Stimulated by You Chen, Di Wan immediately changed his expression and, without bothering to argue further, hurriedly left the meeting room.
The Beast Soul Commerce had inherited the "legacy" left by the Seven Treasures Commerce in the Star Luo Empire. However, truly opening up the market in the Star Luo Empire would still require significant effort.
As before, You Chen had no intention of getting involved in the initial cumbersome and laborious tasks. He delegated all the work to the members of the Beast Soul Alliance, allowing them to handle the expansion on his behalf.
With one Titled Douluo, three top-tier Soul Douluo, and one Soul Saint, they were more than capable of handling most situations in the Star Luo Empire.
This time, as the Beast Soul Commerce launched a full-scale offensive into the Star Luo market, they would face stronger resistance and more formidable forces. Unlike before, when they only had to consider the two Titled Douluo guarding the Seven Treasures Commerce, this time, due to the involvement of multiple factions, there would be no Titled Douluo stepping in, but there would be plenty of Soul Douluo and Soul Saint-level experts.
If the Beast Soul Commerce had previously struggled to deal with such situations, with Dugu Bo being the only Titled Douluo and unable to be everywhere at once, the addition of three top-tier Soul Douluo had now solved that problem.
You Chen then resumed his daily routine of cultivation and training with Tang Hao.
The Dragon-Elephant Chapter of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength would only reach its peak when fully mastered, but this was without considering the additional enhancements from Spirit Rings and Martial Souls. Therefore, in reality, as long as You Chen mastered the Dragon-Elephant Chapter to 90%, his 98-level physical strength, combined with the enhancements from his Spirit Rings and Martial Soul, would naturally reach the peak of physical strength.
Each chapter of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength had several key stages: comprehension and entry, 30% mastery, 60% mastery, 90% mastery, and full mastery. Among these, the stages of comprehension and entry and full mastery had the greatest difficulty span.
One was going from nothing to something, while the other was achieving absolute perfection.
In comparison, reaching 90% mastery, though much harder than 60%, was still within You Chen's acceptable range.
However, he was still far from even 80% mastery. Even with the support of vast resources, it would take more than a month or two to achieve this feat.
...
Time passed quickly.
Suoto City.
Walking down the street with Oscar, Tang San felt somewhat listless.
"Xiao San, what's wrong with you? Why are you so down even after winning the duel?"
Oscar was puzzled for a moment before suddenly teasing with a grin, "Did you confess to Xiao Wu in private and get rejected?"
In the past, Tang San would have blushed and responded with some "Kong Yiji-style" remarks. But today, Tang San remained unresponsive, his eyes unfocused as he stared ahead.
Little did Oscar know that the person Tang San was preoccupied with wasn't Xiao Wu, but Dai Mubai!
Of course, not in the way one might think.
Not long ago, Tang San had finally come up with a perfect plan (in his own mind) to eliminate Dai Mubai without a trace, while ensuring no one would suspect him.
He had already scouted the terrain of Dai Mubai's intended demise multiple times, prepared the necessary chemicals for dissolving the body, and everything was set. All he needed was the right opportunity...
However, one day, while seeking answers from Yu Xiaogang, Tang San suddenly saw Dai Mubai exiting his teacher's room.
He quickly hid and observed the situation.
In his eyes, Dai Mubai and Yu Xiaogang were having a pleasant conversation, with Dai Mubai showing utmost respect, while Yu Xiaogang smiled warmly and even patted Dai Mubai's shoulder affectionately before they parted.
At that moment, Tang San felt as if he had been struck by lightning!
From the original story, it was evident that Tang San regarded Yu Xiaogang as his true father. This was clear when Yu Xiaogang nearly died, and Tang San cried out "Dad!"
If Tang Hao hadn't later done many things for him, given Tang Hao's initial coldness towards Tang San, Tang San might have completely forgotten about his biological father and fully embraced Yu Xiaogang as his paternal figure.
Thus, despite You Chen's interference causing Tang San to doubt Yu Xiaogang's theories, Tang San had never considered abandoning his teacher.
Seeing the person he despised the most and the person he respected the most getting along so harmoniously was, for Tang San, akin to a "cuckold" situation!
Although Tang San didn't know what "cuckold" meant, he truly felt the anguish of the "betrayed" party at that moment.
To put it simply, it was like the bad neighbor's brother who always bullied you in private being held up as a role model by your most admired father, who then tells you to learn from him!
That pain! The sorrow of having to put on a brave face in front of your respected father while maintaining a false cordiality with the deceitful neighbor! Only those who have experienced it can truly understand!
However, after the initial pain, Tang San's emotions became tangled.
