Chapter 55: Beast Attack
Three days later, Lin Chang’an attended the exchange meeting. There were only about twenty people, exchanging some materials and recent news with each other.
“Got some different kinds of premium-grade first-rank talismans. More importantly, it’s the exchanged information.”
After leaving the exchange meeting, Lin Chang’an moved through the marketplace in disguise, calculating in secret.
At present, he already had the second-rank Spirit Brush, talisman paper, and cinnabar, but all of them were metal-attributed.
“I only know the Golden Light Talisman for the metal attribute. It’s not that the Golden Bamboo Spirit Brush can’t be used to draw fire-attributed talismans, but spirit brushes with specific attributes are more targeted.”
As he walked down the marketplace street, Lin Chang’an sighed inwardly. This was the helplessness of a rogue cultivator—everything had to be done by oneself.
If only he was backed by a major sect or a large clan, he wouldn’t have needed to study talismans in such a scattered and broad manner.
“Let’s first purchase some fire-attributed talisman paper and cinnabar. As for the spirit brush, that can wait.”
Lin Chang’an, who usually never worried about spirit stones during cultivation, finally experienced a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Strapped for cash.
After all, the spirit stones he usually earned were all spent on cultivation. With all the recent purchases, the spirit stones in his storage pouch were almost used up.
[Golden Light Talisman (Master 4238/5000)]
[Fireball Talisman (Master 4678/5000)]
Looking at the attribute panel, Lin Chang’an nodded to himself. He needed to make full use of his time to improve his talisman skills and draw premium-grade first-rank talismans as soon as possible, so he could be secure.
After that, Lin Chang’an disguised himself several times and collected nine second-rank fire-attributed talisman papers and two bottles of precious fire-attributed cinnabar in the marketplace before finally choosing to return.
…
The chaos continued, but the secret realm had already been sealed off by the sect’s cultivators. It was said that due to the competition over the secret realm, even the Foundation Establishment Elders of the two major sects had resorted to real combat.
As for the Divine Sword Sect, they were helplessly anxious. After all, the secret realm was deep in the rear of the two major sects, so they could only start a war to intervene.
The situation in the Yue Kingdom was growing increasingly chaotic.
One month later.
“Sister Yun is back.”
On this day, finally, some good news arrived.
Yun Yao returned to the marketplace as one of the stewards of the Palace of Blazing Fire stationed there.
“Fellow Daoist Yun.”
Lin Chang’an appeared calm and cupped his hands respectfully in greeting, as did Shen Lie beside him.
It was as if the rift between them had never existed.
“Mm.”
Yun Yao glanced at everyone and gave a cold, light nod.
However, at such close proximity, Lin Chang’an became vigilant. He could clearly feel that the cold yin aura within Yun Yao’s body was even stronger than before.
This time, Yun Yao returned with a much more murderous air, indicating how brutal the battles in the secret realm must have been.
“Before the sect and the Pavilion of Mystic Sound have reached an agreement, the marketplace is now preparing to divide territories for governance. The sect is planning to mark out a portion of the area as a safe zone…”
As Yun Yao’s cold voice echoed, Lin Chang’an was speechless. This was clearly just a redivision of territories, which naturally meant rent prices would go up.
If one went under the jurisdiction of the Palace of Blazing Fire, then one would naturally have to follow its rules and likewise pay corresponding rent in exchange for the sect’s protection.
“In other words, most of the marketplace will be in chaos.”
After giving a cold explanation, Yun Yao left.
If she were truly cold and heartless, she wouldn’t have come to notify them personally.
But by coming, she made them feel as if she was deliberately distancing herself.
…
Snow began to fall from the sky.
The Bamboo Mountain Marketplace seemed to have returned to its former calm, but everyone knew—it was even more chaotic now.
A single marketplace, yet now there were two voices!
“Talisman Master Lin, the rent is paid quarterly. This area falls under the jurisdiction of our Palace of Blazing Fire. Your safety is absolutely guaranteed.”
“Understood. A few of us are co-renting this courtyard. Here are the spirit stones.”
Inside a small courtyard, Lin Chang’an, the Shen Lie couple, and Wei Buyi with his daughter co-rented a residence together.
It wasn’t just to save a few spirit stones—more importantly, it was to huddle together for warmth and deter those with ill intentions.
“Just this one courtyard, and it costs ten spirit stones for three months. Why not just rob us instead?”
Wei Buyi’s face turned red with frustration after handing over the spirit stones.
Hearing this, Lin Chang’an gently shook his head and said, “It’s not that bad. If it were us ten years ago, we might’ve been pushed to the outskirts.”
The outskirts were indeed cheaper, but the patrol cultivators there were only a few mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators from the Palace of Blazing Fire, each leading a patrol team made up of over a dozen rogue cultivators.
One could imagine the level of safety.
You get what you pay for.
“Looks like the current situation is really chaotic.”
Lin Chang’an exchanged glances with the others, and their expressions all turned grim.
Both the Palace of Blazing Fire and the Pavilion of Mystic Sound had begun extracting resources from those below them. One could imagine how tense the situation had become.
The two major sects had turned against each other. Externally, the Divine Sword Sect had launched an offensive. It was said they were fiercely attacking the territory of the Palace of Blazing Fire while frequently showing goodwill to the Pavilion of Mystic Sound, seemingly preparing to discuss an alliance.
“Let’s seize the time to cultivate. Who knows how long this chaos will last.”
Wei Buyi shook his head, leaned on his iron crutch, and walked toward the room. Shen Lie also looked toward his wife and said firmly:
“Qingqing, you should make good use of your time to cultivate as well.”
Lu Qingqing was now at the fifth level of Qi Refinement. In the current situation, even late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators couldn’t guarantee their own safety.
Standing alone in the courtyard, Lin Chang’an stared at the snowflakes in the sky. The spiritual light flickering in his eyes suggested he had noticed something unusual.
[Spirit Eye (Skilled 26/500)]
“My Spirit Eye leans more toward an enhanced version of the Heavenly Eye Technique. It’s extremely sensitive to spiritual energy. This year’s wind and snow feel even more biting.”
Lin Chang’an pondered deeply. Behind this piercing cold wind and snow, he noticed a subtle change.
The spiritual energy had become denser. With his Spirit Eye, he could perceive it clearly—it wasn’t an illusion.
“An ancient Nascent Soul cultivator’s ruins. It’s perfectly plausible there’s a high-grade spiritual vein. Now that the spiritual energy in the air is this dense, could it mean the spiritual energy from the secret realm is leaking out?”
At this thought, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.
Dense spiritual energy wouldn’t only attract cultivators—it would also attract beasts from the Cloudmist Mountain Range. If things were as he suspected…
Then this winter would be anything but peaceful.
“Cultivate, draw talismans—not a single moment can be wasted.”
Lin Chang’an tossed a handful of spiritual herbs and turned back into the room, leaving only the Azure-Horned Bull in the courtyard, chewing spirit grass contentedly while enjoying the changes in the world around it.
…
The snowfall was heavy—it continued non-stop for a full month.
At the same time, countless cultivators finally sensed the change in spiritual energy and exclaimed in surprise.
However, due to the previous chaos, the marketplace’s formation had long since been shattered. With the two major sects in such a state now, one could only imagine how dangerous this winter would be.
That night, Lin Chang’an was inside, enjoying the cultivation effects brought by the Spirit Gathering Formation, when suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the marketplace under the night sky.
In an instant, everyone in the courtyard was awakened.