The Third Granduncle's Order

The Han Clan and the Chen Clan have been bitter rivals for many years, having clashed in private numerous times, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Due to the constraints imposed by the Ocean Listening Pavilion, the Chen Clan and the Han Clan have not completely torn off the mask of civility, but in their private skirmishes, the Han Clan has suffered the disadvantage more often.

"Hmph, the Chen Clan is going too far. They target our Han Clan again and again; do they really think we are easy to bully?" Han Changjiong said, his face full of anger.

Han Dehai sighed softly and said, "The situation is unfavorable, so we must endure it for now. The most important thing is to refine more talismans to reduce our losses. A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit—let this be a lesson!"

After breakfast, Han Changming and the other two returned to their rooms to refine talismans.

By refining more talismans, the clan's losses would be reduced. Han Changming would work hard to refine them, but he would not hand over too many, so as to avoid exposing the existence of the Taiyi Spirit-Transforming Gourd.

Han Changming held his breath and focused his mind, staring intently at the talisman paper before him as blue runes appeared under his brush.

In less than half a quarter of an hour, a Water Wall Talisman was successfully refined.

Han Changming set the finished Water Wall Talisman aside, took out a piece of blank talisman paper, and continued to refine.

Soon, a blue rune appeared on the paper, followed by a second, a third...

In a certain cyan pavilion, two men and one woman were discussing something.

"Sixth Brother, just as I expected, the Han Clan fell for the trap. They don't have many talisman masters, so they definitely won't be able to complete the order. Even if they manage to deliver on time, they will lose a large amount of spirit stones."

A man in his early thirties spoke with a hint of triumph, his eyes bright and sharp, giving him a shrewd appearance.

His grandfather had died at the hands of a Han Clan cultivator, and he hated the Han Clan cultivators to the bone.

"The Han Clan opened a talisman shop right near us, clearly intending to steal our business. They launched many promotions and attracted a batch of our customers; the Han Clan brought this upon themselves."

A man with a resolute face in red robes waved his hand and said, "Enough, these are just trifles, no great harm done. At most, it makes the Han Clan suffer a secret loss. To forge iron, one must be strong oneself; improving our own strength is what matters most. Eighth Grand-uncle sent word for us to send people to search for a second-tier Green-Eyed Fish Demon inner core. It is said that Chen Yuxin needs it to refine pills. The higher Chen Yuxin's status in the Ocean Listening Pavilion, the more help she can provide to our Chen Clan."

Chen Yuxin had joined the Ocean Listening Pavilion and had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, where she was learning alchemy; she was the Chen Clan's backer.

The reason the Chen Clan could suppress the Han Clan so many times, besides having a larger number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, was inseparable from Chen Yuxin's connections.

The Ocean Listening Pavilion had four Golden Core cultivators, one of whom was a third-tier alchemist. If Chen Yuxin became a second-tier alchemist, she would have a chance to be taken as a disciple by the third-tier alchemist. If she became a disciple of a third-tier alchemist, she could provide even more help to the Chen Clan.

"The inner core of a Green-Eyed Fish Demon can be used to refine Detoxification Pills, and second-tier demon cores are even more effective. Because of this, cultivators have hunted the Green-Eyed Fish Demon extensively, and now they are rarely seen. Go to the large shops and ask if they have any second-tier Green-Eyed Fish Demon inner cores; the more, the better."

At the Hundred Refinements Pavilion, Han Debiao was talking to Han Deling.

"What? Why would Third Grand-uncle want us to find a second-tier Green-Eyed Fish Demon inner core? Our Han Clan doesn't have a second-tier alchemist! Is someone in the clan poisoned?"

Han Debiao frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.

"I don't know. This is Third Grand-uncle's order. Send more people to inquire about the Green-Eyed Fish Demon. I have already asked at the large shops; they don't have any second-tier inner cores, though they do have second-tier detoxification pills. Third Grand-uncle said, the more second-tier Green-Eyed Fish Demon inner cores, the better."

Han Debiao nodded and said, "Since it is Third Grand-uncle's order, I will send people to look for them! I hope we can find the whereabouts of a second-tier Green-Eyed Fish Demon. By the way, the Chen Clan set a trap, and Nineteenth Uncle accidentally fell for it."

He recounted the whole incident from beginning to end, hoping Han Deling would have a way to resolve it.

"Nineteenth Uncle was careless. The Spirit Talisman Pavilion hasn't even been open for a year; why would rogue cultivators pre-order such a large batch of first-tier talismans?"

"Nineteenth Uncle is already blaming himself, and so is Seventeenth Brother. They just wanted to earn a few more spirit stones, but they didn't expect it to be a trap set by the Chen Clan. Seventh Sister, do you have any way to minimize our losses?"

The Han Clan was bound to lose money; that was a certainty. Han Dao'an had offered certain discounts to secure the large order—small profits but quick turnover.

Han Debiao had asked at other talisman shops; for an order of five hundred first-tier talismans, they would only offer a ten percent discount, and only orders over a thousand would get twenty percent off. No matter how he calculated it, it was a losing business.

"I know a second-tier talisman master at the Heavenly Talisman Tower. I will ask him and hope the Heavenly Talisman Tower can sell us a batch of talismans at a low price. However, don't hold your hopes too high; let Thirteenth Brother and the others refine more talismans."

"I hope so! By the way, that kid Changming has great talent in talisman making. He hasn't even been here a year, and his skills have improved rapidly. He is now a mid-tier first-tier talisman master. I don't know how he failed the selection back then."

Han Deling smiled slightly and said, "Heaven rewards the diligent. Eleventh Uncle lived frugally to provide for Changming's studies, and he himself is quite hardworking. I am not surprised he became a mid-tier first-tier talisman master. When he grabbed the talisman brush during his first-birthday ceremony, it seems he was born to do this. Changjiong is also good; he can already refine high-tier first-tier talismans. It's a pity our clan lacks alchemists. After all these years, we still don't have a second-tier alchemist."

The Han Clan started with artifact refining. Over the years, they have invested a lot of cultivation resources, wanting to cultivate a second-tier alchemist, but without a master's guidance, the Han Clan currently only has three high-tier first-tier alchemists and no second-tier ones.

"Changshuo has good aptitude. He has already reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining and is a high-tier first-tier alchemist. In another year, the Ocean Listening Pavilion will open its gates to accept disciples. Third Grand-uncle plans to have him join the Ocean Listening Pavilion. With his aptitude, his chances of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm are quite high. Once he becomes a second-tier alchemist, he will definitely be able to bring more help to the clan."

"I hope so. By the way, how is Third Grand-uncle? Is he doing alright?"

Han Deling shook her head and said, "Sixteenth Brother, who came to convey Third Grand-uncle's order, said he is the same as always. He has been poisoned for too long, and his cultivation has stagnated. It is already quite good that he can keep his life. Come to think of it, without Third Grand-uncle, I wouldn't have been able to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. I really hope I can help him neutralize the deadly poison in his body."

"Indeed! I also hope to help Third Grand-uncle neutralize the poison. Over the years, we have tried every method we could think of. If only a third-tier alchemist could help, but unfortunately, we don't know any," Han Debiao sighed, his expression filled with sorrow.