Liu Yue's Surprise

"How much are you selling this for?"

Li Chang'an came to the stall and casually picked up an extremely battered artifact.

The stall owner glanced at him.

"Five Spirit Stones."

Hearing this, Li Chang'an pondered briefly before setting the artifact down.

He then asked about several more items.

The stall owner was quite patient.

After all, accumulating Spirit Stones was not easy. Most cultivators only asked without buying, and he was already used to it.

Just then.

A familiar voice rang out nearby.

"Eh, Fellow cultivator Li, are you here for Treasure Seeking too?"

Liu Yue walked over, her figure graceful and her pretty face bright with a radiant smile.

Li Chang'an cupped his hands.

"Fellow cultivator Liu, I'm just looking around."

"Me too."

Liu Yue laughed softly.

After that Fellow Cultivator Exchange Meeting.

Although Li Chang'an had not attended again, he still occasionally ran into Liu Yue and the others at the Marketplace.

After crossing paths a few times, they became fairly familiar with one another.

After exchanging a few words.

Li Chang'an continued pretending to choose something, asking about the prices of several more items as if he could not make up his mind.

In the end.

His gaze shifted, and he pointed toward the Spirit Beast Stone Statue at the center of the stall.

"How much for this?"

"This thing..."

The stall owner pondered for a moment instead of giving a price directly.

He reached out and slapped the stone statue hard.

The sound was not muffled. Instead, it was somewhat hollow.

"This stone statue is hollow, and it has a restriction protecting it. I suspect a treasure is sealed inside."

"Oh? In that case, could this count as a Secret Realm Treasure Chest?"

Liu Yue smiled brightly, seeming to take an interest.

The stall owner nodded slightly.

"Something like that. I've never opened it myself. Fellow cultivator, feel free to inspect it."

With that, he directly picked up the stone statue.

He handed it to Li Chang'an.

Li Chang'an reached out to take it. It felt somewhat heavy in his hand.

The restriction on the surface of the stone statue carried a trace of decay and the aura of passing years. There were no signs that it had been opened.

Of course, some swindlers could imitate the aura of decay.

But Li Chang'an had a Hexagram Image prompt, so he was not worried.

"Name a price. I want this."

"All right..."

The stall owner hesitated for a moment and was just about to speak.

Just then.

A strange fluctuation of Spiritual Energy suddenly came from another stall not far away, drawing the attention of several people.

A Young Cultivator stood before that stall.

He had just bought an unopened Bronze Tripod and eagerly opened it, hoping that a treasure had been sealed inside.

But suddenly, the Bronze Tripod trembled violently.

Then it exploded with a bang.

"Boom!"

The Young Cultivator failed to dodge in time and was blown apart into a spray of blood on the spot!

Countless sharp, deadly flashes shot toward the surroundings.

"Defend!"

Li Chang'an reacted with lightning speed, instantly firing more than ten High-grade Spirit Shield Talismans.

The talismans flashed, and Spiritual Energy transformed into shields.

More than ten layers of shields stacked one after another.

They firmly protected him and the area around him.

A moment later.

The surrounding area was filled with cries of pain.

Dozens of people had failed to react in time and were struck in the body by fragments of the Bronze Tripod.

"That was close!"

The stall owner was shaken to the core.

He had also failed to react in time. Fortunately, Li Chang'an's talismans had protected him as well.

Otherwise, even if he did not die, he would have suffered severe injuries!

"Thank you, Fellow cultivator!"

Gratitude appeared on his face, and he immediately expressed his thanks.

Li Chang'an waved his hand.

"It's nothing."

Beside him, Liu Yue was also badly startled.

What shocked her was not only Li Chang'an's reaction speed, but also the more than ten High-grade Talismans flashing before her.

"Fellow cultivator Li, you... you can already draw High-grade Talismans?"

Her lips parted slightly, and a trace of disbelief flashed through her almond-shaped eyes.

One had to know.

She had always prided herself on being a genius.

