Chapter 92 - 88: Middle-Grade Talisman Master

Chapter 92: Chapter 88: Middle-Grade Talisman Master

"It took fourteen years. Not too bad."

Chen Jianghe’s face broke into a satisfied smile. As the power unleashed by that Water Arrow Talisman reached the full strength of a Sixth-Layer Qi Refining magic attack, his Talisman Dao skills had finally advanced to Tier One Middle Grade at the age of forty-seven, making him a Middle-Grade Talisman Master. If he wished, he could resign from his position as a Senior Fisherman and Farmer and become one of the Yun family’s Hundred Arts Guest Elders.

Fourteen years to progress from a Lower-Grade Talisman Master to a Middle-Grade Talisman Master was considered very slow for cultivators with high Talisman Dao talent. However, for a cultivator with average talent like him, his speed of improvement wasn’t slow at all. Without delay, he prepared to strike while the iron was hot and continue crafting Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans to consolidate his Tier One Middle Grade Talisman Dao skills.

Suppressing his excitement, he cleared his mind and focused his heart and mind. He picked up the Wolf Hair Talisman Pen, dipped it in Spiritual Ink, and began drawing on a piece of Spirit Blood Pig Hide.

The Lower-Grade Peach Wood Talisman Pen was no longer suitable for crafting Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans; a Middle-Grade Wolf Hair Talisman Pen was required. Moreover, the carrying medium for the spirit talisman could no longer be High-Quality Yellow Paper. Mid-Stage Qi Refining magic was simply too powerful for High-Quality Yellow Paper to withstand. Instead, special spirit beast hides and spirit tree hides soaked in spirit blood were necessary.

Chen Jianghe chose to use Black Pig Hide. The black pig was a plump, black-fanged boar possessing a Second-Grade Lower-Class bloodline. Of course, not the entire hide could be used for crafting spirit talismans; only the belly and back hides were suitable, as magic power talismans could not be branded onto other parts. One piece of Black Pig Hide cost ten spirit stones and could be cut into thirty portions.

There was no need to replace the Spiritual Ink. The mixture of Cyan-Scaled Fish blood and cinnabar was still sufficient for crafting Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans, though a single box now yielded thirty uses instead of fifty.

In truth, Chen Jianghe had purchased the supplies needed for Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans the year after his trade agreement with Talisman Master Chu Lang concluded.

During the final year of that trade agreement, Chen Jianghe had crafted thirty-eight Five Elements Escape Talismans. After deducting the costs, they each received forty-five spirit stones. From the eleven spirit stones given to Talisman Master Chu Lang in the first year to the forty-five spirit stones in the last year, Chen Jianghe had shared a total of three hundred and thirty spirit stones with him over the ten-year period. This amount happened to fall perfectly within the price fluctuation range of a Talisman Dao inheritance in the Immortal Sect Marketplace.

Neither party suffered a loss; it was a mutually beneficial win-win situation. When Chen Jianghe delivered the final profit share, Talisman Master Chu Lang explicitly stated that even though their trade had ended, Chen Jianghe would receive a ten percent discount whenever he bought High-Grade Spirit Talismans from him in the future. Thus, the conclusion of their trade didn’t turn them into enemies; they actually became friends. Chen Jianghe was very satisfied.

On New Year’s Eve of the same year, Chen Jianghe received a letter from Gao Peiyao. Having learned of his and Yu Daniu’s circumstances, she wasn’t angry that they had failed to attend their scheduled meeting. The letter expressed her hope that they would gather again when the opportunity arose.

After the new year, Chen Jianghe stopped crafting Five Elements Escape Talismans and switched to Amulets. He successfully crafted forty-seven Amulets. After selling them to the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion, he earned ninety-four spirit stones, netting eighty-eight spirit stones after deducting costs. This profit was entirely his own, with no need to split it with anyone else.

The following year, he began crafting all types of Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans, particularly Attack-Type Spiritual Talismans. By the beginning of the year, he had finally increased his talisman success rate for Attack-Type Spiritual Talismans to seventy percent, bringing his profits to ninety-one spirit stones. Afterward, he spent twenty-five spirit stones on a Middle-Grade Wolf Hair Talisman Pen and twenty spirit stones on two complete Black Pig Hides. He started attempting to craft Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans, eventually succeeding in creating a Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talisman in July of this year.

Compared to Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans, Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans were much more expensive, but the crafting difficulty had also increased. The consumption of magical power and heart and mind had doubled. Chen Jianghe could only manage to attempt crafting seven times a month, and he still didn’t know how many would be successful.

Several months passed in a flash.

