Seeking immortality begins with daily intelligence reports.

[A small auction will be held tomorrow at midnight in the Yunhe Mountain Market's black market, featuring an ancient silk scroll containing clues to a secret realm. This realm opens once every three hundred years, and will next open on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, three years from now. Three days before the realm opens, the silk scroll will automatically evolve and provide guidance.]

After reading the intelligence, Li Shen's emotions were in turmoil.

Although it will not open for another three years, if you miss it, you will have to wait another three hundred years.

For a Qi Refining cultivator, missing out is equivalent to losing forever.

Every cultivator knows what a secret realm means.

That's destiny, that's resources, that's an opportunity to turn one's life around. Moreover, the value of the clues in such a clearly defined and imminently opened secret realm is immeasurable.

So giving up is not an option, but figuring out how to get it smoothly requires some planning.

First and foremost are spirit stones.

With this thought in mind, Li Shen probed his storage bag with his spiritual power and quickly took inventory.

I currently have nearly three thousand low-grade spirit stones on hand.

It should be sufficient as long as there is no malicious bidding during the auction.

Besides, he would go to Zhao's Talisman Shop again, and if all else fails, he could buy a few more mid-grade Concealing Breath Talismans.

Next up are the ancient silk manuscripts.

Anything that incorporates ancient characters will naturally command a higher price.

However, the fact that it can be put up for auction means that none of the people involved have figured out the real secret behind it.

Otherwise, who would be willing to give up such a once-in-three-hundred-years secret realm opportunity?

The opportunities are indeed considerable.

After clearing his mind, Li Shen focused on refining the two magical artifacts and adding more trump cards to prevent any unexpected events.

Last time I went to the black market, I was targeted by three cultivators just for buying something. This time, at the auction, there will only be more eyes watching from the shadows.

-

The next day, Li Shen dressed up and went straight to Zhao's Talisman Shop.

At this time, there were still few customers in the shop.

When the shop assistant at the talisman shop saw Li Shen arrive, his eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to greet him:

"Good morning, Fellow Daoist Li. Has it been finished yet?"

Li Shen nodded without saying a word.

The other party immediately understood and led him to the elegant room in the back hall.

Inside the elegant room, Han Mo was about to concentrate on drawing talismans when the waiter's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

"Manager Han, Fellow Daoist Li has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Han Mo's slight displeasure at being disturbed vanished instantly, replaced by a smile. He raised his voice and said:

"Please come quickly."

If it were just about handing over those twenty low-grade concealment talismans, Li Shen wouldn't need to come here personally.

Since you're here, you must have already drawn the mid-grade concealment talisman.

"Young friend Li, please have a seat."

Li Shen sat down as instructed, accepted the spiritual tea offered by Han Mo, took a sip, and felt a refreshing and invigorating energy permeate his mind and spirit. He couldn't help but praise it:

"Excellent tea!"

This tea is brewed from century-old tender buds, a rarity even in the market.

Han Mo chuckled, his tone gentle, "Young friend, has your arrival been completed with that mid-grade first-tier concealment talisman...?"

Li Shen's heart stirred, and he nodded in agreement. He took out a wooden box and three talismans with concealed spiritual light and placed them on the table.

The wooden box contained twenty low-grade concealment talismans, while these three were mid-grade.

Han Mo's gaze swept over them, picked up one of them, probed it with his spiritual energy, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes:

"A mid-grade first-tier concealment talisman, and of quite good quality. I really didn't misjudge your talent in talismanic arts, young friend Li."

Han Mo put down the talisman and said seriously:

"Young friend Li, our one-year agreement has come to an end. Do you have any other plans for the future?"

Li Shen paused slightly in the hand holding the cup.

He glanced up at Han Mo, his expression unchanged:

"Manager Han, please speak frankly."

Han Mo smiled:

"Then I'll get straight to the point. The Zhao family is currently recruiting guest talisman masters with generous benefits. Given Fellow Daoist Li's demonstrated talent in talismanic arts, if you are interested, I am willing to make an introduction."

"Guest Talisman Master?"

Li Shen's gaze narrowed slightly.

"good."

Han Mo explained:

"Guest talisman masters do not need to stay at the Zhao family. They only need to complete a certain number of talisman drawings regularly to enjoy a monthly salary of three hundred low-grade spirit stones. The required talisman paper and spirit ink will be provided free of charge."

He paused, then added:

"Becoming a guest of the Zhao family also grants you the right to rent a training room. Each training room is equipped with a Qi-gathering array that helps to condense spiritual energy. Young friend Li, you probably don't intend to just be a lowly talisman master, do you?"

That last sentence stirred something within Li Shen.

The Zhao family is located in the inner city of the market, which is close to the spiritual vein and has abundant spiritual energy.

With the aid of a Qi-gathering formation, breaking through the sixth level of Qi Refining might save a lot of time and effort.

Although Li Shen's expression showed some emotion, he still had many concerns:

"I appreciate Manager Han's kindness. However, I am still not proficient in using this mid-grade concealment talisman..."

Before he could finish speaking, Han Mo chuckled and said, "Young friend Li, there's no need to worry. I have been a close friend of Elder Zhao Yue of the Zhao family for many years. If you are willing, I will certainly help you make the arrangements."

Li Shen was somewhat surprised to hear this and couldn't help but ask:

"Thank you, Manager Han, but... there is still one thing I don't understand. Why have you been so kind to me?"

Han Mo did not answer immediately, but stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, his face becoming more serious:

"Young friend Li, this old man... has little time left to live."

This short sentence sent a jolt through Li Shen.

Han Mo's expression remained calm, as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.

"I am already one hundred and eighteen years old this year. There is no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. The lifespan of a Qi Refining cultivator is probably coming to an end here."

He gently set down his teacup, a hint of desolation flashing in his eyes:

"I earned this position as manager of Zhao's Talisman Shop through decades of hard work in the Zhao family, which has allowed me to enjoy a peaceful old age. Over the years, I have gained some insights into the art of talismans, and I have always wanted to leave something behind."

Han Mo looked at Li Shen, his gaze deepening:

"I have observed that you are calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient, and you certainly have a talent for the art of talismans. What is even more remarkable is that you are able to draw this mid-grade ancient talisman at such a young age. With guidance, it will not be difficult for you to draw a high-grade one in the future. It's just a pity... I'm afraid I won't live to see that day."

Li Shen remained silent.

He does have talent, but it's not as amazing as Han Mo thought.

The ability to conceal one's breath is largely based on learning from predecessors, allowing him to accurately grasp the key points of talismans, apply what he's learned to other situations, and avoid many detours. But this is something he naturally cannot say to others.

Han Mo continued:

"I hope... in the remaining days of my life, I can pass on all that I have learned, so that my skills will not be lost."

His voice lowered, his gaze becoming distant, as if penetrating the walls of the elegant room and gazing upon the years of a hundred years ago:

"When I was young, I was just like you, full of vigor and ambition. Back then, all I saw were talismans, cinnabar, and the strokes of the spiritual brush. I always felt that the world was vast, but it was all contained within the small space of the talisman. Later, I stumbled and wasted decades, and my cultivation was stuck at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. I could hardly even begin to grasp the higher realms of talismanic arts."

At this point, Han Mo took out a thick book with yellowed pages.

"I've slowly come to realize that hard work alone is far from enough. I'm already exhausted by the time I can paint at a mid-level, and even occasionally touch the edge of a high-level. It's not that I haven't tried hard enough, but... that's just my fate. The limits of my talent are there."

The elegant room was quiet, with only the steaming tea rising gently, as if time had quietly spun around there.