Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Timid and Cherishing Life

In the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion,

a middle-aged man sat with an elegant demeanor opposite Qi Yuan, his eyes involuntarily stealing glances at Qi Yuan’s fair, long legs.

As for Qi Yuan, she was dignified and amiable, completely indifferent to the restless heart beneath the gentlemanly exterior of the man opposite her.

“Elder Wen, rest assured, though this Li Honored Guest Elder I am introducing to you has a talisman craftsmanship not of the highest tier, he has become an Honored Guest Elder in our Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion due to his exquisite skill in talismans. Tier One Middle Level exquisite talismans can be easily obtained.”

“Since Shopkeeper Qi has personally recommended the Talisman Master, the Wen family naturally trusts you!”

The middle-aged man opposite is Wen Xiangdong, a newly promoted elder at the Foundation Establishment Stage from one of the five second-level immortal families in the Spirit Pearl Mountain joint marketplace. He has decision-making power in the Spirit Pearl Mountain marketplace.

However, facing the shopkeeper of the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion with a Golden Sun Sect background, and being at the same Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, he dared not show disrespect.

Moreover, the upper echelons of the Wen family intended for him to find a way to capture Qi Yuan, a rare gem, to help foster closer relations with the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion.

He himself had long been attracted to Qi Yuan’s celestial beauty.

Find a chance to meet Qi Yuan this time was originally intended to increase interactions, hoping that familiarity would breed affection.

“Very well, Elder Wen, please wait a moment. I have already sent a Sound Transmission Talisman to Li Honored Guest Elder; he should arrive soon.” Qi Yuan nodded slightly.

Half a year ago, after reading a commendation document issued by the main pavilion, which included a thrilling recount from Lu Zhenhua about the escape from Inverted Mountain, Qi Yuan realized that Li Jizhou, despite being a small cultivator at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, actually had a life-saving grace towards Lu Zhenhua.

Moreover, based on Lu Zhenhua’s narrative, Li Jizhou’s character was established as noble and kind-hearted.

As Lu Zhenhua’s deceased mother’s Taoist companion, Qi Yuan naturally had an elevated perception of Li Jizhou, a small Qi Cultivation practitioner.

Although aware that Li Jizhou had begun practicing alchemy, the craft of alchemy doesn’t yield results overnight, and it’s often at a loss initially; thus, she has continually provided him opportunities within her capability to earn Spirit Stones.

This time, the Wen family requires a batch of custom talismans, Tier One Middle Level exquisite Spirit Trapping Talismans, accompanied by a Fire Attribute.

Such Spirit Trapping Talismans are quite niche, with single-purpose effects, generally useless to most, and seldom studied by Talisman Masters.

However, since it’s a custom order, the price offered by the Wen family is quite attractive, three times the price of ordinary Middle Level exquisite talismans.

In this case, she naturally thought first of Li Jizhou.

During the wait, Qi Yuan and Wen Xiangdong chatted idly, but her thoughts involuntarily drifted to the recent changes in the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion headquarters.

Originally, after Lu Zhenhua’s commendation, Li Jizhou as Honored Guest Elder should also receive commendation.

However, just as Lu Zhenhua received commendation, he announced his seclusion to attempt a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment, while Li Jizhou’s commendation had no further news.

This defies logic.

At this moment, Li Jizhou arrived.

“Hopefully, I’m just overthinking!” Qi Yuan gathered her thoughts and invited Li Jizhou to sit down.

Then she introduced both parties.

“Talisman Master Li is young and talented; with Shopkeeper Qi’s favor, his future is limitless!” Wen Xiangdong, observing how Qi Yuan was genuinely friendly towards Li Jizhou, a young Honored Guest Elder at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, quickly abandoned his usual demeanor towards younger individuals, saying amiably.

“Thank you, senior, for your praise; all thanks to Shopkeeper Qi’s kindness!” Li Jizhou courteously responded and gave Qi Yuan a grateful look.

Afterward, in the detailed discussion, reason was thoroughly explained, and Li Jizhou slightly raised his eyebrow.

Spirit Trapping Talisman?

Indeed niche, but not so niche for Li Jizhou.

During his time at Inverted Mountain, before condensing the Pill Fire with the Flame Phosphorus Skill, he had indulged the hope if he would ever have the chance to capture an Anomalous Fire in this lifetime.

Anomalous Fire is the spirit of heaven and earth,

In precise terms, it is the cast-off form after the fire attribute Holy Spirit from heaven and earth has taken shape.

It possesses the characteristics of a fire-attribute Holy Spirit but lacks the spirit of intelligence, an immortal and indestructible entity.

During ancient times, Pill Masters discovered it could be nurtured within the Dantian accidentally. During alchemy, the majestic power of Anomalous Fire is several times stronger than the Pill Fire condensed through one’s fire attribute cultivation technique, a truly rare yet invaluable asset for Pill Masters.

Additionally, the majestic power of Anomalous Fire can be wielded against foes, incinerating the skies!

