Ever since the Songyang Sect stepped in to mediate, the marketplace in Songyang County gradually returned to its former prosperity.
The major powers halted their hostilities, and the rogue cultivators who had previously stayed low out of concern over the conflict between the Wang family and various factions now returned to the marketplace one after another.
Gradually, over the span of two or three days, seeing that the first wave of adventurous rogue cultivators had come to no harm, trading within the marketplace grew active once more.
During this period, the Wang family's businesses in Songyang Marketplace were exceptionally lively.
They frantically dumped various dharma tools and spiritual elixirs at unbelievably low prices.
"Has the Wang family gone mad? A Rank 1 Low-Grade dharma tool is actually selling for only fifty low-grade spirit stones!" exclaimed a rogue cultivator, standing in front of a Wang family shop in astonishment.
"Who cares? Free bargains are not to be missed!" another rogue cultivator replied without hesitation, pulling out spirit stones to purchase several dharma tools and bottles of spiritual elixirs.
The Wang family's low-pricing strategy quickly attracted a massive crowd of rogue cultivators.
Seeing this, the other factions in the marketplace could only feel helpless.
However, the Wang family's low-pricing strategy did not stop there.
Drawing inspiration from the "blind box" concept previously introduced by Wang Mingbao at his Treasure Pavilion, they opened a Xunbao Pavilion right in the marketplace, which quickly sparked a massive craze.
"Fellow daoists, the Wang family blind boxes are officially on sale today! Each blind box costs 180 low-grade spirit stones and contains a random dharma tool or pill, with varying grades and effects—it's all down to luck!" a clan member announced loudly in front of the Wang family shop.
"Blind boxes? What kind of game is this?" a rogue cultivator asked curiously.
"It means you step inside the shop and pick out a Storage Pouch yourself. Inside, there is a randomly placed dharma tool or pill, and you even have a chance to draw a Rank 1 Peak Grade treasure!" the clan member explained with a smile.
Upon hearing this, the rogue cultivators immediately grew excited.
One had to know that Rank 1 Low-Grade dharma tools generally cost between 30 and 80 low-grade spirit stones, Rank 1 Mid-Grade dharma tools fetched anywhere from 100 to 250 low-grade spirit stones, and Rank 1 High-Grade items could reach upwards of 5 mid-grade spirit stones—not to mention Rank 1 Peak Grade dharma tools, which practically never went below 20 mid-grade spirit stones.
Now, for a mere 180 low-grade spirit stones, there was a chance to acquire a Rank 1 Peak Grade dharma tool—that was a profit margin of over ten times!
Even though there was a 40 percent chance of drawing a Rank 1 Low-Grade dharma tool, there was still at least a four- or five-tenths certainty of not losing money, and that was more than enough.
They all pulled out their spirit stones, scrambling to buy the blind boxes.
"Let me try my luck!" A rogue cultivator impatiently opened the Storage Pouch in his hand, extracting a dharma tool that flickered with a faint glow.
"This is a Rank 1 Mid-Grade 'Flame Blade', and its power is quite decent!" the clan member said with a smile.
"Haha, my luck isn't bad!" the rogue cultivator waved the dharma tool in his hand proudly.
Another rogue cultivator drew a bottle of Rank 1 High-Grade "Rejuvenation Pills" and said excitedly, "This pill is just what I need. My next hunt for demonic beasts will depend on it!"
As one rogue cultivator after another left in satisfaction with their Rank 1 High-Grade treasures, news about the Wang family's Xunbao Pavilion spread instantly.
As for those rogue cultivators who failed, seeing what others had gained basically drove them wild with excitement.
Suffice to say, although the Wang family's Xunbao Pavilion might not have earned an enormous amount in spirit stones, it was absolute genius as a channel for clearing out the family's inventory.
"The Wang family is trying to wreck the market!" Huang Tianba sighed.
Li Qingyun, the sect master of the Minghua Sect, Huang Tianba of the Huang family, and Chixiaozis of the Songyang Sect gathered together to discuss the current situation.
