Chapter 12: Layout

“The young lady in the hall is setting up such a big gamble, could it be that you're only placing your hopes on me to come up with ideas?” Lu Xingzhou laughed, "I don't believe the young lady herself has no confidence at all, and yet dares to make agreements with people like this."

Shen Tang didn't hide anything either: "I do have some ideas, but not enough confidence. Since this matter was proposed by you, you definitely have more comprehensive considerations. Two heads are better than one."

Lu Xingzhou glanced at the hall and made a gesture: "Let's change places to talk, please."

A Nuo had a massive headache.

She couldn't push two wheelchairs by herself, her hands were too short.

The good news was that Lu Xingzhou didn't let her push. The bad news was that he and Shen Tang chatted and laughed as they wheeled away.

The abandoned A Nuo stared blankly at the sight of the two of them wheeling their wheelchairs together. A strange thought suddenly came to mind – if these two kept talking, how were they going to kiss? She couldn't picture it in her head.

However, A Nuo knew that her Master had no such intention.

Right now, her Master probably wouldn't have feelings for anyone, and wouldn't dare to easily entertain such thoughts.

After all, the first person to fall in love is always the first to be hurt.

A Nuo sighed with her hands behind her back, swaying back and forth three times before returning to the room.

Meanwhile, the two of them arrived at a small garden in the back. The garden also had a small pond. The two stopped at the edge of the pond and sighed in unison: "It's really inconvenient."

After saying that, they both were slightly stunned, seeming surprised at their synchronization. Then Lu Xingzhou didn't speak, and Shen Tang also lowered her head, looking at the pond water without speaking.

The pond water hadn't been cleaned and was very murky, failing to reflect their shadows.

After a long while, Shen Tang finally said: "Wanting sword guests to do business was originally asking for the impossible. In the past, there were established channels, and everything was laid out. Everyone was actually just acting as escorts. This time I let them be responsible for promotion, knowing from the start that there would be no results."

Lu Xingzhou let out an "um."

Actually, he originally felt that Shen Tang wouldn't do anything, but now it seemed that Shen Tang was still different from ordinary sword guests.

Shen Tang said: "This kind of thing cannot be sold through self-promotion. The people of Xia State themselves don't have this awareness. Their ideas cannot be changed by selling. Therefore, this kind of thing must be pushed from the top down by the officials. A word from the Dan Yao Si is probably more useful than anything else. But none of them thought of this point, and they actually went one by one to sell..."

Lu Xingzhou turned his head with some surprise and appraised Shen Tang. This kind of thinking process might not be something your subordinates, those sword guests, would have, and even ordinary people wouldn't think this way. This is truly the perspective that people accustomed to being imperial merchants would have.

He nodded impassively: "One of the reasons you all chose to come to Xia State is that the officials of Xia State have your people. Many disciples who graduated from Tian Xing Sword Sect are in various grassroots positions, and Xia State must be one of your major bases."

Even Sheng Yuan Yao chose Xia State to gain experience, which might be closely related to your background. This was just a guess, and Lu Xingzhou didn't say it out loud.

Shen Tang laughed: "You thought of this layer early on, so you gave me this kind of idea, thinking it was suitable for us to do? Then besides this, what other suggestions do you have?"

"This thing has no technical barrier. Although the Sword Sect is more suitable to do it, other families aren't incapable either. And there are also many large forces locally. If you don't act promptly, when the officials push it, the market might be snatched by others, and you'll be picking up scraps."

"This is indeed a problem. Do you have any ideas?"

"You need to first build up a large stockpile without making a move. Wait for the officials to push it, and immediately seize the market on a large scale, catching others off guard. Of course, if you have the ability to make it officially designated, that would be best, but if you can't make it officially designated, you still want to leverage this to sign long-term contracts with major Dan Yao shops. When others also want to do it, there will only be a fragmented market left."

Shen Tang seemed to be deep in thought: "So, in reality, our main customers are people in the Dan Yao industry, not the general public."

"That's right. Once the officials push it, the Dan Yao shops will necessarily stock up first and bundle it with Dan Yao sales. No one is a fool; this is a large chunk of free added business."

Shen Tang revealed a hint of a smile: "Listening to you say this, the direction is clearer now."

Lu Xingzhou said casually: "As for what happens next... actually, this will lead to a new change later on."

"What?"

"Different Dan Yao have different toxicity due to the raw materials used. Since the public has to spend an extra sum to resolve the Dan poison, they will naturally be more resistant to heavily toxic Dan Yao later on. However, ordinary people don't understand such professional details too well. We can secretly propagate popular science. For example, the 'Shen Qi Dan' that the Dan Xia Help master has been refining these past few days has toxicity that is seven or eight tenths higher than ordinary Yi Qi Dan."

Shen Tang's expression became very strange. She looked at Lu Xingzhou's nonchalant expression out of the corner of her eye, not knowing how to describe it.

You're waiting here?

Bai Chi is not an embroidered pillow; he has already reached the level of a seventh-rank Dan Master. Liu Yan Er said he was "sprinting for seventh-rank" simply because he hadn't undergone formal certification like Lu Xingzhou, and wasn't recognized in the "employment market." However, his seventh-rank strength was there. After taking over as the chief Dan Master of the Dan Xia Help, he quickly became quite wealthy within a few days.

Originally, Lu Xingzhou in the Dan Xia Help focused on refining Yi Qi Dan, the most common and almost universally needed Dan Yao on the market, with high quality as a selling point, allowing the Dan Xia Help to occupy a place in the Dan Yao market.

So-called Yi Qi Dan is used to assist in restoring spiritual energy. It can greatly improve the speed of spiritual energy restoration and belongs to the sustained recovery type.

Medicinal items for instant recovery are all of very high grade. Most ordinary practitioners can only use Yi Qi Dan, and the usage is extremely large.

