Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 291 Old Hu Arrives [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

With the appearance of the Yin Soul Sect's secret realm, too many cultivators have flooded into the surrounding seas, causing great turmoil.

Even though the current restrictions only allow Qi Refining cultivators to enter, it still attracts many Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators.

Some were preparing to pounce, while others wanted to take advantage of the chaos; it was a mixed bag.

This is the day at Wulong Island Wharf.

The Core Formation cultivators from the Long family, the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, and the Xuan Yin Pavilion all came to greet them, which caused many cultivators in the market to exclaim in surprise.

"I heard that the Azure Sea Palace sent a group of Enforcement Hall cultivators to guard the area."

"That's great. At least the island will be a little more peaceful this way."

"Yes, there have been too many outside cultivators lately, causing widespread panic."

Many cultivators in the market breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that cultivators from the Azure Sea Palace had come to guard the area.

"Recently, many families and sects have formed teams of Qi Refining cultivators to go on adventures and explore, but they have suffered heavy casualties in the end."

The news they brought back said that the place was teeming with evil spirits, as well as terrifying evil beasts and puppets…

Lin Chang'an nodded secretly as he heard the voice transmission from Fairy Ni Chang in his ear, while Liu Ruyu and Xu Lingfeng beside him also looked solemn.

It is clear that each of the three factions has its own small group.

As if afraid that Lin Chang'an might misunderstand, Fairy Ni Chang explained:

“It is not easy to train disciples of my Xuan Yin Pavilion, and this time, it is almost certain that the Qi Refining disciples will die if they go, so naturally we will not send anyone.”

But some families are different; many of them are willing to take the risk for a glimmer of opportunity…

After listening to Fairy Ni Chang'an's explanation, Lin Chang'an understood.

It's nothing more than cultivators and families affiliated with the Xuan Yin Pavilion providing people, and the Xuan Yin Pavilion offering them magical artifacts and elixirs for protection, while also promising these families some benefits.

Both sides were willing participants. Xuan Yin Pavilion wanted to know the information inside, while these family cultivators wanted to take a risk and try their luck for that sliver of opportunity.

This is common in the cultivation world, and Lin Chang'an merely sighed after hearing it.

If it were him back then, with no hope for the future, he would probably have taken the risk to try such an opportunity, even if it was fraught with danger.

It should be known that in the world of cultivation, many cultivators do not even have the opportunity to choose.

When there is a promising opportunity, how could it possibly fall to a rogue cultivator (low-level cultivator)? If a rogue cultivator were to go, it would be a certain death, but for a rogue cultivator, only by putting himself in a life-or-death situation could he have a sliver of hope.

"Even if it's just an opportunity, it's already an incredible stroke of luck for a rogue cultivator."

Lin Chang'an, who had come from a background of independent cultivation, deeply understood this and couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.

Life and death are impermanent, so how can it be difficult? If it weren't difficult, how could it be a wandering cultivator's turn?

"It seems that the price of fire-attribute resources will rise soon, given that this is a place where spirits gather."

Lin Chang'an merely sighed for a moment before thinking about his own interests.

The cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world. It is precisely because they know they are weak that they are unwilling to give up and strive to cultivate.

Now, he has no right to pity others. In the eyes of high-level cultivators, he is nothing more than a slightly stronger ant.

At the same time, Lin Chang'an also showed goodwill towards Fairy Ni Chang, the sect leader's attempt to win her over.

"The ship is coming!"

Just then, with a cry of surprise, the clouds in the sky broke through the sky.

"This is the Azure Sea Palace!"

Before the astonished gazes of countless low-level cultivators, what appeared in the sky was not a single giant ship, but a dense array of hundreds of awe-inspiring giant ships.

Lin Chang'an was also shocked by this grand gesture.

The next moment, one after another, huge spirit ships slowly descended from the sky, exuding a terrifying aura.

Such an imposing presence left not only him speechless, but even the Long family members wore expressions of shock.

