The feast lasted for a full hour.
After the feast ended, Chu Daniu had drunk a little too much and was already tipsy.
"Brother Li, you took good care of me back when we were searching for the path to immortality."
He slung an arm over Li Chang'an's shoulder as they walked out of the restaurant.
"If you ever need help with anything in the future, just say the word. As long as it's something I can do, I'll definitely help you!"
"Alright."
Li Chang'an replied with a smile.
Soon, the four of them bid each other farewell and went their separate ways back to their homes.
...
「In the days that followed.」
Li Chang'an spent his time honing his Talisman Painting skills.
He grew more and more proficient at creating High-quality Talismans, and his success rate gradually increased.
During this time, Qinghe Marketplace was anything but peaceful.
Several murders had occurred, all committed by Tribulation Cultivators.
Panic spread throughout the Marketplace.
Many of the wealthier Cultivators began to consider leaving Qinghe Marketplace, intending to find a safer residence on a Spirit Vein.
This infuriated the Zheng Family.
Not only did they increase the intensity of their patrols, but they also issued a bounty, vowing to find the murderous Tribulation Cultivators!
"Tribulation Cultivators!"
Li Chang'an also felt a hint of crisis. He definitely didn't want to be targeted by them.
After all, his strength was still too weak.
At the Early Stage of Qi Refining, he was just small fry in the Cultivation Immortality Realm.
Fortunately, he had already successfully created a full set of High-quality Talismans, and his strength had greatly increased compared to before.
「A few days later.」
A new piece of news spread through the Marketplace.
"The Tribulation Cultivators are a gang. The Zheng Family has already killed their leader, who was at the Late Stage of Qi Refining. Only a few members at the Middle and Early Stages are left in hiding."
This news put Li Chang'an somewhat at ease.
In the days that followed, the Tribulation Cultivators indeed quieted down, and peace returned to Qinghe Marketplace.
「Two months passed.」
Li Chang'an's Talisman Painting skill was now polished to near perfection.
'I basically never fail when drawing High-quality Talismans anymore.'
No one could guarantee a one hundred percent success rate.
His current skill level could be considered the peak for a Tier One Low Grade Talisman Master.
'It's a pity I don't have the next part of the inheritance.'
Li Chang'an sighed.
He had already completely mastered all the content within the Jade Scroll.
Lately, he had been keeping an eye out for any news about Talismanic Inheritances in the Marketplace.
However, there was very little news, not just about Talismans, but even about inheritances for other common skills.
'Oh well, I can't force it.'
Li Chang'an was still quite satisfied with his current situation.
He slowly set down the Talisman Brush in his hand, stood up, and stretched.
Ever since obtaining the Talismanic Inheritance, he had barely rested, forgoing food and sleep to study and hone his Talisman Drawing Skill.
'The path of cultivation should have a balance between tension and relaxation, work and rest.'
Li Chang'an decided to relax for a bit; he couldn't stay so tense for long periods.
Cultivators are people too, not Puppets.
He took out some biographies of powerful Cultivators, reading about the lives of these experts to strengthen his own conviction for Cultivation Immortality.
Night deepened, and it was Midnight once again.
[Divination has been refreshed]
[Today's Divination: Auspicious]
[You decide to relax your mind and go fishing at Bright Moon Lake. You unexpectedly obtain a Tier One Middle Grade Talismanic Inheritance from the belly of a fish.]
"A Middle Grade Talismanic Inheritance?"
Li Chang'an's spirits lifted.
He had just been worrying about not having the next part of the inheritance, and the Divination had given him a clue!
'This is perfect timing!'
'Bright Moon Lake... it's not far from Qinghe Marketplace, and Cultivators often go there to fish.'
Information about Bright Moon Lake surfaced in Li Chang'an's mind.
From the Marketplace to Bright Moon Lake, a round trip only took a quarter of an hour.
'Looks like I'll have to test my fishing skills.'
...
「The next morning.」
Li Chang'an took his fishing rod, prepared his bait, and set off to go fishing.
Before long, he arrived at the shores of Bright Moon Lake.
Looking out from a distance, the lake's surface was calm, and a few Cultivators were angling.
Li Chang'an chose a secluded spot, first scattering a handful of bait before casting his line.
Then, he held the fishing rod as still as an old monk in meditation.
About a quarter of an hour later, the first fish took the bait.
"SPLASH..."
Li Chang'an yanked it out of the water.
He flicked a finger, sending out a strand of Spiritual Power to slice open the fish's belly, and inspected it carefully.
He didn't find anything unusual.
He remained patient, waiting for the next fish.
Over the next hour, he caught five more fish in succession, but none of them had the inheritance in their bellies.
A short while later, another fish was on the hook.
Li Chang'an sliced open its belly as usual, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
"A Jade Scroll!"
Inside this fish's belly was, to his surprise, a Jade Scroll.
He took out the Jade Scroll and gave its contents a quick scan.
"The Tier One Middle Grade Talismanic Inheritance!"
Li Chang'an was thrilled. He had obtained it without any effort at all.
After a moment, he packed up his fishing gear, picked up his fish basket, and started on the road back to the Marketplace.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would be back at the Marketplace in about seven minutes.
However, halfway there, he suddenly heard the urgent sound of something whistling through the air not far away.
'Something's wrong. It sounds like people are fighting!'
A chill went down Li Chang'an's spine; the sound was rapidly approaching him.
He quickly activated a Qi Concealment Talisman.
He suppressed his aura to its absolute minimum.
Then he ducked into a nearby bush, remaining as still as a stone.
「A few breaths later.」
A blood-soaked figure shot past the bush.
It was Chu Daniu!
His aura was weak; he was clearly heavily injured.
Behind him, two ferocious-looking Cultivators were in hot pursuit.
"JIE JIE JIE!"
"Chu Daniu, stop resisting!"
"Hand over all your valuables and your Spirit Wine inheritance, and we brothers might consider sparing your life!"
The two men cackled, their auras both at the Peak of the Third Layer of Qi Refining.
But Chu Daniu had only just recently advanced to the Third Layer of Qi Refining.
Even a one-on-one fight would have been troublesome, let alone one against two.
'How could Big Bull be so unlucky? To actually run into Tribulation Cultivators.'
Li Chang'an's brow furrowed slightly.
Those two Cultivators were, in fact, on the bounty list issued by the Zheng Family.
He observed for a moment and saw that there was no one else behind the two men.
He then activated a Light Body Talisman, a Wind Speed Talisman, a Divine Step Talisman, and others. His body became as light as a wisp of gentle wind as he silently followed behind them.
「A few more breaths later.」
Chu Daniu's aura grew even weaker, and his body swayed.
THUD.
He fell headfirst to the ground.
"No..."
Chu Daniu's face was ashen. They were still some distance from the Marketplace.
But he was too heavily injured.
He couldn't make it back.
'Is my cultivation journey going to end here?'
Sorrow filled Chu Daniu's heart.
He had finally managed to acquire a skill.
His life was just about to get better, yet he was going to fall here.
"JIE JIE!"
"Chu Daniu, hurry up and hand over your treasures!"
The two Tribulation Cultivators closed in, their laughter as grating as a night owl's screech.
Chu Daniu was already in despair.
But just then,
two streaks of golden light suddenly flashed, slicing across the necks of the two Tribulation Cultivators.
"Ambush!"
The two reacted instantly.
But before they could make a move, their two heads tumbled from their necks.
Blood gushed out, and the two headless bodies collapsed in unison.
Dead!
Chu Daniu's eyes widened in utter disbelief.