Starting as a Talisman Master

Xu Yanqiu's gaze lingered on Lu Chi's face for a long time, as if he were re-evaluating the person.

Among the three, he was indeed the lowest in terms of cultivation level, but in terms of age, he was the youngest. Moreover, he was the only one among the three with a mid-grade spiritual root.

At the very beginning of cultivation, the level of one's spiritual roots is already determined.

The lowest grade is pseudo-spiritual root, followed by low-grade spiritual root, middle-grade spiritual root, and high-grade spiritual root. Above these are earth spiritual root and heaven spiritual root.

Looking across the vast world of cultivation, a mid-grade spiritual root is considered above average, enough to enter a sect, ascend to a prestigious family, and be taken seriously.

This is why Xu Yanqiu, despite her young age, had high aspirations.

He would rather sell his spiritual fields and cut off his own escape route than not join the Shen family, convinced that he would one day become a pill refiner.

But it was only at this moment that he learned that Lu Chi, who was the least noticeable of the three and seemed to be dragged along by cultivation, had actually taken the lead in becoming a talisman master.

This one step was not about spiritual roots or age, but it truly put him ahead.

How could I not be shocked?

Zhou Jinyan laughed even more heartily, slapping his thigh and saying, "You little rascal, you used to rely on your good aptitude and always spoke without thinking, acting all mature for your age. Even I would get scolded by you."

"Today I've finally given you a surprise. I've been waiting for this moment."

Xu Yanqiu's face turned pale and then red from his words, but he couldn't refute them and could only let out a cold snort.

Seeing this, Lu Chi could only smile helplessly and nodded, saying, "I have indeed entered the path of a talisman master. If Brother Xu needs any talisman drawing services in the future, you are welcome to come to me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and the jade box containing the Rejuvenating Grass was put into the storage bag at his waist. His movements were natural and showed no sign of awkwardness.

This scene, witnessed by Zhou and Shen, drew another round of sidelong glances.

"You even bought this?"

After the initial surprise, Zhou Jinyan realized that this was most likely what Lu Chi and Cao Zhen had obtained through the transaction.

Even though he understood, his gaze still lingered on the storage bag for a second, with a hint of envy in his eyes.

Xu Yanqiu's expression of surprise had not yet faded, but she had already suppressed her anger.

He snorted coldly, his tone carrying a hint of stubbornness: "So what if you've become a talisman master? Today is my birthday, and it's just the three of us having a small gathering. It's quite lonely."

"I suppose you can only draw first-grade low-level talismans now, and your reputation is still shallow. You still need to put in more effort."

"When I truly become a master alchemist in the future, the number of people coming and going from my door will not be limited to what it is today. At that time, I may not even be behind you."

Just then, a noise came from inside the house.

The three of them looked up almost simultaneously, already sensing that several auras were approaching from outside.

"It's most likely that Brother Cao and the others have arrived."

Zhou Jinyan was taken aback at first, then smiled and turned to Lu Chi to explain:

"I've also invited Brother Cao today, as well as a few fellow cultivators who purchased the Spirit Gathering Talismans last time. I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce you all. Please forgive me if there's anything inappropriate."

Lu Chi nodded, showing no sign of surprise.

Those people were cultivators who had done business with him before. He had some doubts on his mind and wanted to take this opportunity to ask them directly.

Xu Yanqiu raised an eyebrow slightly and casually asked, "What are the cultivation levels of those who came?"

Zhou Jinyan smiled and said, "Brother Cao is at the fifth level of Qi Refining, while the others are mostly at the fourth or third level of Qi Refining."

He chuckled again as he said this: "Lu Chi is now a talisman master who can draw mid-grade first-level talismans. In my opinion, even if a late-stage Qi Refining monster comes, it's not impossible for him to succeed."

First-tier mid-grade talisman master!

Xu Yanqiu was momentarily speechless. He opened his mouth, then whispered, "The way of talismans... is it really that easy? If only I had become a talisman maker back then..."

As soon as the courtyard gate opened, voices began to rise.

"I have met Master Lu before. Today, at the invitation of Fellow Daoist Zhou, I have the pleasure of witnessing Master Lu's charisma. On this auspicious occasion, I wish Master Lu a long and prosperous life in the Dao and that his talismans may be created as he pleases."

"I recently received a Spirit Gathering Talisman from Master Lu, which greatly facilitated my cultivation. I have come today to offer my congratulations."

"My cultivation is shallow and my manners are lacking. I only hope that Master Lu will make progress in the art of talismanic arts and take good care of me in the future."

Cao Zhen and his group filed in, and as Zhou Jinyan had said, most of them were cultivators at the third or fourth level of Qi Refining, each carrying some insignificant gifts.

