Chapter 57

Ten days later, the horse racing track at Qing Xi Fang was once again thronged with voices.

Wang Yuan's beloved gourd jar didn't pull off any surprises this time—it finished dead last, but Wang Yuan wasn't here today.

He was busy crafting the Monkey Version Technique devices needed for the blind boxes.

"Fellow cultivators, the horse race has ended, but I have good news to share."

The Wang Clan of Anbei has just opened a new shop in Qing Xi Fang called Bai Bao Ge, specializing in talismans and spirit pills."

If you gather three people to visit together, you can buy the Wang Clan's unique donkey-skin thousand-li talisman at a ten percent discount."

Bai Bao Ge also…"

Fellow cultivators, don't miss this chance—the Wang Clan must be mad to offer such generous discounts."

Hurry over now! If Bai Bao Ge goes under, those who arrive late won't get any of the bargains!"

Yang Qi's advertisement was catastrophic—but somehow, it actually worked.

After all, this was the first time ever in Qing Xi Fang—cultivators had no idea what advertising even was.

In the past, shops in Qing Xi Fang would just hire people to promote at major inns, teahouses, and taverns—that was the limit.

Yulou's ad tapped into Yang's private traffic pool.

Leveraging the top-tier traffic from the Qing Xi Fang horse race and using Bai Bao Ge's discounts as a hook, it fully activated user touchpoints, achieving breakout marketing.

This was essentially a crude version of ecosystem inversion—a dimensional strike against Bai Bao Ge's competitors.

Cui Baihao only learned of Bai Bao Ge's new shop through Yang Qi's promotion.

He was an elder of the low-tier sect Hong Shu Sect; a ninth-stage Qi Condensation elder sounded absurd, but considering Hong Shu Sect had produced only two Foundation Establishment cultivators since its founding, it wasn't surprising.

His main mission in Qing Xi Fang was to sell his sect's specialty: ninth-grade red wood. After completing his task, he came to the racetrack to watch the races.

But upon hearing the Wang Clan's shop offered discounted thousand-li talismans, he changed his mind.

His junior disciples needed thousand-li talismans—he could buy three to take back, then distribute them at the right moment. Perfect.

So he followed the crowd to Bai Bao Ge.

Yes, the crowd—many cultivators who'd come for the races had come here too.

"Fellow cultivators, please line up. Those wishing to buy the three-person ten-percent discount thousand-li talismans: you must form a group of three to qualify. Each person may buy at most two!"

Hearing the shop attendant's words, Cui Baihao grew irritated.

Your Wang Clan has vast wealth, yet you won't even let us buy more than two? So stingy, so stingy!

He cursed inwardly, but had no intention of leaving—after all, the Wang Clan's ten-percent discounted donkey-skin thousand-li talismans were too tempting.

The value of a loss-leader lies precisely in this: and the Wang Clan raised donkeys—they had no shortage of donkey-skin thousand-li talismans. Even at ten percent off, they still made a profit.

Soon, it was Cui Baihao's turn. Under the attendant's guidance, he formed a trio with two other customers, each buying two donkey-skin thousand-li talismans.

The two customers bought their talismans and left immediately, but Cui Baihao was stunned by the grand ancestral tablet inside Bai Bao Ge.

Under Master Mangxiang, Wang Yinghua of the Wang Clan stood on the same level as Xuan Zhuan and Dan Ri.

Three other Wang Clan Foundation Establishment cultivators had become disciples of Xuan Zhuan and were listed among the Red Lantern Illumination's true heirs.

Thinking of the Red Lantern Illumination, thinking of the Anbei Wang Clan, thinking of his own Hong Shu Sect, Cui Baihao suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.

Cultivation is hard. Cultivation is extremely, extremely hard.

A cultivator returning to the mortal world could enjoy a fine life—but who would willingly abandon the hope of immortality?

Though that hope was so faint, no one was willing to give it up.

