MTLNOVEL Chapter 19
“I heard from Sister Xu that you started learning talismans two years ago?” the white-robed girl asked.
Li An nodded. “Yes.”
She thought for a moment, then nodded. “Not bad.”
She smiled. “I accept your apology. Let’s call it even for dominating the market!”
“Great!” Li An grinned.
In truth, Li An had cornered the market for Spirit Gathering Talismans and Qi Recovery Talismans, but mainly because their low profits and small market didn’t interest the Talisman Hall.
“Li An, this is Tan Qingxue, disciple of Elder Guo Xiao from the Talisman Hall,” Xu Qiuhui introduced.
She was pleased. Li An’s growth hadn’t let her down.
“Honored to meet you!” Li An said politely.
“Alright, you’ve got an exam to take, right? Go on, we won’t hold you up,” Tan Qingxue said with a smile.
Li An excused himself.
“Sister Xu, he’s got some talent, but is he worth your attention? You brought me here to meet him?” Tan Qingxue asked, watching Li An’s back, puzzled.
A menial rising to talisman master was rare, but his talent seemed average.
Making Flame Talismans in two years wasn’t unusual in the Talisman Hall, and his were clearly low-quality, barely crafted.
“His value isn’t in talisman talent,” Xu Qiuhui said calmly. “Qingxue, your talent is strong, but you’re too naive in dealing with people. To compete with Sun Lin for Elder Guo’s Second Rank inheritance, you need a few reliable allies. His talisman skills are ordinary, but his character is rare… and he’s sharp!”
She recalled the Hundred Beasts Sect’s attack a year ago…
Her casual warning was enough for Li An to take seriously.
Later, inspecting the forest where he’d hidden, she noticed the cave was strategically chosen, not a random fall.
That’s why she valued him!
“Plus, he’s from humble roots. Treat him well, and he’ll stay loyal. He’s easy to manage.”
Since Li An became Spirit Plant Mountain’s overseer, she’d avoided meeting him for a year, yet he sent rice or talismans monthly. Though not valuable, they showed his steadfastness.
She’d checked him before recommending him to Tan Qingxue to strengthen her position in the Talisman Hall.
“Fine, fine,” Tan Qingxue said. “If you trust him, he can’t be too bad. I’ll treat him well.”
Xu Qiuhui chided, “Don’t brush this off, girl. Sun Lin’s no pushover. I’m off to the inner sect exam.”
…
“Next, Li An.”
Li An paid two spirit stones for the exam fee and waited. Finally, his turn came.
“Ten sheets of paper. Make any Low Grade First Rank Talisman. Fail, and you’re out,” the middle-aged examiner, with a black mole by his mouth, said. Seeing Li An’s menial robe, he showed mild disdain but handed over the paper.
Li An took his brush and drew carefully.
The first eight sheets fell short. On the ninth, he barely made a Spirit Gathering Talisman.
Li An looked thrilled. “Did I pass?”
“Pass? It’s not that easy!”
“Twenty more sheets. Make at least three Low Grade First Rank Talismans.”
Ten sheets could be luck.
Four successes in 30 sheets was the standard.
Li An gritted his teeth, continuing. After 20 sheets, drenched in sweat, he made three more Spirit Gathering Talismans.
“Qualified.” The examiner marked the roster. “You pass!”
Li An’s eyes lit up with joy.
By afternoon, the exam ended.
Besides Li An, seven other registered disciples passed, becoming new registered disciples of the Talisman Hall.
The examiner led them into the hall.
Li An learned the examiner was Feng Lin, a Mid Grade First Rank Talisman Master at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining.
“Central Mysterious Mansion Hall is where Elder Guo lectures, three times a week,” Feng Lin explained as they walked. “The hall has two trading posts. You can spend contribution points there for paper, brushes, special talisman materials, even crafting insights. Cheaper than the sect’s exchange hall.”
He continued, “Talisman Hall registered disciples get seven spirit stones, ten bags of spirit rice, 20 sheets of paper monthly, and one brush yearly. For your first three months, you only need to submit five Low Grade First Rank Talismans monthly as a basic task. Extra talismans earn contribution points based on type and quality.”
Contribution points were crucial for registered disciples.
Key techniques and inheritances required them, not spirit stones.
They also determined if a registered disciple could become an official disciple.
The Alchemy, Tool Forging, and Talisman Halls were popular not just for high rations but because crafting talismans or tools earned points steadily.
Pills, tools, and talismans were strategic resources.
Other hall disciples had to take sect missions, like clearing beasts, risking death.
Li An was pleased.
This place was perfect for lying low.
Even in a sect war, they’d be the last to die.
“This residential area is your housing,” Feng Lin stopped, pointing to a row of houses on the right. “See those with talismans on the lintels? Those are Mid Grade First Rank Spirit Gathering Talismans drawn by Brother Sun Lin. They boost cultivation and talisman success rates.”
The buildings varied in size, the right row newer and fancier, built with spirit wood, adorned with talismans.
Others looked older and plainer.
“Brother Feng, can we live there?” someone asked.
“Of course,” Feng Lin smiled. “Three spirit stones a month for residency.”
Three stones!
Everyone hesitated. That was nearly half their monthly ration.
“Brother Sun Lin is a High Grade First Rank Talisman Master and Elder Guo’s disciple. He even helps teach your classes,” Feng Lin said with a sneer.
The group understood, handing over the fee.
“And you?” Feng Lin looked at Li An.
Li An looked embarrassed. “Brother Feng, can I pay later?”
“Later?” Feng Lin’s eyes narrowed.
“Yeah, I’d need to defer for half a year. I owe friends a ton of spirit stones, and being a talisman master early on is so costly…”
“Get lost!” Feng Lin cut him off. Half a year’s deferral? Ridiculous.
He led the other seven to pick fancy residences.
Li An sighed deeply, heading alone to a quiet, out-of-the-way plain house.
Though plain, it was leagues better than Spirit Plant Mountain’s huts, with paper windows and cramped spaces for eating, sleeping, and bathing. Here, he had a “four-room suite”—kitchen, study, bedroom, and bath, all separate.
So much more comfortable!
The only difference was no Mid Grade First Rank Spirit Gathering Talisman.
But Li An didn’t care. Those sold for one stone outside, but with Sun Lin’s name, they cost three—too high.
New to the Talisman Hall, unclear on its dynamics, he didn’t want to tie himself to anyone yet.
Using poverty as an excuse let him lay low without offending Feng Lin or Sun Lin too badly.
He’d act once things were clearer.
He took a hot bath, swapped his worn menial robe for the registered disciple’s robe—silky, substantial, warm in winter, cool in summer, far comfier than the menial garb.
Then he went to meet Wang Dazhu and Zhao Xianchuan.
They’d agreed to gather by Moon Lake.
…
(Chapter End)