I am becoming the ultimate demon.

Chapter 56 Business Warfare, Underground Clashes; Counterattack, War Begins

The turmoil surrounding the Blood Lotus Sect has temporarily subsided, but an even more serious situation is looming ahead.

Ji Lin put down the secret report in his hand, his brows furrowed.

The Li family has so quickly found a new patron and launched a full-scale attack on the Ji family's businesses.

Salt monopolies, canal transport, silk shops, and pawnshops—the four pillar industries—were simultaneously suppressed, and the price war raged without any bottom line.

"This is an attempt to sever the lineage of the Ji family."

He got up and walked towards the front hall, where the sounds of the clansmen arguing could already be faintly heard.

The atmosphere in the main hall of the Ji residence was somber.

Ji Chang'an sat in the main seat, turning page after page of the account book in his hands, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

The usually composed patriarch now had beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Brother, the pharmacy really can't hold on any longer. The Li family is selling at 20% less than our purchase price. This isn't doing business; it's a suicide mission!" Third Master Ji Changkai said urgently.

"The pawnshop is the same. The Li family lends money without charging a penny of interest for the first three months. All the customers are flocking to them, and our staff are almost out of rice to cook this month," the second manager said with a wry smile.

The old shopkeeper tremblingly handed over the silk shop's account book: "Sir, 'Jinxiuzhuang' has cut prices by another 30% this month. Our three shops... won't last more than ten days."

Several elders in the clan exchanged glances, and one of them suggested in a low voice, "How about... we sue for peace?"

"Sue for peace?" Ji Lin's voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned their heads and saw him step into the hall holding a scroll of map, his eyes bright and clear.

"The Li family's tactics clearly indicate their intention to seize all the business in Xiong'an County. Seeking peace now would be tantamount to handing over their ancestral assets."

He spread the map in his hand on the long table. It was a detailed map of the Li family's businesses, drawn by the night patrol team after half a month of staking out. The salt routes, canal transport nodes, silk shops, warehouses, pawnshops, and even the related officials were all clearly marked.

A hint of surprise flashed in Ji Chang'an's eyes, which quickly turned into relief.

"Lin'er, what's your opinion?"

Ji Lin pointed to the salt permit issue: "Strike the snake at its vital point. Of the Li family's four major industries, salt permits are the foundation. They manipulate salt prices by bribing salt transport officials, falsely reporting losses, hoarding salt, and speculating. Once this is exposed, it will be a serious crime punishable by confiscation of property and exile."

"But where is the evidence?" Ji Changkai asked.

"The evidence is here." Ji Lin took out a copy of a secret ledger from his sleeve.

"The details of the 'loss sharing' between the Salt Commissioner and the Li family are recorded in detail. A copy of this document has been sent to Inspector Zhang."

"With his intelligence, it's impossible that he didn't know how lucrative it was. Given his position, he could easily mobilize officials in the prefecture."

Everyone in the hall perked up. Zhang Liang was the inspector of the Demon Suppression Prefecture, wielding power comparable to a prefect. If he were to intervene…

"The matter of salt permits requires official tactics," Ji Lin continued, "but the art of business warfare can also be used to undermine it from the ground up."

He pointed towards the silk shop: "Doesn't the Li family like to drive down prices? Then let them drive down prices to their heart's content."

......

Three days later, the Ji family suddenly closed three silk shops and announced that they would be introducing a batch of "exotic satin from Southeast Asia," with colors as vibrant as the sunset, named "Ephemeral Brocade."

The news quickly spread throughout the county's gentry circles.

Many people were curious about what this "ephemeral beauty" looked like, and the area in front of the Ji family's house was suddenly filled with visitors.

Inside the Li residence, Li Rong, upon hearing the scout's report, stroked his beard and sneered, "Desperate measures. Trying to take the high-end route? Then I'll block that route for him too."

"Brother, shall we also buy this batch of goods?" Li Tianming asked.

"Go in! Whatever he scores, we'll double it!"

"Not only do we need to get in, but we also need to be the first to market and drive the price down below their cost."

"I will make sure that not a single one of the Ji family's 'ephemeral beauty' blooms!" Li Rong slammed his fist on the table.

The Li family acted extremely quickly.

