Cultivation: Being Immortal

Shenmu City in Central Province

Lin Jiang and Small Shadiao met in a private room at a restaurant and started sharing the information they had gathered.

"The Holy Heavenly Sect took over the territories of the Spiritual Moon Sect and the Jiang family. Over a hundred years ago, the Holy Heavenly Sect swallowed up all the territory of the Spiritual Moon Sect, and their direct territory is more than twice the size of the Spiritual Moon Sect."

"The Shenmu Sect took over some territories that had contact with them, while the Holy Heavenly Sect didn’t intervene. However, they managed to hold onto several key areas, such as the Siling Mountain’s Spiritual Stone Mine."

"Three top sects have recognized the status of the Holy Heavenly Sect and have agreed to continue conducting business in the Moon City. The Holy Heavenly Sect announced that the rules in Moon City will remain the same, and the chaos in the city has come to an end."

"The Void Achieving cultivator from the Jiang family has died in battle, and the one named Jiang Xingyuan, who is a Soul Changing cultivator, was captured alive. He was hung in Moon City for seven days under the scorching sun, and then subjected to various tortures. His physical body died, and his soul was burned and used as fuel for eternal lamps, which caused him to howl day and night in Moon City. With the strength of his Soul Changing soul, he could have endured for ten years or more. Even if he were given some healing midway, a hundred years would not be a problem. Such torture is extremely terrifying."

"Xu Mingyue’s death was caused by Yun Hua, the Void Achieving cultivator from the Spiritual Moon Sect and also her husband, betraying her. Yun Hua has disappeared, and his whereabouts are unknown. Another Void Achieving cultivator from the Spiritual Moon Sect died in battle, leaving only one Void Achieving cultivator remaining."

"The Spiritual Moon Sect is completely finished."

Lin Jiang sighed and the two of them took turns explaining the situation that had happened over the past month. They had gathered this information through their own investigations.

Actually, there were many other pieces of news, such as the female disciples from the Spiritual Moon Sect who had gotten married. Some of them had already been implicated, but it didn’t really matter anymore. In the grand scheme of things, their personal fate was no longer of concern.

This is what they call a grain of dust in the era, falling on an individual’s head can become a mountain.

"Your father is smart for not going with Xu Yunyue."

"You scoundrel!"

Lin Jiang shook his head. Small Shadiao’s acting was too good, even he almost believed Small Shadiao’s deep affection for Xu Yunyue.

"Dad, what should we do next?"

"Let’s find a place to hide and see how the Holy Heavenly Sect is doing. If they are becoming more powerful, we will avoid them and change our identities. We will find a place to live in seclusion. If we ever get the chance for revenge, we will give them a surprise attack."

"That works, but in the future, can I not be your son anymore? Otherwise, it’s easy for someone to discover."

"Call me Brother from now on."

Lin Jiang nodded, the combination of son and father was indeed eye-catching. From now on they will refer to each other as brothers, a combination that had a wider range and was less likely to be discovered by others.

·······

Lin Jiang and Small Shadiao settled in Shenmu City. Lin Jiang had become quite familiar with Shenmu City over the years, but although the landscape remained the same, the people had changed a lot. It was a place of familiarity but also of change.

Lin Jiang didn’t have the mood to reminisce about the past and chose to embrace the new life honestly.

"From now on, I’ll be called Yunlai and you’ll be called Yunluo. We are independent cultivators, wandering in different places. I am still a Talisman Maker, you know?"

Lin Jiang gave himself a new name. He was a bit indecisive about what name to choose. It couldn’t be too domineering or too obscure, so he casually picked one.

"Dad, can’t you change your profession? Still being a Talisman Maker is way too obvious."

"In the cultivation world, there are not just a few fourth-tier Talisman Makers. It’s not that easy to be discovered. Besides, I would like to change my profession, but my talent doesn’t allow it."

Lin Jiang said that he had tried alchemy, formations, and crafting since coming from the far north, but he was average in these areas. He was much better in the art of talisman making. Lin Jiang had to earn resources for cultivation and could only continue his journey in the identity of a Talisman Maker.

"Anyway, I feel it’s not right."

"If it’s not right, it’s not right. If it’s so easily discovered, I’ll just retreat back to the far north next time."

Lin Jiang said it wasn’t because he was being optimistic, but because there were many fourth-level Talisman Makers in the cultivation world and he didn’t have anything special. If he could still be found, it could only mean that his luck was really bad.

"Okay, I understand."

"Knowing is enough, remember our identity."

"Understood, father."

"Hmph?"

"Ahem, brother."

Small Shadiao coughed uncomfortably, feeling strange because he used to call his father "Dad" but now he called him "Brother". It was a small change, but it felt like a big one as it meant he was no longer the master of his own destiny.

Lin Jiang made a few spiritual talismans using the new talisman technique and sold them in Shenmu City. Soon, he became popular among other Talisman Makers in Shenmu City. The new talisman technique was the most popular thing in the world of talismans these years, and any Talisman Maker who knew how to use it became very popular.