He didn't know when Yu Xiaogang and Dai Mubai had become so close, nor did he want to consider whether Yu Xiaogang had decided to switch his focus to Dai Mubai after seeing Tang San repeatedly lose to him.
He only thought, what if killing Dai Mubai would cause his teacher immense grief?
Tang San didn't want to see Yu Xiaogang heartbroken over Dai Mubai's death!
After much hesitation, Tang San ultimately crossed Dai Mubai's name off his "list of those who deserve to die."
But his mood was clearly not going to improve for the next week or two. Especially when he thought about how he would once again be beaten by Dai Mubai in their next sparring match, and in front of Xiao Wu no less, Tang San's heart grew heavy.
"Sigh..."
Seeing Tang San sigh inexplicably without responding, Oscar was utterly baffled.
"Really, what are you thinking about? What could be so upsetting? Since you're in such a bad mood, and we still have time, why not take a walk with me? I'll take you to the Beast Soul Commerce's food store to buy some snacks. Speaking of which, the Beast Soul Commerce seems to have released a new shaver! Oh, but before that, I need to replenish my Soul Power battery. Sigh, the Beast Soul Commerce is great in every way, but these batteries just don't last long."
Oscar sighed.
Compared to his previous appearance with a thick, grandfatherly beard, Oscar had now transformed into a handsome, clean-shaven young man.
This change was naturally due to the shaver he had just mentioned.
Oscar's beard grew rapidly, which had always been a nuisance for him.
Previously, without such convenient technology, shaving was always a time-consuming hassle.
In the original story, if not for Ning Rongrong's appearance, Oscar might have continued to neglect his grooming.
But now, with the Beast Soul Shaver, shaving only took about a minute, so he made sure to shave daily, keeping his face clean and smooth.
To say the least, after losing the beard, Oscar's popularity in Suoto City skyrocketed.
Even some noblewomen actively sought out his sausage-making Martial Soul... and their gazes, as if they wanted to devour Oscar whole, were far from subtle.
A shaver could last a year or two without issues, so theoretically, one would be enough.
But after experiencing the benefits of the shaver, Oscar developed a collector's habit, becoming a shaver enthusiast who had to acquire every new version the Beast Soul Commerce released.
With his sausages selling like hotcakes, he certainly didn't lack the funds for it.
Hearing about the Beast Soul Commerce, Tang San's gaze regained some focus.
The Beast Soul Commerce had been around for a year now.
Its sudden emergence had brought significant changes to people's lives, and it had now fully integrated into the daily lives of the Heaven Dou Empire's citizens.
From non-essential items like shavers to major aspects like food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as various new forms of entertainment, the Beast Soul Commerce had become the core of innovation.
If the Beast Soul Commerce were to suddenly disappear from people's lives, returning to the previous state, many would undoubtedly feel lost.
The fact that it had brought such changes and integrated into people's habits in just a year was a testament to the Beast Soul Commerce's power.
However, the reason Tang San reacted upon hearing about the Beast Soul Commerce was because Yu Xiaogang had specifically mentioned it to him.
"Xiao San, if nothing unexpected happens, the Beast Soul Commerce will bring about a great transformation in the world. However, I still can't figure out how such a force emerged. There must be some enormous secret behind it that we can't even begin to imagine."
This was essentially stating the obvious.
Anyone with a clear mind could see that.
As for what the big secret was? Knowing there was a secret wasn't the point; the important thing was to figure out what it was, even if it was just some speculative guesses.
Though Yu Xiaogang was ordinary yet confident, his intelligence was considered above average in the Douluo Continent.
At least Tang San hadn't thought of these things before, only feeling that many of the Beast Soul Commerce's products were very convenient to use.
Thus, after hearing Yu Xiaogang's analysis, Tang San was deeply impressed and fully agreed.
Although he still used the Beast Soul Commerce's products, due to Yu Xiaogang's "conspiracy theory," Tang San harbored no goodwill towards the Beast Soul Commerce and remained highly vigilant.
In reality, Yu Xiaogang's negative perception of the Beast Soul Commerce and his malicious speculations from the start weren't hard to understand.
Such a colossal force would inevitably disrupt the existing order and redistribute interests.
And who was Yu Xiaogang?
Even after being expelled from his family, he still identified as a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and took pride in it.
From the perspective of the vested interests, it was only natural that he wouldn't have a favorable view of the Beast Soul Commerce.
The three upper sects were interconnected, and while others might think differently, Yu Xiaogang strongly believed in their unity.
Like the aristocratic families in ancient China, they were fine with internal strife, but once commoners tried to join their circle and discuss the distribution of interests, they would unite to suppress them.
