Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 24 Old He's Pain
Qingzhushan Market.

"Have you heard? Recently, the Divine Sword Sect has issued a bounty: kill an inner disciple of the Blazing Fire Palace and you can exchange him for a high-grade magic weapon."

"What's the big deal? Both Li Huo Palace and Xuan Yin Pavilion still have bounty orders. As long as you kill the corresponding spy or cultivator from the Divine Sword Sect, you can exchange them for rewards based on their identity and strength. There are even Foundation Establishment Pills."

In the bustling market, amidst the comings and goings of people, many cultivators exuded a murderous aura between their brows.

Even in the market, large quantities of monster meat and leather armor appeared.

Zhenbaolou.

"Master Lin, you're quite a rare guest these days."

The familiar Manager Miao had recently become quite rosy-cheeked with the arrival of the sect cultivators, and he even smiled when he saw Lin Chang'an arrive.

"Manager Miao, don't make fun of me. If I had known that Li Huo Palace would be open to the public, I would have sold myself anyway."

Lin Chang'an shook his head, feeling utterly helpless.

Who would have thought that he would get involved with the Zhou family so soon, only to end up in this mess?

Seeing Lin Chang'an's displeasure, Manager Miao smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Master Lin, are you kidding me? I haven't heard a single word about this from above."

Manager Miao spoke cautiously, but Lin Chang'an shook his head and didn't say much. He slammed his hand on the table and gave away five spirit stones plus a mid-grade golden light talisman.

"Oh my, Master Lin, your skills are getting better and better."

Seeing how quickly Manager Miao's expression changed, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but smile and wave his hand, saying:
"Alright, here's some top-grade mid-level cinnabar, talisman paper, and pills to enhance your cultivation."

Besides paying the Zhou family in advance for the talismans each month, he would naturally sell the rest outside.

However, to avoid suspicion, he came to Zhenbaolou to purchase cinnabar, and in the eyes of outsiders, he was just an ascetic.

Mid-grade talismans are best-selling items in the market; there's never a shortage of buyers.

"Master Lin, we also have other mid-grade talisman inheritances here, which only cost a little over a hundred spirit stones."

After delivering the cinnabar and pills, Manager Miao skillfully promoted them, while Lin Chang'an appeared to be short of money but was trying to maintain his composure.

"It's better to be good at something than to be broad. Besides, it would take me a year to earn over a hundred spirit stones, even if I didn't eat or drink. Not to mention I still owe the Zhou family a debt that's been there for ten years."

After receiving the pills, cinnabar, and talismans, Lin Chang'an did not leave. Manager Miao also had a knowing smile on his face, after all, Zhenbaolou had opened quite a few things to the public during this period.

“Master Lin, things haven’t been very peaceful outside lately. I’ve heard that some thieves have been committing crimes in the market. The shop now has everything you could want, from defensive magic items to spells.”

Seeing Manager Miao's smug, almost smug look as if he wanted to squeeze every last drop out of him, Lin Chang'an was speechless for a moment, but still nodded and said:

"Manager Miao, as you know, my net worth is limited, so I'm not interested in defensive magic artifacts. I just want to ask if you have any advanced cultivators' spell experience manuals? Talisman experience manuals will also be fine."

"Yes, of course."

Manager Miao had a big smile on his face; he was happy as long as you did business with him.

"Cultivating wood-attribute techniques, the lifelong magical cultivation experience of a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, eighty spirit stones! Experience notes of a high-grade talisman master, one hundred and eighty spirit stones."

Upon hearing the price, Lin Chang'an fell silent. Could he buy them separately, such as an experience manual for a single spell?

The response he received was a smiling nod from Manager Miao, but after the next sentence about needing to take on a spiritual contract, Lin Chang'an left without looking back.

"A single Fireball Technique experience manual is only ten spirit stones, but I have to pay an additional spirit contract worth fifteen spirit stones! It's outrageous! It's outrageous!"

After leaving Zhenbaolou, Lin Chang'an, looking penniless, reluctantly decided to try his luck outside.

However, after many twists and turns, Lin Chang'an had already changed his appearance.

Half an hour later, Lin Chang'an, dressed in gray clothes and a bamboo hat, reappeared at Zhenbao Tower.

