However, the Luo family’s Pill workshop was clearly not strong enough to support the refining of high-end Pills, so Ye Xuan could only start with the mid-tier market.

This was also the market with the highest profit margin and greatest potential for growth.

As long as the Luo family could gain a firm foothold in this market, drive out the Qu family, and seize a large portion of the Qin family’s share, then with Ye Xuan’s guidance, it wouldn’t be more than a few years before another great noble family emerged in the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital.

Thus, Ye Xuan set his sights on mid-tier Pills.

However, the market in the Imperial Capital had already solidified, as impenetrable as an iron fortress. If Ye Xuan wanted to break in, simply attacking the Qin and Qu families wouldn’t be enough. He also needed to carve out a unique niche.

Only then could he expand their market share in the shortest possible time and help the Luo family grow stronger.

At this thought, Ye Xuan sank into contemplation.

Countless Pill formulas swirled in his mind—ancient recipes, obscure concoctions, too numerous to list.

However, finding recipes that were both suitable for the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital and could be openly produced would take considerable effort.

’First, for advancement Pills, the plan is simple. Whatever Pills the Qin family sells best, I’ll launch an enhanced version.’

’It would be just like what I did with the high-potency Pills in Blue Moon City, which drove the Wang family, the city’s Alchemy Dao titan, into an irrecoverable decline.’

’But that’s just to strike at the Qin family.’

’Beyond that, I also need to drive the Qu family out of business.’

The Qu family’s Pill business, much like the Luo family’s, survived in the margins. Their most profitable products were a niche advancement Pill and a rather decent niche Healing Elixir.

’Those two Pills will be my primary targets.’

’But just launching these Pills won’t create a market-wide sensation. The impact won’t be big enough.’

’I don’t have time to stay in the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital forever, so I need the Luo family to rise as quickly as possible.’

’That’s why, on top of everything else, I have to introduce a Pill that can cause a stir throughout the Imperial Capital, one that can help the Luo family break into the upper echelons of society.’

’And this Pill can’t infringe upon the markets of the other three great Alchemy Dao titans.’

The Luo family was still weak, after all. Directly challenging the Qin family was already an audacious move. If they were to offend the other major Alchemy Dao titans as well, the Luo family could forget about surviving in the Imperial Capital.

If those major Alchemy powers were to unite, they could undoubtedly erase the Luo family from the Imperial Capital. Not even the backing of the Artifact Refining Workshop would be enough to save them.

The Alchemist Association, the Imperial Pill Pavilion, and the Vast Light Commerce Association—each was a titan on par with the Qin family.

After some thought, Ye Xuan finally came up with a Pill that could create a sensation without infringing on the markets of the major Alchemy Dao titans.

It was a youth-preserving Pill.

Youth-preserving Pills were a relatively scarce resource in the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital. No major power was selling a high-quality version of such a Pill.

And yet, the market for this type of Pill was enormous.

’After all, what woman in this world doesn’t cherish her beauty? What woman doesn’t dream of eternal youth?’

From commoners to royalty and nobles, the annual spending on women’s products created an economy easily as large as the market for Martial Artist cultivation.

Ye Xuan clearly remembered that in his past life in the Profound Domain, an Emperor Level youth-preserving Pill had appeared. It could grant eternal youth and refine one’s features, leading numerous female Martial Emperors to bid for it in a frenzy, creating an astonishing legend.

A Pill like that was a once-in-a-lifetime find, of course.

’But,’ Ye Xuan mused, ’if I could introduce a youth-preserving Pill that maintained a woman’s looks for several decades, or a Pill that could transform her skin, I can only imagine how explosive the demand would be.’

With that thought, Ye Xuan immediately dove into the intense preliminary preparations.

He didn’t start by preparing the other high-potency Pills, but focused first on the youth-preserving ones.

After careful selection, he quickly settled on two types of Pills and began the initial development process.

Meanwhile, as Ye Xuan was busy preparing for the Luo family’s entry into the Pill market, the Qin family, one of the great noble houses of the Imperial Capital, was in a state of disarray.

Upon learning that his son, Qin Yu, had been arrested by the Celestial Dragon Guard on suspicion of hiring an assassin in the market district, Qin Feng, the Patriarch of the Qin family, immediately emerged from his seclusion to pull some strings.

The Qin family was backed by the empire’s Third Prince. As one of the Imperial Capital’s great noble houses, their network of connections was unimaginably vast.

Despite pressure from the Artifact Refining Workshop, the Qin family’s influence, combined with a lack of concrete evidence, proved too much. After holding out for only a day, the Celestial Dragon Guard buckled and released Qin Yu.

Commander Jia even came to the Luo family in person to apologize for the matter.

Following Ye Xuan’s instructions, Luo Min said little, instead comforting Commander Jia and telling him not to dwell on it. Her words moved the commander deeply.

The sealed Qin family Pill Pavilions also reopened for business as usual the very next day.

Shortly after, the Celestial Dragon Guard announced their investigation had identified the assassins who targeted Ye Xuan: the infamous Weei brothers, a pair of killers from near the Imperial Capital. Wanted posters were posted throughout the city.

