stairs.

He took a deep breath and sat back down at the table.

Consider how to deal with the business alliance if they continue to use these despicable tactics to disgust them...