The Devil's Tribulation

Chapter 280: The problem of the mall and the Yu Lei Sect

Yancheng, Da Zhou Kingdom, Fuguang Town. After the Zhong family took over the Zheng family's land, they quickly built another important family base. Due to land restrictions, it was impossible to build a large base, so Qian'er decided to build a seven-story building, named "Zhongjia Building", and the rest of the land would be used as a winery. Now in Yancheng, the Zhong family has not touched other businesses such as minerals, spiritual medicine, and monster materials, except for the wine business.

After the Zhong family built the Zhongjia Building, the other two families in Yancheng, the Nian family and the Zheng family, immediately came to congratulate and welcome the Zhong family to do business in Yancheng. The Ximen family and the Li family immediately understood that the Zhong, Nian, and Zheng families had united. With the cooperation of the Zhong, Nian, and Zheng families, the three families built the largest store in history, the "Department Store", in Fuguang Town, covering an area of ​​500 acres and five floors. The rent of the store in the mall to the outside world requires 10 million high-quality crystal beads every year to pay to Fuguang Sect alone, and an additional 10% tax.

The Zhong family promoted the mall with various promotions, discounts, points system, VIP system, etc., all kinds of marketing methods used by Pan Chengfeng in his previous life, which attracted most of the merchants to settle in. Other shops in Fuguang Town outside the mall not only saw their business plummet, but also could not rent out the shops themselves. Most of the business of the Ximen family and the Li family was taken away in an instant.

In Qian'er's office on the fifth floor of the mall, the heads of the Nian and Zheng families were chatting happily with Qian'er. Zheng Qilong raised his wine glass and said with a smile, "I'd like to toast to the head of the Zhong family. After the series of operations by the head of the Zhong family, more than half of the business of the Ximen family and the Li family was directly snatched away by us. Now I really want to see the expressions of the heads of the two families, hahaha." Nian Xiongying flattered, "The head of the Zhong family is really wise. How did you think of these? I really admire you~" Zheng Qilong smiled and said, "In fact, if you think about it carefully, it is also natural. After all, most of the cultivators in the world of immortal cultivation are independent cultivators. Independent cultivators usually have to break apart a low-grade crystal bead to spend, not to mention so many discounts. The point system is even more wonderful. Don't underestimate independent cultivators. After years of accumulation, it also costs a lot~"

Qian'er smiled and said, "You two really flatter me. In fact, these things were all told to me by my husband, and I just copied them." The two laughed and said, "I really want to meet this disciple of the Yu Lei Sect~" Qian'er said, "There will be a chance. Over the past few years, our mall has attracted 9% of the independent cultivators, but there are still some small forces that have been cooperating with those two companies. The next step is to adjust the sales plan for these small forces."

With a bang, a tea table made of thousand-year-old redwood was smashed into pieces by Ximen Ba. Li Minghao, the head of the Li family, looked at the broken pieces and sneered: "Brother Ba, if you smash it again, the Ximen family will soon be unable to afford such good furniture, right?" Ximen Ba said angrily: "This is too much! What are they trying to do! If all those things are added together, what profit can there be?" Li Minghao said: "I think this trick is really smart, Brother Ba, think about it, one spiritual medicine originally made 100 crystal beads, and they also made 20 crystal beads for one spiritual medicine, but with their methods added, they may only make 20 crystal beads, and at the same time they can make crystal beads from other products. Brother Ba, do you understand the trick?"

Ximen Ba said angrily: "What's the use of understanding! Should we do the same? Isn't that just copying others? They are giving away wine, we can't just buy their wine to give away, right?" The trick of giving away wine is really amazing. Many casual cultivators are reluctant to spend their crystal beads to buy such good wine. However, as long as the consumption reaches a certain amount, the department store will give customers a jar of good wine in return, which is really irresistible.

