New Favor

Liu Yue truly could not imagine what Eldest Miss Zheng could possibly want with Li Chang'an.

The gap between their strength and status was simply too vast.

"I had an agreement with Fellow Daoist Li beforehand."

Zheng Qingqing smiled without offering much explanation.

She then arrived at the courtyard entrance.

And knocked on the courtyard gate.

Inside the house.

Hearing the sound, Li Chang'an rose to his feet and went outside to open the gate.

To his surprise.

There was not only Zheng Qingqing outside, but Liu Yue as well.

"Young Miss, Fellow cultivator Liu."

Li Chang'an cupped his hands and invited them both into the courtyard.

Afterward.

As agreed, he handed the prepared First-tier Mid-grade Talismans to Zheng Qingqing.

"Young Miss, these are this month's Talismans. Please count them."

"No need. I trust Fellow Daoist Li."

Zheng Qingqing wore a gentle expression as her delicate hand accepted the Talismans, and she gave Li Chang'an the Spirit Stones for purchasing them.

At the sight of this.

Liu Yue's rosy lips parted slightly as she stared at those Talismans in shock.

With her attainments in Talismans, she could naturally tell that the Talismans in this transaction were not Low-grade Talismans at all!

In other words.

Li Chang'an could already draw mid-grade Talismans!

His Talisman Skill was far greater than what he had shown to the public!

"Fellow Daoist Li, you... you've already become a Mid-grade Talisman Master?"

Liu Yue's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at Li Chang'an, unable to stop herself from asking.

Li Chang'an smiled and nodded.

"By luck, I obtained a mid-grade Talisman Inheritance and only broke through recently."

Hearing him admit it personally.

Liu Yue was even more shocked, and the many doubts in her heart were immediately resolved.

No wonder Li Chang'an could live in this area so rich in Spiritual Energy.

The talent he had displayed now was far stronger than that old man Luo Kun's!

He was worthy of being recruited by the Zheng Family.

"By the way, Fellow cultivator Liu, what business did you have with me?"

Li Chang'an put away the Spirit Stones and looked at Liu Yue.

"I..."

Liu Yue's thoughts raced as she answered, "I've recently encountered quite a few doubts in the art of Talismans. I came today to discuss them with Fellow Daoist Li."

"I see."

Li Chang'an nodded slightly, seemingly believing her.

But he knew perfectly well.

He had not revealed his skill in mid-grade Talismans before this.

If Liu Yue had doubts regarding Talismans, she would have been better off seeking out Luo Kun next door. What use was there in coming to him?

Not long after.

Zheng Qingqing took her leave.

Before departing, she gave Liu Yue a meaningful glance.

"Fellow Daoist Li, my previous promise to you still stands. Within my Zheng Family, many clan daughters with Spirit Roots have yet to marry. If you change your mind, you may come discuss it with me whenever you wish."

She suddenly brought up the matter to Li Chang'an.

Li Chang'an was taken aback.

He politely said, "Thank you for thinking highly of me, Young Miss, but I truly have no such intentions at present."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Qingqing smiled and said no more.

She turned and left the courtyard.

Inside the courtyard.

Liu Yue wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"Fellow Daoist Li, does the Zheng Family intend to take you in as a son-in-law?"

"Yes. Young Miss has already introduced me to a Zheng Family clan daughter."

Hearing this, Liu Yue found it even harder to believe.

She had actually already introduced one to him.

Judging by the situation now, Li Chang'an clearly had not agreed.

"Many Rogue Cultivators outside can only marry Zheng Family women from the Mortal World if they wish to step over the Zheng Family's threshold. They would never dare hope for a Zheng Family clan daughter with a Spirit Root... yet Li Chang'an actually refused!"

At this thought.

Liu Yue immediately felt a trace of defeat.

Li Chang'an did not even fancy Zheng Family clan daughters with Spirit Roots. Would he fancy her?

Afterward.

Liu Yue began asking for guidance on Talisman Skill.

She gave it everything she had.

Trying to make Li Chang'an look at her a few more times.

But Li Chang'an remained utterly rigid and proper, discussing nothing but Talismans and giving her no opportunity whatsoever.

