Chapter 52: Huh, you

Zhong Ningyao’s question implied that Hongmei hadn’t told her what had happened.

Looting the Jin Guang Pavilion, showing murderous intent toward disciples, attempting to hand over his daughter—controlled by Wang Xianmao...

Indeed, how could Hongmei possibly confess these things to his daughter?

As for spiritual resolve, Hongmei is the perfect example—he was willing to give his daughter to the Wang clan just to save himself.

His only miscalculation was that his murderous intent had been caught by Yulou.

Yulou invited Ningyao inside and explained.

“It’s our fault—we’ve been too busy lately.”

Looking at the brand-new Baibao Pavilion, Ningyao nodded thoughtfully.

Within such a short time, the Wang clan had opened a new shop in Qingxi Fang; naturally, Yulou and Yuan had come to help.

“What do you sell here...”

She was about to ask what the Baibao Pavilion sold, but when she glanced left, she was stunned into silence.

Ancestral Master Mangxiang, True Person Xuan Zhuan... For the first time, she realized what kind of force the Wang clan truly was.

Previously, she had gotten along well with Yulou and Yuan; their relationship had been equal, and she never felt any difference between them and herself.

But now, looking at the dense rows of Longevity Tablets, Zhong Ningyao felt a strange unease.

Many ancestral elders had pledged allegiance to the Hongdeng Zhao Purple Mansion—was this the Wang clan of Anbei State?

Hongdeng Zhao had many vassal forces, but among them, the differences between various vassals were vast.

The Wang clan had sent someone to join the Purple Mansion every few generations; clearly, they were not like ordinary vassal families.

The girl didn’t yet know that Ancestral Master Mangxiang was attempting to attain a Golden Core—if she did, she’d be even more shocked.

“Talismans and elixirs are all aimed at Qi Refining cultivators; Sister, you might want to take a look at our talismans.”

“For example, this Jin Guang Flow Talisman can effectively compensate for your weaknesses in water-based combat.”

Seeing Ningyao staring at the Longevity Tablets, Yulou didn’t explain—he immediately began pitching.

When Wang Rongsheng left Wolong Fang, he took everything from his shop—including the Jin Guang Flow Talismans unique to Jinbi Cliff.

The talisman’s spirit-guiding component uses the special spiritual energy from the Wolong Jin Guang Spiritual Tide; its power surpasses ordinary Flow Talismans, making it an excellent combat item.

Zhong Ningyao has fire, wood, and metal elemental roots, leaving her weak in water and earth methods—Yulou’s recommendation was tailored precisely to her needs.

She cultivates the “Burnt Mulberry Qi-Invoking Scripture,” focusing on fire and wood; naturally, she had no need to buy the Wang clan’s many wood-affinity talismans.

“Hahaha, I came to visit you, and you’re trying to sell me talismans? Yulou, you might become a business genius someday.”

Yulou’s eager sales pitch interrupted Ningyao’s thoughts; she teased him.

Yulou scratched his head and sighed in resignation.

“Sister, our household needs the Baibao Pavilion to earn more spirit stones—we can only do our best.”

“But this Jin Guang Flow Talisman really is worth buying, because things have gotten chaotic over at Wolong Fang.”

“For the foreseeable future, these special Flow Talismans won’t be produced again—once one’s used, it’s gone.”

Get one, Sister—after you leave the Baibao Pavilion, you might never find this talisman again.

Ningyao had no intention of buying a talisman; she was concerned about something else.

“I asked Father about Wolong Fang, but he wouldn’t tell me—what exactly did you encounter there?”

Ningyao looked at Yuan; Yuan avoided her gaze.

He knew a thick, unspoken barrier now stood between them.

The Wang clan hadn’t done anything wrong; Hongmei got what he deserved—but Yuan simply couldn’t meet Ningyao’s eyes.

“The Gushen Sect broke through the formation set up by Miaofeng Mountain, so we fled back—but here’s a piece of news, don’t tell anyone else...”

Noticing Yuan’s tension, Yulou told Ningyao about the strange situation at Miaofeng Mountain, shifting her focus.

After frowning through Yulou’s account, Ningyao shook her head and sighed.

“It’s safest to just stay in Qingxi Fang—there’s still horse racing to watch. By the way, today’s horse racing day—will you go?”

For the past three years, Yulou and Yuan had been forbidden to leave Qingxi Fang; their only entertainment was watching horse races, which they attended every month.

“We’re not...” Hearing Ningyao’s invitation, Yuan wanted to refuse.

“Go. We’ll go after we finish the accounts.”

Yulou’s answer puzzled both Ningyao and Yuan—normally, they were the ones seeking fun, while Yulou just tagged along; why was he so eager now?

The reason was simple.

Yulou’s mental age was more mature; he viewed amusement lightly and preferred to spend his time cultivating and studying the Dao.

Yuan and Ningyao had been well-protected by their elders but restricted from leaving Qingxi Fang, so naturally they enjoyed horse racing.

But today, Yulou had broken his usual pattern because he’d thought of a unique marketing idea.

The three-person discount group had worked well, but the timed auction had flopped badly; Yulou wanted another new path to break the Baibao Pavilion’s stagnation.

