The days that followed.
Shen Xuan devoted himself entirely to cultivation and Talisman Crafting.
Now and then, he'd keep his young wife in line, maintaining a peaceful state of mind.
This seemingly dull life suited Shen Xuan just fine. He lived it with ease.
Every day, he made progress in his cultivation, spurring him to work even harder.
He was already sixty-six years old.
In the Cultivation World, the best age to establish a Dao Foundation was before sixty.
After eighty, Foundation Establishment Success became very difficult.
Now that his Spiritual Root had improved to mid-grade, he could see a glimmer of hope for Foundation Establishment.
Four shichen of cultivation in the morning and evening, four shichen of Talisman Crafting, and the remaining four shichen for everything else besides eating and sleeping—reviewing my cultivation and Talisman Crafting experience, reading cultivation manuals...
Shen Xuan sighed inwardly. His schedule was far too packed.
After setting aside time for cultivation, Talisman Crafting, and sleep, he had only half a shichen left to do as he pleased.
Fortunately, the Ding Family shop was right in the Market, making the trip there and back convenient.
Maybe I should cut down on my Talisman Crafting time and make fewer Spring Return Talismans?
Shen Xuan quickly dismissed the idea.
Four hours of Talisman Crafting a day, including breaks to recover, consumed three hundred and sixty sets of Spring Return Talisman materials each month. He could make around one hundred and fifty Spring Return Talismans, about thirty of them high-grade.
At the current price of Spring Return Talismans, he could earn a net profit of ninety spirit stones a month from Talisman Crafting.
Just running the Spirit Gathering Array for two shichen a day cost thirty spirit stones a month.
Then there was the rent, and the cost of food for him and Ding Yuyao, among other expenses.
Not long ago, he'd spent every last spirit stone to plunder the Bloodline Talent of a Juvenile Water Cloud Turtle.
He could save only fifty spirit stones a month, while plundering the Bloodline Talent of a First-Order Middle Grade Monster Beast cost at least a hundred!
Forget it. I'll save up some spirit stones first!
That left him with only half a shichen of free time, so he could only cut down on the time he spent cultivating with his wife.
He'd just have to pick up the pace and bring their vigorous exercise to an end as quickly as possible!
Shen Xuan shook his head.
Suppressing his stray thoughts, he continued his arduous cultivation and Talisman Crafting.
Ten days later.
Zhao Chunsheng returned home, looking pleased with himself.
He'd been out on a Monster Hunting expedition and had come back with a decent haul.
They said he'd earned more than a dozen spirit stones.
"Talisman Master Shen, next time I go Monster Hunting, how about coming along?"
"No. It's too dangerous, and I'm no good at fighting."
"That's fine. You can just stay in the back and toss Spring Return Talismans to your teammates."
Shen Xuan gave the idea serious consideration.
Then he firmly turned it down.
Zhao Chunsheng was a cautious man.
The Monster Hunting Team he joined was always conservative, and the risks weren't high.
But Shen Xuan didn't think he needed to earn money that way.
It hadn't been easy to settle down and move into a B-grade Residence. His life was peaceful and stable.
He treasured that life and didn't want to take even the slightest risk.
With his Life Extension talent, Shen Xuan conservatively estimated that his Lifespan could reach one hundred and fifty years by the time he reached the peak of Qi Refining.
His Spiritual Root Aptitude had improved to mid-grade.
He had a chance to achieve Foundation Establishment before turning one hundred.
And he was only sixty-six.
He still had more than thirty years. There was no need to rush.
Two months later.
At the Ding Family shop.
After selling ordinary Spring Return Talismans and exchanging them for Talisman Crafting materials, Shen Xuan was about to head back.
Shopkeeper Ding stopped him.
"Talisman Master Shen, do you have any high-grade Spring Return Talismans to spare?"
For the sake of their old friendship, Shen Xuan sold him ten high-grade Spring Return Talismans.
"The high-grade Spring Return Talismans I make each month are all bought up by Tianxiang Pavilion. These are the last of my hidden stash," Shen Xuan said with a wry smile.
Times had changed.
Shopkeeper Ding wouldn't dare slight Talisman Master Shen now.
News had come from the family: Shen Xuan really did have a former classmate who'd achieved Foundation Establishment Success in the Qingyun Sect.
And she was a female cultivator.
