Immortal Realm’s Smuggling Kingpin

Chapter 22: My Shop (Part 2)

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

Actually, with Pei Sefei’s lacking ‘qualifications’ in the industry, she shouldn’t have dared to do such a thing—leaving her job halfway. However, she had a powerful background. Even the agency that held her contract didn’t dare do anything to her. On the way here, her manager kept advising her to go back; the photographer and advertising company also begged her, but she disregarded all of them. If it weren’t because those people kept pestering her, she would have noticed that cloth under her skirt.

Pei Sefei smiled cunningly and said, “You want to know why?”

Luo Qian nodded.

Pei Sefei said, “I can tell you… However, you must tell me why you helped me in exchange.”

Luo Qian considered for a while, then nodded and said, “No problem. I am doing a favor for someone.”

“Who?”

“I can’t say. He will never meet you, so it doesn’t matter whether you know who that person is or don’t.”

Pei Sefei misunderstood, thinking that the person was already dead. Her eyes reddened. Young girls just liked to fantasize about romance.

“Then, can you tell me why you want to work part-time for me now?” asked Luo Qian.

She blinked and said, “Because… I like it.”

Pei Sefei was standing at the door when she said so. After saying this, she instantly ran out and quickly closed the door.

Luo Qian was angered. “How can you go against your words!”

Outside, Pei Sefei smiled like a small fox. This rascal, I finally tricked you for once. Pei Sefei’s quite impressive breast was filled with a sense of accomplishment, and she walked away with her chest high. When she came out of the house, she was instantly swarmed by her manager, assistant, bodyguard, and driver.

Her slightly feminized male manager complained, “My ancestor, please don’t ever do something like this again. You stood up our client, and our company must compensate them with six million yuan…”

“Chey!” Pei Sefei said in disdain, “Your company isn’t small, right? Only six million, yet you are complaining?”

Her manager didn’t dare to argue with her, but in his heart, he was saying: Of course you don’t care about this tiny amount of money. However, if every artist in the company behaves like you, we can close for good sooner or later.

Pei Sefei thought for a while and said, “Don’t worry, this matter arose because of me. I won’t let the company incur losses for me. I can endorse one of the client’s products for free to compensate for the loss. How does this sound?”

Her manager was delighted. He dialed a number while nodding and said, “No problem. I shall contact them now…”

On the other side of the door, Luo Qian breathed a sigh of relief and smiled proudly. “Hehe, I saved a month’s worth of salary.” He told her an insignificant ‘secret’ and saved himself 5,000 yuan—this was a worthy deal. Luo Qian was a sly fox too. On both sides of the door were two smiling faces, with the door as the central axis, forming a symmetrical image.

Carrying the electronic scale, Luo Qian returned to the Immortal Realm.

Du Lengning was running about to get approval for the medicine hall these few days. Luo Qian made use of this time to figure out the formulas completely. With the precision electronic scale, he had steady progress. He had given up on the clueless Luo’s lazy cooking research method. Rather than continuing to go around aimlessly, he might as well make full use of the time to derive the Tri-color Elixir’s formula.

Effort paid off eventually. Nine days later, Luo Qian finally found where the problem laid. As expected, a slight difference in measurements was needed for the two half portions, instead of an exact half portion. Only then did he manage to produce the Tri-color Elixir.

With the formula fully derived, Luo Qian went into high gear and focused on producing the pills. He had to accumulate enough pills before the medicine hall opened.

Du Lengning had given up on relying on Qi Rongwei. He found a good friend of his to recommend him to the son of a vice-head of the Commerce Association—who had an asking price of 50 Superior Immortal Jades. Just as Du Lengning was feeling heart pain because of the cost, Mrs. Qi personally came to Mountain Ning Yao with the good news that the medicine hall’s evaluation had passed.

This was a blessing that descended from the sky. Du Lengning wasn’t a fool. He instantly took 50 Spirit Accumulation Pills from Luo Qian and handed them to Mrs. Qi. He also promised her that he would provide her enough pills for three people to use for a year, every year from now on. Mrs. Qi left in satisfaction, making Du Lengning’s father, Du Zhongping, change how he viewed his son.

The Commerce Association was a place where officials could obtain a lot of benefits. A supervisor from the Commerce Association had more authority than the head of another association. Although Qi Rongwei was his friend, their ties weren’t very close. Du Zhongping thought that Qi Rongwei was too arrogant, while Qi Rongwei thought him too miserly.

He never thought that Mrs. Qi would pay a visit to their house personally. This brought a lot of face to his family. Du Zhongping had only just talked to Du Lengning about learning to deal with some things, and Du Lengning had already befriended such an important person. For the first time in his life, Du Zhongping felt that—yup, a tiger son was indeed a tiger too!

Du Zhongping was feeling happy when Du Lengning talked to him about the land. He didn’t pay much attention and casually agreed. Only until dinner did Du Zhongping think of it and asked, “Son, in the afternoon, you said your friend wants to buy a piece of land on Mountain Ning Yao. How much is he offering?”