"New blind boxes just dropped! Twenty boxes, each containing three low-grade artifacts and three bottles of six-pill Hua Qi Pills."

"Fellow cultivators, same rules as before: once bought, no returns or exchanges!"

Hua Qi Pills?

Cui Baihao didn't know what a blind box was, but he knew Hua Qi Pills.

One Hua Qi Pill cost five spirit stones—it boosted a Qi Condensation cultivator's cultivation speed for five days, making five days' practice equal fifteen.

After learning what a blind box was, Cui Baihao stared at the wooden boxes with shining eyes, his heart burning.

Buying two boxes meant that whether he drew a Hua Qi Pill or a low-grade artifact, he'd break even—or even make a small profit.

But only six out of twenty blind boxes contained high-value items; to get a good draw, you had to buy more.

He gritted his teeth and waved his hand, shouting.

"Give me five… blind boxes! Yes, blind boxes! Five blind boxes!"

"Sorry, we have purchase limits—each person may buy at most two. And fellow cultivator, you called too late—there's only one blind box left."

The attendant's reply left Cui Baihao dumbfounded—only one left already?

"Fellow cultivator, still want it? If not, I'll sell it to someone else."

But with so many people today, the attendant had no time to let Cui Baihao hesitate.

"Yes, yes! Give me even just one!"

Even one is fine—small bets bring joy.

Buying five at once was too risky. Though the Wang Clan of Anbei wouldn't ruin their own reputation, better to be cautious.

Holding the blind box, Cui Baihao traced the red-lacquered wooden surface, eager to open it.

But he noticed other cultivators who'd bought blind boxes were bowing before Master Mangxiang's tablet—as if praying for ancestral protection?

Thinking he had nothing to lose, Cui Baihao bowed twice as well, his movements and expression perfectly sincere.

It was, without doubt, the most respectful he'd ever been to Master Mangxiang in his life.

Since he'd bowed to the ancestor, washing his hands was obviously not to be skipped—after all, everyone else washed theirs. What if his luck was just a hair short?

But as Cui Baihao reached for the water basin, the attendant stopped him.

"Spirit water hand-washing tickets: one spirit stone for five washes. Fellow cultivator, you haven't bought a ticket yet, have you?"

Cui Baihao's eyes widened as he pointed at the cultivators who'd just washed their hands and were preparing to open their boxes.

"Did they all buy tickets?"

The clerk deftly pulled out a carved wooden card, upon which was embossed the relief of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

"Yes, look, this is the Spirit Water Hand-Washing Combo Ticket. We punch a hole after each wash. Do you want one?"

"Of course, we also have free hand-washing water; it is just mundane rainless water. The rainless water can be given for free as a gift."

Looking at the carved wooden Spirit Water Hand-Washing Combo Ticket in the clerk's hand, Cui Baihao, from a humble household, was about to refuse.

"Eh! I won! I won! Hahaha, I won!"

A loose cultivator who had just washed his hands with Spirit Water had opened a low-grade Purple Copper Dharma-Breaking Pestle; at this moment, he was excitedly dancing in circles around the main hall of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

The words Cui Baihao had on the tip of his tongue were no longer spoken.

"Can I take the Spirit Water I used to wash my hands away in a package?"

The Red Tree Sect is poor; although Cui Baihao is an Elder, he must still save where he can.

The Spirit Water used for washing hands is just right to take back and save for brewing tea.

"Yes, of course, we package for free. Daoist Friend, do you want to buy it?"

"I'll buy it!"

Soon, Cui Baihao finished washing his hands, picked up the packaged Spirit Water, and left with the blind box.

He was an old hand; he would not open a blind box in public. If he happened to open a low-grade magical artifact, others would be envious.

Back in the small room he rented at Fuyuan Residence, Cui Baihao sat on a bed so cramped it was hard to turn over, looking at the blind box painted red in his hand.

An excited heart, trembling hands.

After opening it, right in the middle of the wooden box, a jade bottle was perfectly embedded.

