Chapter 3: High‑Quality Talismans
Early in the morning, after the spring rain, the air carried a faint earthy musk.
The marketplace had already become lively.
Street‑stall vendors each called out, hawking the wares on their tables.
“Fresh demonic‑beast meat! Just slaughtered yesterday—ten jin of meat for one Spirit Crystal, guaranteed tender!”
“Fasting pills! Essential for deep land‑clearing expeditions.”
Walking on the bluestone slabs of the marketplace, now completely familiar, Lin Chang’an took a deep breath.
“It’s still better to stay here.”
The reluctance and unwillingness he’d felt before preparing to leave now seemed like a second life coming alive.
This feeling was truly wonderful.
Yet the blood‑shot, wearied eyes of Lin Chang’an drew silent shakes of heads from many acquaintances—after all, wasn’t this also their future?
Passing cultivators on the road were unfamiliar and brushed past him; familiar faces smiled and clasped hands in greeting, saying “Fellow Daoist.”
Though he had lived here for twenty years, with this new mindset Lin Chang’an’s smile on his face had grown more frequent.
“Many people here are doing worse than me.”
However, upon seeing one exhausted expression after another, he recalled how, during his early eager entry into cultivation, he had become numb after being beaten by reality.
That lingering sense of unwillingness had driven them to grind their teeth and persist.
These familiar, numbed expressions reminded Lin Chang’an that he had once been the same.
“The world of cultivation changes swiftly, and I still have a long way to go.”
In the early‑morning light, Lin Chang’an strode with firm steps, presenting a stark contrast to the hurried, numbed figures along both sides.
The meat‑selling cultivator surnamed Luo even gazed in puzzlement at Lin Chang’an’s receding figure, scratching his head.
“Why does Fellow Daoist Lin seem different now?”
“Ah, what’s new? I heard this Lin fellow Daoist intends to go to the mortal realm.”
Upon hearing this, Luo the meat‑seller suddenly realized, then sighed:
“So that’s it.”
Among familiar Daoist friends, there were murmurs and head‑shakes; such matters were nothing new—they knew it might one day be their turn.
Many cultivators could have gone to enjoy comforts in the mortal world, but for the sake of having descendants with spirit roots, they had clenched their teeth and persevered.
…
Following the main street of the marketplace, Lin Chang’an finally arrived at Zhenbao Tower—the shop of the Fire Palace.
“Yo, Fellow Daoist Lin!”
Middle‑aged Shopkeeper Miao, upon seeing a familiar face, greeted him with a broad smile.
When he saw the talismans Lin Chang’an took out, Shopkeeper Miao’s smile became genuine.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, I told you—why go off to the mortal realm when you’re making such fine talismans? Your skill is improving, and the Evergreen Art is known for its fervent strength emerging slowly.”
“Shopkeeper Miao, your eye for talent is truly discerning.”
Lin Chang’an smiled and nodded, confirming his decision to stay.
From the start—when he joined the demon‑hunting squad—to becoming a talisman‑craftsman, the two had known each other for nearly twenty years.
His talisman‑making success rate, and the cinnabar and talisman‑paper taken from this place, meant they were well acquainted.
When Lin Chang’an produced twenty Golden Light Talismans and eight Swift Talismans, Miao knew immediately this meant he had no intention of leaving for the mortal realm.
Otherwise, who would head to the mortal world without taking some capital? After going out there, it would be hard to find talisman‑making materials again.
“This is—!?”
Upon examining one of the talismans, Shopkeeper Miao’s eyes flashed with disbelief.
“A high‑quality Golden Light Talisman!”
“Shopkeeper Miao, your insight is truly piercing.”
Lin Chang’an smiled and nodded, and Shopkeeper Miao realized what it meant, teasing him with a playful expression.
“I was wondering why Fellow Daoist Lin looked so different today—so that was the reason.”
Shopkeeper Miao sincerely felt happy for Lin Chang’an.
He was not only happy because he had gained another major client, but also because his old customer of twenty years had finally made a breakthrough at the critical moment.
“Tut tut, as the saying goes—among the hundred arts of cultivation, talismans, pills, tools, and formations come first. Though talismans seem simple, they are easy to learn yet hard to master. Fellow Daoist Lin, you’ve reached new heights—truly worthy of celebration.”
Faced with Shopkeeper Miao’s congratulations, Lin Chang’an could only nod with a melancholy sigh.
“I was blinded by obsession. I never thought that by letting go of it, I’d actually make a breakthrough.”
His sigh came from the heart—thinking back on the twenty bitter years of cultivation, the hardship within was something only he understood.
Shopkeeper Miao also nodded in empathy. How many cultivators under the heavens were stuck on this thin paper window—struggling for a lifetime, never piercing through it?
“May I ask whether Fellow Daoist Lin wishes to exchange for Spirit Stones or materials?”
Spirit Stones!
Hearing those two words, Lin Chang’an could not help but feel emotional. After cultivating for twenty years, he had finally moved beyond Spirit Crystals.
“Shopkeeper Miao, same as always.”
“Very well—two stacks of talisman paper, and one bottle of gold‑attribute cinnabar.”
With Shopkeeper Miao’s call, two thick stacks of yellow talisman paper and a jade bottle were placed before him.
“These materials total twenty Spirit Crystals. Here’s thirty‑four Spirit Crystals in change, and this high‑quality Golden Light Talisman is worth one Spirit Stone.”
Looking at the baby‑palm‑sized Spirit Stone, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help showing a pleased expression.
The high‑quality Golden Light Talisman had quintupled in value, even advancing from the Spirit Crystal scale to the Spirit Stone standard.
Shopkeeper Miao was beaming with joy as well.
A talisman‑maker capable of producing high‑quality talismans had a promising future.
Clutching the Spirit Stone against his chest, Lin Chang’an stared longingly at the shop’s Spirit‑gathering formation, thinking to himself that once he earned enough for the corvée tax, he’d definitely have his own someday.
On the way back, he also bought fifty jin of spiritual rice, ten jin of demonic beast meat, and some spiritual vegetables. Though he cultivated bitterly, he never skimped on his food and drink.
This wasn’t just about satisfying appetite—it was also for the sake of his cultivation.
Returning home, Lin Chang’an looked at the full rice jar, the steamed spiritual rice on the table, and the large pot filled with spiritual meat. The rich aroma made him smile.
“If I could eat spiritual meat every day, there’d be no need to wait twenty years.”
His poor aptitude was true, but staying at Qi Refining Stage Third Level after twenty years wasn’t just a matter of poor talent—it was about being broke!
This was the reality for countless cultivators. Though they seemed to have cultivated for twenty years, most of that time was wasted running around, delaying their practice.
Now that there was hope for better days, Lin Chang’an picked up his chopsticks and devoured his food like a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves.
This demonic beast meat—eaten by the pot—was a luxury even in the past.
Not only was his mouth left glossy from the feast, but Lin Chang’an could also clearly feel the nourishment spreading through his body.
Thinking of those Foundation Establishment aristocratic families—where even ordinary low‑grade Spiritual Roots could easily reach mid Qi Refining Stage—he couldn’t help but sigh.
“As expected, no matter the world, what some pursue their whole lives is something others are simply born with.”
Daily spiritual rice and every meal with spiritual meat—so long as one cultivated diligently, reaching Qi Refining Stage Fourth Level would be no problem.
“When I start earning Spirit Stones in the future, not only will I eat meat every day, I’ll also buy a storage pouch.”
Thinking about his future days—not only would he eat meat at every meal, but he’d also have a storage pouch to access items at a flick of his finger—it filled him with motivation.