Chapter 109: Qin Li’s Business Sense

Chapter 109: Qin Li’s Business Sense

The month beginning with the New Year in the Azure Dragon Kingdom was known as the Month of Revelry. For the entire month, people were immersed in a festive atmosphere, with relaxation and joy as its main themes.

The nation’s military also enjoyed a month of vacation and rotating leave. It could be said that this month was the most relaxed part of the year for the entire Azure Dragon Kingdom, from top to bottom.

It wasn’t until this year that Qin Li felt truly settled. Recalling his past two years in this world, it certainly hadn’t been easy.

He had experienced many things and hadn’t known a moment’s peace since the moment he opened his eyes.

The new year had begun, and Watermelon’s life was secure. Qin Li discussed with the group that it was time to put their plans into action.

Watermelon ultimately chose to cultivate Ahu’s Combat Technique. Ahu’s technique wasn’t considered top-tier, but it suited Watermelon perfectly. Besides, Watermelon had a foundation in the Sovereign of All Battle Skill. Cultivating Ahu’s Whirlwind Flame Blade Combat Technique made her progress rapid and astonishingly swift!

Moreover, during Watermelon’s period of silence, the small gang originally under her control and the recently conquered medium-sized gang began to grow restless. Some inside mistakenly thought she was gone and tried to seize the leader’s position, even colluding with outsiders. If not for a group of fiercely loyal followers holding out for her, her position might have already been taken.

So, Watermelon inwardly seethed with resentment. She waited only until she had mastered the Whirlwind Flame Blade Combat Technique flawlessly to settle the score with those damned traitors.

Meanwhile, Bu Yunyan had already chosen a shop location. She planned to acquire a store on the busiest street in Azure Dragon City. The business, naturally, would focus primarily on Alchemical Pills. Leng Yao’s pill-refining skills were at a master level, so they wouldn’t need to worry about lack of business.

Not to mention just the Azure Dragon Kingdom; across the entire Tianyuan Continent, Alchemists were a highly respected profession. Unless utterly desperate, absolutely no one would dare offend an Alchemist.

This store previously belonged to a wealthy merchant from the Great Chu Kingdom. Getting on in years, the merchant wanted to return home to retire. Bu Yunyan, being beautiful and charming, negotiated skillfully. She managed to secure the property at a thirty percent discount off the normal price, a substantial bargain!

One should know that this three-story store, covering over a thousand square feet and located in the most prosperous area of Azure Dragon City, normally cost at least a hundred thousand taels of silver! Yet Bu Yunyan only paid sixty-five thousand!

Not only that, but the former owner left behind many valuables within the store, including some expensive tables, chairs, benches, and excellent quality display counters. Since the place used to be an herb shop, converting it into a pill shop required only minor adjustments.

The silver used to buy the shop came from Bu Yunyan’s own private savings. The beautiful Bu Yunyan jokingly stated that this money was a temporary loan to Qin Li, which he would have to repay later.

Qin Li understood. Bu Yunyan was afraid his pride would make him refuse the help. Actually, she underestimated Qin Li’s broad-mindedness. Pointless concerns about face never bothered him. Only if someone crossed his principles or bottom line would he react.

What irritated Qin Li slightly was that lately, some unidentified individuals had been loitering around the Qin estate area, seeming to search for something while asking probing questions everywhere.

Qin Li naturally knew what they were snooping about. He asked Ahu where exactly the purple beam had landed that day and if anyone had seen it. Ahu said it was too fast, feeling like it landed near them, but no one likely got a clear look.

This reassured Qin Li. Because their residence had been recently purchased, it was easy to arouse outsiders’ suspicion. So, Watermelon simply moved into a building controlled by her gang. Qin Li, who rarely showed his face at the Qin estate anyway, returned to the long-term rented room he kept at the inn.

He’d already paid a year’s rent upfront. The inn wouldn’t care whether he stayed or not, nor how long he disappeared.

However, this situation made one thing clear: his ascent to the Heavenly Rank had drawn certain attention. Therefore, during this period, Qin Li became extremely low-key.

His mannerisms and behavior, though, increasingly resembled those of a young noble.

The pill shop had been open for over ten days, and business remained incredibly booming. First, human curiosity played a role; a new shop naturally drew people in wanting to look. Second, it was due to Qin Li the time-traveler’s advertising strategies.

He had Bu Yunyan print huge quantities of beautiful fliers, then hired pretty young girls to hand them out on the street. It was essentially the same set of promotional tactics used back on Earth.

But in this world, it was groundbreaking!

On the opening day, it was so chaotic that the officials had to deploy large numbers of soldiers to maintain order. This shop, named “Qin’s Pill Shop,” became famous practically overnight!

Unlike other pill shops where the salespeople were men in their thirties, forties, or even fifties—because selling pills required deep industry knowledge; one couldn’t just say “I don’t know” to customer inquiries—the staff there were usually men who showed no promise in alchemy but knew enough about it to take the job.

