Chapter Seventy-Nine

Chapter Seventy-Nine

On the first day of a small store's opening, selling out was undoubtedly an excellent start.

Shen Wang was very satisfied. He knew that Xiao Hei Ge's plan couldn't just stop there, and he didn't mind helping to fuel the fire a bit more.

On the Metaphysics APP, Shen Wang posted a message, announcing that he would sell two hundred talismans on a first-come, first-served basis.

Since learning about the existence of the Metaphysics APP, this was Shen Wang's first time posting in the forum.

Soon, his post became a hot topic.

[Is this really that Shen big shot?]

[Finally starting to sell talismans, two hundred of them, worthy of a big shot indeed.]

[Others in a sect struggle to produce, managing only two hundred in a month, but the big shot can easily produce that many, it's just maddening to compare.]

[Wondering about the price… hope it’s not too expensive.]

[Expensive is secondary, good talismans are priceless. Getting one is a real bargain.]

[Eagerly waiting for the big shot's store update.]

Looking at the lively responses, Shen Wang remained unfazed and casually started a pre-sale in his store, a two hundred deposit with a balance of nineteen thousand eight hundred, shipping randomly, essentially launching a mystery box.

Soon, the two hundred talismans were all snatched up, leaving those who got them overjoyed and those who missed out disheartened, emotions mixed.

[Wow, am I seeing this right? A deposit plus the final payment, all for just twenty thousand?]

[Only twenty thousand for Shen's talismans? Am I dreaming?]

[Could Shen be a newbie in metaphysics, unaware of market prices? Even the most basic talismans cost several tens of thousands, and slightly better ones go for over a hundred thousand… not to mention the top-tier ones, which are unobtainable without seven figures.]

[Just unsure what talismans Shen will send… if we end up with something common like a peace talisman, it might be a small loss for twenty thousand.]

[A high-quality peace talisman is worth several thousands, it all comes down to quality.]

[Please, it’s Shen we’re talking about. How bad could his talismans be?]

[With two hundred talismans… if Shen is drawing them now, I wonder how long we'll have to wait for delivery, so anxious.]

The forum members were excitedly rubbing their hands, filled with nervous anticipation.

During this time, anyone slightly in the know had heard of Shen Wang's fame, especially his talent in drawing talismans, which was praised to the skies.

Some confidently claimed that Shen Wang always carried a bunch of talismans with him, easily tossing out a few at will;

Others said that Shen Wang's speed in drawing talismans was as fast as sketching, unbelievably quick;

There were also rumors that Shen Wang's talismans had an exceptionally strong spiritual energy, even more potent than the top-tier talismans…

These exaggerated rumors were believed by some, but many were skeptical, considering them to be overstated.

[Shen Wang is young, but his claims are anything but.]

[A mystery box for talismans and even a pre-sale… Never heard of such rules before. Looks like he's just trying to make a quick buck.]

[Doing this in the metaphysical community, he's really not afraid of the consequences.]

But soon, someone retorted.

[With Shen's capabilities, how could he possibly be short on money?]

[The deposit of two hundred is trivial, and limiting it to two hundred pieces, if he really wanted to scam, he wouldn't set a limit.]

[If you don't want to buy, then don't. Why all the whining? What if Shen gets annoyed and decides not to sell anymore?]

The last comment made everyone shiver, preventing further quarrels in the post. Seeing any aggressive replies, they simply reported them, silently maintaining the forum's environment.

Talismans aren't like other things, with countless substitutes, and you can choose not to buy them.

In the metaphysical world, talismans are lifesavers in critical moments, rare in number and generally of mediocre quality. An excellent talisman master is revered by any sect or power.

Even so, excellent talisman masters are few.

With Shen Wang's abilities, even if he isn't as powerful as the rumors suggest, he's still young with plenty of room for growth. The metaphysical community doesn't mind nurturing this promising talent, allowing him to flourish.

[When it's time to deliver, just send those useless peace or sleep talismans…]

[After all, it's a mystery box, he decides what to send.]

The others, upon reading this, couldn't bother to explain to these people that even a peace talisman, if of high quality, could be very useful to practitioners… There's no such thing as a useless talisman, only useless talisman masters.

