Before long, the two reached a palace at the foot of the mountain. According to the old man, the Meng Family Ancestor was inside.
The old man approached the palace and reported the details to the ancestor.
A moment later, a figure hurried out of the palace. Before he even arrived, his voice rang out. "So Fellow Daoist Li has come! Forgive this old man for not coming out to welcome you. My apologies, my apologies!"
Judging by his voice, the newcomer was remarkably courteous.
In those brief moments, Li Ping also got a clear look at the figure emerging from the palace.
He was a round-faced old man of about fifty or sixty, with slightly graying hair. Yet his complexion was ruddy, and his bright, lively eyes made him look particularly hale and hearty.
He looked like nothing more than an ordinary "sprightly old fellow," but what shocked Li Ping was that his aura unmistakably belonged to a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.
The same realm as that damned Sword Cultivator!
He was also the second person at the foundation establishment late stage Li Ping had seen since transmigrating into this cultivation world.
Of course, Dai Sangyu's aura had been all exposed edges and biting sharpness.
This sprightly old fellow's aura, however, felt like basking in a spring breeze.
Upon seeing the round-faced old man appear, the Meng lineage member who had brought Li Ping here hurriedly called out respectfully, "Ancestor."
Only then did Li Ping confirm that this sprightly old fellow was the Meng Family Ancestor.
The Meng Family Ancestor waved casually. "All right, I'll receive Fellow Daoist Li myself. You may go."
After dismissing his lineage member, the Meng Family Ancestor turned to Li Ping with a beaming smile. "Fellow Daoist Li, I've long heard of your great reputation. Unfortunately, circumstances kept us from meeting until today."
The Meng Family Ancestor was being a little too enthusiastic, leaving Li Ping puzzled.
He was no Timely Rain. How could he have a reputation that made heroes bow their heads in homage at first sight?
With that thought, he voiced his doubts directly. "You're too kind, Fellow Daoist Meng. I'm merely a minor cultivator at the foundation establishment early stage. I hardly deserve such overwhelming praise."
At this, the Meng Family Ancestor burst into laughter. "Haha... Fellow Daoist Li, I'm not speaking nonsense. There's already a connection between us. Come, come... let's go inside and talk."
The two entered the palace and sat across a table from one another. An attendant brought spirit tea, then withdrew.
Only then, facing a Li Ping brimming with questions, did the Meng Family Ancestor smile and explain their connection. "You know that lad Qingyi, don't you, Fellow Daoist Li?"
Hearing the Meng Family Ancestor's words, Li Ping finally understood.
After he had successfully reached foundation establishment, Windmist True Person's disciple Meng Qingyi had approached him with an invitation to join the Immortal City. Later, however, that damned Sword Cultivator had prevented him from becoming an Immortal City Retainer.
Still, he had gotten along quite well with Meng Qingyi during their conversation. Moreover, after Li Ping made his request, Meng Qingyi had readily given him a discarded second-tier mid-grade Talisman Brush.
With that Talisman Brush, Li Ping had been able to "inherit" second-tier mid-grade talisman-making skills.
Strictly speaking, he still owed Meng Qingyi a favor of some significance.
Seeing understanding dawn on Li Ping's face, the Meng Family Ancestor smiled and explained further. "Qingyi is also a member of our Meng lineage. It was from him that I first learned your name, Fellow Daoist Li. Qingyi mentioned that your attainments in talisman-making were quite high and that you weren't far from becoming a Second-Tier Talisman Maker. From the look of things, you've indeed made that breakthrough?"
"I am indeed a Second-Tier Talisman Maker now." Li Ping nodded.
A flower-decked sedan chair needed people to lift it; mutual praise carried everyone higher. Since the Meng Family Ancestor was so warm and courteous toward him, Li Ping did not mind showing some friendliness in return.
