Chapter 720

Not the sect's mining area.

Huang Tian Shangren got the news, stunned: "Really came!"

Soon, Huang Tian Shangren arrived at the hastily built reception manor and saw the people from the Chamber of Commerce.

"I am Zhang Wang, a steward of the Chamber of Commerce, here specially to pay respects to fellow Daoists of the Buji Sect."

"So it's Daoist Zhang of the Chamber of Commerce, my apologies. I am Huang Tian Shangren of the Buji Sect." Huang Tian Shangren said, smiling and clasping his hands.

Zhang Wang nodded, smiling as he presented some gifts.

Huang Tian Shangren declined a few times, but still accepted them; however, since he represents the sect, some matters still need to be spoken openly.

"I wonder what business Daoist Zhang has come for?"

"Is it now Daoist Huang who handles the Buji Sect's external affairs?"

"More or less, several elders in the sect are responsible for nearby security and mining development, while external liaison is temporarily handled by me."

Zhang Wang smiled: "Daoist Huang truly enjoys the sect's deep trust."

"Not at all."

"I came here mainly to discuss the purchase of the adamant ore with your sect." Zhang Wang smiled, looking at Huang Tian Shangren: "You also know that although adamant ore is not scarce in human territories, most of it is controlled by those aristocratic clans; we too hold a share, but since Luohuang Zhou has such deposits, we naturally wish to make long-term purchases."

Huang Tian Shangren thought carefully: "I wonder what price the Chamber of Commerce can offer?"

"Each ingot of adamant ore costs nine hundred Spiritual Stones."

"Too little! According to our sect's development progress, we need at least 1,700."

"This can be negotiated." Huang Tian Shangren laughed and said: "If I represent the Chamber of Commerce, I can offer up to 1,200."

"No, too little. Like this, Fellow Daoist Zhang, give a sincere price; I will go discuss with all the Elders and then make a decision." Huang Tian Shangren said.

Zhang Wang hesitated: "At most 1,400, cannot be any higher."

Huang Tian Shangren nodded: "Alright, I will tell the Elders later. Speaking of which, since the Chamber of Commerce needs adamant ore, why not go to the Great Sinful Sect? Their adamant ore is the largest."

Zhang Wang smiled and said: "We naturally also want to go, but I heard that the Great Sinful Sect has special arrangements for subsequent transactions of adamant ore, and we haven't found an opportunity to contact them. I don't know what your sect thinks of the Great Sinful Sect."

Huang Tian Shangren raised his eyebrows.

Indeed, you want to use me to inquire about the Great Sinful Sect, or...

Huang Tian Shangren recalled what Yan Buji had said before, and deliberately said: "We previously met once in the garrisoned royal city; at that time, a Nascent Soul stage Hall Master of the Great Sinful Sect discussed this with me, saying we should jointly set prices and avoid a price war that would leave everyone with no profit."

"That's also correct; a price war would be of no benefit to us or to other consumers."

The essence of a price war lies in merchants selling the same type of goods wanting to sell their own products, or large-scale market seizure by lowering prices to attract more consumers to purchase.

But then, other merchants seeing you lower prices have no choice but to follow suit, otherwise their goods would just sit unsold.

Afterwards, for manufacturers producing goods, although orders increase, the unit price drops; to maintain costs they must cut expenses from costs and workers, so with reduced manpower and material resources, product quality declines, thereby affecting consumer experience, the market becomes Chaos, leading to a vicious cycle.

Therefore, a price war is not wholly beneficial to consumers; for some unimportant goods it's fine, but especially for daily necessities, if a merchant engages in the despicable conduct of market seizure via price war, in the cultivation world they will be looked down upon or even fiercely targeted.

But when merchants unite to set prices, that is also not good for consumers. However, whether it's Huang Tian Shangren or Zhang Wang, their position is above merchants and manufacturers, so to guarantee their own interests they will certainly unite.

Setting prices like this must consider market response; otherwise cultivators are whimsical—if your product isn't a necessity, why would I have to buy it?

Such necessities are usually controlled by greater forces, held by those at the peak, with the aim also of stabilizing peace in the cultivation world.

Zhang Wang pondered: "I don't know who is in charge of this over at the Great Sinful Sect."

"A Hall Master named Yan Buji." Huang Tian Shangren didn't even think before saying it.

"Oh, it's him." Zhang Wang laughed.

"How? Do you know him?" Huang Tian Shangren said.

"Yeah, we had dealings when trading Spiritual Material in the Youming Jie." Zhang Wang laughed: "Since he's here, that makes things easy. Is Hall Master Yan currently at the Great Sinful Sect's mining area?"

"I'm not sure about that; we left early, so I don't know what arrangements they have."

"Alright, your sect can consider this for now; if further detailed discussion is needed later, feel free to contact me."

"Okay, no problem."

After Huang Tian Shangren saw Zhang Wang off, he stroked his chin and thought: "It seems Zhang Wang has a grudge against Yan Buji? No, if he had a grudge against Yan Buji, given Zhang Wang's temperament, being able to endure it, he wouldn't possibly want to act against Yan Buji."

Huang Tian Shangren recalled Yan Buji's expression; it clearly told him that his enemy is within the Chamber of Commerce. But Zhang Wang is obviously a rational person; unless Yan Buji has a mortal grudge against him, but he doesn't seem like that either...

"Interesting, more than one?"

Huang Tian Shangren thought of Yan Buji; this guy might be related to my future cultivation path, I should help him after all.

Just like when I went to the West Sand River Basin before, the purpose was solely for a breakthrough in cultivation. Now I again sense this in the dark; Huang Tian Shangren can't help but believe it.

"It seems Yan Buji wants to use my hand to lay a trap, to strike those enemies of the Chamber of Commerce. That wouldn't be impossible, but what benefit would there be for me to get mixed up in their grudges?" Huang Tian Shangren thought.

Besides being able to resolve past grievances with Yan Buji... no, that's not right; he probably still wants to get the Great Xuan's Duckweed from my hands, so he temporarily wants to act against me.

"Ah, it's precisely this kind of person Yan Buji who is my opportunity for a breakthrough—truly deadly!" Huang Tian Shangren covered his head.

After a while.

Huang Tian Shangren told the Elders inside the sect about the Chamber of Commerce coming to discuss cooperation; upon hearing Zhang Wang's offer, the Elders' expressions immediately worsened.

"This is too cheap; let them add more, only then will there be profit."

"Yeah, otherwise relying on this small mineral vein alone, we probably couldn't even break even!"

Huang Tian Shangren nodded: "So, Elders, I think we should contact the Great Sinful Sect; perhaps they have a way to trade with the demon clan."

"It wouldn't hurt to ask first."