Chapter 146 - 142: Basic Introduction to the Array Dao
After a day had passed, Li Yuan unequipped the Iron Bull Skill and switched back to the Jade Cloud Talisman Brush.
He then spread out a sheet of golden talisman paper, dipped his brush in Dark Gold Spiritual Ink, and began crafting a Spirit-Refining Talisman.
He drew six over the morning and succeeded with two. For now, his success rate for Tier One Top Grade talismans was only about one-third. While much lower than his rate for Tier One Low Grade Fireball Talismans, it wasn’t bad for someone just starting with this higher grade.
Li Yuan put away the finished products and left the inn.
Old Sun was already waiting at the mouth of the alley.
"Let’s go."
The two of them followed the side alley, turned onto the main street, and headed toward the area where Loose Cultivators gathered.
"My job is mainly to watch the foot traffic around Pill Refiner He. I note who comes to see him, when they arrive, what they bring, and how long they stay. I report all that to Wang Lu, and he investigates it himself."
Old Sun tucked his hands into his sleeves and tilted his head.
"What about you?"
"External reconnaissance. I wander around the marketplace, looking for any news related to the marauder gangs."
"A clear division of labor, then."
Old Sun muttered, then spread his hands in a shrug.
"To be honest, just because I learned a skill from Old Man He one time doesn’t mean we have some deep connection. We met a couple of times, exchanged a few sentences—that’s the extent of our relationship. And now, great, I’m stuck on stakeout."
He slapped his thigh.
"The Wang family just has too many people on their hands, so they just casually threw me into this."
Li Yuan didn’t respond.
The two walked to the area where Loose Cultivators gathered and meandered for a while between some tea stalls and vendor stands.
Li Yuan was listening intently the whole time.
Information flowed much more freely in Yunyang Marketplace than in Qinghe Marketplace, and the topics of conversation among the Cultivators were more varied. Most of it had nothing to do with the struggle between the Wang and Li families; they talked about cultivation insights, marketplace prices, which Sect had recently recruited new disciples, or where a new Spirit Vein had been discovered.
But occasionally, he would overhear snippets related to marauders.
As they passed a stall selling ores, two Loose Cultivators were squatting nearby, speaking in low voices.
"...that group of marauders to the south got broken up a while back. A few of them escaped and word is they headed north."
"Headed north? You mean this way?"
"Not sure. Someone just said they saw a few unfamiliar Cultivators thirty li south of the marketplace. Their auras were pretty strong—Late-stage Qi Refining."
Li Yuan didn’t break his stride as he walked past, nor did he turn to look at the two men. He simply listened to their words and committed them to memory.
’Late-stage Qi Refining. Thirty li to the south. Unfamiliar Cultivators.’
’The description matched the group of marauders from the herb garden.’
’But it might not be the same group. Cultivators were always coming and going around Yunyang Marketplace; Late-stage Qi Refining Loose Cultivators weren’t exactly rare.’
Li Yuan didn’t dwell on it, nor did he make any effort to find the two Loose Cultivators and question them further.
He kept walking.
After making a round, Li Yuan began to pay attention to the prices in the marketplace.
The prices in Yunyang Marketplace differed from those in Qinghe Marketplace, but it wasn’t a simple case of everything being more or less expensive.
Pills and Magical Artifacts were on the pricier side. The price of Tier One Middle Grade pills here was nearly twenty percent higher than in Qinghe Marketplace, and Magical Artifacts were over thirty percent more expensive.
However, consumables like talisman-crafting materials and Spirit Grass were actually cheaper. The price of Cyan Pattern Paper was about ten percent lower than in Qinghe Marketplace, and Spiritual Ink was also a bit cheaper.
The price of Talismans was lower as well.
Li Yuan stopped in front of a shop that specialized in buying Talismans.
A sign hung at the shop’s entrance, listing the purchase prices for various Talismans. Tier One Low Grade Fireball Talismans: two Spirit Stones each. Cleaning Talismans: three for one Spirit Stone. Exorcism Talismans: two for one Spirit Stone.
This was nearly thirty percent lower than in Qinghe Marketplace.
There were many Talisman Masters in Yunyang Marketplace, so the supply of Talismans was much greater than in Qinghe Marketplace, naturally driving the prices down.
On the other hand, buying things here was also cheaper. The difference evened out, more or less.
Li Yuan sorted through the Talismans he had accumulated in his storage pouch.
He had built up some stock over the past few days at the herb garden and the Talisman Hall but hadn’t had a chance to sell them.
He walked into the purchasing shop.
The Shopkeeper behind the counter was a wiry man in his fifties. His eyes lit up when he saw Li Yuan walk in holding a large stack of Talismans.
Li Yuan sorted the Talismans by type and laid them on the counter.
The Shopkeeper picked up the first few Fireball Talismans and flipped through them, then pulled a few out to hold up to the light and inspect the quality of the Spirit Patterns.
"The quality of these Fireball Talismans is quite good."
He stacked the Talismans neatly and reached for the Rejuvenation Talismans and Vajra Talismans, flipping through each pile.
"These two types are decent as well."
After counting everything, the Shopkeeper flicked the beads of his abacus. CLICK-CLACK.
"A total of sixty-seven Spirit Stones."
Li Yuan didn’t haggle and accepted the Spirit Stones.
With sixty-seven Spirit Stones in his pouch, his funds were suddenly much more plentiful.