Though Anomalous Fire lacks intelligence, it retains tendencies to benefit and avoid harm and inherently belong to the spirit of heaven and earth, roaming freely across vast mountains and rivers, incredibly difficult to capture or tame.

Yet, the Spirit Trapping Talisman, which can momentarily seal the surrounding specific Spiritual Qi of a target, is well-suited for capturing Anomalous Fires.

All these were things Li Jizhou learned after becoming a Tier Two Pill Master in his previous life, reading them in an ancient text but had never seen one in person.

And Li Jizhou explored Spirit Trapping Talismans during his time in Inverted Mountain without expecting that he could capture an Anomalous Fire with his current self.

Merely as preparation for the future.

The Wend family’s need for Spirit Trapping Talismans wasn’t about capturing Anomalous Fire; rather, it was because the Wen family’s Spiritual Bamboo Garden industry had recently suffered severe damages from an unknown Fire Attribute Spirit Beast, causing tremendous loss of Spiritual Bamboo.

This unknown spirit beast has eluded below ground with keen spiritual senses, even when five Foundation Establishment lineage elders jointly attempted to capture it, they had not succeeded.

Moreover, given its unpredictable range of activities, the Spiritual Bamboo Garden is vast if a formation was to be arranged costs would be enormous.

Which is why their thoughts turned to using Spirit Trapping Talismans – a small-scale, highly mobile method.

Worth mentioning, such a Spirit Trapping Talisman is only effective against spirit beast types that do not store magical power within their Dantian, relying entirely on extracting Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, it is ineffective against creatures with stored magical power within their Dantian hence its niche use.

After contemplating for a moment, Li Jizhou bowed respectfully, “I fear to disappoint senior; such niche talismans have never been in my field of study, and I fear I am unable to undertake the task.”

Qi Yuan’s goodwill, he received it.

But Wen Xiangdong’s demand to leave the Spirit Pearl Mountain marketplace, to go a thousand miles west to the Wen family’s site to draw the talismans for efficiency was something he was unwilling to do.

Compared to the chaos and disorder of Inverted Mountain, Li Jizhou deeply valued his stable and orderly current life, wishing not to disrupt it without significant benefit.

“Ji Zhou, don’t rush to decline; you haven’t heard Elder Wen mention the price yet!” Qi Yuan smiled slightly.

Studying a niche talisman takes time; even if Li Jizhou now possesses the ability to craft Middle Level exquisite talismans, talismans never researched before would still require a considerable amount of time and effort.

She thought Li Jizhou refused due to the reason relating to cost-effectiveness, which was understandable.

“Haha, this is my oversight, Talisman Master Li, for the custom-made Spirit Trapping Talismans, out of respect to Shopkeeper Qi, we offer thirty Spirit Stones per paper!

A guaranteed minimum of ten papers! Even if the first catch of that beast, our Wen family still purchases ten papers from you.

Moreover, we can provide Tier One Spiritual Bamboo made exquisite talisman paper as your material for crafting.” Wen Xiangdong laughed heartily, looking towards Qi Yuan with favor.

“Three hundred Spirit Stones of business! Plus premium talisman paper! Pure profit.” Li Jizhou’s heart stirred slightly.

With current prowess, crafting a Spirit Trapping Talisman at three days per exquisite paper was certainly feasible.

“Senior’s generosity is boundless; this junior is willing to try my best yet, unable to leave the marketplace comfortably, nor guarantee absolute success. I beg your forgiveness.”

The compensation offered by Wen Xiangdong was indeed generous, far exceeding the market norms; refusing at this point could likely lead to embarrassment.

Qi Yuan listened to Li Jizhou’s words, her gaze subtly shifted, recalling the crisis described by Lu Zhenhua during his escape from Inverted Mountain, she quickly understood.

Long accustomed to residing in such chaotic places as Inverted Mountain, it was understandable to be apprehensive, especially having faced pursuit during escape previously, shadows are inevitably cast upon one’s heart.

Arriving at such a stable sanctuary now, staying within is natural.

Especially after mentioning before to her, about living long…

In an instant, alongside the noble and kind-hearted tags, Qi Yuan added two more to Li Jizhou: timid and valuing life!

At this moment, Wen Xiangdong’s countenance slightly altered.

If not for Qi Yuan’s influence, would he, an elder of the Foundation Establishment Stage, need to offer such generous terms?

Such terms, where else couldn’t they find?

“Ji Zhou, go downstairs first, I need to say a few words to Elder Wen.” Qi Yuan, unwilling to expose Li Jizhou’s shortcomings openly yet needing to explain thoroughly to Wen Xiangdong, asked Li Jizhou to leave first.

After a moment,

Upon hearing Qi Yuan’s explanation, Wen Xiangdong laughed heartily.

“Haha, so that’s how it is, no problem, being timid has its merits. Let him prepare well; I will arrange for people to deliver the talisman paper in three days,

Shopkeeper Qi, let us exchange Sound Transmission Talismans for easier contact.” Ultimately, Wen Xiangdong agreed to Li Jizhou’s demands, using them as a premise to obtain Qi Yuan’s contact information.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep