Borrowing Talismans [Please Follow]

[Evergreen Art +1.2 (Proficiency: 490.2/500)]

Several days passed in a flash.

On this day, Lin Chang'an, who had been holed up at home, slowly opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his face.

"Sure enough, this kind of visible progress is addictive."

These past few days, he had practically done nothing but eat and sleep. Only after three full days of recuperation had he begun cultivating again.

It was not that he was lazy. Talisman drawing was, by nature, something that drained one's essence, energy, and spirit.

"I was too greedy that night. It actually took me three whole days to recover."

Though he sighed over it, there was not the slightest hint of regret on Lin Chang'an's face.

The appearance of his golden finger had been a catalyst, but more importantly, the insight he had gained when the Golden Light Talisman broke through that night had left him unable to stop.

At the moment of breakthrough, he had desperately seized that feeling and continued drawing talismans, etching it firmly into his memory. That was only human nature.

Thus, when he went to sell talismans with dark circles beneath his eyes and the appearance of someone whose energy had been overdrawn, Shopkeeper Mu was not at all surprised.

Who knew how many people could only dream of such a thing?

"However, this cultivation art's proficiency is actually one's understanding of the art. To put it plainly, it is how much one has comprehended."

While cultivating at home these past few days, the Evergreen Art's proficiency had increased by 1.2, giving him quite a few insights into this cultivation art.

In other words, the deeper one's understanding and comprehension of a cultivation art, the better the results of cultivation would naturally be.

Thinking of the conditions required for cultivation, Lin Chang'an secretly nodded.

"On the path of cultivation, aside from the limitations of spiritual roots, there is also the difference in comprehension."

With the same spiritual root talent, the level of one's comprehension also determined a cultivator's future.

[Realm: Qi Refining Third Layer (95.1/100)]

When he saw his cultivation realm, Lin Chang'an smiled.

"Eating Spirit Meat and Spirit Rice, with Spirit Stones to assist me—cultivation really is fast."

This clearly visible percentage of cultivation progress filled Lin Chang'an with emotion.

Of course, he also knew clearly that it was all because Spirit Stones were footing the bill. With the straitened life he usually lived, forget his Low-grade Spiritual Root—even if it were replaced with a High-Grade Spiritual Root—

Under such circumstances, his cultivation would still fall behind.

As the saying went, wealth, companions, methods, and land—wealth came first.

"Cultivation has only just begun. Right now, I still need to hurry and earn Spirit Stones, repay Er Niu first, and prepare the Spirit Stones for the corvée tax. Only then can I cultivate in peace."

For the next several days, Lin Chang'an did not step out his front door or cross his inner threshold, completely living the bitter, secluded life of cultivation.

Every day, he drew talismans and refined qi.

Whenever he felt even slightly mentally weary, he would rest and cultivate, unwilling to waste even a bit of talisman-drawing material.

His days were incomparably fulfilling. During that time, as his talisman-drawing skill improved, he was actually able to maintain a rate of one Fine Golden Light Talisman for every five talismans.

When one was in a good mood, even the success rate of talisman drawing rose. Even the normally dull cultivation left Lin Chang'an immersed, unable to pull himself free.

Bang! Bang!

"Fellow Daoist Lin, it's me."

That day, a familiar voice sounded from outside. When he opened the door, Lin Chang'an smiled and greeted the person outside.

"Old Man He, you're quite the rare visitor."

Old Man He was both a neighbor and an old friend. His thin, wizened face split into a grin, exposing the familiar yellow teeth with several missing.

"Young Lin, listen to yourself. We're neighbors, aren't we? I heard recently that you were preparing to return to the mortal world, so this old man was worried about you."

Looking at Old Man He, the corner of Lin Chang'an's mouth twitched, but he said nothing and invited him inside.

Though those in the same trade were natural rivals, Old Man He specialized in Fireball Talismans, so there was no competition between the two of them.

The moment he entered, Old Man He's red nose gave a hard sniff, and his old face immediately changed.

"I was wondering whose home had been stewing Spirit Meat every day lately. It's nearly made this old man drool himself to death."

Old Man He wore a greedy expression, and Lin Chang'an could not help teasing him.

"Fine, then stay and eat here later."

The moment he heard he could freeload a meal, Old Man He repeatedly shook his head and waved his hands.

