The Han Clan and the Chen Clan had been bitter enemies for years. They had clashed privately many times, and both sides had suffered casualties.
Because of the restrictions imposed by the Ocean Listening Pavilion, the Chen Clan and the Han Clan had not completely fallen out. Still, they had fought privately many times, and the Han Clan had suffered more losses.
"Hmph! The Chen Clan has gone too far. They keep targeting our Han Clan again and again. Do they really think we're easy to bully?" Han Changjiong said, his face filled with anger.
Han Dehai sighed and said, "We're at a disadvantage, so we can only endure it for now. The most important thing is to make more talismans and reduce our losses. We've learned our lesson—let's treat this as a warning."
After breakfast, Han Changming and the other two returned to their rooms to make talismans.
If they made more talismans, the clan's losses would be smaller. Han Changming would do his best to make them, but he wouldn't hand over too many, lest he reveal the existence of the Taiyi Spirit-Transforming Gourd.
Han Changming held his breath and focused intently on the talisman paper before him. One blue rune after another appeared beneath his brush.
In less than half a quarter of an hour, he had successfully made a Water Wall Talisman.
Han Changming set the finished Water Wall Talisman aside, took out a sheet of Blank Talisman Paper, and continued making talismans.
Soon, a blue rune appeared on the paper, followed by a second, then a third...
In a certain blue pavilion, two men and a woman were discussing something.
"Sixth Brother, just as I expected, the Han Clan fell right into our trap. They don't have many Talisman Makers, so they definitely can't fulfill the order. Even if they manage to deliver on time, they'll still lose a huge amount of spirit stones," said a man in his early thirties, looking rather pleased. His eyes gleamed, and he had the air of a shrewd man.
His grandfather had died at the hands of Han Clan cultivators, and he hated them with all his heart.
"The Han Clan opened a talisman shop right near ours. It's obvious they're trying to take our business. They offered all kinds of discounts and lured away a batch of our customers. They brought this on themselves."
A red-robed man with a resolute expression waved his hand and said, "All right. These are minor matters, nothing serious. At most, we've made the Han Clan suffer a hidden loss. A blacksmith's strength lies in his own hammering; improving our own strength is what matters most. Eighth Granduncle sent word asking us to find the core of a Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon. Apparently, Yuxin needs one to make pills. The higher Yuxin's standing in the Ocean Listening Pavilion, the more she can help our Chen Clan."
Chen Yuxin had joined the Ocean Listening Pavilion, established Foundation, and was learning alchemy. She was also the Chen Clan's patron.
The Chen Clan's repeated success in gaining the upper hand over the Han Clan was due not only to its greater number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but also to Chen Yuxin.
The Ocean Listening Pavilion had four Golden Core cultivators, one of whom was a Third-Rank Alchemist. If Chen Yuxin became a Second-Rank Alchemist, there was a chance the Third-Rank Alchemist would take her as a disciple. If that happened, Chen Yuxin would be able to provide even more help to the Chen Clan.
"The core of a Green-Eyed Fish Demon can be used to make Detoxification Pills. Second-Rank demon cores work better. Because of that, cultivators have been hunting Green-Eyed Fish Demons in droves, and they're rarely seen now. Ask the big shops if they have any Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon cores. The more, the better."
At the Hundred Refinements Pavilion, Han Debiao was speaking with Han Deling.
"What? Why would Third Granduncle want us to find Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon cores? Our Han Clan doesn't have a Second-Rank Alchemist! Has someone in the clan been poisoned?"
Han Debiao frowned, a trace of confusion in his eyes.
"I don't know. It's Third Granduncle's order. Send more people to look for news of Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demons. I asked at the big shops, but none had any Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon cores. They did have Second-Rank Detoxification Pills, though. Third Granduncle said the more Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon cores, the better."
Han Debiao nodded and said, "Since it's Third Granduncle's order, I'll send people to look. I hope we can find a Second-Rank Green-Eyed Fish Demon. By the way, the Chen Clan set a trap, and Nineteenth Uncle fell for it."
He explained everything that had happened, hoping Han Deling could find a way to resolve the problem.
"Nineteenth Uncle was careless. The Spirit Talisman Pavilion hasn't even been open for a year. Why would a Rogue Cultivator preorder such a large batch of First-Rank talismans from it?"
"Nineteenth Uncle already feels terrible about it, and Seventeenth Brother does too. They only wanted to earn a few more spirit stones. They never thought it was a trap set by the Chen Clan. Seventh Sister, can you think of a way to minimize our losses?"
The Han Clan was bound to lose money; that was certain. To secure the large order, Han Dao'an had offered a discount. A small profit on a large volume.
Han Debiao had asked at other talisman shops. For an order of five hundred First-Rank talismans, they would only give a ten-percent discount; an order of a thousand or more would get twenty percent. No matter how he worked it out, it was still a losing deal.
"I know a Second-Rank Talisman Maker at the Heavenly Talisman Tower. I'll ask him and see if the tower can sell us a batch of talismans at a low price. But don't get your hopes up. We should still have Thirteenth Brother and the others make more talismans."
"Let's hope so. By the way, Changming has a real talent for making talismans. He's been here less than a year, and his skills have improved rapidly. He's already a First-Rank Mid-Grade Talisman Maker. I wonder how he got passed over back then."
Han Deling smiled slightly and said, "Heaven rewards diligence. Eleventh Uncle scrimped and saved to pay for Changming's talisman-making lessons, and Changming himself has worked hard. I'm not surprised he became a First-Rank Mid-Grade Talisman Maker. When he was a toddler and we let him choose an object, he picked up a Talisman Brush. Now it seems he was born for this line of work. Changjiong is doing well too; he can make First-Rank high-grade talismans now. It's a pity our clan lacks Alchemists. After all these years, we still don't have a Second-Rank Alchemist."
The Han Clan had risen to prominence through weapon crafting. Over the years, it had invested considerable cultivation resources in trying to train a Second-Rank Alchemist, but without a master to guide them, it had made little progress. The Han Clan currently had only three First-Rank high-grade Alchemists and no Second-Rank Alchemist.
"Changshuo has good aptitude. He's already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, and he's a First-Rank high-grade Alchemist too. In another year, the Ocean Listening Pavilion will open its gates and recruit disciples. Third Granduncle plans to send him there. With his aptitude, he has a good chance of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm. Once he becomes a Second-Rank Alchemist, he'll definitely be able to help the clan even more."
"Let's hope so. By the way, how is Third Granduncle? Is the old man doing all right?"
Han Deling shook her head and said, "Sixteenth Brother, who came to deliver Third Granduncle's order, said he's the same as ever. He's been poisoned for too long, and his cultivation has stagnated. It's already a blessing that he's still alive. Come to think of it, I wouldn't have been able to reach Foundation Establishment without Third Granduncle. I really wish I could help him purge the poison from his body."
"Yeah. I wish I could help Third Granduncle purge the poison too. We've tried every method over the years. If only we had a Third-Rank Alchemist to help, but unfortunately, we don't know any." Han Debiao sighed, his expression troubled.
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