Chapter 51: Today I'm Giving Master Mangxiang Face!

Clearly, Yulou hadn't said a single word, yet Gao Jian's attitude had done a complete flip.

It could only be said that someone surnamed Gao who could run amok in Qing Xi Fang for years without crashing did have sharp enough eyes for the situation.

In the past, the Wang Shi brand in his eyes was just so-so; the Red Lantern Shrine had plenty of affiliated vassals.

But now the situation had changed. The Wang Shi had always clung tightly to True Person Xuanzuan, and tracing it back, they actually belonged to Master Mangxiang's lineage within the Red Lantern Shrine.

Master Mangxiang had already begun preparing to prove his Dao and form a Jin Dan!

Gao Jian of course didn't know whether the Master could break through smoothly, but what if he really did...

At that time, the Wang Shi's status would naturally rise with the tide, instantly shooting up a notch—or several floors' worth higher.

He, Gao Jian, could still put on airs within Qing Xi Fang thanks to the protection of the garrison cultivator.

But in the power struggles within the Red Lantern Shrine, he wasn't even a fart—no, he didn't even qualify as a fart.

And his taking of concubines and collecting of congratulatory gifts was, in essence, an annual 'legitimate' process of gathering spirit stones on behalf of the garrison cultivator.

This was similar to the 'ice tribute' and 'charcoal tribute'—there were actually no strict limits or rules.

Considering that when the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was established, his taking of a concubine for this year had already ended.

Under such fuzzy rules, whether the Hundred Treasures Pavilion paid up became a matter that could go either way.

Today, when he stepped into the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and saw Yulou in the main hall, he immediately began putting on airs, wanting to skim off an extra batch of spirit stones that wouldn't have to be handed over to the garrison cultivator.

Bullying a kid, that's all.

But after realizing the Wang Shi might rise with the tide, he was no longer quite so willing to take the risk.

That was why Gao Jian so readily gave up in an instant.

Consider it giving the Wang Shi face—no, the Wang Shi didn't have that much face.

Today, I'm giving Master Mangxiang face—I'll tolerate the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for once!

Mangxiang: Little Gao, you've got plenty of spirit. Come stand in front of me and say that again.

"Oh, Daoist Gao Jian, I've long admired you~"

Wang Rongsheng smiled and greeted Gao Jian.

"Ha, no need to admire, no need. If there's nothing else I'll be off first. Your Hundred Treasures Pavilion here is quite well run, hmm, very well run indeed."

After sizing up Wang Rongsheng quite openly a few times, Gao Jian prepared to leave.

Just a Qi Refining early-stage trash cultivator from the clan, no value in associating with him.

"Ah, Daoist Gao Jian, I heard from Wang Yuan that you just took a new concubine a few days ago. Here, this is a congratulatory gift from our Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

Wang Rongsheng called out to stop Gao Jian, pulled from his bosom a bundle of spirit stones wrapped in paper, and handed them to the beast surnamed Gao.

His words were very polite, and he gave plenty of face on the surface. As the Wang Shi's person in overall charge of Qing Xi Fang, Uncle Rongsheng had to handle the relationship with the security team properly.

Spirit stones offered up voluntarily—Gao Jian naturally wouldn't refuse.

"This—Daoist Wang, you're far too kind, far too kind. I feel bad accepting it."

Saying so, Gao Jian snatched the spirit stones straight from Wang Rongsheng's hand and stuffed them directly into his storage bag.

"Just this once, don't do it again!" said the captain of the Qing Xi Fang Public Order Maintenance Team.

After saying that, he belatedly asked,

"By the way, Daoist Wang, I still don't know your name."

Just how much of a beast this beast was could be seen from this: he looked down on Qi Refining early-stage Wang Rongsheng, so he had no intention of getting to know him, which was why he was only asking his name now.

Gao Jian could be polite to Wang Rongyuan, Wang Rongwen, and Wang Yulou, because the first two had high cultivation and Yulou had plenty of potential.

Wang Rongsheng was old and weak, so he didn't take him seriously at all.

"Wang Shi Rongsheng. In the future, if anything comes up with the Wang Shi's few shops in Qing Xi Fang, you can come straight to me."

