Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 231 Jingyue Fu Jiangshangweng

Influenced by the legendary mysterious cultivator, such cultivator attire is quite common near Jiangxian Pass.

Especially some older monks or those who enjoy fishing.

Song Yan only glanced at him a few more times, without paying much attention to him.

He turned and left the restaurant: "Let's go."

"Hmm." Xiao Ju responded, turning back to look in the direction he had just been looking. The old man had already disappeared into the crowd.

After leaving the restaurant, Song Yan took Xiao Ju and Xiao He on another tour to make sure that they could prepare most of the things he might need for his cultivation and foundation building.

After he finished doing everything, he asked Xiao Ju and Xiao He to wait for him somewhere for a while.

He then had Xuan'e Bailing manifest his form, covering his face, and put on a bamboo hat. He then went alone to a pavilion that specialized in selling spirit talismans, hoping to try his luck.

It's not that he wanted to hide his identity; he's not that kind of person.

The main purpose of this trip is to inquire whether this talisman shop has any talisman makers of level two or above who can customize a Pure Moon Talisman for me.

Taking out the petals of the Moon-Touching Ancient Lotus would undoubtedly arouse suspicion in others.

This item is precious after all, and I'm at the crucial stage of preparing for Foundation Establishment, so I should avoid as much trouble as possible.

As for why I chose this shop, it was mainly because I saw its signboard.

“A rare and auspicious sign is worth keeping.”

It sounds like a shop that specializes in selling strange talismans. The Pure Moon Talisman is not a commonly used talisman.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was startled.

This small building is much more spacious than it appears from the outside. The main hall on the first floor alone can easily accommodate dozens of people.

The counter and gatehouse were made of dark brown driftwood.

The entire store gives off a very understated yet elegant feel at first glance.

Inside the hall, five or six servants dressed in standard black uniforms were explaining the talismans they had chosen from the counter to several monks who had come to the shop.

The walls were covered with various talisman samples.

A young waiter in black, who happened to be free at the moment, was wiping the counter. When he saw a customer enter, he quickly put down what he was doing, cast a spell to wash his hands, and came forward to greet him.

"Senior, what do you need? Our shop has all kinds of talismans, with Qimen talismans being our specialty..."

It was clear that this young attendant was extremely skilled in his duties.

The way he spoke made Song Yan feel comfortable.

Surprisingly, this attendant was actually a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining.

This cultivation level may not seem like much, but you should know that this person is just a servant in a shop in this city.

He sighed inwardly, thinking that Jiangxian Pass truly lived up to its reputation as a celestial city of Chu. Whether it was attracting cultivators to settle there or cultivating servants of such a high level, it was unmatched by any other market town.

After listening to his brief introduction, Song Yan slowly said, "I would like to customize a second-tier high-grade talisman. I will provide the main materials myself. I wonder if your store offers this service?"

Of course, there is business involved; otherwise, why would I open a talisman shop?

The attendant's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

While custom-made high-level talismans are not uncommon in Jiangxian Pass, customers who can provide their own main materials are mostly from extraordinary backgrounds.

He secretly sized up Song Yan, but at that moment he was hidden under a mask and a bamboo hat, so he couldn't tell what he looked like.

Since the other party is a guest, it is naturally impossible for them to do something as impolite as using their divine sense to scan someone.

He dared not be negligent, but he had no authority to make the decision, so he could only apologize and say, "Please wait here for a moment, senior. I cannot make the decision. I will go and ask the person in charge."

The servant hurried upstairs.

He came down again shortly after and greeted Song Yan: "Senior, please come upstairs."

Qifu Keju is a three-story wooden building, and the second floor appears to be where VIPs are received.

Although the area is a bit small, the interior is decorated in a more rustic and elegant style.

Behind the screen, a censer of incense burned, and the faint smoke made the scenery on the second floor even more elegant under the sunlight.

In the center, near the screen, there was a tea table for meetings, flanked by oddly shaped black wooden benches.

Near the screen sat a young man dressed as a scholar.

The man was very young, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing a faded blue robe, and holding an ancient book in his hand, flipping through it.

Based solely on his divine sense, Song Yan could not discern this person's cultivation level, suggesting that he also possessed methods to conceal his spiritual power realm.

His youth is surprising.

Song Yan could tell that he was most likely a talisman maker.

When this person turned the pages of the book, there was a faint vermilion color between the index and middle fingers of his right hand, which is one of the traces left by years of making talismans.

Seeing the attendant lead Song Yan upstairs, he leisurely closed the ancient book in his hand and placed it aside, the text on it clearly visible.

The following is a compilation of six spiritual talismans and techniques.

As you can tell from the name, this is a book about talismans.

