A Conspiracy

After confirming the effects of the Qi-Gathering Pill, Xia Dong didn't rest. He immediately laid out his talisman-making tools on the desk.

Xia Dong dipped his brush in ink and began making talismans. The process flowed as smoothly as running water.

After a strenuous stretch of work, dozens of brand-new low-tier Wind-Riding Talismans rolled fresh off the production line.

Looking at the talismans on the table, their surfaces shimmering faintly, Xia Dong's gaze carried a trace of urgency.

The Peaceful Yin Talisman Scripture stated it plainly: talismans were extremely delicate things. The spiritual energy sealed within them, especially in the low-tier talismans he was making now, constantly seeped away.

The poorer the quality and the lower the grade, the faster the energy dissipated.

If an ordinary low-tier Wind-Riding Talisman were simply tucked into one's robe, the magical power within would vanish completely in less than a month, leaving behind a useless scrap of paper.

In the cultivation world, high-tier talisman masters often spent a fortune on special nourishing formations or had rare spiritual jade fashioned into "talisman cases" to store their talismans and keep the spiritual energy from leaking away.

"I've never even seen those money-burning formations and magical treasures, let alone used them." Xia Dong carefully tucked away the Wind-Riding Talismans he'd drawn, close to his body. His gaze darkened. "If I can't store them, then I have to turn them into cash as quickly as possible."

He'd already entrusted Qin Wan with the channel for selling his goods at the Marketplace, but he couldn't put all his eggs in one basket.

Besides, he was producing talismans in large quantities. Relying on Qin Wan alone could easily draw unwanted attention.

He needed another "big customer" who could take a large number of low-tier talismans off his hands without prying into his affairs.

Xia Dong pushed open the stone door of the secret chamber and changed into a neat physician's uniform.

He felt the thick stack of talismans in his sleeve, then walked straight out of Changchun Medical Hall.

He knew exactly where he was going.

He headed directly for the Eagle-Wolf Guard garrison in Pingyang County. He was going to see Flag-Bearer Zhao Ting.

Pingyang County, Eagle-Wolf Guard branch.

Wearing his neat physician's uniform, Xia Dong passed through the front courtyard's training ground without hindrance and went straight to the rear hall.

Over the past three years, Xia Dong had treated many wounded members of the Eagle-Wolf Guard. Whenever emergencies arose, he had occasionally stepped in to help.

Over time, his robust qi and blood—on par with someone in the Bone Forging Realm—had naturally caught the eye of those who paid attention.

Zhao Ting, the Flag-Bearer, was surprised that Xia Dong had reached the Bone Forging Realm in just a few years. But when he recalled Xia Dong's unfathomable background in the Dao Registry, it all seemed reasonable.

Knowing that the waters behind the Dao Registry ran deep, Zhao Ting had maintained a stance of "courtesy without interference" toward Xia Dong over the past few years.

He neither went out of his way to curry favor nor dared to offend him, treating him as an inscrutable deity whose background couldn't be investigated.

"Brother Xia, what brings you to the rear hall today?"

Zhao Ting dismissed the attendants and welcomed Xia Dong to a seat with a smile, personally pouring him a cup of tea.

After they exchanged a few familiar pleasantries, Xia Dong didn't beat around the bush. He reached into his sleeve, took out the thick stack of low-tier Wind-Riding Talismans, and gently slid them over to Zhao Ting.

"I have a batch of talismans here. I'd like to ask you to take a look and see if the Guard's channels can find them a good market."

Zhao Ting glanced at them casually at first. But when he sensed the pure magical power emanating from the stack, his pupils suddenly contracted.

"So many Wind-Riding Talismans?!"

Zhao Ting drew in a sharp breath. These low-tier talismans might be beneath notice in the capital or among the great sects, but for the low-ranking Ti Cavalry stationed in local counties, who lived by the blade, they were genuine lifesavers.

Zhao Ting's hand paused around his teacup as his thoughts raced.

Xia Dong hadn't said a word about where the talismans came from, but Zhao Ting wasn't a fool. How could a physician in the Bone Forging Realm suddenly produce so many talismans belonging to cultivators?

"That's it! It must be the Qixia Immortal Sect!"

Zhao Ting exclaimed inwardly.

He knew Xia Dong had ties to True Person Lone Moon's lineage within the Qixia Immortal Sect. Now that this batch of talismans had suddenly appeared, Zhao Ting figured that some powerful figures within the sect clearly wanted to use Xia Dong's connections to sell sect supplies to the Eagle-Wolf Guard in exchange for other cultivation resources.

The bigwigs certainly wouldn't get their own hands dirty with this kind of grubby work.

So they'd come to him?

