True Treasure Tower, a property of Li Huo Palace.
No matter how chaotic it was last night, no one dared to risk plundering True Treasure Tower.
As the saying goes, you can fish in troubled waters as long as you're not caught, but if you dare to touch True Treasure Tower, Li Huo Palace won't care about evidence.
"Talismans, alchemy, and other high-level inheritances are monopolized by these major sects and families. This time, they're open to the public!"
Upon hearing this news, Lin Chang'an disguised himself again and headed towards True Treasure Tower.
For loose cultivators like them, this was good news.
But it also emitted a dangerous signal.
Why would Li Huo Palace be so generous? Don't say it's because of the market turmoil—this might be a big deal for loose cultivators like them.
But for a major sect with three Golden Core elders, there's no reason to disturb peace.
However, when arriving at True Treasure Tower, the heavily disguised Lin Chang'an twitched his eye.
He was worried about being recognized, but with so many people, who's paying attention to him?
"With the impending pioneering, Li Huo Palace is opening Tier One Middle Grade talismans, pill formulas, and artifact refining... and even some rare Tier One Middle and Upper Grade elixirs and talismans to the public.
You've caught a good time, and all prices are marked clearly, fair and square."
Good heavens, Lin Chang'an saw the crowded throng outside.
He'd never seen so many wealth-possessing cultivators before. Some sought rare elixirs, while others sought life-saving talismans.
Among the crowd, Lin Chang'an was astonished, there were even Upper Grade Tier-Breaking Pills available, a boon for many cultivators stuck at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.
"Tier One Middle Grade Flying Sword Talisman, Fire Bomb Talisman, Earth Spike Talisman... offensive types for one hundred Spirit Stones each, defensive types for one hundred twenty Spirit Stones..."
"Tier One Middle Grade Flying Sword Talisman inheritance for one hundred Spirit Stones!"
Upon seeing the clearly marked prices, Lin Chang'an couldn't think of anything else; he had to get such a great opportunity.
"Sign a Spirit Contract, plus fifteen Spirit Stones."
Hearing that he had to pay an additional Spirit Contract Coin, Lin Chang'an felt the pinch, but having already paid the big part, he couldn't fret over this small sum.
However, he silently cursed the old man who had cheated him of three Spirit Stones earlier.
He also felt a bit schadenfreude, thinking that the old man's business was probably going under, yet a bit frustrated that there were no compatriots who hadn't been swindled.
"Alright, this is the Tier One Middle Grade Flying Sword Talisman jade scroll."
This time, Lin Chang'an practically spent everything; only a few Spirit Stones were left in his storage bag.
The Spirit Contract, similar to an Oath of the Heart Demon, essentially requires you to make an oath by your Dao Heart not to spread it, not even to descendants or disciples.
If you want your descendants to learn, you must buy it again from True Treasure Tower.
This is also considered an alternative method of inheritance protection in the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
If violated, you'll suffer a backlash of mana, though the constraint of a Tier One Spirit Contract only applies during the Qi Refining Stage. Once you break through to Foundation Establishment, you're naturally free from its bonds.
Yet once you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, Tier One Middle Grade talisman inheritances are readily available; this denotes the difference in the survival circles of cultivators.
"Not even letting us take the jade scroll, they're too stingy."
In the crowd, the disguised Lin Chang'an left with a dejected look, as if unable to purchase his desired items due to lack of Spirit Stones.
Mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, after undergoing Washing Marrow and Opening Wisdom, possess eidetic memory. The content of the Tier One Middle Grade Flying Sword Talisman inheritance wasn't extensive, but he managed to obtain it.
Despite several twists and turns.
Once out of True Treasure Tower, after several turns and changes of disguise, revealing his true disguise, he headed home, unable to resist a smile.
"A Tier One Middle Grade Flying Sword Talisman, a gold attribute offensive talisman, upon invoking, transforms into a golden blade, incredibly sharp."
...
However, upon returning home, the latest news from the Zhou Family left Lin Chang'an stunned.
"Brother Lin, this is good news! All external talisman masters and pill masters can obtain another Middle Grade skill inheritance. Though it requires a Spirit Contract, I heard from the people in the clan,
as long as you perform well, or marry into the clan, when your descendants want to obtain the inheritance, the clan will grant it with ease."
Just upon returning home, he saw Erniu's envious eyes. After all, he belonged to the type of no aptitude in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation.
