Chapter 134 - 130: Jade Cloud Talisman Brush
Chapter 134: Chapter 130: Jade Cloud Talisman Brush
After the Replenishing Talisman’s cooldown ended, Li Yuan re-equipped it. With the recovery bonus from its returning tide of Spiritual Power, his stamina for making Talismans was restored to full.
This afternoon, Li Yuan finished his Talisman-making tasks early and left the garrison for a stroll toward the Market.
The number of people on East Street had increased again compared to half a month ago.
It wasn’t just a little more; it was a whole new level of crowded.
Stalls lined the street from one end to the other, with almost no empty space in between. Sheds had also been set up in several side alleys, selling all sorts of things. The density of Cultivators on the road had nearly doubled. Some carried storage pouches on their backs, others held cloth bags, and a few mortals pushing handcarts squeezed through the crowd.
Li Yuan walked slowly along East Street, sweeping his perception across the auras of the passing Cultivators.
Most were still Early-stage and Mid-stage Qi Refining Loose Cultivators, much like before.
But mixed among them were several auras that were clearly deeper.
Late-stage Qi Refining.
At least three of them.
One was standing in front of a medicine shop at the entrance to the north alley, holding a cup of tea and chatting with the Shopkeeper.
Another walked past Li Yuan, his pace unhurried. His gaze swept over the stalls on both sides, not lingering on Li Yuan.
A third was sitting inside a newly opened shop in the middle of East Street, their aura suppressed so low that he almost missed it without careful perception.
In the past, Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators were a rare sight in the Market; basically, only members of the main Wang family had reached that level. Now, he had run into three on a single street.
As he passed Wu’s Talisman Shop, the Shopkeeper was at the entrance talking to a Loose Cultivator. Li Yuan took a few steps closer and overheard a few words.
"...auction, the day after tomorrow."
’An auction.’
Li Yuan didn’t stop to inquire but continued walking for a while. Beside another stall, he heard a similar conversation.
"The day after tomorrow, in that courtyard on the west side of the Market. I heard there will be several rare materials, and even pills to help with breakthroughs."
"We can just go and watch the excitement. Don’t even think about buying anything."
Li Yuan took note of this information and turned back toward the garrison.
’An auction. It’s the day after tomorrow. There will be rare materials and breakthrough pills.’
’No wonder the Market is so much more crowded, with several Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators showing up.’
’Li Yuan wanted to go and take a look.’
’But there was a problem with auctions.’
The items for auction are displayed on a stage, while the bidders sit below. The items aren’t handled; you can see them but can’t touch them. He wouldn’t be able to reach out and touch them to check for entries, like he could when browsing the stalls.
Even if he won an item, it would be inappropriate to immediately touch it the moment he received it under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
When he returned to the garrison, Captain Wang was just getting back from outside.
The two ran into each other at the courtyard gate.
Captain Wang took a few steps toward the stone house, pulled a folded piece of paper from his sleeve, and handed it over.
"The auction’s list. The Market Steward’s office gave it to me."
Li Yuan took it and unfolded it.
Two pages, densely packed with a list of over thirty auction items. Each had a starting price and a brief description.
The first few items were indeed outrageously expensive. A Realm-Breaking Pill that helps with breaking through from the Qi Refining Sixth Level had a starting price of six hundred Spirit Stones. A Spirit Medicine that could extend one’s life by ten years started at five hundred.
’These things had nothing to do with him.’
Li Yuan continued to the next page.
The prices of the items in the middle section dropped, ranging from several dozen to one or two hundred Spirit Stones. There was a wide variety of items: Tier One Magical Artifacts, pills, Cultivation Techniques, and ores.
Captain Wang leaned against the wall, watching Li Yuan look through the list.
"Aside from the few valuable items at the beginning that have to go through the auction process, you can buy most of the rest directly if you want them."
Li Yuan looked up at him.
Captain Wang tucked his hands into his sleeves. "You’re the guard team’s Talisman Maker, and your output has always been good. I have that much sway. You pick from the list, and I’ll have someone get it for you from the Steward’s office at twenty percent above the base price."
Li Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony and lowered his head to continue reading the list.
His gaze stopped on two items.
The first was an Evil Qi Detecting Disc.
The description on the list was simple: After infusing it with Spiritual Power, it can detect the concentration and distribution of Evil Qi within a certain range. It is also effective against Evil Qi concealed within objects or living beings. Starting price: thirty Spirit Stones.
The second was a Jade Cloud Talisman Brush.
