Chapter 50: Huh, You Couldn't Have Been Usurped by an Old Demon, Right? |
The way Zhong Ningyao phrased this question suggested that Hongmei had not told her what happened.
Looting Golden Light Pavilion, showing murderous intent toward his disciples, trying to give away his daughter, and being controlled by Wang Xianmao...
After all, how could Hongmei confess such things to his daughter?
When it came to a firm Dao heart, Hongmei was the prime example. To protect himself, he was willing to give his daughter to the Wang Clan.
His only miscalculation was that Yulou had caught the murderous intent he had leaked.
Yulou invited Ningyao inside and explained.
"It's our fault. We've just been too busy lately."
Looking around the brand-new Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Ningyao nodded thoughtfully.
The Wang Clan had opened a new shop in Clear Stream Market in such a short time, so it was only natural for Yulou and Yu'an to come help out.
Just as she was about to ask what Hundred Treasures Pavilion sold, she glanced to the left and froze completely.
Patriarch Mangxiang, True Person Xuanzhuan... For the first time, she realized exactly what kind of existence the Wang Clan was.
In the past, she had gotten along very well with Yulou and Yu'an. Their relationship had been equal, and she had never felt that the two of them were any different from her.
But now, looking at the densely packed rows of Longevity Plaques, Zhong Ningyao felt a complicated mixture of emotions.
Multiple ancestors had been accepted under the tutelage of Red Lantern Illumination Sect's Purple Palace realm experts. Was this the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom?
Red Lantern Illumination Sect had many vassal forces, but they ranged greatly in size, and there were massive differences between them.
The Wang Clan had members accepted under the tutelage of Purple Palace experts every few generations. Clearly, they were not on the same level as ordinary vassal families.
This girl did not yet know about Patriarch Mangxiang attempting to attain Golden Core. If she did, she would probably be even more shocked.
"Talismans and spiritual pills, though they are all catered to Qi Refining cultivators. Senior martial sister, you could take a look at our talismans.
"For example, this Golden Light Torrent Talisman can perfectly make up for your combat shortcomings in water arts."
Seeing his senior martial sister staring at the Longevity Plaques, Yulou did not explain them and directly started his sales pitch.
When Wang Rongsheng left Hidden Dragon Market, he packed up everything in his shop and brought it with him, including the Golden Light Torrent Talisman, a specialty of Golden Wall Cliff.
The spirit-drawing portion of this talisman used the special spiritual energy from the Wolong Golden Light spiritual tide as a primer. Its power was superior to ordinary torrent talismans, making it an excellent item for magical combat.
Zhong Ningyao possessed a fire, wood, and metal spirit root, meaning she lacked proficiency in water and earth arts. Yulou's recommendation was tailored precisely to her needs.
She cultivated the Burning Mulberry Qi Induction Art, focusing primarily on fire and wood. Naturally, there was no need for her to buy the Wang Clan's many wood-attribute talismans.
"Hahaha, I came to visit you two, and instead, you try to sell me talismans! Yulou, you might turn out to be a business genius in the future."
Yulou's eager sales pitch interrupted Zhong Ningyao's reverie, and she teased him.
Scratching his head, Yulou explained helplessly.
"Senior martial sister, the family needs Hundred Treasures Pavilion to earn more spirit stones, so naturally, we must do our best.
"However, this Golden Light Torrent Talisman is truly worth buying. After all, things have fallen into chaos over at Hidden Dragon Market.
"For a while, there probably won't be any new batches of this special torrent talisman. Every time one is used, there will be one less in the world."
'Buy one, senior martial sister. Once you leave Hundred Treasures Pavilion, you might really never find this talisman again.'
Ningyao had no intention of buying talismans. Instead, she was more concerned about something else.
"I asked my father about the situation at Hidden Dragon Market, but he refused to tell me. What exactly did you run into there?"
Zhong Ningyao looked at Yu'an, but Yu'an avoided her gaze.
He knew that a thick, unspeakable barrier had already formed between them.
The Wang Clan had done nothing wrong, and Hongmei deserved what he got, but Yu'an simply did not dare to look Ningyao in the eye.
"Valley Spirit Sect broke through the magical formation set up by Wondrous Peak Mountain, so we fled back. However, I have some news about this—make sure you do not tell anyone else."
Noticing Yu'an's nervousness, Yulou told Zhong Ningyao about the bizarre situation regarding Wondrous Peak Mountain, successfully shifting her focus.