And Bai Chi, from the famous Fen Xiang Lou, has an exclusive Dan formula not found in the outside world. His recent main focus has been refining "Shen Qi Dan." This Dan is also only at the eighth-rank Dan medicine level, but it can instantly restore a little spiritual energy, and then sustain recovery. Although the instant recovery part is very, very small, in truly urgent danger, this little bit might just save a life or allow for a counter-kill. It is one of Fen Xiang Lou's signature products.

Its cost is probably three-tenths more than Yi Qi Dan, but its selling price is double that of Yi Qi Dan, and it is still very favored by the market. It caused a sensation not long after being introduced to Xia State.

Bai Chi's efficiency in refining this Dan is also one furnace with five pills, with some superior products and good products. Although not as stable as Lu Xingzhou, he wins in high profit and indeed earns more than Lu Xingzhou did at the time.

Of course, a help cannot survive solely on the limited amount of Dan refined by the chief Dan Master alone. Lu Xingzhou once trained apprentices for them to refine simple ninth-rank Hui Qi Dan, Lian Qi Dan, etc., which were a broader source of income. The Dan refined by the chief Dan Master was considered a signature dish.

But if the signature dish is resisted, the reputation of all the Dan Yao produced by this entire force will also suffer...

This Shen Qi Dan's Dan poison is indeed much heavier than Yi Qi Dan.

So, from the time Lu Xingzhou proposed the plan to purify Dan poison, he was already planning to deal with the Dan Xia Help?

However, at the moment, it seems this can only give the Dan Xia Help a slap, and is not fatal. After all, Bai Chi has so many Dan formulas; if this one has a problem, he can just switch to another.

Shen Tang didn't think too much either, just laughed: "Very good. The formation of public opinion takes time to ferment. I can now send people to secretly spread the word first... This idea came from you, and it has become a mutual assistance between you and me."

Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "Not bad, it is mutual assistance in one area."

...

The two separated. Shen Tang had the entire sect work overtime to rush the making of sword talismans, and she herself wheeled her wheelchair to the city lord's mansion.

The true power behind Tian Xing Sword Sect is the Xia State city lord Xu Bing Kun, which is why they came to Xia State.

In the cultivation world, the gap between city lords can be even larger than the gap between people and dogs.

If there are no particularly strong forces locally, the city lord is naturally very authoritative.

If there are strong sect forces within their jurisdiction, then the city lord basically has little say. Even if the city lord is directly from that sect, they would still listen to the sect master's orders.

But even in the latter case, these sects themselves are also subordinate to the Da Qian Immortal Dynasty and rarely dare to be separatist and disobedient.

Ultimately, the imperial family originally needed to be powerful to be emperors, and they still relied on the Tian Yao Holy Land to suppress the world.

There are many other distant countries in the world, and the model is roughly similar. Although there is competition between countries, it is not intense, after all, humans also have a common great enemy in demons and monsters.

Xia State City just belongs to the kind where there are no particularly powerful forces, and the city lord Xu Bing Kun's words carry extremely heavy weight.

"This proposal is responsible for the health of the people of Xia State, it also gives this old man a political achievement, and furthermore, it gives face to Sect Master Shen. How can this old man have a reason to oppose?" Xu Bing Kun was extremely polite to Shen Tang, with a smile on his face: "Originally thought Sect Master Shen would also do Dan Yao business in Xia State, did not expect you to open a new path. You are indeed a heaven-sent talent. Tian Xing Sword Sect can have Sect Master Shen take over, and this old man is also relieved."

He graduated from Tian Xing Sword Sect and is of the same generation as Shen Tang's master. Since he graduated, he is no longer considered a sect member, but roughly considered an "alma mater." But this kind of relationship is much closer than the alma mater relationship in modern society. Although Shen Tang cannot directly command him, in social consensus, he still has to give the sect master face, otherwise he will be criticized behind his back by the world.

Shen Tang, however, had no pretense. She bowed slightly and saluted: "City Lord Xu is righteous. Shen Tang thanks you here."

"Well said, well said. This old man will then have someone inform the Dan Yao Si to cooperate. Sect Master Shen, would you mind staying for a meal?"

Shen Tang was slightly taken aback. She originally wanted to say that they could be the designated suppliers, but the other party had already opened his mouth to see her off, making it difficult to say anything.

Saying it would probably be useless anyway, why humiliate herself.

She quickly regained her smile: "The sect has just been established, and various matters are complicated. I will not disturb you then. I will still go to the Dan Yao Si to discuss the details with them."

"Also good." Xu Bing Kun's smile became even kinder: "Later, if there are matters, have someone deliver a message. Sect Master Shen is inconvenient in movement, why bother to make a personal trip..."

"Meeting the city lord in person, how can I be so rude?"

Xu Bing Kun laughed heartily: "Come forward, escort Sect Master Shen to the Dan Yao Si."

"No need." Shen Tang smiled politely: "I have guards."

Along with the sound of her words, the hall seemed to get several degrees colder. A white-haired young girl suddenly appeared at her side.

Xu Bing Kun's face changed slightly: "This is..."

"My guard, Du Gu Qing Li."

Xu Bing Kun looked at Du Gu Qing Li with some apprehension, but still maintained a smiling face and sent her out the door all the way.

Du Gu Qing Li didn't speak either. It wasn't until she had pushed Shen Tang two streets away that Shen Tang gently sighed: "The National Teacher was right, the human heart is treacherous, no less than demons."

Du Gu Qing Li said in a low voice: "You mean, Xu Bing Kun also has ulterior motives?"

"Yes." Shen Tang sighed slightly: "Fortunately, Lu Xingzhou had a plan... Let's go, let's go to the Dan Yao Si first."