175 Chapter 166: The Storm of Protection Fees
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As Qin Ming drove the royal carriage back to the Tian Dou Royal Academy, the entrance was already crowded with students and teachers, including the Xue Ye, Xue Xing, Xue Qinghe, Xue Beng, and the three members of the board of education.
Clearly, they were there to welcome Miss Zhu Zhuqing from the Star Luo Empire.
"Welcome, Miss Zhu Zhuqing, to the Tian Dou Royal Academy. Let us strengthen the friendship between our nations and foster cooperation..." Xue Ye began his lengthy speech once again.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, Guang Ling, and the others from the Tian Dou Royal Academy couldn't bear the atmosphere and left early.
With the six-month exchange program concluded, Qin Ming didn't have many plans for the remaining six months. He allowed Tang San and the others to practice or research on their own.
A floating volleyball court was also set up on the lake within the Tian Dou Royal Academy, attracting many noble children to try this novel sport.
However, their skills were too poor, often falling into the water, so they didn't enjoy the game much.
Therefore, some noble children put their heads together and moved the court from the water to the land, removing the swaying suspension bridges and replacing them with solid ground.
Real volleyball was born!
Now, the noble students truly enjoyed themselves.
But for Yu Tianheng and others, this simplified game offered no challenge and didn't provide much training effect. It wasn't worth mentioning. Water volleyball, with its ability to exercise balance and soul power control, was more beneficial for them.
Meanwhile, Tang San, accompanied by Guang Ling, purchased a large-scale workshop in Tian Dou City specializing in manufacturing life soul devices. They procured materials and set up assembly lines to start producing soul-guided cameras and soul-guided photographic boxes.
Then, Tang San approached the Tian Dou Newspaper, paid a sum as a Tian Dou Royal Academy student, and spread the news about the soul-guided cameras and photographic boxes.
Following that, he had Guang Ling, as his disciple, write a theoretical paper on the manufacturing of soul-guided cameras and photographic boxes, emphasizing the concept of "patent."
In other words, the soul-guided pathways of these devices were proprietary to Tang San and Guang Ling. Without their permission, anyone daring to imitate them could be demanded compensation or even face enforcement from the Martial Soul Hall to protect their intellectual property rights.
Among them, Tang San also emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property: encouraging innovation, sparking inspiration, and promoting the development of soul-guided technology, and so on.
Of course, all of this was superficial.
To get the Martial Soul Hall's help in protection, a certain fee had to be paid.
Everyone had long-term vision, but people, being people, had to focus on tangible benefits to make a living; otherwise, everything would be empty.
Therefore,
After Guang Ling finished writing everything, Tang San didn't immediately hand it over to Ma Xiu Nuo. Instead, he once again approached Ning Rong Rong and had her contact Ning Fengzhi, expressing his willingness to authorize the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, reaching a cooperation similar to the one with cheongsam.
The moment Ning Fengzhi got hold of the soul-guided cameras and photographic boxes, he understood their strategic significance and didn't want Tang San to sell them off.
But that's why Tang San had bought a workshop in the first place.
These two soul devices indeed held strategic importance, but if everyone had them, their strategic significance in reconnaissance and information gathering would diminish.
And by the time Ning Fengzhi found Tang San, the soul-guided cameras and photographic boxes were already circulating in the market, and he couldn't forcefully buy Tang San and Guang Ling's soul-guided workshop, nor could he suppress them... After all, Rong Rong was somewhat inclined towards Tang San's side.
Helplessly, Ning Fengzhi could only make arrangements.
With the soul-guided camera and photographic box in hand, Tang San asked Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, Huo Wu, Ye Lingling, Zhu Zhuqing, and others to put on qipaos for them to record videos and take photos.
This not only promoted the soul-guided camera and photographic box but also promoted qipaos.
For a while, the entire Tian Dou City knew about qipaos and the soul-guided camera and photographic box.
In the six months, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's promotion of qipaos couldn't compare to those exquisite and dazzling photographs.
Within just a month, the sales of qipaos, soul-guided photographic boxes, and soul-guided cameras reached twenty million, excluding the share for Tang San. The net income of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan in this month alone exceeded forty million gold soul coins, surpassing the usual annual net income.
"Forty million gold soul coins in a month!" Sword Douluo felt like he was living in a dream when he heard this. "That Tang San, he's truly a talent."
