Starting as a Talisman Master

Han Jingxing's mansion was far more grand than Lu Chi's quiet little courtyard.

The vermilion gate was tightly closed, surrounded by high walls and a large courtyard, with faint spiritual light from an array flowing in front of the gate.

Lu Chi stopped on the steps, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "Is Brother Han here? I have come uninvited to pay you a visit."

As soon as he finished speaking, the invisible light curtain flowing on the door rippled outwards like waves, and with a creak, the heavy vermilion door opened slowly inwards without any wind.

"Haha, Brother Lu is a rare guest! Please come in!"

From deep within the courtyard, Han Jingxing's cheerful and somewhat enthusiastic voice rang out at just the right moment.

Lu Chi walked through the front courtyard and saw Han Jingxing coming out to greet him in the hall.

Not far behind him stood a woman dressed simply.

The woman wore only a simple jade hairpin in her hair. Her brows and eyes were cool and aloof. Although her appearance was not exceptionally beautiful, she exuded a serene and elegant charm.

"Brother Lu, come, let me introduce you."

Han Jingxing smiled and turned to the side, pointing to the woman behind him, "This is my wife, surnamed Su, given name Jin. She rarely goes out and is a quiet person who only knows how to guard the alchemy furnace."

Then, he turned to Su Jin and said, "This is Lu Chi, Brother Lu, whom I often mention to you."

Su Jin nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Lu Chi calmly for a moment before she gave a graceful bow, her voice clear and polite:

"I am Su Jin. I have met Master Lu. These past few days, Master Lu's name has been widely known in the market. Today, I have met him and he is indeed composed and dignified."

Lu Chi quickly returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "You're too kind, sister-in-law."

After exchanging pleasantries, Han Jingxing rubbed his hands together, glanced at the table, then cautiously looked at his Daoist partner, a flattering smile spreading across his face:

"Well... my lady, with Brother Lu's esteemed presence today, it's not appropriate for us to just sit here in the hall. Since Brother Lu is here, could you perhaps be so accommodating as to bring out my half-flavored flask of treasured spirit wine to entertain our guest? At least we could have a couple of cups, right?"

Upon hearing this, Su Jin raised her usually aloof eyebrows slightly and gave Han Jingxing a disdainful look.

Her eyes betrayed disdain and helplessness, but in front of the guests, she ultimately gave her man face, simply saying:

"This is only half a pot; it's a one-time exception. If you drink more, your spirit stone allowance for next month will be deducted."

After saying that, she turned and went into the inner room to prepare wine and spirit tea for them.

Han Jingxing felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He turned his head, winked at Lu Chi, and chuckled softly:

"Brother Lu, please excuse my presumption. My husband is very strict; getting a drink from him is practically impossible on ordinary days. Today, thanks to you, I, Han, must offer you a proper toast!"

……

……

After a few cups of spirit wine, the atmosphere in the hall became much more relaxed.

Han Jingxing, being extremely shrewd, put down his wine cup, his gaze sweeping over Lu Chi's seemingly calm face, before suddenly letting out a soft chuckle:

"Brother Lu, you came to visit today with a smile, but there seemed to be a slight gloom between your brows. I suppose you've come here for more than just to ask me for a drink?"

Lu Chi no longer concealed his intentions. After a moment's consideration, he spoke:

"Brother Han has keen insight. As the saying goes, 'The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease.' I, Lu, only sought a quiet place to settle down, to study the art of talismans in my spare time, and to make a living. However, recently, storms have been brewing in the market. I'm sure you've heard about the business dispute between the Luo family's talisman shop and the Moon Shadow Pavilion."

"The Luo family is a century-old clan with unfathomable foundations, and it even has a Foundation Establishment cultivator in its ranks... I, Lu, am but a nobody, and I fear that I might be caught in the wrath of the thunderbolt if I am not careful. Therefore, I am uneasy and have come to ask Brother Han for some advice."

Han Jingxing clapped his hands and chuckled, "I thought it was something serious that would trouble someone as composed as Brother Lu. Are you worried about that Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Luo family? Afraid that he might personally deal with you for the sake of the talisman shop's business?"

