The Turtle Talisman Master

Just two days later, the news of Shen Xuan's breakthrough had spread throughout the neighboring streets.

An old cultivator of sixty-one had taken a Spirit Burst Pill and broken through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage!

The neighbors, all Rogue Cultivators eking out a living at the bottom, couldn't help but envy his luck.

"Shen Xuan's breakthrough was all thanks to my Mysterious Water Turtles!"

"Nonsense! Shen Xuan stopped buying your Mysterious Water Turtles half a year ago!"

"What do you know? My Mysterious Water Turtles laid the foundation for him. Shen Xuan ate them for a full six months—more than twenty of them!"

Hearing the vendor's words, everyone came to their senses. It did seem that something like that had happened.

By the time Shen Xuan stepped outside, a large crowd had gathered around him.

"Shen Xuan, is it true that those Mysterious Water Turtles are useful?"

Shen Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, he kept a straight face and said with solemn conviction, "Of course they're useful! Three spirit stones each. You tell me if they're useful!"

Everyone burst out laughing!

But the vendor's Mysterious Water Turtles really did start selling like hotcakes.

"Shen Xuan really broke through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage!"

Shopkeeper Ding, who had been sipping Spirit Tea, spat it out with a "pfft."

"An old cultivator in his sixties could break through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage with just one Spirit Burst Pill?"

Shopkeeper Ding was puzzled.

Before long, rumors began circulating.

They said that after Shen Xuan married into the family, he had taken great care of his health. Every dozen or so days, he bought a Juvenile Body Mysterious Water Turtle to nourish himself.

He was a Water Method Cultivator, too, making him especially compatible with Mysterious Water Turtles.

Whether or not people believed the rumors, the market price of Mysterious Water Turtles rose at a visibly rapid pace.

Juvenile Body Mysterious Water Turtles, which had originally cost only two or three spirit stones, went up to three or four.

Adult Mysterious Water Turtles jumped straight from twenty spirit stones to thirty.

And even at that price, they were snapped up.

Shen Xuan had long anticipated the rumors spreading outside.

After reaching the Mid Qi Refining Stage, his status would rise considerably.

He was still at the bottom rung, but with a useful skill, he would soon attract the attention of a Cultivation Family and receive an offer to join them.

Before Shen Xuan could visit the Ding Family shop, Shopkeeper Ding had already come to his home with a gift.

Now, as he looked at Shen Xuan standing before him, he could hardly conceal his astonishment.

"Shen Xuan, you really broke through to Qi Refining Level 4?"

"Thanks to your Spirit Burst Pill, Shopkeeper Ding. I was lucky enough to break through," Shen Xuan replied modestly.

Many neighbors had gathered outside to watch.

They had lived here for a long time; some had even arrived before Shen Xuan.

For more than forty years, Shen Xuan had kept to himself, living a life of two points and a straight line.

They knew him as a Low-grade Talisman Master and an Ascetic Cultivator.

His Spiritual Root was extremely poor, most likely an Inferior Spirit Root.

Who would have thought that after forty years, in his sixties, he would actually break through to Qi Refining Level 4?

"He's reached the Mid Qi Refining Stage!"

Gazing at that familiar, handsome face before him,

Shopkeeper Ding was transported back more than forty years.

A young, green Shen Xuan had come to his shop to buy Talisman Crafting materials.

Back then, Shen Xuan's Talisman Completion Rate had been frighteningly low.

Even so, he had persevered without a hint of wavering.

Shopkeeper Ding had sighed to himself at the time.

The Heavenly Dao was merciless.

Such a hardworking, diligent person was limited by his Spiritual Root aptitude; his cultivation would never advance beyond Qi Refining Level 3.

And sure enough, Shen Xuan had been stuck at Qi Refining Level 3 for a full thirty years.

How many thirty-year stretches did a person get in life?

Who would have thought that he would break through to Qi Refining Level 4 with just one Spirit Burst Pill?

"Life is full of surprises," Shopkeeper Ding said with a sigh.

He knew perfectly well that the key to Shen Xuan's breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 4 had been that Spirit Burst Pill.

It had cost a staggering fifty spirit stones.

If Shen Xuan's Talisman Crafting skills hadn't improved by leaps and bounds in recent years, allowing him to make High-grade Talismans, he could never have afforded it!

Shopkeeper Ding's thoughts

were easy enough for Shen Xuan to guess.

