The Sales Problem of Grain-abstinence Biscuits

"Old classmate, your new compressed biscuit sample is ready."

"Oh, okay, I'll come pick it up in a bit."

"Actually, I'm planning to head back to the city tonight anyway. How about I drop it off on the way?"

"That works, sorry for the trouble."

"Are you free tonight? Want me to treat you to dinner? I'm just eating alone anyway, pretty boring."

"Ah, sure, but let me treat you."

"Same thing either way, it's settled then~"

After hanging up, Yang Genshuo didn't dwell much on Xu Mengqi. Her willingness to deliver it was convenient enough.

He'd just remembered something more important.

"That Spirit Plant Family, the Ge Family—what happened to them later?"

In the fourth year, when the first market opened, a Qi Refinement stage expert from the Ge Family brought an Iron Spine Azure Wolf to find Yang Shi. But the Old Beggar, at Qi Refinement Seventh Level, dealt with them on the spot and gave them to Yang Shi as a gift.

Later, Yang Shi had Liao Cao use Pinnacle Pavilion's connections to keep tabs on the Ge Family and see how they'd react.

After that, the matter went silent, and Yang Genshuo forgot about it.

Now, by the time the Spirit Wheat compressed biscuit sample was ready, two years had passed.

In the Cultivation World, the third Rogue Cultivator Market was about to be held.

Yang Genshuo went back inside and asked Yang Shi about it.

"That Ge Family lost troops twice in Qingshi County. Did they react at all afterward?"

Yang Shi: "Last year, Shopkeeper Liao had an acquaintance inquire in Jade Dragon County. The Ge Family has put out word that they're done with the Grain-abstinence Biscuit business, and that's the end of it."

Crisis averted?

No!

The Ge Family's way of doing things was nothing like a decent family's!

A family that sends people to kill and steal whenever they see something good—you expect them to let go of a grudge?

Dream on!

They're definitely brewing something foul!

"Yang Shi, what do you think?"

Yang Shi replied calmly: "I've already arranged for some Beggar Sect brothers to beg in towns near the Ge Family's Green Bamboo Forest. The forest has an illusionary formation; mortals can't enter at all, so we can't find out what's inside. But they've heard passing rogue cultivators say the Ge Family's formations have gotten tighter."

"Also, Shopkeeper Liao voluntarily transferred to the Jade Dragon County headquarters this year to gather information for us."

Yang Genshuo nodded. It seemed Yang Shi thought the same as him—neither believed two families with a blood feud could just shake hands and make up.

It was just that the Yang Family was in the shadows and the Ge Family in the light. The enemy didn't know their strength or composition. After losing a Qi Refinement stage cultivator, they didn't dare act rashly.

But as long as the Yang Family stayed in Qingshi County, the Ge Family would eventually track them down.

"Is Liao Cao reliable?"

"Last year, I gave him five sets of Sanguosha Cards. He secretly sold them for forty Low-grade Spirit Stones. And before he left for Jade Dragon County, he entrusted his wife and children to my care."

Yang Genshuo nodded. Liao Cao was a smart man—he knew to cling tightly to Yang Shi's leg.

As long as nothing slipped here, the Ge Family wouldn't know for a while that Yang Shi was the one selling the Grain-abstinence Biscuits.

Pinnacle Pavilion had some influence in Jade Dragon County. The Ge Family wouldn't dare forcefully seize a mortal shopkeeper outright—the Da Nai Dynasty's cultivators in Jade Dragon County wouldn't let them off, and many cultivators who relied on Pinnacle Pavilion for trade would step in to help.

Though the Ge Family was the Da Nai Dynasty's premier Spirit Plant Family, they had a huge weakness: no Foundation Establishment mighty figure in the family. Otherwise, they'd just crush everything without a second thought, and even the Da Nai Dynasty would have to turn a blind eye.

This was the intel Liao Cao gathered after investigating in Jade Dragon County.

"But now the problem is—my Spirit Cuisine Grain-abstinence Biscuits are ready. How do I sell them? If Yang Shi sells them himself, that's like holding up a sign to the Ge Family saying, 'I killed your Retainer and that Qi Refinement cultivator. Come get revenge if you dare!'"

And this time, the Old Beggar at Qi Refinement Seventh Level wasn't around.