Thus, seeing Oscar's excitement, Tang San couldn't help but frown and say, "Xiao Ao, I see you already have seven or eight different shavers in your room. Even if you just looked at them, you could rotate through them for a week. I suggest you don't buy a new one; it's a bit wasteful."
How could Oscar possibly take Tang San's advice to heart?
Most people, when their hobbies are questioned, wouldn't take kindly to such preachy advice.
But Oscar's temperament was relatively mild. Even though Tang San had indirectly criticized his hobby, he didn't show any displeasure.
He simply pulled Tang San's arm and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, just come with me. Consider it keeping me company."
However, when Oscar brought Tang San to the Beast Soul Commerce's daily necessities retail store in Suoto City, he didn't mention the shaver again. Instead, he stood frozen a few meters away from the store entrance, his peach-blossom eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Xiao Ao?"
Tang San was puzzled and followed Oscar's gaze, only to see a noble young lady with short hair, dressed in a white gown, her figure well-proportioned, and her aura elegant and noble.
"Xiao San, I think I'm in love..."
Oscar murmured in a dreamy voice.
The affected, pseudo-cool tone made Tang San shudder involuntarily, "Xiao... Xiao Ao?"
Without missing a beat, Oscar walked over to the beautiful noble lady with what he thought was a suave stride and said in his cool-guy voice, "Miss, if you're looking for recommended snacks, I suggest you try the Beast Soul Commerce's new cotton candy series. They're very affordable and currently the most popular snack items. Even if you don't listen to the salesperson's recommendation and buy them directly, you definitely won't regret it."
With the hearing of a Great Soul Master, and since the young lady hadn't lowered her voice when speaking, Oscar naturally knew what she and the clerk had been discussing.
He had overheard the young lady asking for snack recommendations, and the clerk suggesting the most expensive snack gift box, which prompted his comment.
"Uh, what?"
The noble lady, Ning Rongrong, who had just arrived in Suoto City, was somewhat taken aback by the sudden appearance of this strange boy who was inexplicably recommending products to her.
She didn't respond directly to Oscar but instead turned to the clerk and asked, "Excuse me, is this some new kind of promotion from the Beast Soul Commerce?"
Oscar's self-proclaimed cool expression froze on his face.
The clerk quickly waved his hands in denial, "No, no, Miss, you're mistaken. This young man is a student from the nearby Shrek Academy, not an employee of the Beast Soul Commerce!"
"Shrek?"
Hearing this name, Ning Rongrong's eyebrows raised slightly.
In the next moment, a gentle smile appeared on her face as she said to the somewhat petrified Oscar, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood. You were just trying to help me, but I thought you were part of their promotion."
"No, no, it's my fault for being so sudden. It has nothing to do with you, Miss."
Oscar immediately regained his composure, scratching his head awkwardly.
Ning Rongrong chuckled softly and said, "You're quite interesting~ I'm actually very curious about the Beast Soul Commerce's products. Having a consumer like you explain them to me would be much more impartial than the clerk. Could you tell me more about them?"
"Of course!"
Hearing Ning Rongrong call him interesting, Oscar's eyes lit up with excitement, and he eagerly patted his chest in assurance.
The clerk, left standing there dumbfounded, watched as Oscar took over and began pointing out various products on the shelves to Ning Rongrong.
The clerk shook his head helplessly and soon turned to attend to other customers.
Ning Rongrong, being a typical noble lady, was one thing, but Oscar, a young Great Soul Master, was another. As an ordinary person, what could he do to stop them?
Throughout this process, apart from Oscar's explanations, Ning Rongrong's occasional responses could also be heard.
During this time, they also exchanged names.
"By the way, I heard the clerk say you're from Shrek Academy? What about this one here, is he your classmate?"
Suddenly, Ning Rongrong changed the subject and looked at Tang San, who had remained silent the entire time.
"Yes, he's Tang San, my roommate!" Oscar immediately sold Tang San out.
Ning Rongrong smiled and said, "I heard Shrek is an academy that only accepts geniuses and monsters. From the looks of you two, you seem to be around my age. Does that mean you're very strong?"
Ning Rongrong had initially come to the Beast Soul Commerce store with the intention of gathering intelligence.
Under Ning Fengzhi's strict orders, she had been forced to attend Shrek Academy.
As a young lady, Ning Rongrong naturally looked down on Shrek Academy, a wild chicken school.
Moreover, she had arrived in Suoto City a few days before Shrek's enrollment day, so she decided to visit the Beast Soul Commerce store.
The scene of You Chen severely injuring her two grandfathers and the subsequent pressure he exerted on her were still fresh in Ning Rongrong's mind.
