26 - 30

Chapter 26: Reunion After Ten Years!

Ruyi Tower.

Lu Changsheng, Li Feiyu, Hong Yi, Han Lin, Xiao Xiyue, Zhao Qingqing, six people reunited after three years.

In three years, all of them have gone from the mundane world to the cultivation path, and have undergone significant changes.

"Miss Xiao, in the world of immortality, strength is the most respected, and you should be the one to take the main seat."

Hong Yi said enthusiastically towards Xiao Xiyue.

However, this warmth no longer carried the same fervor as it did three years ago, devoid of any pursuit.

Instead, it was a friendly and heartfelt warmth between friends.

Hong Yi was well aware that he was no longer worthy of Xiao Xiyue.

He couldn't even catch up with her three years ago, let alone now. Going after her would only bring dishonor to himself, unable to even maintain a friendship.

"If that's the case, Young Lord Hong, I won't stand on ceremony," Xiao Xiyue said, slightly reluctant before she stopped insisting on formality.

Three years ago, she had a straightforward and lively personality that hadn't changed much over the years, but now she carried herself with even more grace and generosity.

"Changsheng, your transformation is incredible, I almost didn't recognize you!"

"I heard from Young Lord Hong that you and Brother Li are both sons-in-law of a cultivation family, and it seems like you're living quite well."

At that moment, Han Lin said to Lu Changsheng in his usual relaxed manner.

Initially, among the six, Xiao Xiyue, as the beauty of the group, was very interested in the martial arts world and often talked to Li Feiyu about it, so they had a relatively good relationship.

Han Lin and Lu Changsheng, on the other hand, had similar backgrounds and personalities, hence their good relationship.

"Well, we're all cultivators now, so some changes are to be expected," Lu Changsheng chuckled, appearing quite magnanimous.

Although his significant transformation was largely due to the cultivation technique he was practicing, according to the principles of the technique, it was due to his good foundation, so he had no reason to feel embarrassed.

"This isn't just 'some' transformation; your transformation surpasses mine."

"It is said that women undergo eighteen transformations; is it possible for men to undergo twenty?" Xiao Xiyue teased.

Three years ago, she was already a beauty, and now, three years later, she has blossomed even more, captivating hearts and souls with every smile and frown.

Lu Changsheng, who had nine concubines, couldn't help but look at Xiao Xiyue a few more times.

After all, Xiao Xiyue not only had an exquisite appearance, but also possessed a Fourth Grade Spirit Root.

If she could bear children for him, not only would there be a high probability of producing offspring with Spiritual Roots, but there would also be a chance of producing offspring with intermediate Spiritual Roots.

However, it was unrealistic to expect a disciple of the immortal sect with Fourth Grade Spirit Roots to have children of his own.

For a long time, it seemed that this could only be realized in dreams.

"A woman can go through eighteen transformations, of course a man can go through twenty, isn't that an example right here?" Lu Changsheng replied with a smile, his eyes clear and confident.

With the confidence given by the system, Lu Changsheng could now face anyone with a calm mentality, treating everyone equally.

You have talent? I have a system!

You have a background? I have a system!

You have strength? I have a system!

So, everyone was pretty much the same.

You have talent and background, with unlimited prospects for the future.

I have a system behind me, as long as I work hard, I will have success in the future!

Soon, everyone began to chat in this familiar atmosphere.

However, it was mainly Hong Yi and Xiao Xiyue who chatted, finding topics to discuss.

Lu Changsheng and Han Lin were the ones who answered questions, interjecting when there was something of interest.

Li Feiyu and Zhao Qingqing spoke relatively less, only speaking when asked.

During this conversation, everyone talked about their recent situations, which allowed Lu Changsheng to understand everyone's situation to a certain extent.

Even though Hong Yi was the son of Marquis Ruyi and had reached the third level of Qi Refinement cultivation three years ago, he didn't have many cultivation resources over the years and had to rely on his own efforts to earn them. As a result, he is still at the peak of the third cultivation level of Qi Refinement and has not been able to break through.

This also made Lu Changsheng realize that the bottleneck from Qi Refining Level Three to Four was much harder than he had imagined.

Because of her Fourth Grade Spirit Root, Xiao Xiyue was directly noticed by the elders when she joined the Blue Cloud Sect and became an internal disciple. Now, she has reached the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Although Han Lin and Zhao Qingqing joined the Blue Cloud Clan, their spiritual roots were average, so they are only outer disciples, which was quite different from Xiao Xiyue.

Inner disciples can just concentrate on their cultivation, but in addition to cultivation, outer disciples also need to spend time learning a skill.

Because the sect pays attention to complementary advantages and mutual assistance, the internal division of labor was clear.

Some excel in combat, some in formations, some in alchemy, refining, talisman making, and some in the cultivation of spirit fields and medicinal herbs.

Of course, for those with exceptional talents, cultivation takes precedence.

As for those with average talents, their aptitude in other areas will be taken into consideration.

Han Lin, who is a blacksmith, chose the craft of artifact refining.

He has a decent talent in this area and is currently apprenticed to a master refiner.

