Ye Tianfan smiled without replying, entering the antique department hall. The rows of seats were already packed with people, though most were internal personnel from the Huang Group. Ye Tianfan scanned these people, neither finding the chairman of the Huang Group nor seeing Huang Xiaorou.

It seems Huang Xiaorou is still grounded at home, and the Huang family's business has really been handed over to this second uncle of Huang Xiaorou.

"Mr. Ye, please sit in the front row." An etiquette staff member came to Ye Tianfan's side and smiled, reminding him softly.

Ye Tianfan walked slowly to the front. There were ten chairs in the front row of the hall. Excluding the seven old masters of the antique world, there were three vacant seats. Ye Tianfan, without any courtesy, sat directly on the chair closest to Huang Shengtian.

At this moment, Huang Shengtian's face was sullen, and his right hand gently clenched into a fist. He originally didn't want to make this tenth anniversary celebration public, let alone involve people from the business world. But Ye Tianfan and Qin Ruomeng just had to force their way in.

If it were only Qin Ruomeng, Huang Shengtian could handle it by finding any excuse to brush off the matter.

But Ye Tianfan was different. He belonged to the Ancient Martial Realm and was the Young Master of the Ye Family. His methods were certainly more sophisticated than ordinary people's. Even if he wanted to stop him, he probably couldn't.

Since Huang Shengtian had seized the Qin Family's Lingbei Trade Zone, he had already made it clear that he wanted to go against the Qin Family. Since that's the case, what will come will eventually come.

Huang Shengtian knew he could dodge the first of the month but not the fifteenth; the Qin Family would come looking sooner or later.

Instead of hiding, it would be better to confront them head-on.

Ye Tianfan and Qin Ruomeng wanted to probe Huang Shengtian's true intentions,

and Huang Shengtian also wanted to test Ye Tianfan's capabilities!

As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat. The same principle applies in business.

"Mr. Ye, your visit this time isn't just about appraising treasures, is it?"

Huang Shengtian picked up the teacup on the table, took a delicate sip, and asked straightforwardly.

"Of course, Ruo Meng and I are here this time to reclaim the Lingbei Trade Zone that originally belonged to the Qin Family."

Since Huang Shengtian asked directly, Ye Tianfan also didn't want to beat around the bush and directly stated his intention.

This made Qin Ruomeng, sitting next to Ye Tianfan, frown slightly. People in the business world generally talked more subtly, as the saying goes, 'businesses might fail, but relationships remain,' there's no permanent enemy or ally, everyone is just pursuing profit, and in the face of profit, enemies might one day turn into friends, and friends sometimes also turn into enemies.

So even though the Huang family snatched the Qin family's Lingbei Trade Zone, with Qin Ruomeng's social skills, she wouldn't state it so bluntly.

But Ye Tianfan wasn't from the business world and didn't like the deceitful interaction of businessmen, and Huang Shengtian wasn't an ordinary person either. Speaking straightforwardly would save a lot of trouble.

"Originally belonged to the Qin Family?" Huang Shengtian smirked, glanced at Ye Tianfan, then Qin Ruomeng, and said, "According to Mr. Ye, the whole trade distribution center of Jiangzhou City belongs to the Qin Family?

Hmph, doing business is about profit, strategy, and intelligence. The Lingbei Trade Zone doesn't have the Qin Group's name on it. As the saying goes, 'fortune favors the bold, merchants pursue profits.' It's not wrong, and this Lingbei Trade Zone is for whoever is capable. Furthermore, we, the Huang family, didn't seize it from the Qin Group, nor is there any malicious competition. It's just that Fang Zaitian's Imperial Group suddenly withdrew, and we merely took over."

Huang Shengtian went on with a long-winded speech, but the core idea was simple: the Lingbei Trade Zone was his.

"Since Mr. Huang put it that way, that makes it easy. Since you say the Lingbei Trade Zone belongs to those who are capable, I'll have to watch closely to see how capable Mr. Huang is."

Ye Tianfan sneered, the words carrying not only seven parts threat but also three parts disdain.

"Capable?"

Huang Shengtian took another small sip of tea and spoke, "I wonder what kind of capabilities Mr. Ye wants to see? The explicit or the implicit kind."

Ye Tianfan understood what Huang Shengtian meant. The 'explicit' referred to the apparent business battles while the 'implicit' likely referred to those ancient martial arts masters. Huang Shengtian's martial arts were not weak, so he naturally would have some powerful subordinates.

"The explicit and the implicit, bring them both on. I'll take them all on." Ye Tianfan had a carefree expression, openly challenging him. The Qin Group had Qin Ruomeng and Ji Liancheng for the explicit contest. If it were an implicit battle, then Huang Shengtian had even lesser chances. No matter how strong his subordinates were, they would have to bow in the presence of Ye Tianfan.

Hearing Ye Tianfan's imposing response, Huang Shengtian's face subtly changed. He knew Ye Tianfan's background and naturally, also knew his own strengths.

If battling openly, there might still be hope for victory.

If it came to covert tactics, he would likely suffer a loss.

"I know of Mr. Ye's status! Since this is a matter of business, I think no force is needed?"

"Afraid?" Ye Tianfan arched his sword-like eyebrows, a glint flashing through his eyes, as a wave of mystical force surged toward Huang Shengtian.

"Afraid? Not at all."

Huang Shengtian's face suddenly turned, as his inner strength dispersed at the same time.

The mystical force and inner strength collided silently, creating an indistinguishable stalemate, forming a whirlwind between the two.

This airflow vortex was only the size of a bowl. Although the center whirlwind spun violently, it didn't spread outward. Moreover, since people in the venue were not versed in ancient martial arts, no one noticed the hidden confrontation between Ye Tianfan and Huang Shengtian.

But if someone walked by and inadvertently touched the airflow whirlpool, their entire arm would be shredded into pulp.

"Great skills, Young Master Ye of the Ye Family." Huang Shengtian still wore a calm smile.

"Mr. Huang is not bad either." Ye Tianfan also smiled lightly, picking up the teacup on the table to sip slowly.

Their second covert contest ended in a draw.

Huang Shengtian's martial arts accomplishments were undoubtedly top-notch. To surpass him would likely require using the Ye Family's seventy-six ultimate techniques.

But this was a public setting, and several white-haired elders sat nearby, so even if he wanted to use the Ye Family's ultimate techniques, it couldn't be done here.

"Phew... crack..."

Under the strain of their power, a crack began to form on the teacup on the table.

The subtle change in detail made both of them retract their power simultaneously.

Huang Shengtian wore a slight smile. In facing Ye Tianfan, the Young Master of the Ancient Vein Family, a draw in covert strength contest was already considered a win.

The Ancient Vein Ye Family was a household name in the Ancient Martial Realm, and throughout the entire realm, fewer than five people could match the Young Master of Ye Family in a strength contest.

And Huang Shengtian was one of them.

Although if Ye Tianfan used the Ye Family's ultimate techniques, Huang Shengtian wouldn't stand a chance, but at this moment, it was still a stalemate.

Since it ended in a stalemate, Huang Shengtian had the leverage to speak.

"Mr. Ye, I have a proposal that could benefit both of our families, I wonder if you might accept it?"

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