"Hurry up and take it, Senior Sister,"
Yang Mei's face flushed slightly as she called anxiously. Yan
Yue, usually generous, seemed a little nervous at this moment. She carefully took the talisman with both hands, holding it in front of her, examining it carefully for a long moment without saying a word.
"How is it, Senior Sister? Is it the mid-grade Thunderstorm Talisman we were looking for?"
"Go ahead, Senior Sister."
Yan Yue thought for a moment and nodded gently. "It's definitely the Thunderstorm Talisman. I can't tell if it's mid-grade or not. I need to ask someone to identify it, but it looks much better than the lower-grade ones we found before. It shouldn't be bad."
The quality of a talisman wasn't something these low-level disciples could tell; it usually required a talisman master or a cultivator familiar with talismans to identify it.
She walked up to Hua Ruoan and bowed, saying, "Shopkeeper Hua, you're an expert in talismans. Could you help me take a look? Is this a mid-grade thunderstorm talisman?"
Sun Hedao, standing nearby, whispered, "Mid-grade? I don't think it's even low-grade. It's just a scribbled talisman. Don't be fooled, Junior Sister."
Both of them, each preoccupied with their own concerns, ignored him, leaving Sun Hedao feeling awkward for a moment.
"Fellow Daoist Yan, there's no need for formalities. This is my job." Hua Ruoan, who
had also been eagerly awaiting this talisman, quickly took
it and examined it carefully. After a moment, Hua Ruoan began nodding excitedly, his expression growing excited. "Excellent talisman! I've never seen such exquisite patterns, especially this continuous vortex. It looks chaotic, yet it's interconnected and incredibly ingenious. I never thought such a method existed. I never thought someone could actually draw it!"
Hua Ruoan looked at Zhou Shu, his eyes filled with suspicion, but as if a thought occurred to him, he quickly calmed down.
Sun Hedao's face went numb at Hua Ruoan's words, and he glanced at the talisman in disbelief.
There seemed to be a voice in his heart shouting, this kid really did it? This is impossible!
His face suddenly turned bad.
Yan Yue had a happy look on his face, and asked expectantly, "Shopkeeper Hua, is this thunderstorm talisman a mid-grade one?"
Hua Ruoan said with certainty, "Sorry, I talked too much when I saw something good. Fellow Daoist Yan, this talisman is definitely a mid-grade one, it can't be fake."
"Great!"
Several female cultivators jumped up excitedly, overjoyed.
The guys' eyes were wide open, they didn't expect Zhou Shu to actually bring a mid-grade thunderstorm talisman.
Zhou Shu stood aside with a smile on his lips. He was happy that the talisman he drew was recognized.
Everyone was happy, except for one person who was unhappy.
Sun Hedao, visibly displeased, glared at Zhou Shu, then turned and said, "Shopkeeper Hua, I've heard that some people create beautifully painted talismans, but in reality, they're nothing more than an embroidered pillowcase and a bag of straw. The embroidery is vibrant and colorful on the outside, but the inside is filled with rotten straw. This talisman is similar to mine. It looks mid-grade, but its spiritual power is so scarce that it might not even reach the lower grade."
His voice suddenly rose, louder than ever, audible throughout Sanyuanzhai.
The youth's impetuousness was uncontrollable, and his accumulated emotions finally erupted.
His words were shocking, and he wasn't just referring to Zhou Shu; he was also cursing Shopkeeper Hua, causing everyone who heard to look askance.
"Who's this kid? He doesn't even believe what Shopkeeper Hua says in Sanyuanzhai?"
"Sun Hedao of the Heyin Sect, an inner disciple. He cultivates very quickly, so he's a bit arrogant."
"He's only at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm. With that kind of mentality, he has no future."
"The Heyin Sect may be significant, but the waters of Qingxia Market are deep. A mere inner disciple can't possibly pull off a big deal."
Several guests discussed the situation with interest, pausing to watch from a distance.
Hua Ruoan frowned slightly and said slowly, "Oh, Fellow Daoist Sun has a point. But I've examined it carefully for a long time. Besides the rune patterns, the thunder power of this talisman is also quite impressive. Hidden within it is a feeling of being on the edge of a deep pool, unfathomable. I'm certain it's no less powerful than a mid-grade one."
Having worked at Sanyuanzhai for decades, he wasn't a talisman master, but he had seen countless talismans and possessed a deep understanding of them. He was impeccable at identifying low-level talismans, and few questioned his findings.
Sun Hedao's words were rather rude, which made Zhou Shu quite dissatisfied, but he was too experienced to show it.
"How could he, a casual cultivator at the first level of the Qi Refining Realm, possess a mid-grade thunderstorm talisman? Who would believe it? Whether it's mid-grade or not, we'll have to try it to find out!"
Sun Hedao seemed to have determined that the talisman wasn't working, and he was determined to get back at his lord, not caring about face at all. He shouted at Zhou Shu, "If there's something wrong with the talisman, not only will my junior sister's mission fail, but she'll probably lose her life. Boy, can you take responsibility?"
His voice grew louder and louder, his expression more agitated.
More and more people gathered around, forming a circle.
Even though Shopkeeper Hua had a good temper, his face turned a little pale, but Zhou Shu remained calm and unconcerned.
Yan Yue glanced around, her pretty face slightly chilled as she spoke sternly, "Senior Brother Sun Hedao, as a disciple of the Heyin Sect, please stop speaking carelessly. Besides, this is Junior Sister's personal matter. Since I'm here, I naturally trust both Manager Hua and Junior Brother Zhou."
Sun Hedao, furious, persisted, "Junior Sister! Don't make a mistake. If the talisman goes awry, you'll die and no one will save you."
No one spoke, and the atmosphere grew tense.
Zhou Shu shook his head, smiling as he approached Yan Yue. "It's okay, Senior Sister Yan. I have another one here. Give it a try."
"Thank you, Junior Brother Zhou. I'm so sorry today."
Yan Yue felt a slight sense of relief, her eyes sparkling with gratitude towards Zhou Shu. She was also a disciple of the Heyin Sect, and her words to Sun Hedao had already been harsh, so she couldn't say anything more. Fortunately, Zhou Shu intervened.
Several female cultivators, already dissatisfied with Sun Hedao and restrained by Yan Yue, were now unable to contain themselves.
"Don't pay attention to him. There will definitely be no problem with the appraisal by Manager Hua."
"What's there to try? We all trust you."
Zhou Shu looked at Sun Hedao and said calmly, "You can try, but let me make it clear. If this talisman of mine reaches the middle grade, should this senior brother do something?"
Sun Hedao stared at Zhou Shu and snorted, "What are you doing? Do you want me to apologize? As an inner disciple of the Heyin sect, I am so respected. It is impossible for me to apologize to a trash cultivator like you!"
Zhou Shu smiled slightly, "No need. You can pay the price of the used talismans in spirit stones."
In the world of immortal cultivation, apologies are meaningless. Doing something wrong or saying something wrong will have a price. Sun Hedao will definitely pay the price for what he said today, but this has nothing to do with him. He just wants what he deserves.
Sun Hedao showed disdain and laughed twice, "Spirit stones? Haha, you are indeed a poor guy! Spirit stones are no problem. If yours is really mid-grade, I will give you as much spirit stones as you say, double!"
"That's good to say. Thank you."
Zhou Shu nodded lightly and turned to Hua Ruoan, "Shopkeeper Hua, I'm sorry, is there a place here to experiment with talismans?"
"Of course there is, brother Zhou, please follow me."
Hua Ruoan glanced at Sun Hedao with resentment, led the way, and a group of people followed him to the back hall of Sanyuanzhai.