Outside Danxia Hall.
Zheng Kejian, who had originally intended to step inside and get a full measure of the shop, halted in his tracks.
His gaze fell upon the emblem in the lower-left corner of the signboard.
Bathed in golden rosy clouds, a three-legged bronze cauldron held a plump, round orb within its vaporous breath.
That orb resembled both an elixir pill and a blazing sun.
This was the emblem of the Luotian Association!
Its design had been inspired by the founder, Luo Chen!
He excelled at alchemy, possessed impressive mastery of the Blazing Sun Art, and the Luotian Association was situated on Danxia Peak, which was bathed in countless rosy clouds.
Thus came this splendid motif of "Rosy clouds illuminating the cauldron as an elixir sun rises."
The illustration had been personally designed and painted by Min Longyu, a grandmaster of array formations.
As a formation master, it was only natural that he possessed some skill with a brush!
Of course, what made Zheng Kejian stop was not how attractive the sect emblem looked.
It was because to the right of that elixir sun sat a crystalline white blossom that seemed to spin ceaselessly.
That was a snowflake.
Not an ordinary snowflake, but the snowflake of Ice Fort, one of the Seven Jade Cauldron Sects!
The two elements together seemed completely out of place.
Confronted by this glaring clash, Zheng Kejian hesitated to advance.
No one understood better than he what this signified.
On his own Zheng clan crest, there was also a distinct flame emblem.
It was just as jarringly out of place.
Yet everyone knew that it was precisely this disharmony that proclaimed his Gunlong Ridge Zheng family to be a vassal clan of the Flame Alliance.
By that same token!
*This Danxia Luotian Association is actually a vassal of Ice Fort?*
At that moment, a tempest raged in Zheng Kejian's heart.
If that was the case, then all the schemes he had devised along the way to deal with the Luotian Association would be stillborn.
Those methods had been mild or severe, overt or covert.
Some were aboveboard, while others were vicious and underhanded.
Yet every single one of them was predicated on the other party being merely a small, vulnerable outfit without any backing.
Now, however, they were openly proclaiming their status as vassals of a Golden Core sect.
Under these circumstances, none of those tactics could be brought into play.
To do so would mean offending a Golden Core great sect.
Above all!
This was the period when Ice Fort took its turn presiding over Tianlan Immortal City.
During such a time, not even the Flame Alliance's authority held sway here.
Even the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect had to follow the agreement and abide by Ice Fort's rules.
After all, Tianlan Immortal City had been constructed centuries ago through joint funding from the seven sects.
During whichever sect's rotational reign, all revenues generated by the immortal city belonged entirely to that sect.
In this situation, who would dare cross Ice Fort?
Even if it was merely one of their vassals!
There were grim precedents for the consequences of provoking them.
A century ago, the Min family had been at the peak of its prosperity, not a whit weaker than his Gunlong Ridge Zheng family.
Yet simply because they inadvertently offended a Flame Alliance cultivator during that sect's rotational governance of the immortal city, when they were besieged, the clans that were on good terms with them were too cowed by the Flame Alliance's pressure to lift a hand in their defense.
Thus came the tragedy of being besieged for an entire year until their mountain fell and their clan was annihilated.
Hesitation, dread, suspicion, and various other emotions churned within his chest.
In the end, Zheng Kejian took the step and walked into Danxia Hall anyway.
*Even if I cannot make a move against you, I must see for myself how you are eating away at my Zheng family's pill market!*
***
The moment he stepped inside, Zheng Kejian braced himself and observed the conditions within Danxia Hall.
All in all, it was crowded!
There were at least a dozen or so Qi Refinement itinerant cultivators inside the shop.
Some were browsing pills, some were inquiring about magical instruments, and some were even seated by the window, chatting merrily with friends while sipping sweet, aromatic drinks and snacking on curious treats.
This kind of shop layout was truly bizarre.
It was almost incongruous—who had ever heard of a place where customers ate and drank while shopping!
Still, precisely because of the crowd, the shop's attendants were run off their feet.
Consequently, no one attended to Zheng Kejian right away.
*This works out fine. I can look around on my own first...*
"Fellow Daoist, is this your first time visiting our Danxia Hall?"
A melodious voice rang out, momentarily catching Zheng Kejian off guard.
Looking up, he saw a radiant, stunningly beautiful woman walking toward him with poise and grace.
Realizing she was addressing him, Zheng Kejian nodded and spoke calmly. "It is indeed my first time. Might I ask what specialty pills your shop offers?"
