Rise in Douluo Continent with the help of bean buns

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the rustling sound of brooms sweeping the streets could already be heard in the alleys of the southern city.

Lin Chen stood on the steps of the central courtyard, having just finished his morning cultivation. A faint dark green aura lingered around his fingertips, and his first soul ring appeared and disappeared beneath his feet in an instant.

The flow of soul power at level twelve became increasingly smooth, and the subtle control over the entanglement of life force became more and more proficient. Even a wisp of blue silver grass as thin as a hair could be precisely switched between the three effects of entanglement, conduction, and suppression.

"Boss, news has come from Wan Yao Tang." Old Chen strode in, holding a slip of paper in his hand, his face beaming with joy. "The first batch of Concentration Powder and Body Tempering Medicine Packs for trial sales has sold 70%! There are so many repeat customers, and so many people are asking when we'll restock!"

Lin Chen withdrew his martial spirit, took the note, and glanced at it.

The label contains sales data from Wanyaotang's eight branches, along with a few customer feedback entries, mostly stating that the product is significantly more effective than others and works quickly.

"Faster than expected." Lin Chen nodded calmly, his expression not showing much emotion.

The product's effectiveness speaks for itself, so its strong sales are to be expected.

"Since the market recognizes it, we can officially start." Lin Chen looked up at Old Chen. "Go to the Chamber of Commerce today and register the license for Qinghetang Tiandou Branch. From now on, we'll have our own brand and manage our own distribution channels."

"Okay!" Old Chen's eyes lit up, and he quickly agreed.

Selling products under the name of Wanyaotang is ultimately a stopgap measure. Only by having its own name can it truly gain a foothold in Tiandou City.

That afternoon, Old Chen went to the Imperial Ministry of Commerce, submitted the documents, and paid the fees. The procedures in Tiandou City were very formal; as long as the qualifications were in order, approval could be obtained in three days.

While waiting for the license, Lin Chen finalized the product system.

The main products are two basic products: an optimized version of An Shen San (安神散) and a third-stage Ning Shen San (凝神散).

The Tranquilizing Powder is targeted at ordinary people and low-level Soul Masters. It mainly focuses on calming the mind, aiding sleep, and relieving mental fatigue. Its effects are 30% better than similar products on the market. The price is the same as the market price, taking a cost-effective approach to build brand awareness and expand distribution channels.

Concentration Powder targets mid-to-high-level Soul Masters and Great Soul Masters, primarily enhancing cultivation focus and accelerating Soul Power recovery. Its effects are 40% better than those on the market, while the price is only 10% higher, making it the core of the profit.

The body tempering medicine pack is a supplementary product and is not the main focus of promotion; it is only supplied to customers who have a specific need.

"Boss, the raw materials, labor, and rent in Tiandou City are all more expensive than in Blackstone Town. If the price of Tranquilizing Powder is the same, the profit per serving will be much lower than in the town," Old Chen said truthfully after doing the math.

"Initially, we don't need huge profits, we need a good reputation," Lin Chen said calmly. "If we keep the price competitive and the results are overwhelming, we can break into the market as quickly as possible. Once the market recognizes our brand, we can increase profits by upgrading our product categories."

Old Chen scratched his head and nodded as if he understood: "Oh, I get it."

This is the most basic strategy for differentiation.

The Tiandoucheng medicinal herb market may seem saturated, but it is actually highly homogenized. Everyone is competing on price and distribution channels, and no one is putting in the effort to improve the effectiveness of their products.

He insisted on doing the opposite.

By leveraging the absolute advantage of superior performance at the same price, we can create a breakthrough.

Three days later, the Ministry of Commerce approved the license.

A black plaque with gold lettering was completed. The three characters "Qinghetang" were written in a gentle and elegant style, just like the one in Black Stone Town, except for an additional line of small characters "Tiandou Branch".

The plaque wasn't hung on the main street, but rather at the entrance to the front courtyard of the three-courtyard house.

Lin Chen had no plans to open a street-front retail store.

Starting with wholesale and channeling through small and medium-sized pharmacies, we adopted a low-asset, stable approach.

  

"Old Chen, let's start exploring the distribution channels today." Lin Chen handed Old Chen a stack of sample packages. "Go to the small and medium-sized pharmacies in the south and west of the city, one by one. We'll distribute the products for free first, giving each pharmacy ten portions of An Shen San and five portions of Ning Shen San. We'll settle the payment after the products are sold, and if they're not sold, we'll refund the full amount."

"Free distribution is risk-free, and pharmacies will be very receptive." Old Chen nodded, but then added with some concern, "It just means we'll have to invest a bit more upfront."

"It's manageable," Lin Chen said calmly. "Tian Dou City has a fast turnover rate, so we can manage the flow."

The tactics used in Blackrock Town are still applicable in Heaven Dou City, only on a larger scale.

