Dian Mo

Zhou Sheng looked at the iron tags around the cat and dog's necks, thinking that in a few days, he would find a way to take them off and replace them with his own.

Just then, a gust of wind swept into the little courtyard, and Lin Chan and Xu Chang descended one after the other.

Seeing Lin Chan, whom it had searched for half the day, Little White spun around excitedly.

"Senior Brother! It's them."

Lin Chan pointed at Little Li and Little White.

"Then hurry up and go! You haven't reached Foundation Establishment yet. Rest early and begin cultivating tomorrow."

After saying that, Xu Chang picked up Little White, holding the dog in one hand and supporting Lin Chan with the other as he flew away on his sword.

Held under Xu Chang's arm, Little White behaved itself very well. Little Li also clung tightly to Little White's fur so it would not fall.

Before Zhou Sheng could process the fact that Lin Chan and a Shu Mountain disciple addressed each other as brothers, the two had already vanished into the night.

"Young Master! It seems Little Brother Lin Chan wasn't taken away for doing something bad."

Seeing this, Wang Yunxuan said.

"Nonsense! Do I not have eyes and ears?"

Zhou Sheng said angrily.

Not long after, Lin Chan and Xu Chang returned to Xu Chang's Cave Dwelling.

"Tonight, behave yourselves. Don't make a fuss."

Before resting, Lin Chan gave Little Li and Little White a few instructions.

So those two night owls would not make too much noise.

After resting for around three hours, Lin Chan woke early.

Xu Chang used a spell to conjure a basin of clean water. After Lin Chan washed up, Xu Chang flew with him to Yaoguang Peak.

There were many cats on this peak, and most of them possessed considerable spiritual intelligence.

"Senior Brother Dian Mo, I have a cat and a dog here. I'll trouble you to teach them for a while."

Xu Chang found a white cat amid the cat nests and spoke with great respect.

The white cat was snow-white from head to toe, save for a spot of black at the tip of its tail.

"How will you calculate the food and tuition fees?"

The white cat, Dian Mo, sprawled lazily atop its nest, flicking its tail as it glanced at the stupid cat and stupid dog.

"Put it all on Tianquan Peak's account."

Xu Chang said with a smile.

"Fine. Let them stay here, then!"

Dian Mo waved a paw.

After giving Little Li and Little White a few instructions, Lin Chan left with Xu Chang.

"Senior Brother! How much are the food and tuition fees altogether? I'll repay you."

Lin Chan asked on the way.

"It won't cost much. Two Mortal Talisman Coins a year at most. It's just that cat Dian Mo is too greedy."

Xu Chang said casually.

"Senior Brother, I have Talisman Coins on me. I'll give them to you later."

Although Lin Chan felt it was very expensive, he still intended to pay Xu Chang.

"No need, Junior Brother. What Tianquan Peak lacks least is Talisman Coins."

Xu Chang said with a smile.

Lin Chan said nothing. Once they returned to the Cave Dwelling, he took out his money pouch from the hidden layer of his inner clothes, counted out two Talisman Coins, and handed them to Xu Chang.

"Senior Brother! This is my own matter, after all. I can't put everything on Tianquan Peak's account."

Lin Chan said to Xu Chang.

"Junior Brother! You're too polite. There's no need. We Inner Sect Disciples receive a monthly stipend. Although you've only just joined, you still receive one Mortal Talisman Coin and some pills each month. Once your identity materials arrive after some time, it can be deducted from there."

Xu Chang pushed the Talisman Coins in Lin Chan's hand back and did not accept them.

After hearing Xu Chang's explanation, Lin Chan felt somewhat relieved.

Inner Sect Disciples truly had it good. They only needed to cultivate each day.

The Outer Sect Disciples handled the miscellaneous chores, while every month they received Talisman Coins and had pills to use.

Of course, perhaps Lin Chan's current strength was simply too low, and the time had not yet come for him to be useful.

Once Lin Chan's cultivation grew higher, there would be a place for him to show his abilities.

For now, Lin Chan was still in the stage of raising troops for a thousand days.