“Ten Superior Immortal Jades, Father. I have already replied to him; he’s very grateful to you for your generosity…” Du Lengning lowered his head and respectfully reported, his eyebrows dancing in delight. If it weren’t because his head was lowered, his father would definitely notice this.

Du Zhongping felt his mouth go bitter, but he couldn’t say anything. His heart was full of regret. Twenty million Standard Immortal Jades were gone just like that! Sigh, he must learn his lesson from now on and never let himself get complacent again… Du Zhongping could only feel bitterness in his mouth and couldn’t taste anything else during dinner.

The signboard and banners were, of course, customized by Luo Qian and Du Lengning’s private genius craftsman, Xiao Xiangzi. Du Lengning originally planned to buy the piece of land with 20 Superior Immortal Jades, but he didn’t expect his father to be slightly dazed that day. Maybe it was because his father’s cultivation had made quite a bit of progress and therefore agreed to sell the land for 10 Superior Immortal Jades, saving him a lot of money. As a result, the budget for signboard production was naturally greatly increased. Xiao Xiangzi took the money and worked hard, and soon made a gorgeous banner.

The base was green, and the edges were yellow. The pole was made from Golden Metal Laurel. The base was made from Cui Luo Silk Cloth. The borders were made from Yellow Coral Cotton Cloth. The picture was a pair of wandering dragons grabbing a pearl. The name of the medicine hall was written using thousands of pearls: Luo Medicine Hall. At the bottom was a line of small print: Ningyao Jinxiu Store.

Carrying this banner, Du Lengning looked like the Monkey King carrying the fake Banana Leaf Fan1. He flew into Luo Qian’s Cave Abode and asked, “Old Luo, quick, come and look. How is it?”

Luo Qian floated out and said, “So-so.”

Du Lengning found a place on Silk Cliff—which was near Mountain Ning Yao—and spent two Superior Immortal Jades to buy a piece of land. He then had a medicine house built, becoming neighbors with Xiao Xiangzi.

Having produced several power supply cases and gained a lot of experience, Xiao Xiangzi’s production speed greatly quickened over time. He had produced and handed over another ten cases recently. Luo Qian built the Fushan underground palace and transferred all 21 rice cookers underground. With the ‘Seven Planets Desert Sky Formation’ concealing the place, even if the Imperial Guards stood at the entrance to his cave, they also wouldn’t be able to sense the illegal goods hidden here.

“Old Luo, I asked my Uncle to check for an auspicious date. He said that if we open on this day, we will definitely have a good business and earn lots of money,” said Du Lengning as he flipped through Luo Qian’s medicine jars.

Luo Qian had just produced a ‘pot’ of Tri-color Elixirs—others produced elixirs in furnaces, while Luo Qian produced elixirs in pots.

“Have you sent the opening day invitations to the businesses on Mountain Ning Yao?” asked Luo Qian.

Du Lengning shook his head and said, “I don’t want to cause such a big fuss. I just asked a few seniors to come over to have a small celebration.”

Luo Qian stopped what he was doing and knocked him on his head. “Stupid! Your family is the leader on Mountain Ning Yao. If you open a shop, those businesses will definitely have to congratulate us and give presents. Even if the presents aren’t worth much, just one Superior Immortal Jade each, there are at least 1,000 or so shops on Mountain Ning Yao. How much money is that? After getting the presents, we just have to treat them to a meal to settle them. This is a big profit!”

Du Lengning’s eyes brightened. “Old Luo, you are indeed more crafty…”

Luo Qian raised the rice scoop, preparing to knock him with it. Du Lengning laughed and rushed out. “Alright, I shall prepare the invitations now.”

A three-finger-wide, one-and-a-half-finger-long white jade plate had a simple pattern carved on the front and a line written on the back: Luo Medicine Hall, scheduled to open on 11th September, Tianwei year 37. Respectfully inviting XX shopkeeper to visit. The signature was: Luo Medicine Hall’s second owner, Du Lengning.

Tianwei was the third reign title of the current Immortal Emperor.

Such an ordinary invitation was very common in the Immortal Realm, costing less than one Standard Immortal Jade each. Now, every shopkeeper on Mountain Ning Yao had such an invitation in their hands.

Although the invitation was normal, the sender was not. On Mountain Ning Yao, who didn’t know of Young Master Du’s name? Although this was a normal matter, the rules regarding this matter weren’t simple.

Since an invitation was sent, they must express their congratulations more or less. If the present was too cheap, Young Master Du would definitely not be happy. If too expensive, the person who sent it would become hated by the others who gave cheaper gifts.

Therefore, the shopkeepers on Mountain Ning Yao suddenly interacted and visited each other much more. Luo Qian’s shop opening caused the shopkeepers on Mountain Ning Yao to cooperate and work together; this was something he didn’t expect.

This day, Du Lengning brought a bunch of seniors and juniors over to the shop. The banner was flying high in the wind, and there were beating gongs, drumming, and singing. A lively and noisy opening ceremony was held.

Luo Qian didn’t host the ceremony. Instead, he carried over a stone table and placed it on one side, collecting presents from the visitors one by one.