Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 18 A Chaotic Night [Please continue reading]

Beneath the bustling market streets.

Many business associations arrived every day, but Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing's merchant group did not attract much attention.

After all, there are far too many cultivators who want to make a fortune while the market is bustling.

In just three days, Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing had chosen a location, paid for the spirit stones, and opened a shop—very quickly.

After all, with the market bustling with activity right now, wasting even one more day means earning one less day of spirit stones.

Using the name of an inner disciple of the Li Huo Palace, the shops opened very quickly.

Inside the store.

"Brother Lin, Brother Li, we really have to thank you."

"Brother Shen, this is not my achievement; the clan sent me here."

Li Erniu's face flushed slightly. He knew his own family's situation; this purchase list was merely something the Zhou family had done through him.

However, this scene caused Lin Chang'an to fall into deep thought.

Yun Yao could understand the Zhou family's good relationship with her; after all, it's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow.

Although Yun Yao has not yet established her foundation, it is never a bad thing to befriend her in advance. Even if she does not succeed in establishing her foundation, she will still have befriended an inner disciple of the Li Huo Palace.

If I really manage to establish my foundation, I won't lose out no matter how you look at it.

"But recently the Zhou family seems to be making some rather big moves."

Lin Chang'an frowned inwardly. In the past few days, he had noticed that the Zhou family was making a lot of big moves in recruiting cultivators.

"Senior Brother Lin, we really owe you a lot."

Junior Sister Lu Qingqing said with a smile, while Li Erniu nodded earnestly beside her:
"Brother Lin, as a talisman master, has known more people and built more connections than I have over the years."

"You're welcome, Junior Sister."

Lin Chang'an smiled and waved his hand. Whether it was out of gratitude for Elder Lu's guidance, the kindness of this junior sister who gave him the book, or his own personal interests, he would help her with this favor.

During this period, Lin Chang'an also introduced many ordinary talisman masters, as well as some other cultivators.

After all, shops run by inner disciples of the Li Huo Palace are much more reliable than some random stalls outside.

However, a hint of hesitation flashed across Lin Chang'an's face, a sight that Lu Qingqing happened to see.

"Senior Brother Lin, is there perhaps something you're having trouble saying?"

Shen Lie and Er Niu, who were standing nearby, laughed it off and pretended not to see anything, preparing to avoid the situation.

However, Lin Chang'an gently shook his head.

"It's nothing much, it's just that the market has been a mixed bag lately, with some shady talismans and pills that can't be sold in the open, I don't know..."

Although he didn't say it explicitly, Lin Chang'an made it very clear.

"Senior Brother Lin, there's no need to worry."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingqing was not surprised at all; instead, she showed delight and nodded with a smile:
"As long as the quality is not a problem, I doubt anyone would dare to provoke the Li Huo Palace."

This junior sister, Lu Qingqing, is quite shrewd. Despite her seemingly gentle and soft-spoken manner, every word she utters reveals the powerful support she has behind her.

Yun Yao was, after all, an inner disciple, so she naturally reported the matter of establishing a chamber of commerce to the sect.

Having a sect as a backer can help avoid many problems.

"That's good."

Lin Chang'an nodded slightly. There are many cultivators in the cultivation world who have committed crimes, are hiding from enemies, or have poor character.

Such people are neither good enough for high positions nor good enough for low ones. Cultivation families are unwilling to recruit this type of cultivator, and similarly, these cultivators dare not easily show their faces and can only hide in the market.

He had been mingling in the market for twenty years. Although he didn't know many late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, he knew a great deal about cultivators from all walks of life.

"It still has to be you, Brother Lin."

Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing, with smiles on their faces, discussed the bottom price with Lin Chang'an.

A lasting relationship is built on mutual care and consideration.

Lin Chang'an nodded in agreement, while secretly calculating that it would be safer to temporarily send a small number of his talismans through Shen Lie's channel.

But if he wants to last, he really needs to quickly learn another mid-grade first-level talisman.

Otherwise, if it's always a mid-grade first-tier golden light talisman, and in large quantities, it will eventually arouse suspicion.

……

"Brother Lin, do you think the young princess will be able to establish her foundation this time?"

