Trap

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, have you been waiting here for me?"

Zhou Er asked.

"No, I went to take care of a few other things. I thought Talisman Master Cang should be back by now, and I happened to have some Green Plum Spirit Wine and Golden Silkworm Pupae, so I thought I'd come find you and enjoy a drink together."

Jiang Liyue took a small gourd and a little plate of deep-fried silkworm pupae out of her Storage Ring.

The pupae gave off a fragrant, fried aroma, making Zhou Er's Taotie Heart stir with desire.

However, Zhou Er had lived two lifetimes, and knew better than to casually eat food offered by a stranger. With a serious expression, he said:

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, we're neither related nor acquainted. There's nothing for us to talk about."

"Talisman Master Cang, please don't misunderstand. I simply admire you greatly and wanted to get to know you. If you don't trust me, we can talk somewhere else. You can choose the place."

A trace of melancholy flickered in Jiang Liyue's eyes, mingled with a hint of seduction. It was as if something wonderful would happen as soon as Zhou Er agreed.

"It's too late today. If you truly want to be friends with me, you shouldn't go about it this way. If you need something from me, just say so. There's no need to be so secretive."

Zhou Er spoke sternly.

Although he could sense the seductive aura emanating from Jiang Liyue, every gesture of hers—and even the faint fragrance drifting from her—stirred his desire.

But Zhou Er knew that a woman who sought him out like this was dangerous.

He had lived two lifetimes. In his previous life, he had seen many powerful, high-ranking people brought down by scandals like this. He had to be careful, very careful.

Zhou Er already had a vague feeling that Jiang Liyue was trying to set him up.

"Talisman Master Cang, actually, I wanted to ask you to teach me how to make talismans."

Seeing this, Jiang Liyue had no choice but to explain.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, it's too late today. Let's talk about it tomorrow!"

Zhou Er pointed to the sky, where the sun was sinking lower, and said.

Seeing how Zhou Er was acting, Jiang Liyue could only say:

"Then I'll come see you tomorrow, Talisman Master Cang. I hope you'll give me an answer. I'm willing to pay tuition."

"Thank you for giving me a day to think it over, Fellow Daoist Jiang."

Zhou Er finally managed to see Jiang Liyue off and breathed a sigh of relief.

After returning to his room, Zhou Er adjusted his state of mind, cleared away distracting thoughts, and began cultivating in earnest.

After cultivating for two hours and completing his daily tasks, Zhou Er began seriously considering Jiang Liyue's intentions. She certainly hadn't sought him out only because of his talisman-making skills.

There was no doubt that Jiang Liyue had approached him for some other reason, just as he had approached Talisman Master Gu Jiu.

When adults made friends, their motives were usually not pure.

Zhou Er just couldn't figure out what about him could have attracted Jiang Liyue.

Judging by her appearance, she wore a Storage Ring and her robes seemed extraordinary. She didn't look like someone short on Spirit Stones.

Could she really want to learn talisman-making from him?

If so, Zhou Er might as well teach her. After all, it would earn him some extra Spirit Stones.

Besides, Zhou Er had taught two children from the Lu Family before, so he had plenty of experience.

After leaving Zhou Er's home, Jiang Liyue returned to the small courtyard she rented, her expression dark.

"Elder Sister! How did it go?"

A fox-eyed male cultivator asked from inside the courtyard.

"He's too wary. Even when I used a little Charm Technique, I couldn't stir his desire."

Jiang Liyue frowned.

To keep Zhou Er from getting suspicious, she had used the Charm Technique very sparingly. She hadn't expected him to be completely immune to it.

With anyone else, a beautiful woman who understood him coming to visit beneath the hazy moonlight, in such a romantic atmosphere, would have been enough to make something happen that very night.

After that, she could have carried out her plan.

"Even you couldn't get anywhere with him, Elder Sister? Could he be into men instead of women?"

The fox-eyed male cultivator ventured.

"Not necessarily."

Jiang Liyue shook her head, rejecting the idea.

She still thought Zhou Er was simply too wary and suspicious of her.

"Then what do we do now?"

Seeing that the plan wasn't going smoothly, the fox-eyed male cultivator asked.

"You keep looking for other targets. I'll try him again. If it doesn't work, we'll have to give up."

Jiang Liyue planned to try other methods. If none of them worked, she could only switch to another target. There was no need to waste too much effort on Zhou Er.

In their line of work, the most important thing was never to hang yourself from a single tree. If one target didn't work out, they moved on to the next.

The next day, Zhou Er saw Jiang Liyue again.

She still looked like an adoring fangirl. The moment she saw Zhou Er, she flashed him a radiant smile and said:

"Talisman Master Cang, have you made up your mind? Are you willing to teach me how to make talismans?"

Zhou Er pondered for a moment, then said:

"If you only want to learn how to make talismans, I have a set of Talisman Making Insights. I can sell it to you at a discount, and you can study it on your own."

