Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: A New Calling for Spirit Beasts, and Tieniu Reappears
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"Grandmaster Cen."
Chen Jianghe left the Talisman Pavilion and was heading towards the palace gate when he saw a handsome and spirited young man walking out.
The late-stage Qi Refining cultivators guarding both sides of the gate all bowed respectfully, addressing him as 'Grandmaster Cen'.
The young man, handsome as jade and gentle in his bearing, didn't put on airs, but simply smiled and nodded at the guards.
"Fellow Daoist Chen?"
"Fellow Daoist Cen."
This young man was none other than Cen Linchuan, whom Chen Jianghe had met at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's trade fair. It was because of Cen Linchuan that he had come to the Talisman Master Alliance.
To sell talismans, one had to join the Talisman Master Alliance.
Even selling privately to a friend required membership; otherwise, it would be treated as smuggling, and the offender would be expelled from Thousand Mountains Market City.
Chen Jianghe was powerless against the Talisman Master Alliance's tyrannical terms.
No second-tier Talisman Master who came to Thousand Mountains Market City could defy them.
"Have you come to join the Talisman Master Alliance, Fellow Daoist Chen?" Cen Linchuan asked with a smile.
"Yes."
Chen Jianghe nodded.
"Then I shall take you to have your talisman skills verified, Fellow Daoist Chen."
"Fellow Daoist Cen, are you...?"
"I am a Deacon of the Talisman Master Alliance. It just so happens that I can verify your second-tier talisman skills and issue the Alliance's certificate."
A Deacon of the Talisman Master Alliance?
Chen Jianghe couldn't help but take a closer look at Cen Linchuan. He had a long lifespan and possessed the Spiritual Platform Mark, which could manifest his own longevity.
He was extremely sensitive to lifespans.
Although he couldn't see the lifespans of others, he could roughly guess a cultivator's age.
This could be considered an ability granted by the Spiritual Platform Mark!
Albeit a rather useless one.
The Cen Linchuan before him had a restrained aura; he was definitely a Foundation Establishment cultivator. That, coupled with the guards' respectful address...
He was clearly an extraordinary second-tier Talisman Master.
Yet he was only about seventy-five years old, roughly ten years younger than Chen Jianghe.
"It seems this Cen Linchuan's talent for the Dao of Talismans is excellent, and his cultivation talent is likely not low either."
Chen Jianghe thought to himself.
He followed Cen Linchuan into the circular palace courtyard.
Led by Cen Linchuan, they arrived at a spacious hall where many Qi Refining cultivators were drawing talismans.
Chen Jianghe also saw a few Foundation Establishment cultivators in the process of creating second-tier talismans.
It was extremely quiet here; no one made a sound.
Even when people saw him and Cen Linchuan enter, no one offered a greeting.
Next, they came to an inner hall.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, we will conduct the verification here. You will need to draw a second-tier talisman under the witness of myself and two Talisman Masters."
Cen Linchuan said.
Just then, the two second-tier Talisman Masters he had seen outside walked in. They first clasped their hands in a salute to Cen Linchuan.
"Grandmaster Cen."
"You are too kind, fellow Daoists."
Cen Linchuan then made the introductions. "Fellow Daoist Chen, these two are the Alliance's second-tier Masters of Talisman Arts, Master Jiang and Master Fu. The three of us will bear witness for you."
"This is Fellow Daoist Chen, a second-tier Talisman Master newly arrived in Thousand Mountains Market City."
With Cen Linchuan's introduction, Chen Jianghe nodded in greeting to the two Masters. Then, under the watchful eyes of the three, he began to draw the second-tier attack talisman, the Falling Star Lightning Talisman.
The materials and tools for drawing the Falling Star Lightning Talisman were all provided by the Talisman Master Alliance.
Upon seeing Chen Jianghe's skilled brushwork and the flicker of lightning on the runes, both Master Jiang and Master Fu revealed looks of astonishment.
A lightning-element attack talisman?
One must understand that second-tier Talisman Masters were different from first-tier ones.
Drawing second-tier talismans required a legacy; each type of second-tier talisman was a legacy of the Dao of Talismans in itself.
Without a legacy, it was impossible to draw them.
Of course, one could create their own, but that required extremely high talent in the Dao of Talismans, as well as a vast foundation of second-tier talisman legacies, to even have a chance of creating a new second-tier talisman.
Therefore, second-tier talismans with special attributes were exceedingly rare.
The second-tier talismans sold in the Talisman Pavilion, for instance, were all of the five basic elements; it was impossible to find talismans with special attributes.
