PDLP 81. Opening for business.
81. Opening for business.
A few days later, next to Jubaozhai.
Qianlu Fuye opened for business amidst deafening firecrackers.
Deng, Pan, and Xu stood outside the door, warmly greeting the guests who came to offer their congratulations.
Among them, Deng Yuzhou was undoubtedly in the center, followed by Manager Pan, while Xu Yan quietly hid behind the two, looking like he was just there to make up the numbers.
That day, the three of them discussed and argued several times, weighing the pros and cons repeatedly, until they finally reached an agreement at midnight.
According to the tripartite agreement, Xu Yan is only responsible for supplying goods, and the payment will be settled in person at the agreed price. He is not responsible for anything else.
He's nominally a hands-off manager, but in reality, he's just a supplier.
Manager Pan was responsible for renting the storefront, managing the daily operations, and handling miscellaneous tasks.
This was his old profession, so he was quite familiar with it and there was nothing difficult about it.
There was only one thing that greatly disappointed Xu Yan.
He felt that Jubaozhai was quite powerful and had a very good reputation, so he wanted to bring it in as a partner to add another layer of security to the cooperation.
Whether it was because they looked down on this small business or because of some other concerns, Jubaozhai did not participate. Instead, Manager Pan invested in the business in his personal capacity, which seemed somewhat lacking in confidence.
Deng Yuzhou was delighted; he didn't have to contribute any manpower or effort, and he received pure shares.
But the money wasn't free; he had to use the Deng family's name to secure Qianlu Island, ensuring the shops operated normally and preventing any irrelevant troublemakers from causing problems.
The three of them each had their own responsibilities, and they complemented each other well. From overall planning to opening, everything went smoothly, and all the obstacles were cleared in just a few days.
Regardless of whether the Deng family was exceptionally powerful or Deng Yuzhou had extensive connections, the matter was resolved, and Xu Yan couldn't help but look at this second young master with new respect.
Upon closer observation, they quickly spotted a group of young cultivators among the guests who appeared to be from Thousand Egret Island, all of them at the Qi Refining stage.
Fish seek fish, shrimp seek shrimp, and frogs only seek toads.
Deng Yuzhou was at the late stage of Qi Refining, and those who had close ties with him were all Qi Refining cultivators.
It is reasonable to speculate that this is a small circle among the Qi Refining cultivators on Qianlu Island. Although there are no important figures among them, their mentors are the backbone of Qianlu Island.
Xu Yan secretly memorized the appearances of these people, but did not rashly inquire or approach them.
He had never done underground work, but he had watched a lot of movies, TV shows, and read a lot of novels. He knew that the most important thing in this line of work was to be cautious and never be careless in the slightest.
Therefore, it is a big no-no to rashly inquire about Tian Muye's whereabouts. We must take a roundabout approach, observe more, listen more, do more, and talk less, and gradually get closer to our target.
Manager Pan also has a strong network of connections, but most of them are business partners. They exchange pleasantries on the surface, but it's all just a superficial exchange.
Deng and Pan originally wanted to assess Xu Yan's network of connections, but when the people they invited arrived, Xu Yan was still all alone, without even a conversation partner, which was quite embarrassing.
Although Deng Yuzhou cooperated with Xu Yan, he looked down on rogue cultivators from the bottom of his heart, so he naturally wouldn't step in to help.
Manager Pan, being worldly-wise, took the initiative to invite Xu Yan over, had him sit next to him, and introduced him to several important business partners.
Without needing an introduction, everyone knew Xu Yan's identity. Some said they had long admired him, others said they had never met him, and still others made no attempt to hide their feelings, saying that if there were any similar transactions involving talismans in the future, they would definitely be included.
Xu Yan accepted all offers without hesitation, seemingly determined to unite everyone into a cohesive force, grow the business, and create new glories.
For a moment, the scene was exceptionally lively, and flattery was endless. Everyone praised Xu Yan, making him feel like he was floating on air.