The next morning, Old Chen set off with his sample bag. Old Li also lent a hand, and the two of them worked in different areas, which greatly improved their efficiency.

Lin Chen stayed in the courtyard, watching the workshop's first batch of production.

The raw materials in Tiandou City were of better quality than those in Blackstone Town, so he took the opportunity to make another minor adjustment to the formula, improving the effect by another 50%. He was extremely strict about quality, personally inspecting every batch of materials before it was produced.

After running around for half a month, more than 80 small and medium-sized pharmacies accepted the free distribution.

With the stable sales of Wanyaotang, sales rose rapidly.

The workshop increased its daily production capacity from 200 servings to 500 servings, but it still couldn't meet the demand.

"Boss, this is really impressive!" Old Chen comes home excited every day. "Many pharmacy owners say our calming powder is selling faster than local brands, and we have a lot of repeat customers!"

Lin Chen flipped through the account book, his expression calm.

He knew in his heart that the real test was yet to come.

If you touch someone else's cake, someone will naturally jump out.

Sure enough, trouble came knocking a few days later.

Old Chen returned from his work trip that day, looking rather pale.

"Boss, something's not right." Old Chen frowned. "Today, five pharmacies told me they want to return some of our stock and are afraid to promote it anymore."

"Why?" Lin Chen looked up.

"Zhang's Herbal Medicine Company has issued a warning," Old Chen said angrily. "They said that if any pharmacies in the southern part of the city dare to sell Qinghetang's products, they'll cut off their regular herbal medicine supply. There are also rumors spreading everywhere that our medicine powder contains banned drugs, that it's effective at first but harmful later!"

Zhangji Herbal Medicines is a long-established wholesaler in Nancheng. It has been in business for over ten years and controls the regular supply of dozens of pharmacies. It is a local power in Nancheng.

Qinghetang's calming and tranquilizing powders were selling so well that they were taking away their core product category business, and the other party finally couldn't sit still anymore.

"Master, should I take some men to talk to them?" Old Chen clenched his fist. "They're all Soul Masters, I don't believe they dare to act forcefully."

"No need." Lin Chen shook his head lightly. "Going there to argue would only make you look bad."

If the other party resorts to underhanded tactics, and he confronts them with force, regardless of the outcome, he will be branded as a bully, which will only confirm the rumors that he is "something wrong."

Not worth the candle.

"Doubao, devise a response plan," Lin Chen said to himself.

[Received. Analyzing the optimal response to the Zhangji Medicinal Herbs exclusion incident... Analyze complete.]

Event assessment:

-Opponent's strength: Regional wholesaler, medium size, distribution channels are concentrated in the southern part of the city, with no influence over top merchants.

- Core tactics: spreading rumors and exerting pressure on distribution channels, using information asymmetry to mislead pharmacies and consumers.

- Risk level: Low. It won't fundamentally damage the business, but it will affect the initial distribution speed.

[Response Strategy (Three Steps):]

1. Quality self-certification: We offer a "7-day money-back guarantee" to all partner pharmacies, and we will bear all losses. At the same time, we invite pharmacy owners and long-term customers to try the product on-site and dispel rumors with actual results.

2. Alignment of interests: Set up tiered rebates for partner pharmacies, with a 50% rebate for monthly sales of 50 units and a 10% rebate for monthly sales of 100 units. The more you sell, the more you earn, thus offsetting the pressure from the other party's distribution channels.

3. Leveraging endorsement: By making additional supplies to Wanyaotang as normal, the credibility of Wanyaotang's brand indirectly proves that the goods sold by Wanyaotang cannot be problematic.

Expected outcome: The rumors will dissipate within ten days, channels will be restored, and the event may even boost brand awareness.

Addendum: No direct confrontation is needed; a calculated, overt strategy will suffice, aligning with a strategy of concealing one's strength.

Doubao's plan was clear and sound, and every step was on point.

Lin Chen nodded slightly.

That's pretty much what he thought.

"Old Chen," Lin Chen looked up and calmly instructed, "Three things. First, notify all cooperating pharmacies that if customers feel that the entire Qinghetang product line is ineffective, they can return the goods within seven days without giving a reason, and we will bear the losses."

"This is a sure thing!" Old Chen slapped his thigh. "True gold fears no fire, the effect speaks for itself. Not many people will back out, but the pharmacy and customers will have no worries."

"Secondly," Lin Chen continued, "the tiered rebate policy. If you sell fifty units per month, you get an extra 50% rebate; if you sell one hundred units, you get an extra 10% rebate. The more you sell, the more you earn."

Old Chen's eyes lit up: "This way, the pharmacies will definitely be more willing to promote our products! Zhang's pressure won't work anymore; who would turn down money?"

"Third," Lin Chen said, "go to Wan Yao Tang tomorrow and tell Liu He to order an additional 800 doses each of An Shen San and Ning Shen San through their wholesale channels. Don't mention Zhang Ji's matter; just replenish the stock as usual."