When his thoughts were directly exposed, Lu Chi nodded frankly: "Even ants cling to life. Faced with a Foundation Establishment cultivator undergoing major repairs, I can't help but overthink things."

Han Jingxing's smile gradually faded, and his expression turned serious.

He picked up the wine pot, refilled Lu Chi's half-empty wine cup, and said solemnly:

"Brother Lu, the world is vast, far beyond this corner of Qingque Mountain. Do you know that once a cultivator crosses that insurmountable barrier and achieves Foundation Establishment, their lifespan can increase dramatically to a full three hundred years!"

"Three hundred years..."

A hint of longing and awe flashed in Han Jingxing's eyes. "In the mortal world, this would be several generations of families that have changed hands and the world has changed drastically. When you reach that level, your vision and desires are completely different from those of us who are just small fry in the Qi Refining stage."

"Brother Han means..."

"Take the Shen family and the Luo family for example. The ancestors of these two families were both well-known figures, and if you calculate their age now, they are probably over two hundred years old."

"With their time running out, the shallow pool of Dongyue County can no longer nurture any opportunities for them to prolong their lives or form their core."

"Therefore, those two ancestors had already set out on a long journey many years ago to search for true paradises and blessed lands in the vast world, with their minds entirely focused on their own cultivation paths."

"They only return to their clan occasionally, sometimes every three to five years, sometimes more than ten years. For them, the clan is less of a bond and more of a tool to help them plunder resources from the lower classes."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chi's eyes flickered slightly: "Then the Han family..."

Han Jingxing smiled, his tone revealing a hint of pride and understanding: "My Han family's ancestor is a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator. He is just over a hundred years old and at the peak of his life. He is indeed still stationed in Dongyue County."

"But Brother Lu, think about it. Even if the Ancestor were home, would he lower himself to concern himself with such trivial matters?"

At this point, Han Jingxing tapped the table lightly with his finger, giving Lu Chi an extremely confident look:

"Brother Lu, you can rest assured. I dare say that as long as you don't go too far with the Luo family's talisman shop, such as killing one of the Luo family's most favored direct descendants in the street, or disturbing the spiritual vein array of their main family..."

"Unless the bottom line that shakes the foundation of the family is touched, the Luo family patriarch will absolutely not interfere."

"Let alone the fact that the Luo family patriarch is probably not in Dongyue County now, even if he were at home, he would never stoop to dealing with a junior in the Qi Refining stage for the sake of a little profit or loss in the market business."

After hearing these words, the invisible boulder in Lu Chi's heart finally settled down.

Since the Foundation Establishment ancestors of the Luo and Shen families are already traveling abroad, there is an opportunity to exploit.

No wonder the Han family dared to interfere in the elixir business with impunity.

Qin Su Niang dared to open a talisman shop, could it be that she also knew about these old stories?

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Han. I now know what to do."

Lu Chi bowed respectfully, having already made up his mind.

He never intended to try and make a fatal enemy of the entire Luo family; he simply wanted to teach that old scoundrel Luo Wenshan a lesson.

After all, having been a lowly "laborer" in the cultivation world for so long, even the most hardworking beasts of burden will kick and thrash when pushed to the limit.

"Brother Lu, you flatter me. It was just a few casual words, but I hope they can clear up your doubts."

"It seems that Brother Lu's aura has become even more restrained and profound today. Could it be that you have switched to cultivating the 'Mysterious Origin Foundation Transformation Technique'?"

Lu Chi smiled calmly: "Brother Han has a good eye."

Han Jingxing then changed the subject, a shrewd smile on his face: "The path of cultivation requires resources, companions, methods, and a suitable environment. Besides arduous cultivation, supplementary elixirs are naturally indispensable."

"Brother Lu, if you ever need to purchase pills in the future, you are welcome to visit the 'Rejuvenation Pill Pavilion' that my Han family has recently opened on West Street. We are family, so whether you need to make pills or buy spiritual herbs, I will definitely give you the fairest price."

Lu Chi smiled and said, "I actually saw Brother Han's shop from afar on the street corner the day it opened. It's quite a coincidence, but a few days ago I needed a bottle of meridian-protecting pills, so I went to the store."