In the Cultivation World, female cultivators were usually rarer than male cultivators and were more highly valued within sects.
"Thank you for looking after my business, Talisman Master Shen."
Shopkeeper Ding lowered his voice. "Talisman Master Shen, the Ding Family will be holding a small auction soon. Here's an identity jade token for entry. I was specifically told to save one for you."
"The auction items are Spirit Items rarely seen in the Market. They're hard to buy from shops."
Shen Xuan glanced at the auction token.
"Shopkeeper Ding, I don't have to bid on Cultivation Spirit Items just because I attend, do I?"
"What are you saying? Of course you only bid if you see something you like. If nothing catches your eye, you can still broaden your horizons."
"Then thank you, Shopkeeper Ding."
Shen Xuan took the token and left the Ding Family shop.
He had only a little over a hundred spirit stones and couldn't afford any of the Cultivation Spirit Items at the auction.
Fortunately, other than Yao Beast Essence Blood, he had no pressing need for any Cultivation Spirit Items.
A mid-grade Spiritual Root was enough for him to break through to the Late Qi Refining Stage.
He was an optimist.
Though the best age for Foundation Establishment was before sixty, he still had a chance to achieve it by one hundred.
There was no need to stake everything and risk his life to obtain various Cultivation Spirit Items.
Besides, the Ding Family didn't have the most crucial item: a Foundation Establishment Pill.
These precious Rank-Breaking Spirit Pills had always been rare resources, tightly controlled by the sects.
During the last Wilderness Reclamation, the Qingyun Sect had made an unprecedented offer of ten Foundation Establishment Pills to spur Rogue Cultivators into risking their lives in the corvée.
It was said that as many as two in ten cultivators had perished during the Wilderness Corvée.
The cultivators affiliated with the Ding Family hadn't accumulated enough Sect Merit Points to exchange for that precious Foundation Establishment Pill.
No harm in going to take a look. I'll broaden my horizons.
Soon, the day of the Ding Family auction arrived.
Shen Xuan disguised his aura as Qi Refining Level 4 and headed to the designated Auction Building.
Along the way, there were hardly any cultivators whose auras were weaker than his.
In Qinglong Bay Market, the Inner City, Outer City, and outskirts were clearly delineated.
The Auction Building was in the Market's Inner City.
Generally speaking, most people who lived and moved around there were in the Late Qi Refining Stage.
A few were in the Mid Qi Refining Stage, but they had special status.
Like Shen Xuan, a mid-grade Talisman Master.
"In the Cultivation World, rank and status are rigidly enforced."
"Strength reigns supreme. Only when you're strong will others respect you."
Shen Xuan silently reminded himself.
He took out his auction identity jade token. After registering, a Ding Family member assigned to escort guests came over and said respectfully, "Talisman Master Shen, please follow me."
They entered a Secret Chamber, where the Ding Family member took out a mask.
"Talisman Master Shen, this mask was specially made by the Ding Family. Once worn, it can block probing by Spiritual Sense. After the auction, you may leave early and return the mask to the Ding Family shop."
Hearing this, Shen Xuan couldn't help praising the Ding Family in his heart.
The Ding Family truly lived up to its reputation as a Foundation Establishment family with a thousand-year legacy.
They really had thought of everything.
With the mask on, the cultivators attending the auction wouldn't need to worry about their identities being exposed.
Shen Xuan put on the mask and followed the Ding Family member into the auction hall.
Everything inside was orderly. Around two hundred people sat in silence.
Most wore masks and kept their auras restrained, well versed in the Cowardly Path's quiet discretion.
A few didn't wear masks.
They were all in the Late Qi Refining Stage or higher.
Shen Xuan found a secluded corner and quietly observed.
He'd come to the auction just to look around, not to bid on anything.
He wanted to gain experience and observe the prices.
That way, he'd be prepared to sell things in the future.
Before long, the auction began.
After the host finished the customary pleasantries, the bidding started.
The items up for auction were a motley assortment: Spirit Pills, Magic Artifacts, cultivation techniques, Formation Flags, Spirit Plants, and all manner of other things. Their starting prices were low, drawing bids from many Rogue Cultivators and filling the hall with excitement.
Many of the things were items he'd only ever heard of, never seen.
Shen Xuan hadn't expected to find Yao Beast Essence Blood at the auction!
"A bottle of Blazing Divine Eagle Essence Blood!"
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