Cultivating Immortality Through a Hundred Lifetimes: I Possess the Heavenly Book of Merit

Yu Yan nodded, about to speak, when he suddenly remembered something.

"Brother Gu, there's something I need to make clear beforehand." He looked at Gu Cheng, "I'm leaving the city this time to avoid trouble, and I don't plan to return to Yunmeng Immortal City anytime soon."

Gu Cheng was taken aback: "Avoiding the limelight? What trouble have you gotten yourself into, young friend?"

Yu Yan waved his hand: "It's a personal matter, and I can't say more. In short, I won't be going into the city for a while."

Gu Cheng frowned, a thoughtful look on his thin face.

"So, young friend, you mean...?"

Yu Yandao:

"The trade can proceed, but we'll have to change the method. We'll meet here every three months. I'll give you the Yin-Yang Connecting Talismans I've drawn during this period, and you bring me my share of the spirit stones from the sales. That way, I won't need to go into the city, and the trade can continue."

After listening, Gu Cheng's brows relaxed, and he laughed heartily.

"That's easy! I often go out of town anyway, it's just along the way. Meeting up every three months is perfectly fine."

He paused, then patted his chest and assured them:

"Don't worry, young friend, I will never shortchange you on the spirit stones. I'll charge you whatever price you make, and the accounts will be clear and transparent. In business, we value integrity above all else."

Yu Yan nodded.

Although I haven't known Gu Cheng for long, judging from his words and actions, he seems to be a shrewd person.

It's unlikely that the deal would fall apart over an uneven distribution of spirit stones.

Such people know what they should and shouldn't do, making them reassuring to work with.

"Then it's settled," Yu Yan said. "Three months from now, still here, I'll bring the talisman."

Gu Cheng agreed, but showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he stroked his chin and looked at Yu Yan thoughtfully.

"Young friend, you just mentioned wanting to find a quiet place to cultivate in seclusion?"

Yu Yan nodded: "Yes. It's best to be in a secluded place where no one will bother you."

Gu Cheng's eyes lit up, and he chuckled:

"What a coincidence! I actually know such a place."

Yu Yan looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Gu Cheng took two steps forward and sat down on a blue stone, gesturing for Yu Yan to sit as well.

"Three hundred miles south of Yunmeng Immortal City, there is a swamp that the locals call 'Miasma Swamp'."

He was drawing a route on the ground as he spoke.

"That place, spanning a hundred miles, is shrouded in miasma year-round, and is extremely poisonous. If a Qi Refining cultivator inhales even a single breath and doesn't receive antidote within half an hour, they will surely die. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators dare not linger there."

Yu Yan frowned: "Such a dangerous place, Brother Gu recommends I go?"

Gu Cheng waved his hand: "Let me finish. Because of the miasma, almost no one goes there. Not to mention cultivators, even wild beasts avoid it. But do you know what? The spiritual energy concentration beneath that miasma is higher than the three levels below Yunmeng Immortal City!"

Yu Yan's heart stirred.

"I once happened to pass by there and stayed on the outskirts for a while. The spiritual energy there... wow, it was incredibly dense. I thought to myself then, if I could live inside and cultivate, my speed would be at least 30% faster than outside." Gu Cheng sighed.

"Unfortunately, the miasma was too poisonous. I tried a few times, but I could only go three miles in before I couldn't take it anymore."

He looked at the route he had drawn on the ground, his eyes shining:

"That place is wonderful. If it belonged to us, we could earn so many spirit stones."

Yu Yan twitched his lips. He could tell that Gu Cheng liked to steer everything towards business, making him a typical businessman in the cultivation world.

Gu Cheng is still introducing:

"I heard that decades ago, a rogue cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage also took a fancy to that place."

"He wanted to completely eliminate the miasma and transform that swamp into his cultivation ground. In the end, he spent three years and invested tens of thousands of spirit stones, but still failed. The miasma seemed to be alive; as soon as he cleared one area, it would grow back from another, and he could never get rid of it completely."

Yu Yan asked thoughtfully, "And then?"

"Later, that senior gave up and found another place. The miasma swamp has remained desolate ever since, and no one dares to go there." Gu Cheng shook his head. "What a pity to waste such good spiritual energy."

Yu Yan was silent for a moment, then asked:

"Brother Gu, you didn't tell me this just to make me envious, did you?"

Gu Cheng chuckled and took something out of his pocket.

It was a talisman, about the size of a palm, with yellowed paper and some tears at the edges, looking quite old. The runes on the talisman were dull and lifeless, as if all the spiritual power had long since dissipated; at first glance, it looked no different from a piece of waste paper.

But Gu Cheng treated it like a treasure, unfolding it carefully and moving it very gently, as if afraid of breaking it.

"Young friend, take a look at this."

Yu Yan took the talisman and examined it carefully.

The talisman paper had a very special texture. It was not the yellow paper or blue paper commonly found on the market, but a material he had never seen before. It was delicate and smooth to the touch, with a faint coolness to it.

The runes on it are written in a graceful, flowing style. Although they are dim and lack luster, one can still vaguely discern the exquisite craftsmanship of that time.

Moreover, it seems that this was intentional, as something was missing for the talisman to emit its spiritual light.

"This is……"

"A talisman to dispel miasma." Gu Cheng lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard.

"It's a very ancient talisman, specifically designed to counteract all kinds of miasma and poisonous fog. I bought it at an auction three years ago for two thousand spirit stones."

Yu Yan looked up at him: "Brother Gu, you're willing to give it to me?"

Gu Cheng waved his hand: "It's not a gift, it's a loan. Or rather... consider it an investment in our cooperation."

He pointed to the talisman and said:

"Although this talisman looks like it's ruined, it's actually still usable. I had someone appraise it, and it still has about 30% of its spiritual power left."

"Once activated, it can create a three-foot square area free of miasma around the user, which lasts for one hour. And the best part is that it can store the absorbed miasma within the runes, releasing it when needed."

He paused, a sly glint in his eyes:

"Think about it, young friend. If you take this talisman into the miasma swamp, you'll not only find an excellent place to cultivate, but you'll also have an extra means of fighting. When you're fighting, you can release the stored miasma, catching your opponent off guard and letting them inhale it... hehe."

Yu Yan's eyes lit up.

This is a good thing.

The miasma in the Miasma Marsh is so potent that even Foundation Establishment cultivators dare not linger there, demonstrating its extreme toxicity. If it could be released during a battle, it would undoubtedly be a deadly weapon.

He looked at the talisman for dispelling miasma in his hand and asked:

"How many more times can this talisman be used?"

Gu Cheng held up one finger: "Once. The spiritual energy inside is only enough to activate it once more. But if you can find a way to replenish its spiritual energy, you might be able to use it a few more times."

Yu Yan nodded and returned the talisman to Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng refused, waving his hand and saying:

"Keep it with you for now. Aren't you looking for a place to cultivate in seclusion? This will come in handy."

"Let's meet in three months. If you really went into the miasma swamp and used this talisman, give it to me in spirit stones at market price. If you didn't use it, just return it to me as is."

Yu Yan paused for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Brother Gu, aren't you afraid I'll run off with the talisman?"

Gu Cheng laughed heartily:

"Young friend, you flatter me. I think it's worth it to exchange a talisman worth two thousand spirit stones for a long-term partner."

"Besides, people who can connect with the top three levels are not so short-sighted."