"Coincidence?"
Li Jizhou looked at a Tier One Junior Level talisman brush in his storage bag, half a stack of junior talisman paper, two Tier One Junior Level Spiritual Talismans, one Tier One Junior Level Dust-removal Talisman, and a Jade Talisman engraved with the word "Talisman", and smiled slightly.
"Is this a reward for saving my life? Knowing gratitude and repaying it." He had to admit, this was exactly what he needed right now.
Xu Mei was indeed thoughtful, but when Li Jizhou decided to start with becoming a Talisman Master, he had already had a better choice in mind, so he temporarily couldn’t utilize her good intention.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.
"Boss, are you home? Uncle Lin asked me to bring you an invitation!"
It was Wu Daniu’s voice.
He also grew up together with Li Jizhou and Lin Caiwei.
And was turned away along with Li Jizhou by the Golden Sun Sect three days ago.
Li Jizhou calmed his mind, walked out of the room, and came to the gate of the small courtyard.
Compared to the dejection and loss from three days ago, Wu Daniu looked radiant, his eyes filled with joy.
"Boss, Uncle Lin is inviting old neighbors tomorrow to celebrate Caiwei’s entry into the Golden Sun Sect! He specifically asked me to bring you an invitation and make sure you come tomorrow, saying he has something to discuss with you."
Li Jizhou took the invitation: "Okay, thank you very much."
"Boss, what do you plan to do next?" Wu Daniu hesitated, somewhat apprehensive, yet hopeful.
"Do you already have a decision?" Li Jizhou replied with a smile.
"There’s nothing I can hide from you, Boss. I... I’ve accepted the invitation from the Yang family at Qingshui River." Wu Daniu said shyly, lowering his head.
"The Yang family at Qingshui River?" Li Jizhou slightly nodded.
Being a native of Inverted Mountain, he had heard some situations in the Cultivation Realm of Qi Kingdom from a young age.
This Yang family at Qingshui River was relatively close to Inverted Mountain, a third-rate cultivation family.
They were fundamentally established by raising Spirit Fish and other aquatic products, gaining some fame!
A few years ago, they became a laughing stock due to an incident, discussed by many cultivators over meals and tea, which increased their fame substantially.
The ancestor of the Yang family was caught having an affair by the Patriarch of the Yang family!
The truth of the matter can no longer be traced, but the Yang family’s reputation spread, and it is said that since then, the income from their Spirit Fish increased by seventy percent.
The downside was that due to their reputation, most cultivators were unwilling to marry into the Yang family or take Yang family women as wives.
In recent years, it is said that the number of cultivators in the Yang family has sharply decreased.
"Boss, I know the Yang family doesn’t have a good reputation, but I know my own worth. Being alone and my Spirit Root being Lower Grade, joining the Yang family at least means having a wife, and..." Wu Daniu hurriedly explained.
Li Jizhou raised his hand to interrupt him: "Big Bull, since you aspire to the path of immortality, why care about reputation? Joining the Yang family, having resources and security is beneficial to your cultivation, it’s certainly a good thing."
"Boss, you think so too?" Wu Daniu seemed to have found a kindred spirit.
"Frankly, I’m tempted too, but the path I choose is different from yours, so I must give up." Li Jizhou pat Wu Daniu on the shoulder, sighed.
Joining a cultivation family offers stable resources and a safe haven.
However, cultivation families are not foolish; they won’t do things that are exploited for free.
Signing a Divine Soul Contract, some become lifelong members of the family, never to leave.
Some have breeding requirements, and after producing a certain number of offspring with Spirit Root, they can reclaim their life essence soul token.
Of course, some exceptions are for cannon fodder or offerings.
"Brother, don’t give up yet. Elder Yang heard about your situation and is very eager for you. If you agree, he promises you can choose from any of the Yang family’s direct lineage daughters!" Wu Daniu exclaimed excitedly.
Li Jizhou’s naturally strong Divine Soul compared to ordinary people was a point of fascination since childhood and was the reason some acquaintances held him in high regard.
"Big Bull, I appreciate you thinking of me for good things, but you need not mention this again. You focus on your matters." Li Jizhou left no room for expectation.
"Brother..."
