https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-246-A-Distinguished-Guest-Arrives-/12920601/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-248-Moving-Out-Affiliation-and-the-Decline-of-the-Linked-Cloud-Commerce-Alliance/12920603/
Chapter 247: The Unwelcome Visitor, But We Are the Ones Who Came!
Chapter 247: The Unwelcome Visitor, But We Are the Ones Who Came!
Outside the Crimson Cloud Hall.
Zheng Kejian, who had intended to enter the store to get a full view, halted in his tracks.
His gaze fell on the emblem at the lower left corner of the signboard.
Under the golden glow of the setting sun, a three-legged bronze alchemy cauldron swallowed and spat out a round, spherical object.
The sphere resembled an alchemy pill, yet it also resembled a proud sun.
This was the emblem of Luo Tianhui!
The design was inspired by its founder, Luo Chen, who was skilled in alchemy and possessed an exceptional Fiery Sun Technique. The sect was also located on Crimson Peak, bathed in the radiance of ten thousand sunsets.
Thus, it formed a beautiful picture of "Sunset, Cauldron, and Rising Pill Sun."
This image was designed and painted by none other than the grandmaster of array formations, Min Longyu.
As an array formation master, it was only natural for him to possess some painting skills.
What caused Zheng Kejian to pause was not the attractiveness of the emblem but the crystal-white flower on the right side of the pill sun.
It was snow.
Not ordinary snow, but the snowflake emblem of the Ice Fortress from the Jade Cauldron Seven Sects.
The combination of the two seemed out of place.
Zheng Kejian's steps faltered, feeling the dissonance.
He knew better than anyone what this meant.
The Zheng family emblem also featured a unique flame symbol, equally out of place.
Everyone knew that this emblem symbolized the Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng family as a vassal family of the Flame Alliance.
By the same logic!
"Could it be that the Crimson Cloud Hall of Luo Tianhui is a vassal force of the Ice Fortress?"
At this moment, Zheng Kejian's heart was filled with turmoil.
If this were true, then all the strategies he had envisioned to target Luo Tianhui along the way would have to be abandoned.
These strategies varied in strength and subtlety, some overt and some covert.
Some were straightforward and honorable, while others were insidious and vicious.
However, they were all based on the assumption that Luo Tianhui was a small, background-less force with no backing.
But now, they were openly declaring themselves as a vassal of a major Golden Core sect.
As a result, these strategies could no longer be implemented openly.
Doing so would offend a major Golden Core sect.
Especially!
Now, during the Ice Fortress's tenure overseeing the Heavenly Wave Immortal City.
During this period, even the Flame Alliance's influence would be limited.
Even the Jade Sword Sect would have to abide by the rules set by the Ice Fortress, according to the agreement.
After all, the Heavenly Wave Immortal City was built jointly by the seven sects.
During each sect's tenure, all the profits generated by the Immortal City belonged to that sect.
Under these circumstances.
Who would dare offend the Ice Fortress?
Even if it was just one of their vassal forces! The consequences of offending them had been demonstrated in the past.
A hundred years ago, the once-powerful Min family was no weaker than the Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng family.
But because they inadvertently offended a Flame Alliance cultivator during his tenure in the Immortal City, when they were besieged, even friendly families were intimidated by the Flame Alliance and dared not come to their aid.
This led to a year-long siege and the tragic destruction of the Min family.
Hesitation, apprehension, and suspicion filled Zheng Kejian's heart.
In the end, he took a step forward and entered the Crimson Cloud Hall.
"Even if I can't take action, I want to see how you're encroaching on my Zheng family's pill market!"
...
As soon as he stepped in, Zheng Kejian became alert, observing the situation inside the hall.
Overall, there were many people!
Over a dozen Qi Condensation loose cultivators were inside the store, either selecting pills, inquiring about magical artifacts, or even sitting by the window, drinking a rich and sweet beverage with friends and enjoying peculiar snacks while chatting happily.
The layout of the store was indeed peculiar.
It could even be considered bizarre; who would eat and drink while shopping? However, due to the large number of customers, the maids were kept busy.
As a result, no one attended to Zheng Kejian immediately.
"This is good; I can take a look around first..."
"Fellow Daoist, is this your first time visiting our Crimson Cloud Hall?"