Qin’s shop completely overturned this concept. Before opening, Bu Yunyan hired twenty young and lovely girls. The products were categorized, and the girls were trained step by step from basics. The pills were crafted by Leng Yao, so their effectiveness was unquestionable. These girls only needed to know what each pill did!

Of course, these were all Qin Li’s ideas. Initially, whether it was Bu Yunyan, Leng Yao, or even Ahu, they all thought it was impossible. Although public morals in the Azure Dragon Kingdom were relatively open, with women working in many professions and industries, very few jobs involving direct public interaction employed women!

Except for one place: the brothels!

Whether it was servers in taverns, attendants in inns, or various other service roles, they were predominantly male. People seemed accustomed to this setup.

Now, Qin Li wanted to hire a group of girls with zero alchemy experience for sales? At first, Bu Yunyan refused outright and argued fiercely against it. Had she not known Qin Li wasn’t some hopelessly lustful wastrel, she would’ve seriously suspected he had ulterior motives.

Naturally, Qin Li won the argument because he made a bet with Bu Yunyan: If the business wasn’t booming every single day within a month, with pills selling out, he would lose.

Bu Yunyan immediately agreed, absolutely certain Qin Li would lose. The reason was simple. Although the pills they sold weren’t high-end treasures, they weren’t cheap either. Which average person would buy Qi Nourishing Pills for a headache or common cold?

As it turned out, a series of operations later, the explosive business on opening day left them all dumbfounded. This included the other pill shops on the street who were merely watching the spectacle.

All stood gaping. Faced with Qin’s booming business, these people’s minds were basically left with just four words: “That actually worked?”

Qin Li never intended to delve too deeply into commerce. He was acutely aware of the caliber of opponents he’d face in the future. If he merely wanted to be wealthy, he was confident he could become the richest man in the entire Azure Dragon Kingdom!

But his ambition extended far beyond that. If he allowed himself to be entangled by these matters daily, there was no hope for pursuing higher cultivation.

Many envied their shop’s popularity. Moreover, their competitors in Azure Dragon City mostly possessed deep roots; essentially, the vast majority were assets belonging to the families of princes, dukes, or ministers.

Thus, in the little over ten days since opening, no fewer than twenty waves of troublemakers had come looking for a fight.

Qin Li felt this situation couldn’t last. He needed to find a way to establish a status that would intimidate others. In the Azure Dragon Kingdom, only one person could grant him such a status: the Emperor!

But how could he make the Emperor notice him? Releasing his Heavenly Rank aura? That was something only an idiot would do. Finally, Ahu offered Qin Li an idea. Every March, the Azure Dragon Kingdom held a large-scale tournament called the Annual Martial Artist Competition.

Its purpose… was naturally to select talent.

Because the prizes were generous, and those who advanced far could potentially receive direct titles from His Majesty the Emperor, instantly stepping into the noble class. Hence, it attracted a vast number of Martial Artists to participate every year.

Among the participants were indeed hidden dragons and crouching tigers. One couldn’t rule out some incredibly powerful Martial Artists joining with mischievous motives. Such individuals, however, usually wouldn’t fight through to the end; leaving prematurely avoided provoking the Emperor’s wrath. After all, the Royal Family’s Retainers weren’t just for show.

With Qin Li’s strength, merely showcasing capabilities at the Mysterious Rank level would likely attract significant attention!

However, Ahu was somewhat concerned about Qin Li’s Sovereign of All Battle Skill. Several powerful factions had studied it. What if Qin Li used it and was recognized?

Qin Li wasn’t worried about that. Besides the Sovereign of All Battle Skill, his mind was filled with countless other martial arts! Now, those techniques were all Combat Techniques backed by his Heavenly Rank foundation. Even something as simple as flicking a flower leaf became a weapon!

“I’ve decided. I’ll participate in this tournament!” Qin Li said lazily, sprawled on a recliner on the second floor enjoying the sun, to Bu Yunyan who stood beside him watching the bustling crowds below. “Before I go to the Mysterious Island, I must ensure you all have a stable and healthy path forward. Honestly, what I most desire is to build a powerful organization first before setting foot on the Mysterious Island!”

Bu Yunyan peeled a crystal-clear grape, meticulously picked out the seeds, then somewhat grudgingly pursed her lips as she fed it to Qin Li.

“Eat, milord!”

Hmph. This was also one of the bet’s terms. If Qin Li lost, he’d be Bu Yunyan’s follower for a month. If Bu Yunyan lost, she’d act as his maid for a month.

“I actually think it’s not quite suitable for you to go to the Mysterious Island now,” Bu Yunyan said, her voice calm, though her slightly trembling hands betrayed her unsettled feelings. “I hear everyone there possesses formidable strength. Even Heavenly Rank Martial Artists might not be taken seriously. Plus, it’s only been two years. Do you really think that woman would let Lady Shangguan come back? And if she refuses, could you defeat her?”

Qin Li frowned slightly, sinking into thought. He hadn’t told Bu Yunyan and the others that his parents were also on the Mysterious Island.

It seemed this matter indeed required careful consideration!

Qin Li pondered.