[Chang Chun Skill +1 (Proficiency: 490/500)]
Days passed in a blink.
Nesting at home, Lin Chang'an slowly opened his eyes one day, a smile spread across his face.
"Indeed, this kind of visible progress can be addicting."
These past few days at home, he had been doing nothing but eating and sleeping, after fully recuperating for three days, he started cultivating.
It's not that he was lazy, but talisman painting is a task that consumes one's energy and spirit.
"That night I was too greedy, it took me a full three days to recover."
Despite feeling sentimental, Lin Chang'an showed no trace of regret on his face.
The appearance of the Golden Finger was a catalyst; more importantly, the insights gained after the Golden Light Talisman breakthrough were irresistible.
At the moment of breakthrough, he grasped this feeling tightly, continuously painting talismans, etching this feeling deeply into his memory, which is only human nature.
Thus, with dark circles under his eyes and looking like he had spent too much energy, he went to sell talismans, yet Shopkeeper Miao was not surprised at all.
The number of people who yearn for such experiences is countless.
"The proficiency in this cultivation technique actually refers to the understanding of the technique, which boils down to how much you have comprehended."
These days of home cultivation increased the proficiency of Chang Chun Skill by 1, allowing him to gain significant insights into this cultivation technique.
It follows that the higher the proficiency in comprehending the technique, the better the cultivation results.
Thinking about the cultivation conditions, Lin Chang'an nodded silently.
"On the path of cultivation, aside from the limitation of spirit roots, there's also the difference in perception."
Even with the same spirit root talent, the level of perception determines a cultivator's future.
[Realm: Qi Refining Third Layer (95/100)]
"Eating spirit flesh and spirit rice, coupled with spirit stones, cultivating feels invigorating."
This clear percentage of cultivation progress made Lin Chang'an feel deeply moved.
Of course, he also clearly understood that this was all due to having spirit stones at hand, living cautiously; not to mention his low-grade spirit root, even if replaced with a top-grade spirit root.
Under such circumstances, cultivation would still lag behind.
As they say, wealth ranks first in the priorities of cultivation.
"Cultivation has just begun, right now I need to quickly earn spirit stones, pay off Erniu's debt, and prepare spirit stones for labor tax, only then can I cultivate in peace."
For several consecutive days, Lin Chang'an did not leave the house, living a hermitic life of bitter cultivation.
Every day he painted talismans and refined his Qi.
Whenever he felt mentally fatigued, he'd rest and refine Qi, unwilling to waste even a scrap of talisman materials.
Life was extremely fulfilling, and as his talisman-making skill improved, he managed to maintain a one-in-five success rate of premium Golden Light Talismans.
Feeling good improved the success rate of painting talismans, even making the usually dull cultivation captivating to Lin Chang'an.
...
"Bang bang!"
"Mr. Lin, it's me."
That day, a familiar voice came from outside, and when he opened the door, Lin Chang'an greeted the person outside with a smile.
"Old He, you are quite the rare guest."
Old He, a neighbor and old friend, revealed a familiar smile with several missing yellow teeth on a thin old face.
"Kid Lin, what are you saying? We're neighbors, I've heard you're preparing to return to the mundane world and the old man is worried about you."
Looking at Old He, Lin Chang'an's mouth twitched, but he didn't say anything, inviting Old He inside.
Though colleagues are often rivals, Old He specialized in painting Fire Bomb Talismans, so they had no competition at all.
Upon entering, Old He's red nose sniffed intensely, and his old face instantly changed.
"I was wondering which family has been stewing spirit flesh daily, making the old man nearly die of craving."
Old He showed a greedy expression, and Lin Chang'an couldn't help but tease:
"Alright, stay and have some later."
Upon hearing he could eat for free, Old He shook his head and waved his hand repeatedly.
"Shoo shoo, the old man won't fall for it, there's no such thing as a free meal in this world."
Though Old He behaved as if he loved taking petty advantages, anyone who knows him understands that the old man is quite sly.
They entered the house and brewed tea, after two cups, the impatient Old He finally put down the cup in exasperation.
"Alright, alright, you're even more patient than the old man, wasting my sixty plus years of life."
Seeing Old He's demeanor, Lin Chang'an smiled.
"Old He, isn't it known that you're either saving spirit stones for your grandson or saving them for your grandson?"
Under Lin Chang'an's teasing smile, there was a sentiment in his heart too, young Old He was once an expert at Qi Refining Sixth Layer.
Back when he first arrived at the market, he joined Old He's demon hunting squad as well.
Unfortunately, during one demon beast hunt, they were ambushed, the squad suffered heavy casualties, and even after Old He recovered, he was greatly debilitated.
With the added toll of age, now only a bit over sixty, he was already aging prematurely, with cultivation falling to Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
Judging from a cultivator's constitution, being so elderly at sixty suggests numerous hidden injuries accumulated in youth.
This is the norm for cultivators living on the edge.
"Kid Lin, have you heard about the latest news? They're ramping up efforts for land reclamation, and this time the effort is unprecedented, so much so that even the labor taxes will be this amount!"
Old He appeared heartbroken, gesturing a cross with two index fingers.
"Ten spirit stones!"
Though anticipated, hearing it in reality caused Lin Chang'an to inwardly cringe.
Ten spirit stones, ordinary cultivators are reluctant to fork out this much, thus many would probably opt to take the risk and participate.
"Old He, your talisman-making skill isn't bad, came here for this?"
Although he had already guessed Old He's intention, Lin Chang'an was still somewhat curious.
Old He rubbed his dry hands, laughing awkwardly.
"My grandson's talent isn't bad, I don't want him to waste his life like the old man here, I'm planning to send the boy to Li Huo Palace."
However, speaking of his grandson, Old He's face showed a hint of proud expression.
Pitying the loves of all parents, Old He only has one grandson, and all the spirit stones earned are invested into the foundation for his grandson.
Lin Chang'an naturally understood, even envying it somewhat before.
"The old man has come to borrow two Golden Light Talismans."
"Borrowing talismans!" Hearing this, Lin Chang'an's face turned solemn.
Old He scratched his head awkwardly. Who would have thought that this thin, yellow-toothed old man, two decades ago, was quite a formidable man.
In his youth, wielding a Blazing Fire Saber, he was quite renowned.
Looking at the former valiant He, now bent by life's burdens into the current Old He.
"Old He, at your age do you really think you're still young, have you gone mad!?"
Upon Old He's request for talismans, Lin Chang'an knew what the old guy intended, his expression tightening involuntarily.
"Kid Lin, we both come from a loose cultivator background, if an opportunity lies before you, would you pass it up?"
Old He said those words profoundly, causing Lin Chang'an to fall silent.
If he hadn't awakened his Golden Finger and faced such an option, would he be willing to let it slip?
Soon, Lin Chang'an shook his head without saying much, but turned over Old He's teacup and refilled it with tea.
"Shoo shoo, Kid Lin, it's not like you're paying respects to the old man."
Old He scolded with a laugh, yet next to the teacup, there were two premium Golden Light Talismans and one Divine Speed Talisman, moistening his old eyes.
Lin Chang'an smiled, barely glancing at the talismans.
"Two spirit stones, don't think about escaping payment after the deed is done."
The two exchanged looks, both smiling.
At this moment, basked in the sunset glow, they seemed to have returned to their youth.
A bold man wielding a saber, alongside a novice in the cultivation world.