Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 522: Promotion Method

Tao Yaoye paused for two full seconds before uttering a single word. “What?”

She hadn’t misheard Vice Creed Leader Shi; it was just that his words didn’t quite match the earlier atmosphere.

Lan Ting was equally dumbfounded. Given the tension just moments ago, even if Huo Huashen and Vice Creed Leader Shi had pressed two big machetes against their necks and demanded their money, she wouldn’t have been surprised.

Lu Yang, however, had seen this coming. In fact, he had anticipated this scenario when Tao Yaoye invented the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage.

Back when Tao Yaoye first accompanied Lu Yang to the barbeque shop to get in contact with Vice Creed Leader Shi, Lu Yang had reassured her that there was no need to be nervous around people from the Nine-Netherworlds Creed, for they would be the ones begging her for help in the future.

At the time, Tao Yaoye didn’t understand what he meant.

Lu Yang had initially considered using his Heavenly Court Creed identity to suggest that Vice Creed Leader Shi seek Tao Yaoye out for a collaboration. But on second thought, he felt that doing so would make it seem like the Heavenly Court Creed placed too much importance on a barbeque business, which could easily raise Vice Creed Leader Shi’s suspicions, so he abandoned the idea.

Looks like Vice Creed Leader Shi’s mind is somewhat sharp enough to think of collaborating with Junior Sister Tao even without my prompting.

Vice Creed Leader Shi assumed his abruptness had startled them and offered a faint smile. “Teacher Tao, have you heard of ‘One More Time Barbeque Shop?’ My surname is Shi, and I’m the boss.”

Seeing Tao Yaoye and Lan Ting still dazed, Lu Yang feigned shock with deliberate exaggeration. “You mean that One More Time Barbeque Shop that’s been all the rage lately, with chains spread across the continent and everyone raving about it after eating there?!”

“And this must be Prodigy Lu. To be capable of fighting the Heavenly Court Creed’s young creed leader to a draw, you’re truly the pride of modern-era cultivators.” Vice Creed Leader Shi’s words were sincere.

I know Young Creed Leader Lu’s background best. He is the personal disciple of Dou Heavenly Sovereign and the designated successor to the next creed leader. Even ancient immortals feared him, a true testament to his remarkable talents.

Who would’ve thought someone as powerful as Young Creed Leader Lu would meet his match?!

“I have long heard of your reputation, Teacher Tao. To have created something as innovative as Dreamlike Bubble Mirage and stir waves across Great Xia, you’re truly a promising young talent.”

Vice Creed Leader Shi lamented inwardly, This is the gap between people. Look at Tao Yaoye—she’s not even twenty, yet she is already a tycoon, and this is just the beginning. Meanwhile, I’ve muddled through two thousand years, am ten billion in debt, and get struck by lightning monthly.

“The one who brought you here is my subordinate, also the manager of our first barbeque branch. His surname is Huo. He’s not good with words, so I instructed him not to speak carelessly. I hope he didn’t say anything out of line on the way here.”

Tao Yaoye thought, He didn’t say anything out of line—he didn’t speak at all, which was even more unnerving.

“Boss Shi, how exactly would this promotion with the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage work?”

“Here’s the thing. Before the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage begins, isn’t there a brief waiting period? I’d like to use that time to promote my barbeque business.”

Tao Yaoye hesitated. “But that segment is only a minute long. Is that enough time for promotion?”

“A minute is enough. We’ll prepare a one-minute promotional illusion,” Vice Creed Leader Shi replied with a smile. He had long done his research.

From his experience running the business, he had summed up two key factors for success: first, a good reputation, where the flavor and service must be up to standard to attract returning customers; second, effective promotion to build the name.

The Dreamlike Bubble Mirage’s explosive growth far outstrips that of our barbeque business. With countless people viewing it daily, it’s a perfect avenue for publicity. It’ll definitely be much more effective than placing ads in the Luodi Merchant Guild’s intelligence reports!

