[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-the-jade-palace":3,"chapter-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-52":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to the Jade Palace",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2320514,4538,"Chapter 52: Huh, you","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-52",52,"\u003Cp>Zhong Ningyao’s question implied that Hongmei hadn’t told her what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looting the Jin Guang Pavilion, showing murderous intent toward disciples, attempting to hand over his daughter—controlled by Wang Xianmao...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, how could Hongmei possibly confess these things to his daughter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for spiritual resolve, Hongmei is the perfect example—he was willing to give his daughter to the Wang clan just to save himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His only miscalculation was that his murderous intent had been caught by Yulou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou invited Ningyao inside and explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s our fault—we’ve been too busy lately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the brand-new Baibao Pavilion, Ningyao nodded thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within such a short time, the Wang clan had opened a new shop in Qingxi Fang; naturally, Yulou and Yuan had come to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you sell here...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was about to ask what the Baibao Pavilion sold, but when she glanced left, she was stunned into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancestral Master Mangxiang, True Person Xuan Zhuan... For the first time, she realized what kind of force the Wang clan truly was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, looking at the dense rows of Longevity Tablets, Zhong Ningyao felt a strange unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many ancestral elders had pledged allegiance to the Hongdeng Zhao Purple Mansion—was this the Wang clan of Anbei State?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongdeng Zhao had many vassal forces, but among them, the differences between various vassals were vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang clan had sent someone to join the Purple Mansion every few generations; clearly, they were not like ordinary vassal families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talismans and elixirs are all aimed at Qi Refining cultivators; Sister, you might want to take a look at our talismans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, this Jin Guang Flow Talisman can effectively compensate for your weaknesses in water-based combat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Ningyao staring at the Longevity Tablets, Yulou didn’t explain—he immediately began pitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Rongsheng left Wolong Fang, he took everything from his shop—including the Jin Guang Flow Talismans unique to Jinbi Cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha, I came to visit you, and you’re trying to sell me talismans? Yulou, you might become a business genius someday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou’s eager sales pitch interrupted Ningyao’s thoughts; she teased him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou scratched his head and sighed in resignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, our household needs the Baibao Pavilion to earn more spirit stones—we can only do our best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this Jin Guang Flow Talisman really is worth buying, because things have gotten chaotic over at Wolong Fang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the foreseeable future, these special Flow Talismans won’t be produced again—once one’s used, it’s gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Get one, Sister—after you leave the Baibao Pavilion, you might never find this talisman again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ningyao had no intention of buying a talisman; she was concerned about something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I asked Father about Wolong Fang, but he wouldn’t tell me—what exactly did you encounter there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ningyao looked at Yuan; Yuan avoided her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew a thick, unspoken barrier now stood between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang clan hadn’t done anything wrong; Hongmei got what he deserved—but Yuan simply couldn’t meet Ningyao’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing Yuan’s tension, Yulou told Ningyao about the strange situation at Miaofeng Mountain, shifting her focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After frowning through Yulou’s account, Ningyao shook her head and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re not...” Hearing Ningyao’s invitation, Yuan wanted to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go. We’ll go after we finish the accounts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou’s mental age was more mature; he viewed amusement lightly and preferred to spend his time cultivating and studying the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan and Ningyao had been well-protected by their elders but restricted from leaving Qingxi Fang, so naturally they enjoyed horse racing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, Yulou had broken his usual pattern because he’d thought of a unique marketing idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This might not directly raise his cultivation base, but many things were interconnected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou had been reborn into the Wang clan, avoiding the hardships ordinary cultivators faced, and had walked a smooth path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In return, having enjoyed the Wang clan’s protection, he owed them his contribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the near future, the Wang clan would produce at least two new Foundation Establishment cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of revenue expansion, Wang Xianmao opened the Baibao Pavilion in Qingxi Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he placed Yulou as its shopkeeper to train him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he could only cultivate three hours a day—his remaining free time was ample, perfect to utilize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Accounts?” Ningyao looked at Yulou in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, you didn’t know? My brother was appointed shopkeeper of the Baibao Pavilion by the clan chief,” Yuan said with some pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his brother favored by the clan chief, Yuan naturally felt happy too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It won’t take long—wait a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou took the ledger upstairs, had a brief exchange with Rongsheng, then came back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go—we’re done for today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he was the shopkeeper, the Baibao Pavilion wasn’t short of clerks; with Rongsheng watching, his presence made little difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much did you earn today?” Ningyao walked beside Yulou, asking curiously yet with quiet eagerness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou was her junior; Ningyao felt no jealousy toward him—after her brief shock, she felt only support for his fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, support didn’t mean she’d spend money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Hongmei around, Ningyao lacked nothing in talismans or spirit elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not us earning—it’s the Baibao Pavilion. We’re just helping out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou first emphasized his employee status, then added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today’s the third day of opening; business is better than the first two days—we made seventeen spirit stones in half a day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventeen in half a day, twenty a day—that’s over seven thousand a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number was too large; Ningyao’s head spun trying to calculate it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nearly ten thousand spirit stones a year? Yulou, the Baibao Pavilion’s business is far stronger than Huafeng Residence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible. Customers naturally spend more at the start—this is just satisfying their pent-up demand with quality goods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over time, regular customers will have bought what they need; profits will naturally decline.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely why Yulou wanted to break the stagnation quickly—the Baibao Pavilion couldn’t stop moving; marketing had to keep pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you halve the annual profit, you’re still making a fortune...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou smiled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The clan chief gave me the shopkeeper position because he wants even higher profits—honestly, the pressure is immense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ningyao understood profit margin, but she didn’t understand the latter term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Turn... turnover rate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou thought for a moment and explained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To earn more spirit stones without raising prices, you must improve turnover rate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan had become Yulou’s biggest fan; he praised him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, you’re truly a business genius!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou quickly waved his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What genius? I’m just repeating what others have said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re too modest, Yulou—you’ve got none of the boldness of youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan didn’t agree with his sister this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, you’re my goddess—but I, Wang Yu’an, am no lickspittle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right is right, wrong is wrong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boldness? What good is boldness? Can you spend it as spirit stones?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang clan’s cultivation of its members far exceeds the average—they’ve endured for so long not merely because of their connections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are countless Foundation Establishment families backed by the Purple Mansion; few have endured for over a dozen generations like the Wang clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone as impulsive as Yuan was gradually shaped by the Wang clan’s teachings, learning what truly mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Choked for a moment, Zhong Nenyao gave a slight pout and shot Yuan a glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before, it was Yulou who acted like a little old man—now you’re starting to act like one too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl’s pout was so captivating that Yuan’s heart stirred with longing, but thinking of Hongmei, he instantly deflated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master, Master, you—you, sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha, Sister, when have I ever acted like a little old man?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou believed he was only sixteen, still a youthful boy, and could not see how he resembled a little old man at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slander—that’s slander against me~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re like one in every way. Hey, you haven’t been possessed by the Old Demon, have you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Nenyao teased with a jest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? If the Old Demon had possessed me, the Clan Chief would’ve known already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking toward the racetrack, the three laughed and chatted, thoroughly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Hongmei, no one cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>",1716,"2026-06-20T15:48:26.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b12d5091b45d4527d9d811f7382b8b66398712504a4585df1d65184f106c0b37","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-53","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-51",243,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-the-jade-palace-cover.jpg"]