I Can Reap Qi Fortune from Players

"Here's the list of materials."

Zhang Huaping didn't think much of it or show fear, as she had seen too many outrageous things. She merely looked at the number of weapons being handed over.

50 boxes of Blind Box Weapons, 1000 boxes of Painting Cards.

Zhang Huaping lightly tapped the amounts, stored them in the Storage Bag, and said, "Recently, Blind Box Weapons are almost saturated. After collecting this batch, don't make any more."

"Blind Box Weapons aren't selling anymore?"

Embers Jiucai Rong looked over.

Calculating the total sales, they had sold around 300 Blind Boxes, more or less within their anticipated market.

"They could have sold a bit more if there weren't any battles in the city," Zhang Huaping said.

Right now, Pingchang City is on tenterhooks.

The second-tier families are eager to replace the three major families, making things very unstable.

Even her employer, Jiao Chiwan from the Jiao Family, is secretly exerting effort.

Now the city is rife with various small-scale assassinations and attacks, the situation grows tenser by the day.

Though the Saint was assassinated, Yunshan City's Xinyi Continent already has some advocates of chaos, with clandestine forces doing misdeeds.

But it hasn't affected Pingchang City locally, where they're still caught up in infighting to maintain their families' influence in the city.

In such a tense situation, high-class identity weapons like Blind Box Weapons have reached complete saturation.

Moreover, it was previously agreed that after Red Sun, during the peace periods, the Teleportation Array would be reopened, and the Pingchang City Business Alliance would periodically conduct trades in neighboring cities to open up the market.

But now, the city's situation is too tense, and the major families have no intention to open the Teleportation Array for business.

The city is still in a semi-locked state.

Conversely, another product, the market for Painting Cards, is as they had guessed.

The real key core product, they sell as many as they have.

You can choose various weapons, but communication devices are a must.

Especially after Red Sun, with the surge of a new generation of Scholars, there is a massive increase in demand for Painting Cards among Low Tier Cultivators.

"So, apologies for the matter of Blind Box Weapons,"

Zhang Huaping said, "You can focus more energy on Painting Cards."

"We will," Embers Jiucai Rong replied.

The profits from Painting Cards are substantial.

Based on their previous assumptions, you'd have to die more than fifteen times, with resurrection costs reaching 150 Magic Coins, before incurring losses.

But now the highest number of deaths is only nine, with an average of merely four per person.

Once the average deaths hit fifteen, the technology will already have made Painting Cards obsolete for more advanced Magical Artifacts.

"Here's the purchase list," Jiucai Rong produced a prepared sheet of paper.

Zhang Huaping looked over it, "Middle Grade Spirit Plant Liquid? And so much material for Spirit Farmers of the plant type, are you planning large-scale cultivation of the family's Spiritual Roots?"

"Yes," Embers Jiucai Rong didn't hide it, as it was evident from the materials.

"Other materials are fine, but Middle Grade Spirit Plant Liquid is somewhat scarce."

Zhang Huaping pondered, "This is the core Spirit Liquid for cultivating Middle Grade Spiritual Roots, requiring extensive extraction from high-aged Spirit Plant roots, and this amount is too vast, with not much in the city."

"To be honest, if it was before Red Sun, you could extort some families; they might be willing to trade for liquidity, but now..."

"After Red Sun is the best time for Three Flowers to bloom, and prices for Spiritual Roots are starting to rise sharply again. Young people in various families have a strong demand for Spiritual Roots as they also want to enter the Immortal Sect."

Embers Jiucai Rong slightly frowned.

It was a bit of a miscalculation.

They didn't seize the opportunity during Red Sun. Having endured that wave, the urgent need for Spiritual Roots to bolster the new generation caused prices to rise unexpectedly.

No matter how well-planned, they still suffered for lack of experience.

"How much can we get?" Embers Jiucai Rong thought, "Paying a premium is acceptable."

After all, one should save where possible, but spend when necessary.

