Daily Intelligence: From Miner to Dao Ancestor of Alchemy and Talismans

A master of both alchemy and talisman-making, even in a large city like Blackwater City, such a person would be a top talent sought after by various powerful forces.

Xu Yuan was arrogant and didn't even tell Li Qinghe or Wu Song about it.

He knew very well that his trump card was most powerful when it was hidden in the dark. Once it was exposed, it would be targeted in advance. This was the ironclad rule of survival.

To verify the true power of the second-tier talisman, Xu Yuan secretly left his cave under the cover of night and went to an uninhabited open space behind Crouching Tiger Mountain.

He raised his hand and threw out a second-tier spatial rift talisman. The moment the talisman exploded, a spatial rift half a foot long suddenly appeared. With a crisp "crack", a hard boulder about half a person's thickness was cleanly cut in half not far away. The cut was as smooth as a mirror, and not much gravel was even splashed out.

Looking at the boulder cut in two, Xu Yuan nodded slightly.

He knew very well that he was now capable of fighting a Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on, even without setting traps beforehand. Even if he couldn't win, he could easily escape unscathed with his second-tier Wind Travel Talisman and his prepared trump cards. He was no longer the rogue cultivator who could only severely injure Foundation Establishment cultivators through sneak attacks and traps.

Its strength has undergone a complete and qualitative change.

After verifying the power of the talisman, Xu Yuan returned to his cave without taking a break.

There are only ten days left until the Blackwater City Alchemist Conference.

In the days that followed, besides his daily cultivation to solidify his mid-stage Qi Refining eighth level cultivation, he devoted all his remaining time to drawing talismans and refining pills, frantically stockpiling life-saving trump cards.

In ten days, he drew over a hundred second-tier talismans, including more than thirty Sky-Splitting Talismans, more than twenty Earth-Thickening Talismans, more than a dozen Wind-Riding Talismans, ten Immortal-Trapping Talismans, and twenty Yang Flame Talismans specifically designed to counter corpse puppets. He categorized them and placed them in his personal storage bag, so that even with his eyes closed, he could take out the corresponding talisman in a single breath.

At the same time, he refined a full storage bag of second-tier pills, including Rejuvenation Pills for healing injuries, Qi Gathering Pills to replenish spiritual energy, Spirit Cleansing Pills to detoxify all poisons, Breath Concealing Pills to hide one's aura, and Spirit Explosion Pills to temporarily boost spiritual energy. Even if he was trapped in Blackwater City for half a month, he would not have to worry about supplies.

Offense, defense, escape, control; elixirs, talismans—all trump cards have been fully utilized.

Only after finishing drawing the last second-tier Yang Flame Talisman did Xu Yuan finally breathe a sigh of relief. He then sorted and packed everything away, making thorough preparations for his journey to Blackwater City.

Just then, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the cave, the stone door was pounded on loudly, and Qian Shi's panicked shouts, distorted by fear, came through the stone door:

"Brother Xu! Brother Xu! Something terrible has happened!"

Xu Yuan frowned, instantly removed the restriction, and opened the stone door.

Qian Shi's face was ashen, and he was trembling all over. As soon as he saw Xu Yuan, he grabbed his arm and said urgently, "Brother Xu! More than a dozen unfamiliar second-tier cultivators have arrived at Qingya Market. They all exude a fierce aura and carry swords. They are inquiring about the whereabouts of the ancient talisman seal everywhere in the market! The one in the lead is wearing a blood-red robe, and everyone calls him Young Master. He is from the Blood Fiend Sect!"

The young master of the Blood Fiend Sect has actually arrived at Qingya Fang ahead of schedule!

The sky over Qingyafang was once again shrouded in a layer of dark clouds.

The top floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was completely booked by the Blood Fiend Sect. Two imposing black-robed cultivators stood guard at the entrance, their long swords stained with undried blood. Any passing rogue cultivators would detour, not daring to even glance up.

