Having united most of the Talisman Makers in Qingliubo City, the Mutual Aid Association's strike action was very effective.
At first, the three major chambers of commerce wanted to rely on inventory to support themselves, and once issued harsh words to the talisman makers, threatening to reduce the purchase price of talismans by 30% within three years as punishment for participating in the strike.
But when their inventory was exhausted, they could no longer produce talismans for sale.
The supply and demand in the talisman market has always been very unbalanced. Low-level talismans are on the street and are almost unprofitable. However, high-level talismans are often marketable and priceless. It is difficult to find a talisman even if you have a lot of spiritual stones.
What is currently lacking in the market is not ordinary talismans such as cleansing talismans, but defensive talismans such as golden light talismans.
Without the output of local talisman makers, if they want to make up for the gap in these talismans, the three major chambers of commerce can only buy them at high prices from other places. Then, in order not to lose too much, they also have to sell the talismans at a higher price.
For price-sensitive casual practitioners, this is definitely an important factor influencing their shopping.
Therefore, a large number of casual cultivators adventuring in the wilderness chose to go to other markets to buy talismans.
Without the presence of these big customers, the sales of other goods in Daiifang Market began to decline.
This time, not only the three talisman shops including Xingwu Pavilion, but also shops selling elixirs and magic weapons were also affected to some extent.
Seeing the passenger flow in the market decreasing day by day, some people finally couldn't sit still.
On the ninetieth day after launching the strike, the Mutual Aid Association was forced to hold a second rally.
There is still the round table, but now there are only five Talisman Makers sitting on the chairs.
"Dong Ruilin said he won't come either." A middle-aged talisman maker said helplessly, spreading his hands.
Dong Ruilin was Mr. Dong, the staunchest supporter of the Mutual Aid Association back then.
Including him, a total of seven Talisman Makers declined to attend the gathering for various reasons.
What surprised Lu Zhong was that even Li Dong was among the seven people who didn't come.
Recalling what Mr. Dong said on the ship, he couldn't help but feel a little ironic.
In fact, Lu Zhong had already expected such a result.
Experience in his previous life has told him that a simple strike is unlikely to succeed.
Due to the selfishness of people's hearts, the three major chambers of commerce can easily break up the mutual aid association with just a little inducement.
Without the concerted efforts of everyone, and the five remaining people alone, the so-called strike would become a joke.
"How about I quit too?" The middle-aged talisman maker hesitated.
Although if he quits now, the price will be reduced for three years, he feels that it is okay for his family. As long as he works harder and endures it, he can still get through it.
"You!" Huang Shuyuan pointed at him, her chest heaving violently, and she was so angry that she couldn't speak.
After a long period of contact, Lu Zhong found that she was definitely a sensible person, and she might have anticipated the current situation of the mutual aid association.
But even so, Huang Shuyuan is still the most active one in the strike.
He has been busy all the time, coordinating the conflicts that occurred due to the market strike, and his credit is higher than that of Chen Shaoyan.
It was precisely for this reason that she was so angry.
There is one less person in the mutual aid association. Now only Lu Zhong, Huang Shuyuan and Chen Shaoyan are left.
And a black-haired young man named Chen Dongyang, who had always been silent before.
"It seems that this mutual aid association can only be disbanded." Chen Shaoyan said helplessly.
He felt that he had done everything he could, and the development of things to this day also verified what he had been saying all along, that is, after all, the casual cultivators were no match for the sect family, and the only option was to endure the exploitation obediently.
When Huang Shuyuan heard this, her body trembled slightly and her eyes turned red.
Lu Zhong, who was closest, sighed, thinking that she should be an idealist.
At this moment, the black-haired young man Chen Dongyang suddenly laughed.
"I think the mutual aid association may need to change its method of resistance."
Seeing the three people looking at him with incredible eyes, Chen Dongyang remained unmoved and raised his voice and continued: "I think that making the Chamber of Commerce have to rely on me is an excellent way..."
"You...you are crazy!" Chen Shaoyan understood what Chen Dongyang meant and suddenly looked shocked.
In his opinion, there are only a few methods available to realize Chen Dongyang's method.
What Li Dongyang wants to implement is most likely to directly use force to force the three major chambers of commerce to surrender, and this represents a series of bloody conflicts in which thousands of people will die in the future.
After hearing this, Lu Zhong held his chin and fell into deep thought.
“Are you going to get what you can’t get at the negotiation table through war?”
I have to say that Chen Dongyang's way of resistance is really extreme.
No, this may not be extreme.
To be precise, it should be the only feasible truth in this world of cultivation where the jungle prevails.
The big merchants are able to bully and dominate the market not because of their own strength, but because of the support of the clan behind them.
Therefore, their rise and fall are often tied to the sects and families behind them, and they will rise and die along with it. In fact, they do not have much autonomy.
After understanding this, Lu Zhong was not prepared to participate.
In fact, he has always been a self-interested person.
Chen Dongyang's approach is destined to have strong enemies on the road in the future, and it is also destined to be impossible to achieve.
What's more, he is only at the second level of Qi Refining and is just an ordinary cultivator in the world of cultivation.
"Sorry, I'm quitting too." Lu Zhong said directly.
"What a pity. I originally thought... Fellow Daoist Lu would agree with my idea." Chen Dongyang sighed.
Then he looked at Chen Shaoyan and Huang Shuyuan and asked, "What about you, are you willing to come with me?"
Chen Shaoyan shook his head and said that he still insisted on his previous idea.
"I'll join!" Huang Shuyuan said firmly.
Lu Zhong was not surprised at all by this.
…
A few days later, the strike ended with the dissolution of the mutual aid association.
The three major chambers of commerce did not act like their harsh words. They purchased talismans for three consecutive years and lowered the prices for all the talisman makers who participated in the strike. They even took the initiative to raise the purchase price, returning it to the price during the Qingliuxu period.
Such an action, in the eyes of people who don't know the truth, is really kind.
Mr. Dong and other talisman makers who were the first to surrender to the Chamber of Commerce quickly stood up and praised the Chamber of Commerce for its great kindness.
Lu Zhong looked at all this with mixed feelings in his heart.
Afterwards, his life returned to calm, and he basically spent every day practicing spells and making talismans.
The success rate of drawing the Seven Mysterious Arrow Avoidance Talisman is increasing day by day, which also allows more and more spiritual stones to be earned, so that it is not unaffordable to buy golden silk spiritual rice as rations.
That night, Lu Zhongchang exhaled a breath of turbid air, his face full of joy.
"It's not easy. It took me two years to finally break through to the third level of Qi refining!"
Compared with the second level of Qi Refining, his total spiritual power now has been greatly improved, fully doubled.
After practicing the Shuimu Sword Technique to the third level, you will be able to emit sword light.
He has been looking forward to this for a long time.
Regarding the activation of sword light, it is roughly through the mobilization of special spiritual power that the spiritual power is emitted through the fingertips.
Only monks who have practiced the Shuimu Sword Technique can do this. For monks who practice other techniques, they can simply force the spiritual power out of the body and not trigger the sword light.
Lu Zhongjian pointed toward the courtyard, and suddenly a green sword light shot out from his fingertips.
The sword light shot out and disappeared into the bluestone bricks!