The reborn policewoman's dog solves numerous major cases, shocking the nation.

Chapter 194 Avoiding Dust Valley, Tai Nan Collection

The valley was already quite lively at this moment.

Small groups of people walked through the valley, greeting each other.

These people were dressed in various ways. Some, like Ling Yun, wore simple Taoist robes; some wore monks' robes and looked solemn; some were dressed like ancient knights; and many others wore modern suits and jackets, looking like ordinary tourists.

Chu Sheng even spotted a familiar face in the crowd—a real estate tycoon who had consistently ranked in the top ten of the Donglian Forbes Rich List.

At this moment, he was following respectfully behind an old Taoist priest with an air of otherworldly wisdom, showing no trace of the domineering aura of a business tycoon.

It seems that there are more cultivators in this world than he imagined, and they are also more deeply hidden.

As they were taking in this new and exciting world, a gentle voice sounded behind them.

“Amitabha Buddha, three benefactors, we meet again.”

Chu Sheng turned around and saw that it was the mysterious ascetic monk he had met in the mountains yesterday.

"Master, what are you doing here?" Su Yueling asked in surprise.

"This place is called Tainan Valley, also known as Bichen Valley," the ascetic monk explained with a smile. "Legend has it that it was the site of a certain immortal cultivation sect a thousand years ago. Later, it was discovered by us cultivators in the Dharma-ending Age. After some repairs, it became the place where we gather once every ten years to discuss the Dao."

"This conference is particularly grand, and almost all the surviving sects and families with unbroken lineages have received invitations."

"The conference will last for five days. For the first three days, everyone can freely exchange ideas or trade items needed for cultivation at the 'Tai Nan Ji' at the entrance of the valley. As long as no one hurts anyone, no one will interfere."

"On the fourth day, a grand competition will be held at the 'Discussion Platform' in the center of the valley, mainly to allow the younger generation of each family to exchange skills and verify their abilities."

"On the fifth day, the real conference will begin. At that time, several highly respected seniors will summarize the gains and losses of our cultivation community over the past ten years, and discuss the future survival plan together."

The ascetic monk paused, glanced at Chu Sheng, and a strange light flashed in his eyes: "However, I have heard that this time, there seems to be an extremely important matter concerning the fate of all of us cultivators in the Dharma-ending Age, which I have to announce."

After saying that, he said no more, but pointed in the direction of the valley entrance: "If the three of you want to find a place to stay, you can register at 'Welcoming Guest House' over there with your invitation. If you want to take a stroll, 'Tainan Market' is over there."

After bidding farewell to the ascetic, the three exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of excitement and curiosity in the other's eyes.

"Let's go take a look around!" Su Yueling suggested, showing great interest in the market where treasures could be exchanged.

Ling Yun naturally had no objection, and Chu Sheng had the same idea.

The "spiritual vein node" he's looking for is very likely hidden in the old lairs of these sects and families. Getting acquainted with these people first and sounding out their intentions is the best option.

Tai Nan Ji is actually an open-air trading market that was spontaneously formed by practitioners.

After Chu Sheng and his group took a stroll around, they discovered that the items here were indeed incredibly diverse.

Most of the talismans sold are low-grade items like "mind-calming talismans" or "exorcism talismans," whose power is probably only slightly stronger than a placebo.

There were stalls selling medicinal herbs, mostly several decades old, such as Polygonatum sibiricum and Polygonum multiflorum. At one stall full of spiritual energy, Chu Sheng even saw a wild ginseng that was nearly a hundred years old, emitting a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

There were also some broken magical artifacts for sale: rusty flying swords, cracked bronze mirrors, broken magic knives... They looked more like junk found at an antique market.

In one corner, Chu Sheng also saw a stall specializing in repairing magical artifacts. The stall owner was a short, scruffy-looking old man who was clanging away at a broken sword. Although, in Chu Sheng's opinion, these things were quite shabby.

But Su Yueling and Ling Yun watched with great interest, their faces full of curiosity.

"Wow, this 'concealment talisman' is amazing! When I stick it on my body, it really makes my aura weaker!" Su Yueling held a talisman, admiring it.

She turned to Chu Sheng and said, "Don't take them apart. Tell me, if we could buy more of these talismans and give them to our special police and detectives, wouldn't they be invincible when carrying out missions?"

Upon hearing this, Ling Yun quickly waved his hand and said, "Sister Su, this won't do. Master said that the cultivation world has its own rules. All the sects that have been passed down through generations abide by a 'Dust-Avoiding Covenant,' the most important of which is that disciples are strictly prohibited from using Taoist magic and mystical arts to interfere in worldly affairs on a large scale, especially military and political matters. Otherwise, they will be jointly pursued by all their fellow practitioners."

"This is to protect our last remaining heritage from being completely crushed by worldly forces."

Upon hearing this, Chu Sheng understood.

This is actually a self-preservation strategy for the weak. It's understandable.

"Then... what should we buy?" Su-Yueling was a little disappointed, but then became excited again. "We have to buy something, right?"

"Buy! Of course we have to buy!" Chu Sheng grinned.

He gestured to Ling Yun and took out several bright yellow talismans from his pocket.

It was a few "Palm Thunder" talismans with considerable power that he had swiped from the old Taoist priest.

This thing is definitely a form of hard currency in the markets of this degenerate age.

With a single "Palm Thunder" talisman, Chu Sheng and his companions easily exchanged for a bunch of things that others considered useless, but which were quite valuable to him.

For example, that century-old wild ginseng can be used to build up Su Yueling's foundation.

For example, you can take a few uniquely drawn "concealment runes" back and study their rune structure.

Just as they were about to call it a day and find a place to stay, Chu Sheng was drawn to a seemingly inconspicuous corner bookstall.

The stall owner was a thin old man wearing reading glasses who looked like a retired professor.

His stall was filled with tattered ancient books, such as "Detailed Explanation of the Book of Changes," "Introduction to Qimen Dunjia," and "One Hundred Questions on Feng Shui"... They looked like they were wholesale items from a street fortune-telling stall.

However, Chu Sheng's divine sense of smell detected an extremely ancient "bookish aura" from a thread-bound book that had been carelessly tossed in a corner and whose cover was mostly rotten. The aura contained pure spiritual energy fluctuations.

This aura was far stronger than any ancient book he had ever seen!

He walked over and nudged the tattered book with his nose.

The old stall owner raised his eyelids, glanced at him, then looked at Su Yueling and Ling Yun who had followed him, and said lazily, "Young lady, your spirit dog has quite the eye for talent."

"This book, 'The True Explanation of the Supreme Talismans,' is the store's prized possession. It is said to be the general outline of talismans passed down from ancient times."

"What a pity, it's too badly damaged. The divine symbols recorded inside are so bad that they can't even be understood in this day and age, let alone drawn."

(End of this chapter)