Frowning as she listened to Yulou's news, Zhong Ningyao shook her head and sighed.
"It's safest to just stay here in Clear Stream Market. Plus, there is horse racing to watch. Oh, right, today is horse racing day again. Are you two going?"
Over the past three years, Yulou and Yu'an had been restricted from leaving Clear Stream Market. Their only source of entertainment was watching the horse races, which they did every month.
"We haven't—" Hearing his senior martial sister's invitation, Yu'an was about to decline.
"We'll go. We'll go as soon as we finish balancing the books."
Yulou's answer left both Zhong Ningyao and Yu'an a little confused. In the past, the two of them had been the main driving force behind seeking entertainment, with Yulou usually just tagging along. Why was he being so proactive this time?
The reason was actually very simple.
Yulou's mental age was more mature. He cared very little for playing around. Compared to joining the lively crowds, he was much more willing to spend his time on cultivation and studying the artificing path.
Yu'an and Ningyao were well-protected by their elders, but were also restricted from leaving Clear Stream Market. Naturally, they enjoyed watching the horse races.
The reason Yulou suddenly acted out of character today was because he had thought of a special marketing idea.
The three-person ten-percent-off group purchase had achieved good results, but the limited-time auction had been a complete flop. Yulou wanted to find a new avenue to achieve a breakthrough in Hundred Treasures Pavilion's operations.
This might not directly help Yulou improve his cultivation base, but many things were actually interconnected.
Reborn into the Wang Clan, Yulou avoided the many setbacks that rogue cultivators often faced, and his path had been very smooth.
In return, since he enjoyed the Wang Clan's protection, he had to make contributions to the clan.
In the near future, the Wang Clan would produce at least two new Foundation Establishment cultivators.
To generate more income, Wang Xianmao had opened the new Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Clear Stream Market.
Afterward, he placed Yulou in the position of shopkeeper to gain experience.
After all, he could only cultivate for six hours a day right now. He had plenty of free time left over, which he could put to good use.
With the family's protection and the Patriarch's trust, Yulou had no reason to shirk this duty. He had absolutely no intention of doing so, either; he simply wanted to run Hundred Treasures Pavilion as best as he could, nothing more.
"Balance the books?" Zhong Ningyao looked at Yulou in confusion.
"Senior martial sister, you don't know, but my brother was appointed as the shopkeeper of Hundred Treasures Pavilion by the Patriarch," Yu'an said somewhat proudly.
Seeing his older brother trusted and valued by the Patriarch, Yu'an, as his blood brother, was naturally happy for him.
"It'll be quick. Give me a moment."
Yulou went upstairs with the ledger. After a brief exchange with Wang Rongsheng, he came back down.
"Let's go. We're pretty much done for today."
Although he was the shopkeeper, Hundred Treasures Pavilion did not lack for shop assistants. With Uncle Rongsheng keeping an eye on things, it honestly didn't make much of a difference whether he was there or not.
"How much did you make today?" Zhong Ningyao walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Yulou, asking with a mix of curiosity and slight eagerness.
Yulou was her junior martial brother. Naturally, Ningyao harbored no jealousy toward him. Regarding his new opportunity, after a brief moment of shock, she felt nothing but support.
Of course, support was one thing, but getting her to spend money was impossible.
With Hongmei around, Ningyao was not lacking in talismans or spiritual pills.
"It's not us making the money. We're just helping watch the shop. The pavilion is making the money."
Yulou first emphasized his position as a mere worker before continuing.
"Today is the third day since opening. Business was better than the previous two days. We made seventeen spirit stones in a little over half a day."
Seventeen spirit stones in half a day meant around twenty a day, which added up to over seven thousand a year.
The number was so large that doing the math made Zhong Ningyao's head spin.
"Nearly ten thousand spirit stones a year! Yulou, Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business is so much better than Forge Peak Residence's!"
"How is that possible? Naturally, customers spend more when a shop first opens. We satisfied their needs with good products, releasing their pent-up desire to spend.
"As time goes on, the regulars will have bought what they needed, and the profits will naturally decrease."
This was also why Yulou wanted to diversify and break through as quickly as possible. Hundred Treasures Pavilion's momentum couldn't stop; their marketing had to keep pace.
"Even if the annual profits are cut in half, you guys still aren't making a small amount..."
Yulou smiled bitterly.
