The Hundred Treasures Pavilion's rear courtyard had a spacious testing ground set aside specifically for talismans.
The ground was paved with hard bluestone slabs, and thick stone walls stood all around it.
Several guards, stewards, and attendants from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion had heard that they were about to test a "first-tier talisman capable of unleashing second-tier power," and gathered around curiously.
They were all there to watch a spectacle.
First-tier was first-tier. No amount of boasting could turn it into second-tier.
Su Yun walked to an open space and casually took out the Blazing Fire Talisman.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he gently urged his spiritual power with a fingertip.
"Burn."
He murmured the word.
In an instant, crimson light shot into the sky.
The talisman, originally only palm-sized, exploded.
A terrifying blaze, fully four or five zhang high, erupted with a thunderous boom!
Scorching waves swept in every direction, distorting the air with heat.
The raging flames slammed hard into the thick stone wall for testing talismans in the distance.
A thunderous crash rang out.
The hard bluestone wall was instantly scorched black and blown apart, sending fragments flying.
The sight was utterly shocking.
The entire courtyard fell silent.
Everyone watching stood frozen in place, dumbstruck.
Their mouths gaped wide enough to swallow an egg.
Only after a full three breaths
did a chorus of sharp gasps break out.
"I... I can't believe it!"
"It... it really has second-tier power!"
"That flame strength, that destructive force—it's definitely a second-tier Blazing Fire Talisman!"
"Hell, I never thought I'd see the day! A first-tier talisman unleashing second-tier power? It's completely overturned everything I thought I knew!"
"Who is this old man? His ability to improve talismans is absolutely insane!"
Zhang Jian stood where he was, the disdain and suspicion on his face vanishing without a trace.
In their place was utter shock.
He had done business in talismans for decades and had dealt with at least eighty or ninety talisman masters.
From low-tier apprentices to seasoned talisman masters, he had seen more than his share of geniuses.
But this old man had completely shattered everything he had believed for decades.
The cultivation world had developed for tens of thousands of years, and the system of talisman arts had long since been refined to the utmost.
First-tier talismans in particular were the most basic, most fundamental structures of talisman runes.
For tens of thousands of years, countless senior cultivators and top talisman masters had repeatedly refined, calculated, and optimized them.
They had long since reached a level of maturity that seemed impossible to surpass.
Every turn in a rune, every point where spiritual power was infused, every path along which spiritual energy flowed—all were the best solutions confirmed by generations of practitioners.
Ordinary talisman masters couldn't improve talismans, even if they tried.
Changing even the tiniest part of a pattern or slightly adjusting the rhythm of the spiritual power input would cause the runes to collapse.
At best, the talisman would be ruined and the materials wasted.
At worst, the spiritual power would rebound and burn the meridians in the user's body.
This was an ironclad rule acknowledged throughout the cultivation world.
There was no room to improve low-tier talismans.
Yet this old man had broken that rule.
The talisman paper was exactly the same first-tier kind, and the basic Blazing Fire runes were exactly the same.
And yet he had forcibly improved them to unleash the terrifying power of a second-tier talisman.
This wasn't something that could be achieved through skill alone!
It required an exhaustive understanding of the essence of talisman arts, the circulation of spiritual energy, and the structure of energy itself!
Zhang Jian's heart pounded wildly, and a layer of cold sweat quietly gathered across his back.
Ordinary hard work could never achieve something like this.
Countless old talisman masters had devoted their whole lives to the art, calculating day and night, and still failed to make even the slightest breakthrough.
Improving talismans had never been about time or sheer toil.
It took extraordinary talent, transcendent insight, and a uniquely profound vision of the Great Dao.
The old man before him was unquestionably a top-tier talisman master!
Without a doubt!
Zhang Jian fixed his eyes on Su Yun, his thoughts churning rapidly.
He didn't dare claim to know the old man's true identity.
Perhaps the man possessed such heaven-defying talent that he had grasped the source of talisman arts.
Or perhaps he had a transcendent sect of talisman masters or a reclusive expert standing behind him.
Otherwise, there was no explaining such an astonishing method of improvement.