"I'm not like Brother Lin, a Talisman Master; the clan only rewarded me with a spell. But Brother Lin, have you noticed?"
Li Erniu, lowering his voice, said with a solemn countenance, "First it was Li Huo Palace, now these major cultivating families, I heard the Li Family is doing the same, isn't there something amiss?"
This seems to be elevating the power of cultivators, while major families are recruiting cultivators.
Lin Chang'an glanced at Erniu, then chuckled, shaking his head saying:
"Erniu, if the heavens fall, tall men will bear it; our cultivation won't change anything even if we knew."
Yet this time, listening to Lin Chang'an's comfort, Li Erniu fell into a somber silence, then his spirits sank a bit.
"Brother Lin, you know, last night I thought I was going to die. In despair, I thought of my family. My child is still young, I don't want to lose them..."
That feeling of powerlessness, where one's fate is not in one's own hands, seeing Li Erniu's downcast mood, Lin Chang'an sighed helplessly.
Wasn't he the same? Just that during the chaos, he was grateful to be alone, without any burdens.
Yet likewise, in peacetime, he was alone, while Erniu enjoyed the warmth of family, naturally shouldering the corresponding responsibilities.
"Erniu, what we can do is cultivate diligently, thinking more won't help."
With Lin Chang'an's comfort, Li Erniu collected his emotions, limping away on an injured leg.
"Marriage alliances; it seems these major families have already obtained some information."
Lin Chang'an shook his head with a smile; without the strength, one cannot touch a higher circle.
The fundamental is to enhance strength at present.
...
[Name: Lin Chang'an]
[Life Span: 40/99]
[Realm: Qi Refining Fourth Layer (15/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Chang Chun Skill (Mastery: 932/1000)]
[Skills: Golden Light Talisman (Mastery 36/1000), Divine Movement Talisman (Mastery 3/1000), Flying Sword Talisman (Proficiency 128/500)]
In the secret chamber, having just drawn a Lower Grade Flying Sword Talisman, Lin Chang'an secretly let out a sigh of relief.
"As expected, my talisman painting skills have reached Tier One Middle Grade, and the newly learned Flying Sword Talisman will become familiar quickly."
His previous worry didn't come to pass.
"Skill is one's own, so like regular Talisman Masters, a Tier One Lower Grade Talisman can quickly reach the proficient stage, after a period of honing, can break through to Tier One Middle Grade."
Looking at his attribute board, Lin Chang'an smiled.
The Flying Sword Talisman, from [Entry 0/100] to proficiency, took but one night. He was confident that within a month, he'd reach mastery.
Which means Tier One Middle Grade talisman skills.
After all, once you master one, you master all. His abilities have reached that point—he's truly reached Tier One Middle Grade Talisman Master capabilities.
It's just a matter of transitioning to another talisman, quickly becoming adept.
"Now I have the Tier One Middle Grade transmission of Golden Light Talisman and Flying Sword Talisman; as for the Zhou Family's proposition of learning another, and marriage alliance—it's not for nothing."
Just like that chaotic night, Erniu, helplessly was compelled to risk his life for the Zhou Family.
Lin Chang'an's mind was like a mirror; he was merely an externally hired Talisman Master, essentially learning techniques on loan from the Zhou Family, and also having signed a ten-year debt agreement.
Risk his life?
He was not short of these resources.
In fact, due to this opening, the entire market was bound to undergo significant upheaval. Selling talismans for resources on the sly would actually be easier.
With this opening from the sects and major families, he could foresee that under the governance of Li Huo Palace, the lower-tier Immortal Cultivation Realm's strength would experience an explosive growth.
The biggest difficulty for loose cultivators besides poor spirit roots is the lack of resources.
...
Amidst the falling feather-like snow, two grand and majestic flying boats pierced through the clouds, appearing above Cyan Bamboo Mountain Market.
Emitting solid spiritual light, they hovered mid-air.
Two flying boats, one marked with the Li Huo Palace's gilded flame emblem, and another had a purple floral pattern.
And from Li Huo Palace's flying boat, three Foundation Establishment cultivators led nearly a hundred Li Huo Palace disciples down, Yun Yao was among them.
This scene made countless loose cultivators in the market's eyes flicker, while in Lin Chang'an's gaze, the brightly shining Yun Yao, the Commandery Princess of Gathering Immortals Tower.
At this moment, seemed as one among the stars, no longer so dazzling.