"There's nothing we can do. The Songyang Sect won't allow us to make any more moves against them, lest we push them too far," Li Qingyun said with extreme helplessness.
The three of them had no idea what to say anymore.
If they could make a swift move and wipe out the Wang family, none of this would matter.
Unfortunately, the strength of the Wang family patriarch, Wang Yuzhang, made him someone very difficult for the three family ancestors to handle together.
With no other choice, the formations and Spirit Artifacts in the Wang family's hands were simply too formidable; any single one of them was enough to deal with at least one Foundation Establishment cultivator from their side.
It could be said that the Wang family alone could withstand the joint forces of their three families by sealing their mountain gates, and might even find opportunities to launch surprise attacks and kill a few Foundation Establishment cultivators from the three families.
Huang Tianba slapped his thigh and declared, "Let's buy them out! I refuse to believe the Wang family can single-handedly withstand the financial might of our three families combined."
"That is true. As long as we cut off their external resources and then join forces to run this Xunbao Pavilion ourselves, we will surely reap sufficient profits," Chixiaozi stroked his snow-white beard, wearing a rather smug expression.
Li Qingyun clearly agreed with the proposal, but he felt they needed to prepare some countermeasures in advance.
"We must prepare ahead of time so the Wang family cannot detect our moves. I think our three families can cooperate to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill from the Songyang Sect, use it to create a stir and hype up an auction in the marketplace, and take the opportunity to blend into the crowd and go buy out the Wang family. How does that sound?"
...
After purchasing the Wang family's dharma tools and elixirs, the rogue cultivators in the marketplace formed teams and headed out into the wilderness to hunt demonic beasts.
Their objective was clear—obtain demonic beast materials in exchange for more resources.
Naturally, this also inevitably attracted a few predatory rogue cultivators looking to muddy the waters and make a quick buck.
However, having apparently received notifications from the Songyang Sect in the marketplace regarding the anomalies in the Yundang Mountains, these people rushed over to the mountains as well, attempting to seize the opportunity to acquire more demonic beast resources.
"Brothers, we've all upgraded to stronger Wang family dharma tools this time. Hunting demonic beasts is bound to be twice as effective with half the effort!" a rogue cultivator shouted excitedly, brandishing the dharma tool in his hand.
"That's right, the effect of these dharma tools is fantastic. I just wonder what the Wang family is actually planning," another rogue cultivator chimed in.
Moments later, the lights emitted by activated dharma tools flashed incessantly through the forest.
A short while afterward, at a certain location in the Yundang Mountains, several Rank 1 demonic beasts collapsed to the ground, completely devoid of breath.
"Haha, a great haul this time!" The rogue cultivators excitedly set about dismembering the demonic beast materials.
"The hide and fangs of this demonic beast can sell for at least two hundred low-grade spirit stones!" a rogue cultivator said with a smile.
"That's right, there was even a wolf demon at the Rank 1 Perfection realm among them. We've made a killing this time!" another rogue cultivator agreed.
Similar scenes played out continuously in every corner of the Yundang Mountains in Songyang County.
Bolstered by the Wang family's dharma tools and elixirs, the rogue cultivators' hunting efficiency increased dramatically, and their harvests grew increasingly bountiful.
However, a piece of news soon broke out, instantly shaking every rogue cultivator and minor family throughout Songyang County.
At the Songyang Marketplace auction three months from now, a Foundation Establishment Pill would be put up for auction!
"Have you heard? The Songyang Sect's upcoming auction is actually going to feature a Foundation Establishment Pill!" a rogue cultivator said excitedly to his companion.
"Really? That's a Foundation Establishment Pill! Rogue cultivators like us can't even catch a glimpse of one on ordinary days!" A trace of yearning flashed in his companion's eyes.
"The price won't be cheap, though. Word is the starting bid alone is one thousand mid-grade spirit stones," the rogue cultivator sighed. "Poor wretches like us probably don't even qualify to bid."
"Sigh, if only we could join some family or sect; they can get Foundation Establishment Pills without having to go through all this," the companion said helplessly.