Cultivation begins with forming a bond with a spirit bee.

Chapter 92 Old Acquaintances

"As for the fees, we can pay them later."

Qu Ye cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Elder Han."

Seeing that Qu Ye agreed, Han Songling reached out and pulled the jade box on the table to his face, rolled up his sleeve, and put it away.

"I will not see you off any further, fellow Daoist."

After putting away the Cleansing Fruit, Han Songling stood up, waved his hand without waiting for Qu Ye's reply, opened the door, and left the quiet room.

As soon as he left, the quiet room fell silent.

Qu Ye sat back in his chair, lost in thought.

Although Old Han is a bit arrogant, it's understandable.

After all, he is a senior first-grade alchemist, and he might even be able to break through to the second-grade alchemist level in a few years.

If this were in Yumen Market, even the three major families would be desperate to win them over.

It's already good that we can maintain some contact at the moment.

After thinking it over, Qu Ye also stood up, preparing to leave.

At this moment, Xu Qing carefully pushed the door open and came in.

"Senior Zhang, are you finished talking?"

Qu Ye nodded: "Yes."

Seeing his calm expression, Xu Qing guessed that it was probably a done deal, and couldn't help but show a hint of joy.

"That's good, that's good. Congratulations, senior. The fact that Elder Han is willing to accept this means that the matter is probably settled."

Qu Ye glanced at him, then suddenly smiled and said, "Then I'll take Fellow Daoist Xu's auspicious words."

Xu Qing quickly waved her hand, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Are you about to leave, senior? Let me see you off."

"Alright."

After saying that, the two pushed open the door to the quiet room and left.

The shop was filled with the subtle fragrance of herbs, and shop assistants frequently led customers in and out of the front hall. Occasionally, one could hear people asking about prices, identifying herbs, and discussing the effects of elixirs in hushed tones, making it quite lively.

Qu Ye took in all these sights, which gave him more confidence in Han Songling's ability to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

If the other party's skills were not profound, Huichunzhai's business would not be so prosperous.

However, just as Qu Ye reached the door, he encountered an unexpected figure.

"Fellow Daoist Mingyue?"

The figure was also taken aback when he saw Qu Ye.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, it's been a long time."

Qu Ye cupped his hands in greeting and greeted Jiang Fan.

This person was Jiang Fan, who had parted ways with Qu Ye at the entrance of the market four years ago.

Four years had passed since they last met, and Jiang Fan's aura had become even more subdued, having already broken through from the fourth level of Qi Refining to the fifth level.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan revealed a genuine smile.

"It has indeed been a long time."

"I thought I had mistaken someone for someone else, but it turns out it really is Fellow Daoist Mingyue."

He wasn't just being polite.

Compared to four years ago, Qu Ye now appears much more reserved and unassuming, dressed simply and modestly.

But precisely because of this, he exuded a sense of composure and calmness. If he hadn't inadvertently caught a glimpse of his profile just now, he might not have dared to...

They immediately stepped forward to recognize each other.

Qu Ye was also quite surprised.

Yunyang Market was quite large, and cultivators came and went like fish crossing a river. He didn't leave the market and didn't have any need for talismans, so he hadn't used that communication talisman.

Unexpectedly, they met each other by chance at Huichunzhai, which can be considered a kind of fate.

Qu Ye glanced at Jiang Fan and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, your cultivation has improved quite a bit. You must have been doing well these past few years."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan shook his head.

"It's hardly good; it's just barely managing to gain a foothold."

"Fortunately, I've been drawing talismans at the Talisman Treasure Pavilion for years and saved up some spirit stones. Recently, I rented a small shop in the East District, preparing to start my own talisman business."

Although Jiang Fan spoke in a calm tone, his undisguised satisfaction and pride were still evident in his eyes and brows.

For independent cultivators making a living in the market, the hardest thing is not earning a few spirit stones at a time, but actually having a place to stand.

Before Qu Ye could speak, Xu Qing, seeing that the two were old acquaintances, tactfully said, "Since you two seniors know each other, then this junior will not disturb you any longer. Senior Zhang, this junior will see you off here."

After saying this, he cupped his hands in greeting to the two men, then turned and went back into the shop.

After Xu Qing left, Jiang Fan seemed to suddenly remember something and looked at Qu Ye.

"It's quite a coincidence. I've been troubled by a small matter these past few days, and meeting Fellow Daoist Mingyue today seems like the perfect opportunity."

Qu Ye remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he became secretly alert.

He should refuse any invitation to leave the market or any request that is dangerous.

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Jiang, you might as well speak frankly."

Jiang Fan didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "My shop has only been open for a short time. I can sell ordinary fireball talismans, golden sword talismans, and protective talismans, but there are many established shops in the East District. As a newcomer, I really can't compete with them."

"So a while ago, I drew a batch of more unconventional talismans, thinking of taking a different approach."

"When the talismans actually went on sale, we found that most of the independent cultivators who came to buy them were primarily looking for talismans for combat and self-defense. As for those niche talismans, it wasn't that no one wanted them, it's just that there were few buyers, so they ended up sitting in our hands."

At this point, he gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"These talismans are not useless if I keep them, but I need spirit stones for rent, talisman paper, and talisman ink. If they are tied up for too long, I will run into cash flow problems."

Upon hearing this, Qu Ye understood a bit about it.

This person is trying to sell their talismans.

Seeing this, Jiang Fan continued, "That's perfect. I remember that Fellow Daoist Mingyue was quite cautious in his actions back then, unlike those cultivators who only cared about fighting for a moment."

"So I was thinking, if you're planning to buy some talismans recently, you might want to take a look at my shop. I can sell you those unconventional talismans at 20% below market price."

Qu Ye pondered, "What kind of talismans are these?"

Seeing that he was willing to ask, Jiang Fan knew that there was some possibility of this matter, and immediately said, "Most of them are breath-concealing talismans, silence-inducing talismans, vision-obscuring talismans, body-lightening talismans, and odor-removing talismans."

"Since Fellow Daoist Mingyue and I are old acquaintances, I won't ask for an inflated price. I only hope to recoup some spirit stones and reduce the amount of unsold inventory."

That was a rather frank statement.

Qu Ye thought about it briefly and felt that this was feasible.

Firstly, there's no need to leave the market area, and there's little risk involved.

Secondly, Jiang Fan was able to accumulate a considerable amount of savings in four years and open his own shop, so he might be able to advance further in the future.

A day in the life of a first-tier high-grade talisman master.

If I can stay in touch with them, it might come in handy someday.

Even if you never use it in the future, the fact that it's 20% below market price is enough to make it worth taking a look.

After all, spirit stones are hard to earn, so every penny saved is a penny earned.

Thinking of this, Qu Ye nodded slightly: "In that case, I'll come and take a look when I have time another day."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan was overjoyed and immediately took out a folded piece of plain paper from his sleeve and handed it over.

"The shop is located in Qinghuai Lane in the East District. It's not a large storefront, and the sign reads 'Fan's Talisman Shop.' If you come, just mention my name."

He had barely uttered the words when he shook his head with a smile.

"Look how confused I am. Since you've arrived at the shop, you'll naturally be seeing me."

Qu Ye smiled faintly, took the plain paper, glanced at it, and then put it away.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jiang Fan, seeing the bustling crowd in front of Huichunzhai, decided not to disturb Qu Ye any further and took his leave, saying that he still needed to purchase one or two pills before entering Huichunzhai.

Qu Ye glanced at Jiang Fan's retreating figure, then turned away without further thought and headed towards her residence.