"Talisman Master Cang, I'd like to buy your insights, but I'm rather slow-witted. I'm afraid they won't be enough on their own. I'll need you to guide me personally."

Jiang Liyue gazed at Zhou Er with affection in her eyes.

Zhou Er could feel the warmth in her gaze and said:

"I can teach you, but it won't come cheap. I'll charge you five Spirit Stones an hour. Are you still willing?"

Zhou Er had set his rate a little high, hoping to discourage Jiang Liyue.

Instead of backing down, Jiang Liyue looked delighted and said:

"That's a fair price, Talisman Master Cang."

Then she took a small pouch of Spirit Stones out of her Storage Ring and said:

"I'd like to book your time for the next month."

Zhou Er looked at the Spirit Stones she had given him. There were nearly forty of them—a shockingly generous sum.

Since he couldn't get her to leave, Zhou Er could only accept the Spirit Stones and ask:

"When would you like me to teach you?"

"Why wait for an auspicious day when today will do? What do you say, Talisman Master Cang?"

Jiang Liyue looked at Zhou Er and took out a Talisman Brush.

"Look, I even brought my own tools."

Seeing her like this, Zhou Er still couldn't figure her out. It really did seem as if she had come to learn talisman-making; she had brought all the right tools.

As it happened, he needed to set aside some time that afternoon to make talismans, so he said:

"You're certainly in a hurry. I'll teach you for an hour today, then."

"Wonderful!"

Jiang Liyue looked delighted.

Zhou Er led her to his room. He had put all the valuables away in his Storage Bag, and didn't mind.

There was no one else in the courtyard, so he left the door wide open and began preparing to make talismans while teaching her.

The day before, Jiang Liyue had talked at length about talisman knowledge. Zhou Er had assumed she really understood the subject and had planned to teach her a few tricks to improve her success rate.

Who would have guessed that when they actually got down to practice, he'd discover she hadn't even memorized all the runes on the talismans?

In that case, there was little Zhou Er could teach her. He said:

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, go home and master the runes first. Then come back to study with me!"

"Fellow Daoist Cang, do you think I'm stupid? I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Jiang Liyue spoke with a hint of self-reproach.

"Not at all. You only have a superficial grasp of the runes, so there's not much I can do to teach you."

Zhou Er said helplessly.

The situation was like trying to teach Jiang Liyue advanced mathematics when she hadn't even memorized her multiplication tables. How could he possibly teach her?

The gap between them when it came to talisman-making was even greater.

When he had taught the two children from the Lu Family, Zhou Er had first made them memorize the runes. Each time, he had merely tested them to see how well they remembered them.

Now that Zhou Er had accepted her Spirit Stones, he couldn't fob her off as he had before. He had to take things more seriously.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, I'm just too stupid."

Jiang Liyue said.

"Then I'll give your Spirit Stones back."

Seeing that he couldn't teach her, Zhou Er had no intention of keeping the money.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, it's all right. I can learn little by little."

Jiang Liyue gritted her teeth and studied for half a day. She heard a great deal, though it was hard to say how much she understood.

Zhou Er glanced at her expensive Talisman Brush and immediately thought of a student with poor grades and a desk full of fancy stationery.

Even so, Jiang Liyue listened attentively.

After teaching her for over an hour, Zhou Er had covered a little, though Jiang Liyue only seemed to half understand it. Then she said:

"Fellow Daoist Cang, why don't we stop here for today? How about I treat you to a nice meal?"

Zhou Er nodded. He really was exhausted from teaching and had been planning to treat himself as well.

Besides, Zhou Er had realized that Jiang Liyue had something else to discuss with him.

Jiang Liyue let Zhou Er choose a place, and he picked the Spirit Restaurant he often visited.

When they arrived, Jiang Liyue asked for a private room.

Once all the dishes had been served, Zhou Er ate in earnest while Jiang Liyue watched him and made small talk.

Jiang Liyue deliberately let details of her background slip, hinting that she was the legitimate daughter of a Golden Core Aristocratic Clan, with a powerful family behind her.

After a few cups of spirit wine, Jiang Liyue suddenly said:

"Fellow Daoist Cang, your talent is no worse than that of any other Talisman Master in Bashui Immortal City. But Bashui Immortal City is controlled by the Wang, Xie, Gu, and Liu Four Great Families. If you stay here, they'll inevitably obstruct you from reaching Foundation Establishment. And that's not all. If you joined my Jiang Family, I'd make sure you could reach Foundation Establishment."

Hearing this, Zhou Er stopped eating and looked at Jiang Liyue.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, are you trying to recruit me into your Jiang Family?"

"That's right, Fellow Daoist Cang! I admire you. You're the most talented and promising Talisman Master I've ever met. Our Jiang Family is willing to invest in you. As long as you come with me, you'll immediately receive a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Jiang Liyue spoke with complete confidence.

