Within less than a month after the release of the Coagulation Powder, the Xiao family had captured 70 percent of the healing medicine market in Wutan City. The substantial profits brought the Xiao family great joy; what had previously been a somewhat sparse flow of visitors now surged with constant activity, bustling like a lively market. In contrast, the Jiale family remained under a cloud of gloom. Their longstanding resentment stemmed from the Xiao family's earlier exploitative pricing, which had alienated the majority of the mercenaries. Moreover, the Coagulation Powder proved significantly more effective than the Spring-Revival Powder, putting continuous pressure on Jiale's healing medicine operations. Without the daily limited supply of healing medicines from the Xiao family, the Jiale family would have been forced to rely solely on plain broth. While the healing medicine sector had shrunk, its profitability remained solid. However, the most pressing challenge for the Jiale family now lay in securing the large volume of medicinal herbs required for their production. As the city's largest resource hub, the Mitel Auction House has already refused to cooperate further—deeply resenting the current herb embargo. While the Galle family harbors fierce frustration, they dare not press the Mitel Auction House, knowing that its powerful backings rank among the top in the entire Gamma Empire. A small family from Utan City, they simply don't have the stature to challenge such influence. With no other options, the Galle family has had to rush to purchase every herb shop in Utan City at prices several tiers above market value. Yet this remains only a temporary measure, as these individual shops lack the capacity to sustain such a massive demand over the long term. Moreover, most importantly, everyone in Wutan City now senses the growing tension and hostility between the Xiao family and the Galé family. At this moment, supporting the Galé family is tantamount to alienating the rapidly rising Xiao family. Therefore, after their first batch of medicinal supplies were sold to the Galé family, many herbal shops hesitated to offer large-scale deliveries—this situation only deepened the Galé family’s difficulties. As a result, the Galé family’s supply chain for medicinal herbs has been effectively severed at nearly eight levels, leaving only two remaining links, which are now far insufficient to meet the demands of preparing healing elixirs. In desperation, the Galé family has had to purchase herbs at premium prices from other cities, barely managing to alleviate their shortage. However, this has led to a significant reduction in their profit margins. Without the steady profits from healing elixirs, the Galé family would likely have faced bankruptcy long ago. Currently, the Xiao family is rising rapidly, leveraging the momentum of their healing medicine, and is even beginning to outpace the other two prominent families. Every time he heard this title, Xiao Yan would only sigh with a slightly helpless expression, pulling at his lips. Half a month ago, Xiao Zhan had suddenly assigned him to manage this market, claiming it was for "training." The move had sparked considerable debate within the Xiao family—managing a market at just his teens was unprecedented. However, ultimately, considering Xiao Yan's changed status, several family members had to acquiesce. Thus, Xiao Yan, who had been resting comfortably at home, was unexpectedly sent over. Although the market was large, what brought Xiao Yan some comfort was that managing it wasn't overly demanding. The more tedious tasks—such as street divisions and price negotiations with merchants in prime locations—were delegated to his father's seasoned household manager. Each day, he would occasionally accompany a group of large men to stroll through the streets, handling the market's safety matters. His days thus flowed steadily and pleasantly. Xiao Yan appeared calm and composed, yet he had a deep fondness for discussing the thrilling adventures, unusual beast encounters, and ancient techniques preserved in caves from previous generations with the mercenaries. These stories continually ignited the adventurous spirit within him, making him eager to immediately journey into remote mountain regions to seek out those mysterious and powerful techniques and combat arts. As a relatively young man with a refined and pleasant appearance, Xiao Yan naturally commanded a favorable impression. Moreover, whenever he became enthusiastic, he would often pull out limited-edition healing medicines from his cloak to gift them to his companions. This gesture earned the hearty, generous mercenaries' strong appreciation, and over time, the return customer rate at his marketplace became the highest among the several Xiao family marketplaces. Recalling the events of the past半个月, Xiao Yan offered a gentle, reflective smile—such days were becoming scarce. At most, he'd have another month or so before he had to accompany Yao Lao on his journey of cultivation, after which he might not return for one or two years. Pushing aside the lingering sense of melancholy, Xiao Yan raised his head. Suddenly, a somewhat awkward, slender figure darted swiftly through the crowd. Pausing to gaze at this ordinary, thin man, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and said softly, "Klu, why are you running all the way to me instead of pursuing your own business ventures?" The rather unimpressive man before me is a well-known figure in the marketplace—well, a thief. For a profession that thrives in the shadows, Xiao Yan hadn't fancied himself completely eliminating them. He knew that for every positive there was a corresponding negative. Though such a profession might not command much respect, their information network was remarkably keen. No matter what happened anywhere in Wutan City, they were always aware of the details. His eyes slightly narrowed, Xiao Yan's composed expression gradually turned cold. He slightly tilted his head and said in a calm tone, "Xiao Li, gather everyone—anyone who's alive, bring them all here!" "Yes!" A large man bowed respectfully and quickly turned to rush inside the marketplace. "Lead the way," Xiao Yan said, nodding slightly to Kruyang. With a quiet, gentle tone. Seeing Xiao Yan's sudden cold demeanor, Kru quickly nodded, silenced any further remarks, and hurried ahead. "That stubborn turtle, daring to come here and tease me in our Xiao family's territory! If the people of the Xiao family don't leave this marketplace unharmed today, then I shall step down as market master right now!" Xiao Yan said softly, his voice sharp, causing Kru's body to tremble slightly and his pace to quicken.