A pleasant voice reached his ears, catching Zheng Kejian off guard.
He turned to see a dazzling, beautiful, and charming woman approaching him with grace and poise.
Realizing she was addressing him, Zheng Kejian nodded and replied calmly, "It's my first time here. I'd like to know what unique pills you offer."
Luo Chen had guessed correctly.
Indeed, he had come to inquire about pills!
Gu Caiyi's heart skipped a beat, but she remained composed.
She enthusiastically guided him to the window.
"Xiao Lian, serve the tea!"
Zheng Kejian instinctively sat down, wanting to say that he was just asking and didn't need refreshments.
However, the female cultivator warmly said, "There's no need to decline, fellow Daoist. We offer free milk tea and delicious snacks to all first-time customers."
Soon, a maid brought over a tray with a cup of pure white beverage and several plates of snacks.
"This is White Wave Bubble Milk Tea, made with spirit spring water from Heavenly Wave Peak, fish milk from the Bobo Fish, and blended with several spirit fruits. It has an incredibly refreshing taste. Why don't you give it a try, fellow Daoist?"
Zheng Kejian wasn't particularly interested at first.
But hearing her description, he decided to give it a taste.
The drink was refreshing and invigorating.
After swallowing, a sweet aftertaste lingered in his throat.
Moreover, a faint strand of spirit energy flowed through his body, like a spring soaking into his meridians.
He was slightly startled.
What was this?
Such deliciousness and spirit energy! It wouldn't be surprising to find this in the Zhong Ding Jia or the Liu Xiang Pavilion.
But in a pill shop, it was odd.
"You should also try these snacks, fellow Daoist. As you eat, you can learn about the products we offer at Crimson Cloud Hall. It's a relaxing shopping experience amidst your busy cultivation journey."
Zheng Kejian picked up a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth.
For some reason, although the popcorn tasted good and was infused with Spirit Energy, he felt it lacked flavor.
Why was that?
Oh, it was because their Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family's shop seemed to never offer such services.
Were these services useful?
They probably were! Those Loose Cultivators who were stingy with their Spirit Stones and preferred to buy pills from the Spirit Herb Pavilion and Qingdan Valley loved to seek small bargains.
A cup of milk tea and a plate of popcorn would, to some extent, aid in cultivation.
Moreover, there was such a beautiful and charming female cultivator enthusiastically introducing pills by his side.
What about the cultivators from the Zheng Family?
Whether they buy or not, they won't buy and roll!
"The All Wonders Pill is good, but Fellow Daoist, you clearly are a bitter cultivator. I don't think you need it. You can learn more about..."
"No, I need it!"
Gu Caiyi was taken aback and smiled as she saw the other party's resolute expression.
"Alright, then I'll keep a whole bottle for you later!"
"Do you need to know about the Essence Nourishing Spirit Liquid?"
"Go ahead!"
Zheng Kejian mindlessly ate the beans stir-fried with Heavenly Silkworm Cloud Beans.
Gu Caiyi meticulously introduced the effects and prices of various pills to him.
It took a long time.
But the other party didn't show any impatience; instead, they listened carefully.
Especially when it came to the Jade Marrow Pill.
Even the taboo about its effectiveness was asked clearly, fearing any oversight.
In the end, he spent two hundred Spirit Stones to buy every kind of pill from the Crimson Cloud Hall, including various snacks.
As he was leaving, Gu Caiyi personally saw him off to the door.
"Welcome, Fellow Daoist Zheng, please come again!"
Facing Gu Caiyi's gentle and enthusiastic smile, Zheng Kejian, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, felt a sense of helplessness in his heart for some reason.
Why would there be such a pill shop in the cultivation world?
The quality was so good, and the prices were so low.
Moreover, their service attitude was also excellent.
It was as if they didn't understand the dignity of cultivators.
Could their Zheng Family shop really compete with such an existence through legitimate means?
...
The third floor of the Crimson Cloud Hall.
Behind the window, a pair of dark eyes stared at Zheng Kejian's departing figure.
"Surname Zheng, still at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, Liu Zi, do you know who he is?"
Standing behind Luo Chen, Xu Xiaoliu's expression turned solemn.
"Reporting to the President, it seems to be the head of the Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family, Zheng Kejian, who indeed has the cultivation of the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment."
"Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family..."