Chen Jianghe held the second-tier talisman brush provided by the Alliance, drawing the patterns of the Falling Star Lightning Talisman on a piece of second-tier demonic beast hide.
His brush moved like a swimming dragon, flowing with effortless grace.
Three hours later, the basic runes of the Falling Star Lightning Talisman were complete. All that remained was to infuse it with spiritual energy and seal it with the final stroke.
This would take a very long time.
Thus, for the next month or so, Chen Jianghe spent his time in the Talisman Master Alliance, where he could live for free.
There were even spiritual meals provided.
From Cen Linchuan's tone, it seemed that once one became a Talisman Master of the Alliance, they could live there long-term if they wished.
For free.
And they were provided with spiritual meals, also for free.
Furthermore, when selling talismans to the Alliance, they wouldn't deduct extra spirit stones; it was still a flat fifty spirit stones per talisman.
This was a good point.
The Talisman Master Alliance finally showed a shred of humanity.
If it weren't for Xiao Hei and Maoqiu, and if he were alone, living in the Talisman Master Alliance would actually be quite nice.
Living here, he wouldn't have to worry about safety.
He could peacefully draw second-tier talismans, sell them to the Alliance, and use the spirit stones to buy resources.
The reason the Talisman Master Alliance did this was to turn second-tier Talisman Masters into tools for their own profit.
Time flew by.
A month and ten days passed.
Under the watchful eyes of Cen Linchuan, Master Jiang, and Master Fu, Chen Jianghe drew the final stroke of the Falling Star Lightning Talisman.
A flash of lightning.
A Falling Star Lightning Talisman was successfully created.
"Welcome, Fellow Daoist, to the Talisman Master Alliance. From now on, we are all on the same side."
Cen Linchuan offered his congratulations.
"..."
Chen Jianghe felt a sense of helplessness, but he still smiled and nodded.
He had no desire to join the Talisman Master Alliance and be bled dry by them, but he was powerless to resist.
"Please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist. I will go and fetch your Talisman Master certificate."
After Cen Linchuan left.
Master Jiang and Master Fu looked at Chen Jianghe with friendly gazes, making no effort to hide their intention to befriend him.
"You are truly fortunate, Fellow Daoist, to have obtained a legacy for a second-tier, low-grade lightning talisman. I wonder if you would be willing to exchange talisman legacies with us?"
The eyes of Master Jiang and Master Fu were filled with anticipation.
Exchange talisman legacies?
Chen Jianghe was a bit surprised, but upon further thought, it seemed quite reasonable.
Second-tier talisman legacies weren't like first-tier ones, where obtaining a single legacy allowed one to draw more than half of all first-tier spirit talismans.
But with second-tier talisman legacies, you could only draw the specific type of talisman for which you had the legacy.
Everyone wanted to improve their talisman skills, so they were naturally willing to trade with others.
In the future, after becoming a Grandmaster of Talisman Arts, as long as one had a deep foundation, they could even create new talismans of a type they specialized in.
Chen Jianghe didn't speak, merely nodding.
He was willing to trade the Falling Star Lightning Talisman legacy, but it depended on what the other party offered.
Or rather, what price they were willing to pay.
"The two of us are willing to offer a second-tier, low-grade fire attack talisman and a second-tier, low-grade water attack talisman. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"
Master Jiang and Master Fu said with a smile.
"Heh heh~"
Chen Jianghe let out a soft chuckle.
And said nothing more.
Are you kidding me?
Even if he were completely ignorant, he knew that the legacy of a special-attribute attack talisman far surpassed that of the five basic elements.
They wanted to trade for his Falling Star Lightning Talisman.
Fine.
But they had to offer a special-attribute attack talisman legacy in return.
Of course, escape talismans were a different matter.
"A second-tier, low-grade fire attack talisman plus a second-tier, low-grade fire defense talisman?"
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes.
In a perfectly amicable tone, he said, "There's no need to test the waters, fellow Daoists. If you truly wish to trade, then show some sincerity."
"This... haha..."
Master Jiang and Master Fu exchanged an awkward glance and shook their heads helplessly.
"It's not that we lack sincerity. The two of us are resident Talisman Masters for the Alliance. The legacies we possess are all within the five basic elements."
Resident Talisman Masters were second-tier Talisman Masters who lived in the Alliance long-term. Their duty was to instruct first-tier Talisman Masters.
And to verify the skills of second-tier Talisman Masters joining the Alliance.
First-tier Talisman Masters were not qualified to join the Talisman Master Alliance.
