Xu Xian was going for the kill.
Xu Xian explained that what he called 'crashing the market' was simply a mass sell-off...
Liu Qinghui suddenly understood.
The demonic beast carcasses used for the orders were all provided by Xu Xian, while the carcasses Liu Qinghui had been purchasing during this period had remained untouched.
He informed Xu Xian that they had accumulated over 3,500 demonic beasts, purchased for a total of nine million spirit stones.
He couldn't guarantee if it would be enough.
He noted that with the financial strength of the Seven Great Forging Workshops, they would certainly be able to absorb that much stock.
Xu Xian smiled deviously. "Of course they can absorb my goods. But what about the stock of the entire Demon-Slaying City? It'll likely choke them to death."
"Is the Little Grand-Uncle trying to trigger a panic just like they did?"
"Yes."
"I'm just afraid our leverage isn't enough and others won't follow suit," Liu Qinghui expressed his concern.
Xu Xian was dismissive. He instructed Liu Qinghui to sell off the 3,500 demonic beasts over several days: 500 on the first day, 1,000 on the second, and 2,000 on the third.
Furthermore, they couldn't sell them the same way the Seven Great Forging Workshops did.
He told him to find people to do it privately.
They were to sell at different times from morning until night to create the illusion of a hot, frantic market.
Liu Qinghui understood.
He secretly marveled at how many schemes his Little Grand-Uncle had up his sleeve.
Not only that, but they were to hire people across the city to build momentum and spread rumors.
To this, Liu Qinghui was naturally well-accustomed.
The Seven Great Forging Workshops did this often, and he had done it himself before.
Finally.
Xu Xian actually produced over two thousand more demonic beast carcasses from the Sword Mound.
To be honest.
Liu Qinghui was stunned at that moment.
One had to remember that just this morning, Xu Xian had placed over two thousand orders with the seven workshops in one go.
That had consumed over 7,000 demonic beasts. Now, he was producing another 2,000.
Who would believe such a reserve existed if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes?
One person actually held so many demonic beast carcasses in his hands.
Liu Qinghui's mouth formed an 'O' shape.
"Little Grand-Uncle, did you clear out the entire Great Desolation?"
Xu Xian said proudly, "If I didn't have something in my hand, would I dare play with them like this? You must be joking."
Yao Xiaoxiao's eyes were full of worship. "Impressive!"
Liu Qinghui saw him as a role model. "Powerful!"
Xu Xian got back to business. "Alright, let's talk seriously. Deacon Liu, after you finish delegating the other tasks, set off tonight. With the greatest speed, take these two thousand-plus carcasses back to the sect and hand them to Elder Qian. Tell him he must ensure these demonic beast carcasses enter the Central Plains market within three days. Sell them at fifty percent below the current market price."
"Furthermore, accept pre-orders. Promise them that for the next month, we can maintain a steady supply at the same price. Understand?"
Liu Qinghui nodded heavily. "Understood!"
Xu Xian pondered for a moment. "After this batch is sold, combined with the capital recovered from the 3,500 demonic beasts, do not distribute the funds. Invest it all into purchasing weapons and ores. Drive up the price of earth weapons in the Central Plains market and push the price of ores up..."
At this point, Xu Xian had fully revealed his plan, explaining it in detail.
The others connected all the information, their expressions shifting through various shades.
The way they looked at Xu Xian was beyond complicated.
By holding onto the demonic beast resources, he would continuously drive up the price of fifth-grade demonic beasts in Demon-Slaying City.
This would trigger the greed in others, making them watch and wait in anticipation.
This forced the seven great sects to respond by lowering their prices.
Then he played his first card: placing over two thousand orders, pushing the delivery dates of the Seven Great Forging Workshops out by two months.
Next, he would execute a reverse sell-off in Demon-Slaying City, triggering a wave of panic.
Simultaneously, he would strike the Central Plains market, dragging down the prices of various fifth-grade demonic beast parts to block any retreat.
The recovered capital would then be used to buy up earth weapons and immortal gold, raising the price of weapons and the cost of raw materials.
One link connected to the next.
Every move was fatal.
Under such a continuous offensive, the opponent was left with only two paths.
