In the little courtyard.
After finishing his explanation, Meng Qingyi looked at Li Ping, apology in his eyes.
He had warmly invited Li Ping to join the Immortal City before, only to now personally refuse him a position as an Immortal City Retainer.
Such an inconsistent attitude left him feeling rather embarrassed.
But remembering his senior sister's instructions, he still said firmly, "With your talent, Fellow Daoist Li, I'm sure you'll find somewhere more suitable to settle than the Immortal City."
Li Ping was taken aback. He had been about to decline himself, but before he could get the words out, Meng Qingyi had beaten him to it and refused to let him join the Immortal City.
His surprise lasted only an instant before his expression returned to normal. This is just as well. The farther I stay from the Immortal City's muddy waters, the better.
Seeing Li Ping's surprise, Meng Qingyi sighed inwardly. He knew Li Ping was a rogue cultivator who had exhausted all his savings just to reach Foundation Establishment, and had yet to secure even a cultivation method for his new realm.
Now that he could not become an Immortal City Retainer, never mind a cultivation method-even finding the spirit land he needed for cultivation would probably pose a considerable problem.
At that thought, he felt even guiltier.
When all was said and done, Li Ping had done nothing wrong.
Li Ping gave a bitter smile. "With something like this happening to your martial nephew, even affecting your senior sister's attempt at Core Formation, I would be too embarrassed to join the Immortal City even if you hadn't said anything, Fairy Meng. Please escort me off Azure Dragon Mountain!"
Hearing Li Ping's words, Meng Qingyi unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly feeling a need to make amends.
He added sincerely, "Although you aren't a member of our Immortal City, Fellow Daoist Li, reaching Foundation Establishment here shows that you have some affinity with it. I do have a certain standing within the Immortal City. If you encounter any problems in the future, feel free to come to me. As long as it isn't too troublesome, I can help you work out what to do."
Hearing this, Li Ping felt a stir in his heart.
Come to think of it, there really was something he wanted Meng Qingyi's help with.
Not only had Meng Qingyi reached the Foundation Establishment middle stage, he was also a second-tier mid-grade talisman maker-the only cultivator Li Ping knew who possessed a second-tier cultivation craft.
Moreover, after receiving Meng Qingyi's guidance, he had made a breakthrough in talisman crafting and become a first-tier upper-grade talisman maker.
However, his Talisman Maker inheritance only went as far as first-tier upper-grade, so he had already reached the end of the road he could travel on his own.
The major powers all treasured their inheritances of the second tier and above like old brooms they could not bear to part with, and almost never offered them for sale.
At the time, he had wanted to obtain an "authentically used talisman brush" from Meng Qingyi and feed it to the Inheritance Tree as nourishment.
That way, he too could master Second-Tier Mid-Grade Talisman Crafting and become a second-tier mid-grade Talisman Maker.
But their relationship had still been quite distant then, and he could hardly make such a presumptuous request.
Now, however, Meng Qingyi seemed to feel guilty toward him... perhaps he could give it a try?
At that thought, Li Ping stopped hesitating. Once he passed this village, there would be no other shop like this.
"You're too kind, Fairy. Your guidance yesterday brought my talisman-making skills up to first-tier upper-grade. Had I kept building carts behind closed doors on my own, a breakthrough would likely still be far out of reach. I feel nothing but gratitude toward you," Li Ping said calmly.
Meng Qingyi sounded surprised. "You've become a first-tier upper-grade talisman maker? Then congratulations, Fellow Daoist!"
Li Ping nodded, took the Azure Thunder Talisman he had drawn the previous night from his Storage Bag, and handed it to Meng Qingyi with a smile, asking her to appraise it and offer some pointers.
Meng Qingyi accepted the Spirit Talisman, examined it carefully for a moment, then pointed out several problems with Li Ping's brushwork.
He truly lived up to his standing as a second-tier mid-grade talisman maker. Every observation struck the nail on the head. Another talisman maker might have significantly improved their success rate under his guidance.
Of course, Li Ping had the Inheritance Tree, which fixed his success rate for talismans of his own tier at 100%, so he did not gain much from it.
After chatting a little more, Li Ping took advantage of Meng Qingyi's enthusiasm for the conversation to make his request. "Fairy Meng, now that I've made a breakthrough in talisman crafting, I really ought to get an upper-grade talisman brush. Unfortunately, reaching Foundation Establishment nearly emptied my coffers. I simply can't afford a new talisman brush artifact right now."
His expression was earnest. "Might you have an old talisman brush you've retired from use? I would be willing to buy it at a suitable price."
"I see." Meng Qingyi knew Li Ping was telling the truth. As a rogue cultivator, even if he had enjoyed a few fortuitous encounters, buying a Foundation Establishment Pill must have all but emptied his coffers.
It was perfectly normal that he could not afford a talisman brush or a cultivation method now.
Unfortunately, Senior Sister Dai has spoken. Otherwise... ah!
Meng Qingyi already felt guilty toward Li Ping. Guiding him in talisman crafting had also let him indulge in the pleasure of being a teacher, and he had a fairly good impression of Li Ping, so he immediately decided to help him.
After a moment's thought, she patted the Storage Bag at her waist, and a talisman brush giving off faint spiritual pressure appeared in her hand. Its shaft was bluish purple, and its scarlet tip seemed to be made from the hair of some demon beast.
Meng Qingyi held the shaft in her slender, jade-like hand, a trace of nostalgia in her eyes. "Fellow Daoist Li, this Purple Phoenix is a talisman brush I once used. It is second-tier mid-grade, but heavy use has worn down its tip, considerably lowering its success rate when drawing second-tier Spirit Talismans. Still, it should work perfectly well for drawing first-tier upper-grade Spirit Talismans."
He smiled. "Since you have asked, Fellow Daoist Li, I'll give you this Purple Phoenix talisman brush free of charge."
"Give it to me?" Li Ping sounded utterly astonished.
A talisman brush was also a magic artifact, though as a tool for production, it naturally cost less than a flying sword or shield of the same tier.
Even so, a new second-tier mid-grade talisman brush cost around three or four hundred spirit stones. Meng Qingyi's Purple Phoenix was somewhat worn, but selling it for a hundred spirit stones should not have been a problem.
And he was simply giving it away?
In truth, however, Li Ping had misunderstood.
The second-tier talisman paper and talisman ink needed to make second-tier Spirit Talismans were very expensive.
Once wear on a talisman brush lowered the success rate, it would not only affect profits but could even lead to losses in severe cases.
Thus, second-tier talisman makers would decisively replace their brushes as soon as they became worn.
Retired secondhand brushes could not fetch much at all, selling for only about as much as lower-tier Talisman Brushes. This was another way Talisman Makers differed from practitioners of other professions.
Li Ping had originally worried that he might not be able to afford even a secondhand talisman brush.
Now that Meng Qingyi was giving him one for free, he certainly would not refuse the kindness.
Accepting the talisman brush that floated over to him, Li Ping could not suppress the delight on his face. "Thank you for the brush, Fairy Meng. I owe you a favor!"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the Talisman Brush in his hand, and he saw that a line of text had already appeared above it.
[A Talisman Brush imbued with the skills of a second-tier mid-grade Talisman Maker, low-grade spirit stones ×1000, three sheng of second-tier mid-grade talisman ink, three chi of second-tier mid-grade spiritwood. Used as nourishment, these will grant mastery of Second-Tier Mid-Grade Talisman Crafting.]
I've hit the jackpot!