Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Xia Dong slowly calmed his mind, gathering the surging Xuan Yin power and abundant blood and qi into his dantian and internal organs.

Although he had achieved a breakthrough, he did not rush to achieve quick success or continue to recklessly cultivate the "Mysterious Yin Kidney Refining Technique".

The transformation of the internal organs in martial arts' internal strengthening realm emphasizes a gentle, gradual approach, like a spring breeze and a gentle rain.

The internal organs are the most vulnerable parts of the human body. If one pushes too hard, it will only backfire and have a negative effect.

During this period, all he needed to do was settle down and reflect.

Stabilize Qi and blood, allowing the body to gradually adapt to the transformation of the internal environment.

In his spare time, Xia Dong would stay in his secluded room and draw talismans.

With a foundation in "one certificate for life", he drew those basic talismans with effortless grace, achieving not only a very high success rate but also consistently high quality.

Moreover, the more he practiced, the deeper his understanding of the Wind Control Talisman became, and he gradually worked to perfect the Wind Control Technique.

He could clearly sense that once the Wind Control Technique was perfected, he should be able to break through the limits.

This is because his bond with the ancient bronze bell has grown increasingly deep.

It seems that the ancient bronze bell itself was also broken and incomplete, but it began to revive as he cultivated. There was a subtle sense of symbiosis between the man and the bell.

After a period of time, he accumulated a thick stack of Wind-Controlling Talismans and Disease-Curing Talismans.

Xia Dong then emerged from seclusion and met Qin Wan at their usual spot.

After a few cups of tea, Qin Wan looked somewhat tired.

She didn't hide anything and told Xia Dong about Pei Hongling and the others' relentless pressure on Lonely Moon Peak, as well as how she had taken a desperate gamble and destroyed the secret vault key in public to prevent future troubles.

Upon hearing this, Xia Dong paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He carefully examined the seemingly delicate girl in front of him and couldn't help but admire her decisiveness: "Wan'er, you played that move beautifully and swiftly."

Qin Wan gave a wry smile, looked directly into Xia Dong's eyes, and said frankly, "Brother Xia, although the key is destroyed, thwarting their evil intentions, my business cannot stop. Right now, I desperately need your help with cultivation supplies."

Xia Dong put down her teacup, revealing a relaxed smile.

He didn't reply immediately, but instead casually dropped a bombshell: "Wan'er, don't worry. I forgot to tell you, I've now taken over the position of the commander of the Eagle Wolf Guard in Pingyang County."

"The commander-in-chief?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Qin Wan's eyes flickered.

With Brother Xia's apparent status as an "official of the imperial court" and "chief commander of the Eagle Wolf Guard," she felt even more confident in using his influence to intimidate Pei Hongling and the others.

Qin Wan then breathed a sigh of relief, "Congratulations, big brother."

Xia Dong took out a heavy cloth bag from his sleeve and pushed it in front of Qin Wan: "These are the talismans I've accumulated over this period of time. Besides exchanging them for daily spirit stones, I'd like to ask you to buy two things this time—a basic alchemy manual and an alchemy furnace."

Qin Wan frowned slightly, skillfully calculating: "The 'Basic Alchemy Manual' isn't difficult. Although there are regulations on the market, as an inner disciple of my Immortal Sect, I can buy it directly. It's just that the alchemy furnace and magic tools are very expensive..."

She changed the subject decisively, saying, "Brother Xia, I think we can rent one. As long as I vouch for it in my name, renting a decent alchemy furnace from the sect market shouldn't be a problem."

"Renting is fine too, as long as it works," Xia Dong readily agreed.

Xia Dong then added, "Also, please get me some more jade slips for making other basic talismans."

This was a last resort for him.

Although the Taiping Yinfu Jing is exquisite, it records very few basic talisman types, just a few kinds over and over again.

As for those powerful and profound talismans, not only do they require a vast amount of magical power, but even more demanding is that a "talisman seed" must be condensed within the body before they can be drawn.

Cultivating a talisman seed is extremely difficult and is still too far away for him at present.

Right now, mastering more basic talismans to broaden your methods and avenues for wealth is the most practical and effective approach.

After hearing Xia Dong's request, Qin Wan simply nodded slightly, wisely suppressing all her doubts and not asking any further questions.

She knew all too well the survival rules of this world: the less you knew about certain secrets, the safer you were. But deep down, Qin Wan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions, her thoughts racing.

"First, there was a large quantity of high-quality Wind-Riding Talismans, and now he needs jade slips for basic talisman-making. Brother Xia must have a talisman-maker with considerable skill behind him. Now he urgently needs a pill furnace and basic alchemy manuals... Could it be that he has recruited another cultivator with alchemy potential?"

Qin Wan was secretly alarmed. Whether it was a talisman master or an alchemist, they were both extremely rare talents in the cultivation world, highly sought after by various forces. Even the lowest-ranking ones would not be at the mercy of a mortal martial artist.

Countless guesses flashed through her mind in an instant.

Behind these events, does it originate from a faction within the Eagle Wolf Guard? Or... does it stem from the "Taoist family" behind Brother Xia?

"Could it be that Brother Xia's family has finally made secret contact with him, preparing to let him acknowledge his ancestors and return to the clan, and even secretly assigning him a cultivator as a retainer?"

The more Qin Wan thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

The thirty-six Daoist clans that have existed since the founding of the Great You Kingdom possess an incredibly formidable foundation.

It would be incredibly easy to equip the core members of the family who had been separated from their families with a few low-level cultivators as attendants to manage their businesses.

"If that's the case, Brother Xia's sudden need for these basic alchemy furnaces and alchemy manuals might be to cultivate his own trusted confidants, or perhaps... he has been involuntarily drawn into the family's power struggle and is secretly accumulating his own strength?"

Thinking of this, Qin Wan's gaze towards Xia Dong held a hint of awe and anticipation.

A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it transforms into a dragon when it encounters wind and clouds.

Even if Brother Xia has no spiritual root and is said to be unable to embark on the path of immortality, as long as he grasps the resources of the family and the Eagle Wolf Guard, he can make great strides in martial arts...

"If Brother Xia were to one day become a martial arts grandmaster of the 'True Intent' realm..."

Qin Wan's heart skipped a beat.

A true martial arts master can manifest their divine will and make their qi and blood appear.

Its own strength is enough to contend with a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Regardless of the truth, Xia Dong's potential and unfathomable strength have far exceeded her expectations.

Perhaps, she really missed the greatest opportunity of her life.

What's past can't be retrieved.

Now we can only try our best to make up for it.

"Don't worry, brother." Qin Wan composed herself, her eyes bright, her tone becoming more firm and eager. "The alchemy furnace, the alchemy manual, and those jade slips for making talismans, Wan'er will go to the market to get them for you right away. I will get them done for you as soon as possible and will not delay your important matter."