The second prize draw!

"It's all right. I can tell you can already draw a Dust-Avoidance Talisman."

"When tracing the lines of a Dust-Avoidance Talisman, you need to 'dab' and 'release' lightly to convey a sense of roundness. At the end, the turning stroke needs a touch of 'gathering.' That will improve your success rate."

Lu Miaoge offered gentle reassurance, her voice as soft as water, seeming to soothe the heart.

The eldest young lady was a Talisman Master?

Hearing Lu Miaoge's professional advice, Lu Changsheng understood.

No wonder Uncle Fu had brought the eldest young lady to assess him.

So she was a Talisman Master too.

That made sense. Why else would she carry a supreme-grade Talisman Brush with her?

He had just been wondering why Lu Miaoge carried a supreme-grade Talisman Brush around.

Since there's an expert here, I'll have to put on another act.

"Eldest young lady, may I ask what you mean by 'gathering'?"

Lu Changsheng adopted the humble air of someone seeking instruction.

"The dabbing, releasing, touching, gathering, flicking, gliding, flashing... You don't know these brush techniques for Talisman Making?"

Lu Miaoge's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she asked softly.

"I only read Introduction to Talismans and the Complete Collection of Basic Talismans, then experimented and studied on my own using the books. I've never learned the brush techniques you mentioned, eldest young lady."

Lu Changsheng spoke with an embarrassed expression.

At that, Lu Miaoge pressed her red lips together, momentarily at a loss for words.

Without anyone teaching him or learning any brush techniques, he had brought his Talisman Making to this level just by reading two basic books.

Such talent...

Even she felt inferior.

"I have a copy of Essentials of Talismans here. It covers brush techniques for Talisman Making, the use of spiritual power, and some insights I've added as annotations. Take it and study it carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, you can come ask me."

Lu Miaoge took a book from her Storage Bag and handed it to Lu Changsheng.

"Thank you, eldest young lady!"

Lu Changsheng naturally accepted her kindness and thanked her excitedly.

Then he asked cautiously, "Eldest young lady, should I draw another one?"

"No need. You've already passed the assessment."

With her waterlike gentleness, Lu Miaoge put the Talisman Brush and spirit ink back into her Storage Bag, then called to Uncle Fu.

"Good. Lu Changsheng, since you have this talent for Talisman Making, starting this month, your monthly resources will increase to five spirit stones and thirty jin of spirit rice."

Uncle Fu immediately made the announcement.

Then he took a set of Talisman-Making Tools from his Storage Bag and said, "Also, this set of Talisman-Making Tools is yours."

"Work hard. As long as you become a Ranked Talisman Master, our Lu Lineage certainly won't treat you poorly."

As he spoke, Uncle Fu gave Lu Changsheng a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Yes! Thank you, eldest young lady! Thank you, Uncle Fu!"

Lu Changsheng expressed his gratitude.

Then Uncle Fu and Lu Miaoge left.

Lu Changsheng immediately saw them to the door.

Watching Lu Miaoge's graceful figure retreat, her white clothes like snow, Lu Changsheng shook his head slightly.

"Unless it's necessary, I'd better keep my distance from this eldest young lady."

As a man-and a lecher at that-he could hardly claim he had no thoughts about this young lady, as elegant as an immortal.

But.

As the saying went, a beautiful woman was a wellspring of trouble.

With such stunning beauty, she certainly had no shortage of admirers and secret admirers, both within and outside the Lu Lineage.

If he really used questions about talismans as an excuse to approach her, who knew whether her admirers would come knocking and make trouble for him?

So, to remain cautious and prudent, he had better stay away.

If he did approach her, he would wait until he had some strength of his own.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to discuss the way of talismans with her then?

Only by enduring as the most cautious of the cautious could one become an immortal above immortals!

That was the motto Lu Changsheng had set for himself.

At that moment, seeing Uncle Fu and Lu Miaoge leave, Lu Lanshu, Lu Zi'er, Lu Qing'er, and the other women hurried over to ask Lu Changsheng what Uncle Fu and the eldest young lady had come for.

Uncle Fu was the steward of Green Bamboo Manor, a man of considerable standing.

For him to visit together with the eldest young lady, Lu Miaoge, naturally meant it was no small matter.

Lu Changsheng did not hide anything from his wives and told them the truth.

