The Western Wasteland held dozens of nations, large and small.
The Jiang Kingdom lay in its central region, while Windmist Immortal City stood in the Cloudmist Mountains at the westernmost edge of the Western Wasteland. Several countries separated the Immortal City from the Jiang Kingdom, a distance of tens of thousands of li.
The journey was far from safe, with demon beasts prowling the wilderness and Rogue Cultivators running rampant.
When Li Ping first came to the Immortal City, he had traveled with a caravan. With so many people, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator leading them, they had managed to arrive safely.
But what Li Ping had witnessed along the way also convinced him that a Qi Refining cultivator could never cross that stretch of land alone.
Thus, after arriving in the Immortal City, Li Ping had never returned to the Jiang Kingdom out of concern for his own safety.
Although he could have gone back with a caravan, caravans were large and cumbersome, traveled too slowly, and charged steep fees, so Li Ping had never considered it.
Now, however, he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator and could just about count as an expert in the Western Wastes Cultivation World.
He could cross several nations on his own to reach the Jiang Kingdom.
In truth, Li Ping had already intended to return to the Jiang Kingdom once he established his foundation and finished all his preparations.
Now Daoist Ji's letter had only made his heart fly home like an arrow.
"Master is already bedridden?" Li Ping fell silent.
Yan Guike had brought him back to the Swordforging Manor when he was thirteen. Yan Guike had already been over sixty then, and twenty-seven years had passed since that day. He was now eighty-seven years old.
In fact, Yan Guike had accumulated quite a few lingering ailments from his youthful days roaming the martial world and fighting others. Had Li Ping not sought out numerous spiritual medicines to treat him after embarking on the Immortal Dao, he likely would never have lived this long.
But a mortal who reached such an age had truly come to the end of his life. Neither medicine nor treatment could help him, and no human effort could delay it.
Only if Li Ping found a pill that truly extended life could he give him a few more years. Yet life-extending pills were incomparably precious even to cultivators.
A rogue cultivator at Foundation Establishment like him had no standing to obtain one. Perhaps a Core Formation cultivator like Windmist True Person would have a way.
It isn't just Master. Daoist Ji must be nearing the end of his lifespan too.
Li Ping then thought of Ji Xiu, the guide who had led him onto the Immortal Dao. Daoist Ji had secluded himself in that little mountain village to live out his remaining years. He had already been over eighty then, and was now more than a hundred.
Though Qi Refining cultivators had stronger constitutions than mortals, their lifespans were not much longer.
Daoist Ji, too, was not far from his allotted end.
His master, Yan Guike, had saved his life when he was about to freeze to death after transmigrating here, while Daoist Ji had led him onto the Immortal Dao and given him a chance to witness the wonders of a wider world.
It was fair to say that these two were the most important people in his life in this world.
Now both had reached the ends of their lives.
At that thought, Li Ping could not help sighing. "Once everything is ready, I'll return to the Jiang Kingdom and see Master one last time."
He did not set off for the Jiang Kingdom immediately.
First, Daoist Ji's letter had explained that his master was bedridden, and that as long as he returned before the year was out, he could see his master one last time.
Second, he might encounter many dangers on the road back to the Jiang Kingdom. To establish his foundation, he had sold even his magic artifacts, leaving him unable to wield the true combat strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
He would need to secure at least one second-tier magic artifact before he could confidently set out.
Four days later, at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.
Over those four days, Li Ping had spent almost all his time drawing talismans, apart from meditating and resting.
Now the Storage Bag at his waist held a stack of over a hundred first-tier upper-grade Spirit Talismans, including Azure Thunder Talismans, Ice Arrow Talismans, and Fire Snake Talismans.
Once activated, a first-tier upper-grade Spirit Talisman was equivalent to an all-out strike from a cultivator at the Late Qi Refining Stage.
Cultivators at the Late Qi Refining Stage with magic artifacts in hand would certainly turn their noses up at them. Their buyers were mostly the wealthier cultivators in the early and middle stages of Qi Refining.
Sales of any single type of Spirit Talisman had always been modest, so Li Ping had drawn some of several varieties before coming to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion to trade.
As for Gu Musheng's little shop, it simply could not absorb his output.
The woman who received Li Ping was once again Miao Rou, the beautiful, full-bosomed woman with a graceful figure who favored red robes.
Seeing that Li Ping had actually drawn over a hundred first-tier upper-grade talismans in just four days, she could not help looking astonished. After all, under normal circumstances, accounting for the chance of failure, a first-tier upper-grade talisman maker could not possibly draw Spirit Talismans so quickly.
Could Fellow Daoist Li be a master talisman maker on the verge of advancing to a Second-Tier Talisman Maker? Amid her surprise, Miao Rou's gaze toward Li Ping involuntarily took on a hint of flirtation.
If she could win Li Ping over, the sales a second-tier talisman maker could bring her would be enormous.
At that thought, Miao Rou leaned forward, pressing the magnificent expanse of her chest against the table. Those surging waves made Li Ping steal a few extra glances.
Pretending not to notice Li Ping's gaze, Miao Rou suddenly adopted a businesslike expression. "Fellow Daoist Li, this batch of talismans is rather large. I can't buy them at the same price as last time. I can only offer the market rate of four spirit stones apiece."
First-tier upper-grade Spirit Talismans sold for only five or six spirit stones on the market, so a purchase price of four spirit stones could hardly be called low. Last time, she had offered him a friendship price, which was naturally a different matter.
In that case, I can only sell them for a little over four hundred spirit stones, while second-tier lower-grade magic artifacts start at over two hundred... Li Ping's brows drew together slightly.
Seeing that Li Ping seemed displeased, Miao Rou hurriedly added, "Although I can't raise the purchase price, considering how many Spirit Talismans you've sold to our pavilion, we'll grant you membership. From now on, you can enjoy a five-percent discount on purchases here."
Only upon hearing that he would receive a five-percent discount did Li Ping's brows ease a little. "Very well. We'll go with that price."
After counting the talismans, Miao Rou was about to take out the spirit stones to complete the transaction when Li Ping stopped her.
He smiled. "Fairy Miao, I happen to be looking to buy a few magic artifacts. Please introduce some to me."
A little over four hundred spirit stones was not enough to buy a Foundation Establishment cultivation method. Since he was in a hurry to return to the Jiang Kingdom, his most pressing need was to buy two second-tier magic artifacts for protection. The matter of a cultivation method would have to wait.
Upon hearing that Li Ping wanted to buy magic artifacts, delight involuntarily shone in Miao Rou's eyes.
Whether she bought Spirit Talismans from Li Ping or sold magic artifacts to him, both counted toward her sales performance.
"Please take a look, Fellow Daoist Li. This Red Shadow Sword..."
Half a day later, when Li Ping emerged from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, a satisfied smile already graced his face.
He had spent every last one of the four hundred-odd spirit stones from selling his talismans.
In return, his Storage Bag now held two second-tier lower-grade magic artifacts, one offensive and one defensive.
With second-tier magic artifacts in hand, he finally lived up to the name of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.