Although this world is a cultivation world, based on Lu Xingzhou's observations over many years, he feels it can at most be considered low-level Xuan or low-level Immortal.
With Lu Xingzhou's current seventh-grade Dao cultivation level, he is still quite far from being able to fly. Treating a mere broken leg as if it's life-threatening... Those so-called feats of moving mountains and filling seas are only in legends, not to mention exploding stars or exploding planes. The most top-notch group of cultivators are all pursuing "ascending and becoming immortal," and only after that can they be considered true Immortals.
Whether Immortals have sects and how sects operate resources is temporarily unknown. In any case, at the current low-level Immortal stage, everyone is still just ordinary people, and gold and silver currency are still very useful in most situations. Each sect or gang naturally needs to earn money and resources, and individuals also need to "work" to accumulate resources for cultivation.
If Lu Xingzhou were to describe it, gangs are like various companies, and sects are like various private universities. Disciples who graduate from sects enter various gangs or join court departments. Of course, many also "stay in school" to take on a position or continue their studies.
Chambers of commerce also belong to a type of gang; their main business is the circulation of various resources, and high-end ones will involve heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
Of course, these are the righteous paths. Separately, there are demonic path sects and gangs, which engage in activities like burning, killing, and looting, or some gray industries. The principles of the two worlds can still be interconnected.
The assassin organization that Lu Xingzhou previously assisted Yuan Muyu in establishing, now the most infamous assassin organization in Great Qian, "Yanluo Hall," is a typical demonic path organization.
The Yanluo Hall assassin who suddenly came to assassinate him was definitely hired by Danxia Gang. If Yanluo Hall's opponents wanted to kill him, they definitely wouldn't send only one low-level assassin. Speaking of which, Danxia Gang is quite interesting. They kicked someone to their landlord and hired an assassin from their own organization's elder. This unlucky streak is incredible.
Tianxing Sword Sect is a very orthodox sword Dao sect. Many disciples who graduate from it choose to join court departments. Given the cultivation direction of sword cultivators, they are mainly concentrated in the Town Demon Division and the army. Therefore, Tianxing Sword Sect has certain influence in the official sphere, but on the surface, it is relatively more grassroots.
Shen Tang knew the meaning of Lu Xingzhou asking "what business model" and then said, "Tianxing Sword Sect was secretly one of the royal merchants in the past, helping the royal family handle finances and goods and operate private warehouses."
Lu Xingzhou was extremely surprised by this answer and his heart stirred: "So, the reason you all offended people and were exterminated is actually related to the royal family's legitimate struggle? I heard that the big princess disappeared last month, and is this matter related?"
The gentle smile Shen Tang always wore finally solidified somewhat: "Your news is quite well-informed. The court hasn't made this matter public. How do you know?"
"I have my own channels. This isn't important. What's important is whether you all were involved in the royal family's legitimate struggle?"
"The reason is unknown. The court is also investigating this case. In any case, we also don't dare to openly seek refuge in the capital, fearing that we would die even more inexplicably if we entered the capital." Shen Tang sighed: "Currently, only I know the channel to contact the royal family, so no matter how unwilling they are, they can only obey me as their leader. Otherwise, why would it be my turn, a disabled person?"
"This channel may not be easy to hide. The royal family transports goods to you all, and you all deliver finances back. This line is too obvious."
Shen Tang originally thought that Lu Xingzhou inquiring about the legitimate struggle was a sign of wanting to retreat further. Unexpectedly, his attitude didn't seem like that, so she also relaxed: "Not only that, I also don't want to be targeted by enemies again. So, in the short term, I won't contact that side. I need to first open up the situation myself."
"At least clean up internally first?"
"Correct."
"So, your so-called chamber of commerce currently has no source of goods fundamentally... Perhaps you have a bit of money, and then you plan to acquire medicinal herbs in Xia State, refine pills yourself, and consider it a new start. For this, you specially hired Pill Master Bai Chi from the famous pill refining sect Fenxiang Tower. The next stage of plans was all centered around him. Was it intercepted by Danxia Gang as a result?"
"Yes." Shen Tang smiled bitterly: "Bai Chi is from Xia State, so he was quite suitable originally. But we also didn't expect that he and Liu Yan'er were childhood sweethearts, and a few words got him hooked away..."
Lu Xingzhou gently patted the armrest of the wheelchair, pondering: "Danxia Gang themselves have a medicine mountain. You still need to acquire medicinal herbs. The pill refining costs on both sides are not at the same level. If you want to compete with them from this angle, you must lose without doubt. If you trust me, then my suggestion is to abandon the pill refining plan and seek another scheme."
Shen Tang sighed: "How could I not know... But we indeed have no other schemes available in the short term."
"Since I mentioned it, I naturally have another scheme to let you all stand firm. In fact, there are too many people doing this business in Xia State. Even if Bai Chi were still here, at most it would make you all a second Danxia Gang, and what use is that... Your original scheme was simply wrong."
Shen Tang nodded: "We also know the reason. Originally, we were just thinking of stabilizing first. Since we came to Xia State, the first reaction is naturally related to medicinal herbs."
"This is a mistake in thinking. Who says that because there are many places that produce medicinal herbs, you must do medicinal herb-related business?"
"But if we do something else, why is it necessary to choose Xia State?"
Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Xia State is one of Great Qian's medicinal herb bases, yet there are not many skilled pill masters here. Do you know why?"
Shen Tang said: "Naturally, because the medicinal herbs here are just ordinary crops, suitable for refining only low-grade pills. High-grade pill masters look down on this place."
