Immortality and Cultivation: I Have Too Many Talents

Chapter 23 The Master's Immortal Journey (Please continue reading)

Jiang Xueqi's eyes lit up: "Master Shen, no wonder my husband is willing to do things for you. He's really generous!"

She married Zhao Chunsheng and had always been frugal in order to support her two children.

I've never met a fellow Daoist who would give away more than a dozen exquisite talismans in one go.

Shen Xuan quickly waved his hand and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang is joking. This concerns the lives of my wife and me, and we will have to rely on Fellow Daoist Jiang in the future."

"Don't worry! I won't take these talismans from you for nothing."

Jiang Xueqi has lived here for more than ten years and knows Shen Xuan quite well.

A cautious and ascetic practitioner, after reaching the age of sixty, accidentally broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Although he was a mid-grade talisman master, I had never heard of him fighting anyone.

Jiang Xueqi went home and tidied up before moving into Shen Xuan's place to share a room with Ding Yuyao.

Shen Xuan rested in the training room or the talisman-making room.

To be on the safe side, Shen Xuan did not leave the market town, nor did he go to the bottom of the Dragon Lake to cultivate. Instead, he focused on making [Rejuvenation Talismans] to earn spirit stones.

Subsequently, the corpses of cultivators continued to appear in the shantytowns of Qinglongwan.

The Ding family law enforcement team conducted an on-site investigation and confirmed that the deceased was a repairman from the shantytown.

Suddenly, the residents of the shantytown were filled with anxiety.

Some people pooled together enough spirit stones and hid inside the market.

Others moved out of the shantytowns and sought new places to develop their lives.

Most independent cultivators, however, remained indifferent to this.

They were originally from the lowest level of the cultivation world; if they truly possessed spirit stones, they wouldn't be living in the shantytown.

In response, the Ding family increased patrols and law enforcement in the shantytown.

More than ten days later, news came.

A high-ranking cultivator from the Ding family intervened and captured a group of robbers who were committing robbery and murder.

After the public trial, they were all hanged at the entrance of the market.

"Great! Those who have undergone tribulation deserve to die!"

"As expected of the Ding family of Qinglong Bay!"

"Great pleasure!"

Even if they live in the shantytown and try to benefit from the spiritual energy of Qinglongwan Market, they still have to pay rent to the Ding family.

However, it's much cheaper than in the market, costing only two spirit stones a year.

The intervention of the Ding family's high-level cultivators was also aimed at stabilizing the morale of the independent cultivators in the market.

After all, these rogue cultivators work tirelessly year-round, earning spirit stones for the Ding family.

Shen Xuan did not leave the market again.

Cultivation, talisman making.

Life is both fulfilling and monotonous.

Seeing the ever-increasing number of spirit stones, Shen Xuan was filled with enthusiasm.

Since the Ding family announced the capture of the group of cultivators who were hanged, the security in Qinglong Bay Market has returned to normal, with no more cultivators being robbed or killed in the shantytowns.

As for areas outside the market, the Ding family has no reach to manage them, nor will they bother to.

That day, Shen Xuan received a letter.

The letter came from Longmenfang Market in Qingyun Mountain.

That was where Master Yan later settled.

It is directly under the jurisdiction of the Qingyun Sect and has good public security.

"Has the Master passed away?"

After reading the contents of the letter, Shen Xuan felt a pang of sorrow.

Master Yan was his mentor, who discovered him from the mundane world.

He taught him Taoist techniques, how to guide Qi into his body, and took him to participate in the sect test of Qingyun Sect.

Even after being found to have inferior spiritual roots, Master Yan did not give up. He gifted him the "Divine Treasure Ocean Skill" and wrote to old friends, recommending him to join his cause.

Master Yan's old friend was a veteran spiritual plant master who, out of respect for Master Yan, taught Shen Xuan the [Cloud and Rain Technique] for free.

Shen Xuan discovered that Lingzhifu's life was too difficult. After farming for a year and accumulating some savings, he decisively switched to learning talisman making.

Now, upon learning of Master Yan's passing, I suddenly realized that the two of us have been separated for forty-nine years.

I wonder how my former classmates are doing now.

……

The Qingyun Sect is a top sect in the Song Kingdom, with several Golden Core cultivators residing within it.

From Qinglong Bay to Qingyun Mountain, it's a journey of three thousand miles.

Old Liu's carriages were all drawn by Akhal-Teke horses, which were very fast.

Hearing that Shen Xuan was in a hurry, he rushed all the way, day and night.

It took Shen Xuan only three days to reach Longmen Market.

This place is very close to Qingyun Mountain; it's an outpost of the Qingyun Sect.

