Victor
Rong Xin’s last hope collapses. He privately admits defeat, unable to match Fang Yuan on stock. Fang Yuan’s latest cut sets off a huge wave of buying and huge profits for him, while Xie Bao Shu and Wang Ming Yue hesitate over whether to follow. Following would shrink their own profits far below what they expect, but refusing risks losing the whole market if Fang Yuan’s stock proves as large as it seems. Unable to learn who Fang Yuan is or how much stock he holds, both decide separately that following him is the safer choice. Rong Xin alone does not follow, since with little stock he would rather hold his price and gamble on Fang Yuan running out first. ch. 1455
Wang Ming Yue, suspicious of Rong Xin’s refusal to cut, contacts him to probe whether he knows something about Fang Yuan, and Rong Xin, helpless himself, feels some sympathy for her. Fang Yuan, Xie Bao Shu, and Wang Ming Yue settle at the same lowest price, while Rong Xin’s stays higher and draws no buyers. Fang Yuan then lowers his price again by a wide margin, an unprecedented drop that draws an unmatched crowd of buyers to his stall. Xie Bao Shu, seeing this, loses his composure, since matching it would erase his profit entirely and push him below the line he has set for his own vicissitude tree business. He refuses to cut further, holding his goods instead. ch. 1455
Wang Ming Yue is equally troubled, since matching Fang Yuan’s price would cost her heavily too, but she still decides to follow rather than let him take the whole market. Xie Bao Shu watches to learn whether Fang Yuan has real foundation, and buyers gather only at Fang Yuan’s and Wang Ming Yue’s stalls, while Rong Xin, priced above them all, turns the most relaxed and watches the two fight. Fang Yuan, having probed all three sellers’ limits, judges them about the same level and any edge Wang Ming Yue holds a slight one, then delivers one final cut. This drop is small but fatal, landing below the cost price of all three sellers, a level normally used by a seller desperate for funds or stuck with unsellable surplus. Rong Xin pales and Xie Bao Shu’s expression turns dark. Wang Ming Yue, shocked, does not dare follow this time, since selling at this price would be a true loss. Treasure yellow heaven erupts, countless Gu Immortals swarm Fang Yuan’s stall, even those who already bought return for more, and Fang Yuan’s business booms unthinkably while the other three are left with none. ch. 1455
The three sellers stop worrying and wait instead, refusing to believe Fang Yuan can hold this price for long, expecting his own losses to force him to stop. But Fang Yuan can continue indefinitely, since his year Gu cost him only the immortal essence needed to run his rank eight Immortal Gu Years Flow Like Water. Rong Xin spends immortal essence and Gu materials to refine his year Gu, Xie Bao Shu grows vicissitude trees at the cost of manpower and resources, and Wang Ming Yue must fund and manage her River of Time tributary. All three costs run far above Fang Yuan’s, roughly ten to his three or four. With goods otherwise alike, the contest turns purely on cost. Fang Yuan is named the price war’s winner, decided from the start. ch. 1455
