"The Cao Clan?"
Bai Ruolan's professional demeanor locked tightly into place, the residual blush on her pale skin rapidly fading as her focus shifted to the fierce economic battlefield of Crimson Iron City.
She clutched the sealed jade vial tightly against her voluptuous chest, her large blue eyes narrowing with a sharp, cold intensity.
"They have been insufferable lately. Ever since our research hit a wall, they've been smugly implying across the commercial districts that the Golden Cauldron Union's alchemy standard has reached its peak. They've even managed to poach a few of our alchemists."
"Well, their smugness is about to face a very abrupt, very expensive end," Shen Yu chuckled, a dark, dangerous undertone slipping into his smooth voice.
He took a step closer to the stone dais, leaning his hip casually against the edge.
"My sources have yielded some highly exquisite pieces of intelligence regarding your rivals."