The description on the list read: Made from Jade Cloud Spirit Wood with a tip cored with the whiskers of a Tier Three Demon Beast. Spiritual Power conduction is extremely smooth, suitable for drawing Tier One Middle Grade Talismans and above. Starting price: fifty Spirit Stones.
Li Yuan noted the location of these two items and closed the list.
"These two." He flipped the paper to the correct page and pointed with his finger.
Captain Wang leaned over and glanced at it.
"The Evil Qi Detecting Disc and the Jade Cloud Talisman Brush."
He nodded.
"Alright, that will be ninety-six Spirit Stones in total."
Li Yuan counted out the Spirit Stones from his storage pouch and placed them on the stone table nearby.
Captain Wang gathered the Spirit Stones, beckoned to a guard Cultivator outside the courtyard gate, and gave a few low-voiced instructions. The Cultivator nodded, took the Spirit Stones, and quickly left the courtyard.
"They will be delivered to you before tomorrow."
Li Yuan nodded.
The items arrived the next morning. A guard Cultivator delivered two items to the door of Li Yuan’s stone house: a wooden box and a cloth bag.
Inside the wooden box was the Evil Qi Detecting Disc.
It was a palm-sized bronze disc, similar in appearance to a Spirit Detecting Disc, but the arrangement of Spirit Patterns on its face was completely different. The Spirit Patterns on a Spirit Detecting Disc were for sensing Spiritual Qi fluctuations, while those on the Evil Qi Detecting Disc specifically targeted Evil Qi. A small, dark gray stone was embedded in the center of the disc, its surface glowing with a very faint purple light.
Li Yuan picked it up and weighed it in his hand. It felt solid, and its craftsmanship was much more refined than the Spirit Detecting Disc.
’Unfortunately, it had no entry.’
Li Yuan put the Evil Qi Detecting Disc into his storage pouch.
Inside the cloth bag was the Jade Cloud Talisman Brush.
The brush’s shaft was half a hand longer than any of the ones Li Yuan currently used. It was a deep jade-green color, the wood fine and warm to the touch. A natural grain covered its surface, rippling like water from the base to the end. The tip was long and slender, with a core of extremely fine, silvery-white bristles, much denser than an ordinary brush tip.
The feel in his hand was solid and steady. The moment Spiritual Power flowed from his fingertips into the shaft, the smoothness of the conduction was on a completely different level from the brushes he had used before.
There was almost no attenuation as the Spiritual Power reached the tip; however much he channeled in was how much reached the tip.
His fingertips touched the shaft.
[Detectable equippable item: Jade Cloud Talisman Brush (Intact)]
[Entry Preview: Spiritual Ink Enhancement (White) — Increases the Spiritual Power conduction efficiency of infused Spiritual Ink by 30%, and increases the stability of Spirit Patterns on Talisman Paper by 20%]
[Permanence Condition Preview: Successfully draw five different Tier One Top Grade Talismans with this brush (0/5)]
[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace a currently equipped item?]
’A white entry. Spiritual Ink Enhancement.’
’A dual boost to conduction efficiency and Spirit Pattern stability.’
Although getting an entry was a good thing, Li Yuan felt a bit of a headache.
’After achieving permanence, the equipment disappears, and he would have to buy another high-quality talisman brush.’
’Still, permanence was a long way off.’
Li Yuan didn’t equip it, opting to use the Jade Cloud Talisman Brush as a regular tool.
He spread out a sheet of Cyan Pattern Paper, dipped the Jade Cloud Talisman Brush in Spiritual Ink, and set the tip to paper.
’Fireball Talisman.’
The loss of Spiritual Power from the shaft to the tip was much smaller. With his old brushes, there was about a ten percent attenuation as Spiritual Power traveled from his fingertips to the brush tip, and a little more would dissipate on the paper’s surface. The Jade Cloud Talisman Brush had almost no attenuation; however much he channeled in was how much reached the paper.
The resulting Spirit Patterns were much clearer. The edges of the lines were a fraction sharper than before, the spacing between the patterns was more precise, and the quality of the entire Talisman’s surface had visibly improved by a whole grade.
He drew the six Spirit Patterns in one smooth motion, then converged them at the Talisman Core.
’A fine brush.’
After finishing the Talisman, Li Yuan took some Demon Beast Flesh from his storage pouch, roasted it, and ate. Then, he sat cross-legged and circulated his technique.
Outside his window, the direction of the Market was a bit livelier than before, with the faint sounds of voices and footsteps drifting in. The auction was tomorrow, and the atmosphere in the Market was different from usual.
Li Yuan closed his eyes. Spiritual Qi surged into his body, sinking into his Dantian.