Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

In the days that followed, Li Yuan's pace stabilized.

In the morning, he would teach Han Qing for one to two hours; in the afternoon, he would make talismans; in the evening, he would refine elixirs; and at night, he would cultivate.

Han Qing's progress is much faster than at the beginning.

My pen-holding posture and basic skills in spiritual energy transmission have been corrected, and I can now draw complete fire-gathering patterns, although the success rate is still not high.

While teaching Han Qing, Li Yuan also kept up with his own talisman-making skills.

The success rate of breaking the seal has increased from 70% to over 80%, the spiritual energy compression precision at the end of the piercing pattern is getting higher and higher, and the diameter of the tip of the cone can be stably controlled within the thickness of a hair.

The progress of the detection talisman is also advancing in parallel. The combination of sensing patterns and expansion patterns is not technically difficult for a master talisman maker; it mainly comes down to the accumulation of proficiency.

That afternoon, Li Yuan finished drawing a talisman to break the taboo and put down his brush.

A dark silver luster emerged on the surface of the talisman, making it heavier and sharper than the previous finished products.

The panel jumped.

[Talisman: Forbidden-Breaking Talisman - Proficient (0/400)]

Then he drew several more exploration symbols.

[Talisman: Detection Talisman - Proficient (0/400)]

Both types of talismans were mastered simultaneously.

During evening cultivation, the Soul Condensation Technique is interspersed with the Spirit Guiding Technique's circulation.

After practicing for so long since I got the hang of it, each cycle of compression and extension is more fluid than the last.

The speed at which the power of the soul is condensed is continuously increasing, and the maximum depth of compression is also gradually being explored.

Later that night, after Li Yuan completed a cycle of the Soul Condensation Technique, he sensed a change.

It's not that a particular cycle is particularly different, but rather that the overall feel has changed.

The process of compressing the power of the soul no longer requires conscious concentration.

With just a gentle push from consciousness, the power of the soul will automatically converge, compress, and expand along the path practiced countless times.

It's as natural as breathing.

[Cultivation Technique: Soul Condensation Technique - Proficient (0/400)]

skilled.

After mastering the Soul Condensation Technique, the speed at which the soul is strengthened is much faster than when one first started.

Although the increase in soul density with each cycle is still small, the cumulative efficiency is higher.

With the addition of the three permanent attributes of Soul-Illuminating Mirror, Alchemy Insights, and Soul Tempering, the overall strength of the soul has reached a new level.

The next morning, Li Yuan delivered a batch of finished talismans to Ziyuan Trading Company.

Manager Han was flipping through the account book behind the counter when he saw Li Yuan come in, so he closed the account book.

Li Yuan placed the talisman on the counter.

Shopkeeper Han reached out and pulled out two cards from the middle, flipped them over to look at the talismans, and pressed his finger on the surface of the talismans.

Then I drew two more cards and looked at them again.

His movements were slower than usual, as if he were examining something carefully.

"Fellow Daoist Li, the quality of your talismans has improved again recently." Shopkeeper Han put the talisman back in the stack and looked up at Li Yuan.

"This quality is absolutely top-notch in the entire Yunyang Market."

Li Yuan nodded without explaining why. After the spiritual essence was permanently refined, the quality of the talisman-making improved by 20%, and the effect was indeed noticeable.

Shopkeeper Han neatly stacked the talismans, calculated the spirit stones, and pushed them over.

"There's one more thing." Manager Han pulled a cloth bag from under the counter and placed it on the counter.

"The materials you asked me to keep an eye out for. We've found one Jade Heart Lotus."

Li Yuan's gaze fell on the cloth bag.

Shopkeeper Han opened the cloth bag.

Inside was a magical herb, about the size of a palm, with a thick root and emerald green leaves, and a flower bud in the center that had not yet fully bloomed.

The outer layer of the flower bud is dark green sepals, with a faint golden sheen shining through the gaps.

Emerald Lotus.

Although its appearance is not top-notch, its spiritual energy fluctuations are pure, and its medicinal effect should be above normal.

"Where did it come from?"

"Brought out from a secret realm by an old customer."

Shopkeeper Han pushed the cloth bag towards Li Yuan.

"He's in a hurry to use spirit stones, so his asking price isn't high. Nine hundred spirit stones, I'll charge an extra thirty spirit stones."

Nine hundred and three.

It's almost 30% lower than the market price.

Although its appearance isn't the best, buying a Jade Heart Lotus for nine hundred spirit stones is definitely a good deal.

"I'll take it."

Li Yuan had accumulated a lot of spirit stones by making talismans these days, but the 930 spirit stones still emptied most of his savings.

He counted out the spirit stones and stacked them on the counter. Manager Han gathered the spirit stones into the drawer under the counter and pushed the Jade Heart Lotus along with the cloth bag to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan carefully put the Emerald Lotus into the depths of his storage bag, placing it together with the Spirit Essence Fruit.

We already have two of the four main ingredients. We're still missing the Nine-Turn Lingzhi and the Purple Mansion Mystic Liquid.

"Let me know when you hear anything about the other two."

"Don't worry." Manager Han nodded, then seemed to remember something and spoke again.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Li, we've had quite a few customers coming to the shop lately asking about custom-made talismans, and several specifically requesting yours. If you'd like, I can take on those orders for you."

"Okay." Li Yuan nodded.

"Okay." Manager Han smiled and patted the counter. "I'll let you know when there are any orders."

Li Yuan left the Ziyuan Trading Company and walked back along the main street.

As I reached the entrance of the side alley, a person walked towards me.

The cultivator, in his thirties, wore a clean gray cloth shirt, had an ordinary face, and was at the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Li Yuan didn't recognize this person, but the other person clearly knew the direction of Li Yuan's residence, pacing back and forth near the side alley entrance as if waiting for someone.

Upon seeing Li Yuan, the man quickly walked over.

"Fellow Daoist Li?"

"Yes."

"Senior He asked me to come find you."

The man pulled out a small wooden plaque from his robes and flashed it. It was engraved with the access runes for the restricted area of ​​Master He's courtyard. "Senior He requests your presence."

Li Yuan glanced at the wooden sign and nodded.

Follow that person west along the main street and turn into the street where Master He Dan's courtyard is located.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and the breach in the restriction had been opened.

Li Yuan pushed open the door and went inside. The cultivator on duty did not follow him in; he turned around and went back outside.

The courtyard was the same as before. Stone table and benches, wooden boxes in the corner, and the aroma of medicine wafting from the main house entrance.

Master He Dan sat behind the stone table, holding a white porcelain teacup in his hand, drinking tea.

"sit."

Li Yuan sat down on the stone bench.

Master He placed the teacup on the table and looked at Li Yuan.

"There's something I need to tell you. Have you heard about the Ji family's situation?"

"I've heard some of it. It's one of the three Foundation Establishment families under the Yuan Yang Sect, specializing in weapon crafting. They only have one ancestor left, and his lifespan is almost over."

Master He nodded.

"More or less. The Ji family is in a very bad situation right now. It's hard to say how much longer the patriarch can hold on, but it certainly won't be long."

"The family urgently needs a new Foundation Establishment cultivator to take over, otherwise the Ji family will lose its status as a Foundation Establishment family once the ancestor passes away."

He lightly traced a line on the table with his fingertip.

"The problem is, the Ji family has had terrible luck these past few years. They used three Foundation Establishment Pills in total, attempting Foundation Establishment three times, and all three attempts failed. Of their three most promising descendants, two died and one was crippled."

He lifted his fingers off the table.

"The Ji family is currently facing a generational gap. Therefore, they can only try to continue producing Foundation Establishment Pills and let the existing people give it another try."

Master He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down.

"You mentioned before that you wanted me to refine the Breakthrough Pill. If you've gathered all the materials, I can refine it for you; the probability of getting two pills in one batch isn't low."

He looked at Li Yuan.

"If two are indeed drawn, what are your plans for the second one?"

Li Yuan did not answer immediately.

Master He continued.

"The Ji family has a very urgent need for Foundation Establishment Pills. If you're willing, you can sell the second one to them. You can decide the price and the method of transaction yourself; I won't interfere."

He placed his hands, folded, on the table.

"I'm just mentioning it casually. If you disagree, then pretend I never said anything. The Ji family won't know you exist, and I won't reveal any information."

His tone was extremely flat, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"I've been refining pills for so many years..."

Li Yuan thought about it.

If two Breakthrough Pills are produced, I only need one.

Keeping the second one is not very useful; selling it for spirit stones or other resources is the most reasonable course of action.

The Ji family urgently needs Foundation Establishment Pills, so their offer won't be low.

But we haven't gathered all the materials yet, and the pills haven't been refined, so it's too early to discuss what to do with the second one.

"I'll think about it."

Master He nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Li Yuan didn't leave immediately; he asked another question.

"Senior He, how much do you know about the underground trade fair?"

Master He's gaze lingered on Li Yuan for a moment longer.

"Are you going to an underground trade fair?"

"We're still missing two key ingredients for the Breakthrough Pill. They're hard to find through normal channels, so I'd like to try another approach."

Without asking any further questions, Master He took out a token from his sleeve and casually tossed it to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan reached out and caught it.

The palm-sized bronze plaque was crudely made, with a simplified rune engraved on the front and a smooth back. It felt slightly heavy in the hand, and a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy slowly circulated on its surface.

"With this, you can attend three or four underground trade fairs."

Master He picked up his teacup.

"There are more than one underground trading circle in Yunyang Market, about seven or eight in total, big and small. This token allows entry into a few of them. The items aren't particularly rare, but they're easier to find than those on the market."

He took a sip of tea.

"However, these trade fairs are not held very often."

He tapped the table a few times with his finger.

"The most recent one will be in eight days, in a secret room underground on the east side of the market. The entrance is in the basement of the teahouse at the end of East Street. Just show the token to the person at the door."

"The times for the second and third matches are unclear; we'll have to wait for news. The token has a messaging function, and you'll receive a notification before the match starts."

Li Yuan put the token into his storage bag.

"Thank you, Senior He."

Master He waved his hand, picked up his teacup, and continued drinking.

Li Yuan got up and left the courtyard, the restriction closing behind him again.

I walked back to the courtyard I rented along the same route.

I closed the door and sat down at the table.

Continue making talismans.

The permanent attributes refined by the spirit essence ensure that the quality of each finished product remains consistently at a very high level.

Crimson, light blue, and dark silver luster rose from the talisman papers, forming neat stacks upon stacks.

There are still two kinds of medicinal materials left, so I need to hurry up and continue making talismans to collect spirit stones.