Luo Chen had guessed correctly.
He truly had come to ask about pills!
Gu Caiyi's heart tightened slightly, though her face showed nothing.
She warmly guided him to a seat by the window.
"Xiaolian, bring tea!"
Zheng Kejian sat down instinctively, intending to say that he was merely making inquiries and had no need for refreshments.
He had not expected the female cultivator to say warmly, "Fellow Daoist, there is no need to decline. We provide complimentary milk tea and delicious snacks for every guest visiting for the first time."
Soon, an attendant arrived carrying a tray, setting down a cup of pure white beverage alongside several small dishes of snacks.
"This is White Lan Bobo Milk Tea, brewed using spiritual spring water from Tianlan Peak, supplemented with fish milk produced by bobo fish, and blended with several varieties of spirit fruits. The flavor is exceptionally delectable. Would you care to try some, Fellow Daoist?"
Zheng Kejian initially had no interest.
Yet seeing how pleasantly she described it, he saw no harm in taking a sip.
The moment it passed his lips, moisture welled between his teeth.
After swallowing, a sweet aftertaste lingered in his throat.
Not only that, a faint wisp of spiritual energy seeped into his meridians like cool spring water.
He froze slightly.
What on earth was this?
So delicious, and it even contained spiritual energy!
It would not have been surprising if it were served at Zhongding House or Liushang Pavilion.
Yet for it to appear inside an alchemy shop was utterly bizarre.
"Fellow Daoist, please try these snacks as well. Eating while learning about our Danxia Hall's wares—wouldn't that make for a relaxing shopping trip amid the toil of cultivation?"
Zheng Kejian grabbed a handful of popcorn and popped it into his mouth.
For some reason, even though the popcorn tasted quite good and gave off spiritual energy, he felt it completely flavorless.
Why was that?
Ah, because the shops of their Gunlong Ridge Zheng family had never offered such services.
Were these services useful?
Presumably, yes!
Those itinerant cultivators who were loath to spend spirit stones at the Spirit Herb Pavilion or Azure Pill Valley loved petty advantages the most.
A cup of milk tea and a dish of popcorn contributed to cultivation to some small degree.
What was more, there was such a charming, beautiful female cultivator warmly explaining the pills beside them.
And the cultivators of the Zheng family?
*Buy if you want, and if not, get lost!*
"...Though the Myriad Wonders Pill is excellent, you appear to be an ascetic cultivator, Fellow Daoist, so you likely have no need for it. You might want to consider..."
"No, I need it!"
Gu Caiyi blinked, then pursed her lips into a smile at his resolute expression.
"Very well, then we shall set aside a whole bottle for you shortly!"
"Would you like to hear about our Essence Cultivating Spirit Liquid?"
"Go ahead!"
Zheng Kejian chewed mechanically on beans roasted from Heavenly Silkworm Cloud Beans.
Gu Caiyi gave him a thorough breakdown of the effects and prices of numerous pills.
It took a long time.
Yet the man showed not the slightest impatience, listening with meticulous care.
This was especially true for the Jade Marrow Pill.
He inquired into everything from its efficacy to its contraindications, fearful of missing even a single detail.
In the end, he spent two hundred spirit stones to purchase every single type of pill in Danxia Hall, along with an assortment of snacks.
When he departed, Gu Caiyi personally escorted him to the entrance.
"Fellow Daoist Zheng, we look forward to your next visit!"
Facing Gu Caiyi's gentle, warm smile, mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator Zheng Kejian was struck by an inexplicable sense of powerlessness.
Why would such a pill shop exist in the cultivation world?
The quality was so high, yet the prices were so low.
On top of that, their customer service was so attentive.
Did they have no concept of a cultivator's dignity?
Against an opponent like this, could the Zheng family's shops truly compete through legitimate means?
***
On the third floor of Danxia Hall.
From behind the partially closed windows, a pair of dark eyes gazed steadily at Zheng Kejian's departing back.
"Surnamed Zheng, and at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm... Sixer, do you know who he is?"
Standing behind Luo Chen, Xu Xiaoliu straightened up.
"Reporting to the president: he is likely Zheng Kejian, the patriarch of the Gunlong Ridge Zheng family. He does indeed possess fourth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation."
"The Gunlong Ridge Zheng family..."
Murmuring the name, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Xu Xiaoliu remarked with concern, "Aside from the great sects, that clan is one of the foremost alchemy families. The Fire Ganoderma Pills they refine and sell command a massive market among itinerant cultivators."
