Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 25 Talisman, Black Ticket, Calamity, Long Tongue Sword
Although a plan had been made to get rid of that jar.

However, Fang Shu would not act rashly, especially during the period when his second uncle, Yu Le, had just been forced to leave.

The next days.

Fang Shu stayed in the Taoist temple, training his body day and night and tending to the ritual implements.

Because he harbored a deep resentment, his practice of insect techniques became slightly smoother than before.

Even though a large amount of his vital energy was used to nourish the Long Tongue Sword, the vital energy in his physical body did not decline, but instead became more condensed.

In just half a month, his aura changed continuously. His earthly aura vanished, replaced by a fierce look.

However, such arduous training had taken a toll on him, and the essence-nourishing pills his second uncle had just given him had long since been exhausted.

In the past few days, he has been able to eat the size of a calf at each meal, and he has almost emptied the canteen's stock of Chinese blood buns by himself.

Early that morning.

Fang Shu sat cross-legged in the training hall, shaking his muscles and bones. He was shirtless, and the muscles on his chest and back were all twisted and bulging, forming shapes that resembled ghost faces and insect faces, making him look particularly ferocious.

As the first rays of sunlight shone in, he calmly opened his eyes, then frowned slightly.

He suddenly felt an unbearable hunger in his stomach, as if it were on fire.

"Relying solely on blood buns is ultimately insufficient to sustain this level of rigorous training... This cannot continue any longer," Fang Shu thought to himself.

Thinking it over, he finished his training so early, which was unusual for him, and then flipped himself up from the stone slab.

As Fang Shu lifted his robes and walked outside, his gaze suddenly swept across the training hall in the early morning and he spotted other people.

The man was standing in a stance in the corner, his muscles even more twisted and gnarled than Fang Shu's, resembling the knots of an old tree, tight and solid.

The other party was burly and had a strong presence, like a wild bull, leaving a deep impression.

But after taking a closer look, Fang Shu realized that this person was somewhat unfamiliar.

The other person looked to be around twenty years old, which was a bit older for a dojo.

Judging from his physical exhaustion and the sweat and salt stains all over his body, he probably came to the training hall earlier than Fang Shu to temper his muscles and bones, and he shows no sign of leaving yet.

This was the first time Fang Shu had ever seen such a diligent young Taoist practitioner.

The man clearly noticed Fang Shu's gaze as well.

The muscles on the other person's body twitched slightly like snakes and worms, but he still kept his eyes slightly closed, ignoring Fang Shu and continuing to practice as if no one else was around.

If such ascetic practitioners can be found within a single hall, then the world's spiritual practitioners should not be underestimated.

Fang Shu felt a renewed surge of energy and wanted to stay in the gym to practice more.

However, he was wise enough to turn his gaze away from the other person and not disturb him, continuing to walk out of the hall.

Soon.

Fang Shu arrived at the cellar where the disciples of the martial arts school stored their valuables.

The cellar has only one entrance and exit.

According to Li Hou'er, it was built more securely than a prison, with molten copper and iron poured around it and talismans affixed to it. Even a Qi Refining Immortal would not be able to enter silently.

The cellar was guarded by a visibly old python, whom the disciples in the temple called "Master Snake."

Because the disciples of the Taoist temple sleep on communal beds and eat from the same pot every day, even the granddaughter of the temple master, Senior Sister Yu'er, is not exempt from this. This makes it inconvenient for everyone to store valuables such as pills and magical artifacts, and makes it very easy for theft to occur.

Therefore, the owner set up a ring of chests around the perimeter of the cellar for everyone to store their valuables.

When Fang Shu arrived at this spot, the old python didn't move at all, but the hairs all over its body suddenly stood on end!
He didn't dare to be careless, and quickly activated his insect-based martial arts to reveal his identity, bowing respectfully with his hands clasped in greeting:

“Master Snake, the young Taoist Fang Shu has come to retrieve the contents of box number three, number Bing.”

Upon hearing this, the old python's pig-like nostrils twitched slightly, and a tongue as thick as Fang Shu's arm flicked out, circling his body and neck before slowly moving its plump body aside, revealing the box numbered C.

Fang Shu nimbly stepped forward, opened the box, and took out a package in just two breaths.

Apart from box number three (丙字三箱), the other boxes were not locked; they were only secured with wooden strips.