With these hundreds of spirit ships, attacking Five Dragon Island would be a piece of cake.

"Haha, we've finally arrived."

With a hearty laugh, the cultivators of the Azure Sea Palace Enforcement Team appeared one after another.

The oppressive force of nearly twenty Core Formation cultivators instantly overwhelmed everyone.

This caused the expressions of the three major forces present to change drastically, and they immediately showed respect.

The fact that the Azure Sea Palace had only revealed the tip of the iceberg was enough to make people lose the will to resist.

Lin Chang'an also spotted Lao Hu standing at the back of the crowd.

Old Hu smiled and winked at him without any attempt to hide it, which left Lin Chang'an speechless.

That old Hu is really something...

However, he also understood that this was probably done intentionally by Lao Hu, to let outsiders know that he also had some connections with Bihai Palace.

"Hurry up and unload the goods, this old man wants to have a good gathering with all of you fellow Daoists."

The leader of the Bihai Palace cultivators was a burly man with a dark face. His hearty laughter revealed the aura of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.

As the three major powers conversed with the Azure Sea Palace, Lin Chang'an, standing in the crowd, suddenly realized what was happening.

No wonder, although the Azure Sea Palace is powerful, it is not so extravagant as to send twenty Core Formation cultivators over at the drop of a hat.

It was obvious that this time, the Azure Sea Palace was taking this opportunity to escort the merchant ship, and many cultivators accompanied them.

Only three Core Formation cultivators and a few dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators remained on the island.

Lin Chang'an also realized that Bihai Palace was Bihai Palace, while the merchant ships under the Sixth Elder's command were another matter entirely.

"This Master Tan sent a message earlier, also wanting to take this opportunity to make a fortune, and he will arrive soon."

With a flicker in his eyes, Lin Chang'an naturally figured out exactly what was going on.

Just like him, he was a guest elder of the Xuan Yin Pavilion, which is a public position.

He also owned merchant ships that he collaborated with the Lu family on, which were his private property.

With such a powerful force as the Azure Sea Palace, it's natural that its members wouldn't allow it to squander resources. It's normal for some powerful cultivators to accumulate resources for themselves and their descendants.

Meanwhile, the three major forces of Five Dragons Island, along with many Core Formation cultivators, gathered with the cultivators of Azure Sea Palace in the market with smiles on their faces.

The group had just gotten to know each other. The three Core Formation cultivators from Bihai Palace were stationed there to ensure the stability of the market.

To put it bluntly, the Azure Sea Palace also took this opportunity to earn a considerable amount of spirit stone resources through merchant ships.

After all, this secret realm will probably last for decades.

Even when the secret realm becomes more intense and allows Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators to enter, powerful figures from the Azure Sea Palace will still arrive.

After the banquet, Lin Chang'an returned to Tianquan Peak.

After all, today's situation is clearly a tactic used by the Azure Sea Palace to deter unrest.

It has nothing to do with him anyway.

……

Night gradually fell.

Under the bright moonlight, the blooming peach blossoms exuded fragrance.

Inside the pavilion, on a stone table, lay a table of spiritual dishes and wine.

"Owner."

After the sword attendant put down the spirit wine he had just retrieved from the cave, he stood respectfully to one side.

They had no doubts about their master's return and the fact that a table full of spiritual wine and meat was laid out for them that evening.

The sword servant's calm and collected execution style, and his tendency to never interfere, was one of the things Lin Chang'an was most satisfied with.

"Moo!"

Just then, the Green Horned Ox seemed to sense something, and suddenly raised its head to look outside the barrier, letting out a moo.

"Haha, you old Lin, you're really living the life you've always had, even keeping a young and beautiful concubine."

When Lao Hu appeared and saw Lin Chang'an, he immediately burst into hearty laughter.

Lin Chang'an shook his head; this old Hu was still the same as always.