In terms of cultivation, he is at the peak of the second stage of Qi Refining.

Zhao Qingqing has chosen the path of a pharmacist and is also at the apprentice level.

Her cultivation level is slightly higher than Han Lin's, and she has already broken through to the third level of Qi Refining.

After hearing about everyone's recent situations, Lu Changsheng also understands that the gap between him and the Immortal Sect disciples isn't as big as he thought.

However, he also knows that this is just the beginning.

The gap between them will grow as time goes on.

"Brother Changsheng truly deserves to be the first one to wake up in the 'Heart Questioning Platform' during the fourth examination in the Blue Cloud Sect."

"As expected, the saying is true: Gold shines wherever it is!"

After everyone shared their circumstances, they were all astonished to hear that Lu Changsheng had gone from being a son-in-law to a qualified talisman master with a Third Level of Qi Refining.

Han Lin even spoke up and revealed some information.

"Huh? Brother Lu actually ranked first in the 'Heart Questioning Platform' examination during the Immortal Sect's examination?"

Hong Yi and others are surprised to hear this.

"That's right. After I became an apprentice refiner, I happened to meet an elder brother who had taken the test back then, so I asked him why Brother Changsheng wasn't chosen."

"The elder brother remembered Brother Changsheng and said that he only had nine Spirit Roots and was too old. Otherwise, he would definitely have been able to enter the Blue Cloud Sect based on his performance in the Heart Questioning Platform."

Han Lin said with some regret.

"It's too bad."

Li Feiyu also felt a little sorry for Lu Changsheng.

Others nodded slightly, feeling that it was indeed a pity.

Even though Lu Changsheng's achievements in the past three years had astonished many, they all felt that it would still be better for him to join the Blue Cloud Sect and become a disciple of an immortal sect.

"There's nothing to regret. I think the way things are now is quite good," Lu Changsheng said upon hearing the news, showing no signs of regret.

If he were to join the Blue Cloud Clan, he would surely have to spend several years gaining experience before he could think about getting married and having children.

In that case, he would be wasting a considerable amount of time and might not be any better off than he is now.

"You are right, Brother Lu's talent and skill will shine wherever he goes," Hong Yi immediately smoothed things over and they continued to eat, drink and chat.

Originally, the focus of this gathering should have been on Xiao Xiyue.

However, Lu Changsheng, who had been in the worst condition three years ago, seemed to play a somewhat prominent role in this gathering.

And so, after spending a day together, the six of them, led by Hong Yi, spent another day sightseeing in Ruyi County before making a ten-year pact and saying goodbye to each other.

Xiao Xiyue, Zhao Qingqing, and Han Lin not only kept their appointment, but also went home to visit their families, just like Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu.

However, Lu Changsheng didn't rush back.

He let Li Feiyu go first and planned to go to the Crimson Whale Gang to find him later.

During this trip, he also wanted to find a place to sell the talismans on his body and buy materials for some high-quality and high-grade talismans.

He had previously asked Hong Yi where there were immortal cultivation markets nearby.

Hong Yi told Lu Changsheng that there were basically no immortal cultivation markets in the mundane world, only a few gathering places for rouge cultivators.

These rouge cultivator gathering places would sometimes hold trading events, and he would return to Lu Changsheng with some information in a few days.

Page 2 of 7

Chapter 27: Niutou Mountain!

Several days later.

Ruyi Tower.

"Brother Lu, I've gathered some information. Three hundred miles away from Ruyi County, there's a gathering of Rouge Cultivators at Niutou Mountain. They're holding a trade gathering, and it's expected to last for another five or six days."

"If you're interested in attending, take this communication talisman to Niutou Mountain. Someone will open the formation and let you in."

Hong Yi knocked on the door and spoke to Lu Changsheng.

As he spoke, he took out a brown talisman.

"Thank you, Brother Hong. I'm sure you went through a lot of trouble to get this. Here are three low-grade first-class talismans I've drawn myself, consider them a token of gratitude."

As Lu Changsheng said this, he handed Hong Yi three low-grade first-tier talismans.

This communication talsiman was a basic talisman and wasn't particularly valuable.

However, the fact that the other party had gone out of his way to get them for him meant that he had put in some effort.

Of course, when it came to mutual favors, Lu Changsen wouldn't let the other person lose out.

Besides, Hong Yi also had a certain status in the secular world, and Lu Changsen was willing to maintain that relationship.

Who knew, in the future, when his children settled in the secular world, he might have to trouble Hong Yi.

Hong Yi was a little jealous when he saw Lu Changsheng's three talismans.

But he still waved his hand and said, "Brother Lu, you're too kind. This really didn't cost me much."

"Brother Hong, with you being so polite, I won't be able to ask for your help in the future."

Lu Changsheng said as he handed the talismans to Hong Yi.

"In that case, I'll graciously accept!"

Seeing this, Hong Yi accepted the talisman without refusing.

Then he clasped his hands and said, "Brother Lu, I still have some connections in Ruyi County. If you need anything in the future, feel free to ask."

Now that Lu Changsheng had become a talisman master and was so generous, Hong Yi naturally wanted to maintain a good relationship with him.