As New Year’s Eve approached, the Yun family’s large ship arrived to collect the fish. Chen Jianghe’s breeding waters only yielded two Little Cyan Fish, and their average weight was short by eight taels. Logically, this was sub-standard. Current regulations in the inner waters dictated that Senior Fishermen and Farmers had to produce three Little Cyan Fish per term.

With the increasing prosperity of the Jingyue Marketplace, Little Cyan Fish that had become spirit beasts were in high demand. Even White Egrets were now specially bred by the Yun family. The signature dishes of the Jingyue Immortal Tower were Braised Cyan-Scaled Fish and Roasted Whole Egret.

However, given Chen Jianghe’s relationship with Yu Daniu, the Chief Ship Steward who came to collect the fish naturally didn’t dare to be overly strict. He smiled and chatted the whole time, eventually rounding up the payment and giving Chen Jianghe three spirit stones.

"One hundred and seventy-three spirit stones now. Without Talisman Master Chu Lang’s share, my speed of accumulating spirit stones has increased quite a bit," Chen Jianghe murmured.

His talisman-making profits over these years, combined with his six spirit stones of fish-farming salary, and deducting the cost of the Wolf Hair Talisman Pen, Black Pig Hide, Spiritual Ink, and the four Spirit-Encompassing Flowers he bought for Little Black, left him with one hundred and seventy-three spirit stones in hand.

However, he still had six Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans left unsold. These six Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans were the fruit of this year’s talisman-making, consuming two whole Black Pig Hides and two boxes of Spiritual Ink. The talisman success rate was a pitiful ten-plus percent.

A Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talisman was worth five spirit stones, and the recycling price was a fifteen percent discount—four spirit stones and twenty-five grains of spiritual sand. The six Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans added up to twenty-five spirit stones and fifty grains of spiritual sand. Factoring in the wear and tear of the Wolf Hair Talisman Pen, it could be said that he had just managed to break even this year. He hadn’t earned a single penny.

It couldn’t be helped; talisman-making was a process. It was impossible for his talisman success rate to instantly reach fifty percent right after becoming a Middle-Grade Talisman Master.

Nevertheless, Chen Jianghe didn’t plan to continue crafting Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans. He intended to resume crafting Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans, especially the Five Elements Escape Talismans. Only by doing so could he maximize his short-term profits and rapidly accumulate the wealth needed to leave Jingyue Lake. As for crafting Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans and improving his Talisman Dao skills, he would wait until he had left Jingyue Lake and settled in a new place. Right now, what he needed most was spirit stones. Purchasing a spirit beast circle, magical artifacts, and High-Grade Spirit Talismans all required spirit stones.

In a few days, he would be forty-eight years old. Cultivators his age usually had faces lined with wrinkles. Sitting at the bow of the boat, he looked at his reflection on the lake’s surface. His not-too-handsome face was smooth and delicate, without a single wrinkle. It might not draw attention for the next couple of years, but what about a few years down the line? Observant people would definitely notice the anomaly. He had never left Jingyue Lake, making it impossible for him to have bought a Youthful Pill. Besides, it wasn’t something a bottom-tier loose cultivator could afford anyway.

"I reached Sixth-Layer Qi Refining Perfection almost two years ago," he thought, "yet the bottleneck to breaking through to the late stage remains as firm as a solid rock, completely unbreakable. Could it be that I must rely on a Misfortune-Breaking Pill to break through?"

If he used a Misfortune-Breaking Pill, Chen Jianghe could have broken through to the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining two years ago. However, having learned of the pill’s side effects from Gao Peiyao, he naturally didn’t dare to gamble with his future Foundation Establishment. He would rather grind for a few more years than damage his chances of a successful Foundation Establishment in the future.

"Five years," he told himself. "If I cannot break through to the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining within five years, I will have no choice but to consume a Misfortune-Breaking Pill."

Although consuming a Misfortune-Breaking Pill would affect his Foundation Establishment success rate, continuing to stay at Jingyue Lake meant he probably wouldn’t even cultivate to Foundation Establishment. Waiting another five years would also give him time to earn more spirit stones.

With his mind set, Chen Jianghe had Little Black hide deep within the gravel at the bottom of the lake before heading to the Jingyue Marketplace.

Seventeen years ago, Little Black had broken through to Mid-Stage Tier One. Over these many years, it had consumed thirty-eight Spirit-Encompassing Flowers, a Braised Cyan-Scaled Fish, and a Roasted Whole Egret—resources worth nearly one hundred and sixty spirit stones. This was more than enough resources for a bottom-tier cultivator to cultivate to late-stage Qi Refining, with some to spare. Fortunately, Little Black finally showed signs of a breakthrough. Otherwise, with so many resources thrown in without even making a splash, Chen Jianghe really would have gone mad.

