Chapter 56: Can I Pack the Spirit Water I Washed My Hands In and Take It With Me?

Ascending the Jade Palace

Ten days later, the racetrack in Clear Stream Market was once again bustling with noise and excitement.

Yu'an's beloved bottle gourd tank did not pull an upset this time, firmly securing last place. However, Yu'an had not come today.

He was working feverishly to produce the simplified version magical artifacts needed for the blind boxes.

"Fellow Daoists, the horse racing may be over, but I have good news for everyone.

Hundred Treasures Pavilion, a new talisman and spiritual pill shop opened by the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom here in Clear Stream Market, has just officially opened.

As long as you gather a group of three and go together, you can buy the Wang Clan's specialty Donkey-Hide Thousand Li Talismans at a ten percent discount!

Hundred Treasures Pavilion also has—"

"Fellow Daoists, this is a golden opportunity! The Wang Clan must have lost their minds to offer such huge discounts.

Hurry up and go! If Hundred Treasures Pavilion goes out of business, those who arrive late won't be able to take advantage of this deal!"

After all, this was an unprecedented event in Clear Stream Market. What did cultivators know about advertising?

In the past, shops in Clear Stream Market would hire people to spread the word in major restaurants, inns, and teahouses, and that was the absolute limit of their marketing.

Yulou's advertising campaign essentially tapped into the private traffic pool built by the Yang Clan.

By leveraging the massive foot traffic from the horse racing event and using the Hundred Treasures Pavilion discounts as a hook, he fully mobilized user touchpoints and achieved a breakout marketing success.

This was essentially a rudimentary form of ecosystem synergy. To the other competitors of Hundred Treasures Pavilion, it was a multidimensional strike.

It was through Yang Qi's promotion that Cui Baihao first learned about this new shop, Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

He was an elder of a bottom-tier sect called Redwood Sect. A Qi Refining ninth layer cultivator serving as an elder sounded absurd, but considering that the Redwood Sect had only ever produced two Foundation Establishment cultivators since its founding, it wasn't all that surprising.

His main mission in visiting Clear Stream Market this time was to sell his sect's specialty, ninth-grade redwood. Once his task was finished, he decided to drop by the racetrack to watch the races.

However, upon hearing that the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom's shop had discounted Thousand-Mile Talismans, his interest was piqued.

The younger generation in his sect needed Thousand-Mile Talismans. Buying three to keep in reserve and awarding them to the juniors at the right time would be perfect.

Thus, he followed the crowd and arrived at Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Yes, the crowd. Many cultivators who had been watching the horse races came over.

"Fellow Daoists, please line up! Those wishing to buy the discounted Thousand-Mile Talismans for groups of three, please note that you must form a group of three to enjoy the ten percent discount, and each person can only buy a maximum of two!"

Hearing the Hundred Treasures Pavilion assistant's words, Cui Baihao felt a bit annoyed.

Your Wang Clan is a massive enterprise, yet you're too stingy to let us buy a few more? So cheap!

He cursed internally, but Cui Baihao had no intention of leaving. After all, the ten percent discount on the Wang Clan's Donkey-Hide Thousand Li Talismans was truly tempting.

This was the value of a loss-leader product. Moreover, the Wang Clan raised donkeys themselves, so they naturally didn't lack Donkey-Hide Thousand Li Talismans. Even selling them at a ten percent discount, they still made a profit.

Soon, it was Cui Baihao's turn. Under the assistant's guidance, he formed a three-person group with two other customers and successfully purchased two Donkey-Hide Thousand Li Talismans.

The other two customers bought their talismans and immediately turned to leave, but Cui Baihao was stunned by the magnificent Longevity Plaque inside Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Below Patriarch Mangxiang, the Wang Clan's Wang Yinghua was actually listed on the same level as Xuanzhuan and Danri.

Furthermore, three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Wang Clan had entered under the tutelage of Xuanzhuan, becoming Core Disciples of Red Lantern Illumination Sect.

Thinking of Red Lantern Illumination Sect, thinking of the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom, and then thinking of his own Redwood Sect, Cui Baihao felt a sudden pang of sourness.

Cultivating immortality was difficult. Incredibly difficult.

A rogue cultivator returning to the mortal world could enjoy a very comfortable life, but who would willingly give up the hope of eternal longevity?

Even if that hope was infinitesimally small, no one was willing to let it go.

"The new blind boxes are on the shelves! Twenty boxes, containing three low-grade magical artifacts and three bottles of Qi Transformation Pills, with six pills per bottle.

Fellow Daoists, the old rules apply: all sales are final, no exchanges!"

Qi Transformation Pills?

Cui Baihao didn't know what a blind box was, but he certainly knew what a Qi Transformation Pill was.

