Size Manipulation

"Fellow Daoist, this place is only two hundred meters from the center of the Spirit Vein. The spiritual energy concentration is only slightly inferior to the Lu Family at the very center."

The Lu Family is the family that manages Jiaolu Market and lives at the center of the Spirit Vein.

"Mm!"

Zhou Er nodded.

To be honest, this place was much worse than when he was at the Xiayun Sect.

Both in terms of spiritual energy concentration and location.

The only good thing was that there were more rooms.

However, since Zhou Er had already left the Xiayun Sect, he no longer thought about matters concerning the Xiayun Sect and immediately settled down.

After settling down, he began to consider his livelihood.

He naturally intended to make a living by crafting talismans.

Of course, before making talismans, he needed to understand the situation here, so he inquired around.

Jiaolu Market only had one Talisman Master, who was a Guest Elder invited by the Lu Family, named Chen Ying. She was a middle-aged female cultivator at the Late-stage Qi Refining realm.

As Zhou Er was new to the area, he naturally needed to greet her. Thus, he brought a gift and went to visit.

"Who are you?"

Chen Ying's twelve-year-old granddaughter, Chen Xiaoran, did not recognize Zhou Er when she saw him.

"I am Cang Er, a newly joined Talisman Master of Jiaolu Market. I wish to pay a visit to Senior Chen."

Zhou Er said humbly.

"Xiaoran, who is it?"

Chen Ying asked from inside the house.

"He says he's a newly joined Talisman Master of the market."

Chen Xiaoran replied.

"Let him in!"

Chen Ying's voice came from inside.

"Please come in!"

Chen Xiaoran opened the door and let Zhou Er into the house.

Chen Ying's face didn't look particularly old, just a little wrinkled, but her temples were already half white.

"You're a Talisman Master too? Why come to Jiaolu Market, this godforsaken place?"

Chen Ying asked.

Jiaolu Market was isolated, with few inhabitants, and few Talisman Masters were willing to come here.

"I'm from Qi Kingdom. Within Qi Kingdom, Jiaolu Market is the only cultivation market."

Zhou Er said.

"You came to find me, are you asking what I want to do?"

Chen Ying glanced at Zhou Er, thinking that Zhou Er was so young yet a Talisman Master with considerable cultivation, he must be extraordinary.

"I'd like to ask Senior Chen about making and selling talismans."

Zhou Er humbly asked for advice.

If he sold them himself, it definitely wouldn't work. How many could he sell himself, and it would also waste time.

"So that's what it's about. I'll directly introduce you to the current head of the Lu Family, Lu Tong. He can help you arrange it."

Chen Ying was old now and long past her prime. Her granddaughter hadn't yet achieved mastery, so having a newcomer to share her burden made her more than happy.

"Thank you, Senior Chen."

Zhou Er quickly cupped his hands.

"No need to thank me. The Lu Family people are quite decent. They should be able to offer you good terms."

Chen Ying said.

She spoke without expression, so Zhou Er couldn't guess her emotions, whether she was happy or angry, but he could only accept.

"Thank you for the introduction, Senior."

Zhou Er repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

"It's nothing."

Chen Ying waved her hand.

The next day, Chen Ying introduced Zhou Er to Lu Tong, arranging for them to meet at the Lu Family residence.

"Yesterday, Senior Chen mentioned that Fellow Daoist Cang is a young Talisman Master. Seeing you today, you are indeed a distinguished talent."

Lu Tong said with a smile upon seeing Zhou Er.

Lu Tong was just an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, and his cultivation wasn't high, around the sixth or seventh layer of Qi Refining.

He was elected as the family head simply because he managed the household well, and was put forward to manage the family.

"Fellow Daoist Lu!"

Zhou Er greeted him with a smile.

Lu Tong personally poured tea for Zhou Er, then said:

"Fellow Daoist Cang's visit to our Jiaolu Market is an honor for our market. I warmly welcome you."

"Fellow Daoist Lu is too kind."

Zhou Er hadn't expected Lu Tong to be so polite.

After a few pleasantries, the conversation moved to the main topic.

"What kind of talismans can Fellow Daoist Cang refine?"

Lu Tong asked.

"Fireball Talisman, Water Shield Talisman, Water Healing Talisman, Godspeed Talisman, and Immobilization Talisman. I am most proficient in the Fireball Talisman, its power is three parts stronger compared to other Talisman Masters of the same level."

Zhou Er said. With the buff of Fire Attribute Amplification, his fire attribute spells were thirty percent more powerful.

"Excellent!"

Lu Tong said with a smile.

For a typical Talisman Master, mastering the production of two or three types of talismans was already considered an expert. Zhou Er's ability to master five types meant he was not far from being a top-tier Talisman Master.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, how about this: our Lu Family will provide you with raw materials for free. You only need to give us thirty percent of the finished talismans as payment."

