Chapter 52: Eh, Could It Be That You Were Possessed by the Old Demon?

The way Zhong Lingyao asked this question suggested that Hong Mei had not told her what had happened.

Robbing the Jin Guang Pavilion, showing murderous intent toward disciples, trying to send off a daughter, being controlled by Wang Xianmao...

Indeed, how could Hong Mei confess these things to her daughter?

In terms of firmness of the Dao heart, Hong Mei is the best example; for self-preservation, she was willing to give her daughter to the Wang Shi.

His only miscalculation was that the murderous intent he revealed was captured by Yulou.

Yulou invited Lingyao in and explained at the same time.

"It's our fault; we've been too busy recently."

Looking at the brand-new Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Lingyao nodded thoughtfully.

The Wang Shi opened a new shop in Qing Xi Fang in such a short time; naturally, Yulou and Wang Yuan had to come to help.

"What does this place sell..."

She was just about to ask what the Hundred Treasures Pavilion sold, but when she looked to the left, she was suddenly frozen in place.

Master Mangxiang, True Person Xuanjuan... for the first time, she realized what kind of existence the Wang Shi truly was.

In the past, she got along very well with Yulou and Wang Yuan; the relationship between the three was equal, and she felt no difference between them and herself.

But now, looking at those densely packed Longevity Tablets, Zhong Lingyao felt somewhat uneasy in her heart.

Several ancestors have all bowed to the Purple Mansion Gate of the Red Lantern Illumination; is this the Wang Shi of the Anbei Kingdom?

The Red Lantern Illumination has many vassal forces, but among them, big and small, there are great differences between the various vassal forces.

The Wang Shi has had people enter the Purple Mansion Gate every few generations; obviously, they are not the same as ordinary vassal families.

This Miss does not yet know that Master Mangxiang intends to verify his Jin Dan; if she knew, she would probably be even more shocked.

"Talismans and pills are merely aimed at Qi Refining cultivators; Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie might as well look at our talismans.

For example, this Jin Guang Torrent Talisman can well supplement your combat shortcomings in Water Arts."

Seeing Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie Lingyao looking at the Longevity Tablets, Yulou did not explain but instead started selling directly.

When Wang Rongsheng left Wolong Fang, he packed up and took everything from his shop, including the Jin Guang Torrent Talisman, a specialty of Jin Biya.

The spirit-attracting part of this talisman uses the special spiritual qi from the Wolong Jin Guang Spirit Tide as a guide; its power surpasses that of ordinary Torrent Talismans, making it a Premium Quality item for magical duels.

And Zhong Lingyao possesses Fire, Wood, and Metal spiritual roots, with deficiencies in Water Arts and Earth Arts; Yulou's recommendation was customized according to her needs.

She cultivates the "Burning Mulberry Qi-Inducing Art," focusing mainly on Fire and Wood; naturally, there was no need for her to buy the many Wood-attribute talismans of the Wang Shi.

"Hahaha, I came to see you, and instead you try to sell me talismans. Yulou, you might become a genius in management in the future."

Yulou's eager sales pitch interrupted Zhong Lingyao's reverie, and she teased him.

Scratching his head, Yulou explained helplessly.

"Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie, the family needs the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to earn more spirit stones; naturally, we can only do our best.

However, this Jin Guang Torrent Talisman is indeed worth buying; after all, things are chaotic over in Wolong Fang now.

For the next period, these special Torrent Talismans may never be produced again; they will only decrease one by one."

Get one, Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie; once you leave the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, this talisman might truly be unavailable.

Lingyao had no intention of buying talismans; instead, she became concerned about another matter.

"I asked my father about the situation in Wolong Fang, but he wouldn't tell me; what exactly did you encounter there?"

Zhong Lingyao looked at Wang Yuan, and Wang Yuan averted his gaze.

He knew that a thick, unspeakable barrier now stood between the two of them.

The Wang Shi did nothing wrong; Hong Mei deserved her fate, but Wang Yuan simply dared not look Lingyao in the eyes.

"The Gu Shen Zong broke the formation set by Miaofeng Mountain, so we fled back; however, there is a piece of news here; do not tell anyone else..."

Noticing Wang Yuan's nervousness, Yulou told Zhong Lingyao about the strange situation at Miaofeng Mountain, shifting her focus of concern.

After listening to Yulou's news with a frown, Zhong Lingyao shook her head and sighed.

"It is safest to stay in Qing Xi Fang; there is also horse racing to watch. By the way, today is another day for horse racing; are you going?"

In the past three years, Yulou and Wang Yuan were restricted from leaving Qing Xi Fang; the only fun was watching horse racing, which they did every month.

"We don't..." Hearing Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie Lingyao's invitation, Wang Yuan wanted to refuse.

"We are going; we will go after we finish balancing the accounts."

Yulou's answer made both Zhong Lingyao and Wang Yuan somewhat puzzled; in the past, the two of them were the main force seeking fun, while Yulou usually just followed along; why was he so proactive this time?

The reason was actually very simple.

Yulou's psychological age was more mature; regarding playful matters, he viewed them lightly; compared to watching the spectacle, he preferred to spend his time on cultivation and studying alchemy.

Wang Yuan and Lingyao were well protected by their elders but also restricted from leaving Qing Xi Fang, so naturally they would like watching horse racing.

And today, Yulou suddenly went against his usual nature because he had thought of a special marketing idea.

The three-person ten-percent-off group achieved good results, but the time-limited auction cooled off badly; Yulou wanted to find a new channel to achieve a breakthrough in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's management.

This might not directly help Yulou improve his cultivation, but many things are actually interconnected.