In less than five days, a large number of "Ephemera splendor" flowers had filled warehouses and were even put on the market ahead of time, with prices so low that they were astonishing.

The Ji family remained completely silent.

On the seventh day, the night patrol reported that the "Ephemera Brocade" in the Li family warehouse had piled up like a mountain.

Ji Lin smiled slightly and instructed the old shopkeeper, "We can begin the second step now."

That night, several silk masters from Xiong'an County were "invited" to the Ji residence.

After examining the "Ephemeral Flower Brocade," they all shook their heads: "This satin was dyed using special minerals from Southeast Asia, and it must be soaked in a matching color-fixing solution; otherwise, the color will fade upon contact with water. Without the formula, this fabric... is no different from waste cloth."

The formula, however, remained firmly in Ji Lin's hands.

Three days later, at the Li residence.

"Master! Something terrible has happened! The 'Ephemeral Beauty Brocade' flowers we sold in our shop... all the customers have come back to complain! They say that after being washed once, the color has faded completely, and now there are dozens of people gathered at the door demanding compensation!" The manager scrambled into the hall.

The teacup in Li Rong's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

"How could that be...? What about the Ji family?"

"The Ji family...the Ji family didn't release it at all! They just spread the word. The goods we rushed in were all...all of them..." The manager dared not say any more.

Suddenly remembering something, Li Tianming rushed into the study, pulled out the expensive book he had bought, *The Secret Methods of Weaving and Dyeing*, and began frantically flipping through it. Until the very last page, a few lines of small print caught his eye:

"The 'Epiphyllum indicum' is bright but fleeting in color, and requires a 'color-fixing formula' to soak for a long time to make it last. Without this formula, it will fade after just one wash."

That book was offered to me by a "mysterious businessman" three days ago.

"We've fallen into their trap!" Li Tianming collapsed to the ground.

......

On the salt-producing battlefield, Ji Lin's methods became even more ruthless.

He didn't directly expose the ledgers, as that would alert the enemy.

Instead, the night patrols spread the word among the canal merchants and salt traders: the prefectural government had received a secret report and would crack down on smuggled salt, and salt prices would soon collapse.

Panic spread rapidly.

The following day, several small salt merchants began selling off their stored salt at low prices.

On the third day, even the medium-sized salt merchants couldn't sit still anymore.

Salt prices plummeted, dropping by 40% in just five days.

Li Rong held a large handful of salt certificates in his hand, his face ashen.

These once priceless certificates are now rapidly becoming worthless.

"Brother, how about we throw some too?" Li Tianming's voice trembled.

"Sell it? Sell it now, and we'll be admitting to losing half of our fortune! If we don't sell it... what if the court really investigates..." Li Rong gritted his teeth.

He suddenly looked up: "What's the Ji family up to?"

The scouts reported: "The Ji family is secretly buying up salt from the official granary, and through the county magistrate's connections, they are getting it at an extremely low price."

Li Rong suddenly realized that what the Ji family wanted was not salt permits, but actual salt!

Salt permits may be abolished, but salt will always be consumed.

Once the Ji family takes control of the physical salt warehouses, the salt industry in Xiong'an County will belong to the Ji family.

"What a brilliant move to undermine the enemy's strength..." Li Rong felt a sweet taste in his throat and coughed up blood.

......

When the Li family was mired in the quagmire of the salt and silk trade, Ji Lin personally led a night patrol team and appeared at the Huai River wharf.

At three quarters past the hour of You (5:45 PM), dusk was gradually falling.

The Li family wharf was brightly lit, and laborers were carrying the last batch of cargo boxes into the warehouse.

When the grain transport boats docked, the steward would collect a "passage fee" as usual, not even sparing the fishing sampans.

Huang Yu lowered his voice: "Brother, shall I lead some men over there and lure the warehouse guards away first?"

Ji Lin gazed at the Li family's banner on the river and slowly shook his head.

"No need."

He raised his hand and waved it forward.

"Tonight, we'll raid their base of operations."

In the darkness, hundreds of dark figures emerged.

The torches suddenly lit up, illuminating the menacing masks of the night patrol team.

Before the Li family members on the dock could react, some were kicked into the river and others were subdued.

The warehouse door was smashed open, kerosene was poured on, and torches were thrown in...

boom!

Flames shot into the sky, illuminating half of the dock as if it were daytime.