The reason there were first-tier Talisman Masters in the Alliance was that these Qi Refining cultivators were all members of the Cen Clan.
In other words.
The Talisman Master Alliance was backed by the Cen Clan—Cen Linchuan's family.
Master Jiang and Master Fu explained their situation to Chen Jianghe, as well as the background of the Talisman Master Alliance.
This left Chen Jianghe astonished.
He hadn't expected Fellow Daoist Cen to have such a significant background.
The Cen Clan was behind the Talisman Master Alliance.
Moreover, the Cen Clan was one of the three great families backing Thousand Mountains Market City, and they had a Core Formation Almighty in their clan.
Now, Chen Jianghe no longer wondered why the Talisman Master Alliance was so domineering.
If he were a Core Formation Almighty, he'd dare to be just as domineering.
Although he also wanted to trade talisman legacies, Master Jiang and Master Fu didn't have the ones he desired.
And he wasn't about to make a losing trade.
He wasn't some great philanthropist, spreading goodwill everywhere.
Half an hour passed.
Cen Linchuan returned, holding a certificate from the Talisman Master Alliance that listed some of Chen Jianghe's basic information.
"Now that you are a Talisman Master of the Alliance, whenever you travel north of the Heaven-Reaching River, you need only show this certificate to become a guest of honor in the Four Great Immortal Kingdoms. You will be under the protection of Thousand Mountains Market City and the Four Great Immortal Kingdoms. Ordinary marauding cultivators would not dare to trifle with a Talisman Master from the Alliance."
Cen Linchuan handed the certificate to Chen Jianghe, a hint of pride showing through his gentle and refined demeanor.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Cen."
Chen Jianghe glanced at the Talisman Master certificate.
He glanced at its contents.
Second-Tier Talisman Master. Not even considered a Master of Talisman Arts.
It wasn't surprising. The skill he had demonstrated was only that of drawing a second-tier, low-grade talisman.
A Master of Talisman Arts needed to be able to draw second-tier, mid-grade talismans.
A Grandmaster of Talisman Arts needed to be able to draw second-tier, high-grade talismans.
With Chen Jianghe's current skill, he could barely manage to draw a second-tier, mid-grade talisman, but the probability of failure while drawing the runes was very high.
Cen Linchuan was called a Grandmaster, so it seemed he could already draw second-tier, high-grade talismans.
His cultivation must be at least mid-stage Foundation Establishment; otherwise, his spiritual sense and magical power would be insufficient to draw a second-tier, high-grade talisman.
Good talent, strong background.
It was enviable.
A family could sometimes be a resource and a backing, and other times a burden. It all depended on your own cultivation and what the family could offer you.
"Fellow Daoist, this Falling Star Lightning Talisman of yours must remain with the Talisman Master Alliance."
Cen Linchuan was stunned to see Chen Jianghe so casually putting the talisman away.
The brush and materials were all provided by the Alliance.
You're trying to take the talisman without even asking? How thick-skinned can you be?
"However, the Alliance will not let you suffer a loss. Here are five hundred spirit stones, as payment for this talisman."
Cen Linchuan took out five hundred spirit stones.
"Mm, alright."
Chen Jianghe put down the Falling Star Lightning Talisman, accepted the five hundred spirit stones, bid farewell to Cen Linchuan and the two Masters, and left the Talisman Master Alliance.
Although the Falling Star Lightning Talisman remained at the Alliance, he now had an extra five hundred spirit stones in hand.
It wasn't bad.
After all, the brush and materials were provided by the Alliance.
Even if they had insisted on keeping the talisman without giving him any spirit stones, there would have been nothing he could do.
Looking at it this way.
The Talisman Master Alliance wasn't so bad after all.
The certificate allowed one to be a guest of honor in the Four Great Immortal Kingdoms and avoided harassment from common marauding cultivators.
A deduction of fifty spirit stones per second-tier talisman was barely acceptable.
"Fifty spirit stones is still a bit high. If it were ten, it would truly be a good alliance that looks out for the welfare of its Talisman Masters."
Chen Jianghe grumbled internally.
He then quickly flew out of Thousand Mountains Market City, riding his sword through the mountain valleys back to Golden Ao Mountain.
After letting out Xiao Hei and Maoqiu.
He placed the aquatic spirit fry into the river system of Golden Ao Mountain.
"Xiao Hei, you two cultivate for now and manage these spirit fry. As for planting the Immortal Crystal Rice... we'll talk about it after I figure out the theory of spirit farming."
He took out two second-tier water-element spirit cores and gave one to each of them, telling them to cultivate and look after the spirit fry for the time being.
"That's it?"