"Profit margin and turnover rate are the real keys. Hundred Treasures Pavilion's goods are all of high quality. Even if they weren't sold here, the Wang Clan would still earn their expected profits by selling them through other channels.
"The Patriarch gave me the position of shopkeeper naturally hoping I would generate even more profit. To be honest, I'm under a lot of pressure."
Ningyao understood profit margin, but she hadn't caught the meaning of the latter term.
"Turn—turnover rate? What's that?"
Yulou thought for a moment before explaining.
"Hmm, you can understand it as the time it takes for Hundred Treasures Pavilion's goods to go from being shelved to being sold. With a higher turnover rate, the pavilion sells more goods in the same amount of time.
"Assuming the sales prices don't increase, if we want to earn more spirit stones, we have to focus on improving the turnover rate."
Yu'an had already turned into Yulou's biggest fanboy. He flattered him,
"Brother, you really are a business genius!"
Yulou quickly waved his hands.
"What are you saying? I'm just borrowing the wisdom of others."
Zhong Ningyao asked herself. She had followed Hongmei around all sorts of people from all walks of life; she hadn't seen or heard any less than Yulou, yet she had never heard of turnover rate or any similar concepts.
"You just keep too low a profile, Yulou. You don't have a single ounce of youthful spirit in you."
This time, Yu'an didn't quite agree with his senior martial sister's words.
'Yes, you might be my goddess, but I, Wang Yu'an, am no mindless lapdog!'
'Right is right, and wrong is wrong!'
"Youthful spirit? What use is that? Can you spend it like spirit stones?"
The Wang Clan's cultivation of their younger generation was definitely above average. The fact that they had endured for so long relied on far more than just their so-called background.
There were plenty of Foundation Establishment families backed by Purple Palace experts, but very few had managed to pass down their legacy unchanged for over a dozen generations like the Wang Clan.
Even someone as energetic and impulsive as Yu'an was gradually influenced by the Wang Clan's teachings, slowly realizing what was truly important.
Choked by his retort, Zhong Ningyao grew slightly annoyed and rolled her eyes at Yu'an.
"In the past, only Yulou acted like a little old man. Now you're starting to act like a little old man too."
The young girl's annoyance was equally captivating, making Yu'an's heart itch with excitement. But the moment he thought of Hongmei, he instantly wilted.
'Master, Master... you, oh you... sigh.'
"Hahaha, senior martial sister, when have I ever acted like a little old man?"
Yulou believed that at sixteen years old, he was right in the prime of his youth. No matter how you looked at him, he had nothing to do with being a little old man.
'Slander. This is pure slander!'
"You act like one in every way. Huh, you couldn't have been usurped by an old demon, right?"
Zhong Ningyao mocked him jokingly.
"What are you talking about? If I had been usurped by an old demon, the Patriarch would have noticed long ago."
Walking all the way to the racetrack, the three of them chatted and laughed, feeling incredibly cheerful.
As for Hongmei, no one cared.
If he harbored murderous intent, he had to bear the consequences. The Wang Clan were not saints; they didn't have that much excess kindness to spare.
Yulou had been reborn into the Wang Clan, avoiding many of the struggles rogue cultivators typically faced, making his path remarkably smooth.
In return for the clan's protection, he was expected to contribute to its success.
In the near future, the Wang Clan would produce at least two new Foundation Establishment cultivators.
To generate new revenue streams, Wang Xianmao had opened the new Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Clear Stream Market.
He then appointed Yulou as the pavilion's shopkeeper to help him gain experience.
After all, Yulou could currently cultivate for only six hours a day, leaving him with plenty of free time to put to good use.
Given the family's protection and the Patriarch's trust, Yulou had neither the reason nor the intention to shirk his duties. His sole focus was on running the Hundred Treasures Pavilion as best as he could.
"Balancing the books?" Zhong Ningyao looked at Yulou in confusion.
"Senior martial sister, you might not know this, but the Patriarch appointed my brother as the shopkeeper of Hundred Treasures Pavilion," Yu'an said with a hint of pride.
His older brother was deeply trusted by the Patriarch, and as his blood brother, Yu'an was naturally happy for him.
"It will be quick. Wait just a moment," Yulou said.
He took the ledger upstairs, had a brief chat with Wang Rongsheng, and then came back down.
"Let's go. We are pretty much done for today."
Although he was the shopkeeper, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was not short on clerks. With Uncle Rongsheng keeping an eye on things, his absence wouldn't make much of a difference.