"All right, if there is anything in the future, I will not hesitate to ask,"

Lu Changsheng cupped his hands.

"By the way, Brother Lu, if you go to such a gathering, you have to be careful."

"These gatherings of Rouge Cultivators are a mixed bag, with no great cultivators to keep things in check. It's common for them to target lone cultivators."

"If Brother Lu is going to sell the talismans, if the quantity is not large, I can trade with Brother Lu on behalf of the Ruyi Marquisate and accept them all."

Hong Yi added, noticing that Lu Changsheng had taken out three talismans. He speculated that Lu Changsheng probably had a lot of talismans and probably intended to sell them.

In the secular world, many prominent people knew about cultivation and practiced it themselves. The Ruyi Marquisate was no exception, as it had more than one cultivator.

However, they were all Qi Refining level cultivators, slightly better than ordinary Rouge level cultivators. Of course, there was a demand for talismans, as they were essential items.

Even though he could buy low-level talismans elsewhere, buying from Lu Changsheng wasn't just about getting a bargain. It was a way to deepen their relationship and exchange benefits.

Lu Changsheng was currently a first-tier low-grade talisman master. There was hope for him to advance to the second tier, or even become a first tier high-grade talisman master in the future. If he could draw first-tier high-grade talismans, it would be a game changer.

It would also help his position in the Ruyi Marquisate to have a connection with a first-tier high-grade talisman master who could provide him with a stable source of talismans.

If their relationship improved in the future, and Lu Changsheng could provide him with a large amount of talismans at a lower price than the market, he would make a substantial profit. He might even be able to compete for the position of heir to the Marquisate.

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Hong. I will be careful about this."

"I don't have many talismans. They are mainly for my own protection. But if Brother Hong needs any, I can sell you some at a discount."

Lu Changsheng smiled and took out ten first-tier low-grade talismans.

When he revealed himself as a first-tier talisman master in the Lu Family, he had accumulated nearly five hundred talismans.

In those six months, he had accumulated about five hundred talismans with the materials provided by the Lu family every month.

In other words, he now had nearly a thousand talismans with him.

It was a rather exaggerated and astonishing number.

Among these talismans, about half were low-grade, and the other half were medium-grade.

If they were converted into spirit stones, it would be about two to three thousand spirit stones.

Of course, if they kept a low profile, such things wouldn't be revealed.

If Hong Yi wanted them, he was willing to sell them at a low price.

After all, Lu Changsheng himself was aware that it was simply impossible to sell nearly a thousand talismans at this Rouge Cultivator Trade Fair.

He didn't dare to do it either.

"How can I accept this? Just follow the market price,"

Hong Yi said.

He wouldn't be greedy for small benefits from the beginning.

"Brother Hong, take a look and see if you can use these talismans,"

Lu Changsheng handed the talismans to Hong Yi.

"I didn't expect Brother Lu to be able to draw healing talismans! It looks like Brother Lu will soon become a mid-level talisman master!"

Hong Yi exclaimed when he saw one of the talismans.

Although he didn't understand how to draw talismans, he was aware of their prices.

For example, a low-grade first-class talisman would cost between 1 and 2 Spirit Stones, depending on the difficulty.

And a healing talisman, being a low-grade talisman of two spirit stones, had a higher drawing difficulty.

"I only managed to draw a few,"

Lu Changsheng waved his hand and said

When he first considered making money, most of the first-order low-grade talismans in his hands were of higher difficulty.

"I'll take all these talismans, but I don't have that many Spirit Stones with me right now. I'll have to go back and ask my father for spirit stones before I can trade with Brother Lu."

Hong Yi was a little embarrassed to speak.

Even though he was the son of the Marquis of Ruyi, he didn't have many spirit stones.

Besides, he couldn't save up spirit stones because he had to cultivate regularly.

"It's not urgent. Brother Hong, take these talismans first. I plan to ride to Niutou Mountain to attend the trade meeting and visit home on the way."

"The spirit horse will be temporarily left with Brother Hong, and I'll come back for it later."

Lu Changsheng said generously.

He wasn't afraid that Hong Yi would hold a grudge against him because of these talismans.

If the other party really did, then he would use these talismans to see a person's true nature.

"Thank you, Brother Lu. Rest assured, I will take good care of the spirit horse."

Hong Yi replied, folding his hands.

He took these talismans back without spending any money, which made it easier for his father to believe that he had a close relationship with the talisman master Lu Changsheng.

"No problem, Brother Hong."

Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, then took a horse and rode towards Niutou Mountain in Nanyu Prefecture.

He didn't have a beast pouch, and he didn't know if he could ride the spirit horse into Niutou Mountain.

To avoid this trouble, he decided to ride a horse instead, not worrying about losing it.

After riding the spirit horse for so long and becoming a cultivator, riding an ordinary horse was no challenge for him.

The next day, as dawn broke on a slightly chilly day, Lu Changsheng rode his horse from Ruyi County to Niutou Mountain.

First, he found a farmhouse at the foot of the mountain and left the horse there.

