After two more applications, Zhang Jie finally mastered the technique of applying lipstick and perfectly put it on.
Hong Shan timely produced a mirror for Zhang Jie to see.
"This Earthly item is indeed good. The color is much stronger than ours, but this color is too vibrant and doesn't suit me. If only it could be lighter..."
Hong Shan then offered another lipstick.
"Whatever color you want, it's all here. I spent a lot of effort to get them."
Zhang Jie took the new lipstick and swiped it on her arm. Feeling the color was just right, she happily accepted it.
"I won't take it for free. How much is this item? I'll buy it."
Hong Shan smiled and shook his head.
"No money, no money! It's my honor for Zhang Jie to accept it."
Ye Xinning almost got anxious.
Someone is practically stuffing money into your pocket, and you've sewn your pocket shut!
Isn't that foolish?
"I still have a lot of other cosmetics from Earth here, each one better than the last. I'll give you and your sisters a set for free. You just need to help me promote them."
"Promote them?"
Zhang Jie became interested, smiling as she looked Hong Shan up and down.
"You, your mahjong parlor is doing so well, why do you want to start a new business?"
"Just a side hustle, a side hustle!"
Hong Shan chuckled and smiled as he escorted Zhang Jie upstairs.
Ye Xinning originally wanted to follow, but she saw Hong Shan's hand gesture behind his back, so she stopped.
Soon, Ye Xinning heard women's laughter and exclamations from upstairs, which were probably Zhang Jie's sisters.
After a while longer, Hong Shan slowly came downstairs, a "victor's smile" on his face, while faint sounds of mahjong tiles clattering came from upstairs.
It must be said that the soundproofing of this mahjong parlor was a bit poor. Perhaps it was intentionally designed this way for a lively atmosphere.
"It's all taken care of!"
Hong Shan slowly reclined on the rocking chair again, picking up his folding fan to slowly fan himself.
"You sold them?"
"No."
"Then why do you say it's taken care of?"
"Their reviews are all very good. Disciple, some things can't be rushed. What we want isn't a one-time deal. We need to have a long-term vision."
Hong Shan patiently explained:
"Think about it, if I had learned mahjong back then and just set up a stall on the roadside, letting others pay to challenge me, that would also be a way to make money. But could I have achieved what I have today?"
"No..."
"The principle is the same. If we had taken their money today, what if they thought it was too expensive, or just thought it was average and only used it for themselves? There are only four of them. We can't just do business with these four people, right?"
Ye Xinning slowly nodded, seemingly understanding something.
"So, we need to leave them with a good impression and earn an opportunity for them to help promote it to their friends?"
"Exactly."
Just because something is effective doesn't necessarily inspire them to share, but being free does.
"Zhang Jie alone has three sisters, and there are others who don't play mahjong. How many sisters would these four people have combined?"
Ye Xinning nodded, showing her agreement.
"By the way, you still don't know who that person just now was, do you?"
Ye Xinning shook her head.
She hadn't been in Nine Heavens for even a week, and most of the information she received was from Hong Shan. She barely knew anyone.
Even if a few important figures from Nine Heavens were brought in, she wouldn't recognize them.
"You two just kept saying 'Academy, Academy.' Was that the Nine Heavens Academy you mentioned?"
However, Ye Xinning could at least glean some clues from their previous conversation.
"Yes, this Zhang Jie is from the Nine Heavens Academy. Can you believe she's a Cultivator in the Returning Void Stage?"
"Returning... Returning Void Stage?"
Ye Xinning was startled, slowly opening her mouth.
Although there are five Cultivation Realms in total, and Returning Void is not the highest Realm, those who can reach the highest Realm, Dao Harmonization, are very few. Only Sect Masters of a few First-Rate Powers can possess such strength, and even they are only in the Early Stage of Dao Harmonization.
And the number of people in the entire Cultivation World who can reach the Returning Void Stage is also minuscule. Even when Hong Shan boasted, he would say, "I'm only one step away from the Returning Void Stage. It won't be long until I can Breakthrough."
Many leaders of second and third-rate Powers are only around the Middle Stage or Late Stage of Returning Void.
More importantly, the Returning Void Stage is a height that artificial Spiritual Roots cannot reach. The artificial Spiritual Roots in Nine Heavens come in many qualities. The worst can barely allow one to step into Cultivation, reaching a few layers of Qi Refining, while the best can even allow one to reach the Peak of Soul Transformation.
But the Returning Void Stage is an insurmountable threshold.
Ye Xinning had originally thought that this woman was just a wealthy mahjong player, someone from an illustrious background, and Hong Shan's flattery was merely because she was rich.
After all, this Zhang Jie clearly looked very wealthy, a kind of aura specifically manifested in her exquisite makeup, luxurious clothing, and beautiful jewelry. Her dazzling array of treasures made one feel her wealth at a glance.
Although Ye Xinning also couldn't sense this woman's aura, Ye Xinning knew that her own strength was too low. No matter how low the woman's strength was, if her family wealth was abundant, raising her Realm wouldn't be difficult.
Even without a Spiritual Root, buying a high-quality artificial Spiritual Root would be a trivial matter.
And now Ye Xinning understood that this woman's strength was much greater than her Master's.
Moreover, her Cultivation talent and Spiritual Root Aptitude must also be very impressive.
Her Master's flattery, how could it not be respect for a powerful individual... or for a future powerful individual?
Thinking of this, Ye Xinning suddenly looked at Hong Shan with a playful gaze.
"You... don't look at me like that. This is called the service industry. Flattering customers is my duty! Even her little sisters are powerful Cultivators in the Soul Transformation Stage. If I don't serve them well... they'll tear down my broken mahjong parlor in minutes!"
"Didn't you say you were a carefree wanderer? Why are you now willingly entangled in the disputes of worldly fame and fortune?"
Ye Xinning teased again.
"You... I just said it casually! Why do you remember it for so long!"
Hong Shan turned his head, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Being exposed by his disciple was too humiliating!
"You're too young to understand the ways of the world. Once you experience the harsh realities of society... you'll understand! But I suggest you'd best not experience the harsh realities of society..."
Ye Xinning looked at Hong Shan, this old man, looking aggrieved, and couldn't help but twitch her lips fiercely.
What kind of harsh realities of society had he experienced before?
Ye Xinning tried to imagine Hong Shan being surrounded and pinned to the ground when he was young... and couldn't help but want to laugh.