Someone at this level wouldn't lack spirit stones or connections.
A single batch of talismans would be enough to make every major trading house fight over them.
For the goods to end up in his Hundred Treasures Pavilion was a tremendous opportunity—and a blessing for him personally.
In an instant, all of Zhang Jian's disdain, doubts, and wishful thinking vanished completely.
Only the utmost respect remained, along with an undisguisable greed.
He understood the value of these improved talismans.
If he secured the exclusive rights, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion could crush every competitor in the Azure Cloud Market.
It could monopolize the entire region's market for low- and mid-tier talismans, rake in gold by the day, and take off for good.
Once he had thought it through, Zhang Jian's attitude changed completely.
He hurried forward, bowing slightly and making himself as deferential as possible.
"Master! I failed to recognize your greatness and offended you earlier. I hope you'll forgive me!"
"Your talismans are nothing short of divine!"
"It's the honor of my Hundred Treasures Pavilion—and a blessing for me, Zhang Jian—to acquire talismans personally crafted by you!"
Su Yun's expression remained calm, without a ripple.
"Enough with the pleasantries."
Zhang Jian immediately composed himself and asked seriously, "Master is absolutely right! May I ask what price you have in mind? I won't haggle!"
Su Yun replied blandly, "You're in this line of business. You know the market better than I do. Just tell me what price you can offer."
Zhang Jian furrowed his brows slightly, quickly weighing the pros and cons.
The market purchase price for a first-tier, high-grade Blazing Fire Talisman was thirty low-grade spirit stones at most.
A second-tier, low-grade Blazing Fire Talisman fetched 180 low-grade spirit stones on the market and sold for a little over 200.
This batch looked like first-tier talismans, but their power was undeniably second-tier—perhaps even stronger than that of ordinary second-tier, low-grade ones.
If he paid the going rate for second-tier talismans, he would still make a profit.
But if he offered too little and offended this master, it would be a disastrous trade.
After barely half a breath of hesitation, Zhang Jian gritted his teeth and made up his mind.
He would offer the highest price possible!
"Master!"
"Your talismans look like first-tier ones, but their power is undeniably on a second-tier level, far exceeding that of ordinary second-tier, low-grade talismans on the market!"
"No games. One price!"
"Two hundred low-grade spirit stones each!"
That price was already higher than the retail price of second-tier, low-grade talismans on the market.
It was the highest price any trading house could offer to show its sincerity.
The attendants and stewards watching broke into an uproar and gasped.
He'd gone mad!
The shopkeeper was offering two hundred spirit stones for a first-tier talisman?
That price had already shattered the market's buying rules.
A flicker of approval, nearly impossible to notice, crossed Su Yun's eyes.
This Zhang Jian really knew how to handle people. He understood where to draw the line, had a sharp eye, and thought big.
Two hundred low-grade spirit stones each was far more than he had expected.
Su Yun nodded lightly. "The price is acceptable. It's fair enough."
Zhang Jian's anxious heart finally settled. A delighted grin spread across his face, and he hurried to seize the moment.
Su Yun looked up and spoke unhurriedly, dropping a bombshell.
"I have quite a few of these improved talismans."
"There's a full range of types, not just Blazing Fire Talismans."
"I just don't know whether your Hundred Treasures Pavilion has the financial means to take the whole lot."
Those words sent Zhang Jian's thoughts spinning and his blood surging.
It wasn't just a few talismans. It was a large batch!
And they were improved talismans of every type!
This wasn't some small deal. It was an enormous fortune delivered right to his door!
He didn't even think twice. He immediately puffed out his chest and smacked it hard.
"We can take them! Absolutely!"
"Master, rest assured!"
"As long as the talismans are made by you, my Hundred Treasures Pavilion will take them all, no matter how many there are!"
"Whatever you have, I'll buy!"
Zhang Jian's eyes burned with fervor, and he was deferential to the extreme.
At that moment, there was only one thought in his mind.
Cling tightly to this big shot's leg.
As long as he could secure a long-term partnership, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would soon rule the entire market!