Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 159 Thunder Talisman

Inside a black market shop.

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators, high and mighty, were haggling back and forth in the shop, just like the Qi Refining cultivators at the bottom of the social ladder outside.

It can only be said that they simply haven't had their own interests involved before.

The materials that Qi Refining cultivators usually covet are not enough for them, so in the eyes of outsiders, Foundation Establishment cultivators are mostly high and mighty.

"Old Qin, you should know that we are also taking huge risks. Your Qin family business is quite large."

“Fellow Daoist Hu, Fellow Daoist Lin, this is the foundation built by our Qin family for generations. If it weren’t for the circumstances, who would be willing to sell this foundation?”

In the end, Lin Chang'an and Hu Jin joined forces and managed to take over Qin Feng's business.

The inheritance of second-tier talismans is Lin Chang'an's personal need and is not included here.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, this is a spirit stone from the inheritance of the second-tier Thunderclap Talisman."

Of the many second-tier talisman inheritances in the Qin family, Lin Chang'an only chose the Thunderclap Talisman.

After all, he himself was already proficient in all types of second-tier talismans, whether for defense, attack, or even amplification and breaking restrictions.

If it weren't for the fact that this lightning-type talisman has a natural restraint on yin and evil energy, he wouldn't have been tempted.

"Fellow Daoist Lin is very generous. I'm just sending a message to my clan. The deeds to the spirit fields and shops, as well as the inheritance of the Thunderclap Talisman, will be delivered later."

Qin Feng, suppressing his heartache, negotiated the deal.

Given a choice, who would be willing to sell their family business?

The Qin family has declined in recent years, and the current turbulent situation in the Yue Kingdom has forced them to do this.

The Qin family can't afford to gamble.

Lin Chang'an and Lao Hu also felt sympathy for Qin Feng, but that was all.

After all, they were taking a risk; if Tianxuan City were lost, their assets would be worthless.

"Alas, in this turbulent world, what difference is there between cultivators and mortals!"

Lin Chang'an also shook his head secretly. Powerful cultivators, such as the Qin family, still have a way out, but for Qi Refining cultivators, they can only leave it to fate.

In the heat of war, it doesn't matter whether you're a rogue cultivator or a member of a clan; if you're caught in the crossfire, death and the extermination of your clan are commonplace.

"During periods of stability, the markets and families located at the intersection of the three major sects enjoy the advantages of their location and can quickly profit in both development and trade."

When war breaks out, the front lines are the first to suffer.

Lin Chang'an's eyes flickered; he could be considered to have profited from the war.

When the three major sects of Yue Kingdom went to war, he was just a Qi Refining cultivator and had no power.

He now has the ability to take this opportunity to purchase some legacies that are on the verge of extinction or were obtained in the midst of war.

Half an incense stick later, an elderly man from the Qin family, whose hair had turned gray and who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, remained silent throughout, but his weathered eyes revealed a silent sorrow.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, please take stock of the spirit stones and other resources."

After the money and goods were settled, Qin Feng sighed, stood up, and bowed to the two men.

If the other party hadn't offered two Foundation Establishment Pills as part of the transaction, he would never have agreed.

The Foundation Establishment Pills are indeed rare, and this one was secretly placed on the black market by Lin Chang'an under the guise of Yao Lao.

It is precisely because of the occasional availability of second-tier pills that the black market has attracted many people.

Lin Chang'an and Lao Hu understood each other's feelings and did not express their joy at the low-price acquisition.

Watching the Qin family, one old and one young, leave in such a sorry state, even Old Hu fell silent.

Looking out the window at the disappearing figure, it took Old Hu a long while before he finally revealed a self-deprecating smile.

"I suppose my ancestors were like this back then."

Lin Chang'an was also curious as it was the first time he had heard Lao Hu talk about his ancestors.

"Old Hu, your weapon-refining skills are extraordinary. It seems your ancestors were also extraordinary."

"That is!"

