Buying Spirit Talismans

"Brother Lu, you jest. We are not well-off ourselves. We are in urgent need of spirit stones to buy cultivation methods, so where would we find extra spirit stones to spend on consumable spirit talismans? Those are things only the disciples of powerful aristocratic families can afford to burn through." Luo Yuan shook his head with a bitter smile.

Lu Xiaotian also wanted that pill furnace. It could be used all the way until he became an advanced pill refiner. For a long time to come, he would not need to worry about pill furnaces again. Moreover, after getting rid of the black-robed old man, he would immediately begin refining Qi-Gathering Pills.

However, he was also worried that if he did not have enough spirit talismans when the time came and failed to eliminate the black-robed old man in one stroke, even after selling nearly everything he possessed, he would only be able to scrape together a little over a hundred spirit stones. If he failed, he would not have a second chance.

He was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining and had no way of knowing the true strength of someone at Qi Refining Great Perfection. However, Luo Yuan was an expert at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, so he surely knew more than Lu Xiaotian did.

Thus, Lu Xiaotian asked, "To be honest, Brother Luo, I have an enemy at Qi Refining Great Perfection, probably at the Eleventh Layer of Qi Refining. Though he does not know where I am, I still have to buy more spirit talismans for protection, in case of unforeseen need. In Brother Luo's opinion, how many spirit talismans would it take to deal with an expert at Qi Refining Great Perfection?"

"An expert at Qi Refining Great Perfection?" The siblings' expressions changed at once.

"That's right. My master was harmed by him, and the things I have now were left behind by my master. I had not wanted to sell them, but other than this, I could find no other means of protecting myself."

Lu Xiaotian spoke with a bitter smile. He had not wished to lie to people casually, but quite a few people around them had seen him sell cultivation methods just now, even mid-grade Origin Qi Pills. Some had already begun to see him as a juicy morsel. He had no choice but to find a suitable excuse to dispel some people's ill intentions. First, he wanted to show the outside world that these were the only valuables he had. Second, once he traded for spirit talismans, he would have them on him and would not be so easy to provoke.

Sure enough, upon hearing Lu Xiaotian say this, several people nearby showed traces of wariness in their eyes. It was just unknown whether they feared the Qi Refining Great Perfection expert behind Lu Xiaotian or the large number of spirit talismans Lu Xiaotian intended to exchange for later.

After thinking for a moment, Luo Yuan said, "That is hard to say. I am currently at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining. I would not take three or four Qi Refining Early Stage cultivators seriously. But if there were another one or two, it would become quite troublesome. If things went badly, it would end in mutual destruction. If the opponent had better spirit artifacts, I would have no choice but to flee in disgrace."

"By that logic, experts at the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Refining Late Stage should be able to withstand five or six people like me. Qi Refining Great Perfection might be able to handle seven or eight. Still, they would probably find it rather taxing. As for spirit talismans, while their power is somewhat inferior to a cultivator casting spells directly, they excel in their casting speed. Even so, it would probably take one or two hundred low-grade spirit talismans to threaten the life of someone at Qi Refining Great Perfection."

"If the other party has powerful defensive spirit artifacts, it may be even more thorny."

"What if the other party has neither offensive nor defensive spirit artifacts?" Lu Xiaotian asked with narrowed eyes. When he had fought Situ Jing, the other man had only possessed a few low-grade spirit talismans, yet Lu Xiaotian had been thrown into a frantic scramble. An expert at Qi Refining Great Perfection was actually this formidable.

"No spirit artifacts? How could that be possible? If there are no spirit artifacts, then it is easier to handle. I estimate that around a hundred spirit talismans would be enough to take his life. A cultivator's body is still flesh and blood, after all. Even being struck by the lowest-grade small fireball talisman can inflict serious injuries." Luo Yuan froze for a moment before answering.

Hearing Luo Yuan say so, Lu Xiaotian had a plan in mind. If he faced the black-robed old man himself, he could not even muster the slightest desire to oppose him. With a single strike from that golden flying sword, the old man could take his life. Even with these spirit talismans, they might not truly be effective, at most injuring the black-robed old man. But the other party was now in a Primordial Spirit state, easier to deal with than someone barehanded. In that case, selling the earth-element cultivation method in his possession, together with the spirit stones he carried, would be enough.

"Thank you, Brother Luo, for clearing up my doubts. How about this? I'll take your pill furnace, but not in exchange for this earth-element cultivation method. I'll trade this water-element cultivation method instead."

"A water-element cultivation method? We do not need it." Luo Yuan shook his head regretfully.

Lu Xiaotian explained, "Hear me out. I mean that you use the spirit stones in your hands to buy the Benevolent Earth True Scripture, and make up the missing spirit stones with other spiritual items of equal value. Then I will trade this water-element cultivation method for your pill furnace. In any case, Miss Luo Qing is also running a stall. If you have no use for the water-element cultivation method, you can sell it at the stall. It may even be easier to sell than the pill furnace."

"So that's what you meant. Then it's a deal." Luo Qing quickly agreed. Just as Lu Xiaotian had said, cultivation methods were easier to sell than the pill furnace in her hands.

Luo Qing spread out the bundle on the ground. "Take a look. You can pick anything you like from inside."

"What I want most is naturally spirit stones. I'll keep the earth-element cultivation method for now. Since there is still some time left this afternoon, let's keep running the stall awhile longer. Brother Luo, you should also go ask your friends to help gather some funds. But regardless of the outcome, I'll sell the cultivation method to you by evening." Lu Xiaotian said.

"That would be excellent. I'll go raise spirit stones right away."