"Oh? Brother Lu has already patronized this place? Honestly, why didn't you have your staff inform me when you went to your own turf? Did those clueless staff neglect you?"

"Brother Han, you misunderstand. It was raining that day, and I was in a hurry to go back to my seclusion. I bought some pills and left in a hurry without making a fuss."

Han Jingxing was relieved, then leaned forward slightly and asked with a keen gaze, "Since Brother Lu has been there in person, with your sharp eyes, could you spot anything wrong with my shop? Or do you have any suggestions for improvement?"

Lu Chi recalled what he had seen and heard at the Rejuvenation Pill Pavilion that day.

At the time, I was so focused on switching cultivation methods that I went straight to the counter, paid for the goods, and left. I had no time to examine the shop's layout.

"I was in a real hurry when I went there, so I didn't have time to look around properly. I can't really offer any insightful opinions right now, but I did notice that the place was bustling with customers, and the Han family's reputation was indeed impressive," he replied truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Han Jingxing did not show any joy. Instead, he sighed, picked up the wine pot, and poured himself a cup of wine in silence.

He downed his drink in one gulp, smacked his lips, and shook his head with a wry smile. Judging from his expression, he seemed to have a lot of complaints he wanted to voice, but ultimately swallowed them back.

"Forget it, it's just some mundane business of welcoming and seeing off customers in the shop. Bringing it up would only spoil Brother Lu's enjoyment of drinking."

It seems that the business of Dan Pavilion is not as booming and smooth as it appears on the surface... Lu Chi took in this scene and couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in his heart.

There are likely some unknown difficulties and hidden stories behind this.

However, since Han Jingxing was unwilling to say it outright, he would certainly not be so tactless as to press for an answer.

In the world of cultivation, the ways and difficulties of running a business are all closely guarded secrets, no different from the business secrets of ordinary merchants.

Although the two had some acquaintance, it was a major taboo for cultivators to cross boundaries and pry into the secrets of another's family business.

Seeing that the night outside the window was getting darker, and having achieved his goal, Lu Chi tactfully stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "It's getting late, so I won't disturb you two any longer. Farewell."

Han Jingxing didn't linger, and with a radiant smile, personally saw Lu Chi to the door.

"You were talking outside just now, why did you suddenly send a telepathic message urging me to hide in the inner room and not come out?" Su Jin walked to the table and asked with a puzzled frown.

Han Jingxing coughed twice, rubbed his hands together guiltily, and leaned close to his wife, lowering his voice to say:

"My lady, you may not know this. This Brother Lu is indeed exceptionally talented in the art of talismans and is quite righteous, but we have only just met, so we must be wary of some of his background."

He paused, winked, and continued mysteriously:

"I've heard people say that his relationship with the owner behind the Moon Hidden Pavilion—that is, Madam Qin Su Niang of the Qixia Sect—is rather ambiguous!"

"That Madam Qin is a stunning beauty who still retains her charm. There are even rumors circulating that our Brother Lu... cough, seems to have a special preference for other people's Daoist partners or married women."

"I'm just worried he'll be envious, so I'm telling you to avoid him as a precaution."

Upon hearing this absurd reason, a look of helplessness immediately appeared on Su Jin's usually aloof face, and she gave her husband a disdainful glare.

She recalled the scene when she first met Lu Chi in the hall.

The young man was dressed in a blue robe, with clear and bright eyes, and his words and actions exuded a calm and unwavering composure.

Whether it was the initial greeting or the subsequent conversation, the other person's gaze remained extremely respectful, never lingering on her for even a moment longer.

This composed and restrained demeanor has absolutely nothing to do with the frivolous and reckless lecher that Han Jingxing described as having a penchant for married women.

"You really believe everything you hear. You actually take those idle gossips and rumors about other people's abilities seriously?"

Su Jin shook her head irritably, picked up the leftover tea on the table, and said, "I saw that Master Lu's eyes were clear and his aura was calm. He was clearly a meticulous person who was devoted to the Dao. How could he be as despicable as you have made up?"