A single Qi Transformation Pill cost five spirit stones and could help a Qi Refining cultivator increase their cultivation speed for the next five days. Five days of cultivation would be equivalent to fifteen days.

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

If he bought two boxes, whether he drew a Qi Transformation Pill or a low-grade magical artifact, he wouldn't lose out—he might even make a small profit.

But out of the twenty blind boxes, only six contained high-value items. To guarantee a hit, he needed to buy more.

He gritted his teeth, waved his hand, and shouted.

"Give me five blind boxes! Yes, the blind boxes, five of them!"

"I'm sorry, we have a purchase limit. Each person can only buy a maximum of two. And Fellow Daoist, you called out too late. There's only one blind box left right now."

The assistant's reply left Cui Baihao completely dumbfounded. Only one left already?

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

However, because there were so many people today, the assistant simply didn't have time to let Cui Baihao hesitate.

"I want it, I want it! One is fine!"

Buying just one was fine too. A little gamble for fun.

Buying five at once was indeed too risky. Although the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom wouldn't ruin their own reputation, it was still better to play it safe.

Taking the blind box, Cui Baihao stroked the red-painted wooden exterior, eager to open it.

However, he noticed that the other cultivators who had bought blind boxes were all bowing before Patriarch Mangxiang's plaque. Were they praying for the ancestor's blessing?

Thinking that it wouldn't hurt anyway, Cui Baihao also bowed twice, his movements and expression perfectly respectful.

It could be said that this was the most respectful he had ever been toward Patriarch Mangxiang in his entire life.

Since he had bowed to the ancestor, naturally he couldn't skip washing his hands. After all, everyone else had washed theirs. If he was the only one who didn't, what if his luck ended up just a tiny bit short?

But when Cui Baihao reached out toward the water basin, the assistant stopped him.

"Spirit Water Hand-Washing Ticket Pass, one spirit stone for five washes. Fellow Daoist, you haven't bought a ticket yet, have you?"

Cui Baihao's eyes widened. Pointing at the people who had already washed their hands and were ready to open their boxes, he asked.

"Did they all buy tickets?"

The assistant briskly pulled out a carved wooden card bearing a relief of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

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

Of course, we also have free hand-washing water, but it's just mundane rootless water. We can provide rootless water free of charge."

Looking at the carved wooden Spirit Water Hand-Washing Ticket Pass in the assistant's hand, the frugal Cui Baihao was just about to refuse.

"Ah! I won! I won! Hahaha, I won!"

A rogue cultivator who had just washed his hands in the spirit water drew a low-grade Purple Copper Spell-Breaking Pestle. At this moment, he was excitedly dancing in circles around the main hall of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Cui Baihao swallowed the words that had reached the tip of his tongue.

"Can I pack the spirit water I washed my hands in and take it with me?"

Redwood Sect was poor. Although Cui Baihao was an elder, he still needed to save wherever he could.

He could take the spirit water he had washed his hands in back home and use it to brew tea.

"Yes, of course. We pack it for free. Fellow Daoist, do you want to buy a ticket?"

"I'll buy it!"

Soon, Cui Baihao finished washing his hands, grabbed his packed spirit water, and left with the blind box.

He was an experienced veteran and would never open a blind box in plain sight. If he drew a low-grade magical artifact, it would attract the envy of others.

Returning to the tiny room he had rented in Fortune Source Residence, Cui Baihao sat on a bed so cramped it was difficult to even turn over, staring at the red-painted blind box in his hands.

A racing heart. Trembling hands.

He opened it. Sitting perfectly snug in the center of the wooden box was a jade bottle.

He had hit the jackpot!

Uncorking the jade bottle, he held it up to his nose. Smelling the pill fragrance of the Qi Transformation Pill, Cui Baihao sighed in admiration.

"So the scent of a Qi Transformation Pill is actually this refreshing. Spiritual pills truly are extraordinary, truly extraordinary."

In the past, he had only ever been willing to use Qi Transformation Powder. He had never bought a Qi Transformation Pill before.

Pouring one out onto his palm, he gazed at the cherry-sized, entirely brown pill. Cui Baihao swallowed hard and put it back.

He would take it after returning to the sect!

With these six Qi Transformation Pills in hand, his path toward the tenth layer of Qi Refining would be much faster.

——

On the second floor of Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Wang Rongsheng was smiling happily.

"Yulou, I didn't expect these blind boxes to be so popular! Hahaha, it seems my old eyes were poor back then."

With Hundred Treasures Pavilion doing such brisk business today, he naturally understood that it was all thanks to Yulou.

The three-person ten percent discount groups, the limited-time auctions, and the horse racing advertisements were all meant to drive traffic.