She understood better than anyone how tempting a Foundation Establishment Pill was to a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

She herself was a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator and racked her brains trying to obtain more Foundation Establishment Pills to increase her chances of reaching Foundation Establishment.

Each step up was like reaching a new heaven.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators lived for over two hundred years and could project their Spiritual Sense. The sheer force of their presence alone could scare a Qi Refining Cultivator to death.

No Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivator could fail to yearn for Foundation Establishment.

Hearing Jiang Liyue's offer, Zhou Er was indeed tempted.

For days, he had racked his brains trying to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Now, the opportunity was right in front of him.

All he had to do was leave Bashui Immortal City with Jiang Liyue, and he would get one.

For Zhou Er, it wouldn't be difficult.

He wasn't a local, after all. He had only moved to Bashui Immortal City a month ago and felt no attachment to the place.

To him, moving to the Jiang Family or staying in Bashui Immortal City made no difference. He'd simply be cultivating somewhere else—and he'd get a Foundation Establishment Pill, too.

Still, Zhou Er had some reservations.

Jiang Liyue had gone to great lengths to approach him. Although her trying to recruit him made sense, something still felt off.

Zhou Er couldn't put his finger on what was strange, but he knew something wasn't right.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, I only just moved to Bashui Immortal City. Asking me to leave already seems rather rushed."

Zhou Er said.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, I know this may seem sudden, but I can't bear to see a precious pearl like you left to gather dust in Bashui Immortal City."

As she spoke, Jiang Liyue reached for Zhou Er's hand, but he pulled away.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, give me some time to think about it."

Zhou Er said.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, if you come back to the Jiang Family with me, I can give you a Foundation Establishment Pill and make you a Guest Elder. Our family even has a Second-tier Talisman Master who can teach you to make Second-tier Talismans. I'm leaving Bashui Immortal City in five days. If you've made up your mind by then, you can find me at the West Courtyard."

Jiang Liyue gave Zhou Er a lingering glance, then left the private room and let him think it over.

Zhou Er finished the rest of the food as he turned Jiang Liyue's words over in his mind.

From the way she had acted before leaving, it seemed as if this were his last chance.

After eating his fill, Zhou Er wandered around before returning to the small courtyard.

His mind was now mostly consumed by thoughts of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

It felt as though this were his only chance.

A voice in his heart told him that if he refused Jiang Liyue, he might never get his hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill in his entire life.

But if he accepted her offer, all he had to do was say yes, and the pill would be his. Foundation Establishment would be within reach.

His cultivation suffered because he kept fretting over the matter.

Fortunately, his Spiritual Sense was a little stronger than most people's. Otherwise, he might have made a serious mistake during cultivation.

After completing his daily cultivation, Zhou Er was still troubled by the matter of Jiang Liyue.

Everything Jiang Liyue wore looked extraordinary, worth at least several hundred Spirit Stones. The Storage Ring on her hand also looked high-end and expensive.

Judging solely by her clothes, it seemed very likely that Jiang Liyue had been telling the truth.

Besides, she spent generously, casually handing over dozens of Spirit Stones. It didn't seem as if she had any reason to deceive a minor Talisman Master like him.

As Zhou Er kept thinking, he drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, he saw news he had watched in his previous life, and jolted awake.

The scam compounds lured ordinary people abroad with promises of high salaries. The moment they left the country, the scammers showed their fangs, threatened to harvest their organs, and forced them to join the compounds.

Even highly educated, top-tier professionals could fall for scams offering such high salaries. In the end, there was no way to guard against them all.

In his previous life, Zhou Er hadn't taken such things seriously. He'd thought no normal person would be fooled, and that anyone who was could only be a bit slow-witted.

"Greed!"

Zhou Er realized what was happening. Jiang Liyue wanted to exploit his greed for a Foundation Establishment Pill and lure him out of Bashui Immortal City.

Once he understood, Zhou Er calmed down.

Jiang Liyue was no kind soul. Her claims of being an heiress of an Aristocratic Clan were probably just an act.

But the Foundation Establishment Pill was simply too tempting. After all, it was a chance to rise to a higher level of existence and double his lifespan.

Even knowing about Jiang Liyue's scheme, Zhou Er still couldn't help thinking about the pill.

Desire really wasn't something that could be suppressed so easily.

Fortunately, Zhou Er had calmed down by now.

"I have an Equipment Slot. Even if it takes a few more years, I'll reach Foundation Establishment sooner or later. There's no need to take this risk for an empty promise."

In the end, Zhou Er made up his mind to ignore Jiang Liyue, who clearly had ulterior motives.

Rather than waste time on Jiang Liyue, he was better off cultivating good relations with the other Talisman Masters in Bashui Immortal City. That would give him a better chance of getting a Foundation Establishment Pill.

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