Over the following days, Lin Chan continuously studied the Heart Sword Same Origin Art under Xu Chang's guidance. Yet after three days, he still had not completed Qi Introduction or circulated his own celestial circuit.

He also came to understand what Tianquan Peak did.

Tianquan Peak's main work was forging Talisman Coins.

The Shu Mountain Sword Sect possessed the Dao Alliance's authority to mint currency. It could forge first-rank Mortal Talisman Coins, second-rank Spirit Talisman Coins, and two kinds of Spirit Pivot Talisman Coins.

No wonder Xu Chang had previously said that Tianquan Peak was no less important to Shu Mountain than Tianshu Peak.

And Talisman Coins were what Tianquan Peak lacked least.

They minted money. How could they possibly lack money?

Of course, calling it money printing was somewhat exaggerated.

The process of making Spirit Pivot Talisman Coins was still rather difficult. It was not as simple as printing money.

Spirit Talisman Coins were an advanced form of Mortal Talisman Coins. Made from silver and intermediate Spirit Pivots, they could gather large amounts of spiritual energy drifting through the air and could be used for laying formations, assisting cultivation, refining artifacts, and many other purposes.

Their uses were extensive, and they were also extremely valuable.

One Spirit Talisman Coin could roughly be exchanged for a hundred Mortal Talisman Coins. They were worth a great deal, and their creation process was not simple either. Generally, only artifact-refining masters dared to handle them.

Therefore, Tianquan Peak's cultivators were also highly skilled in artifact refinement.

True Person Xuan Chen possessed quite a few magical implements and Dharma Artifacts, but those had little to do with Lin Chan.

After some more days passed, Lin Chan's identity token, Inner Sect Disciple uniform, and other related items were delivered to him.

The Daoist robe was woven from special silkworm silk, smooth and comfortable to the touch. It also bore a special formation that could clean itself simply and expand or contract slightly to fit the wearer.

"This Identity Jade Pendant contains a communication formation, though its range is very limited and only works within the Seven Peaks of Shushan. I'll first save my contact method and Master's contact method for you. Once you complete Qi Introduction, you can contact me at any time according to the method in the sect handbook."

Xu Chang held Lin Chan's Identity Jade Pendant, operated it for a moment, then returned it to him.

Over the past few days, Xu Chang had already taught Lin Chan the entire Heart Sword Same Origin Art.

Lin Chan only needed to meditate and breathe each day, attempt Qi Introduction, circulate his celestial circuit, then meditate further to temper his divine soul.

Once he completed Qi Introduction, he could begin tempering his Destiny Flying Sword.

"I understand, Senior Brother!"

Lin Chan accepted the Identity Jade Pendant.

Afterward, Lin Chan only needed to return to his Cave Dwelling and cultivate step by step.

Xu Chang also had matters of his own to attend to. He could not guide Lin Chan forever.

After gathering his things, Lin Chan returned to his Cave Dwelling and cultivated step by step.

Lin Chan's days were extremely full. Besides cultivating the Heart Sword Same Origin Art, he also needed to study Daoist Runes.

These were the common language used throughout the Dao Alliance, so he had no choice but to learn them.

Fortunately, Lin Chan possessed Eidetic Memory and learned these things very quickly.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

Lin Chan sat rigidly inside his Cave Dwelling, breathing in and out to absorb qi.

Although some spiritual energy had formed within his body, barely counting as Qi Introduction, whenever Lin Chan guided that spiritual energy through his meridians, it always fell one step short, lacking just a little, unable to return it to his dantian and complete a Lesser Celestial Circuit.

He had come close to succeeding once, but that little bit he lacked somehow seemed like an enormous gap.

After cultivating for several more hours, Lin Chan left his Cave Dwelling to get some fresh air and relax his mind.

Then he saw a refined-looking young man and woman.

The two looked somewhat alike, though not entirely identical.

"Junior Brother, I am Su Wanqing, and he is my older brother, Su Ganchen."

The woman introduced herself and the man beside her.

"Junior Brother!"

Su Ganchen also nodded to Lin Chan.