They had previously saved on winter food and clothing, managing on their own; at worst, they could die and be reborn as Money Child eating dirt to survive winter.

But this time it was different, and they could no longer skimp.

Especially since opening the Spiritual Roots is the most crucial.

The large-scale cultivation of Soul Separation Flower could recoup that premium money heavily.

"Really impossible, the quantity available in the short term may be small; this type of stock is the most scarce."

Zhang Huaping showed a troubled expression:

"However, after Red Sun, a large number of new generation Cultivators appear. Newly established caravans and adventuring teams will pour into the outskirts like a tide, searching for various resources and Spiritual Objects."

"You know, after Red Sun is the safest time, and there's almost no danger in the wild."

"These Low Tier Five-Body Realm cultivators will gather all sorts of raw materials, and there will be a surge in basic materials. The raw materials for Middle Grade Spirit Liquid likely can be extracted quickly too."

Jiucai Rong nodded; the implication was clear.

Sheng Shi is coming.

Large numbers of collecting teams will appear outside the city, various materials will gradually become available, but the price of such popular scarce materials still won't drop.

"As much Middle Grade Spirit Plant Liquid as possible, with a premium of about 30% acceptable."

Embers Jiucai Rong discussed and quickly settled the specifics of various materials.

After escorting Zhang Huaping to the manor's gate, Embers Jiucai Rong suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know the Shi Family in Yunshan City?"

Zhang Huaping was momentarily stunned, "Of course, I know."

If it were someone else, she wouldn't know at her level.

But this family has become quite famous lately.

After all, they're tomb raiders, locating and digging up the Human Ancestor's graves everywhere.

Their family's Spiritual Root has the ability to disguise its bloodline.

The first incident was a while ago at Pingchang City's wall area, where she helped relocate graves and encountered a few traffickers from this Demon Cultivator family, who kidnapped an ancestor at the Four Viscera Realm, causing quite a stir.

She, along with a group of Loose Cultivators, enjoyed that juicy tidbit.

The second incident was just before Red Sun in Yunshan City, when the "Rice Disaster" attacked several major families.

Originally, it had nothing to do with the Demon Cultivator Shi Family that roamed as bandits in the mountain wilderness outside the city.

But the Shi Family took advantage of the chaos. Upon spotting a group of Scarecrows, their trafficking instincts resurfaced, and they led a team to abduct and rob the Scarecrows.

As a result, the "Rice Disaster" discovered they were taking advantage and conveniently followed up with a trip to the deep mountains where the Shi Family resided.

The Shi family lives outside the city, so they must not be weak. They have several ancestors, but they are suppressed during the Red Sun period and cannot move.

They were ruthlessly extorted once.

That Rice Flower Demon Queen reportedly even said on the spot:

"I hate human traffickers the most, yet you dare to abduct my scarecrows."

This incident spread out.

It became a topic of great interest, with the saying 'Trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it.'

Jiucai Rong listened with a subtle expression.

It turns out that this Demon Cultivator friend next door was also robbed by a passing Sword Fairy. Truly, fate works in mysterious ways.

No wonder after the Red Sun ended, they rushed out to earn some extra money, preparing to continue grave digging and tomb robbing, as they were heavily extorted once.

Before long.

They sent off Zhang Huaping and returned to the steward's room.

Su Yuniang and others began discussing with Embers Jiucai Rong, probing his abilities, "What do you think about what's next?"

"Blind box weapons made of dog tails, perhaps they could actually work," said Embers Jiucai Rong.

Su Yuniang was curious, "Oh? Isn't Pingchang City already saturated?"

Embers Jiucai Rong said:

"But other cities are not saturated. There's chaos in the city, but we don't necessarily have to go through the city's teleportation channels. We could contact other Demon Cultivator families and discuss with them, perhaps also opening up trade routes to other cities."

"Over there, blind box weapons could probably sell well too."

"We could even take the opportunity to make them our downstream merchants in other cities."

Embers Jiucai Rong thought there was nothing more suitable for such business than Demon Cultivators.

Who dares to rob them?