This might not directly raise his cultivation base, but many things were interconnected.

Yulou had been reborn into the Wang clan, avoiding the hardships ordinary cultivators faced, and had walked a smooth path.

In return, having enjoyed the Wang clan’s protection, he owed them his contribution.

In the near future, the Wang clan would produce at least two new Foundation Establishment cultivators.

For the sake of revenue expansion, Wang Xianmao opened the Baibao Pavilion in Qingxi Fang.

Then he placed Yulou as its shopkeeper to train him.

After all, he could only cultivate three hours a day—his remaining free time was ample, perfect to utilize.

The family’s protection and the clan chief’s trust gave Yulou no excuse to shirk—he had no intention of shirking at all; his only thought was to run the Baibao Pavilion better, nothing more.

“Accounts?” Ningyao looked at Yulou in confusion.

“Sister, you didn’t know? My brother was appointed shopkeeper of the Baibao Pavilion by the clan chief,” Yuan said with some pride.

With his brother favored by the clan chief, Yuan naturally felt happy too.

“It won’t take long—wait a moment.”

Yulou took the ledger upstairs, had a brief exchange with Rongsheng, then came back down.

“Let’s go—we’re done for today.”

Though he was the shopkeeper, the Baibao Pavilion wasn’t short of clerks; with Rongsheng watching, his presence made little difference.

“How much did you earn today?” Ningyao walked beside Yulou, asking curiously yet with quiet eagerness.

Yulou was her junior; Ningyao felt no jealousy toward him—after her brief shock, she felt only support for his fortune.

Of course, support didn’t mean she’d spend money.

With Hongmei around, Ningyao lacked nothing in talismans or spirit elixirs.

“It’s not us earning—it’s the Baibao Pavilion. We’re just helping out.”

Yulou first emphasized his employee status, then added:

“Today’s the third day of opening; business is better than the first two days—we made seventeen spirit stones in half a day.”

Seventeen in half a day, twenty a day—that’s over seven thousand a year.

The number was too large; Ningyao’s head spun trying to calculate it.

“Nearly ten thousand spirit stones a year? Yulou, the Baibao Pavilion’s business is far stronger than Huafeng Residence.”

“Impossible. Customers naturally spend more at the start—this is just satisfying their pent-up demand with quality goods.”

“Over time, regular customers will have bought what they need; profits will naturally decline.”

This was precisely why Yulou wanted to break the stagnation quickly—the Baibao Pavilion couldn’t stop moving; marketing had to keep pace.

“Even if you halve the annual profit, you’re still making a fortune...”

Yulou smiled bitterly.

“Profit margin and turnover rate are key—the Baibao Pavilion’s goods are high-quality; even if sold outside the pavilion through other channels, the Wang clan still gets its profit.”

“The clan chief gave me the shopkeeper position because he wants even higher profits—honestly, the pressure is immense.”

Ningyao understood profit margin, but she didn’t understand the latter term.

“Turn... turnover rate?”

Yulou thought for a moment and explained:

“Think of it as the time it takes for goods to go from display to sale. High turnover means more goods sold in the same period.”

“To earn more spirit stones without raising prices, you must improve turnover rate.”

Yuan had become Yulou’s biggest fan; he praised him:

“Brother, you’re truly a business genius!”

Yulou quickly waved his hands.

“What genius? I’m just repeating what others have said.”

Ningyao asked herself: she’d mixed with Hongmei’s wide circle of contacts, seen and heard plenty—yet she’d never heard the term “turnover rate” or anything similar.

“You’re too modest, Yulou—you’ve got none of the boldness of youth.”

Yuan didn’t agree with his sister this time.

Yes, you’re my goddess—but I, Wang Yu’an, am no lickspittle!

Right is right, wrong is wrong!

“Boldness? What good is boldness? Can you spend it as spirit stones?”

The Wang clan’s cultivation of its members far exceeds the average—they’ve endured for so long not merely because of their connections.

There are countless Foundation Establishment families backed by the Purple Mansion; few have endured for over a dozen generations like the Wang clan.

Even someone as impulsive as Yuan was gradually shaped by the Wang clan’s teachings, learning what truly mattered.

Choked for a moment, Zhong Nenyao gave a slight pout and shot Yuan a glare.

“Before, it was Yulou who acted like a little old man—now you’re starting to act like one too.”

The girl’s pout was so captivating that Yuan’s heart stirred with longing, but thinking of Hongmei, he instantly deflated.

Master, Master, you—you, sigh.

“Hahaha, Sister, when have I ever acted like a little old man?”

Yulou believed he was only sixteen, still a youthful boy, and could not see how he resembled a little old man at all.

Slander—that’s slander against me~

“You’re like one in every way. Hey, you haven’t been possessed by the Old Demon, have you?”

Zhong Nenyao teased with a jest.

“What? If the Old Demon had possessed me, the Clan Chief would’ve known already.”

Walking toward the racetrack, the three laughed and chatted, thoroughly delighted.

As for Hongmei, no one cared.

If you harbor murderous intent, you must bear the cost—Wang Clan is not the benevolent Buddha of Leshan; it has no spare kindness to spare.