Heavenly Demon Mysterious Talismans

Over the past few months, Mo Wen had gained some understanding of the talisman market in Azure Luan Immortal City.

In Azure Luan Immortal City, the vast majority of cultivators had no access to third-tier talismans. Talismans of that grade were exceedingly precious strategic resources, even within immortal sects.

Talismans could be broadly divided into five grades: first-tier talismans, Second-Tier Spirit Talismans, Third-Tier Treasure Talismans, Fourth-Tier True Talismans, and Fifth-Tier Divine Talismans.

Of the Nineteen Provinces of Eastern Splendor, Yan Province had the thinnest Spiritual Qi and the poorest resources. The standard of its four cultivation arts was also rather lacking.

Never mind the legendary "Fifth-Tier Divine Talismans"; even when it came to "Fourth-Tier True Talismans," the number of people in all of Yan Province capable of successfully drawing them could be counted on two hands. These fourth-tier talisman masters had all, for the most part, been recruited by the three great Nascent Soul sects, and their works never made it out into the wider world.

As a result, there were no fourth-tier talismans on the market anywhere in Yan Province's cultivation world. This had given rise to a situation in which the highest-grade and most valuable talismans on the market were merely third-tier superior-grade ones!

Of course, third-tier superior-grade Treasure Talismans were already very powerful. Used cleverly, they could even inflict a little damage on a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Second-Tier Spirit Talismans were the most profitable in Azure Luan Immortal City. Talismans of that grade were powerful enough and appealed to a wide range of buyers, making them highly sought after on the market!

However, fewer than a hundred talisman masters in Azure Luan Immortal City could draw Second-Tier Spirit Talismans. As such, second-tier spirit masters held a very high status in the city, far above ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Mo Wen's current attainment in the Talisman Dao was first-tier superior-grade. With his Heavenly Dao Rewards Diligence talent, he only had to grind his way to the peak of that grade, and his advancement to a second-tier talisman master would follow as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

Of course, he had only recently become a superior-grade talisman master. To advance to the second tier, he would have to grind for at least another year or two.

Maybe it would be better to find a regular partner. That way, I could earn a little more profit and save some time too. The thought suddenly occurred to Mo Wen.

Back in Red Leaf Market, he had worked with the Wondrous Talisman Studio for years and knew the benefits of such an arrangement. But he had not been in Azure Luan Immortal City long and knew little about the various factions here or their entanglements with one another. He did not dare tie himself to any one faction lightly, lest a fire at the city gate bring disaster to the fish in the moat.

Take it slowly. There's no hurry. A few Spirit Stones aren't worth the risk! Mo Wen remained as steady as an old tortoise, as always, and did not compete for a momentary advantage.

That day, it was once again time for Mo Wen to sell his talismans. He left his cave abode and went straight to a talisman shop in the commercial district.

The shop belonged to the Bai Clan of Azure Mountain, a force of considerable strength and a fairly good reputation in Azure Luan Immortal City. Mo Wen had done business with this shop twice before. He found that their talisman-making materials were somewhat better than those of the other talisman shops he had dealt with, and their prices were very fair.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, you're here." The shopkeeper of the Bai Clan's talisman shop greeted Mo Wen warmly when he saw him.

The shopkeeper was named Bai Pu. He was meticulous in his work but did not quibble over every last penny.

"Shopkeeper Bai, these are the talismans I've drawn recently. Please have a look." Mo Wen took out a stack of talismans and placed them on the counter.

Bai Pu picked up the talismans and inspected them one by one.

After quite a while, he nodded and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Mo, these talismans of yours are all excellent works. I can buy them at eighty percent of the market price."

By market convention, talisman shops bought talismans at seventy percent of the market price. Bai Pu's offer of eighty percent was clearly a gesture of goodwill, showing how highly he regarded Mo Wen's attainment in the Talisman Dao.

"Then thank you for looking after me, Shopkeeper Bai!" Mo Wen replied with a smile.

"Don't thank me just yet, Fellow Daoist Mo. I have another matter to ask of you, and I hope you'll agree."