When they sell things, who dares to take advantage?

"Of course, aside from purchasing, for Middle Grade Spirit Plant Liquid, we might also need to raid tombs," said Embers Jiucai Rong.

"Inside the tombs, there must be planting areas. There could be Spirit Plants that are thousands or even tens of thousands of years old, which can be extracted to produce Middle Grade Spirit Plant Liquid, possibly even Upper Grade."

These ancient tombs have always had Spirit Plants as one of their immense treasures.

...

Under the manor.

Through the [Audience Perspective], after sending off Zhang Huaping, Ning Zheng remotely shut down the Teleportation Array only to receive another message from that mysterious woman of the Shi family.

The other party seemed very anxious.

Only the second day and they sent another message:

"There must be something in that tomb, we surveyed it again overnight. There's no trace of it being robbed. If we can excavate it, there will surely be a great harvest."

"Based on our research..."

She then rattled off a bunch of tomb-raiding jargon that Ning Zheng didn't understand at all.

But got the gist of it.

This tomb is a good one, probably has good stuff.

"If you're willing to take a major share, 40% of the temporary Teleportation Array cost, 40,000 Magic Coins, I can discuss with other families."

Ning Zheng felt this was daylight robbery, "Let me think about it."

Then Ning Zheng hung up.

After a while, the other party sent another message:

"30%! The rest we can split among our families. After all, your family is powerful, with strong combat capabilities, so if there's tomb raiding, you'll earn the most."

"If divided equally among five families, the others won't agree since we'd be at a loss."

Ning Zheng was silent for a moment.

Our family is powerful?

While in truth, they're the weakest, with only the Manor Master left at Four Viscera Realm.

But Ning Zheng, wearing the tiger's skin, had to acknowledge this flattery:

Our family is the strongest, the leader.

In such a case, indeed, they had to cover the main cost of the Teleportation Array, so other Demon Cultivators wouldn't notice anything amiss, that it's just a facade.

After some thought, Ning Zheng couldn't be bothered to haggle, thinking how they've become so poor after braving this wave of the Red Sun for a mere one or two thousand Magic Coins.

Is this what they call a Demon Cultivator family?

Having gained over three million war profits during the Red Sun, Ning Zheng was quite affluent:

"Okay, I'll cover the Teleportation Array cost, but since we're putting more in, we'll sell some goods in the teleportation area to facilitate your low-tier cultivators' exploration of tomb resources."

"Selling things at the tomb entrance, Pills? Talismans? Since when do you guys do that, aren't you miners, then no problem."

The other party thought for a moment, clearly not recognizing the gravity of the situation:

"I'll front the money first to buy a temporary Teleportation Array, send you the coordinates, and we can lead a team over tomorrow, right at the tomb entrance."

Ning Zheng was stunned by such a prompt response from the other party.

Are Demon Cultivators always such efficient operators?

Ning Zheng wasn't surprised that they fronted the payment, seeing as the other party wasn't afraid of being ripped off.

Because a proper Demon Cultivator family, in some aspects, upholds integrity.

Especially within the circle, where everyone can scam outsiders, set up stings, and engage in joint heists.

But the internal reputation must not be tarnished, one cannot deceive teammates, or who would want to partner with you in the future? Who would join you in scams?

Deceiving your own, tarnishing the reputation, that breaks the rules of the underworld!

Only those rogue Demon Cultivators lack credibility, and no one associates with them.

Just like here with Ning Zheng.

The noble families of Pingchang City assumed Demon Manor would have trading credibility, deciding to have Zhang Huaping come to complete transactions, lest you ruin your reputation by embezzling a batch of goods.

In the future, having no business partners, losing out much for small gains.

"Tomorrow, huh." Ning Zheng frowned, "Are these Demon Cultivators always so swift?"

Now fishing, cultivating, and living a pensioner's lifestyle, Ning Zheng couldn't help but sympathize with the tough lives of Demon Cultivators, having to resort to stealing, robbing, and grave digging just to make a living.