Chapter 37: Discussing the Way of Talismans

"I wonder if Lu Xiaoyou has any needs, please feel free to mention them."

Upon hearing this, Lu An straightened his expression and slowly spoke, "Senior, Bai Sheng is my colleague, and it is only natural that I look after him. I cannot accept any reward for this."

The Sect Master smiled slightly, finding Lu An quite interesting. However, he had his own way of doing things, and once something was said, it could not be taken back.

"Please do not refuse. Although the talismans come from my Bai family, they now belong to the Fang family."

"Your blatant selling of them might cause trouble in the future."

"From our standpoint, we are in the same camp and should help each other."

Lu An pondered for a moment and then reluctantly nodded.

"Alright. Since Senior is sincerely offering help, I will not ask for anything else. I only request the freedom to enter and leave Spirit Talisman Society at will and to consult with Senior on the Way of Talismans."

The Sect Master's eyes brightened, and he suddenly laughed heartily.

"Interesting. I will grant your wish."

"Take this token. From today on, you may enter and leave the Spirit Talisman Society freely, except for restricted areas."

Lu An took the token, which was crystal-clear and seemed to be made of some ancient jade, looking quite valuable.

"This is the Elder Token of Spirit Talisman Society. Although you are an Honorary Elder, you should not normally hold this token, but I am giving it to you due to our fateful meeting."

"Moreover, I am curious about your skills in the Way of Talismans. How about we exchange insights right now?"

"However, before that, there is one more thing to attend to. Please wait a moment."

He then focused his voice into a line and called out, "Shen Mi, come in."

Soon, Shen Mi appeared.

"Greetings, Sect Master."

"Go to Lu Xiaoyou's Spirit Talisman Residence and bring Bai Sheng here. I want to see him before dark."

Shen Mi was surprised. Bai Sheng was just an ordinary colleague. Was he really worth the Sect Master's personal attention?

But he did not dare to ask further and immediately agreed.

However, Lu An stopped him and turned to the Sect Master, saying, "Senior, the journey is long. It might be difficult to return before dark."

Before the Sect Master could respond, Lu An continued, "Although using the teleportation array could speed things up, when I arrived today, the Second Elder wanted to capture us for wasting sect resources."

"In this case, if Shen Mi uses the teleportation array again, he might face punishment from the Second Elder."

The Sect Master glanced at Lu An and then smiled wryly, shaking his head.

"You're not at a disadvantage. You even came to report to me. You can use the teleportation array as you please. Let's see who dares to stop you."

His words were calm, but the underlying arrogance was evident.

The Sect Master was also curious about the matter.

"How did you offend the Second Elder? Tell me about it. If it's a minor issue, I will mediate it for you, and he won't dare to say anything."

Lu An's expression was peculiar. This matter started because of your distant great-grandson. Since you want to hear it, I'll tell you.

He pondered for a moment and slowly recounted the events of that day.

After listening, the Sect Master's expression changed between gloom and light.

"That old Shihui Yuan, usually making a fuss within the sect, I did not want to argue with him. But now he has bullied my descendant. How can I tolerate this?"

His eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness as he said to Lu An, "I will handle this matter. You do not need to worry. There is still plenty of time today, perfect for us to exchange insights on talismans."

After saying this, he waved his hand at Shen Mi, who immediately understood, bowed, and slowly withdrew.

Lu An was naturally eager for the Sect Master's suggestion and immediately began the discussion.

As time passed, Lu An became increasingly astonished. He marveled at the Sect Master's reputation as the head of the Spirit Talisman Society and a renowned second-tier talisman master. The Sect Master's knowledge of talisman techniques far exceeded Lu An's, with insights into various talismans being exceptionally sophisticated.

For some of Lu An's unclear points, the Sect Master needed only a few words to make things crystal clear. The details about second-tier talismans were enlightening, and Lu An felt that the speed at which he could improve his talisman crafting would increase significantly.

The Sect Master was also quite surprised by Lu An's understanding of talisman techniques, especially Lu An's insights into crafting top-quality and even perfected talismans, which were comparable to his own. What amazed him the most was Lu An's unconventional thinking and unpredictable actions during talisman crafting. These small changes often made the talismans run more smoothly and increased their effectiveness.

He was impressed and thought he was just giving guidance to Lu An but ended up benefiting greatly himself. The two of them seemed to lose track of time and continued their discussion until the next morning, ending reluctantly.

During this time, Bai Sheng also arrived at the cave residence. The Sect Master merely nodded at him and then ignored him. Now that there was a break, he turned to Bai Sheng and asked, "Do you have any elders still alive?"

Bai Sheng, unaware of the Sect Master's identity, answered honestly, "After my grandfather passed away a few years ago, I have no more relatives."

The Sect Master frowned and asked, "What was your grandfather's name?"

"Bai Feng."

Upon hearing this name, the Sect Master's expression turned nostalgic. "Bai Feng, so he was that child from Third Brother's family."

He murmured to himself for a moment and then said, "I am also from the Bai family. I only learned of your existence today. You may call me Grandfather."

Bai Sheng was greatly surprised and then became skeptical. "You say you are my great-grandfather, but you have no proof. I need to check if there is any record of you in the family tree."

"You have a family tree?" The Sect Master's voice suddenly rose, filled with urgency.

Bai Sheng did not speak but took out a tattered book from his chest and handed it over.

The Sect Master took it with trembling hands and looked at the names inside, tears streaming down his face. "You... you... sigh... child, you have suffered over the years."

He pointed to a name in the book and said, "I am Bai Yao, and everyone in the Spirit Talisman Society knows me. Take a good look."

Bai Sheng leaned in and saw that the name matched. According to its position, it was indeed two generations older than his grandfather.

Seeing this, Bai Sheng hesitated no longer. He knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed nine times. "Great-grandfather, grandson greets you!"

The Sect Master's face showed relief, and he lovingly patted Bai Sheng's head. "With me around, you need not be afraid. From now on, follow me in your cultivation."

"As for the grudge against the Fang family, once I break through to the Core Formation stage, I will definitely seek them out for revenge."

Unexpectedly, Bai Sheng showed hesitation, struggling for a while before quietly saying, "Great-grandfather, I... I wish to follow Mr. Lu."

The Sect Master was astonished and looked at Lu An, continuing to persuade, "Although Lu Xiaoyou has a high level of understanding in talisman techniques, his cultivation is still low, and he may not have much time to teach you."

"Following him is far less beneficial than staying with me. I can provide ample resources, and within two years, I am confident that you will reach the late stage of Qi Refining."

Bai Sheng was tempted and thought for a moment but still shook his head. "I am slow-witted. Although Mr. Lu has not accepted me as his disciple, he has not abandoned me either. I cannot disappoint him."

"Just like before, I want to be Mr. Lu's disciple!"