Ximen Gui said, "Father, Uncle Li, now is not the time to argue. The mall has already snatched away all the independent customers. We should think about how to keep those big customers next time." When he said this, Ximen Ba got even angrier and said angrily, "Yesterday, the Qiu family in Yancheng sent someone to tell me that they don't plan to buy from us next year!" Ximen Gui was shocked and said, "Then where are they going to buy from? Didn't they tell me the reason?" Ximen Ba said angrily, "They said our prices are too expensive! Damn it, they have been cooperating with us for five or six hundred years, and yesterday they said our prices are high!"

Li Minghao couldn't sit still any longer and said hurriedly, "It seems that they have already started to attack these customers! We can't just watch those people run to the department store, otherwise our two companies won't be able to hold on for long. By then, others won't have to chase us away, we will collapse first!" Hearing this, Ximen Ba asked, "Brother Li, what's your plan?" Li Minghao said helplessly, "It's not a big plan. We can only open a big department store and compete with them! We will do whatever they do and see who can't hold on first!"

In this way, the Ximen family and the Li family also opened a department store, named "Ximen Department Store", which made the Li family really unhappy for a long time, but in order to fight against the department store, the Li family endured it for the time being. The department store was opened, but the cost of 10 million high-quality crystal beads alone made the two families feel distressed for a long time. Ximen Department Store also learned other people's promotions, points and other means, but customers just couldn't be retained, and they still lost a little bit. There was no way, they had good wine to give away, and many people went for the wine. It was impossible for the Ximen family and the Li family to buy wine to give away, and they couldn't buy so much wine to give away.

The five families had been fighting overtly and covertly in Yancheng for several years, and the business of the Ximen family and the Li family was gradually taken away, but the two families had no other choice. Seeing that they continued like this, they would have to close down sooner or later. One day, a guest came to the Ximen family and negotiated with the Ximen and Li families for a whole day before leaving. After that, Ximen Department Store began to offer big discounts, and many customers were attracted to it.

Qian'er saw that Ximen Department Store seemed to be crazy, not retaining any profit, and almost selling at cost price, which was incredible. After thinking for a long time, she still couldn't figure out what was going on. Seeing that all the customers were snatched away, Qian'er was also anxious. She could only send a message to Pan Chengfeng to inform him of the situation in Yancheng, hoping that Pan Chengfeng could come back.

Pan Chengfeng had been in seclusion for four months, and his realm had basically stabilized. He had also mastered the Thunder Escape Technique. When he was about to break through the Body Refining Technique, he received a message from Qian'er. Pan Chengfeng could only put the Body Refining Technique aside for the time being, packed up briefly, and came out of seclusion. Stretching outside the cave, Pan Chengfeng flew directly into the air. Finally, he didn't have to step on the flying sword, and he was so excited that he wanted to sing a song. But in the end, he held back. This is not the Red Mountains. It would be bad if his senior brothers and sisters threw wine jars at him.

In the Yu Lei Sect, Shangguan Yun's cave, Shangguan Yun was meditating and practicing. Pan Chengfeng came to the outside of the cave and bowed, saying, "Disciple Pan Chengfeng requests to see the Sect Master." After a while, Shangguan Yun's laughter was heard, "It's Chengfeng, come in." Pan Chengfeng entered the cave and saw Shangguan Yun meditating. He quickly apologized, "Disciple didn't know that the Sect Master was practicing, I'm sorry for disturbing him." When talking to his master, Qiu Xiaotian, Pan Chengfeng could be as casual as possible, but with Shangguan Yun, he had to be more polite.

Shangguan Yun waved his hand and said, "We have long been accustomed to this. There are many affairs in the sect, and we handle sect affairs while practicing." Pan Chengfeng asked curiously, "I heard that the sect leader wants to make a breakthrough, why doesn't he go into seclusion?" Shangguan Yun smiled and said, "You like to ask questions, but it doesn't hurt to tell you." Shangguan Yun pondered for a while, and asked, "Chengfeng, you have been in Yu Lei Sect for six or seven years, have you seen anything?" Pan Chengfeng thought for a while and said, "Sect Master..." Shangguan Yun interrupted, "Don't call me Sect Master, just call me Uncle Yun or Uncle Master Yun in private from now on. We have the same master as your master and Xie Feng."

