Chapter 41: No room for maneuver

"One hundred and ten Guyuan pills, ninety Bailu pills, sixty Huiqi pills..."

Zhu Hongan sat behind the counter, using an abacus to calculate today's revenue from drug sales.

Because he looked a little unhappy, the four shop assistants lowered their heads to work and no one dared to look at Zhu Hongan.

"Damn it, it's getting less and less." Zhu Hongan suddenly slammed the counter and cursed.

Feima Market is so small, and the independent cultivators are all poor. With the hot sales of Lujiaosan and Tianguidan, they will naturally cut down on other expenses. Not only the elixirs, but other businesses will inevitably be affected. However, the medicine shop is the most affected.

Zhu Hongan turned around and looked at Yang An who was smiling apologetically beside him, "What the hell are you laughing at!"

Yang An had small eyes, a sunken nose, dark spots all over his face, a thin figure, and was wearing a black Taoist robe. He stood there hunched over like a giant rat.

Despite being scolded by Zhu Hongan, Yang An still smiled and looked humble and flattering. He lowered his voice and said, "Boss, the spirit stones are all with Gao Xian. His spirit stones are your money."

"Hahaha……"

Zhu Hongan liked to hear this, and he couldn't help but feel in a good mood.

Originally, Zhou Ye's secret sale of Deer Horn Powder did not affect him much. Zhou Ye's master was an elder who taught martial arts, so it was not easy to offend him. The key point was that when he went to find Zhou Ye, the other party had a very good attitude and only said that he would try selling it for a few months. If the business was good, he would cooperate with him at that time.

He didn't think much about it at the time, but when Huang Ying came out to buy Tiangui Dan, he knew something was wrong. After investigating, it turned out that it was Gao Xian who was behind it! After knowing this, he was not angry but happy.

As long as he holds Gao Xian in his hands, all the money will be his. Moreover, Gao Xian can only make elixirs for him in the future.

Deer Horn Powder and Tiangui Pill will become his cash cow. As for Zhou Ye and Huang Ying, without Gao Xian providing them with pills, they are nothing.

Zhu Hongan patted Yang An on the shoulder and praised him, "Thanks to you for finding out the situation. Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly."

As for how to treat him well, Zhu Hongan felt that giving him a few words of praise was already very good.

Yang An nodded happily: "Thank you, shopkeeper."

When Yang An looked up, he saw Zhu Qinnan coming in from the back door, and the smile on his face suddenly became a little dry.

Yang An was a little scared of Zhu Qiniang, who had a cold expression all day long. He knew very well that Zhu Qiniang was the number one thug in Changsheng Hall, with a cold personality and ruthless and heartless actions.

What's even more terrifying is that he can never see through this woman's thoughts.

He has always kept his distance from this woman.

"Madam Boss, you're back." Yang An hurriedly greeted her respectfully, while also reminding Zhu Hongan.

Zhu Hongan closed the account book, turned around and glanced at Zhu Qiniang, "Did you bring the person back?"

"Um."

Zhu Qiniang replied: "In the backyard."

"This kid is timid. If you leave him alone for a while, he will get scared."

Zhu Hongan said with a smile: "Let's eat and drink our fill before we go and deal with him."

Yang An reminded quietly: "Boss, don't let him get away."

"He doesn't dare."

Zhu Hongan sneered: "Where can such a small Pegasus run to? If he dares to run around, his master Xu Mingyuan will kill him without me doing anything!"

He took out a spiritual stone from his sleeve and threw it to Yang An: "Go to Lao Li's wine shop to buy some good dishes. Today is a good day, we need to drink a little..."

By the time Yang An came back with the wine and food, it was already completely dark.

Yang An sat at the lower seat, drinking with Shopkeeper Zhu and his wife. He didn't dare to eat much, so he poured wine for Shopkeeper Zhu and chatted with him.

Zhu Qiniang ate a lot, but didn't drink a drop of wine. After she was full, she left first.

Yang An relaxed only after Zhu Qiniang left. He drank a few glasses of wine with Zhu Hongan and felt a little drunk. He discussed with Zhu Hongan the beauties in Qixing Flower Garden.

Speaking of those enchanting slender waists and long legs, Zhu Hongan also became excited, "Today, I let Gao Xian sign a death contract, and I will take you to Feihua Courtyard to have fun. Yun'er, Feng'er, your kung fu is really amazing..."

The two old men became more and more excited as they talked, and had already started thinking about how they were going to have some fun.

They drank until the half moon rose into the sky, and then Zhu Hongan took Yang An to the backyard room.

It's mid-September and the weather has turned cold.

The wing room was originally used to store miscellaneous items. It was not facing the sun and the window paper was torn. When the night wind blew, the room became even colder.

The light of the oil lamp swayed gently in the night wind, and the light was sometimes bright and sometimes dim. Gao Xian, who was sitting at the inside of the table, had a neutral expression under the dim light, and his calmness was somewhat strange.

Zhu Hongan was a little surprised. In his impression, Gao Xian was always timid and would be at a loss what to do after being scared.

How can it be so peaceful?