When mentioning his ancestors, Old Hu revealed a hint of pride, saying smugly:
"My ancestors were a powerful clan that was renowned in the region, and it's rumored that they even produced a Golden Core cultivator!"

Seeing Lao Hu's smug look, Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile.

Old Hu, you're really getting cocky when I say you're fat.

If that's the case, then in the cultivation world, there are also Nascent Soul cultivators with the surname Lin. Does that mean they were his ancestors five thousand years ago?

In the turmoil of Tianxuan City, some people sold off their spiritual fields and shops, while others, like Lin Chang'an, took the opportunity to acquire them.

It's just a matter of degree.

For example, the Zhou family took this opportunity to collect only a small amount, since the family has a large number of members and often doesn't have the same freedom as independent cultivators.

Taking advantage of his relationship with Tianxuan City, Lin Chang'an went directly to Song Tingfeng's door and borrowed over a thousand mid-grade spirit stones, which made Song Tingfeng's eyes widen in surprise.

If Lin Chang'an hadn't said that he was also doing it for the stability of Tianxuan City, he would never have lent it out.

Human relationships are something that require reciprocity; otherwise, they will fade away.

……

The outer edge of the Cloud and Mist Mountains.

"Haha, with these monsters showing up, at least we don't have to hide deep in this damned Cloud Mist Mountain Range anymore."

"That's right. The miasma deep inside is too dangerous. We have to be careful not to deplete our magic power too much, for fear of being poisoned by the miasma."

"That's right. These monsters are naturally immune to poisonous miasma. If we can only use seven or eight out of ten of our strength, that's already pretty good."

"That's not all. This poisonous miasma blocks divine sense. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators who lose their way will be unable to find their way out. That's the most troublesome part..."

A team of over a dozen demon hunters cleaned up the battlefield with smiles on their faces, chatting amongst themselves.

However, at that moment, the leader, a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining, frowned.

"Everyone be careful, I sense something's wrong!"

At the leader's reminder, the group of demon hunters immediately went on alert.

Just as some were secretly thinking it was their imagination, the captain suddenly seemed to see something and shouted in terror, "Run! Everyone run!"

"run!"

No one hesitated; they all turned and ran away cleanly and decisively.

Inside the Cloud Mist Mountains, the earth was still trembling and buzzing, and suddenly a dense chorus of bird calls filled the sky.

"A beast tide! It's a beast tide!"

A Foundation Establishment cultivator flying on a sword in the distance turned pale with fright when he saw the dark mass emerging from the Cloud Mist Mountains like a tidal wave.

In a panic, he shouted urgently:
"Run!"

A black tide of beasts surged out from the Cloud Mist Mountains.

This is a massive army composed of countless monsters of all kinds, including land monsters, flying insects, and birds, with second-tier monsters mixed in among the numerous first-tier monsters.

Anyone who was even a step too slow was trampled into mincemeat by the beast horde behind them. As the group of monsters fled frantically, it seemed as if there was some terrifying ferocious beast behind them.

No demonic beasts stopped, not even those that had been trampled into mincemeat or had their cores, which failed to attract any attention.

After the beast tide, the dense, towering ancient forest, viewed from above, looked as if it had been combed clean.

"Roar!"

A terrifying roar echoed, and from the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountains, a gigantic tiger-shaped monster crackling with lightning slowly emerged.

Immediately afterward, a towering ancient tree collapsed on the other side, and a giant python, its tongue flicking and its body emitting a deadly aura, slowly raised its head, its cold, serpentine eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

And then a cry of an eagle echoed through the sky.

The three-headed, third-tier demonic beast exuded a terrifying aura, driving countless demonic beasts out of the Cloud Mist Mountains.

……

As the third-tier demonic beasts drove the beast tide toward Tianxuan City.

At the same time, Tianxuan City issued an early warning, and the sound of bells echoed over the city.

"A beast tide is coming!"

Countless cultivators in Tianxuan City were on edge, while Lin Chang'an looked out from the black market and saw that the patrol teams of cultivators in the city had begun to move out quickly.

