Chapter 3848 — Not in the Least Bothered
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
Here on North Island, however, Nan Tianguan seldom frequented the Hong Chamber of Commerce. Another great merchant house had courted him with lavish sums instead; given his standing in the Soaring Sky Pavilion, anyone who could genuinely win him over stood to reap enormous profit.
"Guests, too, come in good and bad. A good guest is received by every soul in the Hong Chamber of Commerce with all courtesy. A bad guest—well, there is nothing left to say. That the strong are honored in the cultivation world is a principle I imagine you understand full well, sir." Hong Zhong spoke with his features composed, betraying nothing.
The strong are honored? At those words Nan Tianguan's eyes flickered. Only now did he realize, to his astonishment, that he could not see through the strength of this Hong Zhong before him at all!
To be sure, the man might be concealing his power through some secret art. But judged by plain logic alone, being unable to see through another's strength meant that strength very likely surpassed his own!
No wonder the man could take the seat of manager at the Hong Chamber of Commerce's North Island branch—he was not to be underestimated! Nan Tianguan felt a chill of caution inwardly, yet he had no intention of giving up. After all, he had come to the Hong Chamber of Commerce today having made thorough preparations in advance.
"Hmph! It seems in Manager Hong's eyes this seat of mine has already been filed under 'bad guest.' But do you know who I am?" Nan Tianguan gave a cold snort and looked down his nose at him.
Compared with his third brother Nan Tianyong, Nan Tianguan was not only the stronger, but held a far higher position in the Soaring Sky Pavilion!
Nan Tianyong's post as inspection deacon might inspire a measure of awe at best, but Nan Tianguan's position was truly coveted—it commanded awe and, more than that, controlled vast stores of cultivation resources. To have dealings with him was to reap tremendous advantage.
Nearly half the merchants along the market's inner street actively courted Nan Tianguan—fawned on him, one might say—and no few were eager to secure him with lavish sums.
Yet among those merchants the Hong Chamber of Commerce, that flagship giant of commerce, was nowhere to be found. Small wonder, then, that Nan Tianguan had long harbored a grudge against the Hong Chamber of Commerce—strictly speaking, against its North Island branch.
So this time Nan Tianguan had schemed and come in person. On the surface it was for Nan Tianyong's sake, but underneath he had by no means ruled out the intent to give the other party a proper dressing-down while he was at it.
Nan Tianguan assumed that Hong Zhong dared to treat him so rudely out of ignorance of his identity. Otherwise, what merchant who knew who he was would not enshrine him as a god of wealth? Who would wear such a cold face?
To his surprise, Hong Zhong did not even raise his head. "Second of the Three Heroes of the Nan Clan. Senior Disciple in charge of affairs at the Soaring Sky Pavilion. Nan Tianguan."
"You knew?" Nan Tianguan's expression changed on the spot.
If the other man had not known his identity, that cold face might have been forgivable. But to dare treat him this way while knowing full well that he was the Soaring Sky Pavilion's senior disciple in charge of affairs—that was beyond anything he had anticipated!
Senior disciple in charge of affairs at the Soaring Sky Pavilion—the title sounded much the same as that of Meng Jueming, a newcomer's senior disciple in charge of affairs at the Azure Cloud Pavilion, yet the standing of the two was separated by a gulf as wide as heaven and earth!