Only the blind box sales were tangibly expanding their profit margins.

With these four consecutive maneuvers, Yulou's position as manager was thoroughly secured. He no longer had to worry about being dismissed for poor performance.

However, a person who did not plan for the future would surely find sorrow near at hand.

"Clan Uncle, Hundred Treasures Pavilion couldn't have achieved today's success without your full support. However, we now face a new problem."

Yulou first offered his clan uncle a compliment before asking for help.

"The blind boxes are selling well because, overall, the total value of the goods inside means they are being sold at a two percent discount.

Therefore, there will always be cultivators who feel they've gotten a good deal returning as repeat customers, which naturally boosts blind box sales.

But selling too fast isn't entirely a good thing. I predict that Hundred Treasures Pavilion will soon face a supply shortage.

Now that Hundred Treasures Pavilion has snatched away so much business from the other shops, we need to coordinate with them. We can't rely solely on our own supply. What do you think?"

Stabilize the supply chain, while also avoiding monopolizing the profits and making themselves a target of envy.

Yulou's blind box strategy essentially used high turnover to increase sales volume within a given timeframe, thereby boosting overall profits.

However, market demand was limited. With Hundred Treasures Pavilion doing so well, their competitors were going hungry.

Thus, certain measures were needed to achieve mutual benefit and a win-win situation.

Someone like Mang Xiang, with a massive faction and profound strength, had no reason to fear even if his subordinates were left with nothing but scraps.

But the Wang Clan didn't have that large of an appetite. Eating too much would invite disaster!

Faced with Yulou's suggestion, Wang Rongsheng felt deeply moved. He nodded.

"Yulou, I finally understand why the Patriarch appointed you as the manager of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

You are absolutely right. However, leave these matters to me. Those old foxes aren't easy to deal with.

Fortunately, I'm considered a seasoned veteran myself, so I can still be of some help to you, hahahaha."

At that moment, a spirit crane reared by the Wang Clan flew to the window on the second floor of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Looking thoroughly impatient, it pecked continuously at the windowpane, signaling the two chatting inside to hurry up and open the window.

Wang Rongsheng raised a hand in surprise. The window opened, and the spirit crane flew in.

After dropping a bundle, it strode over to the table and began drinking the spiritual tea that Wang Rongsheng had prepared for Yulou.

"Is this He Lao'er or He Laosan?"

He Lao'er and He Laosan looked too similar; Yulou couldn't tell them apart at a glance.

The spirit crane pecked Yulou twice before haughtily opening its beak—your lord is hungry.

Wang Rongsheng picked up the bundle. After inspecting it, he said,

"It's the Seven-String Zither ordered by Mu Yingxi. The Patriarch crafted it himself, and he specifically requested that you deliver it to Mu Changze's Prefecture Cultivator's Manor."

Yulou, who was feeding pastries to He Laosan, looked somewhat surprised. 'Deliver the zither?'

Suddenly, he realized that something wasn't quite right.

Sure enough, any Foundation Establishment cultivator who could catch the eye of a Purple Palace expert and become a Core Disciple was no fool.

It was safe to say this was the most reverence he had ever shown Patriarch Mangxiang in his entire life.

Since he had prayed to the ancestor, he naturally couldn't skip washing his hands. After all, everyone else was doing it. What if he skipped it and his luck fell short by just a hair?

But just as Cui Baihao reached for the water basin, an assistant stopped him.

"Spirit Water Hand-Washing Ticket Pass. One spirit stone buys five washes. Fellow Daoist, you haven't purchased a ticket yet, have you?"

Cui Baihao's eyes widened. He pointed at the people who had already washed their hands and were preparing to open their blind boxes.

"Did they all buy tickets?"

The assistant briskly pulled out a carved wooden card bearing a relief of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

"Yes. Look, this is the Spirit Water Hand-Washing Ticket Pass. We punch a hole for every wash. Do you want one?

Of course, we also have free hand-washing water, but it's just mundane rootless water. Rootless water is provided free of charge."

Looking at the carved wooden Spirit Water Hand-Washing Ticket Pass in the assistant's hand, Cui Baihao, a man of meager means, was about to refuse.

"Yes! I got it! I got it! Hahaha, I got it!"

A rogue cultivator who had just washed his hands with the spirit water opened his box to reveal a low-grade Purple Copper Spell-Breaking Pestle. He excitedly skipped in circles around the lobby of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

The words on the tip of Cui Baihao's tongue were instantly swallowed back down.

"Can I pack up the spirit water I use to wash my hands and take it with me?"

The Redwood Sect was poor. Although Cui Baihao was an elder, he had to save wherever possible.

He could bring his used hand-washing spirit water back to brew tea.