However, none of the disciples in the Dugu Pavilion dared to rummage through things at will, nor did they dare to linger.

Otherwise, if the snake master swallows it whole, and the owner discovers it early, he can still pull it out of the snake master's stomach; at most, its facial features will be melted by stomach acid.

If it's discovered too late, it's better to die from suffocation. The worst outcome is not dying from suffocation, but experiencing the gruesome death of having your flesh and blood digested from the outside in by stomach acid.

Moreover, the cellar is the most remote place in the dojo, and it is underground, so even if the person swallowed screams loudly inside Snake Master's body, it is difficult for people outside to hear it.

After taking the valuables, Fang Shu nimbly hopped back and hurriedly left the place.

Next.

He first found Li Hou'er and inquired about the place where the other party's father often set up his stall. Then he left the hall and headed to the paper mill and the stall.

After he bumped into the talisman master Li Yuan, he asked him for advice on which reputable, long-established pawnshops were in the market.

Upon hearing the word "pawnshop," Master Li Yuan knew that Fang Shu had probably run out of pills and was thinking of pawning some goods for money.

Indeed, just as the other party thought, Fang Shu could not tolerate the slow and tedious training methods, which might even harm his health.

He desperately needs the elixir, so this is the only way.

"Oh, you child."

Talisman Master Li Yuan moved his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but the words that came out were:

"That's good. Practicing your skills properly is better than anything else."

You can visit 'Luo Baozhai', 'Zhou Family Shop', etc.

I'll write you a note saying you're my nephew. It might trick you a little, but not too badly.

The other party took out a talisman pen from his sleeve, licked it on his tongue, then took a rough yellow paper, wrote something on it, and handed it to Fang Shu.

"Thank you, Uncle Li."

Fang Shu received the referral slip and immediately bowed to express his gratitude.

After he said goodbye and left, he found those shops, but did not immediately show them Li Yuan's note.

He first took only the ritual implements and other items, without writing any notes, and asked about the prices at two pawnshops and general stores.

Then he took out the slip of paper and inquired about prices at two other pawnshops.

After this, Fang Shu selected a shop called 'Luo Bao Zhai' and formally inquired about prices.

This shop is a bit like an antique shop. Although the old shopkeeper doesn't pay attention to people, he doesn't stand behind the high counter looking down on the customers.

They spotted Fang Shu and noticed that he didn't seem inclined to just wander around and leave.

The other party stopped flipping through the ledger and said indifferently:

"How many laps have you been on, buddy? Have you finally decided what to buy and what to sell?"

Fang Shu hesitated for a moment, but still did not take out the note from the talisman master Li Yuan. Instead, he slightly cupped his hands, flipped his palm to reveal a copper bell, and said:
"This is an heirloom; I would appreciate it if the old gentleman could take a look."

This item is the "Soul-Suppressing Bell," which played a crucial role in his demon-slaying and monster-exorcising efforts.

It can calm the mind and spirit, dispel illusions, and even expel monsters to a certain extent.

If it weren't for the Soul-Suppressing Bell, even if Fang Shu had managed to get something from the Fox Elder's demon shop, he probably wouldn't have gained much.

"Well, it's another family heirloom."

Old Chao muttered something, signaling Fang Shu to put the items on the counter first, then he leaned over the counter and squinted at them.

"Huh!" The other person's eyebrows twitched, and they suddenly said:
"It really is an ancestral talisman."

The so-called talisman refers to something that lies between talismans and magical implements.

These are often objects into which predecessors stored their magical power, transforming them into something like a talisman. They do not require magical power to activate; they can be triggered by essence blood or incantations to unleash their power.

Compared to magical artifacts, it does not require the use of spells or the infusion of magical power; compared to talismans, it can be reused until the magical power inside is exhausted, and it can be replenished occasionally.

But with so many conveniences...

Its biggest drawback is that the power of a magic weapon will drop drastically after it is refined into a talisman. If it is refined with a second-level magic weapon, only a first-level talisman can be obtained. If it is refined with a first-level magic weapon, only a third-rate talisman can be obtained.

Furthermore, refining this item will also extract the essence and life force of the refiner, causing harm to the body and even death, and it cannot be completed in a short time.

Therefore, unless they have no hope of becoming immortals and their lifespan is short, and they are planning for the sake of having offspring, immortals would never refine such talismans.