Lu Chi accepted them one by one, welcoming them with a smile and impeccable manners, but a sense of emotion inevitably arose in his heart.

In the past, his life was quiet and desolate; no one had ever celebrated his birthday to this extent.

He did not become complacent because of this. Most of these people came today because of the title "Talisman Master". In the end, human relationships cannot be separated from the word "interest".

Upon seeing that Lu Chi, despite being a talisman master, was unpretentious, spoke humbly, and remained composed, the visitor felt a sense of closeness. After a few words, the atmosphere in the courtyard immediately became lively.

After they were admitted to the hospital, they each greeted Zhou Jinyan briefly, but their conversation was still quite familiar.

When it was Xu Yanqiu's turn, someone exchanged a few pleasantries, but he merely nodded and responded indifferently, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Seeing his lukewarm response, and realizing that they hadn't seen each other for a long time and their relationship had become shallow, she stopped talking and quickly shifted her attention away.

Lu Chi's gaze lingered briefly among the group, settling on one of the female cultivators. After a slight hesitation, he asked, "And this is?"

The female cultivator was a beautiful woman in palace attire. Standing to one side of the crowd, her first impression was reminiscent of a line of poetry: "Snow-capped peaks tower over Wushan, mist shrouds the peaks, half-revealed."

She was voluptuous, quite unlike the slender female cultivators commonly seen in the market.

Although the robes were of ordinary style, they were stretched to show off their curves, giving them an undeniable presence with every gesture.

Her face wasn't particularly striking, but her features were well-proportioned, her expression gentle, and her eyes held a quiet composure honed by life's experiences.

It was the demeanor of a mature woman, incomparable to that of a young cultivator.

She stood beside Cao Zhen, not far from him, and spoke quite naturally.

Upon closer inspection, Lu Chi realized that this woman's cultivation level was also at the fifth level of Qi Refining, making her the one with the highest cultivation level among the people present.

The beautiful woman smiled slightly, her expression composed: "I am Qin Suniang, the sect leader of Qixia Sect. I greet Master Lu Fu."

Lu Chi heard this and his heart stirred slightly.

He had long heard of the Qixia Sect... that small sect on Qixia Ridge in the south of Dongyue County.

Although this sect is not large, it has set up a store called Cangyue Pavilion in the market, which specializes in selling cultivators' robes, hair ornaments and other personal items. The materials are exquisite and the tailoring is meticulous, making it quite famous among female cultivators.

He vaguely remembered that the sect leader of Qixia Sect was a male cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining.

When his gaze fell on Qin Su Niang again, Lu Chi had a few guesses in his heart: Could this person be the Daoist partner of that sect leader?

Cao Zhen looked burly and dark-skinned. He was usually quiet and stood like a block of wood in front of people, yet he became quite close to this beautiful woman.

Then, thinking that his surname was Cao, Lu Chi had a strange thought in his mind, feeling that the name was very fitting.

"I have heard Fellow Daoist Cao mention Master Lu, saying that he was accomplished at a young age. Seeing him today, I can confirm that it is true. At such a young age, he can already draw mid-grade first-level talismans, and his demeanor is also extraordinary."

Qin Suniang spoke gently, yet with perfect discretion, and took out a small jade box, handing it over.

"This is a beauty-enhancing pill, a small birthday gift, nothing more."

Instantly, everyone's gaze involuntarily fell upon the jade box again.

Although the Beauty Elixir does not aid in cultivation, it is a first-grade elixir that can prolong life for several years after consumption, making it a rare and precious item for female cultivators.

Its value is not much lower than that of spiritual items like the Rejuvenating Grass; it's just that their uses are different.

What's even more surprising is that Qin Su Niang gave away such elixirs on their very first meeting with Lu Chi.

Compared to her, the others who came with Cao Zhen, including Cao Zhen himself, only prepared ordinary congratulatory gifts.

Most of them are spiritual vegetables and spiritual wine, with a value of no more than ten or twenty taels of spiritual sand.

Lu Chi hesitated slightly, feeling that the gift was too extravagant. Seeing the other party's composed expression, he could only remain calm, bow in thanks, and put the jade box into his storage bag.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief as the item was put into the bag.

The five spirit stones I spent on the storage bag earlier seem to have been just right.

Without this item, the gifts he received in this courtyard alone would have kept him busy for quite some time.

With a change of heart, a strange sense of relief arose in his mind.

This birthday celebration, a small gathering, with spiritual items, pills, and miscellaneous gifts all added up to more than one or two spirit stones.

No wonder there are always some cultivators in the market who, as they get older, stagnate in their cultivation, yet are keen on organizing banquets, gatherings, and discussions on the Dao. It turns out there's a reason behind it.

This birthday celebration is really... quite profitable. Maybe we should hold it every year... or every ten years from now on.