"Are they testing the waters?" Zhao Ting's heart suddenly burned with excitement.

If he opened up a market for them this time and earned their trust...

Who knew how many more high-tier pills and magical treasures might pass through his hands and make their way into the outside world?

The enormous profits behind this were enough to tempt Zhao Ting.

In the past, Zhao Ting might have worried about getting burned. But his state of mind had long since changed.

Last month, he had joined the hunt for a demon snake at Tiger Hill. He'd returned in defeat and nearly lost his life, but as the saying went, destruction came before renewal. The life-and-death struggle, followed by a period of healing and rest, had unexpectedly turned into a blessing in disguise. He had successfully condensed his spiritual sense and broken through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, officially entering the Qi Refining Mid-Stage.

This breakthrough had reignited the ambition in Zhao Ting's heart, which he'd thought extinguished for good.

In the cultivation world, the golden age for Foundation Establishment was before the age of sixty. Once someone passed that milestone, their qi and blood declined. Even with a Foundation Building Pill in hand, the odds of forcing a breakthrough became pitifully low. Often, it took several or even a dozen Foundation Building Pills just to offer a sliver of hope.

Zhao Ting had calculated his age and aptitude. He'd once thought that at best, he'd reach the Late Qi Refining Realm before his life was over.

But now, he'd entered the Qi Refining Mid-Stage ahead of schedule.

If he could gather enough cultivation resources over the next twenty years, he might yet reach the Qi Refining Ninth Layer before turning sixty and take his shot at the Great Dao of Foundation Establishment!

"Compared with the path to immortality and eternal life, who cares how deep the waters run behind Xia Dong? Even if it's a bottomless abyss, I'm diving in today."

When Zhao Ting looked at Xia Dong again, his earlier "courtesy" turned into genuine warmth.

"Brother Xia! We're brothers, and your business is my business!" Zhao Ting swept the stack of Wind-Riding Talismans into his sleeve and thumped his chest as he promised, "These talismans are excellent quality. Leave them to me. I'll pay you upfront from the branch's stores of cultivation supplies and Spirit Stones, at ninety percent of market price."

As for the remaining ten percent, and whatever profit Zhao Ting might make by reselling them at a markup on the Black Market, Xia Dong naturally didn't ask.

"Then thank you, Brother Zhao." Xia Dong smiled and cupped his hands. Then he got to the point. "I'd also like to trouble you to help me exchange for some Foundation Building Pills."

At this, Zhao Ting shook his head and advised him kindly. "Brother, you've already reached the peak of the Bone Forging Realm. You're only a step away from the Internal Strengthening Realm. Foundation Building Pills may be pure, but their medicinal power is gentle. They're useful for tempering your skin and forging your bones, but if you want to strengthen your internal organs, they're like scratching an itch through a boot—not much use."

Xia Dong knew that perfectly well. He took the opportunity to ask, "Then what kind of pill would you recommend?"

Zhao Ting pondered briefly, then answered solemnly. "Once a martial artist reaches the Internal Strengthening Realm, the focus of cultivation shifts from the outside to the inside. You need qi and blood that are both exceptionally potent and full of vitality to cleanse your organs. The Eagle-Wolf Guard has a secret medicine called the Purple Blood Organ-Nourishing Pill. It's made by extracting the essence blood of Purple Blood Beasts and simmering it with dozens of rare spiritual herbs. It's a great help in strengthening your organs."

"But the Purple Blood Organ-Nourishing Pill is highly sought-after. You can't buy it through ordinary channels." Zhao Ting lowered his voice. "But don't worry, Brother. Once we open up the market for these talismans, I'll be able to arrange for pills like that through the Thousand-Household Office in the Prefecture City. Then you can exchange Spirit Stones for them through me."

"It's a deal, then. I'll leave it to you, Brother Zhao." Xia Dong readily agreed.

The two plotted together over the details of their future dealings for a while before Xia Dong finally took his leave.

After seeing Xia Dong off, Zhao Ting didn't immediately take the talismans to sell. Instead, he used his connections to discreetly investigate whether the Qixia Immortal Sect had recently suffered any "talisman theft" or "treasury raid."

The Qixia Immortal Sect was peaceful, and there was no word of anything like that happening.

After seeing the report, Zhao Ting finally felt completely reassured.

"There's no news of anything stolen. Looks like their books are clean, and they can keep a lid on things..."

Zhao Ting relaxed.

Linyuan Prefecture had been troubled lately, and Wind-Riding Talismans—lifesaving trump cards that could be used to flee at a critical moment—were extremely useful to both low-tier cultivators and martial artists.

After all, martial artists could also activate talismans using their own essence blood.