Then he climbed the mountain by himself and reached an uninhabited place, where he put on the human skin mask he had bought in advance from his storage bag.

Suddenly the handsome face turned into that of a young man with sallow skin and some dullness.

Next, he put on a large black cloak and hood.

With the hood covering his entire body, his facial features and hair were completely hidden, making it impossible to discern his appearance.

After completing these preparations, Lu Changsheng continued to climb up the mountain, heading for a slope on the north side of Niutou Mountain.

According to the villagers, this slope is shrouded in white fog all year round, but Lu Changsheng saw faint spiritual fluctuations through his Spiritual Eye technique and knew immediately that it was a formation.

"This should be it."

Lu Changsheng looked at the mist in front of him and knew that this was his destination.

He took out the communication talisman Hong Yi had given him and activated it with his spiritual energy.

Suddenly, the talisman flew out of his hand and disappeared into the fog on the slope.

Lu Changsheng waited calmly for about a cup of tea time. He saw the fog roll away in front of him, revealing a narrow mountain path that seemed to go on forever.

After examining the path for a while, Lu Changsheng took a step forward and entered the path.

Page 3 of 7

Chapter 28: Rouge Cultivator Gathering!

Lu Changsheng walked along the path.

Ahead, the view seemed endless, as if there was no end in sight.

But after walking for about a hundred meters, it was as if he had crossed a lake stage, and the scene before him suddenly changed.

It transformed into a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides, lush with various flowers and plants.

Only behind him where he had just entered was a path blocked by fog.

The valley wasn't very large, occupying about thirty to forty acres.

On all sides stood ancient-style buildings and pavilions, giving it a somewhat secluded paradise appearance.

In the central area of the valley, many people were setting up small stalls and booths in an orderly manner, like mundane market vendors, with crowds bustling around.

The scene in front of him made Lu Changsheng suddenly realize that he was reminded of the rural fairs and open-air farmers' markets in his previous life.

If he hadn't known that this was a gathering place for Rouge Cultivators, most of them were immortal cultivators, and he would have believed it if they said it was a secular market.

"There should be a Spirit Vain beneath this valley."

"But it should be a low-level Spirit Vain. The spiritual energy is much worse than the spiritual energy of Qingzhu Mountain Village."

Lu Changsheng thought to himself, walking towards the central area where the stalls were set up.

The cultivators here were dressed in various styles.

There were scholars, monks, priests, and knights.

Some carried long swords and big knives, while others carried giant gourds and brought along spirit beasts.

Of course, there were also many like Lu Changsheng, shrouded in cloaks.

"Top-grade healing pills, martial dao pills, at cheap prices!"

"Hundred-year ginseng, hundred-year polygonum multiflorum, all for just one spirit stone!"

"A dragon tendon, the highest bidder gets it!"

"Legacy Technique 'Nine Revolutions Golden Body Scripture' left by the True Lord of Transformation, only ten Spirit Stones!"

"Ancient discoveries from the secret realm, with rare treasures inside, don't miss them as you pass by!"

The stalls were bustling with activity, with many people shouting and hawking their wares, causing quite a commotion.

Lu Changsheng couldn't help but shake his head when he noticed that some of the stalls were even displaying pots, bowls, pans, meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables, among other things.

It seemed that this gathering of the Rouge Cultivators was even worse than he had imagined.

Or perhaps this was the true picture of life at the lowest level of the cultivation world.

They were struggling just like ordinary people in the mundane world.

The only difference was that one was in the mundane world and the other was in the cultivation world.

Take the Qingzhu Lu Family, for example, even though they were relatively poor, they still had an established founding ancestor who presided over them, and they had their own blessed land with a spiritual vein.

After walking around for a while, Lu Changsheng had a good idea of what this trade show was about.

The items sold at these stalls were varied, but most of them were relatively cheap or counterfeit goods.

Only a small portion were items that could be used by cultivators.

There were also several shops in the surrounding buildings.

The items sold there were relatively more formal and high-end.

Considering the size of this Rough Cultivator Gathering, it was impossible for him to sell all of the nearly one thousand talismans he had with him here.

If he dared to do so, it might be difficult for him to leave Niutou Mountain.

But selling some of them shouldn't be a problem.

Soon, Lu Changsheng found an empty spot and took out a thick stack of talismans from his storage bag and placed them in front of him.

He wrote on a nearby wooden board, "First-tier low-grade talismans: 1-2 spirit stones each, buy five, get one free."

From his observations just now, Lu Changsheng hadn't seen many stalls selling first-tier mid-grade talismans.

Therefore, he decided not to display his first-tier mid-grade talismans so as not to attract too much attention.

As for pricing, items like magic tools, pills, and talismans were always in demand, and their prices usually remained stable.

In order to sell them faster, Lu Changsheng decided to offer a buy-five-get-one free deal.

"Friend, in this 'buy five, get one free' deal, can I choose which one I get for free?"

Not long after, someone stepped forward to inspect the talismans and asked.

"If you buy five for two spirit stones each, you can choose freely. Otherwise, you can only choose from those that cost one spirit stone,"

Lu Changsheng spoke, a deep and hoarse voice coming from the black robe.

