Green Feather Spirit Fish

Zhao Chunsheng remained calm and collected, asking, "What is the selling price?"

"Since we are all neighbors, let's call these one hundred High-quality Talismans thirty-six Spirit Stones!"

Zhao Chunsheng was stunned for a moment.

He eyed Shen Xuan, nodded, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Talisman Master Shen is a straightforward man!"

This price was not expensive; in fact, it was unexpectedly cheap.

One hundred High-quality low-grade talismans would cost about fifty Spirit Stones if purchased at a talisman shop.

This Shen Xuan had given him a thirty percent discount right off the bat.

As for the quality of the talismans, Zhao Chunsheng, being in the Late Qi Refining Stage, could identify them with a brief sweep of his Spiritual Sense.

"Then thank you, Talisman Master Shen! If you have time, come over to my place for a visit," Fellow Daoist Zhao said with a smile.

"Certainly!" Shen Xuan replied readily upon hearing this.

After all, this was a cultivator in the Late Qi Refining Stage, the strongest expert in the vicinity.

Moreover, he also had the intention to befriend Zhao Chunsheng and his wife, Jiang Xueqi.

After the transaction was complete, Shen Xuan asked as if in passing, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, have you ever heard of the Green Feather Fish?"

"Green Feather Fish? A type of middle-grade spirit fish in the Longze River, known for its extreme speed."

"I have recently been developing a new talisman and need the Green Feather Fish as a material. If you happen to hear of this fish, could you purchase it on my behalf?"

"Oh, is Talisman Master Shen looking to craft the Water Control Talisman?"

"That is exactly my intention."

Shen Xuan nodded with a smile.

The Water Control Talisman is a middle-grade talisman that can control the power of water currents within a certain range and reduce consumption while underwater; it is a staple talisman for Water Cultivators on rivers and seas.

"There are many types of Beast Blood Cinnabar for the Water Control Talisman, and the Green Feather Fish is the best kind," Shen Xuan said with a face full of sincerity.

The Green Feather Fish is the fastest among the spirit fish in the Longze River, capable of reaching a thousand li per hour!

Since he wanted to plunder the water control talent, he naturally had to choose the one with the fastest speed!

"Since Talisman Master Shen has asked, how could I, Zhao, not help! However, the Green Feather Fish is a middle-grade spirit fish, and the price is not cheap!"

"About how many Spirit Stones per fish?"

"Depending on the size of the spirit fish, one jin costs two Spirit Stones."

Truly expensive!

For Silver Jade Fish, one Spirit Stone could buy three jin.

This was a six-fold increase!

Snow Beef, a middle-grade farmed Monster Beast, cost one Spirit Stone for two jin.

However, the two types of spirit fish were of different grades, and the Green Feather Fish was famous for its speed, making it difficult to hunt.

"No problem! I ask Fellow Daoist Zhao to put in the effort! In any case, please keep this matter confidential, Fellow Daoist Zhao."

"That goes without saying. Zhao understands the rules."

After seeing off Zhao Chunsheng and his wife, Jiang Xueqi.

Shen Xuan returned to the shop owned by the Ding Family.

"Cinnabar and Talisman Paper for the Water Control Talisman? Talisman Master Shen, are you developing a new talisman?"

"Why, is that not allowed?"

"It is, of course it is, absolutely allowed!"

Shopkeeper Ding chuckled as he brought out the cinnabar for the Water Control Talisman and ten packs of Talisman Paper.

"This is material for middle-grade talismans; I'll give you a discounted price of thirty Spirit Stones!"

"So expensive!"

Shen Xuan exclaimed.

"It's not expensive! These are materials for middle-grade talismans! The middle-grade talismans produced from these sell for one Spirit Stone each!"

Shen Xuan shook his head and directly took out thirty Spirit Stones, handing them to Shopkeeper Ding.

"Do you have any better talisman brushes?"

To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools.

With the improvement of his Cultivation Realm, the spiritual power he channeled had become purer, and his previous Tier 1 Low-grade talisman brush was becoming somewhat outdated.

"I do!"

Soon, Shopkeeper Ding brought out several brocade boxes, all containing First-Order Middle Grade and High-grade talisman brushes.

Shen Xuan felt a bit covetous of the High-grade Talisman Brush.

However, with his pockets empty, he had no choice but to spend thirty Spirit Stones to pick out a Water Attribute Mid-grade Talisman Brush.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, we are practically family! Once you've crafted the Water Control Talisman, remember to come find me. I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the price!"

Shopkeeper Ding said with a beaming smile.

"Understood!"

With his Storage Bag now completely empty, Shen Xuan walked out of the Ding Family shop without looking back.

A Month Later.

Inside the Talisman Crafting Room.