When the women heard that their husband had caught the Lu Lineage's attention through his talent for Talisman Making, they were overjoyed.

After all, as Lu Changsheng's standing in the Lu Lineage rose, they would benefit as his wives, their own standing rising like boats on a swelling tide.

Meanwhile.

After leaving Green Bamboo Manor, Uncle Fu asked Lu Miaoge, "Eldest young lady, how talented is Lu Changsheng at Talisman Making? Roughly how long will it take him to become a Talisman Master?"

Although he was an Immortal Cultivator, he did not know much about Talisman Making.

"His talent for Talisman Making is very high. Higher than mine..."

Lu Miaoge pressed her lips together and spoke softly.

"What!"

Hearing that, Uncle Fu looked astonished.

Their eldest young lady was twenty-four now and already a First-Rank Middle-Grade Talisman Master.

Within twenty years, she had a chance of advancing to the second rank.

Yet now she was saying Lu Changsheng's talent for Talisman Making surpassed hers.

Didn't that mean Lu Changsheng also had a chance of becoming a Second-Rank Talisman Master in the future?

That was simply astonishing.

If they knew Lu Changsheng was already a Second-Rank Talisman Master...

And a Second-Rank Top-Grade Talisman Master at that, who knew what they would think?

The next day.

News that Lu Changsheng had become a Talisman Apprentice spread like wildfire throughout Green Bamboo Manor.

It shocked many Lu Lineage disciples and the Immortal Seedlings, leaving them envious, jealous, and resentful of Lu Changsheng.

No one had expected a mere live-in son-in-law to possess such talent for Talisman Making.

Previously, quite a few prospective cultivators had secretly scoffed upon hearing that Lu Changsheng was making talismans, thinking he was a fool lost in dreams.

But today, the Immortal Seedlings all came to Lu Changsheng's home to congratulate him.

Each also gave him a spirit stone as a congratulatory gift.

Li Feiyu gave him a spirit stone too, but Lu Changsheng returned it afterward.

He now received five spirit stones and thirty jin of spirit rice a month.

Li Feiyu still received only two spirit stones and ten jin of spirit rice. How could he have the nerve to accept that money?

As for the spirit stones from the other Immortal Seedlings, he naturally did not return them.

Ten spirit stones added to his purse. Delightful.

He also inspected the set of Talisman-Making Tools Uncle Fu had given him yesterday.

An ordinary one.

A Talisman Brush, but a grade better than the Wolf-Hair Talisman Brush, and probably good for three to five hundred uses.

Then there were ten stacks of talisman paper and two boxes of spirit ink, of the same quality as those he had bought before.

Their value in spirit stones was roughly sixty or seventy.

With this reward and his allowance raised to five spirit stones and thirty jin of spirit rice, he had done very well indeed.

Remembering that Uncle Fu and the eldest young lady had come because the shopkeeper at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had helped him...

Lu Changsheng drew several basic talismans as gifts and made a special trip to thank him.

He understood that much about courtesy and human relations.

Meanwhile, just five days later.

Lu Changsheng's concubine who was carrying twins gave birth.

They were two boys.

Since he had long known they were twins, Lu Changsheng did not seem especially surprised or delighted.

Besides, after becoming the father of four children, Lu Changsheng no longer felt the same nervous excitement at an impending birth as he had at the beginning.

He was much calmer than before.

But when the twins were born, the sound of a system notification filled Lu Changsheng with delighted surprise.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host on the birth of your first twin offspring. You have received one prize draw!]

"My first twin offspring."

"It seems this system's achievements are similar to those in some games from my previous life."

"Whenever something happens for the first time, or reaches a certain number of times, the system chips in with a gift."

Hearing the system notification, Lu Changsheng was delighted and gave it a little thought.

After looking at his twins, Lu Changsheng went to his study and said silently...

"System, I want to draw a prize."

Immediately.

A pale-red virtual Prize Wheel appeared, identical to the one from last time.

It was divided into seven sections: cultivation methods, crafts, spirit pets, medicinal pills, magic treasures, treasures, and others.

"I wonder what I'll get this time."

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath, his heart full of anticipation.

After all, the Second-Tier Talisman-Making Art he had received before had left him delighted and thoroughly satisfied.

"Start the draw."

As the words fell.

A golden light began spinning around the pale-red wheel.

Under Lu Changsheng's expectant gaze, the golden light slowed, finally stopping on cultivation methods.