Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 412 412: The Top Ten Ancient Clans of the Central Region

When Ye Qingchen heard that Xia Chengkai had a solution, he was overjoyed and quickly rose to bow to him.

Xia Chengkai hurriedly returned the gesture, noticing Ye Qingchen's eagerness. Without delay, he summoned a servant and instructed them to invite the manager of the First-Rate Pavilion.

About an hour later, the manager of the First-Rate Pavilion arrived. He respectfully saluted Xia Chengkai and said, "Deputy City Lord, what matter requires my presence so late at night?"

Xia Chengkai nodded, gestured for the manager to sit, and said, "I have something I'd like you to look into for me."

The manager replied with sincere trepidation, "Whatever instructions the Deputy City Lord has, please just say the word. I will make sure to do it to your satisfaction."

At the same time, the manager noticed Ye Qingchen sitting beside Xia Chengkai. This young master surely has an extraordinary background, being able to sit on equal terms with the Deputy City Lord. And the latter seems to glance at him, intentionally or not, before speaking… perhaps this young master's status might even surpass that of the Deputy City Lord. To be the manager of the First-Rate Pavilion, one must be shrewd. Through this brief encounter, he had already marked Ye Qingchen as an important figure to befriend in the future. For someone like Ye Qingchen, who is so generous and holds such a high status, the wealth he could bring to the First-Rate Pavilion would definitely be extraordinary.

Xia Chengkai nodded and asked, "Mr. Ye won a set of array flags at your auction. I need to know who placed those array flags in your First-Rate Pavilion for auction."

The manager smacked his lips, looking hesitant and conflicted.

Xia Chengkai sensed the manager's concern and continued, "Rest assured, Mr. Ye is no outsider. Besides, if you tell us, we will keep it confidential. Surely you trust my word?"

Seeing that Xia Chengkai was about to grow angry, the manager quickly spoke. "Deputy City Lord, you know the rules of the First-Rate Pavilion. However, our Pavilion Master has always admired you, so since the Deputy City Lord himself has asked, this humble one will hold nothing back. That set of array flags came from the Ancient Clans of the Central Region."

"The Ancient Clans of the Central Region?" Xia Chengkai's expression shifted slightly, but he maintained his composure as he inquired, "Do you know which clan it was?"

The manager shook his head. "Deputy City Lord, that is all I know. After all, you are aware that the Ancient Clans of the Central Region have always been shrouded in secrecy. I am just a businessman; how could I possibly be so well-informed?"

Xia Chengkai nodded and then gestured for a servant to show the guest out.

When only Ye Qingchen and Xia Chengkai remained in the room, Ye Qingchen asked, "What's the background of these Ancient Clans of the Central Region? Why did you have such an expression on your face just now?"

Xia Chengkai sighed. "Mr. Ye, you truly are observant. There are ten great Ancient Clans in the Central Region, and I am now fairly certain that your fiancée must have been taken by one of their Saint Heirs."

Ye Qingchen was overjoyed and asked quickly, "Deputy City Lord, tell me the locations of the Ten Great Ancient Clans now. I will head to the Central Region immediately."

Xia Chengkai, however, shook his head. "Mr. Ye, please be patient. The Ten Great Ancient Clans are practically at the apex of the martial world. They are extremely mysterious and powerful, and their lands are not places ordinary people can simply tread. Moreover, pardon my boldness, but with your current strength, trying to enter an Ancient Clan and retrieve your fiancée is nothing more than a fool's dream. It is far more likely you would anger these clans and meet your ultimate demise."

Seeing Ye Qingchen's determined expression, completely unmoved by his words, Xia Chengkai sighed and continued, "Mr. Ye, rescuing your fiancée requires long-term planning. I have many friends in the sects of the Central Region, and I can ask them if there's any way to get close to the Ten Great Ancient Clans. In the meantime, you can wait for news while focusing on your cultivation. Only by increasing your strength can you save your fiancée. Rushing in fueled by passion alone will be of no use, even if it costs you your life."

Ye Qingchen nodded. He knew Xia Chengkai was looking out for him and that his words made a lot of sense. Indeed, I must focus on increasing my strength now. I will bide my time, wait for news, and then formulate a plan to rescue Qin Yue.

Seeing Ye Qingchen nod, Xia Chengkai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Ye Qingchen knew far too little about the Central Region and had no idea how truly formidable the Ten Great Ancient Clans were. In their eyes, not even Martial King Realm experts, let alone Martial Emperor Realm experts, were considered significant.

Ye Qingchen also noticed the awkwardness in the atmosphere. He lifted his cup to clink with Xia Chengkai's, drained it in one gulp, and said, "Deputy City Lord, I have another favor to ask."

Xia Chengkai nodded politely. "Ye Qingchen, please speak freely."

Ye Qingchen thought for a moment, then said, "Deputy City Lord, the young miss from the Liu Family Commerce Guild accompanied me here. Because of me, she was given a hard time by your Steward Deng. Consequently, her family's trade cooperation with your residence was cancelled. I hope you can look into this matter."

Xia Chengkai nodded thoughtfully. He summoned the servant in charge of trade and inquired about the cooperation with the Liu Family Commerce Guild. Upon learning that they had been supplying the Deputy City Lord's residence with medicinal herbs for all these years, Xia Chengkai immediately ordered that all future business concerning medicinal herbs be handled solely by them. This was equivalent to expanding the scale of their previous cooperation by more than tenfold.

After settling this, Xia Chengkai turned to Ye Qingchen and asked, "Mr. Ye, are you satisfied with this resolution?"

Ye Qingchen smiled and nodded. "You are too kind, Deputy City Lord. I'm sure the Liu Family Commerce Guild will be overjoyed to hear this news."

The two then shared a hearty laugh and continued drinking.

「Meanwhile.」

News of the expanded cooperation reached Liu Wan'er's ears. Overjoyed, she hastily prepared a gift and set off for the Deputy City Lord's residence to express her gratitude personally.

The gatekeepers had already received their orders, so upon her arrival, Liu Wan'er was escorted by a designated servant directly to Xia Chengkai.

Ye Qingchen and Xia Chengkai were still drinking when Liu Wan'er arrived. Ye Qingchen was slightly taken aback, but he quickly surmised the reason for her visit. He couldn't help but marvel at Xia Chengkai's efficiency, which had far exceeded his expectations.

Liu Wan'er approached Xia Chengkai, curtsied deeply, and said, "Thank you for your trust, Deputy City Lord. On behalf of the Liu Family Commerce Guild, I assure you that the medicinal herbs we provide for your residence from now on will be of excellent quality and at a fair price. We will not fail the trust you have placed in us!"