Starting as a Talisman Master

Lu Chi hid in the deep shadow of the osmanthus tree, concealing his aura, and silently activated his [Spiritual Eye].

His gaze easily pierced through the not-so-sophisticated barrier and landed on the beautiful figure before the desk.

With just that one glance, his heart stirred slightly.

Under the illumination of the [Spiritual Eye], Qin Su Niang's aura was still suppressed by the Secret Technique of Concealing Breath, but the depth of the spiritual power flowing within her body was clearly a level deeper than when they met in the inner hall of the Moon Hidden Pavilion a few months ago.

"Eighth level of Qi Refining".

Lu Chi immediately understood.

In just a few months, this woman quietly broke through another barrier and entered the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Such progress is clearly beyond what ordinary low-grade spiritual roots can achieve.

His mind raced, and he recalled old stories circulating in the streets.

It is said that Qin Suniang, though born into a mortal family, possessed a mid-grade spiritual root. Now it seems that this statement is mostly true.

With a mid-grade spiritual root and the resources that the position of sect leader of Qixia Sect can mobilize, it's no wonder she dared to secretly maneuver against Mu Changfeng, who was also at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Having roughly assessed the opponent's current strengths and weaknesses, Lu Chi no longer remained hidden in the shadows. He flicked a wisp of extremely subtle magical power and lightly tapped it onto the sound-isolating barrier.

hum.

The barrier trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Qin Suniang, who had been sitting at her desk, suddenly tensed up. With a flick of her jade hand, a talisman brimming with spiritual light appeared between her fingers. Her gaze turned cold in an instant, piercing straight towards the osmanthus shadow outside the window.

"Who?"

The next moment, Lu Chi slowly walked out from the shadows of the trees.

The moonlight slanted down from the eaves, shining directly on his blue robe and his refined, serene face.

Upon seeing who it was, a fleeting look of surprise crossed Qin Suniang's eyes.

The strange color vanished in an instant. Instead of loosening her grip on the talisman, she tightened it even more, her whole being like a bowstring drawn but not yet released, her vigilance even greater than before.

Upon seeing this, Lu Chi remained calm, only offering a slight bow through the half-open window, his tone as composed as if it were truly a reunion with an old friend: "It's been several months since we last met. Sect Master, do you not even recognize me?"

Qin Su Niang stared at him intently, her red lips slightly pursed:

"Master Lu is joking. To be able to bypass the great formation outside Qixia Sect and silently sneak to the window of my residence, such methods are not like those of an ordinary old friend visiting."

Lu Chi ignored the wariness in her eyes, his expression remaining calm, and went straight to the point:

"My unannounced entry is indeed due to a specific reason. After tonight, I will be leaving this territory of Dongyue County. Before leaving, I have come to ask the sect leader for the Concentration Fruit and the remnant root of the Earth Vein Mystic Ginseng that were promised in the past."

"Leave Dongyue County?" Qin Suniang frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She gave Lu Chi a deep look, and the defensiveness in her eyes, as if facing a formidable enemy, miraculously dissipated by most of it.

"Since Master Lu is leaving, I will naturally not go back on my word."

To Lu Chi's surprise, Qin Suniang didn't even try to persuade him to stay or test the waters.

She turned her graceful figure and walked straight to a traditional Chinese ink painting behind the desk.

With a gentle touch of her jade-like hand, a highly concealed hidden compartment was revealed behind the scroll.

With a soft "click," she took out two jade boxes with sealing talismans from a hidden compartment, turned around, and gracefully walked to Lu Chi, handing them over generously.

Lu Chi reached out and took it.

With a slight twitch of his fingertips, he opened a crack in the spirit-sealing talisman, and a pure fragrance of herbs and trees, along with a rich aura of the earth's veins, immediately rushed out.

Lying quietly in the box were the Concentration Fruit and the remnants of the Earth Vein Ginseng that he had been longing for; the other party had actually prepared them in advance.

He carefully put the jade box into his storage bag, raised his eyes to look at Qin Suniang, and finally couldn't help but reveal a hint of surprise on his usually calm face.

The goal has been achieved, but... it seems to have gone too smoothly.

It went so smoothly that all the arguments and backup plans he had prepared were rendered useless.

Qin Su Niang took in his expression and suddenly burst out laughing, like a spring flower in bloom.

Her watery eyes curved into crescents as she looked at him with a half-smile: "Master Lu, are you surprised by that expression?"

Lu Chi nodded calmly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Suniang covered her mouth and laughed so hard that her body trembled, and the breathtaking sight on her chest also trembled slightly.

"Master Lu, do you take me for a foolish woman who doesn't know what's good for her? You can disregard the protective array of my Qixia Sect and sneak into my boudoir in the middle of the night without anyone noticing. Besides... the spiritual pressure on your body has actually reached the sixth level of Qi Refining."

"Breaking through two levels in just a few months, such methods are beyond the ability of a delicate woman like myself."

She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, her voice becoming soft and sweet, carrying a seductive quality:

"You are so domineering and forceful, barging into my bedside in the dead of night. If I were to refuse and push you away, provoking you to take advantage of me, Master Lu, my frail and delicate body would hardly withstand the torment and abuse of someone with your profound cultivation."

Hearing Qin Su Niang's incredibly familiar and lewd words, Lu Chi's eye twitched slightly.

However, having lived two lives, he was naturally not easily swayed by such words. His expression remained calm and composed as he carefully placed the jade box containing the broken root into his storage bag. Then, he solemnly cupped his hands towards Qin Suniang:

"Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master. But you flatter me. Now that you have broken through your limitations and reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, I imagine that even without my presence at the ceremony, you would no longer be afraid of Elder Mu's constant interference."

After saying that, Lu Chi flicked his sleeve, and with a flash of spiritual light at his fingertips, ten high-grade talismans, shrouded in spiritual energy and with intricate runes, landed neatly on the desk.

"These ten high-grade talismans are good for both offense and defense. Consider them as a thank you gift from the sect leader for handing over the remnant root to me ahead of schedule today."

"Master Lu was able to see through my concealment technique... His insight is truly keen."

Qin Su Niang took a deep breath, completely abandoning the feigned weakness and allure she had been trying to project.

Without any pretense of refusal, she waved her hand and put the ten high-grade talismans into her pocket. Her expression immediately turned solemn, and a layer of unyielding frost settled between her brows.

"Since Master Lu has seen through my background, then I will not hide anything from you. Mu Changfeng is nothing but an old man who covets power. Now that my cultivation is on par with his, I am indeed not afraid of him. But what I am truly worried about is not only Mu Changfeng, but also Xuan Yin Valley."

"Mysterious Yin Valley?" Lu Chi raised an eyebrow, seemingly lost in thought.

Qin Su Niang nodded, her voice cold and icy: "I have recently secretly mobilized my spies to find out that Mu Changfeng, that old scoundrel, has been secretly colluding with Xuan Yin Valley in order to seize the position of sect leader."

A cold light suddenly flashed through Lu Chi's mind.

He suddenly recalled the first day that Yueyin Pavilion opened in Qingqueshan Market a few months ago.

The talisman on the shelf was secretly tampered with. Now that everything is connected, it must be Xuan Yin Valley behind it.

"Starting Your Cultivation as a Talisman Master" is full of classic quotes, so come and find resonance.