Muttering the name, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Xu Xiaoliu said worriedly, "This family is one of the top pill refining families besides the major sects. The Fire Ginseng Pills they refine and sell have a significant market among Loose Cultivators."
"After we started selling the Jade Marrow Pill, it was fine initially, but now it seems to have affected their business."
"President, will they take action against us?"
Xu Xiaoliu wouldn't care if it were other small sects.
The Luo Tianhui was not as weak as it appeared on the surface.
The longer he stayed in the Luo Tianhui, the more he understood its depth.
On the surface alone, the Luo Tianhui had two major Foundation Establishment Cultivators: President Luo Chen and Duan Feng.
Additionally, there was a Body Cultivator who seemed to only be at the Ninth Level Qi Condensation, but from others' mouths, he knew that this person had killed several Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
Furthermore, the President seemed to have a wide social circle and could call upon several Foundation Establishment Cultivators at any time.
Even if they didn't consider high-end combat power.
The middle-tier forces alone were a group of decisive and experienced Qi Condensation experts.
But the Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family was different from those small sects!
This was the Heavenly Wave Immortal City, a well-established old family in the cultivation world!
Their lineage seemed to only date back three hundred years.
In reality, long before the Jade Cauldron Region was established, they had already existed within the Flame Alliance.
Their lineage was truly ancient.
Even though they hadn't produced a single Golden Core Cultivator over the years.
But within the family, there were three Foundation Establishment Cultivators!
After hundreds of years of development, their connections were far broader than the Luo Tianhui, which had only recently taken root in the Heavenly Wave Immortal City.
If they wanted to take action...
"No worries, they won't resort to violence."
The faint voice reassured Xu Xiaoliu.
He curiously watched Luo Chen's back as he closed the door and window and headed downstairs.
As he walked, he said, "At least, they won't resort to force."
Xu Xiaoliu was startled.
Not resort to force?
In other words, perhaps they would use other petty means? But Luo Chen didn't explain much to him.
Downstairs.
Gu Caiyi was already waiting respectfully.
"As you expected, that senior indeed inquired about our situation in great detail."
"I introduced the pill-related information very thoroughly, even with some reservations."
Luo Chen nodded, "Alright, let's leave it at that!"
Seeing Luo Chen's calm demeanor, Gu Caiyi couldn't help but ask, "It seems like that senior had ill intentions?"
Luo Chen smiled.
"We are the ones with ill intentions!"
...
Indeed!
The Luo Tianhui was the one with ill intentions.
They barged into the first-tier pill market of the Heavenly Wave Immortal City with high-quality pills, attentive service, and most importantly, low prices.
The local pill forces should be the ones worried.
Not them! As for the possible backlash from those forces?
It was nothing to be afraid of!
As long as it didn't involve force, it would rely on legitimate business means.
Regarding business means, Luo Chen might not be too proficient, but he believed he wasn't inferior to those conservative and bitter cultivators.
Moreover, the pill market wasn't just one-sided.
The fate of the Loose Cultivators' choice remains to be seen.
Due to the varying financial situations, cultivation paths, and demands for alchemy pills among Loose Cultivators, a natural hierarchy emerges.
Even before the Luo Tianhui, the alchemy pill business in Heavenly Wave Immortal City was not a unified front.
It's unreasonable to assume that after Luo Tianhui's entry, they would unite to oppose them.
The most likely scenario might be something entirely different.
As for what that might be...
"Master, we've gathered the information!"
Zheng Kejian glanced at the speaker and uttered a single word, "Speak!"
The cultivator responsible for gathering intelligence trembled inside.
He hurriedly reported all the information he had collected the day before, leaving nothing out.
"The one disrupting our alchemy pill business is a new force called Luo Tianhui."
"They arrived in Heavenly Wave Immortal City two years ago, supposedly from the remote Dahefang."
"This force is led by a second-rank alchemist who specializes in refining a first-rank pill called Jade Marrow Pill."
"The earliest appearance of Jade Marrow Pill in the immortal city was around two years ago, coinciding with their arrival."
"However, at that time, it was sold in small quantities. Others assumed it was refined by loose cultivators, so it didn't attract much attention."
"About a year ago, Luo Tianhui officially started selling Jade Marrow Pills. Their main sales points are in Green Mist Valley and Crimson Cloud Hall."
