Chapter 146 - Arc 11: The Sects Grand Competition | Chapter 146: Talisman

Chapter 146 - Arc 11: The Sect's Grand Competition | Chapter 146: Talisman

Translator: Lynn

Xu Ziqing cast a cursory glance at the assembly of disciples. His keen awareness revealed that the cultivator addressing him had merely reached the seventh level of Qi Refining. A quick survey of the others present showed that their cultivation levels ranged between the seventh and eighth level of Qi Refining.

Their demeanor suggested a lack of confidence compared to typical inner disciples. It was likely that they hailed from the outer sect and had not reached the Foundation Establishment stage through the orthodox path. This explains their current status.

Without dwelling too much on these observations, Xu Ziqing maintained a friendly smile and replied, “I’m a novice interested in learning the art of talismans, so I came here.” The cultivator, noticing Xu Ziqing’s amiable attitude, felt a bit less anxious. He returned the smile and said politely, “I’m your junior, Wan Chengke, and I serve the Tiangong Pavilion. Senior, please follow me.”

Xu Ziqing nodded and followed Wan Chengke inside.

As the other cultivators watched, a twinge of envy flickered in their eyes. However, the elderly steward reclining in the rattan chair remained motionless, seemingly unperturbed by the newcomer’s arrival.

Wan Chengke proved himself to be a sensible guide, recognizing that Xu Ziqing was not easily offended. He continued leading the way without reservation.

Their first destination was a vast hall.

Several individuals occupied the hall, most of them working alone, with few accompanied by others, like Xu Ziqing.

The room featured numerous large cabinets, cages in various colors, and boxes, all sealed by intricate magic circles. At first glance, they appeared unremarkable.

However, a scan with one’s spiritual senses would reveal that some of these objects allowed penetration, while others swiftly repelled intrusions—an intriguing array of phenomena.

Rather than delving deeply into this mystical atmosphere, Xu Ziqing opted to follow Wan Chengke, who stopped in front of the first large cabinet.

Wan Chengke was eager to assist, stating, “Senior, now that you have established your foundation, you won’t need the common talismans we often use anymore. What you need from now on are spirit talismans. Please take a look.”

“Spirit talismans?” Xu Ziqing’s heart skipped a beat. He had heard this term in passing during his time in the small world, thinking it was merely another kind of talisman. Now, it appeared that it held a distinct significance.

Recalling the unique talisman employed by Ji Rui, whom he had encountered in the Heavenly Demon Cave, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but wonder how these spirit talismans differed. His gaze fell upon the cabinet before him, intrigued by the possibilities it held.

Inside the cabinet, numerous talismans bobbed up and down, their surfaces adorned with intricate, shimmering lines that exuded an aura of brilliance and auspiciousness.

Regrettably, Xu Ziqing couldn’t discern how these lines were intricately woven together, and his attempts to probe the magic circle’s secrets with his spiritual consciousness were thwarted.

In the cabinet before him, most of the spirit talismans possessed only three to five Spirit Patterns. Despite their enticing aura, they were clearly of low-grade.

They were likely all low-grade talismans.

After studying them for a while, Xu Ziqing took a few steps forward, circumventing the others who were selecting talismans, and examined a series of larger cabinets.

True to his expectations, the further he progressed, the more Spirit Patterns adorned each talisman. As he moved past a few cabinets, the radiance emanating from the talismans became more brilliant, indicating their higher grade.

However, upon inspecting some cages and boxes, Xu Ziqing discovered that not only were these items impenetrable to his spiritual consciousness, but even examining them with his eyes felt like peering at obscured objects through mist.

As he continued his observations, Xu Ziqing grew concerned about Wan Chengke’s prolonged absence. Procuring a few ancient books shouldn’t require such an extensive effort. Even if one were to exercise utmost care and deliberation in selection, this delay seemed excessive.

Xu Ziqing’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he need to know if something happens..

Exiting the main hall, Xu Ziqing proceeded to the front hall. As he approached the entrance, he was suddenly greeted by the sound of a heated argument and came to an abrupt halt. The voices were raised in discord.

Wan Chengke’s voice rang out, “First come, first served; that’s the rule. We’ve got a customer who wants ‘Fuwen Tongfa,’ a substantial deal. How can you prioritize personal interests over the collective?”

Another voice, unfamiliar to Xu Ziqing, spoke rapidly in response, “I’m not prioritizing personal interests; I’m upholding business ethics. Senior Luo informed me earlier that due to insufficient credit, he needed some time to gather the required amount. When he’s ready, he’ll come and claim ‘Fuwen Tongfa.’ How can someone else intervene now?”

Wan Chengke retorted, “This was merely a verbal agreement; no deposit has been made, and the specifics weren’t clarified. There was no contract signed, so how can this be taken seriously? Are we supposed to wait indefinitely for Senior Luo? The senior I’m attending to right now hasn’t even been charged a fee yet, so clearly, we should prioritize his transaction as per our standard procedure.” Wan Chengke concluded with a cold snort, “It seems to me you’re just trying to grab this deal for yourself. A half-million credit points means you’d pocket five thousand just for securing the transaction. With such a substantial cut, it’s obvious why you’re so keen on it.”

The other party appeared somewhat speechless, and Wan Chengke seemed to have hit the mark.

One copy of “Fuwen Tongfa” commanded a staggering price of 500,000 credit points, a fortune beyond the reach of most ordinary individuals. Even those who delved deeply into rune studies would usually select runes that aligned with their own attributes for investigation. Such standard methods, while valuable, were seldom sought after.

For some reason, two individuals had developed an interest in obtaining it within a month, resulting in a conflict over this rare opportunity.

The individual locked in an argument with Wan Chengke refused to back down and argued, “You’re aware of Senior Luo’s exceptional talents in crafting talismans. If he masters this method, it will undoubtedly leave a favorable impression on our Tiangong Pavilion, making it easier to build a rapport with him in the future. But if you offend him... when Senior Luo masters this skill, you won’t be able to coexist peacefully with me. You’ll regret it!” Wan Chengke bristled at this assertion, retorting, “How do you know the senior I’m attending to can be offended? At his age, possessing such a vast amount of credit points, he surely has influential backers!” The two continued to argue, neither willing to yield, their faces flushed and their voices strained.

Xu Ziqing frowned, growing increasingly uneasy with this dispute. Unable to bear it any longer, he took a few steps forward and interjected, “Wan Chengke, why haven’t you completed your selection?”

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