After spending some time in the Talisman Maker community, Lin Jiang became familiar with the new talisman technique. It had been five or six years since Yang Luo proposed theory of the new talisman technique, which quickly gained fame worldwide. Many Talisman Makers were practicing this technique.

The world was not short of geniuses, and with the research of countless talisman masters, the system of the new talisman technique became greatly improved.

Almost all the talisman patterns of the second-level spiritual talisman were mastered by those who knew the new talisman technique. Some even started researching third, fourth, and even fifth-level talisman patterns.

However, the entire system had not yet formed on a large scale, so it was not possible to teach it to other Talisman Makers in bulk. In other words, the new talisman technique had not completely replaced the old talisman technique system.

But the importance of the new talisman technique was already fully recognized. Some new style talismans circulated in the market, and Qi Refining Period cultivators purchased them. They were used in battles against Building Foundation Period cultivators, and there were even records of successfully killing them. There were also records of using the new style talismans to escape from Building Foundation Period cultivators.

"According to the market feedback, major merchants have started selling second-level new style talismans at about three times the price of traditional spiritual talismans."

"Why is it only three times the price? Brother, shouldn’t they be selling them at sky-high prices?"

"You’re overthinking it. The new style talismans being sold now are mainly for the second stage customers, who are mostly in the Qi Refining Period. There aren’t many people in the Qi Refining Period, so it doesn’t matter how much you set the price. It depends on how much money they have in their pockets. If the price is too high, they won’t buy it."

"Big brother, I didn’t understand. Even if the price is high, there are still a few people who can afford it. Can’t we just make money from those people?"

You’re thinking wrong. If the new talisman technique is monopolized by one company, then that’s possible. But it’s not. Many people know it. You don’t have to worry about your food and drink, so you can sell at a high price. But what about others? It’s not always the case. What if they urgently need money to buy elixirs? They can lower the price. If you lower a bit, they’ll lower a bit. Then, you won’t be able to do business like that.

So, tripling the price is reasonable. The Talisman Maker has the motivation to continue improving the new spiritual talismans, and cultivators have enough money to afford them, so there can be a wider customer base.

The price is not determined by any trading company, but rather it is discovered through market exploration. In the future, as the system of the new talisman technique becomes more refined, the price may decrease or increase.

"I understand a bit now. It’s like a free market, right?"

"That’s pretty much it. In the future, you can help me set up a stall."

"Ah, set up a stall?"

Small Shadiao was dumbfounded. Your old Qi Refining Period sets up a stall, but now Nascent Soul stage also sets up a stall?

"Yes, it’s setting up a stall. Running a business has too much risk, but setting up a stall can reduce the risk. Most importantly, it can give you something to do. You wouldn’t want to hang out with a bunch of naughty kids and get tricked every day, would you?"

"What’s wrong with that? Isn’t living all about being happy?"

"The logic makes sense, but the risks you would bring to us are too great."

"But I also want to live happily. I don’t ask for much."

"Ahem, based on my experience, big markets always have lots of beautiful women, mature housewives, lovely little girls, fierce tigresses – all kinds of them. And the cultivators there are at most in the Building Foundation Period. I will suppress your cultivation level to the late stage of the second level. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Big brother, you truly are my good brother. I’ll go, I’ll go!"

Small Shadiao’s eyes lit up as soon as he heard that. He was a mighty mid-stage fourth-level demon, going to a place like the big market. Even if his cultivation level was suppressed to the late stage of the second level, it would still result in a massacre. Tell me, which man in the big market could surpass his masculine allure?

Oh dear, I’m about to reach a new peak in my bird life.

"It’s good that you agreed. I will definitely not treat my own younger brother poorly."

"Big brother, you’re so kind. Can you give me a little extra pocket money?"

"Of course, from now on, I’ll give you three thousand magic stones every month. How does that sound?"

"Only three thousand? That’s not enough for me to have fun."

"Who are you kidding? With your skills, you don’t need to spend money when you go to the big market. Remember, lots of women chase after you without you spending a dime."

"Haha, that’s true. Let’s decide on that then."

Small Shadiao became instantly happy. Yeah, who says you need to spend money to chase after women? Only those who don’t have any ability need to. Didn’t you see Xu Yunyue spending a fortune to chase after him? His value is so high.

The two of them decided that from now on, Small Shadiao would go to the big market to sell spiritual talismans, especially the new style talismans of the second level. Lin Jiang could draw dozens of them every day with no pressure at all.

But Lin Jiang wouldn’t draw too many of them. His main focus was still on studying fourth-level spiritual talismans because that was the most important.

Lin Jiang had received the inheritance from Chen Jingyu, which had a complete set of teachings. Lin Jiang made rapid progress in fourth-level spiritual talismans, and he wanted to break through to the level of a fifth-level Talisman Maker as soon as possible.

And so, Lin Jiang settled down in Shenmu City, while the cultivation world continued to operate according to its rules. Every day, new stories unfolded on this vast land.