Chapter 54

As Yulou finalized the horse racing collaboration between Baibao Pavilion and Qingxi Market, Baibao Pavilion’s competitors were also nervously pondering how to counter it.

“They’re pushing us too far—copying our name is bad enough.”

“Now they’re selling talismans too? This is outright bullying.”

In the back courtyard of Baifutang, a Qi Refining cultivator dressed as a shopkeeper was complaining.

He was Baifutang’s shopkeeper, Che Zengye.

The Qi Refining talisman market in Qingxi Market was limited; the Che family, through generations of operation, had built Baifutang’s reputation and secured one-third of the market.

One-third may sound small, but in a fiercely competitive commercial district, such dominance was already substantial.

Yet the Wang family suddenly rose up with Baibao Pavilion—its name nearly identical to Baifutang’s, and its operations heavily overlapping. How could Che Zengye not panic?

“They’re outright bullying you—what can you do about it?”

“Zengye, let’s talk about how you plan to respond. I didn’t come all the way to Qingxi Market just to hear your complaints.”

Che Zengshu, the Che family patriarch, said to his brother with a hint of resignation, finding his brother’s words unimpressive.

The Wang family of Anbei State was large and powerful; they weren’t likely to deliberately copy the Che family’s shop name, but how to respond to Baibao Pavilion’s aggressive challenge was indeed a tough problem.

Qingxi Market was only so big; Baibao Pavilion carried the Wang family’s prestige and introduced many innovations, so it naturally had no shortage of customers.

But every extra bite they took meant two fewer bites for the Che family—this problem was enormous!

How could Che Zengshu not worry? That’s why he rushed here in such a hurry.

“Patriarch, we could launch a three-person 10% discount bundle to compete for customers with Baibao Pavilion.”

Che Zengye had no qualms about copying Baibao Pavilion’s tactics—it was Baibao Pavilion that copied Baifutang’s name first.

“You’re oversimplifying it. Our model is low-buy, high-sell. We buy talismans in bulk at low prices from itinerant cultivators and small clans, then sell them slowly.”

“Baibao Pavilion’s model is for the Wang family to draw the talismans themselves, then sell them through their own shop.”

“We can’t compete with them on price! If we do, we’ll lose for sure—we need other strategies.”

A speck of dust from an era, when it lands on an individual’s shoulder, becomes a mountain.

Patriarch Mangxiang, in his quest to attain Golden Core, exerted immense downward pressure within the Hongdengzhao system.

The Wang family, as a vassal of Hongdengzhao and a minor faction of the Mangxiang lineage, was directly cut at the heels.

Amid these changes, to maintain family financial balance, Wang Xianmao established Baibao Pavilion in Qingxi Market.

Thus, the Che family’s Baifutang was left stranded.

The cost of Patriarch Mangxiang’s actions was naturally borne by Hongdengzhao.

When Hongdengzhao faced pressure, it could directly offload it onto its many vassals.

The pressure faced by the Wang family could be distributed through multiple channels onto itinerant cultivators and small clans.

But what could a tiny Qi Refining family like the Ches do?

The tide of the era spread layer by layer, and when it reached the Che family, their decades-built Baifutang proved as fragile as paper.

The gap between the Che and Wang families was immense; many methods that once worked were now useless against Baibao Pavilion, backed by the Foundation Establishment clan Wang.

After long thought, Che Zengye whispered:

“Patriarch, you know several cultivation sects, right? Their public identities are completely unrelated.”

“We can use them to spread rumors that Baibao Pavilion’s talismans are unreliable—to damage their reputation!”

Che Zengshu was startled. He glanced around, quickly realized only the two of them were present, and relaxed.

Leaning toward Che Zengye, he hissed in a low voice:

“Don’t say such things. We supply them because it’s normal business. If we ask them to do this, aren’t we mixing ourselves with cultivation sects?”

Good heavens—Baifutang’s unique position in Qingxi Market had its reasons.

In addition to normal retail, the Che family operated a secret underground network that supplied talismans exclusively to cultivation sects.

“Patriarch, Baibao Pavilion is closing in, backed by the Wang family, and their product quality is high.”

“Moreover, they supply multiple spirit pills—this imbalance will doom Baifutang. We must act decisively!”

In Che Zengye’s eyes were resignation, struggle, madness—but no hesitation.

Baifutang’s survival meant the Che family’s survival—he had to protect it!

Under his brother’s gaze, the Che patriarch fell silent for a long while, then said:

“I’ll arrange it. Don’t involve yourself in this. Oh—and tell the shop staff I’m only staying one night.”

The “Immortal Alliance—Ten Sects” system had barely mobilized, yet it forced ordinary cultivators to collaborate with cultivation sects.

These past few years, many things had changed from before.

Compared to Jiang Bao, who still cared about appearances, the new garrison cultivator Mu Chunze was so corrupt he’d dilute water with water.

Diluting water with water—ordinary people couldn’t even conceive of such a thing.

No wonder he managed to become a disciple of the Purple Mansion?

Yulou had planned to wait until Hongmei sorted out his thoughts before returning to Huafeng Residence to continue his Dao cultivation.

After all, Hongmei was under immense psychological pressure; Yulou feared this kind-hearted but heartless master might explode.

But yesterday, Senior Sister Ningyao visited them, suggesting Hongmei might have regained his composure.

Thus, Yulou and Yuan arrived early at Huafeng Residence today.

“Is my master here?” Yulou asked the front hall attendant.