If one's mindset becomes restless and irritable, one is bound to become arrogant.
However, Xu Yan, having experienced the bombardment of information in the modern world, was not so easily swayed by a few words. He immediately launched into a mutual flattery mode, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
If it weren't for his being a newcomer with limited experience, the great writer Xu would have liked to announce a few more projects on the spot.
However, the opportunity was rare, and during the meal, Xu Yan took the chance to propose the idea of purchasing a batch of spirit stones, spirit ores, and spirit herbs.
Everyone responded enthusiastically, with one person offering a discount and another trying to negotiate a lower price. Before long, several deals were agreed upon.
Deng Yuzhou sneered inwardly upon witnessing this scene, but didn't take it to heart.
He simply disliked Xu Yan, but there was no deep-seated hatred between them, so he wouldn't deliberately pick a fight to humiliate him.
Even if a mere rogue cultivator has some abilities, how can he compare to a sect disciple?
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Xu Yan steered the conversation toward weapon crafting, lamenting that he still relied on his Qiankun Bag to maintain appearances and urgently needed a portable spatial magic item. He asked if anyone had any connections and could help introduce him to a potential partner.
As a result, everyone turned to look at Manager Pan, which surprised Xu Yan: "Uncle Pan, do you have connections?"
Shopkeeper Pan smiled demurely: "I wonder what kind of item Mo Ting would like?"
Xu Yan was even more surprised: "What kind of things?"
Shopkeeper Pan rattled off the list with ease: "For men, it's nothing more than rings, belt hooks, and jade pendants; for women, it's different—bracelets, armlets, earrings, pendants, arm guards..."
He rattled off more than a dozen items in one breath, and Xu Yan was ashamed to discover that, apart from the rings, bracelets, and belt buckles, he had never even heard of the others.
Xu Yan asked cautiously, "What are the intricacies involved?"
He had never seen a cultivator wear bracelets or rings before, and he didn't want to make himself stand out.
"Rings are easy to access, cufflinks are more discreet, and jade pendants have more space for hooks."
Xu Yan suddenly thought of the portal: "Are there any spatial magic items that don't need to be worn and can be directly concealed on the body?"
Shopkeeper Pan said, "Yes, we do have them, but they are genuine magic treasures or even spiritual treasures, which are valuable but unavailable. Unless you gather the materials yourself and have a master craftsman make one for you, otherwise..."
He didn't say anything more, he just shook his head.
For cultivators, magic weapons are never a unified concept. In a broad sense, any item that is crafted using weapon-refining techniques and has a certain power, regardless of whether it is worn or used, is a type of magic weapon.
In reality, they are further divided into magical artifacts, magical treasures, spiritual artifacts, and spiritual treasures, each with its own distinct grade.
The Qiankun Bag and the like are nothing more than magical artifacts. They are priceless to mortals, but they are just so-so in the eyes of cultivators.
Xu Yan really wanted to ask what level of treasure a spatial gate that could connect to another world was, but she barely managed to hold back.
Shopkeeper Pan thought for a moment and added, "The value of such a spatial magic treasure is incalculable. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would be tempted. If that day ever comes, they would probably kill the cultivator who helped you refine it on the spot to prevent the news from leaking out and causing unnecessary trouble!"
Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat. He had used the light gate to escape from Cuizhou City. Would Tian Muye have guessed something?
No, no, things could get complicated if we wait too long. We must resolve this problem as soon as possible!
He quickly asked again, "Uncle Pan, I've also heard that major sects have formations that can shatter the heavens and earth, instantly teleporting people tens of thousands of miles away. Is that true?"
Manager Pan nodded: "Yes, but it's quite expensive, so even major sects wouldn't use it easily."
Xu Yan immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "What about the talisman that can move people away?"
"Well..." The group exchanged glances and shook their heads. "Never heard of that!"