"This is a problem..."

Yang Genshuo sat alone in his room, pondering the issue of selling the Grain-abstinence Biscuits.

After racking his brain, he only came up with two methods.

"First, sell them directly to the Pinnacle Pavilion headquarters in Jade Dragon County and let them handle it. The Ge Family wouldn't dare rob them outright. But then the price would be lower, since Pinnacle Pavilion has to cover the risk and their own profit."

"Second, sell them somewhere else. The direct price would be highest, and it would confuse the Ge Family into thinking the biscuit maker had already left Qingshi County."

"But the problem is—selling elsewhere carries huge risks. What would we encounter on the road? Would we get robbed and killed at another rogue cultivator market? The Yang Family can't afford to take that risk right now."

Yang Genshuo felt that, for now, only the first method seemed workable.

He tossed the problem to Yang Shi.

Yang Shi said cautiously: "Old Ancestor, even the Pinnacle Pavilion headquarters isn't completely trustworthy."

Yang Genshuo frowned. True...

He'd subconsciously lumped Liao Cao together with Pinnacle Pavilion. But in reality, Liao Cao could keep a secret—that didn't mean there weren't greedy people at Pinnacle Pavilion headquarters.

"This year during the sacrifice, first bestow the samples from Hongfeng Food Factory to Yang Shi. Since these things can be stored for a long time, we'll sell them when a good opportunity arises."

"If the Grain-abstinence Biscuits are fine in quality, then process all 1,000 jin of Spirit Wheat from this year's tribute into production, and stockpile it at my home first."

Last year, Yang Shi hadn't sold any grain at the marketplace because Yang Genshuo had taken away the yield from 2 mu of Spirit Wheat. With the remaining 2 mu, he, Jiang Xiaobai, and Huzi had eaten it all themselves.

This was even after Jiang Xiaobai had cultivated the Spring Wood Longevity Art, which benefited spirit plant growth and increased the yield by about 100 jin per mu. Otherwise, offering 1,000 jin would have left them with too little to eat.

[Year 5, Day 275: Xuan Shi Sect's Bai Heyu arrives punctually and sincerely invites all rogue cultivators to participate in the third Demon Lord Championship.]

[Qingshi Marketplace, under the watch of Xuan Shi Sect disciples, has become very orderly. For two consecutive years, no violent incidents of murder or robbery have occurred. Yang Shi's guarantee has taken effect, earning him considerable prestige among rogue cultivators.]

[Year 5, Day 280: Yang Shi holds a Hundred Days Banquet for little Yang Fu, inviting the entire county. Yang Fu can already call out "Father" and "Mother." The rogue cultivators are all astonished, calling the child a prodigy!]

[Bai Heyu observes a dense spiritual light atop the child's head and asserts that this child is exceptionally gifted. As long as he doesn't fall, he will surely achieve great things. He gifts a Protective Jade Pendant.]

[Year 5, Day 300: Qingshi Marketplace opens.]

[Due to the increase in counterfeit Sanguosha cards among the common folk, Yang Shi's Hunger Marketing strategy collapses on its own. This year, authentic Sanguosha cards can no longer fetch a good price, earning only 14 Low-grade Spirit Stones.]

[This year, the Yang Family's spirit stone income is quite meager, with no assets added.]

[Year 5, Day 304: Qingshi Marketplace ends. Before leaving, Bai Heyu finds Yang Shi and says that Eldest Senior Sister Murong Ziyan has asked him to deliver three Talismans. After handing them to Yang Shi, he will know what to do.]

[Yang Shi presents a Dessert Gift Package composed of candies, chocolate, and milk tea powder. Bai Heyu is about to take it back to report, but Yang Shi stops him.]

"Senior Brother Bai, I have a question to ask."

"Yang Commissioner, please speak freely."

"I observe that the Xuan Shi Sect disciples don't seem to care much about the stalls in this rogue cultivator marketplace. Why is that?"

"Haha~ Even the Outer Disciples of my Xuan Shi Sect look down on these rogue cultivator goods. We Inner Disciples wouldn't waste our time on them either. Better to find a few people for a thrilling round of Demonic Cultivator Kill."

"Then may I ask, Senior Brother Bai, where do you usually trade for Cultivation supplies?"