In the end.

Liu Yue could only leave.

Over the following months.

Li Chang'an's transactions with the Zheng Family proceeded smoothly.

During that time.

Liu Yue came by several times.

But every time, Li Chang'an casually found an excuse to send her away.

News of Li Chang'an becoming a Mid-grade Talisman Master also gradually spread through the Marketplace.

Many people were quite astonished upon hearing the news.

The most astonished of all.

Was Luo Kun, who lived next door.

"That brat actually has a mid-grade Talisman Inheritance, and he advanced so quickly?"

Upon hearing the news, Luo Kun stood stunned for a long while.

One had to know.

He had once said.

That Li Chang'an was stiff and dull by nature, and would not achieve much in the way of Talismans.

Yet Li Chang'an had said nothing, merely using his own ability to answer Luo Kun's past remarks.

Whenever he thought of it.

Luo Kun felt a knot in his chest, and even wine had lost its flavor.

"That brat hid himself so deeply. No wonder the Zheng Family values him."

In the Cultivation World, youth represented potential.

Li Chang'an was several decades younger than he was!

It was only natural for the Zheng Family to value Li Chang'an more.

But Luo Kun refused to admit he was old. Instead, he secretly began competing with him.

"Hmph, this old man will certainly draw a high-quality mid-grade Talisman before he does."

Every premium grade Talisman of a given tier was more valuable than an ordinary Talisman of the same tier, and more difficult to draw as well.

Luo Kun was confident that his comprehension of the way of Talismans ran deeper.

He would definitely draw a premium grade Talisman before Li Chang'an did.

During this period.

Li Chang'an paid no heed to the outside world's reactions.

He remained focused, switching daily between cultivation, Talisman Drawing, and Puppet crafting, never wasting a moment.

"Under the Borrowing Method State, my success rate in drawing First-tier High-grade Talismans has already surpassed ninety percent."

Li Chang'an silently pondered.

Such a success rate was already exceedingly astonishing.

Next.

His goal in the way of Talismans was to draw premium grade Talismans among High-grade Talismans.

For example, the "Forbidden Breaking Talisman" Wei Sen had used to break the array back then.

Such Talismans were extremely difficult to draw.

Li Chang'an currently had no confidence in succeeding whatsoever.

"As for the way of Puppets, I've already completed a high-grade first tier Defensive Puppet. This Puppet can continuously withstand Da Huang's attacks."

Beside Li Chang'an.

Stood a Puppet nearly identical to him in size.

It was precisely the Puppet he had made from the shell, sinews, and bones of that Earth-Splitting Pangolin, along with some precious materials purchased from the Black Market.

This Puppet was far superior to that Turtle Puppet.

Though it could not be considered premium grade.

Among ordinary First-tier High-grade Puppets, it was exceptionally good.

Besides that.

Li Chang'an had also crafted a High-grade Puppet skilled in speed.

This Puppet was mainly used to track enemies.

After all.

He could not always rely on Da Huang.

There was only one Da Huang, and it could not be in two places at once.

"Now that I have both a Defensive Puppet and a Speed Puppet, I only lack an Offensive Puppet. There's no rush for now. I should save some Spirit Stones."

Li Chang'an considered.

For offense, he could temporarily make up for it with High-grade Talismans.

"I can make another trip to the Black Market and sell a batch of High-grade Talismans."

Li Chang'an had already accumulated quite a few High-grade Talismans.

"As long as the Hexagram Image says there is no problem."

He quietly cultivated.

And waited for the Hexagram Image to refresh.

Time passed.

At the midnight hour that night, a new Hexagram Image appeared.

[Divination Result Refreshed]

[Today's Divination Result: Auspicious]

[You head to the Black Market to sell Talismans and discover along the way that Zheng Family Elder "Zheng Songhe" and his granddaughter "Zheng Ling'er" are being intercepted and assassinated by two late-stage Qi Refining experts. You casually rescue them and gain a favor from the Zheng Family.]

"A favor from the Zheng Family?"

Li Chang'an's heart stirred.

If he secured this favor, could he enter the Zheng Family's Library Pavilion?