"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Shangguan, for your timely assistance in resolving the crisis."
Fu Changsheng stepped forward and cupped his hands in thanks.
He had planned to visit Anyang County upon reaching the marketplace. Encountering Shangguan Hongyu made the situation easier to resolve, so he immediately said:
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, may I have a word with you in private?"
"Alright."
Shangguan Hongyu was just passing by.
She had a task at hand.
However, given Fu Changsheng's life-saving favor, it was naturally hard for her to refuse.
The two went up to a private room in the teahouse. Although the room had a shielding array to prevent eavesdropping, Fu Changsheng felt uneasy and quickly wrote a line on paper.
After Shangguan Hongyu saw it.
Her beautiful eyes blinked: "Fellow Daoist Fu, what do you mean?"
Fu Changsheng smiled bitterly and said:
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, you witnessed the earlier situation. The Li Family cultivators pay no heed to my Fu Family, and the mining vein's location is right at the border between the Fu and Li Families. Once we start mining and the Li Family discovers it, they will surely find an excuse to seize it. So, I..."
Shangguan Hongyu raised her hand to interrupt Fu Changsheng from continuing:
"Our Shangguan Family is not so destitute as to covet a Tier One Low-Grade ore vein from a subordinate force. Just return and prepare your manpower and resources for mining. Notify me ahead of time on the mining day, and I'll be there to oversee. The Li Family wouldn't dare make another move on the vein then."
Fu Changsheng was taken aback.
He thought the Shangguan Family would at least take seventy to eighty percent of the share, but he did not expect them to not take a single penny.
Feeling grateful at heart.
After rising to bow in thanks,
he silently remembered this favor, resolving to send due compensation to Shangguan Hongyu after the mining was completed.
Reciprocal courtesies.
Only through mutual exchanges can relationships last long.
Shangguan Hongyu told Fu Changsheng not to be so formal, took out a Jade Talisman from her sleeve, and handed it to Fu Changsheng:
"This is a Mother-Child Communication Jade Talisman that allows messaging within a thousand-mile range. Once you are ready, notify me. Also, in the future, if you encounter any difficulties, feel free to let me know. If I can help, I will certainly do so."
Having said this, she got up to leave, seemingly in quite a hurry.
Fu Changsheng took the Jade Talisman with both hands; for their Fu Family at present, it was undoubtedly a life-saving talisman.
Seeing Shangguan Hongyu already at the door, he quickly asked:
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, do you know where Kuili Mountain is located?"
"Kuili Mountain?!"
Shangguan Hongyu shook her head in confusion.
Then she said:
"I'll check for you in the Scripture Pavilion when I return to my clan. Once I find it, I'll send you a message."
After Shangguan Hongyu left.
Fu Changsheng sat for a while.
Soon, he saw a graceful blue figure walking in. Seeing it was Meizhen, Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up:
"Meizhen, when did you arrive?"
"Just when Li Wentai was thrown out, I reached the marketplace entrance."
Liuu Meizhen, who spent years in alchemy, carried a pleasant pill fragrance.
After the two sat down.
Liuu Meizhen's gaze fell on Fu Changsheng, seeing that he had already advanced to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, a smile appeared on her face, validating her perseverance in the Liuu family.
After chatting for a while,
Fu Changsheng then took out a box with a white base and tiger stripes from his sleeve.
The box opened.
When Liuu Meizhen saw the Spirit Containing Grass inside, her eyes brightened.
Fu Changsheng said:
"Meizhen, could you help me refine a batch of Spirit-Storage Pills? Once the pills are made, you take seventy percent and I will take thirty percent. At that time, you emptied your savings for me, and even now I haven't repaid you."
Liuu Meizhen smiled as she accepted the Spirit Containing Grass.
She glanced mockingly at Fu Changsheng:
"Aren't we family? Why talk about shares? Don't say such distant things to me in the future."
After the two chatted for a while,
quickly someone from the Liuu Family came to urge her.
