The Old Daoist Selling Talismans, Still Going Strong

After dealing with the Ironback Bear, Tang Wanqing now had ample liquid funds. She splurged 2,600 Spirit Crystals and bought another seven Demoness Puppets from Su Qing.

"This is such a large order, yet not only are you giving me no discount, you even dare charge eight hundred Spirit Crystals for a single deluxe model! And you still say you're not fleecing me?"

Tang Wanqing frowned and eyed Su Qing suspiciously, convinced that he had seen how well her business was doing and was deliberately overcharging her.

"Fellow Daoist, you've truly wronged me. Three hundred Spirit Crystals for a basic Demoness Puppet is the custom-order price. What I'm offering now is ready stock. Giving you the original price is already taking great care of you. As for the deluxe model, my skills have improved, and I've added Tier 2 Biomimetic Runes. Could the experience possibly be the same as before? Could the price possibly be the same as before?"

Su Qing wore an expression that said his craftsmanship was worth exactly this much, leaving Tang Wanqing with nothing more to say.

Once Tang Wanqing hurried off to her Spirit House and began stocking her shelves,

Su Qing lost the mood to keep manning his stall. He had figured it out: with people like Tang Wanqing running a Demoness Puppet rental business, there was no way he could sell Demoness Puppets individually.

"There are still too few big spenders among Rogue Cultivators!"

Shaking his head, he turned his gaze to the Old Daoist beside him.

As usual, the Old Daoist sat with lowered brows and drooping eyes, looking half-dead.

Yet when he had once fought others over a stall spot, Su Qing had seen the Old Daoist's methods. Bombarding people with Talisman Paper was normal enough—if a Talisman Master did not use Talisman Paper in combat, that would be the strange thing.

What had surprised Su Qing was that, as a Talisman Master, the Old Daoist had also mastered several incomparably fierce Daoist techniques.

Those few techniques alone were enough to call him one of the War Cultivators.

This was an Old Daoist with a story, but Su Qing was not interested in his story. He was interested in his Talisman Paper.

One only regretted having too few talismans when the time came to use them. Although the Market had not yet descended into complete chaos, Su Qing felt that it was never wrong to keep more Talisman Paper on hand.

"A Fireball Talisman costs twenty-six Spirit Crystals, while a Three-ring Fireball Talisman costs one hundred and sixty-seven. Fellow Daoist, your pricing is unreasonable. If I buy three Fireball Talismans, wouldn't that produce the same effect as a Three-ring Fireball Talisman? Yet it would cost less than half as much!"

Pointing at the two types of Talisman Paper, Su Qing pretended not to understand as he spoke to the Old Daoist.

The Old Daoist slightly raised his heavy eyelids and glanced at him, without the slightest intention of entertaining him.

The Fireball Talisman bore a Tier-1 Flame Rune, while the Three-ring Fireball Talisman bore a Tier-2 Fire Rune. Others might not know the difference between them, but Su Qing, who also dealt with runes, certainly did.

The Old Daoist knew Su Qing was trying to bargain, but every craft was worth its price. His Three-ring Fireball Talismans could not be bought for under two hundred Spirit Crystals at Hundred Treasures Pavilion or Fate Comes Pavilion. He had no fear of being unable to sell them, so naturally he would not haggle.

"You won't do business like this, Fellow Daoist. It's only because we have some acquaintance that I haven't turned around and walked off already!"

Su Qing shook his head and complained, though in reality he did not care about the Old Daoist's attitude. He took three Three-ring Fireball Talismans, two Poison Arrow Talismans, twelve Thick Armor Talismans, and several Exorcism Talismans from the stall before finally stopping.

Seeing him spend so boldly, the Old Daoist immediately changed his face.

"It has only been a few days, and Fellow Daoist has already made a fortune. Making a fortune is good. But once you've made a fortune, you must pay more attention to safety. Though Fellow Daoist has Puppets to protect you, it is always right to keep more Talisman Paper on hand. Why not take a few Wind Listening Talismans as well? The situation has not been looking too good lately. With these talismans to stay alert to the surrounding environment, you'll even run faster than others."

