Chapter 3248 — Back to School

"Exactly. In that case, we can throw in a simple guide to condensing second-grade pill fire. As long as those alchemists who can already condense first-grade pill fire raise their fire level just a little, they will be able to use a second-grade automatic cauldron!" Han Jingyi nodded.

"Then we..." Wei Zhao was about to say that they should proceed with research and manufacturing along those lines, but before he could finish, the phone rang. It was Kang Xiaobo. Wei Zhao gestured for Han Jingyi to wait, then picked up. "Xiaobo, what is it?"

"Boss, Xiaotao Hong brought me an important piece of news—Xuandan Sect is preparing to mass-produce first-grade automatic cauldrons," Kang Xiaobo said. "Right now, Xuandan Sect's production costs for first-grade automatic cauldrons are not low, while Dr. Guan's first-grade automatic cauldrons can be marked down at any time. Kang Zhaoming is afraid that we will beat them on the next round of cauldron upgrades, so he plans to defeat us with a price war. He is laying the groundwork early, preparing to mass-produce first-grade automatic cauldrons in order to drive down costs!"

"Oh?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback. He had not expected that brat Kang Zhaoming to have a bit of cunning after all. But that cunning was not being put to proper use. Wei Zhao was essentially already preparing to abandon the first-grade automatic cauldron market—after all, the market would soon approach saturation, and even if new cultivator alchemist disciples bought them, there would certainly not be many. Mass-producing and cutting prices the way Kang Zhaoming intended would indeed stimulate sales somewhat; with prices lower, some sects might buy a few to stockpile against future need.

But to sell them all off at once was virtually impossible; there would have to be a long process of absorption.

"Xiaobo, here is what I want you to do. Have Xiaotao Hong put out word that we do indeed intend to discount and promote our first-grade automatic cauldrons." Wei Zhao thought for a moment, then said.

Last time, Kang Zhaoming had used Liu Tianli as a hostage to play him for a fool, and Wei Zhao had been thoroughly displeased. But because of Han Jingyi, Wei Zhao had no choice but to help Liu Tianli, and could only swallow the loss in silence. Now, however, Kang Zhaoming had delivered himself to his door—so Wei Zhao would make him swallow a loss in silence as well!

Xuandan Sect had made no small amount of money on first-grade automatic cauldrons—no less than Wei Zhao, in fact. After all, Kang Zhaoming's cauldrons kept pace with updates very quickly, and cauldrons that offered knockoff prices with genuine service naturally sold extremely well, splitting the market in half.

But however much money he had made, Wei Zhao would make him lose every last bit of it!

"Understood." Kang Xiaobo did not ask why; he simply nodded and prepared to carry out Wei Zhao's plan. After all, the first-grade automatic cauldrons were not sold through the pharmaceutical company's channels, so there was no need for Kang Xiaobo to ask too many questions.

After hanging up on Kang Xiaobo, Wei Zhao turned to Han Jingyi and said, "For the second-grade automatic cauldron, do not develop overly intelligent functions for now. Make it like the earliest version of the first-grade automatic cauldron—a second-grade alchemist must be able to skillfully manipulate the pill fire temperature. Shelve the automatic-control version for the time being."

"Ah? All right." Han Jingyi was briefly startled, then nodded, and immediately understood Wei Zhao's meaning. "Brother Wei Zhao does not want the second-grade automatic cauldron to cut into the sales of the first-grade one, is that right?"

"Exactly! If those alchemists who can already kindle first-grade pill fire only need a little study and practice to refine second-grade pills, then who would still refine those first-grade pills with inferior effects?" Wei Zhao nodded. "After the second-grade automatic cauldron hits the market, we discount the first-grade automatic cauldrons. As for the second-grade cauldron's sales, do not worry about them for now—adopt a hunger-marketing strategy. Sell them only at auctions, not through the company."

"Understood." Han Jingyi followed Wei Zhao's arrangements completely. "That way, Kang Zhaoming will not be on guard against the second-grade automatic cauldron. He will think it is very difficult for us to manufacture and that we are selling very few, while many people want one. That will also give him ample time to spend heavily on researching a second-grade automatic cauldron—and then, when he has researched it nearly to completion, we simply upgrade and replace?"

"Exactly. Swap out the chip circuit board inside, and let him crack it for nothing." Wei Zhao said.

"Understood! Jingjing knows!" Han Jingyi replied.

In the days that followed, Han Jingyi returned to Yanjing City under the identity of Liu Jinghan and threw herself into the affairs surrounding the launch of the second-grade automatic cauldron, while Wei Zhao also welcomed his first final examinations of his university years.

Except that Wei Zhao was a specially privileged individual whom Bai Lingtou had personally exempted from taking the finals, much to the envy of Bai Weituo and the others. Yet Wei Zhao still sat for the exams—not for any other reason than that he had not seen Wang Xinyan for a long time, and he took the opportunity of the finals to come and see her.

To be honest, it had been some time since he and Wang Xinyan had parted, and Wei Zhao still missed her greatly. After all, they had slept in the same bed for so many days and nights, and Wei Zhao had deep feelings for Wang Xinyan. It was just that Wei Zhao now had no excuse to ask Wang Xinyan to come to his villa.

At the entrance to the examination hall, Wei Zhao happened to see You Panhu and Kang Zhaolong walking over together. The two of them saw Wei Zhao as well, and their gazes were somewhat evasive—after all, Wei Zhao's prestige now rang loud and clear throughout the entire ancient layer, and the hidden You family of the present day was no match for Wei Zhao at all.

But having seen him, they could hardly fail to greet him. You Panhu was a man who knew how to read the times, and he knew that in this life he might never be able to shake Wei Zhao—and not just him, either. Even Kang Zhaolong's elder brother, Kang Zhaoming, got a headache whenever he saw Wei Zhao. What airs did he have left to put on? Better to just play the meek grandson.

"Ah, if it isn't Boss Wei Zhao! It has been so long—your little brother has missed you terribly!" You Panhu came forward beaming.

"Oh, You Panhu. What do you want with me? Surely you have some fine thing to give me again?" A thought stirred faintly in Wei Zhao's mind, and an idea came to him.

"Ah? A fine thing... With the paltry things my family has, how could anything catch Boss Wei Zhao's eye?" You Panhu's heart sank. Surely he had not shown off too much before, and now that Wei Zhao had grown powerful, he had come to extort him?

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. In the past, Wei Zhao had always wanted a third-grade cauldron, but the You family did not even have two third-grade cauldrons! Of course, if Wei Zhao insisted on taking one by force, there was nothing he could do about it. He could only push the blame onto Xuandan Sect and let Xuandan Sect figure something out... RS

For the fastest updates, please read without pop-ups.