Seeing Zhao Yan swim to the shore, Wang Xianzhi quickly came over to remove the oxygen tank from her body and said to her in a low voice, "Master, when I took off my talisman clothes, I hid behind the coffin to do it secretly."
"After I took them off, I hid them inside my belly clothes so those people couldn't see what treasures I got."
Zhao Yan gave Wang Xianzhi a thumbs-up for his caution and meticulousness.
She understood the principle that an innocent man is guilty when he possesses a treasure.
The three middle-aged men, for the sake of treasure, wanted her to die at the bottom of the water with over a dozen Yuanmen disciples.
The villagers of Lingjing Village gathered around, asking about the handling of the water ghosts.
Before Zhao Yan could speak, the Xuanmen disciples all shouted that it had been dealt with.
They then proceeded to tell the villagers about handling the water ghosts, albeit with some exaggeration.
They praised Zhao Yan to the heavens, saying she single-handedly eliminated over fifty water ghosts and describing how ferocious the water ghosts were.
They claimed that without Zhao Yan, they would have all died at the bottom of the water.
Their accounts were so convincing that they startled the villagers, who all gave Zhao Yan a thumbs-up.
As for Zhang Ping, he was truly wicked. Not only did he create an underwater tomb, but he also trapped the craftsmen who built it inside.
He ordered his disciples to flood the area, causing these people to become water ghosts.
With so many water ghosts, the Yin energy was extremely heavy. Coupled with the effect of the Spirit Imprisonment Formation, children with weak Yang energy were easily affected, leading to drowning.
According to the villagers, the river was not originally this large. Later, the river channel was altered, and this river was expanded, resulting in its current appearance.
Zhao Yan reassured them that she had completely enclosed the underwater tomb with the Spirit Imprisonment Formation, and no trouble would arise.
Even so, the villagers remained uneasy and kept asking Zhao Yan questions.
Zhao Yan spread her hands, opening her talisman business. The more than twenty talismans in her bag were sold out in an instant.
She had millions in her account, and the villagers worked hard for their money. Some villagers earned less than ten thousand yuan annually.
A thousand yuan per talisman was indeed expensive. She changed the price to one hundred yuan per talisman, with a purchase limit of one per household at a time.
Some villagers almost fought to snatch one of her talismans.
Zhao Yan felt a bit helpless about this.
She could only promise them and gave them a shop address, telling them to come to the shop to purchase in a few days.
After this matter was concluded, Zhao Yan returned to the shop.
The dozen or so Xuanmen disciples were grateful to Zhao Yan and all invited her to dinner.
Zhao Yan politely declined.
For Zhao Yan, the matter of the underwater tomb did not leave a deep impression; she might forget about it in a few days.
However, for these dozen or so young Xuanmen disciples, it was a significant event in their lives.
They each wrote short essays ranging from one hundred to five hundred words, describing the dangers involved, and posted them on various Xuanmen groups, forums, and bulletin boards.
What Zhao Yan did not expect was that she became popular again in an unusual way.
She gained a new title: Xuanmen Big Shot.
The number of people interviewing her increased. Initially, it was a few scattered individuals, but gradually, over a dozen people came in teams.
Some even turned her shop into a Xuanmen check-in spot.
Many young disciples wanted to become her apprentices.
"People fear fame as pigs fear getting fat." Zhao Yan feared neither ghosts nor gods, but she feared these people pestering her.
Since they couldn't get to Zhao Yan, they started trying to appease Wu Jiaxin and Wang Xianzhi. Some even tried to curry favor with General Black Tiger, flattering the two of them and the dog so much that they lived comfortably every day.
"Master, another dozen have arrived." Wang Xianzhi looked outside and saw over a dozen people approaching, which was no longer surprising.
Wu Jiaxin initially enjoyed the flattery, but after a while, she grew tired of it. Seeing these people arrive again, she started to feel annoyed.
"Sister Zhao, why don't we create a chain brand called 'Wo Cao Master!' and let these people pay to join our franchise stores? You can teach them some basic talisman-drawing techniques, and then they can go about their own business."
"If this continues, we won't have any business at all."
As soon as Wu Jiaxin finished speaking, Wang Xianzhi nodded and said, "Xin Xin's idea is good. It's not good to have these people bothering us all the time."
Some people came here just to check in, take a photo with Zhao Yan, and then leave.
These dozen or so people were really persistent, ignoring all attempts to dissuade them, coming every day to beg Zhao Yan to take them as disciples.
He was Zhao Yan's only disciple.
If Zhao Yan were to suddenly take so many disciples, his status would surely be threatened. He had been feeling anxious these days, fearing that Zhao Yan would agree.
"Franchise stores?" Zhao Yan murmured softly. She didn't mind this idea.
What Zhao Yan didn't expect was that after she agreed, over a decade later, "Wo Cao Master!" became the number one brand in the Xuanmen world, dominating half of the market.
"Master, what should be a reasonable franchise fee?" Wang Xianzhi asked.
Zhao Yan didn't know the market rates. After thinking for a moment, she let Wang Xianzhi decide.
Wang Xianzhi wouldn't let her be taken advantage of.
"Then let's set the franchise fee at five hundred thousand yuan. We will provide some basic talisman-drawing knowledge, and if their character is good, we can provide better techniques later," Wang Xianzhi said.
Zhao Yan replied, "Okay."
Wang Xianzhi turned and walked towards the dozen or so young people.
Five hundred thousand yuan was a lot for young people. Upon hearing this figure, more than half of them immediately left.
As they left, they cursed Zhao Yan for being too greedy for money as a Xuanmen Daoist, calling her a miser. They said that with such great abilities, she should pass them down, not be tainted by the stench of money.
Wang Xianzhi didn't tolerate this and slapped them back to reality.
"Is your master your father or mother that she should teach you for free!"
"Get lost."
Wang Xianzhi's voice was even louder, and Zhao Yan could hear him from inside the shop.
Only five people could afford the five hundred thousand yuan franchise fee.
Wang Xianzhi confirmed multiple times, and these five people nodded firmly in agreement.
Unlike those who left, they had previously investigated Lingjing Village.
Every household in Lingjing Village had bought a talisman from Zhao Yan. The villagers treated the talismans like treasures. They offered two thousand yuan, even ten thousand yuan, but the villagers refused to sell.
This immediately showed them a huge business opportunity. They understood some Yin and Yang arts themselves, but upon seeing the talismans drawn by Zhao Yan, they felt utterly inferior.
It would take them a hundred years to draw something similar.
If Zhao Yan allowed them to join, they would scramble to get in, let alone the proposed franchise fee of five hundred thousand yuan.
They decisively produced five hundred thousand yuan, borrowing money if necessary to gather the amount.
Those who left, upon hearing that five people agreed to pay five hundred thousand yuan, couldn't help but mock them as fools.
Paying five hundred thousand yuan for only basic talisman knowledge, what else could they be but fools?