"Does Fellow Daoist think White Cloud Market Town is about to collapse to the point where we must flee?" Su Qing's expression shifted as he asked in a low voice.

The Old Daoist rubbed his aching old legs and stood up. "Logically speaking, no matter how formidable the Desiring Demon Sect is, they should not be able to reach White Cloud Market Town within a year or half a year. A mere handful of Qi Refining Disciples cannot throw White Cloud Market Town into chaos. But who can say for certain? For Rogue Cultivators like us, it is never wrong to be ready to flee at all times and able to flee at any moment!"

"Fellow Daoist is experienced and knowledgeable. I have learned much. Then give me two Wind Listening Talismans as well!"

Once activated, a Wind Listening Talisman could last three days and allow its user to hear activity within several li. Of course, if cultivators had important matters to discuss, they would use soundproofing techniques as a precaution, so one could not listen in on others' private affairs.

"Fellow Daoist, calculate how many Spirit Crystals that comes to." Taking the Wind Listening Talismans, Su Qing spoke lightly. Now, he could still bear to spend several hundred Spirit Crystals to add a few more means of protection.

The wrinkles on the Old Daoist's face smoothed out as he smiled. "That will be eight hundred and seventy-six Spirit Crystals. I'll waive the odd amount for Fellow Daoist, so you need only pay eight hundred and seventy Spirit Crystals."

Spirit Crystals really did not last. The Spirit Crystals he had just obtained were about to lose nearly half again. Just as Su Qing reluctantly prepared to take them out,

the Old Daoist suddenly said, "That deluxe Demoness Puppet Fellow Daoist just sold to Fellow Daoist Tang—do you have any in stock? You may use one to settle the bill."

"Oh? Was Fellow Daoist fairly satisfied with the Demoness Puppet I gave you last time?"

Su Qing cast the Old Daoist a teasing glance. He had not expected this Old Daoist, who looked as though he was already standing with one foot in the grave, to be old but not old at heart.

With an unchanged expression, the Old Daoist took the deluxe Demoness Puppet from Su Qing's hands without saying much.

As for what he wanted the Puppet for, that was none of Su Qing's concern.

"Demoness Puppets have no combat ability. At most, they pass from one hand to the other, and their final customers still use them for those filthy affairs!"

On his way back, Su Qing considered it carefully. The Old Daoist did not seem like the sort who would be tempted by a Demoness Puppet. He probably had not bought it for himself.

But when Su Qing looked up at the sky, he had no more time to think it over.

He hurried along, taking three steps as two. More than thirty Wood Spirit Servants guarded and followed him from front, back, left, and right. The Exorcism technique built into his Dharma Robe remained constantly active, and he clutched Talisman Paper in his hand. Should any villain appear, Su Qing would not hesitate to let him taste the Talisman Paper bombardment he had traded a deluxe Demoness Puppet for.

His caution was not without reason. Along the way, he alone saw several incidents of Robber Cultivators extorting people, not to mention those seen by the Wood Spirit Servants.

Within the Central District and Living Area, the Market patrols still had sufficient strength. Those Robber Cultivators did not dare cause too great a disturbance, usually extorting a few Spirit Crystals before letting people leave.

Whether it was because the Hundred Treasures Pavilion token at his waist had worked, or because the inexplicable intimidation of being a Puppet Master was enough to scare people off,

he encountered no villains on this journey. The Talisman Paper in his hand never had a chance to show its power.

"What a pity Tang Wanqing has gone mad making money. She even has her Puppets receive customers at night. Otherwise, coming back with her would have been far more reassuring."

Back in his own small courtyard, Su Qing thought that one could not rely on others forever. To avoid going out in the future with every gust of wind making him hear cranes cry and every blade of grass looking like an enemy, refining Lizard Warriors was urgent beyond delay!