However, not long after the wanted posters went up, news arrived from outside the city: the Weei brothers, the very men the Celestial Dragon Guard were pursuing, had been found dead in a forest just outside the Imperial Capital.

The condition of the Weei brothers’ bodies was horrifying, and based on the signs of battle at the scene, the killer was suspected to be a Tier Seven Martial King.

The news sent the entire city into an uproar.

A Tier Seven Martial King was considered a top-tier expert throughout the entire Dream Realm Plain. Such an individual would definitely not be some nameless figure.

Thus, all suspicion immediately fell upon the Qin family. As a great noble house of the Imperial Capital, their Patriarch, Qin Feng, was himself a Tier Seven First Layer Martial King. Many speculated that he was the most likely culprit.

The Qin family, however, could only suffer in silence.

Although the Celestial Dragon Guard never found concrete evidence, nearly everyone in the Imperial Capital attributed the market district assassination to the Qin family.

While the Qin family suffered no material losses, their reputation had taken a severe blow behind the scenes.

「The Qin Estate.」

Qin Feng immediately summoned all the family elders for a meeting to discuss the recent events.

A clean-shaven, scholarly-looking middle-aged man sat at the head of the main hall. His gaze was piercing, and his mere presence exuded an aura of someone in complete control.

This was none other than Qin Yu’s father and the current Clan Leader of the Qin family, Qin Feng.

"Everyone, you are all aware of the assassination in the market district. The root of this issue is the Luo family. I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Qin Feng spoke from his seat at the head of the hall. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable, powerful authority.

"Patriarch, the Luo family has gone too far!" a red-robed elder exclaimed indignantly. "We had nothing to do with this, yet they insist on pinning the blame on us. Now, rumors are flying all over the Imperial Capital that you, Clan Leader, murdered the Weei brothers. The audacity!"

"Third Elder is right," another sharp-eyed elder chimed in. "We are the great Qin family! When have we ever been framed like this? I say we go confront the Luo family and demand a clear explanation."

"The Luo family is merely a lesser house, yet they dare to oppose us? I heard they repeatedly provoked Young Master Qin Yu, which led to the conflict that day. If we don’t teach a house like that a lesson, won’t the Qin family become the laughingstock of the Imperial Capital?"

Many of the elders began to speak up, their sentiments largely the same: how dare the insignificant Luo family cause such trouble for them? It was a crime punishable by death.

As a great noble house of the Imperial Capital, many of the elders were accustomed to their lofty positions. If they had actually been behind it, that would be one thing. But to be framed for something they hadn’t done? It was intolerable. Filled with righteous indignation, they were ready to march on the Luo family at Qin Feng’s command.

Of course, some elders were more level-headed. One spoke up, "The Luo family itself is just a lesser house and of no consequence. However, I hear they’ve now connected with the Artifact Refining Workshop. That’s why the Celestial Dragon Guard made such a big fuss this time, even going so far as to arrest Young Master Qin Yu."

"Hmph! Sixth Elder, are you afraid of the Luo family now?" the red-robed Third Elder sneered. "So what if they have a connection to the Artifact Refining Workshop? You think the Workshop can dictate what our Qin family does? Besides, we’ve never heard of the Luo family having any ties to the Artifact Refining Workshop. If they did, why would the Murong family have abandoned them? For this to suddenly come up now... who knows what shady business is behind it?"

The Sixth Elder’s eyes narrowed. "Third Elder, I am merely stating the facts," he said with a cold smile. "If the Luo family is so insignificant, why didn’t I see you go confront them after the incident? I seem to recall you have a particular interest in such matters, do you not?"

"Hmph! I was waiting for the Patriarch’s lead," the Third Elder said without a hint of shame. "The Patriarch was in seclusion. How could I act recklessly on my own? Now that he has emerged, it would be improper for me, a mere elder, to overstep my bounds."

"I happen to agree with the Third Elder," said the Fifth Elder, who was on good terms with him. "What sort of connection could a minor family like the Luo possibly have with the Artifact Refining Workshop?"

The Sixth Elder gave a cold laugh. "Is that so? Then how is it that I heard Master Lu Li of the Artifact Refining Workshop personally paid a visit after that boy from the Luo family was injured? Many people are aware of this. Surely you’re not telling me you didn’t know, Fifth Elder?"

The Fifth Elder snapped in anger, "Sixth Elder, all you do is parrot ’Artifact Refining Workshop, Artifact Refining Workshop!’ Are you an elder of the Qin family, or are you the Workshop’s dog? Since when does the Qin family have to act based on the whims of the Artifact Refining Workshop?"

"Fifth Elder, what are you implying?" the Sixth Elder shot back, his own temper flaring. "Is it now a mistake to consider what’s best for the family?"

As a great noble house, the Qin family naturally had its own internal power struggles. The Fifth and Sixth Elders were clearly not of the same faction.

"Enough!" a furious voice boomed from above. "Bickering like this! Have you no sense of decorum?"

The entire meeting hall instantly fell silent.

Qin Feng looked over everyone present with cold disappointment, his heart seething with rage. ’Even now, at a time like this, these elders are still caught up in their infighting.’