"Alright."

Immediately, the cultivator took out six talismans of two spirit stones each and handed Lu Changsheng ten spirit stones.

After the first business opened, people came to buy talismans one after another.

Talismans were relatively popular among cultivators, and almost everyone carried a few for self-defense.

With the 'buy five, get one free' offer, and the quality of Lu Changsheng's talismans being obvious even to laymen from the intricacy of the symbols, sales steadily increased.

After a little over two hours, nearly a hundred of the talismans Lu Changsheng had brought out were sold out.

In total, he earned one hundred and thirty-three spirit stones.

"Having a craft is indeed a surefire way to make money."

Lu Changsheng was very satisfied and delighted with this first pot of gold income

The cost of one hundred talismans was approximately twenty-two spirit stones.

But now, he was selling them at six times that price.

If he had sold first-tier, mid-level talismans at a price of three to five spirit stones per talisman, he could have doubled his profit.

After all, by using ordinary materials to make talismans, Lu Changsheng's success rate in making first-tier, medium-grade talismans was also one hundred percent!

This was also the confidence that Lu Changsheng had when he left the Lu family, knowing that he could establish himself in this world.

After selling those talismans, Lu Changsheng stopped putting out talismans for sale.

After all, other people sold talismans by the tens or dozens, and selling almost a hundred was already quite excessive.

If he sold more, there was a great possibility that he would attract unwanted attention, so he had to be careful.

Immediately, Lu Changsheng held the still-warm spirit stones in his hand and began to spend them.

In a shop, Lu Changsheng saw advanced talisman paper and high-quality spirit ink for sale.

However, the quality was mediocre, even slightly inferior.

The materials for making talismans were divided into ordinary, advanced, and high-grade.

But depending on the raw materials and manufacturing processes, there were also differences in quality.

The materials in this shop were not up to par.

But there weren't many choices either, so Lu Changsheng inquired about the prices.

Five spirit stones for a bundle of ten sheets of talisman paper, and five spirit stones for a box of spirit ink.

This was five times the price of ordinary talisman paper and spirit ink.

However, it was still a reasonable price.

If one were to buy such high-quality materials to draw first-tier mid-level talismans, there wouldn't be much profit to be made.

But for Lu Changsheng, who could draw first-class talismans, it was still a profit.

After some bargaining, Lu Changsheng spent sixty-six spirit stones to buy all twelve bundles of high-grade talisman paper and three boxes of spirit ink that the store had.

He continued to look around, but he didn't see any high-grade talisman paper or spirit ink for sale.

This was also normal.

The materials used to draw the best talismans are somewhat high-end for this kind of Rouge Cultivator gathering.

As he walked around, Lu Changsheng saw a stall selling books on immortal cultivation.

He was fascinated by the various immortal cultivation records, travel notes, and notes, so he spent a Spirit Stone to buy ten of them.

Later, he noticed that elemental spiritual materials were also being sold.

After visiting several stalls, Lu Changsheng bought all the elemental spiritual materials he needed to practice the Immortal Posture Technique.

These materials were all first-class, middle-class spiritual materials, not too expensive, but not cheap either, totaling fifty-nine Spirit Stones.

Almost all of the Spirit Stones he had just earned had been used up, but Lu Changsheng didn't leave.

He continued to look around, hoping to find better brushes for painting talismans.

The brush he was using now was a golden hair brush given to him by the Lu family.

It was of the highest quality among ordinary brushes, but it had not yet reached the level of magical instruments.

Even though it could be used to draw first-class talismans, it was still not enough.

After looking around and failing to find a satisfactory brush, Lu Changsheng could only give up.

Thinking that he still had to go to the Crimson Whale Gang to find Li Feiyu, and considering asking the Crimson Whale Gang to take care of his family, he had to bring some gifts.

Lu Changsheng bought several bottles of worldly elixirs from a stall.

These secular elixirs are very cheap and are low-level elixirs refined by alchemy apprentices.

The price was similar to simple talismans, two bottles for one spirit stone.

Lu Changsheng spent two spirit stones to buy five bottles. He felt that it was almost enough and did not continue wandering around.

He returned to the way he came in and left the valley directly.

After leaving the valley, Lu Changsheng made sure that no one was around before he put the things he was carrying into his storage bag.

Then, out of caution, he took out a light talisman from his pouch and used it on himself.

With a light tap of his toes, his whole body became as light as a swallow and he quickly descended the mountain.

However.

Just a moment after Lu Changsheng left, three figures walked out of the valley.

"This kid's talismans are all top-notch, obviously made by a high-level talisman master."

"But this kid only has a cultivation of Third Level Qi Refining. Coming to such a place to trade and being so cautious, he must be a lucky Rouge Cultivator with valuable items on him!"

With greedy and sinister expressions, the three individuals looked in the direction where Lu Changsheng had gone, quickly unleashed their wind manipulation technique, and rushed after him.

Page 4 of 7

Chapter 29: First Battle, Power of Talismans!

Under the blessing of the Lightbody Talisman, Lu Changsheng moved as swiftly as a swallow, striding as if he were flying.