He first nodded to him briefly, then waved his hand, signaling the servants to go downstairs and attend to their own business.

"My name is Jiang Gudong. May I ask how you are addressed?"

"..." Song Yan was silent for a moment, and instead of answering immediately, he asked, "Are you the manager here?"

"Doesn't he look like the shopkeeper?" Jiang Gudong smiled, then said, "Oh, it's so obvious."

“I am indeed not the shopkeeper. He went out on business, and I happened to have some free time to come here and help him watch the shop for a couple of days.”

"I am the talisman maker here; 60% of the talismans here are made by me."

Song Yan nodded: "My name is Tong Chuping."

"So it's Fellow Daoist Tong, please take a seat."

As soon as the two sat down, a pretty young woman came out from the inner room, carrying a pot of steaming spirit tea.

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Tong is looking to commission a high-grade second-tier talisman this time? Do you have any materials prepared?"

The young woman set out teacups for the two of them and poured tea, filling the air with its aroma.

Song Yan nodded: "That's right. The main materials are available, and the rest of the common talisman-making materials can be included in the price."

He gently swirled the teacup, but didn't drink it.

"I wonder which type of talisman Fellow Daoist Tong would like to have customized?" Jiang Gudong took a sip of tea.

"Second-tier superior grade, Pure Moon Talisman." Song Yan went straight to the point.

"Hmm? The Pure Moon Talisman?" Jiang Gudong seemed somewhat surprised: "If I remember correctly, the main material of that talisman requires the petals of the Moon-Supporting Ancient Lotus."

"Fellow Daoist, please don't try to deceive me."

Ancient lotuses are almost extinct in the Chu Kingdom; the only way to find them is by chance in secret realms.

Song Yan took out a three-petaled lotus from his Qiankun bag; its surface shimmered with a cool, pure white light.

A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Gudong's eyes, and he couldn't help but look up at Song Yan.

However, the person's face was completely covered by a mask and a straw hat, making it impossible to see their appearance or expression.

"Fellow Daoist Tong, may I take a look?"

“No,” Song Yan replied. “Unless you have the ability to draw the Pure Moon Talisman.”

Jiang Gudong was taken aback, then smiled and said, "To be honest, I usually like to study these obscure but precious talismans."

"I even made a special trip there the year before last..."

He suddenly stopped talking, as if he realized he had said too much.

"Cough... The Pure Moon Talisman should be fine."

Since it was possible to draw it, Song Yan didn't waste any more words and immediately placed the three-petaled ancient lotus into a specially made jade box.

In fact, he had nine petals in total, all of which had fallen from that ancient lotus flower, but he couldn't possibly take out so many at once.

The two immediately finalized the requirements for the talisman and all the details of the transaction.

Jiang Gudong pondered for a moment and said, "There is a rather interesting rumor about the Pure Moon Talisman. It is said that the success rate and quality of the talisman will be improved when it is drawn in conjunction with the full moon phase."

"How about this, Fellow Daoist Tong, come here to complete the transaction in three months."

"Thank you for your trouble." The two signed the commission contract, and the transaction was considered complete.

Regarding spirit stones, Song Yan does not need to pay a deposit, as he provides the main materials himself. He will pay the fee based on the number of completed spirit talismans once they are finished.

The cost to produce each sheet is eighty spirit stones.

The price is a bit high, but it is, after all, a second-tier high-grade talisman, and a rather niche one.

Three months is perfectly acceptable.

After all, he has not yet reached the perfect Qi Refining stage, and it will take him quite some time to accumulate more cultivation.

Song Yan did not linger; after finishing everything, he got up to take his leave.

Inside the private room on the second floor, Jiang Gudong stood at the window, gazing in the direction the other person had left, lost in thought.

"Tong Chuping... doesn't seem like a real name."

He hadn't touched such rare things as the petals of the Moon Lotus for a long time.

However, there was no intention to investigate the origin of this item.

Both he and the shopkeeper were honest and upright people who ran legitimate businesses.

If one were to harm one's esteemed customers for the sake of so-called rare and precious materials, that would be far too petty, and such a business would not last long.

Looking at the untouched spirit tea on the opposite table, I felt a pang of regret.

"They're really being cautious."

After leaving Qifu Keju, Song Yan's pace gradually slowed down.

After scanning the area with his divine sense and confirming that no one was following him, he removed his disguise and went to the teahouse to meet up with Xiao Ju and Xiao He.

The three then left Jiangxian Pass together.

"Now that this matter is settled, let's return to Lanxi Cave."

However, this time, Song Yan did not choose to ride the Red Dust Fighter again, but instead chose to go to the docks of Yingjing.

"This time we'll go back by water."