At the same time, the city began to recruit independent cultivators to jointly defend it.

"All cultivators who participated in the city defense will be rewarded with spoils of war according to their merits, especially those who slayed second-tier demonic beasts... Those who made significant contributions will be eligible for rewards from the Tianxuan City and Xuanyin Pavilion Alliance, including spirit stones, magic weapons, cultivation techniques, elixirs, and secret arts... all of which can be exchanged for merits..."

At the same time, shouts came from patrolling cultivators within Tianxuan City, announcing the rewards for this battle.

"My God, they even have Foundation Establishment materials and Foundation Establishment pills! We can't miss this!"

“That’s right, there are too many dangers to consider when hunting a single demonic beast alone, but this time is different. This is protected by the defensive array of Tianxuan City, we…”

The streets of Tianxuan City were filled with excited rogue cultivators, as well as many wives, daughters, and elderly people, watching with tearful eyes as their men went off to fight.

"Dad, the child is still young, please don't do anything reckless."

"What do you know, you old woman? It's precisely because the children are still young that I have to take this risk. Otherwise, if the situation becomes turbulent and I don't have the cultivation to protect you in the future, it will be too late to regret it!"

"Father, what are you doing!"

"You brat, this beast tide is a crisis, but for us rogue cultivators, it's also a once-in-a-century opportunity. If I don't make it back, you better remember to cultivate hard."

As the beast tide approaches, all sorts of human experiences unfold within Tianxuan City.

This scene was witnessed by everyone, and Lin Chang'an felt a pang of melancholy upon seeing it.

"For independent cultivators, this is undoubtedly a tremendous opportunity. High-level resources that they usually cannot access are now within easy reach."

Old Hu, standing to the side, nodded in agreement, saying:
“Brother Lin, we independent cultivators often don’t even have the qualifications to compete, but this time is different, so they won’t miss this opportunity.”

At this moment, Lao Hu also smiled, raised his hand and took out his big knife, looking as if he didn't want to miss out either.

“Brother Lin, this beast tide is protected by the mountain-protecting array of Tianxuan City, which is much safer than hunting alone outside. I, Lao Hu, don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Lin Chang'an nodded secretly upon seeing this. With the protective array around the mountain, the safety of hunting demonic beasts was indeed greatly improved.

With the beast tide imminent, the prices of various supplies in the city have actually started to rise.

Afterwards, they also received a summons, or rather, all Foundation Establishment cultivators in Tianxuan City were required to go to the city walls for defense.

Otherwise, leave Tianxuan City.

……

Inside the black market shop.

"I'm sure you've all received the conscription order. There will be absolutely no idle Foundation Establishment cultivators in Tianxuan City."

Inside the shop, the six of them rarely get together.

The people could understand Tianxuan City's measures.

After all, at this time, everyone is worried that someone might secretly cause trouble.

However, although Foundation Establishment cultivators were forcibly conscripted, they were still treated differently.

For clansmen whose families and businesses are all in Tianxuan City, if there are two Foundation Establishment cultivators in the clan, only one needs to be sent out.

If there is only one Foundation Establishment cultivator, they will be assigned to a relatively safe location in the second line.

At the same time, some skilled cultivators will also be assigned to the second line.

What choices did everyone make?

Old Hu spread his hands, a hearty smile on his face.

"Anyway, I, Lao Hu, know that this is a rare opportunity. If I don't seize this chance, I'll lose everything."

Faced with Lao Hu's desire to take the plunge, Lao Jia, whose ambition had dissipated over the years, was somewhat tempted, but ultimately let out a long sigh.

"Old Hu, I can't keep going anymore."

Everyone understood Lao Jia's situation, after all, everyone has their own ambitions.

Old Ghost sneered, his meaning clear even though he didn't say it outright.

He was nothing but a vengeful demon.

He Yan also said calmly:
"With the Tianxuan City's grand formation protecting it, its safety is very high."

Yun Yao, her face veiled in black, coldly wiped the tip of her spear throughout, her attitude quite clear.