"How much did you guys earn today?" Zhong Ningyao asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and eagerness as she walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Yulou.
Since Yulou was her junior martial brother, Ningyao harbored no jealousy toward him. After her initial shock regarding his new opportunity, she felt nothing but support.
Of course, moral support was one thing, but getting her to actually spend money was impossible.
With Hongmei around, Ningyao lacked neither talismans nor spiritual pills.
"We aren't the ones earning it. We just help watch the shop. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion earns it."
Yulou made sure to emphasize his position as a mere worker before continuing.
"Today is our third day since opening, and business was a bit better than the first two days. For most of the day, we brought in seventeen spirit stones."
Seventeen stones for most of the day meant roughly twenty a day, which added up to over seven thousand a year.
The sheer size of that number made Zhong Ningyao's head spin a little as she did the math.
"Nearly ten thousand spirit stones a year! Yulou, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business is much better than Forge Peak Residence's."
"How could it stay that way? When a shop first opens, customers naturally spend more. The new, quality products meet their needs and release their pent-up desire to spend.
"As time goes on, the returning customers will have bought everything they need, and our profits will naturally drop."
This was exactly why Yulou wanted to achieve a diversified breakthrough as soon as possible. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion's momentum couldn't be allowed to stop, and their marketing had to keep pace.
"Even if your annual profits are cut in half, you guys still earn a lot..."
Yulou smiled bitterly.
"Profit margins and turnover rates are the keys. The goods in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion are all high quality. Even if they aren't sold here, they would still be sold through other channels, and the Wang Clan would make its rightful profit.
"The Patriarch gave me the position of shopkeeper because he naturally hopes for greater profits. To be honest, I'm feeling a lot of pressure."
Ningyao understood profit margins, but she didn't quite grasp the latter term.
"What is a turn... turnover rate?"
Yulou thought for a moment before explaining.
"Hmm, you can think of it as the time it takes for the goods to go from being stocked on the shelves to being sold. If the turnover rate is high, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion sells more goods in the same amount of time.
"If we want to earn more spirit stones without raising our prices, we have to find a way to increase that turnover rate."
Yu'an, having already transformed into his older brother's biggest admirer, eagerly praised him.
"Brother, you really are a business genius!"
Yulou hurriedly waved his hand.
"What are you talking about? I'm just picking up scraps of wisdom from others."
Zhong Ningyao thought to herself that, having mingled with people from all walks of life alongside Hongmei, she had seen and heard just as much as Yulou. Yet, she had never once heard of turnover rates or any similar concepts.
"You just hide your true strength too much, Yulou," she said. "You don't have a single ounce of a young man's heroic spirit."
This time, Yu'an didn't quite agree with his senior martial sister.
'Yes, you might be my goddess, but I, Wang Yu'an, am no lapdog!'
'Right is right, and wrong is wrong!'
"Heroic spirit? What use is a heroic spirit? Can you spend it like spirit stones?"
The Wang Clan's grooming of its younger generation was absolutely above average. They hadn't survived this long solely relying on their background.
There were plenty of Foundation Establishment families backed by Purple Palace experts, but very few could maintain their legacy across a dozen generations like the Wang Clan.
Even someone as flighty as Yu'an was gradually influenced by the Wang Clan's teachings, learning to recognize what was truly important.
Choked by his blunt retort, Zhong Ningyao grew slightly annoyed and rolled her eyes at Yu'an.
"Before, only Yulou acted like a little old man. Now, you're starting to act like one too."
The young girl's faux anger was so charming that it left Yu'an's heart fluttering with excitement. However, the moment he thought of Hongmei, he instantly deflated.
'Master, Master, oh you... sigh.'
"Hahaha, senior martial sister, since when do I act like a little old man?" Yulou chimed in.
Yulou considered himself a mere sixteen-year-old, right in the prime of his youth. No matter how you looked at it, he had nothing in common with a little old man.
'Slander, this is pure slander against me~'
"Everything about you is like one. Hmm, your body couldn't have been usurped by an old demon, right?"
Zhong Ningyao teased jokingly.
"What are you talking about? If my body had been usurped by an old demon, the Patriarch would have noticed long ago."
Walking all the way to the racetrack, the three of them chatted and laughed, feeling incredibly cheerful.
As for Hongmei, no one cared.
If one showed murderous intent, one had to bear the price. The Wang Clan were no benevolent Buddhas; they didn't have that much excess compassion.
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