Chapter 201 - 195: Cui Xin Lotus
In the following days, Li Yuan’s routine stabilized.
He taught Han Qing for a few hours in the morning, made Talismans in the afternoon, practiced Alchemy in the evening, and cultivated at night.
Han Qing’s progress was much faster than when he first started.
His brush posture and fundamentals of Spiritual Power conduction had been corrected. He could now draw the Fire Gathering Pattern completely, though his success rate was still low.
While teaching Han Qing, Li Yuan didn’t neglect his own Talisman making.
His success rate with the Breaking Charm rose from seventy percent to over eighty percent. The precision of the Spiritual Power compression at the end of the Piercing Pattern grew increasingly higher, and he could now consistently control the diameter of the sharp tip to within the width of a human hair.
His progress with the Investigation Talisman advanced in tandem. For a Talisman Maker at the Great Success level, combining the Sensing Pattern and the Expansion Pattern presented no technical difficulty; it was mainly a matter of accumulating practice.
This afternoon, Li Yuan finished drawing a Breaking Charm and lifted his brush.
A dark silver luster floated on the Talisman’s surface, deeper and sharper than his previous finished products.
The panel flickered.
[Talisman: Breaking Charm - Proficient (0/400)]
Immediately after, he drew a few Investigation Talismans.
[Talisman: Investigation Talisman - Proficient (0/400)]
Both types of Talismans reached the Proficient level simultaneously.
During his cultivation that night, the tempering of the Soul Condensation Skill was interspersed between the cycles of the Spirit-Introducing Skill.
After so long practicing it since reaching the entry level, each cycle of compression and expansion felt more natural than the last.
The speed at which his Divine Soul’s power condensed continued to increase, and the ultimate depth of compression was pushed a little further each time.
Later that night, after completing a set of Soul Condensation Skill cycles, Li Yuan felt a change.
It wasn’t that any single cycle was particularly different, but the overall feeling had changed.
The process of compressing his Divine Soul’s power no longer required deliberate concentration.
His consciousness only needed to give a gentle nudge, and his Divine Soul’s power would automatically follow the path practiced countless times to gather, compress, and expand.
It was as natural as breathing.
[Cultivation Technique: Soul Condensation Skill - Proficient (0/400)]
Proficient.
Once the Soul Condensation Skill reached the Proficient level, the strengthening speed of his Divine Soul became a notch faster than it was at the entry level.
Although the increase in his Divine Soul’s density from each cycle was still minuscule, the cumulative efficiency was higher.
Combined with the stacked effects of three permanent traits—the Soul Mirror, his insights from Alchemy, and Divine Soul tempering—the overall strength of his Divine Soul ascended to a new level.
The next morning, Li Yuan took a batch of finished Talismans to the Purple Abyss Trading Company to make a delivery.
Shopkeeper Han was behind the counter, flipping through a ledger. When he saw Li Yuan enter, he closed the book.
Li Yuan placed the Talismans on the counter.
Shopkeeper Han reached out, pulled two from the middle of the stack, and turned them over to inspect the patterns. He pressed a finger against the surface of one.
Then he drew two more and inspected them in the same manner.
His movements were slower than usual, as if he were examining them with great care.
"Li Dao You, the quality of your recent Talismans has improved again." Shopkeeper Han placed the Talismans back in the stack, his gaze lifting from them to Li Yuan.
"This level of quality is definitely top-tier in all of Yunyang Market."
Li Yuan nodded without explaining. After his Spiritual Essence refinement became a permanent trait, the quality of his Talisman making had improved by twenty percent. The effect was indeed noticeable.
Shopkeeper Han stacked the Talismans neatly, calculated the payment, and pushed the Spirit Stones over.
"There’s one more thing." Shopkeeper Han took out a cloth-wrapped bundle from under the counter and placed it on top.
"That material you asked me to keep an eye out for. I found a Cui Xin Lotus."