On the way back, Li Erniu couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

After hearing this, Lin Chang'an shook his head and sighed deeply:
"Erniu, even the competition among inner disciples of the Li Huo Palace is so fierce, one can imagine how difficult it is for ordinary cultivators like us to achieve Foundation Establishment."

Li Erniu shook his head blankly after hearing this.

"Fortunately, we're only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, so we don't need to worry about that much." Lin Chang'an smiled wryly at Er Niu's optimistic attitude, looked up at the bustling market, and his eyes were filled with complex emotions that were hard to fathom.

How many people have come this time for the Foundation Establishment Pill, but how many will actually succeed?

If he hadn't awakened his cheat ability, he probably wouldn't have dared to even dream of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

……

The tranquility of Qingzhushan Market before its development was suddenly shattered one night ten days later.

Lin Chang'an, who was cultivating in his room, was suddenly awakened by the rumbling sound coming from the market.

"How can it be!"

The familiar voice caused Lin Chang'an's expression to change drastically, because it was the sound of the protective formation of Qingzhushan Market.

The last time it rang out was during a monster tide fifteen years ago, and he still remembers it vividly.

He quickly took out the low-grade magic weapon, the Green Bamboo Sword, from his storage bag. As soon as he stepped out of the house, he saw the array barrier shrouding the market under the night sky.

"Brother Lin, what happened!"

Li Erniu, who lived next door, was terrified and rushed over with his family and children.

"Someone is attacking the market! Erniu, quickly hide!"

Lin Chang'an was alarmed. At this moment, the most dangerous thing was not the enemy attacking the market, but his own people inside the market.

As night fell, the flashing lights of the array above the market illuminated the area, and the scene from fifteen years ago appeared in Li Erniu's terrified eyes.

At the same time, the entire market area became bustling and noisy.

Before the market's protective array was activated, the blood-soaked cultivator who rushed in cried out in terror:
"It's a monster! A monster from the Cloud Mist Mountains has broken out!"

Outside the market, the howls of wolves drove countless demonic beasts toward the market.

……

Meanwhile, the Wang family...

"Ancestor, these beasts have finally arrived."

The eldest elder of the Wang family couldn't help but burst into laughter this time.

"The market formation is activated. This time, I want to see how many mid-grade spirit stones the Zhou family still has to maintain the formation."

The two second-tier monster cubs from before were just bait.

Monsters attacking the market is nothing serious, but if the market's formation malfunctions, that's a real problem.

Both the Wang and Zhou families are dependent on the rule of the Li Huo Palace, and since they are based in the market, they are responsible for ensuring the stability of the market.

In Qingzhushan Market, the Wang family and the Zhou family, one in the east and one in the west, are respectively responsible for the operation of the market's grand formation.

This level of formation consumes mid-grade spirit stones.

Mid-grade spirit stones are precious even for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

……

The Zhou family, who tamed beasts, even rang their bronze bells, causing countless cultivators' spirit beasts to roar in frustration.

"To guard the market town formation."

At this moment, the Zhou family patriarch, the Beast Tamer, was filled with rage. He finally understood the sinister intentions of the Wang family.

Too bad!
This is a fatal blow!
"Summon all cultivators of the Zhou family to prepare for defense!"

……

Meanwhile, some mysterious cultivators who had infiltrated the market were staring at each other in bewilderment.

"What's going on? We haven't even started anything yet, how come the market is already in chaos?"

The leading cultivator, observing the chaos, revealed a sinister smile.

"Anyway, our Divine Sword Sect will launch a war against the Li Huo Palace sooner or later, so this is a golden opportunity."

The Yue Kingdom has three major sects: the Divine Sword Sect, the Li Huo Palace, and the Xuan Yin Pavilion.

Among them, the Divine Sword Sect was the most powerful.

However, there was no need for the hidden cultivators of the Divine Sword Sect to create chaos in the market.

The market formation had only just been activated when chaos erupted within the market itself.

Among the cultivators, some wore expressions of excitement, others restlessness, and still others had their faces contorted in a ferocious grimace.

Burning, killing, looting, and smashing of various shops—the naked display of the greed and bloodshed among cultivators was laid bare.

Someone shouted "Foundation Building Pill," and countless cultivators turned red with envy.

Today is Tuesday, please continue reading.

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(End of this chapter)