"But correspondingly, a large number of low-grade pill masters like me come here. The quantity of low-grade pills produced here is the highest in Great Qian, and the prices are even more competitive and lower. Many chambers of commerce procure pills from here and sell them elsewhere to earn the difference. Local cultivators even eat low-grade pills like candy." Lu Xingzhou blinked: "The problem comes: since people in Xia State eat so many pills, why isn't their cultivation faster than elsewhere?"
Shen Tang blurted out: "One is that they eat too many pills of the same type, and the effect becomes worse. Two is that their pill poison accumulates too much!"
Medicine is inherently slightly poisonous, and pills are naturally the same.
Why are top-grade and superior-grade pills more valuable than ordinary good-grade pills? The stronger drug effect is secondary. The true key is less pill poison. So-called top-grade pills have almost no pill poison and are rare and hard to find. However, top-grade pills are few, and superior-grade pills are expensive. The vast majority of people still eat normal good-grade pills.
Pills from other places may be much more expensive than those in Xia State. Even good-grade pills are not eaten too much, and pill poison can basically be expelled naturally, so the problem is not big. However, people in Xia State eat too much, and more or less accumulate some pill poison deep within their bodies. Yet, because of the atmosphere, very few people reflect on this.
In fact, not only people in Xia State, but the vast majority of Dao cultivators are extremely reliant on pills and enjoy it even though they know there is poison. In contrast, sword cultivators are more averse to this.
As expected, he then heard Lu Xingzhou say: "Sword sects emphasize purity the most. Sword bones are like jade, and the sword heart is clear. They often disdain relying on drugs the most and have more insights into expelling these messy impurities than others. If your sect uses some special heart method to achieve this, then whether you can engrave this technique on talismans or magical tool accessories and let people carry them long-term to purify pill poison?"
Shen Tang was stunned for a moment, thought it over in her heart, and her eyes gradually became bright and shiny.
Pill poison can, of course, be detoxified by relying on detox pills. If it accumulates seriously, just use high-grade detox pills; it's not considered difficult. The problem is that they are expensive.
Making this kind of purifying sword talisman is very cheap. People just need to carry it long-term. It's not as immediate as detox pills, but it's exactly suitable for the situation in Xia State.
This idea is very simple to say, and many sects can do it, not limited to sword sects. But other places don't have the characteristic of people in Xia State eating low-level pills like candy, so pill poison isn't considered a big problem, and naturally no one researches these. This is a specific strategy aimed at the local customs of Xia State, but the people of Xia State themselves don't have the consciousness to do it!
That is to say, they will be the first to do this line of business. As long as they can promote it, this will be a hugely profitable business.
Shen Tang took a deep breath and couldn't help but ask: "Actually utilizing our resources, refining pills and competing head-on with Danxia Gang, would be more cathartic for you, wouldn't it? Why do you always refuse to do that and instead give me such a priceless idea?"
Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "You all always don't realize that competing in pill refining is not competing head-on with Danxia Gang, but falling into the vast sea of pill competition in the entire Xia State. For Danxia Gang, at most it will make them a little uncomfortable, with no actual significance."
Shen Tang strangely said: "Could it be that you really don't plan to deal with them?"
"Originally, I thought my anger was already vented, and if they didn't find trouble with me, I would be really too lazy to deal with them." Lu Xingzhou smiled very amiably: "But now that they don't want to let me live on in Xia State, then I also have to let them not live on first."
Shen Tang clearly saw that the man's smile was gentle, but a heart-stopping killing intent flashed in his eyes.
He wants to make Danxia Gang not live on?
His cultivation is not high, and he is alone with a child. How can he do it?
Shen Tang hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "With our current situation, it's very difficult to engage in armed conflict with other gangs."
"When did I say you need to engage in armed conflict..." Lu Xingzhou's killing intent had already dissipated, and he still smiled gently: "If Miss Shen feels that my earlier idea is still worth some money, then why not help me procure a batch of Han Ying Grass, as much as possible."
Han Ying Grass is quite effective for removing rot and promoting flesh growth. It is often mashed and applied externally, used for treating skin ulcers, corrosion, burns, etc. Because it is not used much in pill refining, not many are grown in Xia State, and the price is not high either.
Shen Tang didn't know what Lu Xingzhou wanted this for in pill refining, but she didn't say anything, just nodded: "I will arrange it. Thank you for your guidance, Mister."
After finishing, she pushed the wheelchair and turned towards the door.
Lu Xingzhou watched her slowly go away and didn't speak for a long time.
A Nuo's voice rang out from the side at this time: "Master, what are you doing, Master? You actually really taught her..."
Lu Xingzhou came back to his senses and said with a straight face: "That gentle look on her face, saying accommodating and understanding words... Clearly, I am the landlord, yet she made it seem like she was sheltering me. Tell me, is it infuriating or not?"
A Nuo scratched her face: "If the result of being angry is giving the other side a priceless idea, then please be angry at me, Master."
Lu Xingzhou reached out and grabbed her cheeks on both sides, pulled them horizontally, and then suddenly let go. There was a "thump" sound as they bounced back, the fat trembling.
In A Nuo's resentful gaze, Lu Xingzhou was expressionless: "That's just to make myself stand back on a high pedestal. This idea sounds simple, but in reality, they probably won't be able to implement it on their own. They'll still have to seek me out later."
A Nuo sighed: "Why bother, Master..."
Lu Xingzhou said coldly: "Because the taste of depending on others is something I don't want to experience in this lifetime again."
A Nuo said faintly: "Master, you understand human hearts so well, then you must have many girlfriends, right?"
"Bang!" The little Dao child was rolled into a ball and thrown out the door.
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