After leaving the shop, Li Yuan continued down the main street.
After passing a few common Pill Shops and Magical Artifact Shops, he saw an inconspicuous wooden sign hanging at the entrance to a side street up ahead.
A few lines of text were written on the wooden sign.
"Introduction to the Array Dao. Introduction to the Alchemy Dao. Introduction to the Artifact Refining Dao. Introduction to the Talisman Dao."
A price was listed after each line, ranging from ten to twenty Spirit Stones.
Li Yuan’s pace slowed.
He turned into the side street.
The street wasn’t long, with only three or four shops on either side. Their storefronts were small, and their decor was much shabbier than the shops on the main street. The doors were half-open, revealing rows of wooden shelves inside, which held various bamboo slips and thin booklets.
A plaque hung on the lintel of the innermost shop, inscribed with the three words: "Hundred Arts Hall."
Li Yuan walked inside.
A young clerk in his twenties was sitting behind the counter. Seeing someone enter, he stood up with a smile.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist. What would you like to learn?"
Li Yuan glanced at the items on the shelves.
The bamboo slips and booklets were sorted by category and labeled. The Array Dao, Alchemy Dao, Artifact Refining Dao, and Talisman Dao each occupied a row of shelves.
"What are all these?"
The clerk eagerly came around from behind the counter, walked to the shelves, and held up a bamboo slip.
"They’re all introductory study materials. For example, this ’Introduction to the Array Dao’ scroll explains the basic principles of Arrays, the classification and identification of Spirit Patterns, the structural characteristics of common Arrays, how to determine if an Array is for offense or defense, and where an Array Hub is typically located."
He put the bamboo slip back and picked up another scroll.
"’Introduction to the Alchemy Dao’ covers the classification and medicinal properties of herbs, how to use an alchemical furnace, and the most basic alchemy process. It doesn’t teach formulas, only how to identify herbs, control the heat, and distinguish the quality of pills."
He put the scroll back and rubbed his hands together.
"Of course, this is all just the absolute basics. If you want to learn more advanced material, you’ll have to join the faction backing us."
He pointed to a wall in the back of the shop. A wooden sign hung there, with a few lines of text explaining that the Hundred Arts Hall was backed by a medium-sized power, and joining would grant access to advanced learning resources and guidance.
Just then, footsteps sounded from behind him.
Old Sun had followed him in at some point and had been standing by the door, listening for a while.
He took two steps toward Li Yuan and lowered his voice.
"Don’t fall for it."
He gestured toward the bamboo slips on the shelves with his chin.
"I’ve looked through this stuff before. They call it ’introductory,’ but it’s *too* basic. We’re talking the most superficial knowledge. The Array Dao one is just common sense everyone already knows, the Alchemy Dao one doesn’t even give you the simplest formula, and the Artifact Refining one is even worse—you’re done with it after flipping two pages."
The clerk’s smile stiffened for a moment, but he quickly plastered it back on.
"Fellow Daoist, your assessment is a bit unfair. Our materials may be basic, but their strength lies in being systematic and comprehensive. The content you find in outside bookshops is just scattered bits and pieces, with no coherent system."
Old Sun ignored him and just spread his hands toward Li Yuan, as if to say, ’It’s your call.’
Li Yuan didn’t respond, instead walking to the row of shelves for the Array Dao.
On the shelf were three bamboo scrolls and two thin booklets, each with a different focus. The bamboo scrolls covered Array principles and Spirit Pattern identification, while the booklets contained diagrams of common Array structures and methods for locating the Array Hub.
Li Yuan reached out and picked up the topmost bamboo scroll.
The moment his fingers touched the surface of the scroll, the panel appeared.
[Equippable Item Detected]
[Item Entry Grade: White]
[Note: Item does not belong to you. Cannot be equipped. Detailed information cannot be viewed.]
’A White Entry.’
Li Yuan’s fingers paused on the bamboo scroll for a moment, his expression unchanging.
He flipped through two pages of the scroll, glanced at the contents, and then closed it.
"How much for this scroll?"
The clerk immediately hurried over.
"’Introduction to the Array Dao.’ Fifteen Spirit Stones."
Old Sun frowned behind him.
Li Yuan placed the scroll back on the shelf and nodded to the clerk.
"I’ll take it. I ran into an Array once when I went into the mountains with some people and paid the price for it. Learning the basics will at least help me recognize them next time."
Old Sun opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he just shook his head.
Li Yuan counted out fifteen Spirit Stones and placed them on the counter.
The clerk skillfully wrapped the bamboo scroll in Oil Paper and handed it over, his smile beaming once again.
"Fellow Daoist has a good eye. The basics of the Array Dao may be simple, but they’re highly practical. Cultivators often encounter Arrays when traveling. Knowing a little is always better than knowing nothing."
Li Yuan put the bamboo scroll into his storage pouch, nodded to Old Sun, and turned to leave the shop.
Old Sun followed behind, muttering under his breath.
"Fifteen Spirit Stones for a scroll of common knowledge. You’re really willing to splurge."
Li Yuan didn’t look back.
"It’ll be easier to handle if I run into an Array."
Old Sun snorted but said no more.
The two of them walked back down the side street to the main street, then went their separate ways.
Old Sun went back to his stakeout near Pill Refiner He, while Li Yuan planned to continue wandering around the marketplace.