After answering the Meng Family Ancestor's question, he smiled and added, "It was also thanks to Fairy Meng's guidance on several occasions. Otherwise, I wouldn't have become a Second-Tier Talisman Maker so quickly. I'd been hoping to find an opportunity to thank her, but I never imagined Fairy Meng was a member of the Meng lineage. What a coincidence."
Li Ping was not inventing that claim about guidance. As for the manner in which he had received it... there was no need to mention that.
After hearing Li Ping's words, satisfaction appeared in the Meng Family Ancestor's eyes. He smiled and said, "Haha... once you settle on Immortal Peach Mountain, you'll have plenty of opportunities to see Qingyi. You're both Talisman Makers, so you can exchange insights more often."
Through those words, the Meng Family Ancestor had already conveyed his approval for Li Ping to settle on Immortal Peach Mountain.
He had agreed so readily not because renting a cave abode on Immortal Peach Mountain was easy, but because he had already accepted Li Ping.
As he saw it.
Based on the information the Meng lineage had gathered, together with what Meng Qingyi had told him, Li Ping's talisman-making skills should indeed have reached second-tier lower-grade.
No additional verification was necessary.
Thus, rather than testing Li Ping's talisman-making skills and conducting a background check.
He could display complete trust in Li Ping instead. This would undoubtedly earn him goodwill, put Li Ping at ease, and lessen the distance between them.
That way, their future cooperation would be more harmonious.
Of course, he did not know that Li Ping's talisman-making skills were not second-tier lower-grade, but second-tier mid-grade.
That's all it took to get approved? Li Ping could not help feeling a little surprised by how readily the Meng Family Ancestor had agreed.
Still, Immortal Peach Mountain had a well-established reputation. Several second-tier artisans lived on the mountain, and none of them had ever been reported to have fallen out with the Meng lineage.
So, since the Meng Family Ancestor had agreed so readily, Li Ping had nothing to hesitate over.
He would rent a cave abode on Immortal Peach Mountain.
"Since you put it that way, Fellow Daoist, I won't stand on ceremony." Li Ping smiled. "I've long admired Immortal Peach Mountain myself. I just wonder how much a cave abode costs, and what restrictions apply to living on the mountain?"
When Li Ping asked about the rent and the restrictions on the cave abodes.
The Meng Family Ancestor looked thoroughly easygoing. He smiled and said, "Immortal Peach Mountain's spirit vein is second-tier upper-grade, so cultivating here is much more effective than on ordinary second-tier spirit land. However, the reason our Meng lineage rents out space on Immortal Peach Mountain is to make friends. Everyone who settles here is a friend of the Meng lineage, so all our cave abodes come at a friendship price: 100 spirit stones a year."
"100 spirit stones?" Li Ping nodded slightly. That price was within his expectations.
From his observations, a late qi refining stage cultivator like Zhang Tie, who possessed a low-end craft, earned roughly forty to sixty spirit stones a year.
Foundation establishment cultivators earned considerably more. An ordinary foundation establishment cultivator could earn over three hundred spirit stones a year while still ensuring enough time for personal cultivation.
For foundation establishment cultivators with advanced skills such as Alchemy or Artifact Refining, annual income was much higher than for ordinary foundation establishment cultivators. Depending on how much time they were willing to invest, their yearly earnings varied widely.
Thus, given the means of a second-tier artisan, a yearly rent of one hundred spirit stones for second-tier upper-grade spirit land truly was a friendship price.
The Meng Family Ancestor's voice reached his ears again.
"Besides that, other fellow Daoists occasionally approach the Meng lineage to request help from fellow Daoists living on Immortal Peach Mountain. If it's convenient, I hope you'll do the Meng lineage the honor of helping when the time comes."
"Also, if you wish to sell Spirit Talismans or purchase talisman-making materials, please patronize the Meng lineage's business whenever convenient. I can guarantee that our prices will never leave you at a disadvantage."
Finally, the Meng Family Ancestor smiled and explained, "Of course, both matters mentioned above are entirely up to you. Our Meng lineage will never force any fellow Daoist on the mountain to do anything."