After reporting, everyone eagerly began to speculate.

[Wonder how long it will take for the boss to ship? So many talismans, it must take several months…]

Shen Wang was fully focused on drawing talismans, completely unaware of the ongoing debates.

A stack of thick talisman paper sat at the corner of the table. Shen Wang earnestly drew two, but as he continued, he gradually became impatient and increasingly irritable.

He started drawing whatever came to mind, without much thought.

Then, the strokes became more and more careless, visibly messy, like transitioning from regular script to running script, and then to cursive.

Finally, he even started cutting corners, drawing carelessly, just connecting a straight line from start to end, simplifying the complex strokes in between until they became just a few candy-like circles.

As Shen Wang struggled with his talisman drawing, news of his store's silent update and its rapid sell-out spread to social media.

[Shen just stealthily updated his store, but by the time I saw it, everything was gone. Who are these sisters who act so fast [Crying][Crying][Crying]]

Comments quickly followed below.

[What?!! Shen updated his store?!!]

[What??!! It's already sold out???]

[[Angry] Shen really doesn't treat us like family, updating without telling us, not even a notification.]

Initially, it was just fans playfully complaining, but when marketers discovered and shared it, countless people saw the presale in Shen Wang's store and were stunned.

[A deposit of two hundred, a total price of twenty thousand… A mystery box for talismans, isn't that too expensive?]

[I could afford two hundred, but twenty thousand? What kind of money-making scheme is this, shearing his own fans clean?]

[I used to think buying celebrity-endorsed products was bad, but now it seems better than this streamer. At least with celebrities, despite the brand premium, you get something. But here, you spend twenty thousand for loneliness.]

[...I'm more curious, who exactly are his fans? How can they afford this?]

As the number of shares increased, so did the online debates, eventually evolving into criticism of all streamers.

It even escalated to a unified online petition demanding the banishment of Shen Wang.

Shen Wang found out about this through a phone call from Li Pingping, interrupting his talisman drawing to inform him.

After hearing Li Pingping's words, Shen Wang was dumbfounded; "So... it has come to a boycott and banning me?"

Li Pingping was frantic: "Not just banning you, but all platforms banning you!"

Shen Wang, speechless and choked; "…I didn't even look once, how did it escalate to this whirlwind of a situation?"

Li Pingping was also clueless: "I don't know... Shen, are you going to make a public apology? The kind where you regret taking up social space..."

Shen Wang: "...What do you think?"

Silence followed on the other end of the phone from Li Pingping.

Apologizing, indeed, was not Shen Wang's style.

"Alright, leave it. Don't get involved," Shen Wang scoffed, "Focus on your studies, stay off the net. I've transferred some pocket money to you."

After saying that, Shen Wang hung up the phone.

Staring at the phone, Li Pingping was anxious: How could he not care?

Seeing the pocket money Shen Wang transferred, Li Pingping's pupils dilated, even starting to suspect if his brother was really shearing his fans like leeks to support him.

After asking about his sister Liu Yue's living expenses, Li Pingping was even more indignant: "Why do you get twice as much as me?!"

The situation escalated, transforming from Shen Wang's personal issue into an industry-wide critique of streamers, including overpricing products, encouraging fans to tip extravagantly, and selling fake goods at high prices. The list of offenses was endless.

And Shen Wang became the scapegoat, the proverbial chicken killed to warn the monkeys.

Shen Wang: "..."

It was utterly absurd.

Amidst the overwhelming criticism, there were still some defending him.

For instance, Feng Xiaomian, a streamer Shen Wang had helped before, with tens of millions of followers, and Liang Ruri, a part-time streamer with a million fans, spoke up for Shen, only to be labeled as complicit, deceitful, and unscrupulous streamers driven by mutual benefits.

Even ordinary accounts defending Shen were dismissed as brainless fans, foolishly wealthy and mentally unsound.

Furthermore, official accounts that supported Shen, like those of the Yu and Song families, were accused of profiteering and suspected of shady under-the-table deals.

Shen Wang: "..."

Tragic, truly tragic.

Causing such a huge public uproar in such a short time, Shen Wang would eat his keyboard if there wasn't someone behind the scenes stirring the pot.