"Moo!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, the Green Horned Ox beamed with joy and leaped from the water, excitedly heading towards Hu Jin. "Wow! A third-tier spirit pet! Old Lin, I'm truly envious of you now!"

Upon seeing the greenhorn cow, Hu Jin was genuinely envious.

Why didn't I raise a spirit pet back then? Look at Lin Chang'an now.

"Being in the Azure Sea Palace, do you, Old Hu, lack this?"

Lin Chang'an also rarely showed a smile and joked.

After many years apart, the old friends met again, exchanged a glance, and then smiled.

The Green Horned Ox looked at the two spiritual fruits it had just eaten, nodded contentedly, and then leisurely returned to the pool.

For Qingjiao Niu, these were all acquaintances.

The sword attendants stood respectfully outside the pavilion, ready to be dispatched at any time.

"Tsk tsk, I have to say, Old Lin, you really do have the demeanor of an elder now."

Looking at the scenery of Tianquan Peak and Lin Chang'an's current life, Hu Jin couldn't help but feel envious.

Back when they were in Yue, wasn't that what they were hoping for—to one day achieve the Golden Core stage and live that kind of life?

It's a pity that although he entered the Bihai Palace through his family connections and had plenty of resources, he couldn't compare to Lin Chang'an in other aspects.

"Here, this is a spirit wine I brought from the Azure Sea Palace; you can't buy it anywhere else."

Inside the pavilion, the two drank and chatted happily, a rare opportunity to reunite.

During their conversation, Lao Hu wanted to learn more about the current situation in the secret realm.

Lin Chang'an naturally told him everything he knew.

"Old Lin, it has to be you, you actually managed to keep your patience."

When Hu Jin saw that Lin Chang'an could remain as calm as Mount Tai in this secret realm, he couldn't help but show his admiration.

Lin Chang'an, however, sighed calmly and said, "Have we seen enough of each other?"

"Opportunities are nothing; only by turning those opportunities into strength can they truly belong to you."

In the world of cultivation, how many people do the work for others, and how many opportunities bring disaster upon themselves?

"Indeed, such opportunities don't come easily."

Hu Jin also spoke with emotion, and then he took out a jade book.

"The cargo manifest for this merchant ship is all on it. We're planning to hold an auction in a while. Of course, don't do anything reckless. Although Lao Hu has some influence, it's not that great."

Beneath Lao Hu's playful laughter was a subtle reminder to Lin Chang'an: "Don't ask for too much."

He can do it within his capabilities.

Lin Chang'an was well aware of this, and he smiled and shook his head, knowing he wouldn't make things difficult for Lao Hu.

However, upon opening the jade book and seeing the various treasures that appeared, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but show a hint of amazement.

It truly lives up to its name, the Azure Sea Palace; it's incredibly extravagant.

Those items that can be registered in the Jade Register are naturally high-end goods.

All sorts of third-tier spiritual items, including rare third-tier spiritual wood and spiritual beads, and even alchemy furnaces and cauldrons, were available. Even magic treasures were being auctioned.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Five Dragon Island is already considered quite nice; it's not so extravagant as to just casually put out magical treasures for auction.

"So, are you tempted yet!?"

Faced with Lao Hu's teasing, Lin Chang'an rarely nodded seriously.

"I'm really tempted. I want so much, but I find that I don't have enough spirit stones at all."

He had previously thought that he was considered quite well-off among Core Formation cultivators.

As a result, after seeing this auction, he directly saw the world beyond the sky.

However, Lin Chang'an took a deep breath, turned over the item that he was about to covet, and finally fixed his gaze on a talisman inheritance.

"The inheritance of the third-tier fire dragon talisman, along with the insights of this third-tier superior talisman master."

With a flick of Lin Chang'an's finger, Hu Jinxin understood and revealed the details of the talisman's lineage.

"Old Lin, you'd better think this through. If you use me, you won't be able to hide your status as a third-tier talisman master."