What a huge profit!

Unscrewing the stopper of the jade bottle and holding it before his nose, smelling the pill fragrance of the Qi-Transforming Pill, Cui Baihao sighed.

"So the scent of the Qi-Transforming Pill is this fresh; a spiritual pill is indeed extraordinary, indeed extraordinary."

In the past, he had only been willing to use Qi-Transforming Powder and had never bought a Qi-Transforming Pill.

Pouring one out onto his palm, looking at the pill which was entirely brown and the size of a cherry, Cui Baihao swallowed his saliva, then put it back.

Consume it upon returning to the Sect!

With these six Qi-Transforming Pills in hand, the path to the tenth layer of Qi Condensation could be walked faster.

On the second floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Wang Rongsheng smiled very happily.

"Yulou, I did not expect the blind box to sell so well; hahaha, in the beginning, this old man's eyes were dull."

Since the business of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was so good today, he naturally understood that this could not be separated from Yulou's merit.

The three-person ten-percent-off group, the limited-time auction, and the horse-racing advertisements were all for drawing traffic.

Only the blind box sales truly expanded profits.

After these four axes, Yulou's position as Shopkeeper was naturally secure; he no longer needed to worry about being dismissed due to poor performance.

But, if a man has no long-term plans, he will surely have immediate worries.

"Clan Uncle, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion having today is inseparable from your strong support; it is just that we now have a new problem."

Yulou first praised his clan uncle, then asked for help.

"The blind boxes sell well because the total value of their goods, calculated overall, is being sold at a two-percent discount."

Therefore, there will always be cultivators who take advantage of the bargain and become repeat customers; naturally, the sales of the blind boxes have improved.

But selling too fast is not entirely a good thing; I predict the Hundred Treasures Pavilion will soon face a problem of insufficient supply."

"Now that the Hundred Treasures Pavilion has snatched business from so many other shops, we need to coordinate with them; we cannot rely solely on our own supply. What do you think?"

Stabilize the supply chain while avoiding eating alone and being coveted by others.

Yulou's blind box strategy was actually achieving an increase in sales volume per unit of time through high turnover, thereby boosting total profit.

But market demand is limited; when the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business is good, competitors go hungry.

Therefore, certain means are needed to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

People like Master Mangxiang, with vast factions and profound strength, can eat until only bones remain below without fear.

But Wang Shi does not have such a big mouth; eating too much will invite disaster!

Facing Yulou's suggestion, Wang Rongsheng felt immense emotion in his heart and nodded, saying.

"Yulou, I finally understand why the Clan Leader appointed you as the Shopkeeper of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

"You are very right; however, leave these matters to me. Those old things are not easy to deal with."

"Fortunately, I am also an old hand and can still help you a bit, hahaha."

At this time, a Spirit Crane raised by Wang Shi flew to the window outside the second floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

It looked impatient, pecking at the window repeatedly with its beak, signaling the two chatting inside to hurry up and open the door for it.

Wang Rongsheng raised his hand in surprise; the window opened, and the Spirit Crane flew in.

After dropping a bundle, it walked its feet to the table edge and began drinking the Spirit Tea on the table, which was prepared by Wang Rongsheng for Yulou.

"Is this Crane Second or Crane Third?"

Crane Second and Crane Third looked too much alike; Yulou could not recognize it at first.

The Spirit Crane pecked Yulou twice more, then proudly opened its mouth—Grandpa is hungry.

Wang Rongsheng picked up the bundle, inspected it, and said.

"This is the seven-stringed zither customized by Mu Yingxi; the Clan Leader made it personally and specified that you deliver the zither to the garrisoned cultivator's residence of Mu Chunze."

Holding snacks to feed Crane Third, Yulou was somewhat surprised; let me deliver the zither?

Immediately, he finally realized something was wrong.

Indeed, every Foundation Establishment cultivator who can catch the Purple Mansion's eye and become a True Disciple is no fool.