Liuu Meizhen had come down the mountain to purchase Spirit Medicine, and Fu Changsheng needed to buy talisman paper and talisman blood. As the two descended from the teahouse, Liuu Meizhen said:
"I still have a batch of urgent Spirit Pills to refine for the family. Brother Changsheng, your Spirit-Storage Pills will probably be ready in about a month. I will send someone to deliver them to Luofeng Mountain then."
After purchasing supplies, Fu Changsheng did not linger and immediately donned his Invisibility Cloak to leave the marketplace.
This trip was quite successful.
He settled two major matters.
After returning to Luofeng Mountain,
he specifically called his third brother and fourth sister, instructing:
"During this time, don't open the array even if someone comes to the door. Elder brother should also halt the task of exterminating the Blood Spirit Insects."
Who knows if Li Wentai would go crazy despite everything.
After returning to his room,
Fu Changsheng then took out the half-broken Talisman Brush and observed it closely. He found that the brush shaft seemed to be forged from the rib bones of some demon beast, and inside the shaft, faint runes flowed and flickered:
"Truly worthy of being an Ancient Cultivator Talisman Brush."
Fu Changsheng immediately began a sacrificial refinement of the Talisman Brush.
He took out "Talisman Dao Mastery" and read it carefully. The book claimed to be a mastery but only contained methods for making three Tier One Low-Grade talismans: the Rapid Movement Talisman, the Dust-removal Talisman, and the Tracking Talisman.
Qi cultivators cannot fly by controlling objects.
The Rapid Movement Talisman was undoubtedly extremely useful to him, and it also sold well in the marketplace.
In the following days,
Fu Changsheng focused all his attention on studying the Rapid Movement Talisman.
In the secret chamber.
Accompanied by the sound of a spell.
Fu Changsheng's brushstroke finished neatly, and the Rapid Movement Talisman on the table immediately flashed with a yellow light, which then converged into a restrained Tier One Low-Grade talisman:
"Success!"
Fu Changsheng's face was full of surprise and joy.
This was his first time making it.
Just now, he clearly felt unfamiliarity in his brushwork, and the talisman almost spontaneously combusted. However, the talisman brush in his hand flashed with a light, and by some uncanny intuition, his brushwork changed, allowing the originally failed Rapid Movement Talisman to be successfully made.
Looking at the half-broken Talisman Brush in his hand:
"This really is a treasure!"
If Liu Cangtou hadn't had no talent for talisman making for several generations, this Talisman Brush would never have fallen into his hands, and he had acquired it for only a hundred Spirit Stones.
Immediately.
He continued and managed to make five or six more.
The first few were saved from failure by the Talisman Brush, but with experience, he could succeed even without the brush's aid.
"It seems I have truly stepped into the ranks of a Talisman Maker."
Fu Changsheng's lips curled into a slight smile.
Even with the brush's assistance, it was enough to prove his evident talent in talisman making, perhaps paving his path as a Talisman Master in the future.
Suppressing the joy in his heart, he glanced at the hourglass beside him.
Fu Changsheng put away the Talisman Brush:
"It's time to start mining the Yani Gang Stone Ore Vein."
Six days ago,
he had messaged Shangguan Hongyu.
Today was an auspicious day, a propitious day for starting work.
Coming out of the secret chamber,
Fu Changsheng handed the seven Rapid Movement Talismans he'd made to his third brother and fourth sister:
"These are talismans I made. Observe and study carefully. When you can successfully draw the Rapid Movement Talisman on the sand table, let me know, and I'll get talisman brushes for you from the marketplace."
The patriarch actually made talismans?!
His third brother and fourth sister were startled.
Then, delighted, they stood and bowed to Fu Changsheng:
"Congratulations to the patriarch for advancing to a Tier One Low-Grade Talisman Maker!"
Without guidance from elders, self-taught, and only taking nine days to successfully make talismans, it proved their patriarch had astonishing talent in talisman making!