Chapter 4: Borrowing Talismans – Begging for Continued Reading
【Evergreen Art +1 (Proficiency: 490/500)】
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Cocooned at home, Lin Chang’an slowly opened his eyes one day, his face breaking into a smile.
“Sure enough, progress you can actually see becomes addictive.”
Having spent the past few days at home, he’d alternately eaten and slept—savored three full days of recuperation before returning to cultivation.
It wasn’t that he was lazy, but drawing talismans truly consumed one’s essence, energy, and spirit.
“That night I overdid it; it took me three whole days to recover.”
Despite his reflection, no trace of regret crossed Lin Chang’an’s face.
The appearance of the golden finger was merely a catalyst. More importantly, the insight he gained after breaking through with the Golden Light Talisman was intoxicating.
At the moment of breakthrough, he had seized that sensation and kept drawing talismans, committing that feeling to memory. Such was only natural.
So, bearing dark circles under his eyes and looking overly drained, he went to sell talismans. Shopkeeper Miao wasn’t surprised in the least.
This sort of thing—something countless people longed for but couldn’t obtain.
“Turns out ‘proficiency’ in a cultivation art refers to understanding the art—essentially how much one has comprehended.”
These days spent cultivating at home increased his Evergreen Art proficiency by one, granting him considerable insight into the technique.
In other words, the more thoroughly one understands a cultivation method, the better the results of one’s practice.
Thinking of the requirements for cultivation, Lin Chang’an nodded silently.
“Besides the limitation of spiritual roots, one’s innate comprehension also matters.”
With identical root talent, the level of understanding still determines a cultivator’s prospects.
【Realm: Qi Refining Stage Third Level (95/100)】
“Eating spirit flesh and spirit rice, plus using spirit stones to assist, makes cultivation feel powerful.”
Seeing the cultivation progress so clearly in percentages filled Lin Chang’an with emotion.
Of course, he knew all too well that this was thanks to being backed by spirit stones.
Living frugally day to day, even if he had a superior spiritual root, his cultivation would still lag.
As the saying goes, money supports cultivation—money always comes first.
“Cultivation is only just beginning. For now, I need to earn spirit stones quickly—to repay Erniu, and set aside spirit stones for the conscripted labor tax. Only then can I cultivate in peace.”
In the days that followed, Lin Chang’an didn’t leave his home, entering a period of intensive hermitic cultivation.
Every day he drew talismans and refined qi.
Whenever he felt mental fatigue, he would pause cultivating qi to rest—unwilling to waste even a shred of talisman materials.
Life was extremely fulfilling. With his talisman skills improving, his chance of producing a high-quality Golden Light Talisman rose to one in five.
His spirits lifted, and so did his success rates. Even the once monotonous cultivation became a source of immersion and delight.
...
“Bang bang!”
“Dao Friend Lin, it’s me.”
On one day, a familiar voice sounded outside the door. When Lin Chang’an opened it, he smiled and greeted the person.
“Old He, you’re quite the rare visitor.”
Old He was his neighbor and old friend—a gaunt, withered old face breaking into a grin that showed several missing yellow teeth.
“Lin boy, we’re neighbors, you chestnut—heard you’re preparing to return to the mundane world. Me, the old man, got worried.”
Looking at Old He, Lin Chang’an’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing and invited him inside.
Though they were cultivators, they weren’t rivals—Old He excelled at drawing Fireball Talismans, so there was no conflict.
As soon as he entered, Old He sniffed sharply with his red nose, his old face changing expression.
“I told you, who’s been braising spirit meat every day for the past few days, making this old man drool himself nearly to death.”
Looking greedy, Old He couldn’t help being teased by Lin Chang’an:
“Fine, later we’ll eat together here.”
At the prospect of a free meal, Old He waved his hand like mad.
“Go away, that old man’s not falling for it. There’s no free lunch in the world.”
Old He, who usually appeared miserly, was well known for his cunning.
After entering and steeping tea, having drunk two cups, the impatient Old He finally pressed down his teacup.
“Alright, alright—you’ve more restraint than this old man. I’ve lived over sixty years for nothing then.”
Seeing Old He’s form, Lin Chang’an smiled.
“Old He, everyone knows you always save spirit stones for your grandson.”
Under his teasing smile, Lin Chang’an felt emotional. Old He had once been a Qi Refining Stage Sixth Level master.
When he first came to the marketplace, he even joined Old He’s demon-hunting team.
Unfortunately, during one demon-hunt, they were ambushed. The team suffered heavy casualties; Old He was badly injured and drained of vitality.
And with age wearing on him, though he’s only in his sixties, he looked eighty, and his cultivation fell to Qi Refining Stage Fifth Level.
With a cultivator’s constitution, becoming aged in his sixties showed how much internal trauma he had suffered.
This was the normal fate of those who risk life and limb.
“Lin boy, have you heard? They’re increasing efforts to reclaim wilderness. It’s the greatest scale ever—even the labor tax this time is this much!”
Old He looked distressed, forming a cross with his fingers.
“Ten spirit stones!”
Though he’d expected it, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help wincing at the news.
Ten spirit stones—that amount would be unthinkable for ordinary cultivators, so most would choose to take the risk and go reclaim wilderness.
“So, Old He, your talisman skill isn’t bad—are you coming along this time?”
Though he’d guessed Old He’s purpose, Lin Chang’an still asked with some hesitation.
Old He rubbed his bony hands, awkwardly laughing.
“My grandson isn’t untalented. I can’t have him waste his life like me—I plan to send him to the Fire Palace.”
When speaking of his grandson, pride glinted on Old He’s aged face.
How pitiful a parent’s heart can be—Old He had only one grandson, and all his saved spirit stones went toward laying a foundation for him.
Lin Chang’an knew this, even envied it before.
“This old man came to borrow two Golden Light Talismans from you.”
“Borrow talismans!” Hearing this, Lin Chang’an’s expression grew serious.
Old He scratched his head in embarrassment. Who would have thought this gaunt, yellow‑toothed old man had been a formidable strongman twenty years ago?
In his youth, wielding a flaming blade, he’d been renowned.
Seeing the once iron-blooded hero bent under life’s weight, transformed into today’s Old He, Lin Chang’an paled.
“Old He, at your age, you still think you’re young? Are you losing your mind?”
When Old He asked to borrow talismans, Lin Chang’an knew what he was up to and tensed up.
“Lin boy, we both came from being lone cultivators. If opportunity stands before you, would you give it up?”
Old He spoke slowly. Lin Chang’an fell silent.
If he hadn’t awakened the golden finger, would he be willing to let an opportunity slip by?
He shook his head, remaining silent. Instead, he flipped over Old He’s teacup and poured another cup of tea.
“Go on, Lin boy, I’m not your tombstone.”
Old He cracked a teasing rebuke—but beside the teacup lay two High‑Quality Golden Light Talismans and one Swift Talisman, causing his aged eyes to glisten.
Lin Chang’an smiled and didn’t glance at the talismans.
“Two spirit stones. Once it’s done, don’t you even think of backing out.”
They exchanged smiles, the setting sun bathing them in golden light.
In that moment, they both seemed young again—one a strongman wielding a great blade, the other a novice just starting his journey.