The first path: immediately raise prices, refuse further low-price orders, and as quickly as possible, take the seven thousand demonic beast carcasses they received back to the Central Plains to sell.
This would minimize their losses.
The consequence of this was that a massive influx of fifth-grade demonic beast carcasses into the market would surely cause the price of demonic beasts to crash.
By the same logic.
The drop in demonic beast prices would cause the production costs for those two thousand-plus orders to skyrocket relative to market value.
They would be lucky to break even.
The entire staff of the Seven Great Forging Workshops would essentially be working for Xu Xian for free for two months.
Xu Xian alone would reap the rewards, while the seven workshops would have exerted themselves for nothing, quietly swallowing this bitter loss.
The benefit: minimal financial loss.
The drawback: total loss of face.
The second path: take the bait, stabilize the price of demonic beasts, and like Xu Xian had done before, hoard demonic beast carcasses. They would sell little or none at all while continuing to buy.
For how long? Unknown.
The required capital? Immense.
The consequence: In the best-case scenario, the biggest blow to Xu Xian would be if he couldn't provide the demonic beast carcasses for his orders, forcing him to pay compensation in spirit stones. Each order would lose him at least 3,000 spirit stones.
With over a thousand orders, his estimated loss would be thirty to forty million spirit stones.
He would lose everything.
The Wendao Sword Sect's reputation would be ruined, and Xu Xian would be disgraced.
Meanwhile, the workshops would slowly release their stock and complete the orders until they reached a balance of payments.
Once Xu Xian was defeated, they would raise prices again, restore the market, and ultimately monopolize the entire industry. Although the initial investment would be massive, the subsequent returns would be considerable.
As for the worst-case scenario:
Panic selling ensues, the capital chain breaks, and they find themselves trapped. Ultimately, the price of fifth-grade demonic beast carcasses would completely collapse, falling back to the starting point or even lower.
The stock they hoarded would either have to be handled at low prices in a fire sale or rot in their hands, resulting in a total loss.
As the price of earth weapons rose, Xu Xian would profit from it, making a fortune.
They would then be forced to restore their prices or simply leave Demon-Slaying City.
Disadvantage: high risk; one wrong move and everything is lost.
Advantage: there is a slim chance to break the deadlock and save face.
Xu Xian wasn't sure which one they would choose, but whichever they picked, there was profit for him.
It was just a matter of how much he would make.
However, he had to be fully prepared.
He had to prepare for the worst.
And based on their previous actions, it wasn't hard to deduce.
They would likely choose the latter.
Xu Xian was confident of victory, not because he held the advantage of time, place, or people.
It was simply because those people were merchants.
He was betting on human nature.
When a group of merchants gathers and makes money, they are brothers. When they lose money...
As soon as one person can't hold out, it will lead to a total collapse.
Otherwise, why did everyone say to never go into business with close friends?
Interest breeds desire, and desire is like a ravine that even the thickest earth can't fill.
That night.
After Liu Qinghui returned, he summoned the other two deacons of the Merchant Hall and relayed all of the Little Grand-Uncle's instructions.
Then, he rushed back to the Wendao Sword Sect overnight.
Although Liu Qinghui was only at the sixth stage, his speed was much faster than a Cloud Boat. Traveling at full speed, he returned to the Wendao Sword Sect by noon the next day.
Elder Qian immediately sought out the Merchant Hall Master.
Upon learning of the plan, the Merchant Hall Master couldn't help but remark, "Tsk tsk, the Little Martial Uncle is playing a big game. He has guts. I'll handle this personally."
With his eighth stage cultivation.
Reaching the Central Plains.
Took less than half a day.
He immediately mobilized all the power and resources of the Merchant Hall.
By the morning of the second day, over two thousand demonic beast carcasses had already flowed into the market.
At a price fifty percent lower than the original, they rapidly seized the market.
Furthermore, many sect chambers of commerce reached out to the Wendao Sword Sect's Merchant Hall to express their intent to cooperate, paying significant deposits.
They expressed their willingness to pre-order the next batch at the same price.
When the Three Sects, Three Schools, and one Chamber of Commerce learned of this, they knew things were bad. They sent scouts overnight to deliver the news to the north...
Some experienced shopkeepers muttered cryptically, "This time, I'm afraid something big is about to happen!"
Rate on N.U.
