172 Invitation (2/2)

”Sir, I am a servant of the Primrose family. My master has kindly sent me here to deliver this letter to you.” The servant said humbly, but haughtiness could be faintly seen in his eyes. He was a proud servant of the Primrose family.

The Primrose family wasn't strong personally. The strongest Awakener in the family was Vigo and his old father. Both were only at the 7th step, however, as merchants, they had immeasurable wealth and connections to powerful people and families, which makes them a force to be reckoned with.

”What's this? A challenge letter?”

Leon accepted the letter with knitted brows. What was Vigo's intention? With his narrow-mindedness and animosity, he would not let Leon off after his attempt to embarrass and destroy their reputation.

A merchant's value was based on the people's trust in them. If it was lost, it was hard for them to do business. Vigo knew this, but he still allowed the sales of the pills because the defects of the pills and ointment weren't life threatening and slow acting. The life expectancy of an average person wasn't high to begin with and in a critical situation, the pills and ointment could indeed save a life.

Vigo and Porter love profits, but they weren't unscrupulous. The prices they set were very fair and affordable after weighing the pros and cons. They just didn't publicize the side effects of their products.

Normally, when people hear about the defects of a product, they would forget all about the good parts and deem it as a bad product overall. The validity of Leon's words wasn't proven in the end, but he left behind a seed of doubt. There was no need to prove it. It was just a matter of time before people find out.

However, what everyone didn't know was that it was the Primrose and Fischer's marketing plan to sell these trash-rank products. With two merchant association working together, there was a total of six grandmaster alchemists involved. It would be strange if the pills and ointment refined by all these grandmaster alchemists resulted in trash-rank qualities. There were low, mid and even high-rank pills in their inventory.

Their plan was to sell the lowest quality products first, before steadily introducing the higher quality products to maximize their profits. This was the general marketing strategy of any business enterprise; to control the pace of introducing newer, better and higher quality products.

But even the Primrose and Fischer merchant associations weren't aware that the trash-rank pills and ointment were all refined by Grandmaster Cato alone, which was why Grandmaster Cato wanted Leon dead, but couldn't do it openly.

”The order was to deliver the letter, and deliver the letter, I have. Thus, I shall take my leave. Why don't you open the letter and read it yourself, sir?”

The servant said haughtily as he faced the store exit and began leaving. Leon frowned at the servant's attitude. He planted a foot on the servants back and sent the him flying to the entrance

”Y-You! You dare kick me!?”

The servant roared in anger as he tried to get back up, but the crushing weight of Leon's cultivation pressure sudden bore down on him and forced him on his hands and knees.

”Know your place, servant!”

Regardless of his statuses, he was still a powerful cultivator and was no pushover. The servant was entitled to pay him the proper respects as expected of a person when they meet a stronger Awakener.

”Mercy, sir! I was blind! Please spare me!” The servant begged, while being drenched in cold sweat.

Dammit, what the hell was wrong with him? Or rather what the hell was wrong with the world? Even kids under 20 could become such powerful One-Star Awakener these days. Why didn't anyone inform him about this? What bad luck!

”Hmph! Get lost!” Leon released his cultivation pressure.

The servant thanked him quickly and profusely, before scurrying off in a disheveled manner.

Shortly after the pill store regain its tranquility, Leon opened the letter. Much to his surprise, it was not a challenge letter but an invitation, and to the Cromwell's banquet no less. Was this Vigo Primrose in a hurry to die?

”Since it's the Old man's birthday, I should prepare a gift.” Leon mused. ”A pill recipe will do for an alchemy fanatic like the Old man.”

Leon wasn't fond of social gatherings, but given his relationship with the Cromwell family, he ought to make an appearance.

He was already planning to gift the Cromwell family some longevity blood, so it couldn't be used as a birthday present conveniently. The value was guaranteed but the thought would have been lacking.

After settling on which pill recipe to gift the Old man, Leon made his way to the Cromwell's estate.