These past few days, whenever Bai Yu went out, he always felt that people were looking at him strangely.
Even when he bought a bowl of noodles, Wang the Elder would sprinkle an extra heap of scallions into it for him.
After he left, the other noodle customers would whisper among themselves.
"See that? That's Little Bai, the guy who slept with a Baleful Corpse. He looks so refined, but who'd have thought he was such a ruthless man?"
Bai Yu had sharp ears, and he could neither laugh nor cry when he heard it.
How had the story gotten twisted into this?
Still, it was not without its benefits.
Wu the Unvirtuous had previously pocketed five taels of Bai Yu's silver, but this time, he returned every last bit of it.
After all, who wouldn't be frightened by a Second-Rank Martial Artist who dared to sleep with a Baleful Corpse?
Bai Yu did not pay it much mind.
At the very least, word had gotten out that he was a Second-Rank Martial Artist.
The biggest problem now was that Jiang City might not be peaceful. For some reason, the Killing Intent there had grown unusually heavy.
To that end, he needed to prepare some contingencies, at the very least enough to protect himself.
"Looks like I should draw more blood talismans. Better to be prepared than caught unawares."
When dealing with Killing Intent, blood talismans were naturally the most effective.
Bai Yu secretly began stockpiling blood talismans, drawing several each day for practice. His success rate was not particularly high.
But after only a week, he could no longer bear it.
Blood talismans consumed far too much vital energy and blood.
"No, I really don't have a single drop left."
"I'm a dignified Fourth-Rank Martial Artist, yet I've become anemic."
After turning it over and over in his mind, Bai Yu decided to make another trip to the Black Market, exchange some silver, and refine Essence Nourishing Powder.
That night, he left home as usual and arrived at the Black Market.
In the Black Market, Old Diao was still selling last week's antiques, occasionally tossing in one or two very respectable books.
His opening line was still the same:
"I won't ask for too much. One fixed price: eighty thousand."
After greeting Old Diao, Bai Yu began setting up his stall.
"Come take a look! Freshly made yellow talismans! Evil-Suppressing Talismans, Transformation Talismans, Banishment Talismans! Three talismans per course of treatment—guaranteed medicine to the ailment and life to the end!"
Sure enough, once he shouted, quite a few people hurried over.
A young man in white squeezed out from the crowd and said:
"Master, thanks to your talismans last time, I was able to dispel the Killing Intent from my body."
"Please give me another set of your talismans."
Without another word, he took out one tael of silver and bought three talismans.
Besides him, quite a few people who had used the talismans before also stepped forward to make purchases.
"I'll take a set too. I've been feeling restless and uneasy lately."
"Hey, I'm telling you, this master's yellow talismans are the real deal. You could say they worked like a rod planted in the ground."
"I'll buy two sets to keep on hand. Things haven't been peaceful lately."
For a time, the entire stall was bustling with business.
Twenty sets of talismans sold out in an instant.
Some people even wanted to reserve future talismans, while others suggested that Bai Yu increase production.
In response, he said that drawing talismans consumed a great deal of energy and that he could make at most ten sets a month. Even these twenty sets had been accumulated over a long time.
Although yellow talismans were in short supply now, Bai Yu had not forgotten to remain vigilant.
If a Second-Rank Martial Artist possessed too much wealth, he would inevitably draw attention.
After selling out his talismans, Bai Yu casually flipped through the books on Old Diao's stall and critically appraised them along the way.
Unfortunately, there was not a single genuine item on the stall this time, not even a damaged copy.
Unexpectedly, Old Diao did not bicker with Bai Yu this time. Instead, he asked:
"Kunkun, your yellow talismans are selling quite well. Can you get me a set too?"
Bai Yu glanced at Old Diao. This fellow probably moonlighted as a tomb raider, so he could indeed make use of them.
"Since you asked so sincerely, I won't charge you too much either. Eighty thousand!"
Old Diao's old face darkened. He had not expected Bai Yu to learn his own routine.
But Bai Yu was only joking. He took out an Evil-Suppressing Talisman and said:
"This is the last one. I really don't have any others. If you truly want it, I'll give you a friendship price—two hundred coins."
Without another word, Old Diao bought the Evil-Suppressing Talisman.
Stroking the talisman paper, he could not help but praise it.
"Fine craftsmanship. It's rare to see such a young Yin-Yang Practitioner."
Bai Yu took the money and did not linger. After buying some medicinal ingredients, he left the Black Market directly.
Not long after he left, Scarface also hurried away.
In the darkness, he took out a carrier pigeon and released it into the sky.
Now, Bai Yu left the Black Market and proceeded along a small path.
After walking for nearly half an hour, he suddenly saw a masked man standing atop the small hill ahead.
The man seemed to have been waiting there for a long time.
"Brother, please stay your step."
Bai Yu narrowed his eyes and swiftly assessed the situation before him.
The masked man should be a Third-Rank Martial Artist. The only question was whether he had accomplices nearby.
Bai Yu's mind raced, and in an instant, he had worked out several possible escape routes.
Bai Yu asked:
"Were you waiting for me?"
The masked man nodded.
"That's right. I wish to discuss a business deal with you, brother."
Bai Yu examined him and confirmed that there was only one person nearby, which eased his mind somewhat.
"Business is easy enough to discuss. It's just that intercepting me halfway like this is liable to make Cai misunderstand."
The masked man replied apologetically:
"My sincerest apologies. This business cannot be known by a third person."
"Do you happen to have any Gathering Affliction Talismans?"
"If you are willing to sell Gathering Affliction Talismans, I can purchase them for five taels of silver each."
Five taels of silver per talisman was truly an astonishing price.
Even Bai Yu was somewhat tempted, but he quickly suppressed the thought.
Once greed stirred, life and death became impossible to predict.
With the Second-Rank martial strength he displayed publicly, he could not swallow a business worth five taels per talisman.
Moreover, Gathering Affliction Talismans were no good thing. They would most likely be used for evil deeds, and Bai Yu had no desire to get caught in some vortex.
He smiled without changing expression.
"You overestimate me. Gathering Affliction Talismans are blood talismans, and their inheritance is exceedingly mysterious. How could I possess such skill?"
"In all of Jiang City, there are probably not many who can draw blood talismans."
The masked man was somewhat disappointed, but he continued:
"Your talent in the talisman arts is truly extraordinary. It would be a pity if you do not know blood talismans."
"Would you like to learn blood talismans? As long as you join us, you can learn them."
"When that time comes, it will be business worth five taels per stroke. Wealth and prosperity will be right before your eyes."
Bai Yu refused flatly:
"My aptitude is dull. I only want to quietly get dressed and eat my meals. I have no desire to join any faction."
"Farewell!"
He went around the masked man and headed in another direction.
Yet the masked man leaped forward and blocked Bai Yu's path.
"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Do you think you can leave?"
Bai Yu narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean by this?"
The masked man snorted coldly.
"You must agree whether you want to or not!"
"Now that you know about Gathering Affliction Talismans, you either join us or die!"
Bai Yu's anger also rose in silence.
He did not go looking for trouble, yet trouble came looking for him.
"Then I'd like to see just how much you're made of."
Before you continue