"I didn't expect that qipaos, soul-guided photographic boxes, and soul-guided cameras, when combined, would be so valuable. Moreover, after promoting the life soul devices we originally sold through photography and filming, the sales volume has also greatly increased." Ning Fengzhi touched the soul-guided camera, his face full of disbelief. "This thing actually has such a big impact... But the most important thing is Tang San's mind; that's the real advertisement, easy to spread, and convenient to record."
Bone Douluo picked up the soul-guided photographic box and took several pictures outside the hall, also sighing, "This is true widespread publicity!"
Sword Douluo said, "However, there's a problem. The soul-guided pathways inside the soul-guided photographic box and soul-guided camera are relatively simple, and the structure is not complex. It's easy for people from the Underworld School to imitate."
"This is a problem." Ning Fengzhi understood. It was impossible to prevent others from imitating or pirating. It was manageable in Tian Dou City, but outside Tian Dou City, or even in the Star Luo Empire, it was beyond their control.
The force that could influence conflicts across the continent was the Martial Soul Hall.
But the Martial Soul Hall didn't handle commercial disputes...
"Dad, look, the new issue of Martial Soul Newspaper!" Ning Rongrong ran into the living room conference room and handed the Martial Soul Newspaper to Ning Fengzhi.
"What a talent!"
Ning Fengzhi's eyes sparkled.
The Martial Soul Newspaper introduced that Tang San and his disciple "Zhu Ri" (pen name) had researched the soul-guided camera and soul-guided photographic box and applied Tang San's proposed concept of intellectual property rights to the Martial Soul Hall. That is, paying ten million gold soul coins to the Martial Soul Hall annually, the Martial Soul Hall needed to protect the intellectual rights related to Tang San, "Zhu Ri," and the soul-guided camera, and the soul-guided photographic box, prohibiting others from imitating or cooperating without permission.
If anyone dared to imitate, Tang San and "Zhu Ri" could demand compensation from the relevant parties or forces involved in the dispute. If the other party refused to reason, they could ask any branch of the Martial Soul Hall to help enforce justice.
This was equivalent to paying the Martial Soul Hall (protection fee) to handle matters.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan giving a share to Tang San was also indirectly sending money to the Martial Soul Hall. In the future, when members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan encountered Martial Soul Hall personnel, they would also receive more convenience.
Marvelous!
Although this form cannot completely prevent small workshops from imitating and copying, Ning Fengzhi also doesn't care about the benefits of those small workshops.
What he values is—
Tang San has formed a chain of interests with the Martial Soul Hall by relying on the so-called intellectual property rights.
For major powers, only interests are tangible. Everything else, whether it's alliances or oaths, is illusory and unreliable.
But tangible benefits, measured in millions of gold soul coins, are extremely tempting.
So, Ning Fengzhi also instructed someone to write intellectual property applications for various life soul devices within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's industry, and provide evidence that they were invented by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"Dad, isn't this a bit too much?" Ning Rongrong knew that the soul-guided pathways of those life soul devices were left over from ancient times, and it's just that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan collected them. Saying that they invented them, isn't that a bit thick-skinned?
"Cough, the benefits are too great, so we have to do this." Ning Fengzhi wasn't willing to compete with other forces. Moreover, after this issue of the Martial Soul Newspaper came out, other sects and families would also apply for intellectual property rights. If he acted like a gentleman, he wouldn't get a single drop of soup.
However, Ning Fengzhi believed that the Martial Soul Hall would choose their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
For one, the information related to the life soul devices prepared by their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was the most comprehensive, and the quantity was also the largest. A sect could give the Martial Soul Hall nearly five billion gold soul coins each year, which was much more convenient than cooperating with other small sects, forces, or businesses...
Inside the Martial Soul City.
Bibi Dong looked at the pile of intellectual property application documents after Tang San and Guang Ling's. She felt a bit overwhelmed—That kid Tang San had really increased her workload by quite a bit.
However, these things really made money. Confirming an application for a life soul device meant the Martial Soul Hall would have an income of ten million gold soul coins per year. With so many applications, not to mention hundreds of billions?
Even if you set aside a large pile of overlapping ones, there would still be nearly ten billion in income each year.
This was more than five times the amount of gold soul coins they received annually from the two empires.