"When our Jade Marrow Pills first went on sale, it wasn't an issue, but now it seems to be cutting into their business."
"President, they won't make a move against us, will they?"
If it were any other minor sect or faction, Xu Xiaoliu would not have cared in the slightest.
The Luotian Association was not as weak as it appeared on the surface.
The longer he remained with the association, the more he understood.
On the surface alone, the Luotian Association boasted two Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in President Luo Chen and Duan Feng.
There was also a body cultivator who appeared to be merely at the peak Qi Refinement realm, yet Xu Xiaoliu had heard from others that the man had slain Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in battle several times.
Furthermore, the president seemed to have wide connections, capable of rallying several fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators at any time.
Even setting aside their top-tier combat strength, their backbone below was composed of decisive, battle-hardened Qi Refinement experts.
Yet the Gunlong Ridge Zheng family was different from those minor sects!
They were a bona fide, established cultivation clan in Tianlan Immortal City!
Their heritage appeared to span only three centuries.
In truth, long before the Jade Cauldron Domain was even opened up, they had already existed within the Flame Alliance.
Their lineage ran deep.
Even though they had not produced a single Golden Core cultivator in all these years, the clan itself still harbored three Foundation Establishment cultivators under one roof!
The network of connections they had built over centuries of cultivation was far beyond what the newly rooted Luotian Association could match.
If they decided to strike...
"Do not worry. They will not mobilize large-scale force."
A calm voice drifted over, putting Xu Xiaoliu somewhat at ease.
He looked curiously at Luo Chen's back.
Luo Chen closed the window, turned, and headed downstairs.
As he walked, he added, "At the very least, they will not resort to violence."
Xu Xiaoliu blinked.
Not resort to violence?
In other words, they might employ other underhanded tricks?
However, Luo Chen did not explain further.
Downstairs, Gu Caiyi was already waiting respectfully.
"Just as you expected, that senior inquired about our circumstances in meticulous detail."
"While withholding key details, I introduced our pill offerings very thoroughly."
Luo Chen nodded. "Good, that will suffice!"
Seeing Luo Chen's composure, Gu Caiyi could not help but ask, "He seemed to come with ill intent?"
Luo Chen smiled.
"We are the interlopers!"
***
Indeed!
It was their Luotian Association that was the unwelcome guest.
Armed with high-grade pills, attentive service, and above all, rock-bottom prices, they had barged into Tianlan Immortal City's first-rank pill market with utter ruthlessness!
The ones who should be worried were the local pill factions, not them!
As for the retaliation those factions might launch?
There was no cause for fear!
So long as they did not resort to force, they would have to rely on proper commercial means.
When it came to commerce, Luo Chen might not be an absolute master, but he certainly did not consider himself inferior to these conservative, ascetic cultivators.
Most importantly, the pill trade was not a one-sided market.
It also hinged on the choices of the itinerant cultivators.
Given the varied wealth, cultivation paths, and medicinal needs of those rogue cultivators, market segmentation would naturally emerge.
Even before the Luotian Association entered the picture, the pill business in Tianlan Immortal City had never been a monolith.
There was no reason for them to unite against the Luotian Association just because it had muscled in.
The most likely outcome was something else entirely.
As for what that might be?
***
"Patriarch, the investigation is complete!"
Zheng Kejian glanced at the man and uttered a single word: "Speak!"
The cultivator tasked with gathering intelligence shuddered inwardly.
He hastily delivered the intelligence gathered the previous day in full detail.
"The one cutting into our pill business is a rising faction called the Luotian Association."
"They arrived in Tianlan Immortal City two years ago, reportedly hailing from the remote Dahe Market."
"This faction is led by a second-rank alchemist who specializes in refining a first-rank pill known as the Jade Marrow Pill."
"The earliest appearance of the Jade Marrow Pill in the city was roughly two years ago, right around the time of their arrival."
"However, it was only sold piecemeal back then. Others assumed it was merely brewed haphazardly by loose cultivators, so no one paid much heed."
"About a year ago, the Luotian Association began selling the Jade Marrow Pill officially. Their primary retail locations are Biyou Valley and Danxia Hall."
"They have organized numerous promotional campaigns—grand opening rewards, membership cards, discounts, handing out fliers..."
Listening to the clan cultivator's report, a vivid picture seemed to take shape before Zheng Kejian of how the Luotian Association had squeezed its way into Tianlan Immortal City's pill market step by step.
