Regardless of how events unfolded from here, the Drake Clan had already secured an unshakable foothold.
Excluding any unforeseen complications, unifying BlazeCity was now just a matter of time.
So, after finalizing the plan to suppress the Leonhart Clan, Brandon Drake hosted an internal welcome banquet that evening to honor Wang Tianshi and his team from the Wang Clan.
—
The next morning.Wang Tianshi and the two Core Breaking experts gathered once more in the clan's grand hall, seated alongside the Drake Clan's upper echelon.
"Alchemist Wang," Brandon said with a grand sweeping gesture, "these spirit herbs represent the Drake Clan's accumulation over decades. Take whatever and any amount you need. If anything is missing just say the word and we'll find it, no matter the cost."
He had gone all-in. To bring down the Leonhart Clan as swiftly as possible, Brandon had emptied the vault.
Before them were thousands of ornate jade boxes, each filled with carefully preserved spirit herbs.
Even these seasoned cultivators of Drake clan as well the Wang clan men long immune to temptation now felt a ripple of awe in their hearts.
Had the spiritual fluctuations not revealed that most of the herbs were only low to mid-grade, even they might've acted on impulse.
"This will suffice," Wang Tianshi said after examining a few boxes, a small smile curling across his lips. "These should last for a while."
To an alchemist, the deal was simple: three sets of ingredients per successful batch. How many pills a batch produced? Not their concern.
And for a third-grade alchemist like Wang Tianshi, crafting first-grade pills was near guaranteed—close to 100% success. Even second-grade pills had over a seventy percent chance.
The pile of herbs in-front of him was free money.
"Give me seven days," he added. "You'll have your first batch ready by then."
With a wave of his hand, the jade boxes vanished into his spatial ring.
"Now then, where is your clan's most expensive alchemy chamber?"
Brandon, who'd been watching his clan's life savings disappear with a twisted expression, perked up instantly.
"The alchemy chamber? Of course! Right this way! Please, Alchemist Wang, follow me."
He could already see the future profits gleaming before him. With those pills in hand, the real market war would begin.
The two Wang Clan bodyguards and several senior Drake members followed as they walked through the estate's corridors, eventually arriving at a reinforced pill hall.
Under Brandon's watchful eye, Wang Tianshi and the two Bone Refinement experts entered the chamber and sealed the doors behind them with a heavy thud.
Creak—Boom.
Silence.
"Seven days huh..." Brandon muttered, eyes locked on the distant Leonhart estate. "Once seven days pass, we'll have our first supply of pills. Then we'll see who laughs the most."
Even now, his men were sweeping across Blazecity, buying up spirit herbs from every corner of the market.
Grade and age pf the herb didn't matter to them.
As long as it was first-grade or above and not outrageously priced the Drake clan bought it.
To fund this, Brandon had poured in every last drop of the Drake Clan's multi-generational reserves. Without it, they wouldn't have had the liquidity to pull it off.
Blazecity might have been just a border city, but it still held millions of residents. First- and second-grade herbs were widely available, and several local factions specialized in cultivating and selling them.
It was a perfect battleground.
—
Meanwhile...
In Blazecity's bustling herb district, Lyra Leonhart stepped out of a shop frowning deeply.
It was the third store she'd visited today but the result was same, all of their herbs stock was empty.
"This is weird… Purple Spiritflower isn't even rare. It's just a common second-grade herb," she muttered, speaking into her soul-linked jade charm. "A few days ago, I swear I saw it in stock."
Since becoming Kaela's apprentice, Lyra had never lacked recipes for pills. Her refining repertoire had grown explosively, as had the range of herbs she needed to pull it off.
Whenever the Leonhart treasury came up short, she herself simply made a trip to the market.
She knew this district like the back of her hand. But the sudden shortage of herbs set her nerves on edge.
"Hm?"
Kaela, who had been about to offer some words of comfort, suddenly narrowed her eyes.
A wave of powerful soul energy rippled outward from her, it was subtle yet massive enveloping nearly a Fifty kilometers in every direction.
Lyra's heart skipped as she sensed something tense from Kaela's expression
A protective charm slipped into her hand without a second thought. "Kaela? Is something wrong?!"
Kaela's voice came through the jade charm, calm and almost amused seeing Lyra on edge."Relax, little Lyra. I just overheard a conversation that piqued my interest. I know now why you haven't been able to find your herb."
As a former seventh-grade alchemist, Kaela's soul was sharper than all Transcendent realm experts even in her soul form. She could casually listen in on idle chatter miles away.
It hadn't taken her long to catch a pair of Drake Clan buyers speaking freely about their mission and Drake clan's grand plan to monopolize the pill market in Blazecity..
"A third-grade alchemist?" Lyra's expression darkened. "So they're using pills to crush our businesses? The Drakes… they're really pushing it."
Her fists clenched just thinking about the situation.
Born and raised in the Leonhart Clan, Lyra's loyalty was woven into her bones. She would never allow anyone to harm her family, certainly not like this.
"Psh. Why are you getting worked up?" Kaela scoffed. "You've got that monster ancestor sitting at home. A mere third-grade alchemist? If he blew on the guy, he'd disintegrate."
She rolled her eyes. With Leo around, even a fourth-grade alchemist wouldn't dare show their face without kneeling first.
But then Kaela's tone shifted subtly, she sounded almost too playful.
"Still... I've got an idea. A fun one. If it works, you'll get filthy rich overnight and get your sweet revenge."
"What do you say, little Lyra?"
Her voice came through with a quiet thrill.
"Are you in or not?"