He estimated that if Little Black devoured ten more Spirit-Encompassing Flowers, it would definitely be able to break through to Late-Stage Tier One. As long as Little Black could break through, his departure from Jingyue Lake would be highly secured.

Upon arriving at the Jingyue Marketplace, he first sold the Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans he had on hand, earning twenty-five spirit stones and fifty grains of spiritual sand. Then, he bought a brand-new Lower-Grade Peach Wood Talisman Pen, twenty boxes of Spiritual Ink, and two hundred and fifty sheets of High-Quality Yellow Paper, purchasing all the talisman-making materials he would need for the next five years in one go.

For him right now, reducing his visits to the Jingyue Marketplace was imperative. If he visited too often, his unchanging appearance would arouse suspicion. Purchasing the talisman-making materials cost him thirty-four spirit stones and fifty grains of spiritual sand, and he spent another forty spirit stones on ten Spirit-Encompassing Flowers.

His Qi Storage Pills had run out a year and a half ago, but he didn’t buy any more. Given his Sixth-Layer Qi Refining Perfection cultivation, there was absolutely no need to continue taking them. His main focus now was grinding at the bottleneck, striving for an early breakthrough. Qi Storage Pills only enhanced magical power and were completely useless to him now.

Walking out of the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion, Chen Jianghe glanced in the direction of the Yun Clan Territory.

"Daniu told me to prepare spirit stones. Currently, I only have one hundred and twenty-four spirit stones on hand. I’m afraid the shortfall is still quite large," he muttered.

It had been over four years since Yu Daniu left Huxing Island to search for traces of Wang Kui within the one-thousand-and-eight-hundred-mile radius of the Jingyue Lake region. It was just as Chen Jianghe had said: it was like finding a needle in a haystack. The Yun family was only doing this to give the Celestial South Sect an explanation, making the Celestial South Sect feel the Yun family’s reverence.

After pausing for a moment, he left the Jingyue Marketplace. For the foreseeable future, he would focus on cultivating, grinding away at his bottleneck, and dedicating all his efforts to crafting spirit talismans to accumulate more spirit stones.

***

Shortly after Chen Jianghe left the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion, the Third-Layer Qi Refining young girl from the Spirit Talisman Counter also departed, heading in the direction of the Yun Clan Territory.

Fumin Residence, Courtyard Number Two.

Covering a little over half an acre, it had seven rooms and a small garden with artificial rockeries. It was far more luxurious and exquisite than the other small courtyards. The Third-Layer Qi Refining young girl arrived at the door of Courtyard Number Two and knocked. Not long after, Yun Xiaoniu opened the courtyard gate.

"Cousin Suxin?" Yun Xiaoniu looked at the visitor with confusion.

"Cousin Xiaoniu, is Aunt Huizhen at home?"

"She’s home."

"Quick, take me to see her."

"Uh, alright."

Although puzzled, Yun Xiaoniu led Yun Suxin into the courtyard and into the guest hall, where they saw Yun Huizhen chatting and laughing with her sister, Yun Huixiang.

"Your niece greets you, Aunt Huizhen," she said. "Aunt Huixiang is here too!"

Although Yun Huizhen and Yun Huixiang were biological sisters, Yun Suxin had to address Yun Huizhen simply as ’Aunt’ to show respect, since Yun Huizhen’s husband, Yu Daniu, was a family steward.

As for Yun Huixiang? Even though she was also the daughter of the Ninth Elder, Yun Xiaoqian, she remained an unmarried woman living at home, over forty years old, with only a Fifth-Layer Qi Refining cultivation. If the family didn’t put effort into supporting her, she had no hope of reaching Late-Stage Qi Refining. Thus, Yun Suxin respectfully added her name before the title of ’Aunt’.

"Suxin, what brings you to your aunt’s place? Come, sit down," Yun Huizhen said with a smile, waving Yun Suxin over. She affectionately patted the seat next to her. Because she and Yu Daniu only had sons, she was very fond of this niece who had mediocre talent but was very bright.

"Aunt Huizhen, I was working at the Jingyue Treasure Pavilion today, and I saw Brother Jianghe," Yun Suxin said, sitting obediently beside Yun Huizhen.

"Brother Jianghe? What about him?" Yun Huizhen asked.

Hearing Chen Jianghe’s name, Yun Huixiang also perked up her ears to listen.

"I heard you mention before that he is a Lower-Grade Talisman Master, but today he sold six Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans. He must have just become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master."

As soon as Yun Suxin’s words fell, before Yun Huizhen could say anything, Yun Huixiang stood up abruptly. Her face changed dramatically as she looked at Yun Suxin in disbelief. "What did you say? He became a Middle-Grade Talisman Master?"