"Big Bull, it’s getting late, not safe. Get home early." Li Jizhou remained unwavering.
"Ah!" Wu Daniu left disappointed.
Watching his most loyal and honest friend Wu Daniu leave from their old group, Li Jizhou looked at the invitation in his hand and smiled slightly.
Having fasted for four days and nights, tonight he would endure once again and feast tomorrow!
A night swiftly passed in cultivation.
Early the next day, Li Jizhou slowly finished his exercises, glanced at the outdoor sky, tidied up, and headed out with a Spiritual Talisman from the storage bag given by Xu Mei.
The outskirts of the east area were far from the center of Inverted Mountain, where Spiritual Qi was thin and occupied by a large number of lower-tier Loose Cultivators. Particularly in recent years, those living here precariously cobbled houses together indiscriminately, further crowding the once somewhat orderly east area.
Passages were narrow and remained sunless all day.
Moreover, some were so poor they couldn’t afford a Cleaning Talisman and were too lazy to carry waste from their homes outside the city, often dumping it at the doorstep, further degrading living conditions here.
Before awakening Innate Wisdom, Li Jizhou was used to it.
But now, traversing these places made him wish to leave immediately.
The entire east area was like a labyrinth; without familiarity, anyone visiting would get lost.
Li Jizhou maneuvered left and right, finally emerging after half an hour, reaching the outermost street of the central region of Inverted Mountain.
Though it was still early, the street sides were already filled with vendors.
This area was unclaimed, so no taxes were required.
No gangs controlled this place, so there was no need to pay tributes.
Occasionally, gangs appeared here, but they didn’t last long. Someday, when they came out to collect protection fees, they might encounter a big shot hiding their identity and cultivation, who would flip and kill them.
After all, Inverted Mountain was the largest hub for selling stolen goods in the Cultivation Realm of Qi Kingdom.
Some even came straight into town to sell treasures they had just seized outside the city.
Li Jizhou walked down the street, leisurely observing.
Despite life experiences from his past proving that finding bargains was unlikely, even less than obtaining desired items through effort, the anticipation was hard to suppress.
Sure enough, he saw nothing worth considering as he walked along.
But his purpose here wasn’t that; he came to sell talismans!
With Lin Chaobei hosting a banquet to celebrate his daughter’s acceptance as a disciple by the Golden Sun Sect, he couldn’t go empty-handed, especially if he planned to learn talisman craft from him.
"How much for your Tier One Junior Level Spiritual Talisman?" At a roadside stall specializing in talismans, Li Jizhou asked.
The vendor seemed to be a low-tier Talisman Master, with similar-crafted talismans displayed at the stall.
Primarily Tier One Junior Level, with a few Tier One Middle Level, mostly lower grade quality.
Most were talismans for daily use.
Dust-removal Talismans were the most common, followed by Restriction Talismans, with a few combat-assisting talismans like Bursting Talismans, Cold Wind Talismans, and Spiritual Talismans.
"Fifteen taels of Spiritual Sand, no bargaining!"
"Dust-removal Talisman then?"
"Ten taels of Spiritual Sand."
"Restriction Talisman then?"
"Are you buying or not?"
"Sorry, I don’t have enough Spiritual Sand, sorry for disturbing you." Li Jizhou apologized, clasping his fist in courtesy.
After inquiring at several stalls, Li Jizhou had a rough idea of the market prices for talismans.
Then he asked about the prices of talisman paper and Spiritual Ink.
Estimating roughly the profit margin for Tier One Junior Level talismans.
If skilled in talisman craft, retailing Tier One Junior Level talismans had a fifty-fifty profit margin.
However, due to the low prices of Tier One Junior Level talismans, the profits weren’t significant; working overtime making talismans, he could earn only three to five lower grade Spirit Stones a month.
Then he inquired at several stalls specializing in talisman recycling, finding their recycle price was thirty percent lower than retail price.
Finally, he visited a shop focused on talisman trade.
Inside, retail prices were fifty percent higher than stalls, with a wider range and superior quality.
Recycling prices were thirty percent higher than outside.
In the end, Li Jizhou sold his Spiritual Talisman to a recycling stall, earning eleven taels of Spiritual Sand.