Correspondingly, once the intellectual property rights were confirmed, she also had to arrange for Martial Soul Hall personnel across the continent to know the specific situation and then enforce the law.
Bibi Dong found Tang San's explanation of intellectual property protection very reasonable.
If something that someone had worked so hard to design and create could be easily imitated by others without giving them any benefit, it would inevitably greatly reduce their enthusiasm for creation and slow down the emergence of new things.
However, intellectual property rights and the annual protection fees paid according to the utility of the invention also need to be adjusted.
For items like the soul-guided camera, the fee should be at least ten million gold soul coins per year.
For non-soul-guided devices, the fee can range from one hundred to one hundred thousand gold soul coins.
After all, some unique weapons also have significant effects.
"Teacher, there are a lot of duplicate contents in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's applications compared to those of other forces. Whose should we exclude?" Hu Liena, who was helping Bibi Dong sort through the documents, presented two sets of intellectual property applications for soul-guided lamps.
"Exclude the ones that aren't from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan." Bibi Dong decisively made the decision. After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had the most applications. It would be more convenient for the Martial Soul Hall to collect fees in the future, saving them from running around so much.
"Understood." Hu Liena nodded and took out the applications from other forces that were identical to those of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and threw them into the nearby trash bin...
Intellectual property rights? That Tang guy really knows how to stir things up.
Within the Haotian Sect.
The elders received the Martial Soul Newspaper passed down by Tang Yuehua to the sect and chuckled coldly.
"Just some tricks and techniques!"
"Not worth mentioning."
"Giving money to the Martial Soul Hall? Ten million? What nonsense!"
"This is what weaklings do, begging the Martial Soul Hall for protection."
Listening to the teachings of the elders of the Hao Tian Sect, the disciples of the sect nodded in agreement.
Tang Xiao glanced through the Martial Soul Newspaper and saw something, but having been in the sect for years, his thinking had become somewhat rigid, and he couldn't grasp the key points. But one thing was certain, Tang San was definitely extraordinarily clever.
Because Yuehua didn't tell anyone in the sect about Tang San's identity. After all, Tang Hao was a criminal in the Haotian Sect, and Yuehua didn't want her son to be insulted by the people of the Haotian Sect.
Inside the Moon Pavilion.
Tang Yuehua put down the Martial Soul Newspaper and said to Tang Hao sitting across from her, "Little San's ability to make money truly astonishes me. Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan might even feel inferior. With just a concept and explanation of intellectual property rights, he has formed a relationship of interest with the Martial Soul Hall and is now under its protection."
"But Father," Tang Hao didn't care. He only believed in strength.
"Ah, you're still the same as before, looking down on everything except strength." Tang Yuehua sighed and asked, "Second brother, how's your injury?"
"Half a year ago, after Xiao San's treatment and another half year of recovery, I've almost recovered." Tang Hao clenched his fist, feeling the condition of his body, feeling somewhat excited.
If he could, he would declare war directly on the Martial Soul Hall: he, Tang Hao, the Haotian Douluo, was back!
"What are your plans for the future?" Tang Yuehua asked, "You've severed ties with Xiao San as father and son, not seeing him for six years. It's normal for him not to recognize you. Do you want me to..."
"No need." Tang Hao's tone became serious. "He already has the power to protect himself. I don't need to keep an eye on him in secret. That rabbit... forget it."
He had also seen the current situation of Xiao Wu. He didn't know what method she used to hide the aura of the soul beast, but with Tang San's intelligence, he must have guessed it. He shouldn't take any risks.
Therefore, he didn't need to pay too much attention.
However, he couldn't tell Tang Yuehua about this.
Tang Yuehua's face dimmed. She understood that she couldn't gain her second brother's full trust because her soul power was only at the ninth level and she couldn't enter the real world of soul masters.
Involuntarily, she remembered the method Tang San had told her about possibly breaking through to the tenth level—
Did she really have to give up everything she had built in Moon Pavilion and let go of all the pride taught by the Haotian Sect?
"Next, I'm going to the City of Slaughter." Tang Hao suddenly said.
"Why go there?" Tang Yuehua was surprised. "Haven't you already obtained the domain of the God of Slaughter? What's the point of going to a place full of corrupt individuals?"
"To evolve the domain of the God of Slaughter, slaughter is the best choice. I have no psychological burden killing people there." Tang Hao's words were filled with indifference.
