Chapter 64: Chapter 62: Leaving the Marketplace

“Two more months?”

Long Tao’s eyebrows furrowed slightly; such a precedent had never existed in the array shop.

“Yes, during this period, to break through to the eighth level of Qi Refining, I exhausted my savings, so I am temporarily in some difficulty. But as long as I have two months, repaying the spirit stones won’t be an issue… I am now preparing to mass-produce high-tier arrays.”

Li An looked apologetic and simultaneously showcased his Qi Refining’s eighth-level aura to demonstrate his sincerity.

Long Tao was a bit surprised, his eyes quite complex. He knew that Li An was over sixty years old, yet he still managed to take another step forward and reach the eighth level of Qi Refining!

Rare!

However, it wasn’t all that uncommon; as long as there were spirit stones, there were many ways to achieve it. Li An exhausting his savings for a level of cultivation was normal.

Moreover, after Li An’s breakthrough, it would greatly benefit him!

After all, the stronger Li An’s cultivation was, the higher the success rate of creating high-tier arrays, and the more commission he could receive from it.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but squint slightly, “Brother Li, you know, Tier Two arrays have never been something you take delivery of and then pay two months later… You’re putting me in a difficult position.”

Li An gritted his teeth and said, “Brother Long, I’m truly out of options… How about from now on, we change the array sales split to sixty-four? You take forty percent!”

He’s definitely putting in a lot!

Long Tao said, “Fifty-fifty! This matter is too risky. For the sake of our friendship, I’m willing to shoulder the risk for you, but you can’t let me take a loss either…”

Li An hesitated for a long time before saying, “Alright!”

Agreed.

“By the way, Brother Long, the materials for crafting arrays might also need to be on credit first…”

He then awkwardly spoke.

Long Tao, having agreed to the Tier Two arrays, generously said, “Alright!”

Directly giving Li An four sets of high-tier array materials on credit, worth over a thousand spirit stones!

“Don’t worry, Brother Long, after I return, I’ll go into seclusion for these two months and create arrays and talismans, ensuring you won’t take a loss!”

Li An left with the items, expressing his gratitude repeatedly.

Long Tao watched Li An’s back, stroking his short beard, revealing a satisfied smile!

—After the sect delivers goods to the shop, they can generally stay for three months before repaying the sect.

So giving Li An two months was really just a matter of lifting a finger.

Moreover, given that Li An was a disciple of the Profound Yang Sect and had previously made great contributions in slaying the Life-taking Horse-Faced, although the two thousand spirit stones owed were not a small amount, he was confident that with his expertise in talismans and arrays, he could pay it back.

With this opportunity to effortlessly increase his future commission, he was very satisfied!

…

Returned to the Spirit Talisman Shop.

Li An closed the door and checked the current inventory of the Spirit Talisman Shop.

The Spirit Talisman Shop already had about fourteen hundred spirit stones worth of inventory, mainly talisman brushes, talisman paper, and materials for making talismans.

He immediately wrote a letter to the sect, mentioning that due to his apprentice’s resignation and some issues in his cultivation, sales had been slightly slow for the past two months. He had now made adjustments, requesting the sect to send another batch of goods.

Li An believed that, considering his reputation over the years in the Profound Yang Sect, the outer sect wouldn’t trouble him over such a minor issue.

Then, he separately wrote letters to Tan Qingxue and Wang Dazhu.

In the letter to Tan Qingxue, he expressed that he feared his talisman cultivation wouldn’t progress further in this lifetime, but he wanted to give it one last try, asking Tan Qingxue to personally go to the Liuyang River market to collect materials for Tier Two talisman paper for him due to their past friendship, as he needed a larger quantity this time.

In the letter to Wang Dazhu, he mentioned he urgently needed some “Vein Cleansing Sand” and hoped that if Wang Dazhu had the time, he could help collect it. If he was too busy, it could be left aside.

He also emphasized that he didn’t want anyone else to know about this, asking Wang Dazhu not to delegate it to others.

Vein Cleansing Sand is a product of spiritual ore, essentially a special kind of spirit stone, but few people deliberately collect it.

If Wang Dazhu really helped him with this favor, he would definitely leave the outer sect and make a trip to the Profound Yang Sect’s spiritual ore.

Although spiritual ore is also dangerous, it’s much better than being in the sect. Moreover, places like the spiritual ore are quite special, and if manpower is lacking, demon cultivators generally attack them last.

Because spiritual ore can’t grow legs and run, and the speed of mining is fixed, leaving it wouldn’t cause any losses.

If Wang Dazhu indeed went, he would naturally be safer.

He wasn’t insistent on this, as in his heart, Wang Dazhu didn’t compare to Tan Qingxue in importance.