This has led to the rarity of talismans on the market, and their prices are not low.

After all, this thing is far too convenient to give to one's relatives and descendants in the mortal realm. The old magistrate examined it carefully, clicking his tongue repeatedly:
"It is also a talisman that can be passed down through generations and can be used to ward off evil spirits."

This might not seem like much to us immortals, since we have many similar talismans and magical artifacts. However, within a mortal family, it can be quite useful in preventing demons from bewitching the entire clan.

Fang Shu smiled upon hearing this, saying, "The old gentleman has good taste."

The other person muttered something to himself, then continued looking at the Soul-Suppressing Bell, saying without looking up:

"This item is of good quality. Although it is a low-grade talisman, it can be used as collateral for a first-class magic weapon."

How many days do you want to use it for? The longer the period, the fairer the price; the shorter the period, the cheaper it is.

Fang Shu then spoke up:

"No need for a 'live' pawn; a 'dead' pawn is fine."

These words made the old magistrate stop what he was doing and look up at Fang Shu.

Clearly, Fang Shu chose to "pledge" the Soul-Suppressing Bell—that is, to sell it directly to the shop and give up the right to redeem it—a move that surprised Luo Baozhai's old strategist.

The other person couldn't help but mutter, "Is it really an heirloom from your ancestors?"

Fang Shu nodded calmly upon hearing this.

However, what he didn't say in his heart was:
This Soul-Suppressing Bell is a family heirloom of the Fang family, what does it have to do with Brother Shu!
Anyway, the Fang family has already been demolished by him. Those who deserve to die are dead, those who should be separated are separated, and even the ancestral hall is gone. It's all scattered and there's no need for this thing to suppress the clan.

Of the long-tongued sword, the fox fur, and this soul-suppressing bell, the first two are of great use to him, so he can only sell this one.

After pondering for a moment, Luo Baozhai's old apprentice said frankly:

"Since you've chosen to pawn this thing, there's no shortage of buyers. I happen to have offspring in the mortal realm, and I find you pleasing to the eye... so I'll give you this price!"

The other person stretched out five fingers and waved them in front of Fang Shu.

Five thousand talisman coins is roughly the price of a proper first-stage magic weapon.

However, Fang Shu frowned slightly upon seeing this, as the price was only moderate and not the most cost-effective.

So he proceeded slowly and deliberately:

“If you are truly interested, sir, I will not only come here once. Moreover, there are many items in your shop that I need.”

These words instantly piqued the interest of the old strategist.

"Sure, sure!" The other person quickly came out from behind the counter, hesitated for a moment, then held up six fingers, which then became seven.

The man said, "If you can spend it all in our shop, I'll give you a price of seven thousand!"

After thinking it over, Fang Shu finally nodded.

Immediately, the old clerk picked up the copper bell, hung it on his waist, and then, pulling Fang Shu along, began to introduce the goods in Luo Baozhai.

"Young man, come and see, we have everything here, look at these fine eyeballs."

The other party said enthusiastically:
"This was taken directly from living, breathing demons at the first, second, and third tribulation levels. You don't like it? You've got eyes for that!"

All that could be seen were eyes that looked like they were soaking in a jar of pickles, staring half-dead at the two people who had lifted the lid.

Old Chao Feng remained unmoved upon seeing Fang Shu, muttering to himself incessantly:
"Many immortals have bought and kept the goods in our shop as their own collections. Now take a look at these..."

"This is a top-quality tiger bone sperm-nourishing pill, much more potent than ordinary sperm-nourishing pills!"

"And this, a spirit ear artifact that we just retrieved. It's a bit damaged, but its effectiveness is not bad."

……

Elixirs, talismans, magical implements, scriptures, and all sorts of other things.

The other party pulled Fang Shu along and showed him around, which broadened Fang Shu's horizons.

What opened his eyes even more was that the old swindler, seeing that he remained unmoved, suddenly pulled him out of the shop and into the next room.

The other party said, "The owner of this shop owes me money for goods. You young man, if you don't like other things, you should be able to find something you like in these goods."

The shop next door seemed to mainly sell paper effigies, many of which were dressed in tattered clothes, with red lips and white bodies.

Just as Fang Shu was laughing and thinking that the old swindler was trying to trick him into buying some paper figures to play with,

The other person suddenly stopped, grabbed the face of a paper figure, and pulled out a tongue from it.

