CHAPTER 286: CHAPTER 273: AN INSTANT HIT [2ND UPDATE, SEEKING SUBSCRIPTION]

At the time, Zhouyang’s Foundation Establishment celebration lasted for three days. Now, the Purple Mansion celebration naturally needs to last even longer.

Ten days!

A full ten days!

During these ten days, the lights on Red Tiger Mountain would go out and then light up again, over and over.

The sounds of cultivators on the mountain expounding teachings never ceased, provoking deep thoughts among listeners.

Zhouyang alone preached and imparted teachings for three days. He was well-prepared, covering key points from various aspects such as the path of cultivation, the way of artifact refining, sword control, and magical combat. The content he shared was quite beneficial for Foundation Establishment cultivators, full of substantial insights.

Following him, other Zhou Family cultivators like Xiao Ying, Zhou Xuanhao, Zhou Guangxiang, Zhou Guangxiang, Huang Yi, and even Zhou Yuanchen, showcased their talents, explaining their cultivation experiences and alchemy, array formation, and talisman making expertise to the cultivators present.

Such teachings did not involve fundamental inheritances and didn’t let others learn one’s ultimate skills, yet not everyone was willing to share them with outsiders.

For Zhouyang and Zhou Family cultivators to share these understandings with outsiders, even if it was to gain favor, was a benevolent act for the masses and worth respecting.

Thus, in the latter days of the teachings, even though the fine wine and dishes were gone, even though the spirit fruits were gone, no one cared. Everyone was still mentally invigorated, attentively listening to other cultivators explain cultivation experiences.

Many cultivators realized that this opportunity for teachings might be a once-in-a-century event, and if missed, they feared they might never encounter such a chance again in this lifetime.

Thus, ten days passed in succession until Zhouyang stood up and spoke the words concluding the celebration, when many couldn’t help but express regret and sigh, unwilling to see it end.

"Once again, thank you all, fellow Daoists, for coming from afar to attend Zhou’s Purple Mansion celebration. Zhou and the Zhou Family are immensely grateful!"

Zhouyang stood up, clasped his hands toward all directions, and with a smile, said the final words of the celebration. Then he paused, smiled slightly again, and said, "Additionally, if you fellow Daoists are not in a rush to return, why not visit our Zhou Family’s newly opened Liuyun Square? Perhaps you may gain some other benefits."

When he finished, Zhang Yunpeng, the Sect Leader of Yellow Sand Sect, couldn’t help furrowing his brows, seemingly displeased.

But after thinking for a moment, as if realizing something, his expression quickly relaxed as he looked at Zhouyang with a gentle smile and said, "What an interesting Liuyun Square? Fellow Daoist Zhou is indeed thoughtful!"

He had thought earlier, Zhouyang had only visited the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm once, and even then with Foundation Establishment cultivation. Even if he brought back some good items from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, they should mostly be used up by now.

So the effect of this name could only serve as a flashy attraction at best and wouldn’t truly affect Yellow Sand Sect’s monopoly on treasures from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

And hearing his words, Zhouyang also responded with a smile and nodded gently, saying: "Sect Leader Zhang rarely comes out, why not grace us with a visit to the marketplace and help boost its popularity?"

"Hahaha, since Fellow Daoist Zhou has already spoken, how could Zhang not give face?"

Zhang Yunpeng laughed heartily and easily agreed right away.

Whether it was Zhang Yunpeng, the Sect Leader of Yellow Sand Sect, leading the way to the marketplace, or the suggestive effect of "Liuyun Square," or simply to repay Zhouyang’s favor of teachings, all the outside cultivators on Red Tiger Mountain followed the crowd to visit the marketplace.

Many thought the same—since they were already there, visiting the marketplace wouldn’t hurt, and even if they gained nothing, it wouldn’t waste much time.

However, upon entering the marketplace, their mindset changed.

Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, Tier Three Spirit Talismans, Tier Two High-grade Arrays, Tier Two Top-Grade Spirit Pills—faced with the Zhou Family’s meticulously prepared items of great value at reasonable prices—except for the Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, Zhang Yunpeng, which cultivator could remain unmoved?

It was known that, to make a remarkable impression, Zhouyang not only used his spare time to refine some artifacts to put in the marketplace, but also brought out nearly half of the accumulated treasures from the Zhou Family Treasure Vault for sale.

The prices of these items were generally only ninety percent of the normal price, which would typically be quickly snapped up once they appeared in other marketplaces.

Now, with a large number of such valuable and reasonably priced treasures appearing here, how many cultivators with spare money yet in need of such treasures could resist the temptation to purchase?

Thus, in just less than half a day, more than half of the various treasures prepared by the Zhou Family had been sold.

Many cultivators who either bought or didn’t manage to buy treasures regretted not bringing more spirit stones with them, so they could have bought more or purchased the treasures they wanted.

Hence, the fame of "Liuyun Square" quickly spread as these cultivators returned, attracting many who heard the news to come and treasure hunt.

