Chapter 30 Booming Business

Chapter 30: Booming Business

Wang Hao quickly recalled the four of them. Wang Wenxin and the other male cultivator maintained order, while Wang Wenmei and the others sold pills. Wang Hao himself attended to customers with alchemy needs. For a time, the place was bustling with activity.

On just the first day, they received over a hundred customers, with sales reaching two thousand Spirit Stones. They sold two-tenths of the Wang family's accumulated pill stockpile that had taken years to build up. This was mainly because many people were trying to qualify for the prize draw! The Rogue Cultivators were clever too. If one person couldn't gather enough, several would pool their resources to make a purchase together and then split the items, often managing to save one or two Spirit Stones in the process.

Wang Hao suddenly realized he had stirred up more than he bargained for. This was only the first day! He knew these group-buying tactics were contagious; the peak would come in a few days!

He now had a headache. How did a simple business tactic attract so many people? If this continues, I'll have no time for cultivation! I should have either done less or made the discounts smaller!

Wang Wenyan and Wang Wenmei were doing this kind of work for the first time. Compared to the two males who were already proficient, they were much more exhausted.

Wang Wenmei was currently devouring a table full of food without any regard for grace. After letting out a satisfied burp, she said, "Fifth Brother, if this goes on, I feel like I'll work myself to death!"

Wang Wenyan ate much more elegantly, perhaps because she wasn't as familiar with Wang Hao. She said softly, "Fifth Brother, besides wanting to earn some Spirit Stones, we also came here hoping to learn from your cultivation experience. But now, when do we have time to cultivate?"

A boss who doesn't consider his employees isn't a good boss. Since he caused this mess, he had to take responsibility.

"Fifth Brother guarantees it will delay you for at most ten days. Tomorrow, I'll have Wenxin ride my Swiftwind Horse back to the family to deliver the news. Such a profitable business should get the family's attention; they'll definitely send people to support us!"

The Wang family built its foundation on alchemy. They had two second-tier alchemists but had trained quite a few first-tier ones. Currently, first-tier high-grade alchemists included Wang Hao and Wang Yanfeng. There were nearly ten mid-grade and low-grade apprentices! Mobilizing these people should ease the pressure! Besides, Rogue Cultivators have limited funds; those who have bought will take a long time before repurchasing. The only pity is for Wang Yanfeng; he just returned...

Wang Hao was right. After receiving Wang Wenxin's message, the Wang family indeed took it seriously. Several elders held a meeting to discuss it and felt this venture had great potential. Although the profit margin decreased, according to the ledger Wang Hao sent, overall profits increased more than tenfold. The key point was that it also allowed the family's alchemists to gain experience.

Of course, even the Wang family couldn't afford to train so many alchemists. Only those with decent talent like Wang Yanzhao and Wang Yanfeng were sent to the market district for training, giving them regular opportunities to practice with materials. Usually, those lower-tier alchemists with less talent might not get to refine even a few batches of pills in a year.

Just as Wang Hao's advertising slogan said: 'Action speaks louder than desire.' The Wang family's decision-makers also understood the principle of 'speed is crucial in warfare.' They instructed Wang Yanzhao to take the family's stockpile of pills and rush to support Wang Hao first, preventing Miaodan Pavilion from closing due to selling out and suffering reputational damage.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator flying on a sword is extremely fast, covering nearly three thousand li in an hour. Wang Yanzhao arrived at the market district on the same day he received the message. The remaining people would be led by Wang Yanfeng, arriving by carriage as soon as possible. Additionally, the Wang family would quickly gather the required spirit herbs and have an elder escort them over.

Driven by profit, one could say the entire Wang family sprang into action!

However, the mastermind behind all this, Wang Hao, was currently being reprimanded!

"Hmph! You think you're clever, but have you considered what consequences this might bring?" Wang Yanzhao slammed his hand on the table loudly. "Now our Wang family's pill sales have skyrocketed, but look at the other shops. Which one doesn't hate us bitterly?"

Wang Hao wasn't concerned. In his world, business wars were much fiercer. "The capital market is inherently about survival of the fittest. Besides, I'm only selling low-profit first-tier pills. Would Qingyuan Sect and Four Seas Merchant Alliance care about such small profits? As for other small shops, can't the Wang family handle them?"

"Individually, none of them would dare cause trouble. But what if they unite?"

Wang Hao chuckled lightly. "A motley crew; what can they do even if united? If it's a business war, I'll handle it. With their meager resources, following us in price cuts would be suicide. As for other tricks... Old Wang, you're not here just to watch the show, are you?"

Wang Hao had considered this problem. But these shops possess alchemy skills—a necessity—so why would they easily give up their previous high profits?

Take commissioned pill refining for example; many shops do it, but their prices aren't lower than buying finished pills. Only Rogue Cultivators with squeezed brains would choose them.

It will take time for them to react and unite. Internal disagreements will cause delays in negotiations. By the time everything is settled, the Wang family will have already achieved economies of scale. Given equal conditions, Rogue Cultivators will definitely choose to buy pills from the Wang family!

"Arrogant!" Wang Yanzhao was furious, but he had to admit there was some truth in what Wang Hao said.

"Old Wang, stop pretending," said Wang Hao. "If the Wang family feared these things, would they have sent you with all our inventory? In previous years, shop profits didn't even reach over a thousand Spirit Stones annually. But look now: even with Green Bull Market's limited size, profits can be maintained above five thousand!"

Wang Hao also slapped the table. "That's five thousand Spirit Stones! In ten years, the Wang family could save enough to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill!"

Hearing this, Wang Yanzhao fell silent too—it was indeed too tempting; paying some price for it seemed justified.

Wang Hao sat down and took a sip of tea before calmly adding, "Old Wang, the Wang family now has three Foundation Establishment cultivators. The spiritual vein at Wang Family Ridge is almost insufficient anymore? With this income stream... wouldn't it be easier to do something about it? Remember: provisions must precede troops."

"How do you know that? This is a family secret!" Wang Yanzhao widened his eyes!

Wang Hao was also taken aback and swallowed some tea—it was scalding hot. "Cough cough... I guessed it... Is it true?"

Wang Yanzhao nodded and sighed. "Indeed... The family's spiritual vein is insufficient... Even you could guess we'd take action... Other families probably..."

'Even you could guess'? What did that mean? Wang Hao couldn't help but snort.

"Whether it's the Severed Origin Mountains or islands at sea... there are plenty of spiritual veins... but also dangers," analyzed Wang Hao. "The Severed Origin Mountains are occupied by demon beasts... while islands have fewer demon beasts... but risks on open seas are greater... How will our family cross vast oceans is another problem... I think currently our family still has eyes on the Severed Origin Mountains?"

Wang Yanzhao glared at him reproachfully. "These matters aren't your concern! Your urgent task now is cultivation! When I was your age, I had already reached Qi Refining eighth layer!"

Damn! You, a dual-Spiritual Root, dare compare yourself with me, a five-Spiritual Root?

Wang Hao shook his head—worrying about these things was indeed useless; even if he had opinions, the family wouldn't adopt them unless he reached Qi Refining ninth layer, became an elder, and then his words might be heard!

"Fine then... Old man, take charge here a few days. I've been busy dawn till dusk lately—perfect chance to rest while catching up on cultivation."

Thus began the return to normal life. With both senior alchemists present overseeing operations, Wang Hao didn't even need to go to the shop anymore. Just needed to accept a few daily refining tasks to hone his skills; remaining time all went to cultivation.