Hearing these words, Gao Jian took another careful look at Wang Rongsheng, and this time he did see a thing or two.

Wang Rongsheng had a handsome appearance, but his age was clearly already advanced and his cultivation wasn't high—he was probably someone the Wang Shi Sect had sent to Qing Xi Fang to retire.

"Alright then, may the mountains be high and the waters long between us."

"Hahaha, Daoist Gao is indeed a man of wit."

After exchanging a few polite pleasantries, Gao Jian, thoroughly satisfied with his haul, finally led his men away, and the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business could continue.

Seeing the surnamed Gao walk off into the distance, Wang Rongsheng put away his smile, shook his head, and said to the two youths with earnest weight.

"When people look down on you in the future, don't feel resentful or angry—their contempt is actually our opportunity.

You have to understand, our clan's Breath-Concealing Art is an extremely powerful secret technique. Ordinary cultivators would want to pay spirit stones just to learn it and still couldn't!"

Seeing that both Yulou and Wang Yuan understood, he deliberately looked at Yulou again.

"How was business today?"

"After these past few days of promotion, more and more cultivators are learning about the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. The 10%-off three-person group activity has been very successful, but the timed auction isn't doing so well.

What I'm thinking is that the auction window we set might be too long. Customers don't want to bid early—they all want to wait until the end to see if they can pick up a bargain."

Wang Rongsheng looked toward the auction platform on the right side of the main hall; three auction items sat on five pedestals.

Two were put up by the Wang Shi, one was sent in by a customer, and the asking prices were all absurdly low.

"If one of the two strategies works, Yulou, your business talent is already very good. Don't worry—if it doesn't work, we'll just take it slow.

I'm going back to cultivating. Remember to pass on what you've learned to the staff. For the next few years, your main task is still to study the Dao of cultivation—you can't keep being tied down at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

Yulou bowed and assented. Uncle Rongsheng was right, but what he was thinking about now was that Master Master Hongmei needed some time to adjust her mental state.

The Wang Shi had retaliated against her too harshly this time. Although Master Master Hongmei had harbored killing intent toward Yulou and Wang Yuan, so retaliation against her was justified, Wang Xianmao had directly snatched away the Foundation Establishment resources Master Master Hongmei had painstakingly accumulated.

This matter—Master Master Hongmei needed to take it slow, to really take it slow.

After Uncle Rongsheng left, Wang Yuan looked at Yulou.

"Brother, shouldn't we go visit Master?"

Yulou was silent for a long while, then said,

"Wait, wait until he figures it out and comes to us on his own."

Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives; just as the two brothers were talking, Zhong Ningyao appeared at the entrance of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, peeking out timidly.

"Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie Ningyao!"

Wang Yuan saw the goddess and shouted happily.

But thinking of his awkward relationship with Master Master Hongmei now, he could only stand there at a loss.

"Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie, come in quickly and take a look at our Wang Shi's newly opened Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

You have stayed at Hua Feng Ju for so many years; Father's management has been very successful, and through constant exposure, you must be familiar with the art of business.

Come, take a look and give us your opinions." Wang Yulou was actually calm and composed, even inviting Zhong Ningyao to come in.

Looking at his elder brother, who seemed so ordinary, Wang Yuan felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

The world of cultivators is so cruel, yet elder brother can adapt easily and handle all sorts of matters.

I must strive to catch up and not fall too far behind him!

Only then can I walk further and further with elder brother.

In truth, Wang Yulou had not truly adapted either; he did not like this cruel system that was like a cage.

But to change reality, one must first accept reality, at least accept a part of it, so as to gradually find the direction for change.

The sea of bitterness churns; one is already rowing against the current.

The longing for immortality, the responsibility of being a Wang Shi descendant, the pressure of the family's future transformation—all these things forced Wang Yulou to adapt to the cruelty of reality as quickly as possible.

If one is too cowardly to enter the game, one loses the possibility of success from the very beginning.

Only by throwing oneself into the game can one have a chance to win half a move against Heaven.

"I do not understand the art of business; it is just that you two, why haven't you come to Hua Feng Ju these past two days?

Father has also become strange, as if he has forgotten he has two disciples."