"Excuse me, is this Mr. Lin's residence?" a voice, aged and hoarse, called from outside the door.
Elder Kumu spoke at the villa's main entrance, yet his voice carried clearly into the living room.
Lin Xiaotian's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing within them. "Wife, you rest. I'm going out to do some business. It seems opportunity has come knocking."
"Someone wants to trade antiques for my medicine. It just so happens I have a batch of medicine that needs to be sold. I can't possibly consume all these pills myself, so I'll use them to earn some pocket money."
Chu Nianxue's delicate brows furrowed. "Won't there be any trouble? We already control over seventy percent of the antique market, and we've secured the sources for our goods. Your medicines are undoubtedly precious; don't just hand them out."
Lin Xiaotian smiled brightly. "They're just some medicines I casually refined. Not particularly precious, but unique. No one else can make them but me."
"They can only trade precious treasures with me. How could I possibly pass up an opportunity to fleece a sucker?"
Chu Nianxue rolled her eyes at him. "Then you should hurry. Don't keep them waiting too long."
Lin Xiaotian nodded with a grin and walked directly outside the villa. He had no intention of letting Elder Kumu inside. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and looked at the old man standing at the door.
He appeared to be in his seventies or eighties, thin as a twig.
Standing there, he looked as if a gust of wind could blow him over. Beside him lay another person, Old Liu.
Old Liu was already on his last breath, clinging to a single thread of life.
However, his condition was dire. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Blood trickled from his lips.
Lin Xiaotian glanced at him and then paid him no further attention, his gaze filled with amusement. "If I'm not mistaken, you're from the Tianluodiwang, aren't you?"
Elder Kumu forced a smile onto his face, but it looked incredibly stiff.
It was as if his facial muscles hadn't been used in centuries, pulling his expression into a semblance of a smile.
"Mr. Lin's guess is correct. I am indeed from the Tianluodiwang. While not a high-ranking position, I am qualified to conduct business with you."
"The words you spoke earlier have been relayed to our superiors. They have given me clear instructions: this matter will be handled by me from now on."
"Furthermore, all the conflicts between us and Mr. Lin prior to this were entirely because of this scoundrel."
Lin Xiaotian feigned surprise. "Entirely because of him?"
"Tell me what happened. I know we had no prior grievances. Especially the incidents between us before, they were mostly due to family feuds. But I've already avenged those. The people who deserved to die are already dead."
"I believe your Tianluodiwang's intelligence network knows why I did what I did. Now, we are practically without enmity. After all, all debts have been settled."
"I don't believe you would make an enemy of me over those insignificant people, yet you continued to trouble me. If you can explain this, then we can be friends."
Hearing this, Elder Kumu understood. It was just as he had suspected: Lin Xiaotian truly didn't want to continue their conflict.
They also didn't want to provoke a true master like Lin Xiaotian. If pushed too far, he might relentlessly pursue the Tianluodiwang, causing them immense losses. Even a slight leak of information could lead Lin Xiaotian to their doorstep.
He forced a smile onto his face and said, "It was this fellow who deliberately misled our higher-ups. The message he conveyed was that Mr. Lin insisted on an irreconcilable conflict with us."
"The experts we sent were meant to resolve the situation, but they were always manipulated by him into becoming tools in his hands, specifically to deal with Mr. Lin."
"After I arrived, I thoroughly investigated the matter and discovered that this fellow was the one causing trouble. We have also used the Tianluodiwang's methods to turn him into a complete cripple. From now on, he can no longer disrupt things."
"I deliberately kept him alive to bring him before Mr. Lin. If Mr. Lin wishes him dead, I will act immediately."
Lin Xiaotian glanced at Old Liu, seeing the despair emanating from his eyes.
He understood what Old Liu was thinking. This was a truly intelligent man who knew there was no longer any hope of survival.
"Since this fellow caused so much trouble, and you have already punished him sufficiently, let him disappear. I don't want to see such a person again."
"If it weren't for him, perhaps we would have reached an agreement long ago. After all, the medicines I refine are not difficult for me. For masters of my level, such medicines are second nature."
"But don't think that because they are second nature to me, you can lower the price. The precious medicinal ingredients and my unique refining techniques are something you cannot replicate."
"Moreover, I need to personally oversee the process. For a master like myself to personally handle it, aren't you prepared to pay a higher price?"
Elder Kumu immediately bowed. "Of course. It is our Tianluodiwang's honor to have Mr. Lin assist in refining medicine."
"I believe we will achieve a very satisfactory cooperation. And indeed, I require the medicines in Mr. Lin's possession to enhance our strength. I have several experts under me who have been stuck at the peak of Grandmaster for a long time."
"As for the antiques Mr. Lin requires, we are also making every effort to collect them, especially the cauldron. We previously found the Medicine King Cauldron, but it is not yet in our possession. However, Mr. Lin, rest assured, the item will be delivered soon."
Lin Xiaotian's face showed surprise. "The Medicine King Cauldron you speak of, is it the cauldron used by the esteemed Medicine King Sun Simiao?"
"Indeed, it is the Medicine King Cauldron. Its collection is currently with a friend."
"This friend could not have acquired it through any unscrupulous means, so we can only wait patiently. We need to offer some precious equivalent items in exchange. However, Mr. Lin, please be assured, we will acquire the item as quickly as possible."