From their initial cautious testing to their sudden, aggressive advance, every move revealed that the person behind them was far-sighted and calculating, far from an impetuous novice.
Clashing with such an opponent would surely prove arduous!
Zheng Kejian lowered his gaze to the cluster of medicine bottles in his hand.
As early as yesterday upon his return, he had ordered clan cultivators to test each one.
The results had astonished him.
Setting aside the other pills, the potency of that Jade Marrow Pill alone surpassed their Zheng family's Fire Ganoderma Pill!
It was not even inferior when compared against the Qi-Nourishing Pills from the Spirit Herb Pavilion.
Yet such a fine pill was sold for a mere eighty-five spirit stones per bottle!
One had to realize that the price of Qi-Nourishing Pills had already climbed to one hundred twenty spirit stones a bottle.
Even the weaker Yellow Dragon Pills were sold for one hundred ten by Azure Pill Valley.
Their own Fire Ganoderma Pills had followed the rising tide, raising their price to one hundred spirit stones per bottle.
*How could they bear to surrender so much profit!* Zheng Kejian groaned inwardly, feeling utterly helpless.
The pills were of such high quality, yet sold so cheaply.
No wonder they had managed to undercut his family's business in a mere year.
"Patriarch?"
Zheng Kejian looked up, no longer in the mood to reprimand his subordinates for their negligence.
The urgent priority was to reclaim their business!
Even so, he could not afford to be reckless.
From the unhurried, measured actions of the figure behind the Luotian Association, Zheng Kejian had managed to learn a thing or two.
He asked abruptly, "What is the current situation with the other houses selling first-rank pills?"
The clan cultivator froze.
His mouth opened, but no words came out.
"Useless!" Zheng Kejian cursed softly. "Go investigate at once!"
The clan cultivator scrambled out in haste.
Watching him flee, Zheng Kejian let out a long sigh in the empty hall.
Cultivation clans offered many advantages: strong cohesion, vast numbers, and formidable influence, sparing clan leaders the trouble of handling every mundane task personally.
Yet the drawbacks were just as glaring.
While the clan sustained its members, it also bound them.
In particular, after many years, the environment within the clan had grown increasingly stagnant. These low-tier cultivators had no initiative of their own day in and day out; they simply did whatever they were told, lacking original thought and incapable of drawing inferences.
Couldn't he have gathered intelligence on the other competitors while investigating the Luotian Association?
After his sigh, Zheng Kejian shook off his lethargy.
"None of this is an insurmountable problem!"
"Now that I am personally taking charge of the clan, these issues can be resolved one by one."
Knowing he had no hope of attaining the Golden Core realm, he had deliberately relinquished his second-rank immortal cave to his young son.
That way, the clan's resources could be concentrated on the sixth-layer Foundation Establishment ancestor and his son.
He himself, meanwhile, shouldered the clan's mundane affairs, carrying its rise and fall upon his own back.
Zheng Kejian stepped into his room and changed into a drab, ash-gray robe.
To the astonishment of the two first-rank alchemists of the Zheng family, he stepped into the alchemy room for the first time in many years.
"Patriarch, what is this?"
Zheng Kejian smiled faintly and rolled up his sleeves.
"It is nothing. It has been too long since I last refined pills, so I have come to refamiliarize myself."
"It seems the two of you are still unable to refine superior-grade Fire Ganoderma Pills, correct?"
"Today, you may observe my refining process and learn a thing or two!"
The astonishment vanished from the two alchemists' faces, replaced instantly by wild joy.
Zheng Kejian was a genuine second-rank alchemist.
His mastery over the low-grade Fire Ganoderma Pill was practiced to perfection.
With his guidance, they might truly be able to produce superior-grade pills.
While Zheng Kejian felt the pressure and threw himself back into alchemy after all these years, the Zheng family's intelligence-gathering proceeded at a rapid pace.
Late that night.
Having concluded his alchemy session, an exhausted Zheng Kejian listened to the gathered reports.
"The Danyuan Sect, the Li family, the Hu family..."
"So it turns out they are having a rough time as well—in fact, their plight is far worse than my Zheng family's!"
Once he finished listening to the intelligence, the heavy stone pressing on Zheng Kejian's heart finally fell away.
With this, the plans he had devised during the day would find their full purpose.
"Luotian Association, Danchenzi..."
"The foundation of my Zheng family is not something to be taken lightly!"
Chapter 246