The most likely culprit didn't need guessing; it was definitely the entire Tang family!

Quickly finishing the remaining talismans and sending them out the next day, Shen Wang posted a mocking update.

[Last time you bought marketing accounts to smear me, and now you’re using the same tactic. Are you running out of ideas, or is your intelligence limited to just this? @Tang Jiu]

Overnight, the situation had reached its peak. Shen Wang's message instantly caused a sensation.

[Do you have a persecution complex?]

[You're the one who wanted to make money, and now you're shifting the blame to others. Shameless.]

[Even though the Tang family wronged you, they've already apologized and have been as quiet as a mouse. You always bring them up whenever there's trouble. Are you planning to ride this wave forever?]

Shen Wang patiently replied to each comment.

[Would these money-grabbing marketing accounts suddenly repost in unison without someone paying them? I'm not famous enough to trend for just anything.]

[The items I sell are genuine and this price is not only fair, it's a bargain.]

[If fighting back against those who want to harm me counts as reaping benefits, then I hope you get to enjoy such 'benefits' too.]

After retorting to these people, Shen Wang raised an eyebrow: A bunch of trash, their combined strength is nothing compared to his.

At this time, those in the metaphysical community who received their orders were puzzled, not expecting a delivery so soon.

Seeing that it was sent from Shen Wang's store, everyone was stunned.

After feeling the power of the talismans, those who got them trembled, shakily logging onto the metaphysical forum to leave replies.

[Can you believe what happened? I paid the deposit yesterday and received the item today! I got a Thunderbolt Talisman, and its power... let’s just say, I think I could blast a fierce ghost to oblivion right now!]

[I received mine too, unbelievable!]

[Oh my God!!! I got an exceptional one, a Purple Lightning Talisman!!! But wasn’t it said to be lost to history?]

[I got a Vajra Talisman, looking at its spiritual energy, it could probably defend against a ghost king for a while.]

[I got the most common one, a simple Fire-Control Talisman, but the spiritual energy in it is extraordinary.]

Everyone's excitement was palpable through the screen, making those who didn’t get a talisman envious.

Until someone posted on the forum.

[Fellow Daoists, Shen is being slandered outside, go and speak up for him, or else we might have trouble getting talismans from him in the future.]

Surprised and eager, people put aside boasting about their talismans and rushed to another app, even the normally internet-averse older practitioners were dragged online by younger relatives to learn how to navigate the web.

Suddenly, on the social media site where Shen Wang was being heavily criticized, a group with a different vibe appeared.

[You common folks have no idea how extraordinary Shen’s talismans are!]

[As one of those who grabbed a mystery box, I paid the balance immediately after receiving the item, hoping for another chance to buy from the boss. It's okay even if it's not this cheap next time.]

[Buying something of this quality for twenty thousand is almost like getting it for free. Is Shen doing charity or what?]

[Sob, the item's so affordable it hurts, and you guys still think it's expensive... Well, never mind, you wouldn’t understand anyway.]

[Shen's items are excellent and worth more than their price. I hope everyone would be kinder in their comments.]

The netizens who were fervently criticizing Shen Wang: "???"

Upon checking these people’s profiles, they found an array of odd accounts.

There were newly created accounts, seldom-used old ones, and even completely unrelated ones, like accounts of hermits sharing their secluded lives, monks documenting their daily meals… even a celebrity-fan account that had become famous in the fandom!

Known for being wealthy and fickle in the fandom, the celebrity-fan account owner herself had a few hundred thousand followers. Her sudden comment on something unrelated to her usual content shocked her followers, who asked if she was hacked.

Decisively, the fan posted a photo with the celebrity she was currently following, saying deeply: [You don't understand, from now on, Shen is my only 'bro'.]

Fans of the celebrity-chasing account: "???"

[Didn't you say you change your loyalty daily and would never focus on just one?]

[I'm genuinely curious now, who is this person that made you so committed?]

[Have you been possessed or something?]

The celebrity-chasing account didn't respond to their queries but after two hours of silence, posted a lengthy message.

As someone who had been in the fan circles for years, the account had some interactions with marketing accounts. She used money to persuade several of them to speak up, exposing the truth about being paid for their services.