He became a little unhappy again. Did this kid really think he didn't dare to do anything?

Zhu Hongan walked over with a sullen face and slammed the table. He shouted, "Gao Xian!"

As a practitioner at the eighth level of Qi training, Zhu Hongan's voice was full of energy and high-pitched.

Gao Xian, however, remained unusually calm. He sat still, with no expression of fear on his face.

He looked up at Zhu Hongan and asked calmly, "Manager Zhu, what do you want to do by arresting me?"

"You still have the nerve to say that!"

Zhu Hongan was originally pretending to be a bit pretentious, but now he was really angry.

Seeing him coming, Gao Xian dared to sit still and even asked him why! "Let me ask you, did you make Huang Ying's Tiangui Dan and Zhou Ye's Lujiao San?"

Gao Xian nodded: "I made it."

He turned and asked again: "What's the problem?"

"How dare you ask!"

Zhu Hongan pointed at Gao Xian and yelled, "The herbs are mine, the furnace is mine, but you secretly made pills and sold them. Is that what your master taught you?"

"In the entire Pegasus Group, I am the only one who can sell elixirs. This is the rule set by the sect! "You are stealing and betraying. I will send you back to the Discipline Hall of Lianyun Sect. You will surely die."

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

Zhu Hongan's tone slowed down a bit when he said this. "For your master's sake, and because you are young and ignorant and a first-time offender, I will give you a chance."

Gao Xian was also in a complicated mood. He had never known that Changshengtang had the exclusive right to sell elixirs. Qi Niang didn't even mention such an important matter...

The problem is that he has no choice. Zhu Hongan is too greedy and difficult to cooperate with. Lujiaosan and Tianguidan are related to the spiritual light of humanity, so they must be sold in large quantities.

He remembered that Qi Niang had asked him what to do if Zhu Hongan didn't allow him to sell elixirs. It turned out that someone had already reminded him...

Gao Xian sighed softly, "Please tell me clearly, Manager Zhu."

Zhu Hongan was about to say something when he found Gao Xian still sitting there. He went over and grabbed Gao Xian by the collar and lifted him up. "You little brat, you dare to sit in front of me, who do you think you are?"

Gao Xian did not resist. He comforted the other party softly: "Don't get excited, Manager Zhu. If you have something to say, speak slowly."

Yang An watched from the side, and he felt that Gao Xian was a little too calm. Although he had never dealt with Gao Xian, he felt that something was wrong.

He suddenly felt someone coming in, and when he turned his head to look, it was Zhu Qinnan.

Zhu Qinnan was more than a head taller than him. She stood quietly at the door, without saying a word or moving, but naturally exuding a strong aura.

Yang An hurriedly nodded and smiled apologetically to Zhu Qinnan, then he took two steps sideways and hid to the side.

Letting Zhu Qiniang stand behind him is not only impolite, but also insecure.

Zhu Hongan was grabbing Gao Xian and scolding him wildly, his spit flying everywhere and Gao Xian looked helpless.

This middle-aged man didn't take good care of his oral cavity and he just drank some alcohol, so his breath smelled terrible.

Zhu Hongan thought Gao Xian was scared, and he felt a little proud in his heart. This kid was quite good at pretending, but these little tricks were useless in his hands.

He pulled out a contract from his sleeve and slapped it on the table. "Sign this contract, and I won't bother you about the past."

Gao Xian took the contract and read it. The content was very simple. It was a hundred-year contract between Changshengtang and him. Within the hundred years, every pill he refined would belong to Changshengtang.

If he violates the contract, Changshengtang has the right to dispose of him at will.

As for treatment and remuneration, not a single word was written.

"Manager Zhu, the term of this contract is too long, and it doesn't specify how the profits from refining the elixir will be shared..."

Gao Xian shook his head. The terms of the contract were too harsh. If he really signed it, he would become a slave of Changshengtang.

Zhu Qinnan really didn't lie to him!

He actually didn't believe all of Qi Niang's words, mainly because Qi Niang clearly had deep ill will towards Manager Zhu.

Now it seems that Zhu Hongan is really greedy and cruel, and he doesn't leave any wiggle room for others.

Zhu Hongan grabbed Gao Xian's collar and lifted him over. The two men looked face to face and eyes to eyes, with a fierce look in Zhu Hongan's small eyes.

He sneered coldly: "You secretly used my medicinal materials and alchemy furnace to earn so many spirit stones. Do you really think I'm running a charity?"

"Today you either sign the contract or die. Make your choice!"

Gao Xian sighed again. He turned his head to look at Zhu Qinnan who was standing at the door. Zhu Qinnan pursed her lips slightly, with a cold expression and a murderous look in her eyes.

Zhu Qinnan noticed Gao Xian's gaze and nodded slightly at him.

Zhu Hongan had his back to Zhu Qinnan and could not see her movements.

Yang An, who was standing by, saw the interaction between Zhu Qiniang and Gao Xian. He was filled with doubt and uneasiness: "What are Gao Xian and Zhu Qiniang doing? Something seems to be wrong..."

(End of this chapter)