"They've held many promotions, grand openings, membership cards, discounts, and flyers..."
As Zheng Kejian listened to the family cultivator's report, he could almost visualize Luo Tianhui's gradual infiltration into the alchemy pill market in Heavenly Wave Immortal City.
From initial probing to the sudden, grand-scale offensive, every move indicated a well-thought-out strategy, not the work of some reckless youth.
Confronting such a calculated opponent would undoubtedly be challenging.
Zheng Kejian lowered his head, gazing at the pile of medicine bottles in his hand.
The day before, he had already instructed his family cultivators to test the pills.
The results surprised him.
Putting aside other pills, the Jade Marrow Pill's potency surpassed even their Zheng family's Fire Ginseng Pill! And when compared to Spirit Herb Pavilion's Qi Cultivation Pill, it held its own.
Despite its exceptional quality, the Jade Marrow Pill was priced at a mere eighty-five spirit stones per bottle. It's worth noting that the price of Qi Cultivation Pills had already surged to one hundred and twenty spirit stones per bottle.
Even the slightly weaker Yellow Dragon Pill was sold for one hundred and ten spirit stones by Qingdan Valley.
The Zheng family's Fire Ginseng Pill, riding on the wave, increased its price to one hundred spirit stones per bottle.
"How can they afford to give up so much profit!"
Zheng Kejian sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of powerlessness.
The pills were of such high quality, yet they were sold so cheaply.
No wonder they could disrupt the Zheng family's business in just a short year.
"Master?"
Zheng Kejian lifted his head, no longer in the mood to pursue the negligence of his subordinates.
The top priority now was to reclaim their business!
However, they couldn't rush it.
Zheng Kejian learned a thing or two from the calm and unhurried actions of the person backing Luo Tianhui.
He abruptly asked, "What's the situation with the other first-rank pill sellers?"
The family cultivator froze for a moment, opening his mouth but unable to speak.
"Useless!"
Zheng Kejian scolded him lightly, "Go and investigate immediately!"
The family cultivator hurried out.
Watching this, Zheng Kejian sighed deeply in the empty hall.
Being part of a cultivator family had its advantages—strong cohesion, strength in numbers, and the luxury of not having to handle everything personally.
But the drawbacks were also evident.
While they provided sustenance, they also restricted their freedom.
Over the years, the family environment had become increasingly rigid, especially for these low-level cultivators who seemed to lack initiative and creativity, blindly following orders without independent thought.
Why didn't they gather intelligence on other competitors while investigating Luo Tianhui?
After sighing, Zheng Kejian regained his spirit.
"These are not problems!"
"With me personally overseeing the family, these issues can all be resolved."
Knowing that Golden Core was out of reach, he intentionally passed on the second-rank cave mansion to his young son.
This way, the family's resources could be concentrated on the sixth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator and his son."
Zheng Kejian himself would shoulder the family's trivial matters, bearing the responsibility for its rise and fall.
Zheng Kejian entered the room and changed into a gray robe.
To the astonishment of the two first-rank alchemists in the Zheng family, he stepped into the alchemy room after many years.
"Master, what are you doing?"
Zheng Kejian smiled slightly and rolled up his sleeves.
"It's nothing. I haven't refined pills in a long time, so I'm just getting a feel for it."
"You can't refine Superior Fire Ginseng Pills yet, can you?"
"Today, you can observe my pill refinement process and learn a thing or two!"
The two alchemists were initially stunned but soon beamed with joy.
Zheng Kejian was indeed a genuine second-rank alchemist.
His mastery of the lower-rank Fire Ginseng Pill was unparalleled.
With his guidance, they might be able to refine superior-grade pills.
As Zheng Kejian felt the pressure and returned to pill refinement after many years, the Zheng family's intelligence-gathering efforts were also in full swing.
That night, after finishing his pill refinement and looking exhausted, Zheng Kejian listened to the gathered intelligence.
"Pill Core Sect, Li Family, Hu Family..."
"So, they're also struggling, and even worse off than my Zheng family!"
After hearing the report, Zheng Kejian finally felt relieved.
His plans from earlier in the day would now have their chance to shine.
"Luo Tianhui, Pill Core Master..."
"The foundation of my Zheng family is not to be underestimated!"
(End of Chapter)
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