This letter to Wang Dazhu was partly because the latter had always been relatively simple and had a good relationship with Li An, and partly because Wang Dazhu had decent talent in artifact refining, so his survival would also benefit Li An.

After sending out the letters, Li An stayed in the Spirit Talisman Shop for another three days.

On the fourth day, he delivered a set of intermediate arrays to Long Tao, stating that he would be going into seclusion to make high-tier arrays and assuring Long Tao not to worry. Furthermore, the income from this intermediate array set wouldn’t be shared with Li An but would be entirely used as the balance payment for the Tier Two arrays.

Long Tao was very pleased, said a lot of polite things, and assured Li An not to worry, he would handle the sect on his behalf.

After that, Li An stealthily left Qingyang market.

He quickly rushed to the outskirts of Liuyang River market—Masha Ferry!

He spent three days waiting and exploring carefully to confirm that there were no traces of demon cultivators nearby. On the fourth night, the wilderness by the ferry was as silent as death, only the occasional sound of river waves hitting the shore.

Li An discreetly set up the Tier Two arrays he bought in a few extremely hidden places around the dock, doing plenty of concealment work.

Unless a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator used their Divine Sense to scan the entire ground inch by inch, the array wouldn’t be discovered.

But Li An believed that demon cultivators wouldn’t be that cautious. By the time they planned an ambush here, the entire Profound Yang Sect would already have suffered defeat. How could they expect anyone to set up arrays in such a place?

With an extension of two months’ worth of spirit stones for the Tier Two arrays, Li An immediately hurried back to Qingyang market.

He didn’t directly enter Qingyang market but found a tree hole in a mountain forest outside the market to begin cultivating.

With the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, his entire being merged with the withered tree, as if they were one.

Just like that, another month passed!

Li An stabilized his Qi Refining eighth level cultivation, hovered around the outskirts of Qingyang market for four to five days, and when he was sure there was still time, he returned to Qingyang market.

“Hmm?”

He changed his appearance, casually walking like an outsider, but used his Divine Sense to thoroughly scan every passerby.

Finally, at an herb store several hundred meters away from the Spirit Talisman Shop, he sensed a demon cultivator!

Indeed, they’ve infiltrated.

Li An kept a straight face and didn’t return to the Spirit Talisman Shop. The next day, he passed by that demon cultivator.

Confirmed that this demon cultivator was constantly hovering outside the Spirit Talisman Shop!

“Stalking?”

Li An couldn’t help but feel a bit fortunate; this time targeting Qingyang market, the demon cultivators evidently considered him a key figure!

After all, although Li An hadn’t actually slain the Life-taking Horse-Faced back then, his reputation alone was enough to incur the demon cultivators’ enmity.

On the third day, while the demon cultivator was momentarily distracted, Li An returned to the Spirit Talisman Shop.

The next day, he opened the Spirit Talisman Shop, and the sect’s delivery personnel arrived.

After handing over the goods, the delivering disciple repeatedly reminded him that there was already stockpiling on Li An’s side, and this month’s payments could not be delayed again. Li An nodded and agreed repeatedly.

After storing the goods, Li An closed the shop door and turned into the storeroom.

He directly took out three storage bags!

These three storage bags were all Upper Grade Tier One, purchased by Li An in places like Liuyang River market, known to no one.

An Upper Grade Tier One storage bag was worth hundreds of spirit stones, with nearly ten cubic meters of storage space.

With these storage spaces, he swept the storeroom’s goods completely empty!

“Damn demon cultivators…”

Li An couldn’t help but curse softly, feeling a bit upset.

Originally, as per his plan, he intended to make a trip tomorrow, send a set of high-tier arrays to Long Tao to keep him steady, while also getting more materials on credit, and then borrow around the familiar shops in the market, including pills and magical treasures, as much as possible!

With his reputation and identity as the Spirit Talisman Shop owner of the Profound Yang Sect, he could definitely credit a lot of items!

But now, being watched by demon cultivators, carrying out such actions might arouse their suspicion and attention.

If any changes happened as a result, it would be very unfavorable!

Thus, he had to abandon the idea of a crazy grab…

The next day, after waiting for a long time, he finally found an opportunity to sneak out of the Spirit Talisman Shop.

He changed his appearance and clothes without hesitation and left the market—

…

Meanwhile.

“Big brother, this guy has only opened the door once and I don’t know what’s up his sleeve…”

In a corner of Qingyang market, a young man spoke in a low voice to a nearby middle-aged man.

“Keep a close watch, just don’t let him escape, also, don’t just charge over, this cunning Talisman Master is quite devious, he actually set up a Tier Two array in this Spirit Talisman Shop…”

The middle-aged man spoke calmly.

“Big brother, when are we supposed to make a move? The Breaking Charms have all been arranged…” The young man was somewhat impatient.

“Stop asking so many damn questions!”

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep