Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 3 Exquisite Talismans
In the early morning, after the spring rain, the air was filled with a faint, earthy smell.

The market has become lively.

The vendors set up stalls, each calling out their wares.

"Fresh monster meat, killed just yesterday. One spirit crystal is worth ten catties of meat, guaranteed to be fresh and tender."

"The Bigu Pill is an essential item for pioneering and venturing into new lands."

Walking on the bluestone slabs of the market, Lin Chang'an took a deep breath in this familiar environment.

"It's better to stay here."

The reluctance and unwillingness I felt when I was preparing to leave have now transformed into a feeling of living a second life.

This feeling is so good.

However, seeing Lin Chang'an's bloodshot eyes made many acquaintances secretly shake their heads, for this was perhaps their future as well.

The cultivators encountered on the road, strangers brushed past each other, while acquaintances smiled and greeted each other with a respectful "fellow Daoist."

Although he had lived here for twenty years, this time, with a different feeling, Lin Chang'an smiled more often.

"Many people here are not as well off as I am."

However, after seeing those numb expressions, one realizes how the initial high spirits of entering the world of cultivation turned into the numbness after experiencing the harsh realities of life.

Their inner resentment drove them to grit their teeth and persevere.

These familiar, numb expressions gradually extinguished Lin Chang'an's excitement, and he sighed inwardly, "These are just like me back then."

"The world of cultivation is ever-changing, and I still have a long way to go."

Bathed in the morning light, Lin Chang'an strode forward with firm steps, a stark contrast to the hurried and apathetic figures on either side.

The butcher surnamed Luo stared at Lin Chang'an's departing figure, scratching his head in confusion.

"This Fellow Daoist Lin seems different."

"Well, what else could it be? I heard that this Fellow Daoist Lin is preparing to go to the mortal world."

Upon hearing this, Fellow Daoist Luo, who sold meat, suddenly realized something and then sighed:

"So that's it."

The familiar fellow cultivators shook their heads in unison. They had seen this kind of thing many times before, and who knows, it might be their turn someday.

There are even quite a few cultivators who could have gone to the mortal world to enjoy life, but for the sake of having offspring with spiritual roots, they can only grit their teeth and continue to endure.

……

Following the main street of the market, we arrived at Zhenbaolou, which is also a shop of Lihuo Palace in this area.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Lin, you've arrived early today."

The familiar middle-aged shopkeeper, Mr. Miao, greeted us with a beaming smile.

When Manager Miao saw the talisman that Lin Chang'an took out, a sincere smile appeared on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, I knew it! Why would you go to the mortal world? Your talismans are getting better and better, and the Everlasting Spring Technique is known for its gradual accumulation and eventual release."

"Manager Miao, you have a really sharp eye."

Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded, admitting that he was prepared to stay.

From their time in the demon-hunting team to becoming talisman masters, the two had known each other for nearly twenty years. His success rate in creating talismans, coupled with the cinnabar and talisman paper he obtained from them, meant they knew each other inside and out.

After he took out twenty Golden Light Talismans and eight Swift Travel Talismans, it was clear that he was not planning to go to the mortal world.

Otherwise, who wouldn't prepare some resources before going to the mortal world? After all, it would be difficult to find materials for drawing talismans once you're outside.

"This is!?"

When he saw the quality of one of the photos, a look of disbelief flashed across Manager Miao's eyes.

"A fine golden talisman!" "Manager Miao, you truly have a discerning eye!"

Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile, and Manager Miao also realized what was happening and couldn't help but look at him with a teasing expression.

"I was wondering why you seemed a bit off today, Fellow Daoist Lin. So that's why."

Manager Miao was genuinely happy for Lin Chang'an.

He was not only happy to have gained another big client, but also because his long-time client of twenty years had finally made a breakthrough at the last minute.

"Tsk tsk, as the saying goes, of the hundred arts of cultivating immortality, talismans, pills, artifacts, and formations are the most important. Although talismans are simple, they are easy to learn but difficult to master. Fellow Daoist Lin has made great progress, which is commendable."

Faced with Manager Miao's congratulations, Lin Chang'an nodded with a wistful sigh.

"Blinded by a leaf, I never imagined that I would make a breakthrough after letting go of my obsession."

His sigh came from the bottom of his heart. Thinking back on the twenty years of arduous cultivation, only he knew the bitterness in his heart.

Shopkeeper Miao nodded with a sigh, noting that countless cultivators in the world had spent their entire lives trying to break through this seemingly simple barrier.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, are you looking to exchange spirit stones or materials?"

Spiritual stone!

Upon hearing these two words, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but sigh, "After twenty years of cultivating immortality, I'm finally not using spirit crystals anymore."

"Manager Miao, the same as always."

"Alright, two stacks of talisman paper and a bottle of metallic cinnabar."

With Manager Miao's shouts, two thick stacks of yellow talisman paper and a jade bottle were placed in front of him.

"These materials total 20 spirit crystals, I'll give you another 34 spirit crystals, and this fine golden light talisman is worth one spirit stone."

Looking at the spirit stone, which was the size of a baby's palm, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but show his delight.

The value of a premium Golden Light Talisman has increased fivefold, and it has been upgraded from being measured in spirit crystals to being calculated in spirit stones.

Manager Miao was all smiles.

A talisman master who can create exquisite talismans has a promising future.

Lin Chang'an, with spirit stones tucked into his chest, stared reluctantly at the spirit-gathering array inside the shop, thinking that he would earn enough for corvée tax first, and that he would have it sooner or later.

On the way back, he bought another fifty catties of spirit rice, ten catties of demon beast meat, and some spirit vegetables. Although he cultivated diligently, he never skimped on food and drink.

This is not merely about satisfying one's appetite, but also about cultivating oneself.

Back home, Lin Chang'an looked at the full rice jar, the steamed spirit rice on the table, and the pot full of spirit meat. The aroma was so enticing that he couldn't help but smile.

"If we could eat spiritual flesh every day, we wouldn't have to wait twenty years."

It's true that he has poor aptitude, but after twenty years he's still only at the third level of Qi Refining. That's not a matter of poor aptitude, it's a matter of being poor!
This is also the current situation for countless cultivators. They may seem to have cultivated for twenty years, but most of their time is wasted on traveling, which delays their cultivation.

With hope for a better life, Lin Chang'an picked up his chopsticks with satisfaction and devoured the food on the table in a whirlwind.

This monster meat, eaten in pots, is a rare luxury even in the past.

Not only did Lin Chang'an's mouth feel greasy from the meal, but he could also clearly feel the food nourishing his body.

The thought that even ordinary low-grade spiritual roots could easily cultivate to the mid-stage of Qi Refining within those Foundation Establishment clans filled Lin Chang'an with emotion.

"Indeed, no matter what world you are in, what some people pursue throughout their lives is what others are born with."

With spiritual rice and spiritual meat every day, as long as you cultivate diligently, reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining will not be a problem.

"Once I start earning spirit stones, I'll not only eat meat every day, but I'll also buy storage bags."

The thought of having meat at every meal and having a storage bag to store items at the drop of a hat filled him with enthusiasm.

(End of this chapter)