Gao Yao took the silver, his delight so obvious it practically spilled from his eyes. It was clear he had not only broken even but had already made a profit.

Fang Rui said little; it was just a transaction. After taking the *Beast Taming Technique*, he tucked it away without so much as a glance.

He wasn’t worried about the item being faulty. If the panel failed to register it, he would simply find Gao Yao—as far as Fang Rui was concerned, the seller was responsible for after-sales support.

Having closed the deal and gotten a taste of success, Gao Yao suddenly asked, "Lord Fang, are you interested in any other unorthodox skills? I know someone from a Feng Shui and Geomancy lineage. Are you interested?"

"Of course I am."

Fang Rui’s eyes flashed. "If you can get it, I’ll take it."

"You got it. I’ll remember that."

Gao Yao agreed and let the topic drop, but then he hesitated, looking as if he wanted to say something more.

Fang Rui’s eyes narrowed. ’Here it comes!’ he thought.

Since their collaboration began, sales of the two medicines had skyrocketed. Fang Rui was saving a great deal of effort, and his profits had nearly doubled. Gao Yao, similarly, had also earned a hefty sum.

However, Fang Rui had the distinct feeling that the man had gotten ahead of himself lately. He probably thought he was contributing a great deal and wanted to negotiate for a larger cut of the profits.

A man of principle may love wealth, but he acquires it through righteous means.

He wouldn’t shy away from the topic. If Gao Yao really wanted to bring it up, they could just lay their cards on the table.

But he had guessed wrong. Gao Yao brought up another matter entirely. "Lord Fang, you see, we’ve been selling the Hemostatic Powder and Nourishing Medicine for some time now, and a lot of imitations have started appearing on the market... While their quality and reputation don’t match ours, it’s still having an impact..."

"Get to the point. Stop beating around the bush," Fang Rui cut in.

"Well, I just wanted to ask... Lord Fang, do you have any other medicine formulas?"

Gao Yao gave his assurance, "If you could develop a new medicine, I guarantee our profits would soar. If the formula is rare enough, doubling our profits wouldn’t be difficult at all."

"I don’t."

Fang Rui shook his head. "If I had any, I would have already made them to sell and get rich."

He wasn’t lying. He really didn’t have any other medicine formulas on hand at the moment. However, he *could* get some—it wouldn’t be difficult to raise the Level of his *Fang’s Medical Skill* and develop one or two new formulas.

Under those circumstances, with their continued partnership, Fang Rui could likely pull in a monthly profit of eight or nine taels of silver. But that would be far too conspicuous.

The strength Fang Rui had revealed in the Black Market was only that of an Entry Grade Martial Artist. His current monthly profit of three to five taels of silver was still within the range he could protect...

But if that profit were to double to ten taels of silver a month, the risk would increase dramatically. He would almost certainly be targeted by opportunistic individuals.

’Unless I reveal my Eighth Grade strength...’

But that was far too reckless. Fang Rui wanted to keep an ace up his sleeve, so that was out of the question.

So, although he took eighty percent of the profits, he wasn’t just providing the medicine. He was also acting as their protection, shouldering all the external pressure.

—Any other Physician without his strength, yet controlling such a large share of the business, would have been slaughtered like a fat sheep long ago.

Gao Yao was merely riding his coattails.

"That’s true!"

Gao Yao looked utterly disappointed, his small eyes flickering, his thoughts unreadable.

Seeing Gao Yao’s reaction, Fang Rui grew more certain of his initial assessment. ’He’s tasted success, and now his ambition is running wild. He’s gotten carried away and is starting to get his own ideas.’

’Gao Yao asked about a new medicine, imagining the profits doubling. Did he really not consider that I might not be able to handle the increased risk?’

’Impossible!’

Fang Rui refused to believe that a street-smart operator like Gao Yao, who’d dealt with people from all walks of life, wasn’t shrewd enough to see the danger.

’So that’s it. He wants me to be his shield. I’d take all the heat while he reaps the rewards, and the moment things go south, he’d just run for it.’

Fang Rui saw right through him.

However, he also understood. ’I’m not some Long Aotian from a novel. I can’t expect people to see me and immediately bow in submission, content to be my obedient tool.’

’This is a real world; I can’t let my guard down, not for a moment!’ Fang Rui silently reminded himself.

The two settled their accounts and exchanged the goods. In the end, Gao Yao never brought up increasing his cut.

Since Gao Yao didn’t say anything, Fang Rui acted as if he were none the wiser.

Of course, even if Gao Yao had asked, Fang Rui would have flatly refused.

Give him an inch, and he’d take a mile. Fang Rui had no intention of indulging him.

What if Gao Yao found another Physician to work with?

Fine by him.

As long as they settled their accounts, made things clear, and Gao Yao stopped using his name, then they could make a clean break. That would be perfectly fine.

But if he got any funny ideas or tried to pull any tricks, then he shouldn’t blame Fang Rui for the consequences.

As for any friendship between them?

Did that even exist?

To be blunt, he and Gao Yao weren’t even casual acquaintances. Theirs was a relationship of convenience, a partnership where they were simply using one another.

They always met in the Black Market. Gao Yao only knew his surname was Fang, and he only knew the other man by the name "Gao Yao," without any certainty if it was even his real name.

They had never even seen each other’s real faces. To talk of some kind of bond between them was laughable.

’Business is business. If we’re going to part ways, it has to be a clean break, completely severed.’

’I have no desire to plot against others, but I won’t be plotted against either. If someone really wants to test me and see what I’m made of, then I’ll be more than happy to oblige!’

A glint flashed in Fang Rui’s eyes.

After parting ways with Gao Yao, he bought some grain in the Black Market and left in a hurry.

...