Chapter 11: Rent for Residences in the Outer City (Revised)

After all, protective talismans were Li Guanzhuan’s forte; drawing them posed little challenge as long as there was sufficient spiritual energy. Yet, when he began working on an Ice Talisman, he failed before even reaching the halfway point.

"Top-grade first-tier talismans are still not so easily made... Forget it, I’ll stick to what I do best. No need to bother with Ice or Flame Talismans—better to focus on the Spirit-Explosion Talisman. After all, it’s more valuable and deadlier than the other two."

After pondering for a moment, Li Guanzhuan picked up his black-haired talisman brush, now worn to the point of ruin, and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern. This brush had accompanied him for many years, from the lowest to the highest of the first tier, and was now on the verge of a heroic demise.

"Sigh, I forgot to buy a new brush," Li Guanzhuan sighed deeply. "No matter—let’s draw while I still can. Even if I only succeed with one Spirit-Explosion Talisman, it’ll make leaving the house that much safer. That way, I won’t be helpless if I run into cultivator bandits."

Predictably, the first attempt at a Spirit-Explosion Talisman failed. By the seventh try, just as he dipped the brush in cinnabar, the entire brush snapped with a crisp sound, and his spiritual energy promptly reduced it to dust.

"Thirty-five taels of spiritual sand, gone just like that..." Li Guanzhuan felt a pang—had he known, he might as well have just smashed the brush himself.

Still, it was wishful thinking that had led him this far, always believing he could manage one top-grade Spirit-Explosion Talisman.

"Now all I have left is a single top-grade first-tier protective talisman, a mid-tier first-grade enchanted longsword, and two low-grade flying knives... As long as I don’t encounter more than two fifth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators, I should still be able to hold my own."

With a soft sigh, Li Guanzhuan realized he would have to visit the Menagerie Pavilion again, despite having barely spent any time at home.

"My dear, my talisman brush is ruined. I need to make a trip to the market," Li Guanzhuan said as he pushed open the door, addressing Wen Rongxin, who was resting in the courtyard.

"Ah? You’re going out again..." Wen Rongxin’s face was filled with worry. After all, Li Guanzhuan had only just come back from being out all day and clearly had run into trouble.

"Let me go with you," Wen Rongxin said quietly, rolling up her sleeves as a show of readiness. Her bright, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to prove her strength.

"No need. Stay home and wait for me—I won’t be long," Li Guanzhuan replied with a smile, trying to reassure her. "I still have several top-grade protective talismans. You needn’t worry."

He reached out and gently pinched Wen Rongxin’s smooth, radiant cheek, unable to resist marveling at her transformation. When they first met, she’d been a pale, thin stray cat of a girl, but after his nurturing care, her once-sharp features had filled out, turning her face into a flawless piece of jade—a true beauty by any measure.

Elsewhere, where she ought to have gained weight, she had, yet her slender waist remained taut and supple—a testament to her martial training.

"Be careful on the road," she said softly.

Wen Rongxin watched as Li Guanzhuan’s figure receded into the distance, her heart filled with worry. She pulled a small chair into the courtyard and sat down to quietly await her husband’s return.

These days, her mind was restless; not only did her martial training stagnate, but it also risked leading her astray.

After leaving home, Li Guanzhuan was keenly aware of the worry lingering on his wife’s face. He thought to himself that they really ought to move into Qing’an City as soon as possible. Safety aside, it would also benefit their cultivation.

He could absorb the pure energy from the Silky Blossom Spirit Tree, but Wen Rongxin could only rely on the spirit stones he provided. If they could move closer to the first-tier spiritual vein running through Qing’an City, her cultivation speed would surely improve.

Inside the Menagerie Pavilion, the shopkeeper looked surprised. "So soon with more talismans, my friend?"

"My brush broke. Give me a good top-grade first-tier talisman brush, at a fair price—I’m an old customer," Li Guanzhuan replied with a shake of his head and a smile.

"Top-grade first-tier?" The shopkeeper gave Li Guanzhuan a thorough once-over, his old, clouded eyes glinting with shrewdness. "If I’m not mistaken, you only reached mid-tier a little over half a year ago, didn’t you?"

Back then, some of Li Guanzhuan’s talismans had been crude and awkward.

"I had guidance from someone skilled," Li Guanzhuan said, tapping his fingers on the table with a hint of resignation. "Come on, old friend—the brush."

He dared to reveal his skill as a top-grade talisman master only because of the Pavilion’s stellar reputation. Every branch manager was carefully vetted and generally trustworthy.

"No need to rush—rare to see you here, let’s have a chat," the shopkeeper said with a chuckle. "Don’t worry—I swore an oath before the Pavilion Master himself before taking over this shop: should I ever break faith, mind and body would both be destroyed... By the way, what kind of top-grade talisman do you make?"

Li Guanzhuan eyed him skeptically. In the cultivation world, it was wise to believe only a fraction of what one heard.

"Protective talismans," Li Guanzhuan replied.

"As expected," the shopkeeper raised his brows, unsurprised. "To tell you the truth, your protective talismans sell extremely well. Their quality is ten or twenty percent higher than others. If you could supply more of them—well, I might just have a shot at Foundation Establishment."

He was eager to win Li Guanzhuan over, given the latter’s ability to consistently provide so many talismans. After all, nothing was more important than personal safety when traveling abroad.

That’s why protective talismans were especially popular among cultivators. The best ones sold out the instant they appeared, with no fear of them gathering dust.

The shopkeeper thought, if I could buy all of Li Guanzhuan’s talismans, I could raise the base price by a few spirit stones each. Don’t underestimate what a difference that could make—over the years, the profits would be enormous. With luck, my performance might even earn a commendation from headquarters and a promotion to Foundation Establishment.

With this in mind, the shopkeeper said, "My friend, my surname is Zheng, given name Huangjin. If you’ll sell your protective talismans exclusively to me, I’ll buy them at market price—no matter how many you have. The only condition is that you don’t sell to anyone else. What do you think?"

Li Guanzhuan knew exactly what Zheng was after, but since his own strength was limited, he had no desire to draw attention to himself. If he got entangled in someone else’s schemes, his life would be forfeit.

So Li Guanzhuan nodded and agreed, "Very well!"

When he left the Menagerie Pavilion, Li Guanzhuan had already disguised himself and circled through the marketplace several times, making sure he wasn’t being followed before finally leaving.

This time, he’d spent seventy spirit stones on a fine talisman brush and a Beautifying Elixir. Zheng Huangjin had also given him a talisman pattern manual free of charge so he could practice drawing other types of talismans in his spare time.

In addition, Li Guanzhuan inquired about the rental prices for houses outside the city walls. In the outer city, rent was about a hundred low-grade spirit stones per year. In the inner city, it soared to six hundred per year.

Such an exorbitant rent was something Li Guanzhuan had never dared even dream of before. Now, he could at least consider an outer city dwelling.

When Li Guanzhuan returned home, he discovered that a neighboring family had apparently fallen victim to cultivator bandits. As the city guards of Qing’an came to clear away the bodies, one of them couldn’t help but mutter, "What bad luck."

"Looks like it was Fellow Daoist Guan’s family," someone said.

"I warned him not to flaunt his wealth out here..."

"There’s no real law in the shanty districts. Flashing money is as good as signing your death warrant."

The neighbors all shook their heads.

Wen Rongxin had already hidden herself indoors. When she saw Li Guanzhuan return, she quickly pulled him inside, not allowing him to go join the crowd.