"Haha, it seems that Lao Hu has teammates now."

Old Hu laughed heartily, and Yun Yao and the others exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

At least they were relatively familiar with each other, so they could look out for each other when they were together.

"I have a few second-tier high-grade talismans for self-defense. I hope you won't need them. Of course, remember to return the spirit stones to me later."

Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded, then took out several second-tier high-grade talismans from his storage bag.

Even if a second-tier high-grade talisman master like him wanted to go to the front line, Tianxuan City wouldn't allow it.

Their role is even greater.

"A second-tier high-grade talisman, that's a rare find. Uncle Lin, if you have the chance, sell me a few more."

Upon seeing this, He Yan immediately smiled and teased, but his eyes also showed interest.

After all, they hadn't seen each other for many years, and it was through this black market that they met again.

A second-tier high-grade talisman master has a limited monthly output, and He Yan wanted to test the waters to see if he could get a few more.

You can't lose out by having a couple more of these.

Not to mention He Yan, even Lao Gui, Lao Hu, and Lao Jia were somewhat tempted.

Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded, saying, "I had saved up some money before, so I'm taking this opportunity to make a fortune."

He Yan and the others smiled upon hearing this.

I'm not afraid of it being expensive, I'm afraid of not being able to buy it.

Lin Chang'an didn't intend to make much money off them; he just wanted to charge the market price. Not only had the prices of talismans and pills increased, but the prices of raw materials had also risen.

However, he could foresee that after this wave of beast tide, with a large amount of monster beast resources flowing into the market, raw materials would experience a huge drop in price.

Lin Chang'an was also secretly planning that he might be able to take advantage of the beast tide to acquire more near-third-tier talisman materials.

This is a rare opportunity.

……

Just as Tianxuan City was making intensive preparations for the battle against the beast tide, Li Yifan arrived as a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator.

No matter what, he's still stronger than a Qi Refining cultivator. Old Hu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he's a junior, having another helper is still a great asset.

The area they were responsible for defending, and the Tianxuan City patrol team they were assigned to, were actually led by Shen Fan and Wei Yingying.

After all, the two of them were cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining, and had long since begun to lead teams on their own.

Seeing this scene, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but sigh, "Indeed, the cultivation world is not only about fighting and killing, but also about human relationships and worldly wisdom."

It's obvious that this was deliberately arranged.

"Uncle Lin."

Shen Fan and Wei Yingying arrived respectfully, and Lin Chang'an smiled with satisfaction as he looked at them.

At least his impression of these two younger relatives was still quite good, as they would send him gifts during holidays.

"Take these talismans for self-defense. Remember to consult Yifan and Lao Hu if you get into trouble. Also, the veiled female cultivator with the gun is a good friend of your Uncle Lin..."

Pointing to Yun Yao, whose face was veiled in black in the distance, Lin Chang'an smiled and patted the two of them on the shoulder.

Shen Fan nodded firmly and said, "Uncle Lin, don't worry, I will definitely not let you down."

Wei Yingying, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but glare at this blockhead. Was this a shameful question?
It could cost you your life.

“We usually save up spirit stones. Uncle Lin, you have a wide network of connections and access to the black market. If you have any defensive magic artifacts or the like, please keep an eye out for them.”

Lin Chang'an nodded in approval at Wei Yingying's clever methods.

This girl has certainly learned a lot from Lu Qingqing's cleverness; she knows that human relationships are human relationships.

If you treat human relationships as a consumable resource, they will eventually run out.

Wei Yingying nodded secretly. This Uncle Lin had extensive connections, and since her parents had finally established this relationship, she naturally wanted to maintain it rather than squander it.

Shen Fan, standing to the side, smiled sheepishly, seemingly feeling that he was troubling Uncle Lin and hadn't considered things that far ahead.

How can you maintain social relationships if you don't reciprocate?

　Thank you all for your support. I'm asking for your votes at the beginning of the month so I can try to get into the top 500 and get some exposure.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)