Li Yuan’s gaze fell on the bundle.
Shopkeeper Han opened the cloth wrap.
Inside was a Spirit Grass, about the size of a palm. Its stalk was thick, its leaves were a vibrant green, and in the center was a bud that had yet to fully bloom.
The outer layer of the bud was composed of dark green sepals, through the cracks of which a faint golden light shone.
The Cui Xin Lotus.
The quality wasn’t top-tier, but the Spiritual Wave it emitted was pure. Its medicinal effects should be above average.
"Where did you get it?"
"An old client brought it back from a Secret Realm."
Shopkeeper Han pushed the bundle toward Li Yuan.
"He was in a hurry for Spirit Stones, so the asking price wasn’t high. Nine hundred Spirit Stones, and I’ll take an extra thirty for my fee."
Nine hundred and thirty.
Nearly thirty percent below market price.
Though the quality wasn’t the best, buying a Cui Xin Lotus for nine hundred Spirit Stones was definitely a bargain.
"I’ll take it."
Li Yuan had saved up a good number of Spirit Stones from making Talismans these past days, but nine hundred and thirty Spirit Stones still wiped out more than half his savings.
He counted out the Spirit Stones and stacked them on the counter. Shopkeeper Han swept the stones into a drawer under the counter and pushed the Cui Xin Lotus, bundle and all, to Li Yuan.
Li Yuan carefully placed the Cui Xin Lotus deep inside his storage bag, next to the Spirit Essence Fruit.
’I have two of the four main ingredients now. Still missing the Nine-Turn Lingzhi and the Purple Mansion Profound Liquid.’
"Let me know if you get any news on the other two."
"Don’t worry." Shopkeeper Han nodded, then seemed to remember something and spoke again.
"Oh, right, Li Dao You. A lot of customers have been coming into the shop asking for custom Talismans lately, and a few have specifically requested yours. If you’re willing, I can take custom orders for you."
"I can do that." Li Yuan nodded.
"Good." Shopkeeper Han smiled and patted the counter. "I’ll let you know when I have an order."
Li Yuan left the Purple Abyss Trading Company and walked back along the main street.
As he reached the entrance to a side alley, a person walked toward him.
He was a Cultivator in his thirties, wearing a clean, gray, short-sleeved shirt. He had an ordinary face and a Cultivation at the Qi Refining Fifth Level.
Li Yuan didn’t know the man, but he clearly knew the way to Li Yuan’s residence, as he had been pacing back and forth near the alley entrance, as if waiting for someone.
Upon seeing Li Yuan, the man hurried over.
"Li Dao You?"
"Yes."
"Senior He sent me to find you."
The man took a small wooden plaque from his clothes and flashed it. It was engraved with the access rune for the Restriction around Pill Refiner He’s courtyard. "Senior He requests your presence."
Li Yuan glanced at the wooden plaque and nodded.
He followed the man west along the main street, then turned into the street where Pill Refiner He’s courtyard was located.
The courtyard gate was ajar, and a gap in the Restriction had already been opened.
Li Yuan pushed the gate open and walked in. The Cultivator on duty did not follow, but turned and went back outside.
The courtyard was the same as before: a stone table and stools, wooden crates in the corner, and the scent of medicinal herbs wafting from the main house’s doorway.
Pill Refiner He was sitting behind the stone table, holding a white porcelain teacup and drinking tea.
"Sit."
Li Yuan sat down on a stone stool.
Pill Refiner He placed his teacup on the table and looked at Li Yuan.
"There’s something I need to discuss with you. Have you heard about the Ji family’s situation?"
"I’ve heard a little. One of the three Foundation Establishment families under the Primordial Yang Sect, they specialize in Artifact Refining, and only one old ancestor remains, his lifespan nearing its end."
Pill Refiner He nodded.
"More or less. The Ji family is in a very bad situation right now. It’s hard to say how much longer their old ancestor can hold on, but it certainly won’t be for long."