“He left early this morning. Ningyao Immortal is here, but she’s currently in the side hall negotiating a custom magic treasure with a female client.”

Hearing this, Yuan looked at his elder brother.

“Brother, now’s the perfect chance to refine the Purple Copper Breaking Staff.”

The two brothers still owed Wu Jinyan a debt and needed to repay it quickly.

Though Yulou was now shopkeeper of Baibao Pavilion, he couldn’t freely use the spirit stones on its accounts.

Without disturbing Ningyao, the two went to the alchemy furnace.

Yuan lit the fire, Yulou fetched water, and soon everything was ready.

“This is our first time refining a magic treasure ourselves, Yuan—why don’t you go first?”

Yulou’s request seemed odd; Yuan hesitated briefly but didn’t refuse.

In truth, Yulou considered that his own Dao cultivation was higher than Yuan’s.

If he refined first and failed multiple times, it would affect his own state—and worse, Yuan’s.

Letting Yuan go first, with his competitive youthful nature, would make him focus harder.

Meanwhile, with Yulou—whose cultivation was slightly higher—ready to back him up, Yuan’s psychological pressure would be greatly reduced.

Combined, the decision to let Yuan go first carried clear value.

Yulou calculated this precisely—that’s why he suggested Yuan go first.

Cultivation was like this.

Two pieces of purple copper alone cost nearly three hundred spirit stones; with all other auxiliary materials, refining would consume at least three hundred ten spirit stones.

Three hundred ten spirit stones for six Purple Copper Breaking Staffs—each cost fifty-two spirit stones.

One failure meant losing fifty-two spirit stones. How could Yulou not be careful?

It seemed he was merely agonizing over a small detail.

Even if Yulou sold two hundred Purple Copper Breaking Staffs, the spirit stones earned still couldn’t buy the mid-grade magic treasure belt around his waist.

But a towering tree grows from a tiny sprout; a nine-story terrace rises from accumulated earth.

One must be resolute, for the burden is heavy and the path long.

Neither Yulou nor Yuan lacked grand ambitions, but the young man Yuan clearly didn’t grasp Yulou’s deeply hidden determination.

He simply stood before the furnace, without even glancing, and tossed the purple copper straight into the fire, saying:

“I feel I can inscribe five layers of seals. Brother, can I try?”

Clearly, his competitiveness had been correctly predicted by Yulou.

“Of course you can—but if you blow it, you lose fifty-two spirit stones.”

“Try it. Fifty-two isn’t much—it’s just two and a half years’ worth of clan stipend.”

With Yulou saying that, Yuan dared not be reckless.

So Yulou tended the fire, while Yuan handled the refining.

Under their careful coordination, the first Purple Copper Breaking Staff was soon completed.

But the staff Yuan produced had only three seal layers.

The design called for four: three base seals plus one Breaking Seal.

Clearly, when reaching the fourth layer, Yuan had grown exhausted.

Too small—the volume of one-third of a purple copper piece was simply too small for him to manage.

“Who said earlier they could inscribe five layers?”

Yulou dipped the Purple Copper Breaking Staff into Shanxiao blood, smiling as he asked and answered himself.

“Oh, can’t remember—definitely not me. Hahaha.”

Shanxiao blood enhanced the Breaking effect; Yuan’s staff was mediocre, but purple copper’s inherent nature granted it some Breaking capability.

Too small; the volume of one-third a block of purple copper is simply too small for him to handle.

“Who just said five layers could be forged into it?”

Yulou immersed the purple copper Breaking-Dharma Mallet in mountain imp blood, then smiled as he asked and answered himself.

“Oh, can’t remember—definitely not me, hah.”

Mountain imp blood enhances the Breaking-Dharma power; Yuan’s purple copper Breaking-Dharma Mallet was mediocrely forged, but the nature of purple copper ensures it inherently possesses some Breaking-Dharma capability.

The same logic applies: a spell powered by ten units of magic power can be shattered outright by the Purple Copper Magic Mallet, reinforced with five layers of anti-magic seals, using only three units of magic power.

When breaking various protective spells, it holds an overwhelming advantage, like slicing through melons and vegetables.

This inferior version of the Purple Copper Magic Mallet can shatter a ten-unit spell with just eight units of magic power; from this perspective, it still holds value.

After being humiliated by Yulou, Yuan said nothing.

He calculated the magic power within his body, then dropped another small piece of purple copper into the alchemical furnace, his eyes filled with solemnity.

This time, I will forge a Purple Copper Magic Mallet with four layers of seals!

Yuan can refine ink jade into a mid-grade magic artifact blank—he does possess some talent in the Art of Forging, though this may also be due to Yulou’s urging and guidance.

Just as Yuan was channeling his magic power to wrestle with the purple copper inside the furnace, Senior Sister Ningyao entered the back chamber with a female cultivator veiled in a silk mask.

“Friend Yingxi, our Huafeng Chamber does not accept orders for wooden magic artifacts—my father specializes in metal and stone, and fire-based forging arts are unsuitable for wooden items.”

“However, I can recommend a suitable place for you. Look, these are the Wang Shizi of Anbei State—the Wang clan is renowned within the Red Lantern Society for their wood-based magic arts.”

Was Senior Sister Ningyao introducing this female customer to the Wang clan?

Yulou had no time to attend to the two women—he turned his gaze to Yuan.

Good, good, good—this boy Yuan truly has some insight.

With two female cultivators beside him, he didn’t even glance at them; his forging technique remained as steady as ever.

Yuan, you boy will amount to something great!