Pan Chengfeng climbed up the pole and said with a smile: "Then I'll call you Uncle Yun, it's more intimate~" Shangguan Yun smiled and nodded. Pan Chengfeng said: "Uncle Yun, I have been in the Yu Lei Sect for a few years, but I don't know much about it. However, you asked me what I saw, and there are some. Are the top leaders of our Yu Lei Sect not as harmonious as they seem?" Shangguan Yun sighed and said: "Even you can see it, it seems that we have to solve the internal problems as soon as possible. In fact, the top leaders of the sect are divided into three factions. One faction is our three friends of the Yu Lei Sect. One faction is the power-grabbing faction headed by the Yu family, and the last is the neutral faction."

Pan Chengfeng muttered, "I see, no wonder Uncle Yun wanted to punish me and my master last time. Is it because Yu Sheren and his men are very powerful? Isn't it time to turn against them?" Shangguan Yun nodded and said, "You are more reasonable than your master, very good. The Yu family's power in the Yu Lei Sect is complicated, and many Yu family members occupy key positions in the Yu Lei Sect. For example, the head of the Weapon Refining Hall is Yu Shuren. If Yu Shuren interferes, the disciples' spiritual weapons and treasures will have nowhere to repair if they are broken."

Pan Chengfeng said, "No wonder Uncle Yun doesn't dare to retreat. If Uncle Yun retreats, just like Master, won't he quarrel with the Yu Family?" Shangguan Yun smiled bitterly and said, "In fact, our Yu Lei Sect has the ancestor here, so there won't be any big problems. It's just that the old man is devoted to seeking the great way, and he won't intervene in the affairs of the sect unless it is absolutely necessary. The reason why I don't dare to retreat is because no one can take the position of the Sect Master. Your Master and Senior Brother Xie are not the material to be the Sect Master, and they don't want to do it, but they can't hand over the position of the Sect Master to the Yu Family. Otherwise, I dare not imagine what the Yu Lei Sect will become. Yu Sheren is too cunning and mean. I don't know how Yu Changqing cultivated such a younger generation."

Pan Chengfeng seized the opportunity and asked, "Yu Changqing? The ancestor of the Yu family? The one who has reached the peak of the fusion stage?" Shangguan Yun said, "Yu Changqing was originally an elder of the Yu Lei Sect, but he later resigned from his position and was replaced by Yu Sheren." Pan Chengfeng said, "I heard that he is also about to break through to the Mahayana stage?" Shangguan Yun said, "Yu Changqing will never be able to break through in his lifetime. One reason is that he does not have enough aptitude. Secondly, he did not go into seclusion to break through, but because he was injured."

Pan Chengfeng was surprised and asked, "What kind of injury? You have been in seclusion for a thousand years?" Shangguan Yun explained, "When you reach the fusion stage, there are only two types of injuries that cannot be recovered for such a long time. One is the trauma of the soul, which is very difficult to repair and must be repaired little by little over time. The other is a curse, a curse that follows your soul. If the curse is not lifted, you must suppress it by yourself." Pan Chengfeng learned something new and quickly picked up his notebook to write it down. Shangguan Yun smiled and said, "You are only in the Jindan stage now, don't worry about these. You came to see me this time. Are you going out?"

Almost forgetting the important things, Pan Chengfeng said: "Disciple's house arrest order has expired. Some things happened at home, so I have to go back. Master is in seclusion, so I came to Uncle Yun to approve leave." Shangguan Yun nodded and said: "Okay, I have prepared a sect mission for you, you can do it, you must be in need of points now, right?" Pan Chengfeng said excitedly: "No matter how many sect points I have, it will not be enough. How many points are there for the mission prepared by Uncle Yun for me?" Shangguan Yun laughed and said: "I can't treat you unfairly. Our sect knows that you find it troublesome, so we will give you a mission of hunting down. You can go to the mission hall to receive it yourself." Pan Chengfeng walked out of the cave happily, and Shangguan Yun's voice came to his ears again: "Be careful when you leave the sect." Pan Chengfeng turned around and bowed to the entrance of the cave.