As he reached halfway up the mountain, he suddenly heard a commotion behind him.

When he turned around, he immediately saw three figures wearing bamboo hats, moving as fast as the wind, quickly descending from the mountain.

Immediately, Lu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat and his expression darkened.

Was he being targeted?

This was Lu Changsheng's first thought.

How else could it be such a coincidence?

When he went up the mountain, he didn't meet anyone.

And now, as soon as he came down the mountain, there were three people rushing down together in such a hurry.

Moreover…

Although the three figures were wearing bamboo hats, their faces could not be seen clearly.

However, Lu Changsheng vaguely remembered that one of them was wearing a yellow robe and had a stocky build.

It seemed like this person had bought talismans from him before.

At this moment, Lu Changsheng was at least sixty to seventy percent sure that these three people were coming for him.

"Damn it, I was careful enough to only bring out these few talismans to sell, yet I still attracted attention,"

Lu Changsheng muttered with a hint of gloom on his face.

Without thinking much, he immediately took out a medium-grade wind talisman and activated it with spiritual power.

Immediately, a swirl of azure wind enveloped him, causing the wind to swirl beneath his feet and greatly increasing his speed.

He charged forward like a gust of wind, causing his cloak to flutter loudly, blowing off his hood, and leaving his face burning.

"A wind travel talisman?"

"This kid actually has a mid-level talisman!"

"To be able to sell so many talismans, he is indeed a fat sheep!"

The three people who were chasing after Lu Changsheng saw this, and their eyes lit up as they accelerated their pace.

In their eyes, Lu Changsheng was now a lamb waiting to be slaughtered!

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

After Lu Changsheng had been running for a while, he noticed that the three individuals behind him were also speeding up, showing no signs of being left behind.

In fact, they were getting closer and closer, and his expression turned grim.

At that moment, he could tell without thinking that these three were after him and wanted to kill him and take his goods.

What's more, even with the boost from a Lightness Talisman and a Wind Travel Talisman, he still couldn't shake off these three. This indicated that their cultivation levels were much higher than his.

At least at the sixth or seventh level of Qi Refinement, or even higher.

"Since I can't escape, I have to fight!"

Lu Changsheng knew that running like this was not the solution, it would only waste his energy.

A glimmer of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

Immediately, he reached into his storage bag and pulled out a handful of talismans, about ten to twenty in total, while tightly clutching the Golden Brick Talisman treasure in his hand.

As he ran, he kept looking back at the approaching trio.

"Friend, please stop."

"Friend, why are you running so fast? I'm just here to get to know you and make friends."

"That's right, we just want to be friends with you."

The three continued to chase relentlessly, shouting as they approached.

"Making friends, huh? Well, making friends happens to be my favorite pastime."

Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng stopped his steps and looked indifferent as he watched the three individuals gradually approaching him.

Just as the three entered the range of his spell attacks, Lu Changsheng activated all the talismans in his hand.

Immediately, the talismans burst into radiant light.

Some of them, under Lu Changsheng's control, turned into faint golden lights, water curtains, and vines that enveloped Lu Changsheng's body.

While most of them transformed into fist-sized fireballs, water spheres, thick arrows, and sharp crescents.

They all shot at the approaching trio, whistling through the air.

"Oh no!"

"Be careful!"

"This guy still has so many talismans!"

Seeing Lu Changsheng unleash so many talismans at once, the three of them were also taken aback and caught off guard.

They were all at the sixth or seventh level of qi refinement, and it was difficult for them to defend themselves against such a barrage of talismans.

However, they were all experienced individuals in the cultivation world.

Without some skills, they wouldn't dare to rob cultivators.

One of the shorter figures also took out several talismans and quickly activated them, quickly casting spells with flashes of yellow light in his hand.

"Earth Wall Technique!"

A thick wall of earth quickly rose from the ground, blocking the incoming barrage of talismans.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"

However, under the fierce firepower of this onslaught of talismans, the walls of earth quickly disintegrated.

Just as the walls were about to collapse completely, one of the tall, thin figures among the three had already summoned a black shield.

The shield expanded rapidly as it flew out of his hand, spinning in the air and emitting a dark black light, withstanding the fierce firepower of the talismans.

The last of the three, a stocky man in a yellow robe, then summoned a flying knife several inches long.

The flying knife turned into a white streak and shot straight at Lu Changsheng's forehead.

At the same time, they felt a shocking aura emanating from Lu Changsheng's body.

Only to see Lu Changsheng's black robe fluttering without a breeze, making a rustling sound, with bursts of golden light emanating from his hand.

A rectangular object dazzling with golden light came out of his hand and shot up quickly, expanding rapidly in the air.

It caused the flying knife to slow down.

And they felt the amazing aura and power emanating from that object!

"This guy is a really fat sheep. Not only do he have so many talismans, but he also has such treasures!"

The short, thin man saw this and his eyes lit up with joy.

However, the burly man in the yellow robe who had summoned the flying knife saw the rapidly enlarging golden brick, and his pupils constricted as he realized its origin.

"Artifact!"

He shouted hastily, his deep voice filled with fear.

"What!?"

