Chapter 49

Of course not by killing customers—this flash sale is about randomizing and dailyizing the auction process.

Various shops buy spiritual materials, elixirs, and magic artifacts from cultivators, but they always offer prices lower than market value, so lone cultivators aren’t happy about it.

We can turn these purchases into auctions: they leave their items at Baibao Pavilion, then auction them off within a time limit.

When the auction ends, the highest bidder takes the item.

This auction doesn’t need customers to initiate it—we can design it ourselves, even promote it ourselves.

For example, send people to places crowded with cultivators and flaunt the items won in auction, boasting about how they got a bargain.

Then, many cultivators eager for a good deal will occasionally drop by Baibao Pavilion; the more people come, the better our goods will sell.

Yulou has real ideas—he’s essentially bringing online e-commerce auctions offline.

“What if the selling price is too low?” Tang Nianqiu asked proactively.

“If a customer leaves a magic artifact worth two hundred spirit stones at Baibao Pavilion but it only sells for eighty, the customer loses money—won’t that ruin Baibao Pavilion’s reputation?”

Old Tang had spent years in Qingxi Market and knew lone cultivators well—they cared deeply about even one or two spirit stones.

If Baibao Pavilion’s auctions ever caused lone cultivators to lose money, those cheated cultivators would curse Baibao Pavilion to death.

“We can just bid on it ourselves...”

Yulou shrugged and replied.

Is this even a problem? It’s clearly not a problem!

If the price deviates too much from actual value, Baibao Pavilion can simply send a shill to buy it themselves.

Tang Nianqiu fell silent—he’d indeed underestimated Yulou because of his youth, which was why he’d asked such a foolish question.

“The key here is to make customers feel there’s a chance to get a bargain, so they’ll come to Baibao Pavilion more often.

For these timed auctions, we can list our own goods too—as long as we sell above cost, we won’t lose money.

The ‘three for nine-tenths’ promotion works the same way: by encouraging customers to spread the word, we boost Baibao Pavilion’s visibility; once visibility rises, how could business possibly suffer?”

In his past life, Pinduoduo didn’t just break through the monopolies of other e-commerce platforms because of low prices and tapping into lower-tier markets.

Its viral, low-cost promotion model and high-frequency, low-value transaction model also played crucial roles.

The ‘three for nine-tenths’ promotion mobilized customer initiative, and under this initiative, Baibao Pavilion could achieve viral promotion at low cost.

Meanwhile, because of the discount, customers’ willingness to transact would also increase, cultivating a habit of frequent, low-value purchases.

Transactions themselves are value: once customers have spent multiple times at Baibao Pavilion, they’ll naturally prefer it for future purchases.

“Use low-profit goods to attract customers, draw them in, then guide them to spend more—Yulou, you’re truly fit to be shopkeeper.”

Wang Xianmao patted Yulou’s shoulder approvingly—he was satisfied with Yulou in every way.

Aside from being overly humble, Yulou had no other flaws.

“So you approve my opening promotion plan?”

Yulou asked, surprised.

He’d never run a business in his past life; he himself wasn’t sure about these suggestions.

The Wang clan was at a critical turning point; dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators would emerge over the next few decades, and opening Baibao Pavilion now was a crucial decision.

The clan chief’s trust not only brought Yulou joy, but also immense pressure.

If he failed, when would he ever get another chance like this?

Now, hearing the clan chief’s tone, it seemed he approved—this eased much of the crushing weight on Yulou’s heart.

“Of course—go ahead and do it. With you and Rongsheng in charge, I’m confident. But Nianqiu, keep an eye on things too—you’ve been in Qingxi Market so long, you know it better; if you have opinions, speak up.”

Tang Nianqiu, hearing the clan chief call his name, quickly bowed and replied.

Another evening arrived, and the main hall of Fuyuan Bureau was filled with lone cultivators.

They chatted about everything under the sun, munching on donkey meat and old liquor.

“I say, you’re better off going to Wang’s Baibao Pavilion—Bai Fu Tang’s goods are good, but sometimes they’re faulty.

Baibao Pavilion is new—they wouldn’t cheat you with fake or substandard talismans.”

“Bai Fu Tang has a full selection—they’re backed by the Che family and have been around for decades; their reputation’s decent, right?”

“Decent? Pfft! Last time I bought Stone Armor Talismans from Bai Fu Tang, two out of three were broken—just shiny on the outside, you’ll know when you use them.”

“Then go complain! Two out of three broken? That’s endangering lives!”

“Nah, I bought them at 40% off—loser pays.”

“Bro, you’re a real beast—daring to gamble on Stone Armor Talismans? That’s gambling with your life!”

“Baibao Pavilion has a promotion: all Qi Refining talismans get a 10% discount if bought by three people together.”

“Do they have Thousand-Mile Talismans?”

“Of course—they’re the Wang clan, who raise donkeys; their donkey-hide Thousand-Mile Talismans are unique. I bought two just yesterday!”

“Enough talking—I’m going to buy a few donkey-hide Thousand-Mile Talismans. Nine-tenths-off Thousand-Mile Talismans aren’t available normally.”

As one of the essential talismans for low-tier cultivators, the Thousand-Mile Talisman is like a power bank for a phone.

You might not use it daily, but you can’t live without it.

Whether traveling, fleeing, or chasing enemies, you always need the Thousand-Mile Talisman.

Inside Baibao Pavilion, which looked anything but ancient, the interior was arranged with clever thought.

To the left of the entrance stood a bronze rack, lit by Eternal Bright Lamps; before it, a wooden table held an incense burner, burning Five-Flavor Purple Ginseng Spirit Incense to nourish spiritual sense.

On the rack were over twenty Longevity Tablets—the topmost was Master Mang Xiang, beside whom stood Wang Yinghua, son of Wang Ying, the ancestral founder of the Wang clan.

Below were the Longevity Tablets of True Person Xuan Zhuan and True Person Dan Ri; beside True Person Xuan Zhuan’s tablet stood Wang Jingyi and two other Wang ancestors.

The remaining Wang ancestors who never joined the Purple Mansion were placed on the bottom row.

This was Yulou’s innovation—this world didn’t worship the God of Wealth or Guan Di, so Yulou decided to worship Master Mang Xiang.

Master, the Wang clan has offered you so many tributes to help you achieve Golden Core, we’re practically bleeding to our heels.

Borrowing your name—is that too much to ask?

Yuan stood before the Longevity Tablets, solemnly introducing the Wang clan of Anbei to every customer entering Baibao Pavilion.

“Brother cultivator, rest assured—Anbei’s Wang clan is under Master Mang Xiang’s lineage; every item here is genuine, no trickery or deception!”

Under the Purple Mansion’s authority, the Wang clan of Anbei—this was using the prestige of the Purple Mansion and Red Lamp Illumination to empower Baibao Pavilion!

“Empowerment” sounds abstract, but when done well, the effect is enormous.

Yulou’s strategy was so effective that, later, a cultivator version of an urban legend spread across hundreds of miles around Qingxi Market.

“Once you enter Baibao Pavilion, never look left!”

One glance, and you must bow—no one can stop you!

Yet this marketing strategy remained extremely effective.

First-time customers always felt profound respect upon seeing the Wang clan’s Longevity Tablets.

The prestige of being a senior vassal family under Red Lamp Illumination made this tablet display invaluable.