"Oh? Let's hear it, Shopkeeper Bai."

"Fellow Daoist Mo, my Bai Household recently obtained a Talisman Dao inheritance. Unfortunately, its contents are incomplete, so it cannot be cultivated. The elders of our household wish to restore and complete it, and have therefore extended a sincere invitation to talented people like you, Brother Mo, to join in this great undertaking," Bai Pu explained.

"Well..." Mo Wen pondered for a moment before asking, "Are there any restrictions?"

"I'll give you part of the inheritance to study, Fellow Daoist Mo. You only need to swear on your Dao heart that you won't divulge its contents!" Bai Pu said.

"Is that so?" Mo Wen was somewhat tempted, but he also thought it would be troublesome.

"There's something you don't know, Fellow Daoist Mo. This Talisman Dao inheritance is extraordinarily profound. Some of its contents concern Fourth-Tier True Talismans."

"Is that true?!" Mo Wen was greatly tempted when he heard this. An inheritance concerning Fourth-Tier True Talismans was unquestionably precious beyond measure. Even if he could only access a tiny portion of it, he would gain a great deal.

"Absolutely true! However, you won't be able to see those higher-grade contents until you've achieved sufficient results," Bai Pu added.

"That's only to be expected!" Mo Wen nodded, agreeing with Bai Pu.

"Does that mean you agree, Fellow Daoist Mo?" Bai Pu asked.

"I can't let an opportunity like this pass me by!" With that, Mo Wen readily swore an oath on his Dao heart.

Bai Pu did not delay either. He took out a thin booklet and handed it to Mo Wen.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, once you solve the problem in the booklet, you can receive new contents from the inheritance. In addition, you'll receive a corresponding reward for every problem you solve. Believe me, those rewards will definitely satisfy you!"

Mo Wen was excited, but he said nothing more and immediately began looking through the booklet in his hands.

In the booklet was an exceedingly bizarre cloud pattern. It was very simple, made up of only seven strokes arranged in an unusual combination. Unfortunately, three of the seven strokes were incomplete, each missing a portion.

"As expected, it's extraordinary!" Mo Wen sighed softly and put the booklet into his Storage Bag.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, here is today's payment, a total of four thousand five hundred Spirit Stones." Bai Pu handed him a Storage Bag.

Mo Wen took it and swept it with his Divine Sense. Finding the amount correct, he transferred the contents into his own Storage Bag.

He was eager to study the contents of the booklet, so he dispensed with further pleasantries, took his leave, and departed.

After returning home, Mo Wen immediately took out the booklet and began copying the cloud pattern, as if possessed.

His first attempt soon ended in failure. Unconcerned, he took out a sheet of talisman paper and continued copying it.

Perhaps because the pattern was incomplete, Mo Wen copied it over a hundred times in succession without succeeding once.

He finally realized something was amiss with him and immediately opened his Attribute Panel:

Host: Mo Wen

Talent: Heavenly Dao Rewards Diligence (you reap what you sow; effort will always be rewarded!)

Age: (60/134)

Spirit Roots: Four Spirit Roots (wood 42, metal 31, fire 25, water 11)

Cultivation: Qi Refining Limit Breaking (21570/100000)

Cultivation Methods: Azure Wood Instruction (great accomplishment 9472/10000), Sun Essence and Moon Radiance Life-Praying Technique (proficient 9851/1000000), Hundred Transformations Heart Scripture Qi Refining Chapter (great accomplishment 3028/10000), Ten Thousand Blood True Body Instruction (initial refinement 1257/10000)

Law Techniques: Black Tortoise Armor (beginner 573/1000), Fire Crow Technique (beginner 864/1000), Meteor Arrow (beginner 219/1000), Six Paths Killing Fist (beginner 3489/10000)

Sword Dao: Flowing Light Sword Technique (minor accomplishment 1725/10000)

Talisman Dao: First-tier superior-grade (1936/10000)

Heavenly Demon Mysterious Talismans (not yet initiated 31/10000)