"Artifact?"

The other two men were stunned to hear this.

Looking at the golden brick that had already grown to the size of a small house in the sky, their eyes suddenly widened in shock.

Before they could think about it, the golden brick was surrounded by spiritual energy, emitting a terrifying pressure.

As a result, the three of them felt like they were carrying a mountain on their backs, their bodies were heavy, their spiritual energy was sluggish, and they were unable to move.

Danger!

Great danger!

At that moment, the three of them felt a strong sense of death looming over them, and they all cried out in panic, begging for mercy.

"Friend, let's talk!"

"Friend, spare my life, spare my life! I was wrong, I was blind!"

"Lord, I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child, please spare me, please take away your divine power and let me go!"

At that moment they felt surreal.

Absolutely surreal, so surreal that it was beyond belief, beyond comprehension.

A third-level Qi Refining cultivator who came to such a small place to attend a trade show actually possessed an artifact!

This is outrageous.

If you have magical treasures, why are you running away?

If you just revealed your magical treasures, why would we dare to chase after you?

We'd just turn around and leave, maybe even apologize.

Who just uses magic treasures without a word like that!

It's a waste to use magic treasures to kill people like us!

Do we deserve it!?

At that moment, the three of them were simply at a loss for words.

The pressure from the Golden Brick was so overwhelming that they couldn't even speak.

Like a small mountain, the Golden Brick crashed down heavily on the three of them.

"Bang!!!"

A deafening sound echoed, making the entire Niutou Mountain seem to shake violently.

Page 5 of 7

Chapter 30: Counting the Harvest!

"Are they Dead!?"

Lu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat as the Golden Brick fell.

He stared at the place where the Golden Brick stood like a small mountain.

The three didn't even have a chance to scream under this blow.

Several defensive spells and black shield artifacts seemed to disappear under the impact of the Golden Brick.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

After a moment of numbness that confirmed the certainty of their deaths, Lu Changsheng also relaxed, his emotions fluctuating slightly as he gasped for breath.

Even though the talismans didn't consume much spiritual energy, they did consume mental energy. Using nearly twenty of them in a stack was quite exhausting for him.

Most importantly, activating the treasure talisman, the Golden Brick, directly consumed more than half of his spiritual energy.

With a thought, Lu Changsheng put the talisman away.

The huge Golden Brick immediately retracted its brilliance, returned to its original form, and transformed into the form of a talisman that flew back into Lu Changsheng's hand.

Where the Golden Brick had struck, it left a crater tens of meters wide and deep.

In an instant, the three bandits had turned into a mass of bloody mud.

As for the black shield artifact, it was directly shattered and deformed by the Golden Brick's attack, turning into a lump of iron.

"Is this the power of a treasure talisman? It's terrifying!"

"I'm only at the third stage of Qi Refining, and I can only unleash a portion of its power."

"If I were at the later stages of Qi Refining, or even at the Foundation Establishment stage, unleashing the full power of the treasure talisman would be even more astonishing."

Lu Changsheng looked at the three figures turning to mush in the giant pit, licked his somewhat dry lips, and felt extremely shocked.

This was the first time he had used a treasure talisman and experienced its power.

He started throwing more than ten talismans at once, but they were all blocked by three people.

But as soon as the magic treasure came out, it crushed everything effortlessly.

The three of them had no way to defend themselves.

As a result, Lu Changsheng not only witnessed the power of magical treasures, but also got a glimpse of the power of an Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

With the power of magical treasures activated by his third stage of Qi refining, he estimated that it was roughly equivalent to a single blow from a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

Without daring to think too much, for fear that the commotion he was making might attract attention, Lu Changsheng endured the nausea and jumped into the deep pit, digging out the three people's storage pouches from the muddy mess of flesh and blood.

Using purification techniques, he cleaned the blood and flesh from the pouches, then destroyed all traces of flesh and mud with a flame talisman.

Picking up the damaged and deformed iron shield and flying knife artifact nearby, he used a wind control talisman on himself, jumped out of the deep pit, and quickly left the area.

One hour later.

Having restored his original appearance, Lu Changsheng rode his horse away from Niutou Mountain, stopping about a hundred miles away to rest only when he was sure no one was following him, preparing to replenish his spiritual energy.

"Phew!"

"Thank goodness I didn't try to conserve energy. After activating the talismans, I immediately used the magic treasure."

"Otherwise, relying only on low- and mid-level talismans, it would probably be impossible to kill those three."

"This cultivation world is really incredibly dangerous. Even though I'm being so careful, I'm still being targeted."

"Looks like I'll have to be even more careful in the future."

Lu Changsheng found a grove to rest in and remembered the situation earlier, feeling a bit scared but relieved at the same time.

The thought of being targeted even though he was so cautious made him realize the danger of the cultivation world at a higher level.

He felt that this cultivation world was like a jungle with naked laws of survival, where the strong prey on the weak.

Without strength, one could run into danger and accidents at any time, anywhere.

"It seems that joining a faction and leaning on a big tree is the way to go."

"Even though I'm just a dependent member of the Lu family, at least I have some security in terms of safety."