Xiao Hei looked at the spirit fry Chen Jianghe had placed in the river and commented with some dissatisfaction.
"It's a small amount now, but in ten years, there will definitely be more," Chen Jianghe said with a grin.
Xiao Hei understood his meaning.
He didn't plan on selling them in the early stages; he wanted to let these spirit fry reproduce on Golden Ao Mountain.
The spirit fry Chen Jianghe bought were all best-selling varieties from the restaurant on the first floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. They could generally be raised to maturity in five or six years.
Once raised, they would become early-stage first-tier spirit beasts.
However, these were fast-growing spirit beasts, less valuable than the Green-Scaled Fish of Mirror Moon Lake, but their strength was in numbers.
Moreover, they were not just popular in Thousand Mountains Market City; they were a best-selling category throughout the entire region north of the Heaven-Reaching River, with high demand.
As long as he raised them for ten or twenty years without selling, they would surely multiply in large numbers. By then, it would be a considerable fortune.
Even if they only reproduced once every thirty years, he had plenty of time to wait.
Chen Jianghe refused to believe these spirit fry could outlive him.
After giving his instructions to Xiao Hei and Maoqiu.
He didn't read *A Crash Course in Spirit Farming* right away. Instead, he first wrote a letter to Ruan Tieniu, telling him he had arrived in Thousand Mountains Market City.
He also included his address.
After finishing the letter, he placed it in the courier box, and with a flash of light.
The letter was transported to the courier box outside the formation, waiting to be collected by the flying post.
Then, Chen Jianghe built a simple house upstream, near the location of the spirit spring.
He had no particular requirements for his living quarters.
He wouldn't even mind living in a cave.
Afterwards, he took the Dragon Pattern Red Pine out of the spirit plant pouch and let it take root beside the spirit spring.
"This is the blood of a second-tier demonic beast with a dragon bloodline. You'd better work hard to evolve. If you're too useless, you'll just end up as firewood."
Chen Jianghe patted the Dragon Pattern Red Pine. His tone was gentle, but his method of encouragement was unique. The Dragon Pattern Red Pine was deeply moved and responded immediately.
Its trunk trembled, clearly having made some sort of resolution.
Seeing the Dragon Pattern Red Pine's response, Chen Jianghe took out the pulp bucket and poured out a portion of the Black-Scaled Crocodile's spirit blood.
Then he put it away.
If he poured too much, the Dragon Pattern Red Pine wouldn't be able to absorb it all, which would be a waste.
"The Shi Clan Ancestor is truly a good person. He even provided a pulp bucket for Maoqiu. It was only right to see him safely back to his clan's territory."
After finishing all this.
Chen Jianghe took out *A Crash Course in Spirit Farming*, extended his spiritual sense into the jade slip, and began to read its contents.
Three hours later.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed, "Worthy of its name, *A Crash Course in Spirit Farming*. What a scam!"
After understanding its contents, Chen Jianghe felt he had been thoroughly deceived.
It was filled with knowledge about how mortal farmers tilled their land; the only difference was that the crops were spirit objects instead of mortal ones.
Of course, *A Crash Course in Spirit Farming* wasn't entirely useless. For example, it detailed some precautions for planting Immortal Crystal Rice.
They were recorded very clearly.
Immortal Crystal Rice was very finicky. It couldn't be waterlogged or parched, and it had to grow in a place with extremely dense spiritual energy.
The river water used for irrigation also had to contain spiritual energy.
Golden Ao Mountain could satisfy all these conditions.
It had an abundant water system and a Cloud and Rain Formation, so drought was not a concern.
As for flooding?
That was even more impossible. His two spirit beasts weren't just freeloaders.
However, Immortal Crystal Rice had a companion pest that would spawn as the rice grew. This required de-worming the rice at specific times.
Because these worms were born alongside the Immortal Crystal Rice, they also possessed some spiritual energy.
For spirit beasts, they had some nutritional value, but they couldn't raise one's cultivation level.
Especially for second-tier spirit beasts like Xiao Hei and Maoqiu, the nutritional value was practically zero.
But when it came to de-worming, Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were a bit short-handed and would have difficulty taking care of eighty acres of Immortal Crystal Rice.
"Oh well, when de-worming season comes, I'll help them out."
A Foundation Establishment cultivator and two nimble-pawed, second-tier spirit beasts should be able to manage eighty acres of Immortal Crystal Rice without a problem.
Chen Jianghe had no confidence in himself, but he had full confidence in Xiao Hei and Maoqiu.