He looked at Xiao He and raised an eyebrow: "I heard that the docks in Yingjing are even more impressive than those in Yunxi City."

Xiao He had been in low spirits because she hadn't been able to visit the capital of Chu.

However, upon hearing this, she suddenly raised her drooping head, and her golden snake eyes instantly lit up.

After the last trip from Yunxi City to Feng'an City, Snake Treasure had been wanting to take a boat ride again.

Fortunately, Yingjing has a well-developed water system, which, although not as fast as using a flying magic device, is much faster than traveling by land.

"Keeping your word is a principle that even children understand."

They traveled eastward along the official road, and in the twilight, they could vaguely see the majestic city walls of Yingjing.

As the capital of the Chu Kingdom, Yingjing was far larger than Yunxi City, with the outline of its outer city stretching for dozens of miles like a giant dragon.

However, they had no intention of entering the city; instead, they turned south along the moat towards the canal wharf.

Before you even get close, a deafening cacophony hits you.

Hundreds of cargo ships were densely moored in the river bend, their masts like a forest and their sails obscuring the sky.

The air was thick with the smell of fish. Xiao He looked around excitedly, almost knocking over a foreman who was directing the laborers to carry goods.

The foreman frowned, but didn't blame Xiao He. Instead, he reprimanded Song Yan, saying, "Hey brother, keep an eye on the kids at home."

"It would be very dangerous if someone fell into the river and there was no one watching them."

"Uh, yes, yes, yes."

Song Yan was dressed as a martial artist at the time, and the other party probably thought that he was traveling with his two younger sisters, so he spoke up to kindly remind him.

He naturally wasn't angry; instead, he thanked him repeatedly.

"Would you like to take a boat, sir?"

A boatman wearing a blue headscarf approached.

Song Yan was about to speak when he suddenly froze in place.

"..."

"Guest officer?"

"Guest officer?"

He only came to his senses after the other party asked him several times.

"No, thank you."

Just as he was about to reply, he suddenly felt a familiar flutter in his heart.

The Yin-Yang Pearl began to hum again, and the black and white energies began to circulate uncontrollably!

Here...?
A dock in a city of mortals?

"Senior? What's wrong?"

Xiao Ju keenly sensed something was amiss and asked aloud.

"Um...it's nothing."

His gaze swept across the bustling dock, and he expanded his divine sense to its maximum, but he did not detect anything unusual.

Therefore, they had no choice but to activate the Xuan'e Bailing Mask.

Within his field of vision, wisps of sword energy manifested before his eyes, but this energy was not as sharp and fierce as before.

On the contrary, the shape of the thin mist is dreamlike and illusory.

Following the lingering sword energy within Xuan'e Bailing's mask, Song Yan led Xiao Ju and Xiao He along the river.

"Yanyan, where are we going? Aren't we taking a boat?"

Xiao He looked at him expectantly: "You didn't keep your word."

"No, I suddenly have some things to do. We'll come back and take the boat after I'm done."

He reassured her, "It's alright, there are boats every day."

"Oh." Snake Baby nodded and quieted down.

In the field of vision, the faint sword energy, like a wisp of smoke in the wind, was intermittent, yet it always pointed towards a certain spot on the riverbank.

The three of them walked through a reed bed and saw an old man in a straw raincoat and hat fishing from a cliff by the river.

Song Yan frowned, seemingly puzzled.

But he still took a detour, walked up to the edge of the cliff, and stood behind him.

The old man's straw hat was torn at the edge, and his raincoat was also very old. His green bamboo fishing rod was bent, but the fishing line did not tremble.

"Senior," Song Yan said, bowing.

"Ouch!"

The old man shuddered suddenly, nearly falling off the cliff in fright.

With a flick of the fishing rod, ripples spread across the river.

The old man turned to the side, his straw hat askew, revealing a face covered with age spots; he was not the straw-clothed man from Wushan Valley.

"You little brat! Why are you scaring this old man?"

"Wait...you walk without making a sound, am I seeing a ghost?"

Song Yan was taken aback. For some reason, he felt relieved, but became even more curious about the old man's identity.

The aura guiding Xuan'e Bailing to this point did indeed lead to this place, but the old man in front of him showed no spiritual energy fluctuations; he was clearly just an ordinary mortal.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir."

Song Yan simply sat down on the slippery rocks by the cliff and handed over a pot of wine.

“I was passing by when I saw you fishing alone on the cold river. You seemed to have a sense of antiquity. I thought I would like to have a drink with you.”

The old man's eyes lit up, but he still muttered indignantly.

"What a bother! The fish were almost hooked, but you stirred things up and they all got away. Tell me about it..."

(End of this chapter)