Murmuring to himself, Lu Changsheng also realized the advantages of a family faction.

In the family sects, while contributions to the collective are expected, at least in the early stages, someone provides support and stands at the forefront.

After a short meditation, Lu Changsheng couldn't help but shake his head.

The spiritual energy in the mundane world was too thin.

Restoring himself through meditation was too slow, and he didn't know how long it would take.

He took out a spirit stone and began to meditate to recover.

After a long time, the crystal-clear spirit stone became much dimmer.

Spirit Stones were mostly used as currency, but they could also be used for cultivation by absorbing the spiritual energy inside to speed up progress.

However, for most cultivators, using spirit stones directly for cultivation was too extravagant.

It was cheaper to buy spirit rice, spirit tea, spirit wine, and other spiritual foods.

After using a spirit stone, Lu Changsheng's spiritual energy was almost restored.

He took out the storage bags from the three people and began to inventory his gains.

"It's lucky that these three had storage bags, otherwise this would have been a huge loss."

"I wonder what's in those storage bags. Will it be enough to make up for my expenses?"

With just one talisman used in the confrontation, it was worth about thirty to forty spirit stones.

As for the consumption of talisman treasures in that single attack, Lu Changsheng himself couldn't estimate it.

But it was worth at least one hundred Spirit Stones.

If these three people were poor, he would be at a loss.

After a while, Lu Changsheng sorted out a total of one hundred and three spirit stones from the three storage bags.

There was a flying sword artifact and a bell artifact.

Three bottles of Fasting Pills, one bottle of Yellow Dragon Pills, one bottle of Clear Spirit Pills, and three bottles of unknown pills.

Fifteen first-tier low-grade talismans, six first-tier medium-grade talismans, and one high-grade talisman.

As well as books, bits and pieces, and a few miscellaneous things.

"This flying sword, bell, and flying knife all seem to be low-grade magic weapons. They should all be sold for about fifty spirit stones."

"As for this shield, even though it's a magical weapon, all the prohibitions inside have been broken. It can only be sold as scrap metal. I wonder how much it's worth."

"These three storage bags alone should be worth about one hundred and fifty spirit stones."

"If you add up these odds and ends, the total should be around five hundred Spirit Stones."

After counting the items of the three men, Lu Changsheng's mood improved significantly.

He licked his lips and sighed, "Indeed, robbery and murder are the quickest ways to make money, no matter where you go."

When he first arrived at the Lu Family and became a son-in-law, he only earned two spirit stones a month.

As a talisman master, he earned only ten spirit stones a month.

Selling one hundred talismans today was the equivalent of one month's work, and after deducting the costs, he earned about one hundred spirit stones.

It couldn't be compared to the ease and speed of robbery and murder.

However, Lu Changsheng had no intention of making money by such means.

Apart from his moral principles, which prevented him from committing senseless murders.

It was also too risky and didn't fit his style of doing things.

With the system on his side, he didn't have to resort to such dangerous and illegal methods.

Marrying women, having concubines, and raising children was the right way!

Besides, he was just a weakling at the third level of qi refinement, relying on talismans and artifacts to win this battle.

After sorting everything out, Lu Changsheng took the foot-long flying sword and tried to control it.

Cultivators at the third level of Qi Refining could control artifacts with the Object Control Technique.

Previously, Lu Changsheng had been rewarded with a flying sword by the Lu family for being the first to have a child, but he hadn't experienced it before because he sold it to make talismans.

Now that he had a flying sword in his hand, he couldn't help but itch to try it out.

"Swiss…"

Under Lu Changsheng's control, the flying sword immediately turned into a silver streak and shot out.

Ordinary artifacts didn't need to be refined, they could be controlled with the Object Control Technique.

Spiritual artifacts used by Foundation Establishment cultivators needed to be refined and recognized by the master before they could be controlled.

There were also some high-end artifacts made by master refiners that required special Object Control Techniques to manipulate.

However, those kinds of magical weapons are also relatively high-end, and this flying sword was obviously not one of them.

Under Lu Changsheng's control, the flying sword was like a silver dragon, its sword aura swallowing everything, cutting through the surrounding trees like tofu.

Then, with a 'pu' sound, it easily pierced through a huge rock, turned into a silver light, and returned to Lu Changsheng's side.

"It's truly a magical tool!"

"Compared to low-level spells, its power is not inferior in the slightest, but it consumes much less. If two immortal cultivators were to fight against each other, there would be a world of difference between having a magic weapon and not having a magic weapon!"

After a brief experience with the flying sword, Lu Changsheng's face showed joy as he exclaimed.

When he used a spell like Fireball, he could only cast it four or five times before exhausting his spiritual energy.

But with the flying sword, he estimated that he could control it for about fifteen minutes and launch several attacks.

Due to his limited spiritual energy, Lu Changsheng didn't try any other magical tools. He put down the flying sword and rode towards the Crimson Whale Gang.

He was ready to meet Li Feiyu, settle his family, and then return to Qingzhu Mountain as soon as possible.

The outside world was still too dangerous. It was better to stay with the Lu family to improve his strength and have more children.