With Hu Jin implying that he could use his privileges to pre-order and take away a certain item of cargo from the merchant ship, Hu Jin suggested that he could do so.

But privilege doesn't mean you can hide it from those above you.

Faced with Hu Jin's reminder, Lin Chang'an just smiled irritably.

"What are my skills compared to those of the Azure Sea Palace? Besides, I was already a second-tier high-grade talisman master before I formed my core. It's just that I have good talent in formations, which is why I was able to surpass them later."

Five Dragons Island isn't that big. If this goes on for too long, it might slip up and people will become suspicious sooner or later.

If it weren't for this upheaval in the secret realm, with the resources of Five Dragons Island, he could have secretly collected a small amount of third-tier talisman materials.

However, if this continues indefinitely, it will inevitably arouse suspicion sooner or later.

Therefore, after thinking it over, Lin Chang'an decided not to hide this third-tier talisman master anymore.

Of course, this only applies to those above; as for when other forces will discover it, that's their business.

Talismans are nothing else. He had considered creating another clone, but there were simply no spiritual peaks near Tianquan Peak.

This ability to create an external avatar also has limitations; it cannot be used for long distances or for extended periods.

This means that clones must be close to the user; for example, Crimson Fire Peak was created because of its proximity, and it even secretly opened up an underground passage.

This ensures that no accidents will occur.

"This clone is enough for alchemy, and there's no need to worry about weapon crafting, since I also need a lot of weapon crafting materials to make arrays."

Lin Chang'an pondered to himself that revealing his talismans was actually a good thing, as it would increase his leverage.

Thus, in the eyes of the higher-ups, they could openly and legitimately collect materials related to talismans.

"Old Lin, this third-tier Fire Dragon Talisman inheritance is different from others. Because of the Yin Soul Sect's secret realm, the price will definitely be a bit high. In addition, it comes with a complete version of the superior talisman master's experience."

"Twenty thousand mid-grade spirit stones, no bargaining!"

After seeing Lin Chang'an nod, Hu Jin immediately stated the price.

Lin Chang'an didn't hesitate and took out 20,000 mid-grade spirit stones and put them into an empty storage bag.

"Good heavens, so many spirit stones! Old Lin, you can rest assured, aren't you afraid I'll take them and then deny them?"

Amid Hu Jin's joking laughter, Lin Chang'an smiled and shook his head, raising his glass in a toast to express his gratitude.

Actually, this price is already cheap.

Unlike the previous mind-stabilizing talisman, which had significant limitations and was somewhat useless for Core Formation cultivators.

This Fire Dragon Talisman is an offensive talisman with a wide range of uses, and this time it can even target the evil spirits in the secret realm, making it several times more valuable.

With the complete insights of a top-grade talisman master, Lin Chang'an knew that if this talisman were to be sold, its price should be around 30,000 to 40,000 mid-grade spirit stones.

The fact that Hu Jin asked for 20,000 this time is not because he would do a losing business.

Rather, it's because of their status that they obtained the item in advance, hence the price.

"Old Hu, here is another five thousand mid-grade spirit stones."

Immediately afterwards, Lin Chang'an took out another five thousand mid-grade spirit stones and put them into another storage bag, saying something meaningful.

Hu Jin couldn't help but grin and raised his glass as well.

"Old Lin is straightforward, don't worry, the other fellow Daoists won't say anything then."

Twenty thousand were given to Bihai Palace, and the remaining five thousand mid-grade spirit stones naturally belonged to everyone.

Under the moonlight, the two men chuckled as they toasted each other in the pavilion.

Old Hu didn't leave until dawn the next day.

As Lin Chang'an looked at the treasures in the jade book, his gaze fell on a particularly precious item, and he narrowed his eyes.

This is the one he likes the most, but it's extremely valuable, so he naturally won't make things difficult for Lao Hu.

"It seems we still need to prepare for this auction."

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(End of this chapter)