In fact, the various branches of the Martial Soul Hall were also good places to vent, but it was not wise to cause trouble at this time. He needed to break through his current realm first.
"Only in such a place can I quickly cultivate to level ninety-nine."
"Silver has been stolen, and I can't find her. So, I can only hope to break through to higher realms first and then search."
With that said, before Tang Yuehua could react, Tang Hao disappeared from sight. His speed was so fast that ordinary people couldn't react in time.
When one's strength reached a certain level, their speed would naturally be fast as well.
The classification of soul masters is generally effective only for low-level soul masters. At the level of Titled Douluo, even if they are support-type, their speed, strength, defense, soul power, etc., are incomparable to ordinary people.
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Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
Yu Yuanzhen looked at the reply from the Martial Soul Hall and found that the knowledge property rights application for life-type soul devices had not been approved, knowing that it must have been taken by the Seven Treasure Glazed Glass Sect.
"Humph, the Seven Treasure Glazed Glass Sect really doesn't give an inch. But, is the Martial Soul Hall going crazy? They didn't even give a bit of face to our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family."
Yu luomian pondered for a moment and said, "It might be because the main income of our family is not from selling life-type soul devices."
"That's true. In the whole Tian Dou, the industry of life-type soul devices has always been dominated by the Seven Treasure Glazed Glass Sect." Yu Yuanzhen nodded. "Losing this bit doesn't matter. Let's just consider it giving face to the Seven Treasure Glazed Glass Sect."
"But what else do we have worth applying for?"
Yu Luomian tentatively asked, "The family's bathing medicine formula?"
"Are you crazy?" Yu Yuanzhen even doubted whether Yu Luomian was too infatuated with his daughter and had become foolish. "This is the family's top priority. Can we sell it?"
The bathing medicine formula of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family was the foundation for the disciples within the sect to surpass other soul masters.
Even if other families wanted to buy, they could only buy the finished product medicine powder. The corresponding formula would never be revealed. It was one of the foundations of a sect.
"Brother, you're right. It's just that, even if we don't sell, it doesn't mean that other families won't. We've sold quite a lot of finished medicine powder to other families. Perhaps there are many talents in their families who can analyze some of it. When the time comes, they might turn the tables on us, and if the Martial Soul Hall intervenes, we might be at a disadvantage."
If the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had multiple Titled Douluo, they wouldn't fear the Martial Soul Hall.
However, the Martial Soul Hall had the most Titled Douluo.
Moreover, in Yu Luomian's view, the medicine formula was not the foundation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
Didn't they usually sell finished medicine powder to others?
That wasn't much different from making the medicine formula public.
If they told the Martial Soul Hall, it would also prevent others from secretly researching it.
Moreover, their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family's bathing medicine formula had the best effect on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul masters.
Furthermore, they could purchase a large amount of medicinal materials. Others wouldn't have many opportunities to imitate them; they could only buy finished bathing medicine powder from them.
After all, you can't make a good meal without rice.
It's like whale glue; everyone knows it's a good thing, but after the whale glue on the market is purchased, how many people dare to venture into the unfathomable depths of the sea?
Even ordinary whales live in deep-sea areas, which even Titled Douluo find difficult to capture.
Similarly, they could first buy up all the medicinal materials for making bathing medicine on the market, then apply for a patent, and then open a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bathing medicine industry. By setting the prices a bit higher, they could recover their costs, right?
And with more money, they could buy more precious resources that couldn't be found on the market.
For example: Ten Thousand Years Whale Glue.
Yuluomian believed that as long as the money was given, someone would definitely bring out the secretly stored Ten Thousand Years Whale Glue.
"I'll consider it." After listening to Yuluomian's analysis, Yu Yuanzhen hesitated a bit, but he was already tempted. However, he still needed to observe first.
Then, the Huo Family applied first.
After discussing with the family, Huo Wu took out the Huo Family's bathing medicine formula and, with Tang San's introduction, went to the Martial Soul Hall in Tian Dou to apply for a patent.
Grand Priest Salas of the Platinum Church knew that Tang San was that martial soul theory master. The Pope even dispatched a Soul Douluo to protect him personally (Ling Yuan had already returned after hunting soul beasts and officially became a Soul Douluo), so naturally, they wouldn't dare to neglect him.