She had successfully drawn a High-grade Talisman in only three years.

But how long had Li Chang'an been drawing talismans?

It seemed to have been only a little over a year!

Li Chang'an's expression did not change as he said in a deep voice, "Previously, I concealed something from Fellow cultivator Liu. In truth, I wasn't new to the Way of Talismans. I've been drawing talismans for many years, but I never made it known. I only happened to draw a High-grade Talisman recently."

"Many years?"

Hearing this, Liu Yue felt somewhat relieved.

That was much more reasonable.

After all.

Drawing a High-grade Talisman after only a year or so was simply too astonishing.

And there was nothing wrong with Li Chang'an's explanation.

He had always been low-key, keeping a low profile and never showing off anything to outsiders. It was perfectly normal for him to possess High-grade Talisman skills.

"Fellow cultivator Li, you hid yourself deeply indeed. You're clearly an old Talisman Master, yet you pretended to be a beginner in front of me."

Liu Yue rolled her eyes at him and gave a faintly reproachful snort.

Whether intentionally or not, she quietly moved a little closer. The sense of distance she had maintained before had already vanished.

Li Chang'an remained composed and looked toward the site of the explosion.

The Bronze Tripod had been completely shattered.

Nothing remained.

"This sort of thing has happened before."

"After all, these are objects from ancient times. There might be an opportunity sealed inside, or there might be danger. No one can say for sure."

The stall owner began explaining.

It was not his first time encountering such a thing, but it was the first time he had been so close to one.

Before long.

The Zheng Family's inspection team arrived, cleaned up the scene, and carried away all the injured.

Cultivators were highly adaptable.

Very soon.

The Marketplace returned to its former bustle.

Li Chang'an held the stone statue and asked the stall owner, "Fellow cultivator, you still haven't told me the price of this stone statue."

"What price is there to discuss?"

The stall owner shook his head and said, "Fellow cultivator, you saved my life. A life is worth far more than this stone statue. Take it! If there's anything else at the stall that catches your eye, take that too!"

"All right."

Li Chang'an did not refuse. Spirit Stones were precious, and he would save them wherever he could.

He immediately put the stone statue into his storage pouch.

His purpose in coming to the Marketplace could be considered fulfilled.

He was just about to leave.

Liu Yue suddenly spoke, her tone especially gentle.

"Fellow cultivator Li, since both of us can draw High-grade Talismans, we should find some time to sit down and discuss the Way of Talismans. What do you think?"

She was very close, and her delicate fragrance wafted into his nose.

"I've been rather busy lately. We'll talk about it another day."

Li Chang'an was exceedingly polite. He hurried away, not giving her the slightest chance to speak again.

Watching his retreating back.

Liu Yue lightly bit her pearly teeth, somewhat vexed.

"This Li Chang'an really doesn't understand romance. I personally invited him, yet he actually refused!"

Several days later.

An Fellow Cultivator Exchange Meeting was held as scheduled.

As before, the crowd sometimes exchanged techniques and sometimes showered their seniors with praise.

During the meeting, Liu Yue brought up what had happened at the Marketplace.

"Fellow cultivator Liu, can that Li Chang'an really draw High-grade Talismans now?"

"That's right."

After learning of this, everyone was extremely surprised.

Luo Kun's brows furrowed slightly, as if he was somewhat displeased.

Someone quickly caught on.

"So what? In the end, he still can't compare with Senior Luo!"

"Senior Luo intended to guide him, yet he didn't even come. He wasted Senior Luo's goodwill!"

Several Low-grade Talisman Masters spoke up one after another, mentioning Luo Kun in every other sentence.

Their flattery blended into an unbroken chorus, and Luo Kun enjoyed it immensely.

As for Li Chang'an.

After all, he had no Mid-grade Inheritance. He had merely taken the lead for the moment and was not worth currying favor with.

The several Low-grade Talisman Masters present were all confident that one day, they too would be able to draw High-grade Talismans.