Luo Yuan's face was anxious as he departed in quick strides, wind beneath his feet, to gather spirit stones from friends he knew well.

Since he had some time, Lu Xiaotian helped Luo Qing run the stall and took the opportunity to ask about Moonwatch City.

By evening, Luo Yuan returned with delight written across his face. He had managed to raise another seven spirit stones, but the stall had not done well. In an entire afternoon, they had only sold one Green Wolf-Hair Brush. After counting everything, the siblings had only thirty spirit stones, still three short.

"How about we keep the stall open a while longer? Moonwatch City's night market is also quite bustling. Maybe someone will still want to buy something."

Luo Qing spoke unwillingly. There were only several Green Wolf-Hair Brushes for drawing spirit talismans on the stall, along with two pieces of Snow-Spirit Wood for making talisman ink. Taking one item would not amount to three spirit stones in value, but taking two would leave her at a loss. Normally, the two siblings would not have cared much, but they were already in debt after buying the cultivation method and had poured everything they owned into it. Luo Qing could only calculate every penny with care.

"No need. How about this? I'll take one more Green Wolf-Hair Brush, and we'll be even." Seeing the siblings' embarrassment, Lu Xiaotian smiled calmly.

"Then many thanks, Brother Lu! Should an opportunity arise in the future, I will surely repay this!" Luo Yuan was immediately overjoyed.

Lu Xiaotian cupped his hands in return. Once the exchange was complete, he happily put the pill furnace into his bag. Together with his previous savings, he now had one hundred and eight spirit stones, enough to buy over a hundred low-grade spirit talismans.

"Little sister, if you had not supported me with all your strength, who knows when your elder brother would have been able to buy a suitable cultivation method. Now the two of us are poorer than church mice. I'm afraid you'll have to endure hard days with your elder brother for a while."

After Lu Xiaotian left, Luo Yuan held the Benevolent Earth True Scripture to his chest as though it were a priceless treasure. Yet when he looked at Luo Qing, guilt showed on his face.

Luo Qing smiled as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "We're brother and sister. Why say such things? Cultivation is difficult. If Lu Xiaotian had not happened to possess a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivation method, who knows when we would have gathered enough spirit stones to buy one from a shop?"

"Besides, I still have one more book here. It can sell for several dozen spirit stones. Once it is sold, we'll have spirit stones to use." As she spoke, Luo Qing waved the water-element cultivation method in her hand.

"Oh, Immortal Master, you've come again. So, the spirit talismans from our shop were quite powerful, weren't they?"

The shopkeeper of the spirit talisman store was a plump middle-aged man and a worldly martial artist. He had been doing accounts, but when he saw Lu Xiaotian, his eyes brightened. To do business, one needed sharp eyes, a good memory, and quick reactions. He remembered that Lu Xiaotian had come in the morning. This counted as a returning customer.

Lu Xiaotian finally understood why Moonwatch City, despite being a city of Rogue Cultivators, had so many ordinary mortals.

Some truly were relatives and family members of the Rogue Cultivators within the city. Another kind was like the middle-aged shopkeeper before him, doing menial and simple work. A shop only needed to spend some gold and silver used by mortals to hire such a shopkeeper, whereas hiring a cultivator required spirit stones. The difference in cost was as vast as heaven and earth. It was truly a profitable deal.

"Mm. Is there a discount if I buy a lot?" Lu Xiaotian asked.

"Well, Immortal Master, you know that the spirit talismans in our shop are clearly priced and fair to young and old alike. There is no discount."

The middle-aged shopkeeper replied with a careful smile. Although cultivators were forbidden from harming mortals within Moonwatch City, the middle-aged shopkeeper still held an instinctive reverence for cultivators.

"Other Rogue Cultivators at the stalls also sell spirit talismans, and theirs are cheaper. They just do not have many. I only came to your shop because I found it troublesome. I intend to buy nearly a hundred spirit talismans. If your shop offers no discount, I can only look elsewhere."

Lu Xiaotian frowned. While helping Luo Qing run her stall earlier, she had learned that he wanted to buy many spirit talismans and specifically reminded him that even in a shop, one could bargain when buying in bulk. Lu Xiaotian naturally did not wish to be a foolish sucker who gladly paid spirit stones.

"Nearly a hundred spirit talismans?" The middle-aged shopkeeper was startled and hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment, Immortal Master. I'll inform the owner of the shop. Then you can discuss whatever you wish directly with him."

"Fine. I'll wait a moment." Lu Xiaotian nodded.

"This little brother, I am the owner of this shop. My shopkeeper tells me that little brother intends to buy nearly a hundred spirit talismans. Is that true?"

Very soon, an elderly man with white hair and beard, kind brows and gentle eyes, emerged from the rear door of the shop. Smiling amiably, he asked the question.

"Of course it is true. What kind of spirit talisman here is most effective against a Primordial Spirit?" Lu Xiaotian asked.

"The most powerful talisman for dealing with a Primordial Spirit is naturally a Thunder Talisman. Thunder arts banish evil and restrain spirits, souls, ghosts, and strange entities alike. However, Thunder Talismans are more difficult to make than basic Fireball Technique and Earth Shield Technique talismans, so they cost several times more. Ordinary low-grade fireball talismans and Earth Shield Talismans cost only one low-grade spirit stone each. But a low-grade Thunder Talisman costs five."

The white-haired old man's heart tightened. It was common enough for cultivators to fight fiercely over treasures, and there was no shortage of cases where people were beaten until body and soul alike were destroyed. But for a youth like this one to specifically buy Thunder Talismans to deal with another person's fleeing Primordial Spirit—his intentions were rather too vicious.