Vice Creed Leader Shi had multiple reasons for choosing this method of promotion. Strong promotional impact is one thing, but another factor is Tao Yaoye’s identity—a disciple of the Dao-Seeking Sect. Opportunities to collaborate with the Dao-Seeking Sect are hard to come by. This is the perfect chance to establish ties with them!

Look at how the Everlasting Creed had exhausted all means to plant spies and plot schemes just to infiltrate their mountain gates. Building a connection with the Dao-Seeking Sect is no small feat.

If this succeeds, our Nine-Netherworlds Creed could openly collaborate with the Dao-Seeking Sect while secretly collaborating with the Heavenly Court Creed. This gives us fallback plans with both the righteous and the demonic paths, allowing us to maneuver, adapt, and seize every advantage!

“As for the fees, Teacher Tao, we’re open to negotiation.” Vice Creed Leader Shi went all in. This is vital for promoting our barbeque business and forming a link with the Dao-Seeking Sect. I can’t afford to be stingy with spirit stones.

Fearing Tao Yaoye might refuse, he had even arranged for actors to pose as the washerwoman’s master and ambush Lu Yang’s group midway so Huo Huashen could swoop in as their savior. That way, they would owe him a favor, making refusal unlikely.

Under such circumstances, they wouldn’t even demand an exorbitant price.

In truth, a little scrutiny would have revealed the flaws in this incident. The one who ambushed Lu Yang’s trio was at the Divine Transfiguration Stage, while the washerwoman had spent twenty years just to harvest the soul of a mortal like Squire Song. Even if diabolic cultivators were cautious and killed discreetly, such efficiency was absurdly low.

Lu Yang noticed the loophole but chose not to expose it.

It was because there was no need to. The barbeque business was their own venture. Even if Vice Creed Leader Shi hadn’t employed such tactics, Lu Yang would still have wanted to promote the barbeque shop through the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage.

Tao Yaoye was conflicted. This was her first time encountering a situation like this, and she didn’t know how much she should ask for. She secretly shot Lu Yang a glance, pleading for his aid. With Vice Creed Leader Shi here, she dared not communicate with their spiritual consciousness, lest their messages be intercepted.

Lu Yang wasn’t sure of market rates either, for this was unprecedented. Leaning forward slightly, he smiled. “Boss Shi, how many spirit stones are you willing to offer? And for how long do you plan to buy the promotional rights?”

Shi Huagu didn’t expect them to throw the difficult question back to him. He gritted his teeth. “Ten million! I’ll buy one year of promotional rights!”

Ten million was a sum an ordinary Divine Transfiguration cultivator had to spend a lifetime accumulating, while those from ancestral clans could amass more.

“Boss Shi, you sure know how to jest.” Lu Yang smiled faintly and placed the storage ring from the merchant guild on the stone table. “The three of us can earn six million from a single mission. Ten million isn’t quite enough, right?”

Lu Yang wasn’t bragging. Based on his rewards from past missions, the six million he obtained this time was considered little. His last mission involved accompanying Li Haoran on an outing to unwind, during which he incidentally found the Heavenly Court Creed. The mission before involved slaying a tiger demon and dealing with the tiger-henchman ghosts, during which he incidentally infiltrated the Everlasting Creed.

Both missions yielded gains that can’t be measured with spirit stones, which means they far surpass the rewards this time.

“Twenty—no, thirty million!”

Vice Creed Leader Shi could feel his heart dripping with blood. No one has advertised with the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage before. If this fails, thirty million would go down the drain.

Lu Yang remained at ease. “Fixed price: fifty million—take it or leave it. One-minute opening advertisements, plus scenes of people eating at One More Time Barbeque Shop within the Dreamlike Bubble Mirage for a year.”

Vice Creed Leader Shi was stunned. He hadn’t considered such a promotional method. If it really works, fifty million might be worth it.

Thinking of the barbeque shop’s booming business and the overwhelmingly rich Heavenly Court Creed, Vice Creed Leader Shi steeled himself. “Deal. Fifty million it is!”

“You’ll be glad you chose to partner with us, Boss Shi.”