Lu Tong said.

This way, their Lu Family would not lose money and would even make a small profit, without the pressure of having so many Spirit Stones.

"Excellent!"

Zhou Er thought that outside, talismans, pills, and Spirit Stones were recognized similarly and could all be used as currency. He nodded and agreed.

This way, he would also be spared the trouble of calculating the Spirit Stones he earned.

After settling the cooperation, Lu Tong went to have someone draft a contract.

Zhou Er carefully inspected it, and after confirming there were no issues, he signed it.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Cang, can you teach your talisman-making skills to the younger generation of my family? My family is willing to offer a magic artifact as tuition."

Lu Tong smiled and said.

Zhou Er knew that outside, unlike within the sect, various skills had to be kept in one's own hands, otherwise, there was the risk of teaching the apprentice and starving the master.

However, he quickly thought that talisman making required great comprehension and a lot of time to learn.

Without over ten years of time, it was very difficult to achieve anything.

Just those runes that crawled like earthworms would take a long time to master.

The reason Zhou Er could learn quickly and earn Spirit Stones was thanks to the Talisman Making Insights and Wondrous Brush attributes.

Without these two attributes, even with the Talisman Making Insights Zhu Shunyang gave him, Zhou Er would have to study for several years.

He might not stay in Jiaolu Market for long.

Therefore, Zhou Er did not rush to refuse, but only said:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, this talisman making skill cannot be easily passed on."

"Fellow Daoist Cang, what else do you need, I will do my best to satisfy you."

Lu Tong said with a sincere attitude.

"I will arrange teaching time, only one hour every ten days. My time is precious, and I will not waste too much time teaching others."

Zhou Er said.

"Naturally."

Lu Tong nodded, then asked a servant to retrieve the magic artifact from the family treasury.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, this is the Ruyi Ring, it can defend and fight enemies."

Lu Tong took out a yellowish-brown copper ring. With the activation of his magic power, the copper ring grew larger and smaller.

At its smallest, it could become a bracelet worn on the hand, and at its largest, it was like a small hula hoop, serving as a weapon.

This magic artifact could reach the mid-grade quality, making it a good artifact.

[Ruyi Ring: A copper ring of the earth attribute that can change size.]

[Upon equipping, gain attribute: Size Manipulation.]

[Size Manipulation: Can freely change body size, maximum three meters, minimum one meter.]

[Solidification Condition: Cultivation reaches Qi Refining Tenth Layer.]

[Equip?]

This attribute is quite interesting, allowing Zhou Er to transform into a giant or a dwarf at will.

Seeing Zhou Er deep in thought, Lu Tong didn't know if he liked it or not. He said:

"Fellow Daoist Cang, I don't know if you like it. If you don't, I can go to the family treasury and get another magic artifact for you."

Zhou Er looked at another magic artifact. Neither the magic artifact itself nor its attributes could be considered good. Zhou Er could only choose the Ruyi Ring.

After obtaining the magic artifact, Zhou Er returned to the small hut he rented and began to refine the Ruyi Ring with his vital blood.

After the refinement was complete, Zhou Er placed the Ruyi Ring in his equipment slot to test the Size Manipulation effect.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Seventh Layer (19.56%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Ruyi Ring, Low-grade Spirit Stone, Bigu Pill.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Size Manipulation, Mana Abundance (White), Taotie (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Refining (White), Spirit Gathering (White), Rune Mastery (Tier 1), Self-Healing (White), High-speed Reaction, Wondrous Brush (White), Fire Attribute Amplification (White), Spirit Qi Purification (White), Qi Induction, Strength Increase (White).]

After equipping it, Zhou Er first experienced the effect of his body growing larger. His figure continuously grew taller, eventually reaching three meters, almost touching the roof beams.

With a giant body, he might have some advantage when fighting large Demonic Beasts. At other times, Zhou Er couldn't think of any benefit to this size.

Afterward, he shrunk his body and became a dwarf.

After becoming a dwarf, everything in his field of vision became larger, giving him a feeling of returning to childhood.

After playing for a while, Zhou Er changed back and didn't continue playing.

Later, the Lu family sent Zhou Er talisman-making materials. After receiving them, Zhou Er sent them away.

As for the Lu family disciples he was supposed to teach, they would be sent over in ten days, so he didn't need to worry about them for now.

Focusing on making talismans and cultivating, Zhou Er lived a life similar to when he was at the Xiayun Sect, except he didn't have to worry about Master Jide discovering any anomalies on him.

Zhou Er also wanted to research new talismans, so he often visited Chen Ying's residence, probing her about the talismans she knew.

Chen Ying had a Gold-element spiritual root and practiced Gold-element cultivation techniques. The talismans she knew mainly consisted of two types: the Golden Light Talisman and the Golden Sword Talisman.

One could emit golden light to protect the entire body.