A living tongue.

The old clerk said familiarly:
"A three-times-handed beauty, look at her quality, thick lips and a long tongue, she's only served three buyers. Of course, if you want to use her for other things, that's fine too."

These words made Fang Shu's eyelids twitch.

He stared intently at the "paper beauty" and realized that it was indeed just a paper figure.

But its tongue was very lively, and it even swirled seductively on the old magistrate's fingers. It had even been slightly modified, so that its tongue could split open and close again, giving the old magistrate's scalp a tingling sensation.

Seeing Fang Shu's finally fluctuating expression, Lao Chaofeng chuckled and suddenly patted the paper figure's face.

It turned out that the paper figure was not hollow inside, but solid...

"You look down on this half-human, half-paper thing?"

The other party remained calm and composed, then walked to the side and pointed to a row of goods in the hall, saying:

"There are also flesh screens, beauty bowls, gentle chairs, human chess and flesh backgammon... all kinds of food, drinks and entertainment!"

Old Chaofeng's words made it unclear whether the shop was a paper shop or a butcher shop.

But after gaining a lot of experience...

Fang Shu did not linger long in the paper meat shop that "uses people as tools." Following his pre-planned list, he only indulged in a lavish meal at Lao Chaofeng's Luo Baozhai.

He bought three thousand pills in one go, mainly essence-nourishing pills, but also some other pills, such as those for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and those for fasting.

He then purchased about two thousand talismans, including various types such as breath-concealing talismans, stillness talismans, and fire-burning talismans. Most of them were low-grade talismans, but the styles were quite complete.

In response, Fang Shu said he wanted to go for a trip into the wilderness.

As for the remaining two thousand, he planned to keep it in his hands and spend it at the dojo to try out the effects of the so-called Ant Spirit Ointment!

However, Lao Chaofeng was naturally dissatisfied with Fang Shu's decision to only spend five thousand and still want to take two thousand with him.

The two remained deadlocked for a long time because Fang Shu was unwilling to give in, and the other party had already packed all the goods for Fang Shu.

This fellow had no choice but to back down and agree to give Fang Shu another 1,500 coins, plus 500 coins worth of medicine.

Fang Shu, seeing that things were going well, agreed to the plan.

As he was leaving and taking the money, he noticed that the other party had also rummaged through the drawer and pulled out several items that looked like banknotes. They were blackish-red in color, which almost made Fang Shu think that banknotes from the mortal world could also be sold in the immortal market.

When Fang Shu asked, he learned that this thing only served a similar purpose to silver notes in the mortal world.

They were called "black tickets" and were provided jointly by major merchants in the market.

It comes in two types: one is anonymous and can be used as talisman money, which can be withdrawn from merchants in the market at any time; the other is also anonymous, but instead of money, you can withdraw a box of goods stored in a merchant's money exchange.

These black tickets facilitate trade and storage for treasures among cultivators who are not yet able to use storage artifacts.

Fang Shu was disappointed and had no choice but to take his leave.

Having acquired a considerable amount of resources, he returned to the dojo and once again devoted himself to refining his physical body and crafting magical artifacts.

One day, two days, three days... without rest.

In the blink of an eye, another month has passed.

Meanwhile, Fang Shu's second uncle, Yu Le, indeed sent over another bottle of sperm-nourishing pills. This put Fang Shu's mind at ease, knowing that his second uncle was still alright.

And this day.

He sat cross-legged in the practice hall, feeling as if fire was burning in his chest and abdomen, and constantly feeling the urge to vomit.

However, Fang Shu pressed down hard on the discomfort in his chest and abdomen.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the Daoist talisman in his mind trembled slightly, and words appeared:
[The Long Tongue Sword, forged through the secret swordsmanship of the mouth and abdomen, is now brimming with vital energy and blood, becoming a weapon for a eon!]

The section on Taoist talismans and magical artifacts has finally changed to:

[Magic Weapons: Long Tongue Sword (a magic weapon refined through one tribulation), Fox Fur (a low-grade weapon)]

Upon realizing this, Fang Shu's gaze wavered slightly, and then a surge of joy mixed with killing intent rose in his mind!

It also stirred up the blood and qi in his chest, causing it to surge endlessly.

(End of this chapter)