"Experience manuals that are not usually available outside. This opportunity is rare. Although they are a bit expensive, they are guaranteed to be genuine by Zhenbaolou."

The reason he spent so much time talking with Manager Miao at Zhenbaolou before was to observe her secretly.

There are several shopkeepers on the first floor, each in charge of a different area.

……

Half an incense stick later, Lin Chang'an, dressed in gray robes and a bamboo hat, emerged from Zhenbao Tower and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"Two hundred and thirty-five low-grade spirit stones, what a rip-off!"

After navigating through numerous twists and turns, Lin Chang'an painfully touched the jade slip inside his storage bag.

A superior talisman master's experience manual, worth 180 spirit stones.

Experience manual on fire control techniques in the late stage of Qi Refining, 30 spirit stones.

The spirit contract, originally worth fifteen spirit stones, was used to purchase this special jade slip with a restriction, with the last ten spirit stones being used to buy it. Only his magical power could see the contents of the jade slip.

"The anti-theft awareness in the cultivation world is ridiculously strong."

Having never encountered them before, Lin Chang'an didn't quite understand, but now he could truly comprehend why these sects were so powerful.

These traditions alone are an inexhaustible treasure.

The fact that this is not to be shared outside the company is enough to allow them to continuously exploit people.

"But I'm different."

As he mingled in the crowd, Lin Chang'an revealed a meaningful smile.

For ordinary cultivators, other people's experiences can at most deepen their understanding and comprehension, but for cultivators with insight, they are useful.

However, for most cultivators, it's somewhat of a double-edged sword.

But it's different for him; every insight he gains is a permanent improvement.

One certificate is a permanent certificate; this is his greatest talent.

"Two hundred spirit stones is nothing to Zhenbaolou and shouldn't attract attention. Besides, I also specially bought a fire control technique."

He purchased the fire control technique in order to mislead people into thinking he was a talisman master who cultivated fire-attribute techniques.

After several twists and turns, Lin Chang'an cautiously changed his disguise several times before finally returning to his original attire and blending completely into the crowd in the market.

"Give me twenty catties of mid-grade first-tier demon beast meat."

"Okay."

Looking at the fresh monster meat, Lin Chang'an smiled with satisfaction. After paying with spirit stones, he just put the meat back into his storage bag when...

Suddenly, a familiar, huddled figure appeared in the distance, being driven away.

"Go away, you old fool, don't interfere with my business."

"No, no, fellow Daoist, I'm just here to find my grandson. Have you ever met my grandson? He's a genius."

A disheveled old man, in a state of mental confusion, kept pulling at others, showing off his grandson.

"Old He!?"

Lin Chang'an was startled. The old man in front of him with dry, white hair and a sallow complexion was actually Old He.

Old He's miserable state clearly indicated that he was mentally unstable, and his cultivation level had fallen to the early stage of Qi Refining.

Unbeknownst to him, he found himself back on the street he used to frequent. His former neighbors and acquaintances saw him and respectfully addressed him as Master Lin.

"Oh, that old He is pitiful too."

The butcher, surnamed Luo, shook his head and sighed as he spoke about Old He's situation.

It turns out that when He Yan passed the test, a group of people left the market with him. On their way to Li Huo Palace, they encountered a monster attacking the market.

The result was predictable, and Old He became like this after he found out.

"It's so."

Lin Chang'an let out a long, quiet sigh. Perhaps the biggest shock came after learning that it was the Black Wind Wolf that drove the demonic beasts to attack the market.

It's like Old He's greed led to the death of his own grandson.

"Old He, come on, I'll take you to find your grandson."

"It's Fellow Daoist Lin! Let me tell you, my grandson is a genius."

Old He smiled when he heard that he would be taken to find his grandson.

Lin Chang'an nodded slightly in agreement, not because he was kind-hearted, but because Old He's energy and spirit were clearly exhausted, and he wouldn't live for more than a few days.

He was simply doing what he could to ensure Old He died with some dignity.

When this scene was witnessed by the Luo-surnamed cultivator who sold demon beast meat, he shook his head and sighed deeply.

"Old He is not bad, at least someone will collect his body."

As the sun set, Lin Chang'an led an old man away into the distance.

(End of this chapter)