Entering the market, the old man who used to set up a stall was not there. Shen Wang couldn't help but ask another talisman paper stall vendor. The price was slightly cheaper, but the quality was too poor.
His expression was not very good. For the same tier, talisman paper and rune liquid could withstand a talisman beyond two grades at most. He had to use lower grade talisman paper to craft top-grade treasurer talismans, and he must guarantee the quality of the talisman paper and rune liquid were sufficient.
Even a skillful woman cannot cook without rice. If the quality isn't enough, the success rate will be greatly affected, or he might not be able to craft top-grade treasure talismans at all.
He planned to try refining top-grade treasure talismans, so naturally, he had to consider quality. As for using mid-grade talisman paper, he would use it, but certainly not too much, as the cost was too high.
With no choice, he could only ask the stall owner: "That colleague of yours over there, when does he usually come?"
The latter sneered, "That old man is an advanced talisman master, he only occasionally sets up a stall. If you want to meet him, it depends on luck, unlike me who is often here."
Shen Wang was surprised: "Such a talisman master also comes here to set up a stall?"
Being able to refine top-grade treasure talismans makes one an advanced talisman master, similar to a Qi Cultivation Great Success cultivator and even higher due to being a professional cultivator.
Logically, such figures shouldn't lack small money.
"Ha, hasn't he encountered something where he urgently needs spirit stones? What else would be the reason?"
The stall owner looked like a thin monkey, a face of meanness, gleefully looking at Shen Wang with raised eyebrows: "Do you want to buy or not?"
"Prepare ten sheets of lower grade talisman paper for me."
Shen Wang only had a dozen Silver Radiance Talismans on him, nothing else, not even a single spirit stone. Under the cloak, his face was slightly embarrassed: "Do you accept talismans here?"
"Yes, but not much."
"How much for a Silver Radiance Talisman per sheet?"
"One spirit stone for lower grade, three for middle grade, five for top-grade."
The stall owner quoted the price and looked at Shen Wang: "I see you can make top-grade. I run a small business; six middle grades are enough if the quality is poor, I'll press the price."
Shen Wang touched the storage pouch and took out six Silver Radiance Talismans, tossing them lightly to the stall owner.
The latter took the talismans to inspect, nodded satisfied: "The quality isn't bad. Subtract your purchase of talisman paper, I'll give you sixteen spirit stones. Do you want any mid-grade talisman paper?"
"I'll talk about it next time."
Shen Wang had to try first. If the paper was usable, he'd consider continuing to buy.
The stall owner took out sixteen pigeon egg-sized jade stones gleaming with spiritual light along with ten sheets of talisman paper, tossing them to Shen Wang with a smile: "Welcome back next time."
Shen Wang said nothing, put away the spirit stones and talisman paper, looked at a few shops along the street, and entered Hengchang.
After a brief moment, he came out again, his face not looking good.
Just now, he learned that Hengchang had lowered their purchase price to two spirit stones per sheet, reasoning that they were not lacking.
He directly turned around and chose to go to the second store.
Celestial Commerce Association.
An impressive name, it looked like it had just opened, the shop was still new.
Shen Wang walked in. The variety inside was quite rich; the staff were three tall beautiful women, all in long white dresses embroidered with cloud patterns, like swans, all mortal women.
The nearest beautiful shop attendant quickly walked over, bowed, and greeted: "Welcome honorable guest, I am Paper Kite, what can I assist you with?"
"Selling Silver Radiance Talismans, how much do you pay?"
Shen Wang was concise.
"Honorable talisman master, we accept Silver Radiance Talismans for prices ranging from one to eight spirit stones here, may I know your…"
"Middle grade."
Shen Wang placed the talisman on the table: "How much per sheet like this?"
"Three spirit stones per sheet, master." Paper Kite smiled: "There shouldn't be any higher in the market than us."
Shen Wang looked at the latter: "Will it be just two stones next time?"
Paper Kite revealed: "Shouldn't be short term, our association just opened, needing to buy various talismans, magical artifacts, and elixirs."
"How long is short term?"
Shen Wang didn't want to encounter price drops in a couple of days.
"Should be half a year at least; during this period, our purchase price will be higher, and what we sell is relatively affordable."
Upon saying this, Paper Kite shrewdly added: "I dare not deceive the master; it's what the shopkeeper says, hoping the master will visit our shop often."
"Then I'll come next time. You collect these Silver Radiance Talismans and I'll buy some materials."
Shen Wang took out all the talismans, sold them for thirty spirit stones, plus the sixteen on him, totaling forty-six stones.
Then he inquired about the talisman paper prices at this shop, one spirit stone for 4 sheets of lower grade paper, slightly more than the one-eyed old man, cheaper than Hengchang.
As for the quality, it was similar to the one-eyed old man's. He bought eighty sheets at once, spending twenty spirit stones.
The mid-grade talisman paper was one spirit stone for 2 sheets. He bought twenty sheets and two bottles of mid-grade rune liquid, both costing ten spirit stones, totaling forty spirit stones spent.
After finishing the purchase, Shen Wang was left with six spirit stones. Once he turned these hundred sheets of talisman paper into talismans, he should be able to exchange for over a hundred spirit stones, netting about sixty.
Such earning skill was already excellent, enough to support a family.
When he stepped out of the shop, his pace noticeably lighter.
The talisman-making money path seemed to smoothly enter the norm; things would improve further, even if his daughter was growing to start cultivation, he could provide cultivation resources.
"After going back, I can start trying to refine Fireball Talismans."
Shen Wang thought to himself; Fireball Talismans were attack runes demanding higher requirements than Silver Radiance Talismans. Lower grade Fireball Talismans were top-grade treasure talismans; advanced ones even reached the magic tier.
It's not that Fireball Talismans were more complex than Silver Radiance, but the energy they contained was more, the intense energy required a higher demand of the talisman, even having danger in making, hence the tier accordingly higher.
However, the price of Fireball Talismans would also be higher, presumably selling around eight spirit stones, as he had previously bought Fireball Talismans for ten.
He strode forward and, before leaving the market, thought of one thing and turned to a grain shop.
This wasn't a mortal grain shop; it provided spirit rice and spirit noodles for cultivators. Not only grain, but beside it were meat and vegetable shops selling items with certain spiritual qualities.
Most Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment Cultivators would eat these as auxilliary cultivation, especially martial artists who particularly relied on such food to replenish essence qi.
"It's better to eat these if there's money. Already almost a year without being able to eat."
Shen Wang smiled bitterly. After being transferred to the ancestral home, he became penniless; the scant spirit stones were all spent on buying spirit rice for Han Wan'Er, Shen Chuxue's mother, and he couldn't bring himself to eat a bite.
Now, with Han Wan'Er gone, he was able to earn spirit stones, there was no need to endure hardship anymore.
Entering the shop, touching the shimmering rice, this was the lowest tier spirit rice, should be called treasure rice, containing only weak spiritual qi, yet far exceeds mortal rice in nutrition.
Shen Wang couldn't help but recall saving and scraping to ensure the pregnant Han Wan'Er could eat spirit rice, and he couldn't help but swear in his heart.
In the future, must have money!
"Hey, guest, how much spirit rice would you like? This rice is new from this year, one stone buys two pecks, guaranteed delicious."
The owner smilingly asked.