Shen Xuan looked at the exhausted pile of crafting materials on the table and couldn't help but shake his head.

On the Mysterious Jade Talisman:

[Water Control Talisman: Entry (4/100)]

He had intentionally slowed his pace, crafting only four talismans every day.

Despite this, his Talisman Completion Rate was still quite dismal.

Out of one hundred and twenty sheets of Talisman Paper, he had only produced eighteen Water Control Talismans.

A completion rate of fifteen percent.

It was far from reaching the passing threshold of thirty percent.

This is normal; this is the common situation.

Without the help of the Mysterious Jade Talisman, one's talisman crafting skills could only improve slowly.

Losing twelve Spirit Stones every month—no matter how large his assets were, he couldn't afford such losses!

Shen Xuan felt a sense of disappointment in his heart.

Under normal circumstances, if he wanted to accumulate experience through talisman crafting, it would take at least two to three years to promote to a Mid-grade Talisman Master.

During this period, he would have to constantly consume crafting materials to practice.

Shen Xuan estimated that at this rate, he would need to lose at least three hundred Spirit Stones before he could break even.

It seems I need to take a multi-pronged approach; I cannot give up on the Breath Concealing Talisman and the Invisibility Talisman!

He calculated that when crafting the Breath Concealing Talisman and the Invisibility Talisman, his completion rate was nearly seventy percent, with a thirty percent rate for high-quality items.

With one hundred and twenty sets of materials costing ten Spirit Stones, he could produce sixty ordinary talismans and twenty high-quality ones, which would sell for twenty Spirit Stones.

With his current Cultivation Realm at Qi Refining Level 4, he could craft three hundred and sixty sets a month, yielding a net profit of thirty Spirit Stones!

Crafting the Water Control Talisman, he could only process one hundred and twenty sets a month, resulting in a net loss of eighteen Spirit Stones!

This is quite good! If I craft the Breath Concealing Talisman, the Invisibility Talisman, and the Water Control Talisman simultaneously, I can still earn twelve Spirit Stones a month, which is enough for my daily needs!

Shen Xuan quickly made his decision to walk the path of supporting his talisman crafting with other talismans.

Two months later.

Zhao Chunsheng came to visit once again.

"This is the Green Feather Fish you wanted!"

"Ah! Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao!"

Shen Xuan hurriedly took the fishing bag. Inside was a Green Feather Fish weighing a full three jin; its dorsal fin was as wide as a flag, and its long, pointed mouth was as sharp as a sword.

"How many Spirit Stones?"

"Let's call it six Spirit Stones!"

"Good!"

Shen Xuan remained calm and collected as he handed over seven Spirit Stones.

Zhao Chunsheng glanced at them, said nothing more, and accepted the payment.

"Will you need more in the future?"

"Yes! The more, the better!"

After seeing Zhao Chunsheng off, Shen Xuan carried the fishing bag and happily entered the Training Room.

A golden light shot out from the Mysterious Jade Talisman, enveloping the Green Feather Fish.

Soon, the ferocious Green Feather Fish went silent, its body turning into a lump of dead meat.

On the Mysterious Jade Talisman, Golden Small Characters were shining.

[Plunderable Talent: Water Control, Thrust.]

Shen Xuan chose Water Control without hesitation.

[Talent: Water Control (6/100)]

[Water Control Talisman: Entry (16/100)]

[Dao Rhyme: 92]

A three-jin Green Feather Fish provided 6 points of Water Control progress and added 8 points of insight to the [Water Control Talisman], equivalent to two months of his grueling Talisman Crafting practice.

The Dao Rhyme increased by 12 points.

Shen Xuan had tested it; Dao Rhyme could increase the proficiency of his own talents.

He had applied it to [Breath Concealment Technique] and [Invisibility Technique] separately, which increased their respective proficiencies.

Because [Breath Concealment Technique] and [Invisibility Technique] were relatively easy to practice, he hadn't been willing to use much of it, choosing to store it instead.

He planned to dump it all into [Water Control Technique] once he plundered the Water Control talent.

After all, as someone who never went out, practicing [Water Control Technique] well was no easy task.

He couldn't exactly dig a pond in his house and practice while hiding in it!

A three-jin Green Feather Fish, seven Spirit Stones, and two months' worth of [Water Control Talisman] crafting experience.

More importantly, he had plundered the [Water Control] talent, which would allow him to learn an extremely practical Water Law upon reaching perfection, and even improve his Spirit Root Aptitude.

It was worth the price!

As a Late Qi Refining Stage Monster Hunter, Zhao Chunsheng must be very short on Spirit Stones if he was living in the outskirts of the market just like him.

Shen Xuan hoped that Zhao Chunsheng would prioritize acquiring more Green Feather Fish for him as soon as possible, for the sake of the Spirit Stones.