"The family desperately needs a new Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator to take over. Otherwise, once the old ancestor passes, the Ji family will lose its status as a Foundation Establishment family."
He lightly traced a line on the tabletop with his fingertip.
"The problem is, the Ji family’s luck has been terrible these past few years. They’ve already used three Foundation Establishment Pills and attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment three times, all ending in failure. Of their three most promising juniors, two died and one was crippled."
He lifted his finger from the table.
"Now the Ji family is facing a generational gap. So they can only try to get more Foundation Establishment Pills and have their existing members try again."
Pill Refiner He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down.
"You mentioned before that you wanted me to refine the Breaking Element Pill for you. If you gather all the materials, I’ll refine it for you. The probability of producing two pills in one batch is not low."
He looked at Li Yuan.
"If two pills are really produced, what do you plan to do with the second one?"
Li Yuan didn’t answer immediately.
Pill Refiner He continued.
"The Ji family is in urgent need of a Foundation Establishment Pill. If you’re willing, you can sell the second pill to them. You can set the price and terms of the transaction yourself; I won’t get involved."
He rested his folded hands on the table.
"I’m just mentioning it. If you disagree, just pretend I never said anything. The Ji family won’t know of your existence; I won’t reveal any information."
His tone was extremely nonchalant, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
"I’ve been refining pills for so many years..."
Li Yuan thought for a moment.
’If I really do get two Breaking Element Pills, I only need one for myself.’
’There’s no point in keeping the second one. Selling it for Spirit Stones or trading it for other resources would be the most logical way to handle it.’
’The Ji family desperately needs a Foundation Establishment Pill; their offer wouldn’t be low.’
’But the materials aren’t even gathered yet, and the pill hasn’t been refined. It’s too early to discuss what to do with a second one.’
"I’ll think about it."
Pill Refiner He nodded, not pressing the matter.
Li Yuan didn’t leave right away. Instead, he asked another question.
"Senior He, what do you know about the underground auctions?"
Pill Refiner He’s gaze lingered on Li Yuan for an extra moment.
"You want to go to an underground auction?"
"I’m still missing two main ingredients for the Breaking Element Pill. They’re hard to find through normal channels, so I want to try other avenues."
Without asking further questions, Pill Refiner He took a Token from his sleeve and casually tossed it to Li Yuan.
Li Yuan reached out and caught it.
It was a palm-sized bronze plaque, crudely made. The front was engraved with a simplified rune, and the back was smooth. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and a faint Spiritual Wave slowly circulated on its surface.
"With this, you can attend three or four of the underground auctions."
Pill Refiner He picked up his teacup.
"There’s more than one circle of underground auctions in Yunyang Market; there are seven or eight of them, large and small. This Token will get you into a few of them. The goods aren’t exceptionally rare, but they’re easier to find than in the open market."
He took a sip of tea.
"But these auctions aren’t held often."
He tapped the table with his finger a few times.
"The next one is in eight days, in a secret chamber under the eastern part of the market. The entrance is in the basement of the teahouse at the end of East Street. Just show the Token to the person at the door."
"The times for the second and third ones are unknown; you’ll have to wait for news. The Token has a messaging function, so you’ll receive a notification before they begin."
Li Yuan put the Token into his storage bag.
"Thank you, Senior He."
Pill Refiner He waved his hand and continued drinking his tea.
Li Yuan stood up and left the courtyard, the Restriction closing behind him.
He walked back the way he came, returning to his rented courtyard.
He closed the door and sat at the table.
And continued making Talismans.
The permanent trait from his Spiritual Essence refinement ensured that the quality of each finished product was consistently high.
Crimson, pale blue, and dark silver lusters rose from the sheets of talisman paper, which he stacked into neat piles.
’Two more medicinal ingredients to go. I need to hurry and keep making Talismans to save up Spirit Stones.’