He couldn't see them as useless spirit beasts that only ate and did no work. They were both skilled at processing demonic beasts.
Their craftsmanship was no worse than that of the cultivators in the Demonic Beast Market.
They were definitely nimble-pawed.
After figuring out the so-called 'spirit farmer' cultivation techniques, Chen Jianghe summoned Xiao Hei and Maoqiu.
He explained the theoretical knowledge and precautions to them.
Whether they could truly become qualified spirit farmers depended most importantly on practice.
Growing through practice.
"Xiao Hei, Maoqiu, do you have the confidence to become great spirit farmers?"
"Yes!"
Xiao Hei declared with firm resolve.
Maoqiu followed suit, steadfastly following Xiao Hei's lead, and expressed his sincere and firm determination to Chen Jianghe.
"Master, we will definitely become glorious and great spirit farmers."
"Good, go and give it your all."
Chen Jianghe nodded in satisfaction. "Go and fight for your own future. Only by becoming spirit farmers will you have the hope of becoming powerful third-tier spirit beasts."
Hearing Chen Jianghe's words, Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were both thrilled and full of enthusiasm. They took the Immortal Crystal Rice seeds he gave them and went to the location of the spirit fields.
They began to till the soil, irrigate, till again, and irrigate again, until the earth of the spirit fields became loose and soft, yet still compact enough.
Only when it was suitable for planting Immortal Crystal Rice did they begin to sow the seeds.
Immortal Crystal Rice was valuable, but also very finicky.
If the soil was too hard, their sprouts couldn't break through.
If the soil was too loose, they wouldn't get enough nutrients.
Chen Jianghe watched the hardworking Xiao Hei and Maoqiu and nodded with great satisfaction at their efforts.
When he earned enough spirit stones in the future, he would definitely buy them second-tier water-element spirit cores.
They wouldn't even take second-tier Water Spirit Pills.
All medicine is poison to some degree.
How could they be more beneficial for a spirit beast's absorption and refinement than a second-tier water-element spirit core?
Of course, the prerequisite for buying second-tier water-element spirit cores was having enough spirit stones and the connections to buy them.
The reason Yu Daniu was able to buy second-tier spirit cores in Qinghe Market City was all due to Gao Peiyao's connections.
Therefore, if Chen Jianghe wanted to obtain second-tier water-element spirit cores in Thousand Mountains Market City, he needed to quickly build up connections with Spirit Thieves.
Although Spirit Thieves weren't Demon Hunters, they sometimes clashed with demonic beasts.
He currently had five hundred and ninety-six spirit stones and twenty grains of spirit sand, not even enough to buy a single second-tier water-element spirit core.
Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were busy, so he couldn't be idle either.
Cultivating the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*, collecting the morning dew from the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, drawing second-tier talismans—everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
As for cultivating his spiritual and body tempering arts, he would have to wait until he had built up some reserves.
The same went for alchemy.
Time flew by.
It was the first month of the year again.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes from his cultivation, sensing the two drops of thick, pure magical power within him. It was a bit pathetic.
However, at his current cultivation speed, he would be able to cultivate a third drop of magical power in a little over half a year.
Compared to the speed at which sect disciples and the direct descendants of top immortal clans cultivated by absorbing worldly spirit objects, his speed was that of a tortoise.
If it were in the past, he wouldn't have been anxious.
Xiao Hei was only seventy this year and had another one hundred and seventy years to live.
In other words, he had one hundred and seventy years to plan for Core Formation. Time was still plentiful.
However, the time for Gao Peiyao to enter the secret realm trial was drawing ever closer.
If Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue didn't let Ruan Tieniu participate, then he would have to go with them.
In less than twenty years, he had to raise his cultivation to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment to be able to handle unknown dangers.
Therefore, cultivating step-by-step was somewhat out of sync with his current situation.
He needed to establish connections to get resources as quickly as possible.
Ruan Tieniu was undoubtedly the most suitable person.
He had traded with Ruan Tieniu several times, and their cooperation had always been very pleasant. He considered him a good friend.
But half a year had already passed.
Ruan Tieniu hadn't contacted him yet, which made him a little worried that he might have run into trouble.
He frequently entered the Arctic Snow Forest; it was inevitable that he might capsize in a ditch one day.
Just then.
The courier box outside the simple three-room wooden house flashed with light, indicating the arrival of a letter.
Chen Jianghe's mind stirred.
He drew the letter into his hand.
He glanced at the signature. It was indeed from Ruan Tieniu, and it was a message-letter, which meant...
Ruan Tieniu was right outside the protective formation of Golden Ao Mountain at this very moment.