"Go on, go on. This old man won't fall for that. Where in this world is there such a thing as a free meal?"

Though Old Man He usually looked like someone who loved taking petty advantages, anyone who knew him understood that the old man was shrewd as a fox.

After entering the house, Lin Chang'an made tea. Once they had drunk two cups, the impatient Old Man He finally helplessly set his teacup down.

"Fine, fine, fine. You're even more composed than this old man. I've lived these sixty-odd years for nothing."

Sure enough, when Lin Chang'an saw Old Man He like this, he smiled.

"Old Man He, who doesn't know that you're either saving Spirit Stones for your grandson or saving Spirit Stones in general?"

Beneath Lin Chang'an's teasing smile was a trace of emotion. Old Man He had once been an expert at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer in his youth.

When Lin Chang'an had first arrived at the Market, he had joined Old Man He's Monster Hunting Squad.

Unfortunately, during one hunt for demon beasts, they had been ambushed by one. More than half the squad had been killed or injured, and even after Old Man He recovered from his wounds, his vital energy had been greatly damaged.

As he grew older, although he was only in his sixties now, he looked as aged as an eighty-year-old. His cultivation had even fallen to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

Given a cultivator's constitution, for someone in his sixties to have aged so severely, one could imagine just how many hidden injuries he had accumulated in his youth.

This was the normal state of cultivators who licked blood from the edge of a blade.

"Young Lin, have you heard lately? The higher-ups are stepping up Land Reclamation. The scale this time is unprecedented—even the corvée tax has been raised to this amount!"

With a pained expression, Old Man He extended two index fingers and crossed them into a ten.

"Ten Spirit Stones!"

Though he had expected it already, Lin Chang'an could not help feeling the pain when he truly heard it.

Ten Spirit Stones—ordinary cultivators simply could not bear to take out that much. Therefore, most cultivators would probably choose to risk their lives in Land Reclamation.

"Old Man He, your talisman-making skill isn't bad. You came here this time...?"

Though he had vaguely guessed Old Man He's purpose, Lin Chang'an was still somewhat puzzled.

Old Man He rubbed his thin hands together and gave an embarrassed dry laugh.

"My grandson's aptitude isn't bad. He can't be like this old man, wasting his whole life here. I'm preparing to send the boy to Li Fire Palace."

Yet when he spoke of his grandson, a proud smile showed on Old Man He's aged face.

The hearts of parents everywhere were pitiable. Old Man He had only this one grandson, and the Spirit Stones he earned in ordinary times were all used to lay a foundation for him.

Lin Chang'an naturally knew this. He had even envied him somewhat before.

"This old man came here to borrow two Golden Light Talismans from you."

"Borrow talismans?" Lin Chang'an's expression turned grave upon hearing this.

Old Man He awkwardly scratched his head. Who could have imagined that this thin, yellow-toothed old man had been a mighty, brawny fellow twenty years ago?

In his younger days, his Blazing Fire Blade had been quite renowned.

Looking at He Tou, the iron-blooded strong man of those days, now bent at the waist by life and turned into the Old Man He before him—

"Old Man He, at your age, do you really think you're still young? Have you gone mad!?"

The moment Old Man He asked to borrow talismans, Lin Chang'an knew what the old fellow intended to do, and his expression tightened.

"Young Lin, you and I both came from Rogue Cultivator backgrounds. If an opportunity were placed before you, would you give it up?"

Old Man He slowly spoke those words, and Lin Chang'an fell silent as well.

If he had not awakened his golden finger, and such a choice appeared before him now, would he be willing to let it slip away?

Lin Chang'an then shook his head and said nothing more. He merely turned over the teacup before Old Man He and refilled it with tea.

"Go on, go on, Young Lin. It's not like you're pouring a cup for this old man at his grave."

Old Man He laughed and cursed, yet two Fine Golden Light Talismans and one Godspeed Talisman had appeared beside the teacup, making his old eyes grow somewhat moist.

Lin Chang'an merely smiled and did not spare the two talismans a glance.

"Two Spirit Stones. Once it's done, don't even think about welshing on the debt."

After the two looked at each other, they both smiled.

Beneath the setting sun's glow, the two of them seemed to return to their younger days.

One was a brawny man holding a great blade, and the other a green youth fresh from the cradle.