Yulou was reborn into the Wang Shi, avoiding much of the wasted time that scattered cultivators would encounter, and his path has been very smooth.

Correspondingly, since he enjoys the protection of the Wang Shi, he must make contributions to the Wang Shi.

In the near future, the Wang Shi will produce at least two new Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Out of consideration for opening new revenue streams, Wang Xianmao opened a new Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Qing Xi Fang.

Afterwards, he placed Yulou in the position of Shopkeeper at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for training.

After all, he can only cultivate for three double-hours each day now, leaving quite a bit of spare time, which is perfectly suitable for utilizing.

The family's protection and the clan leader's trust; Yulou had no reason to shirk, and he had no intention of shirking at all; he merely wanted to manage the Hundred Treasures Pavilion better, that was all.

"Balancing the accounts?" Zhong Lingyao looked at Yulou in confusion.

"Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie, you don't know; my brother was appointed by the clan leader as the Shopkeeper of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion," Wang Yuan said somewhat proudly.

Big Brother was trusted by the Clan Head, and as Wang Yuan's own brother, he naturally shared in the joy.

"It'll be quick, just a moment."

Wang Yu took the ledger and went upstairs; after a brief exchange with Wang Rongsheng, he came back down.

"Let's go, we're done for the day."

Though he was the Shopkeeper, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was hardly short on clerks, and with Uncle Rongsheng keeping an eye on things, his presence or absence didn't really make much difference.

"How much did you two earn today?" Zhong Ningyao walked side by side with Wang Yu, asking with curiosity and a touch of eagerness.

Wang Yu was her junior brother; naturally Ningyao felt no jealousy toward him, and after a brief shock at his fortunes, all that remained in her was support.

Of course, support was support—getting her to spend money was impossible.

With Hongmei around, Ningyao lacked for no talismans or spiritual pills.

"It's not that we earned it—we just helped mind the shop. It's the Hundred Treasures Pavilion that earned it."

Wang Yu first stressed his stance as a hired hand, then said.

"Today is the third day since opening, business is better than the first two days—we earned seventeen spirit stones in most of the day."

Seventeen stones in most of a day, twenty a day, over seven thousand a year.

The number was so large that Zhong Ningyao's head spun a little from the calculation.

"Almost ten thousand spirit stones a year—Wang Yu, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business is far better than Huafeng Residence's."

"Impossible. Right after opening, customers naturally spend more—the good wares satisfied their needs and released the spending desire they'd been hoarding.

Once time passes, old customers will have bought what they need, and profits will naturally drop."

This was also why Wang Yu wanted to diversify and break through the situation as soon as possible—the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's pace couldn't stop, and marketing had to keep up in time.

"Even if annual profits are halved, you still haven't earned less…"

Wang Yu gave a wry smile.

"Profit margin and turnover rate are what matter. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion's wares are all high quality—even if not sold at the Pavilion, selling through other channels, the Wang Shi would still get their due profit.

The Clan Head gave me the Shopkeeper position, naturally hoping for greater profits. To be honest, the pressure on me is immense."

Profit margin Ningyao understood, but that later term she hadn't heard before.

"Tur… turnover rate, what's that?"

Wang Yu thought for a moment, then explained.

"Mm, you can understand it as the time from when the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's wares go on the shelf to when they're sold. The higher the turnover rate, the more wares the Pavilion sells in the same period of time.

Under the condition of keeping the selling price from rising, if you want to earn more spirit stones, you have to work on the turnover rate."

Wang Yuan had already become Wang Yu's little fan; he flattered.

"Brother, you really are a business genius!"

Wang Yu hurriedly waved his hand.

"What does that count for? I'm just picking up other people's wisdom."

Zhong Ningyao asked herself—she'd also run around with Hongmei through all sorts of circles, and what she'd seen and heard was no less than Wang Yu's—but she'd never heard of turnover rate or any similar concept either.

"You're just too good at hiding your light, Wang Yu—not a shred of a young man's bold spirit."

This time Wang Yuan didn't quite agree with his senior sister's words.

Yes, you're my goddess, but I, Wang Yuan, am no simp!

Right is right, wrong is wrong!

"Bold spirit? What's bold spirit good for—can you spend it like spirit stones?"

The Wang Shi's cultivation of its clan disciples was absolutely above average; what let them endure so long wasn't merely so-called background.

There were plenty of Foundation Establishment families backed by the Purple Mansion, but few like the Wang Shi that had passed down for over a dozen generations still intact.

Even someone as unruly as Wang Yuan could gradually be shaped by the Wang Shi's teachings, coming to recognize what truly mattered.

Choked for a moment, Zhong Ningyao pouted slightly and shot Wang Yuan a look.

"Before it was only Wang Yu who was like a little old man, now you're starting to be like one too."

The girl's pout was so charming it set Wang Yuan's heart scratching with agitation—but then he thought of Hongmei and instantly deflated.

Master, Master, oh you, sigh.

"Hahaha, Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie, when have I ever been like a little old man?"

Wang Yu figured he was only sixteen, right in the bloom of youth—however you looked at it, he had nothing to do with a little old man.

Slander, this is slander against me~

"You look like one everywhere—ew, you couldn't have been body-snatched by some old demon, could you?"

Zhong Ningyao teased and needled him with a joke.

"What? If I'd been body-snatched by an old demon, the Clan Head would've spotted it long ago."

The three of them chatted and laughed all the way to the racecourse, in the best of spirits.

As for Hongmei, no one cared.

Once you've raised the killing intent, you must bear the cost—the Wang Shi are not the great Buddhas of Leshan, with so much spare kindness to spare.