He had bought the Spirit Burst Pill at a high price, even though it was useless to him, just to lay the groundwork for his breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 4.

Now, everything had finally come full circle.

Before long, news of Shen Xuan, the Turtle Talisman Master, breaking through to Qi Refining Level 4 spread throughout Qinglong Bay Market.

When many Rogue Cultivators heard the news, their first reaction was to sigh with deep feeling. Some even felt a measure of respect.

It was simply too inspiring!

"He's over sixty, already in his golden years, and he still managed to break through!"

"We can't call him the Turtle Talisman Master anymore. With his ascetic nature, becoming a Mid-grade Talisman Master is only a matter of time."

"That's right. If he becomes a Mid-grade Talisman Master, we'll always get a better deal when we buy Spirit Talismans from him."

"The Ding Family got a bargain! They married off a mortal girl and got a Mid-grade Talisman Master son-in-law for free!"

After Shen Xuan's breakthrough, the title Turtle Talisman Master gradually took on a more positive meaning.

The story that Mysterious Water Turtles could nourish Water Method Cultivators spread further and further, too.

Shen Xuan watched things from home for several days.

Seeing that the Market cultivators all praised his ascetic ways and that no other suspicions had arisen, he finally relaxed.

After all, he had spent forty years living the same routine, going between just two places. He never visited brothels, gambled, drank, or went out.

He had long since earned a reputation for it.

After advancing,

Shen Xuan began considering the next step in his cultivation.

He had improved his Spiritual Root aptitude by plundering Monster Beast talents.

Naturally, he would have to keep plundering Monster Beast talents.

He would just have to be especially careful when choosing Monster Beasts.

When he plundered the Silver Jade Fish, he discovered that it also had the Water Control Talent.

As planned, he had plundered its Invisibility talent.

Once his Water Spirit Root reached 10 points, it would become a Low-grade Spiritual Root.

In theory, he would be able to cultivate to Qi Refining Level 6.

If he raised it to 20 points, it would become a Mid-grade Spirit Root.

Then he might reach the Late Qi Refining Stage.

He could even try to break through to Foundation Establishment.

As he pondered, someone knocked at the door.

Every cultivator's residence in the Market had a small defensive formation.

The rent was twelve spirit stones a year, and it included a cultivation Dao Field as well as a measure of security.

Even a Late Qi Refining Stage cultivator would have trouble breaking into a place like Shen Xuan's in a short time.

Besides, if the commotion grew too loud, the Ding Family's Law Enforcement Team would come running.

When he opened the door, he found Zhao Chunsheng and his wife, Jiang Xueqi.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, Fellow Daoist Jiang, what brings you two here?"

These were esteemed guests!

"Let's go inside and talk."

"Oh, please, come in!"

Shen Xuan quickly called for Ding Yuyao to brew some tea.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, congratulations on breaking through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage. This small gift is nothing much."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Jiang."

Shen Xuan accepted it respectfully.

It was only some inexpensive Spirit Fruits and Spirit Vegetables.

As a Late Qi Refining Stage Monster Hunter, Zhao Chunsheng had gone out of his way to offer congratulations. That alone showed Shen Xuan how much he respected him.

"I heard you can make High-grade Breath Concealing Talismans and Invisibility Talismans, Fellow Daoist Shen?"

Zhao Chunsheng took a small sip of the Spirit Tea Ding Yuyao had brought in, then got straight to the point.

"That's right. My Talisman Completion Rate just isn't very high."

Zhao Chunsheng nodded. "Fellow Daoist Shen has spent a long time building up his skill. There's no need to rush. My wife and I will be hunting in the Shadow Forest in a few days. Sell me some High-grade Breath Concealing Talismans and Invisibility Talismans."

"Of course! How many do you need, Fellow Daoist Zhao?"

"They're fast-consumed supplies. If the price is right, I could use two or three hundred."

Shen Xuan smiled wryly.

He took out all the hundred-plus High-grade Talismans in his Storage Bag.

"I only have this many for now."

Zhao Chunsheng swept them with his Spiritual Sense and saw that there were a hundred High-grade Talismans, fifty Breath Concealing Talismans and fifty Invisibility Talismans.

He was slightly surprised.

Being able to produce so many High-grade Talismans at once meant the rumors were true.

Shen Xuan really did have some talent for Talisman Crafting.