Although the Seven Treasures Commerce and the Beast Soul Commerce had now formed a strategic alliance, Ning Rongrong knew that this alliance was more like the Seven Treasures Commerce dismantling its own bricks to help the Beast Soul Commerce build.
Even though she hadn't personally taken over the business, she wasn't an ignorant child when it came to commerce.
From some changes in the Seven Treasures Commerce and the Beast Soul Commerce, she had deduced this conclusion herself.
Looking at the results, it seemed so.
But in reality, after the Seven Treasures Commerce's martial methods failed, the subsequent development was already inevitable.
The organizational structure and products of the Beast Soul Commerce were ahead of their time. Once its rise couldn't be stopped, it was only natural that it would dominate the commercial battlefield and seize more resources.
Thus, the two commerce organizations naturally saw one rise while the other declined.
Although Ning Rongrong verbally expressed dissatisfaction with Ning Fengzhi's decision to "exile" her, she was deeply concerned about her father's situation.
Hence, she decided to conduct some field research.
She wanted to see for herself why the Beast Soul Commerce's products were so popular and what advantages they had over the Seven Treasures Commerce.
In the past, she had interacted with the Beast Soul Commerce's products, but most of them were purchased and used directly by the clan, so she couldn't fully grasp the consumer experience.
From her initial interaction with the clerk, Ning Rongrong noticed that the service level of these clerks was exceptionally high. Even though the Beast Soul Commerce now had far more stores than the Seven Treasures Commerce and had only been around for a year (or a few years if considering possible early preparations), the service quality of every store's employees far exceeded the passing mark.
Ning Rongrong couldn't precisely articulate the abnormality she felt, but she was certain that this situation was absolutely not normal.
Through her probing questions to Oscar, she gained an even deeper understanding of the Beast Soul Commerce's strength.
In just one year, the brand had firmly established itself, not only as a consumer entity but also as a trendsetter.
If it had been before, Ning Rongrong would have likely used Oscar as a source of information and then ruthlessly cast him aside.
But now was different.
If the commerce aspect was more Ning Fengzhi's concern, then Shrek Academy was a matter that directly affected her.
The two young men before her were likely to be her future classmates, so how could Ning Rongrong not take this opportunity to gather more information?
Hearing Ning Rongrong's surprised remark about them being "very impressive," Oscar couldn't help but show a smug expression, boasting in front of the beautiful girl: "Hehe, Miss Ning, although it might sound a bit like self-praise, compared to our peers, we are indeed quite remarkable. Both Tang San and I are already Great Soul Masters! And not just that, we're on the verge of breaking through to the Soul Elder realm!"
Oscar's exaggerated expression somewhat diminished the credibility of his words, which made Ning Rongrong remain somewhat unimpressed.
After all, even if what Oscar said was true, so what? She was already a Soul Elder! Moreover, her Martial Soul was the strongest support-type Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! How could these commoner Soul Masters compare?
Her face still wore a soft and sweet smile, but Ning Rongrong had already placed herself on a higher pedestal.
If these two were already Soul Elders, that might have slightly shocked her, but being just Great Soul Masters didn't seem all that extraordinary.
Although such cultivation was indeed genius, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had no shortage of comparable talents.
While pondering this, Ning Rongrong naturally overlooked the resource differences between commoners and nobles, as well as sect disciples.
This disparity wasn't very prominent in the original work, but under You Chen's influence, Soul Masters' utilization of resources had improved, and those with top-tier backgrounds could even enjoy a certain degree of talent enhancement with items like whale glue.
Add to that the recently introduced Beast Soul Pills, which only the wealthy could afford...
The gap brought about by one's background as a Soul Master naturally widened further. Nowadays, if a commoner Soul Master didn't join the Spirit Hall after their Martial Soul awakening, it was nearly impossible for them to match up to those noble or sect-aligned Soul Masters.
Ning Rongrong's backing was a T1-level sect force in this world. With the resources at their disposal, the gap between sect disciples and wild talents like Oscar and Tang San wasn't as vast anymore.
Not only had Ning Rongrong reached the Soul Elder realm earlier than in the original work, but many talented disciples within the sect had also reached the Great Soul Master level by the age of eleven or twelve.
However, it's worth noting that bloodline and Martial Soul could be considered innate talents, and resources and background could also be seen as part of one's talent.
These disparities wouldn't disappear just by shouting about equality. Instead, they would make it difficult for some to see their future clearly, thinking they could catch up through sheer effort alone, only to end up battered and bruised, ultimately withdrawing in defeat.
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/QueenTL
Thanks!