Some loose cultivators even decided on the spot to settle in the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis in the future.

The number of clans seeking to collaborate with the Zhou Family to establish shops in the marketplace has suddenly increased to dozens.

Zhouyang’s plan of "becoming famous in one strike" achieved perfect success.

Afterwards, when all other attendees of the celebration had dispersed, the Zhou Family cultivators gathered in the council hall for a meeting after wrapping up their duties.

"Guangyun, as the Finance Elder, please tell us about the value of the gifts received for the Purple Mansion celebration, the marketplace income during this period, and how much spirit stones the family spent to host the Purple Mansion celebration."

In the council hall, after Zhouyang and all the attending Zhou Family cultivators had taken their seats, he first named Finance Elder Zhou Guangyun to discuss the financial matters.

"Clan Leader, based on estimates, the gifts received during this Purple Mansion celebration are worth about one hundred eighty thousand low-grade spirit stones. The marketplace income over these few days also reached over eighty thousand low-grade spirit stones!"

"And for hosting the Purple Mansion celebration, the clan spent a total of twenty-five thousand seven hundred and forty jin of spirit rice, seventy-four thousand eight hundred jin of spiritual flesh, one thousand seven hundred sixty jin of spirit wine, nine thousand two hundred medicinal plants, four thousand seven hundred eighty spirit fruits, amounting to nearly ninety thousand low-grade spirit stones in total value!"

Zhou Guangyun has worked beside the elders managing finances for the Zhou Family since a young age. Having learned from the experiences and lessons of several previous generations of elders, her capability in financial matters is unrivaled within the Zhou Family.

Moreover, she was clearly prepared. As soon as Zhouyang inquired about the matter, she answered without needing notes, evidently having memorized the relevant data.

Upon hearing her straightforward and precise response, Zhouyang paused slightly and then nodded with a satisfied smile, saying, "Very good, your answer is detailed. It seems selecting you as Finance Elder was indeed the right choice!"

This was his first time praising an elder in a family meeting, and the subject of the praise, Zhou Guangyun, immediately showed a relaxed and happy smile.

The cultivators who had attended several family meetings also looked at Zhou Guangyun with envy and admiration.

Some Zhou Family cultivators, who originally had reservations about Zhou Guangyun’s "Fengyue Tower" background and her important position despite being a woman, changed their prejudice and gained respect for her.

"Then my opinion is to remove any Tier Four spiritual objects, and the rest of the gifts received during the celebration should be retained by the family to enrich the clan’s treasure vault!"

Zhouyang glanced at everyone in the hall and expressed his decision regarding the handling of the gifts received at the celebration.

Given his current wealth, these spiritual objects below Tier Four are of little use to him. Selling them as raw materials would be like giving others a free harvest; it’s better to donate them to the family to enhance its foundation.

But he seemed worried that his decision might be misunderstood and immediately emphasized, "Of course, this is just my personal decision, not a demand for everyone to do the same in the future!"

At this moment, clearly, not many people cared about his clarification.

All Zhou Family cultivators were stunned by his previous words.

Those gifts were worth tens of thousands of spirit stones!

Even by the rules that gifts received at celebrations get split equally with the family, Zhouyang’s portion of the gifts would still have a value of seventy-eight thousand spirit stones, and after excluding the value of several Tier Four spiritual objects, would not be less than fifty thousand spirit stones.

Now he decides to donate treasures worth roughly fifty to sixty thousand spirit stones to the family with one word; such generosity, such noble spirit, such sincerity... how could it not leave people deeply shocked, greatly admired, profoundly moved!

"Clan Leader, your righteousness is admirable!"

Zhou Guangxiang looked at Zhouyang with admiration, stood up and bowed deeply to him, loudly praising him.

As his voice fell, others seemed to wake from a dream, quickly following him to stand, bow, and speak in unison: "Clan Leader, your righteousness is admirable!"

"Alright, I merely did what I should have done; there’s no need to be so courteous. Please, sit down, let us continue to the next agenda."

Zhouyang waved his hand to indicate everyone to be seated, showing no hint of pride or complacency on his face.

Indeed, he felt no complacency because he knew clearly that without the help of the family, he wouldn’t have been able to host such a grand celebration, nor invite so many people to attend.

Therefore, the ability to slightly assist and give back to the family wasn’t something he considered worthy of pride or vanity.

He turned his gaze to the front row where Zhou Family Internal Affairs Elder Zhou Yuanchang was sitting and asked, "Eleventh Brother, you are the Internal Affairs Elder, now tell me and everyone about the current number of family cultivators, their cultivation realm, and the number of mortals in the family."

Zhou Yuanchang is only three years younger than Zhouyang, now a white-haired old man over a hundred ten years old. With his cultivation at the Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation stage, at this age his memory cannot really compare to the sixty-something Zhou Guangyun.

Thus, even though he had prepared thoroughly before the meeting, upon hearing Zhouyang’s words now, he had to take out prepared materials from his storage bag to look over before he could answer Zhouyang’s questions in detail.