"You can. Of course you can. We will pack it up for free. Fellow Daoist, are you buying?"

"I'm buying!"

Soon, Cui Baihao washed his hands, picked up the packaged spirit water, and left with his blind box.

He was a seasoned veteran of the cultivation world. There was no way he would open the blind box in broad daylight. If he revealed a low-grade magical artifact, it would only draw the jealousy of others.

Returning to the small room he had rented at Fortune Source Residence, Cui Baihao sat on a bed barely large enough to turn over in, staring at the red-painted blind box in his hands.

His heart raced; his hands trembled.

Upon opening it, he found a jade bottle perfectly nestled right in the center of the wooden box.

A huge profit!

Uncorking the jade bottle, he brought it to his nose. Inhaling the medicinal fragrance of the Qi Transformation Pills, Cui Baihao sighed in admiration.

"So this is the fresh scent of a Qi Transformation Pill. A spiritual pill is truly extraordinary."

In the past, he could only bear to use Qi Transformation Powder. He had never purchased a Qi Transformation Pill.

He poured one out of the bottle into his palm. Staring at the solid brown, cherry-sized pill, Cui Baihao gulped and then put it back inside.

He would take it once he returned to the sect!

With these six Qi Transformation Pills in hand, his path to the tenth layer of Qi Refining would be much smoother.

—

On the second floor of Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Wang Rongsheng was smiling broadly.

"Yulou, I never expected these blind boxes to be so popular. Hahaha, this old man had poor foresight back then."

With business at Hundred Treasures Pavilion booming so much today, he naturally understood it was all thanks to Yulou's efforts.

The three-person ten percent discount groups, the limited-time auctions, and the racetrack advertising were all meant to drive traffic.

Only the blind box sales actually expanded their direct profit margins.

With these four masterful strokes, Yulou's position as manager was completely secure. He no longer had to worry about being dismissed for poor performance.

However, he who gives no thought to difficulties in the future is sure to be beset by worries much closer at hand.

"Clan uncle, the fact that Hundred Treasures Pavilion has reached this point today is all thanks to your full support. It's just that we have a new problem now."

Yulou first flattered his clan uncle before bringing up his request.

"The blind boxes are selling well because the total value of the goods means that, overall, they are being sold at a two percent discount.

Therefore, there will always be cultivators who snag a bargain and become repeat customers, so the blind box sales naturally thrive.

But selling too fast isn't entirely a good thing. I predict that Hundred Treasures Pavilion will soon face supply shortages.

Right now, Hundred Treasures Pavilion has snatched away the business of many other shops. We need to negotiate with them and not rely solely on our own supply. What do you think?"

Stabilizing the supply chain while avoiding hogging all the profits and making enemies.

Yulou's blind box strategy essentially used high turnover to increase the sales volume per unit of time, thereby boosting overall profit.

But market demand was finite. If Hundred Treasures Pavilion's business boomed, their competitors would go hungry.

Thus, they needed to employ certain methods to achieve mutual benefit.

Someone like Mang Xiang, with a massive faction and profound strength, wouldn't have to fear even if he ate the meat and left only bones for those below him.

But the Wang Clan didn't have such a big appetite. Eating too much would only invite disaster!

Faced with Yulou's suggestion, Wang Rongsheng felt deeply moved. He nodded.

"Yulou, I finally understand why the Patriarch appointed you as the manager of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

You are absolutely right. However, leave these matters to me. Those old foxes aren't easy to deal with.

Fortunately, I can be considered a seasoned veteran myself, so I can still be of some help to you, hahaha."

At that moment, a spirit crane raised by the Wang Clan flew up to the second-floor window of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Looking impatient, it pecked continuously at the window, signaling the two chatting inside to hurry up and open the way.

Wang Rongsheng raised his hand in surprise. The window opened, and the spirit crane flew in.

After dropping a bundle, it lifted its long legs, strutted over to the table, and began drinking the spirit tea—tea that Wang Rongsheng had prepared for Yulou.

"Is this crane number two or He Laosan?"

Crane number two and He Laosan looked too similar; Yulou couldn't tell them apart at a glance.

The spirit crane pecked Yulou twice and then haughtily opened its beak—'this lord is hungry.'

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

"This is the Seven-String Zither ordered by Mu Yingxi. The Patriarch personally crafted it, and he specifically requested that you deliver the zither to Mu Changze's Prefecture Cultivator's Manor."

Yulou, who was holding snacks to feed He Laosan, paused in surprise. 'Make me deliver the zither?'

Immediately after, he finally realized something was amiss.

Sure enough, any Foundation Establishment cultivator capable of catching the eye of a Purple Palace realm expert and becoming a Core Disciple was no fool.