Old Chen was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

Wanyaotang is one of the top ten pharmaceutical merchants in Tiandou City, and the fact that they normally sell Qinghetang's goods is the best proof of that.

How could something that even Wan Yao Tang approves of have a problem?

The rumors will then fall apart on their own.

"Brilliant, boss!" Old Chen exclaimed in utter admiration. "That was a brilliant move!"

"Go ahead and do it," Lin Chen said calmly, without any expression.

They are all open schemes.

It all comes down to the product's inherent strength.

He insists on winning fair and square, even if his opponent resorts to underhanded tactics.

Over the next few days, Old Chen carried out Lin Chen's instructions one by one.

The moment the money-back guarantee was announced, the cooperating pharmacy owners breathed a sigh of relief. Those who had initially hesitated were now completely reassured.

With the tiered rebate policy in place, shop owners are even more enthusiastic. What used to be just a side business is now being actively recommended to customers.

Furthermore, with the news of Wan Yaotang supplying goods in bulk spreading, many people felt reassured upon hearing that Wan Yaotang was selling Qinghetang's medicinal powder.

"What problem could there be with a brand that even Wan Yao Tang sells? A store that big wouldn't sell banned drugs, would it?"

"Yes, and it really works well. It's been very good for calming my nerves."

The rumors were disproven on their own.

The pressure exerted by Zhang's medicinal herbs gradually lost its effectiveness.

The pharmacy owners all knew the answer – selling Qinghetang's goods was faster, and the profit after rebates was higher than selling Zhangji's goods.

Giving up a profitable business just because of this little bit of pressure? Impossible.

Gradually, the few pharmacies that had hesitated before restocked, and many new pharmacies took the initiative to approach us for cooperation.

This incident not only failed to bring down Qinghetang, but it also essentially resulted in a free defeat for them.

Qinghetang's reputation for "good results and money-back guarantee" gradually spread among small and medium-sized circles in Nancheng.

When it was time to settle the accounts at the end of the month, Old Chen held the account book with a happy expression on his face.

"Master! This month's net profit is 312 gold!" he reported. "We've caught up with the stable level in Blackrock Town!"

Three hundred and twelve gold.

In its first month of operation, it has already reached the peak of Blackrock Town, far exceeding expectations.

After all, Tiandou City has higher costs; rent, labor, and raw materials are all more expensive than in the town. Breaking even in the first month is already very impressive.

"Moreover, we now have more than 120 partner pharmacies, and Wan Yaotang is still shipping goods. The price will definitely rise again next month!" Old Chen said excitedly. "Zhang Ji hasn't made any moves yet; they've probably given up."

Lin Chen flipped through the account book and nodded slightly.

Okay.

As expected, Tiandou City has a large enough market; it caught up with the stable level of Blackstone Town in the first month.

But this is just the beginning.

Blackstone Town only yields a little over 300 gold at its peak, while Heavenly Dou City is just beginning to exert its power, with potential far exceeding that.

"Don't let your guard down," Lin Chen said calmly. "Increase the workshop's production capacity again, but don't compromise on quality. Next month's goal is to have over two hundred partner pharmacies and achieve a monthly net profit of four hundred gold coins."

"Four hundred gold coins?" Old Chen's eyes lit up, and he nodded emphatically. "Great! Don't worry, boss, we can definitely do it!"

He now completely trusts Lin Chen.

If the employer says they can do it, then they definitely can.

As night deepened, the workshop in the backyard had already turned off its lights.

Lin Chen stood on the steps of the central courtyard, gazing at the night sky.

I've been in Tiandou City for over a month now.

Qinghetang branch started from scratch and gradually took root.

But this is far from enough.

A monthly profit of over 300 gold coins is top-tier in Blackstone Town, but in Tiandou City, it wouldn't even qualify as a third-rate wholesaler.

The road ahead is still long.

Zhang Ji is just a minor player; the real big players—the behemoths like Baicaotang and Huichunge—haven't even noticed this little newcomer yet.

The real battle will begin when sales pick up again and threaten the core interests of those big businesses.

But Lin Chen wasn't worried.

As long as the product is good enough and the pace is steady, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to stand firm if we keep moving forward step by step.

Concealing one's talents and keeping a low profile does not mean hiding away and doing nothing.

Instead, they secretly accumulate strength, proceed steadily, and wait for the right opportunity to make a stunning debut.

He raised his hand, and a slender strand of blue silver grass swayed gently at his fingertips, carrying a warm vitality.

He is still very weak.

Qinghetang is still very small now.

But it's okay.

There's still plenty of time.

He has enough patience to grow slowly.

Until one day, the name Qinghetang will be remembered in this bustling capital.

Moonlight spilled onto the bluestone slabs, and the courtyard was quiet.

The boy stood in the moonlight, his eyes gentle and his expression calm.

The first hurdle of Tiandou City has been overcome.