Huai Pawnshop.
Ever since Zhao Huai had mastered the Sword Drawing Technique, his mood had grown increasingly better.
He glanced toward the entrance. Business was still sparse.
He could not help but begin considering Foundation Establishment.
The Foundation Establishment Pill had been in his possession for several days. The reason he had not immediately swallowed it and broken through was that he was waiting for a suitable opportunity.
But breaking through required preparation as well. It was best to adjust both his physical condition and mental strength to their peak, then use spirit herbs to assist the breakthrough.
Zhao Huai estimated that in a few days, once the medicinal ingredients his wife was preparing had finished brewing, it would be about time for Foundation Establishment.
Using the herbs as a catalyst, finding a quiet place with no one around, then relying on the Foundation Establishment Pill to break through—this would be safer.
After all, he only had this one Foundation Establishment Pill. He could not waste it. Naturally, he had to consider every possibility.
Thus, with nothing better to do, Zhao Huai took out some yellowed talisman paper from the Mysterious Ring, dipped a brush in ink, and began attempting new Dao Talismans.
He had already mastered several basic Dao Talismans, such as the Fire Thunder Dao Talisman and the Five Elements Dao Talisman.
He could swiftly draw them one-handed, even without brush or paper. The Water Dispelling Thunder Talisman and Earth Suppressing Thunder Talisman he had used to suppress the Demonic Qi on Li Yanqing's body had been made this way.
Yet this placed considerable demands on one's proficiency, as well as the strength and quality of one's True Qi.
Drawing talismans with brush and paper had one advantage: it saved True Qi.
If he prepared them in advance, he could guard against trouble before it arose. He could draw as many as he wished, so long as he had enough materials.
Of course, drawing with True Qi also had its advantages. It was light and convenient to carry, and highly adaptable in emergencies.
However, Zhao Huai had seen an even more powerful method in the Three Thousand Thunder Talisman Secrets.
That was to use Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi directly as paper and draw with mana. Dao Talismans created this way would be bolstered by the power of nature and possess tremendous might.
Of course, that was a more advanced method of talisman drawing.
There was also a saying that different cultivator constitutions were suited to drawing different kinds of Dao Talismans.
Just as Zhao Huai was wholeheartedly focused on drawing talismans, business finally arrived at the door.
"Is anyone here? Shopkeeper?"
A woman's voice rang out.
It made Zhao Huai stop what he was doing. He looked up and replied,
"Of course. Are you here to sell something outright, or to pawn it?"
Selling outright meant bringing something in to sell, directly exchanging valuables for money at the pawnshop. This generally included treasures, land deeds, house deeds, and the like.
Pawning was merely temporarily leaving valuables at the pawnshop as collateral in exchange for money needed urgently, then redeeming them once one had the funds.
Of course, there was an even more direct method—borrowing money outright—but the interest was steep.
Quite a few pawnshops were essentially lenders of usurious loans.
"Neither selling nor pawning. I've come to exchange some money for smaller bills."
A young woman entered the shop.
Only then did Zhao Huai clearly see her appearance and attire.
She wore a long green dress, her dark hair draped over her shoulders, with a sachet hanging at her waist. She was exceptionally tall, and the slit in her skirt revealed a pair of straight, snow-white legs.
Her beautiful eyes were bright as autumn waters, yet there was a distinct chill within her gaze.
There was also a mark between her brows, glimmering faintly.
Every movement she made carried a powerful presence, and that presence came from strength.
At first sight, Zhao Huai could nearly conclude with certainty—
She was a cultivator.
Whether it was her complexion or her bearing, neither was something ordinary people could compare to.
Under the perception granted by his Firm Dao Heart fate, he discovered that the surrounding Spiritual Qi was slowly flowing toward her.
Not only was she a cultivator, she was a very powerful one.
Her cultivation was likely even higher than his own, and she was so young. She was probably a disciple of an immortal cultivation sect.
Zhao Huai had already reached a conclusion in his heart: this woman should be in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
When the woman in the green dress saw Zhao Huai's appearance, she was also slightly surprised by his age, but she quickly returned to normal.
With a light sweep of her hand, several gleaming spirit stones appeared and were placed on the counter.
Zhao Huai took the spirit stones and looked them over, somewhat surprised.
The quality of these spirit stones was exceptionally fine, and the Spiritual Qi contained within them was abundant, nearly mist-like. They were absolutely not Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
They were genuine High-Grade Spirit Stones.
One High-Grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for one thousand taels of silver.
"Very well, please wait a moment."
Zhao Huai did not waste words. He pulled several large-denomination silver notes from the chest behind him and handed them directly to her.
The woman in green accepted the silver notes and said with a faint smile,
"Shopkeeper, do you know where the dog meat shop around here is? I want to buy some dog blood."
"A dog meat shop? Go straight down this street to the end. It's in the third alley."
Zhao Huai pointed outside as he spoke.
"Thank you, Shopkeeper."
"Miss, you don't look like an ordinary person. You must be a sect disciple, right? It's been quite some time since I last saw someone with your bearing."
Zhao Huai smiled.
Now that he had finally encountered a formidable cultivator, he naturally wanted to strike up a connection and see whether he could learn anything valuable.
The woman in green had just been about to turn away. Hearing Zhao Huai's words, her expression remained unchanged as she smiled. "Indeed."
Ordinary sect disciples were proud and aloof, disinclined to pay attention to mortals of the Mortal World. This young woman was different.
She was rather approachable.
"What do you need dog blood for?"
Zhao Huai asked in confusion.
The woman in green glanced at Zhao Huai and slowly said, "Naturally, it is for slaying demons. Demons and devils have risen again recently, and hordes of fiends are running rampant. The sect has sent disciples like us down the mountain to eliminate these demons and devils one by one."
Zhao Huai put on an understanding expression. "So that's how it is. Then that truly is a good thing."
"Shopkeeper, you run a business and should see quite a few people every day. Have you noticed any movements from demons or devils?" the woman in green asked, seemingly gathering information as well.
Zhao Huai pondered for a while before replying, "Jinzhou has been safe enough. Could it be that demons or devils have appeared somewhere nearby?"
The woman in green nodded. "A powerful demon has appeared in Jingyang Town, and many lives have been lost. Quite a few people were taken away by the demon, and they all died miserable deaths."
Zhao Huai was somewhat startled upon hearing this.
"Jingyang Town? Isn't that near Jinzhou?"
"That's right, so it should still be wandering somewhere near Jinzhou." The woman in green frowned.
"If you notice anything, be sure to report it to the authorities. The authorities will contact the sect and send people over. When that happens, we will take action."
Hearing the woman's reminder, Zhao Huai nodded and offered a compliment.
"Yes, it's fortunate that you are taking action. Those demons truly have killed many people."
As he watched the woman in green's figure recede into the distance, Zhao Huai could not help but sink into thought.
There were demons causing trouble in Jingyang Town. This was no small matter.
A town had roughly two thousand people. He had no idea how many had died.
Even sect disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm had been dispatched. It was likely a major threat, because Foundation Establishment cultivators were generally the backbone of a sect and would not be sent out lightly.
It seemed Yan Jing had been telling the truth.
He truly could not leave home lately.
Yet there was one thing he could not understand. Why had demons and devils suddenly become so rampant? Could it have something to do with the four demons he had encountered last time?
Before you continue