The other could summon a golden sword made of mana for attack.

Both were good talismans, but Chen Ying wouldn't teach them.

Not only Zhou Er, but even the Lu family members, she wouldn't impart even a tiny bit.

However, Zhou Er possessed the Rune Mastery attribute, making him intimately familiar with the runes of First-grade Talismans. Even if Chen Ying didn't teach him, as long as he learned two spells himself, he could slowly figure it out.

Zhou Er bought two spells himself and spent his spare time studying them while cultivating.

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed. The Lu Family sent a pair of young children to Zhou Er to learn talisman crafting.

Zhou Er was well-prepared. He took out a hundred written runes, taught them once, and then sent them back to memorize and practice.

Runes were the foundation of talisman crafting. Once they memorized these hundred runes, understood their meanings, and could draw them with both form and spirit, they could then begin learning the next hundred.

These runes made the two children's heads spin, but their elders had told them to learn well, so they had no choice but to grit their teeth and get through it.

He only taught them for an hour every ten days, and Zhou Er's own affairs were not disturbed.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

Zhou Er successfully broke through to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer and mastered the Golden Light Technique and Golden Sword Technique, recording them onto talismans.

Chen Ying was advanced in age, and he was now the strongest Talisman Master in Deer Horn Workshop.

After breaking through to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, Zhou Er's Mana Limit successfully surpassed the total spiritual energy contained within a Low-grade Spirit Stone, successfully meeting the Solidification Condition for the Mana Abundance attribute.

[Mana Abundance (White): Increases Mana Limit by 30%.]

[Solidification Condition: Mana maximum limit surpasses the spiritual energy contained in one Low-grade Spirit Stone. (1/1)]

After solidifying the Mana Abundance attribute, Zhou Er's current mana was 30% more than that of ordinary cultivators at the same realm. If he were to fight, he would naturally have a slight advantage.

In three months, Zhou Er had also accumulated quite a few talismans.

Eight hundred Fireball Talismans, one hundred Water Shield Talismans, one hundred Water Healing Talismans, thirty Godspeed Talismans, and fifty Immobilization Talismans.

These combined were worth over three hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, all his precious property.

Although Zhou Er had mastered the crafting techniques for the Golden Light Talisman and Golden Sword Talisman, he had not made any.

This was within Chen Ying's business scope, and he saw no need to compete with her.

As for the two children from the Lu Family who came to learn talisman crafting from him, one had already mastered over two hundred runes, while the other had mastered less than fifty. The gap was unusually large.

However, Zhou Er wasn't particularly concerned about this, as they weren't his family's children anyway.

He was only responsible for teaching; whether they could learn was not something he could control.

Having left Xiayun Sect for over four months, Zhou Er also missed the life at Xiayun Sect.

Of course, he was also worried that Xiayun Sect's Law Enforcement Team would investigate him.

However, upon careful consideration, there wasn't much to investigate.

As long as he didn't defect to the Devilish Sect, the Elders of the sect wouldn't care too much about the life or death of an Outer Sect Disciple.

Outer Sect Disciples like them didn't even have life lamps left in the sect, and it would take a lot of effort to investigate their deaths.

After all, life lamps required dedicated personnel for maintenance and special lamp oil, which was a waste of resources. Only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or above, and Inner Sect disciples, were qualified to have life lamps in the sect. Other Outer Sect disciples or general laborers were not eligible.

If people in the sect saw him not returning, they would probably assume he was dead.

Compared to the sect's investigation, he was more worried about another matter: Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment had always been a difficult task since ancient times.

Without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, there was even a risk of death.

Back when he was in the Xiayun Sect, there were ways to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills, such as participating in secret realm exploration.

Although it was very risky, there was at least a chance.

Now, as a Rogue Cultivator, let alone Foundation Establishment Pills, other resources were also difficult to obtain, making every step arduous.

And now that he was about to enter the Late-stage Qi Refining, the matter of the Foundation Establishment Pill had to be put on the agenda.

"I still have several years. I can search slowly. For now, I need to improve my strength as quickly as possible."

Zhou Er thought for a moment and decided to stabilize his strength first.

In the future, there would inevitably be struggles and battles for the Foundation Establishment Pill.

His spells were already proficient, and the Ruyi Ring was used skillfully.

To improve the fastest, he needed to focus on body refinement.

Moreover, reaching the perfection of body refinement would be very beneficial for future Foundation Establishment, increasing the chances of success.

While body refinement might be very difficult for others, it was very simple for Zhou Er. As long as he found Attributes that could strengthen his physical quality, his body refinement progress would advance by leaps and bounds.

He currently had Attributes like Strength Increase and Bone Strengthening.

If he really calculated it, his physical quality was already comparable to the level of Body Refinement layers three or four. In the mortal world's martial arts, his physical strength alone could rank him as a first or second-rate master.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.