Longmen Market is a necessary stop on the way to Qingyun Sect from the west.

At the entrance of the market, Shen Xuan took out his Qinglong Bay identity jade token, registered, and went inside.

Old Liu then drove his carriage to the mortal world to rest.

Shen Xuan left behind a communication talisman.

When he left the market, he would send a message to Old Liu to return to Qinglong Bay together. Following the address indicated in the letter, Shen Xuan quickly found Master Yan's former residence.

At the door, a round, fat man dressed in mourning clothes waved to him.

"Shen Xuan, come here quickly!"

Shen Xuan's eyes lit up.

This person was none other than Wang Fugui, his classmate from back then.

After walking over, Wang Fugui skillfully helped Shen Xuan change into linen clothes and put on a white cloth.

"You've come at the right time. We'll keep vigil tonight; the funeral is tomorrow."

Shen Xuan followed Wang Fugui inside and, upon seeing the portrait of Master Yan in the mourning hall, couldn't help but burst into tears.

He looked solemn and bowed deeply in respect.

He then picked up three incense sticks, lit them over the candlelight, extinguished the incense, and knelt and kowtowed again before Master Yan's memorial tablet.

After getting up, Shen Xuan carefully placed the incense stick in his hand into the incense burner, his eyes already glistening with tears.

Fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The youthful spirit of pursuing knowledge and the stern face of the teacher seem as if it were just yesterday.

Master Yan had no children; the two immortal seedlings he had taught were the only family members kneeling beside him.

That night, Shen Xuan and Wang Fugui personally kept vigil for Master Yan.

"What about the other classmates?"

"I've sent them all."

Wang Fugui had a low-grade spiritual root. After failing the sect test, he immediately chose to marry into the Liu family, a Foundation Establishment cultivation family nearby.

He was also the most active of the seven classmates.

"Ling Zhenfeng died twenty-seven years ago. I heard he died in a war between cultivation families."

In Shen Xuan's mind, an image of a sixteen-year-old boy in black with a resolute gaze appeared.

Ling Zhenfeng is from a prominent family in the martial arts world and possesses considerable skill.

Unexpectedly, he, who also had inferior spiritual roots, died so young.

"Li Chang'an is not bad. Like me, he married into the Yu family of cultivators and has many descendants."

When Wang Fugui mentioned the son-in-law, there was nothing unusual about it.

Becoming a son-in-law in a cultivation family isn't easy.

Spiritual roots, origins, temperament, character, and so on, all have their own set of rules.

Although Li Chang'an also has inferior spiritual roots, his earth spiritual root is as high as 9 points, making him very suitable for farming.

"As for Zhao Sujin, she married well, and both of her sons have spiritual roots."

Zhao Sujin has a low-grade spiritual root and is a female cultivator.

After the sect's test, Master Yan personally oversaw her selection and chose a good marriage for her.

"You know that the young marquis and Princess Xinyue have joined the Qingyun Sect."

Wang Fugui suddenly hesitated.

"I've heard, just heard, that Princess Crescent Moon has established a foundation for her cultivation, and it's of exceptional quality!"

"Really?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Xuan was somewhat surprised.

In his memory, Princess Xinyue was still that aloof and pure girl, like a snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains.

"Where's the young marquis?"

Wang Fugui rolled his eyes at Shen Xuan.

"Brother, Foundation Establishment? It's not that easy!"

"When the young marquis arrives, whatever you do, don't mention the Foundation Establishment matter."

"it is good."

It was midnight, already past midnight.

A horse-drawn carriage sped up and stopped at the entrance of the mourning hall.

Soon, a female cultivator dressed as a woman walked in; it was none other than Zhao Sujin, whom they hadn't seen for many years.

Bow, light incense, kneel and kowtow in respect.

After inserting the incense sticks, Zhao Sujin changed into linen clothes and put on a white cloth.

"It's coming!"

Zhao Sujin didn't speak, but nodded, silently kneeling to the side, sobbing softly, tears streaming down her face.

After a while, a burly man rushed over and hurriedly offered incense and knelt down to worship.

It was Li Chang'an, who had married into a family of cultivators, and he smelled of dirt all over.

"Shen Xuan, Wang Fugui, Zhao Sujin, I'm late!"

Li Chang'an stammered, as if he had done something wrong.

"It's not too late. Go change your clothes and keep vigil with us!"

Wang Fugui said comfortingly.

"it is good."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a series of sword cries suddenly rang out outside the mourning hall, the clanging sound as sharp and urgent as thunder.

Someone actually dared to fly on a sword in Longmen Market!
(End of this chapter)