Then, with lightning speed, the account laid out the whole sequence of events.

From anonymous sources approaching these marketing accounts to smear Shen Wang, to the buildup and steering of public opinion, and finally igniting the hotspot, everything was detailed with pictures and evidence, leaving no marketing account unexposed.

Thinking about what Shen Wang had said about Tang Jiu hiring people to slander him, the netizens fell silent.

[Actually… he was just selling something, with no false advertising or counterfeit goods. There’s really nothing to criticize, is there?]

[Seeing the comments, it seems… whatever he sold was quite useful to them?]

[Honestly, I'm now curious about what he was selling. So many people rushing to buy it, and it's said to be worth more than the price… I'll try to grab one next time too.]

[The Tang family is despicable. Weren’t they arrested by the police? How are they still causing trouble?]

[Using us as pawns, utterly disgusting. We should firmly resist.]

[Tang Jiu only resorts to such despicable tactics, truly nauseating.]

Suddenly, everyone's anger turned towards the Tang family.

Not just the netizens, but also the practitioners on the metaphysical forum felt the same.

[After learning about Shen’s ordeal with the Tang family, I never expected them to be such people.]

[Unfortunately, the Tang family's talisman paper is unique, with no alternatives. Otherwise, I would boycott their paper just like those netizens.]

[...To the person above, have you heard of a small shop? They've started selling talisman paper!]

[Shen himself has visited this shop and highly recommends it!]

[I knew it, Shen’s talisman paper feels different, thinner, and more resilient. So, he switched to a different paper...]

[This talisman paper does indeed seem better than the Tang family's. I'll buy from this shop from now on.]

While Shen Wang was still pondering what to do, the situation resolved itself and even inadvertently dealt a blow to the Tang family.

Shen Wang couldn't help but smile wryly: “This is really a case of, ‘you reap what you sow’.”

He was still figuring out how to promote his talisman paper, and Tang Jiu just handed him the opportunity. Not taking advantage of this would be ungrateful for Tang Jiu’s unintended help.

At the Tang family, Tang’s father was extremely distressed by the situation online.

Ever since the Tang family had a public relations disaster online, Tang’s father had started paying attention to online affairs. He initially reveled in Shen's misfortune, only to find the tables turned on him the very next day.

Tang’s father summoned Tang Jiu and berated him in frustration: “Didn’t I tell you not to provoke Shen Wang? Why did you slander him online?”

Tang Jiu was utterly confused: “I didn’t, Dad. I’ve been busy trying to please Gu Manling recently and had no time for such things!”

Tang’s father, however, was unconvinced: “If not you, then who? Besides you, who else harbors such deep grudges against Shen Wang and knows how to manipulate online public opinion?”

This time Tang Jiu was genuinely aggrieved; he really hadn’t done it!

But Tang’s father was no longer listening to his explanations, looking at him with a cold, disquieting gaze: “Let this matter be.”

Tang Jiu could clearly sense the impatience in his father's tone towards him.

With a sinking heart, Tang Jiu silently nodded.

Ever since learning about Shen Wang being a talisman-drawing prodigy, Tang’s father's attitude towards Tang Jiu had done a complete one-eighty.

Previously, Tang’s father had high hopes for Tang Jiu to excel in cultivation and restore the Tang family to a top position in the metaphysical world, treating him with the indulgence of a doting father.

He would give Tang Jiu anything he asked for, even bragging rather than being concerned when Tang Jiu's womanizing led to confrontations, believing it to be a sign of his son's charm.

But now...

Tang Jiu's gaze dropped coldly: If it weren't for the Tang family having already fallen out with Shen Wang, he wouldn’t be standing here.

If it were possible to exchange his life to bring Shen Wang back into the Tang family, Tang Jiu knew his father would do it without hesitation.

Just like before, when Shen Wang was his biological child, yet he unconditionally chose Tang Jiu, imposing harsh criticisms on Shen Wang.

Now, roles reversed, it was he who was being disdained. Tang Jiu couldn’t help but sneer; if not for his scheming to cling to Gu Manling, his status would be even lower.

This can’t go on any longer, Tang Jiu thought.