Xue Wuyai, the young sect leader of the Blood Fiend Sect, has been staying at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion for three days with a dozen or so second-tier cultivators.

For the past three days, the entire Qingya Fang has been thrown into chaos. They carried a portrait and searched the market for a "late-stage Qi Refining cultivator who possesses an ancient talisman." Any unfamiliar-looking rogue cultivator with a cultivation level of late-stage Qi Refining was captured and taken to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion for questioning. Any resistance was met with a brutal beating. Two rogue cultivators who refused to speak were beaten to death in the alley.

The market's guards dared not intervene. Xue Wuyai was the only son of the Blood Fiend Sect's leader, and he was surrounded by the sect's elite troops. If a conflict broke out, the already weakened Zhao family would not be able to withstand the Blood Fiend Sect's retaliation. They could only watch helplessly as the Zhao family ran rampant in the market, lacking even the courage to step forward and stop them.

The entire Qingyafang was thrown into chaos once again. The rogue cultivators who had just settled down began packing their bags and trying to escape to the outskirts of the city. The four gates of the market were in complete disarray once more.

Li Qinghe was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan, his hair almost turning white with worry. He knew better than anyone that the person Xue Wuyai was looking for was Xu Yuan. But he dared not utter a word, and could only secretly send a message to Xu Yuan using a communication talisman, his words tumbling out in a panic: "Brother Xu! The Blood Fiend Sect has gone mad! They're looking for you everywhere! Whatever you do, don't go back to the market! Hide in Crouching Tiger Mountain and don't come out!"

Inside the cave at Crouching Tiger Mountain, Xu Yuan looked at the message in the communication talisman without the slightest panic on his face, not even his fingertips trembled.

Inside the cave at Crouching Tiger Mountain, Xu Yuan looked at the message in the communication talisman without the slightest panic on his face, not even his fingertips trembled.

He had long anticipated this day. With the talisman seal taken by him, the Blood Fiend Sect, unable to find its whereabouts, would inevitably trace it back to Qingya Workshop. Xue Wuyai's personal visit was entirely expected.

Panicking is useless, and a head-on confrontation is the worst possible strategy. Xue Wuyai is accompanied by more than a dozen second-level cultivators, as well as a Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator who is specifically protecting him. If they were to have a direct confrontation, even if he is now at the second level of both Dan and Fu, he would not gain any advantage and would instead expose all his trump cards.

To survive by following the right path, the worst thing you can do is confront someone head-on. The best way is to throw the dirty water on someone else, divert the trouble, and use someone else to do the dirty work.

He didn't rush to devise a countermeasure; instead, he sat cross-legged on the stone bed, quietly waiting for the intelligence update at midnight. He needed to know Xue Wuyai's weaknesses, itinerary, and enemies in order to set up a flawless trap.

At midnight, the familiar system notification sounded in my mind right on time.

[Ding! Today's intelligence has been updated.]

[Bai Bao: Xue Wuyai, the young master of the Blood Fiend Sect, has come only to inquire about the whereabouts of the talisman seal. He dares not confront the Zhao family directly. He will leave Qingya Workshop in three days to attend the Alchemist Conference in Blackwater City. He has an old grudge against Li Mo, the direct disciple of the Alchemist King Valley in Blackwater City. The two became enemies over an ancient pill formula and are now locked in a life-or-death feud.]

Xu Yuan looked at the intelligence report, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

It's like my wish came true.

Li Mo of Danwang Valley is not only Xue Wuyai's mortal enemy, but also his main competitor in the upcoming Alchemist Conference. Shifting the blame for Fu Xi onto Li Mo would not only resolve the immediate crisis, but also incite a bitter feud between Xue Wuyai and Li Mo in Blackwater City, clearing the way for Xue Wuyai's victory in the Alchemist Conference—a win-win situation.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Yuan immediately began to make arrangements.

He took a piece of animal skin paper identical to the one used in the Blood Fiend Sect's secret correspondence and, using specially made blood-red ink, forged a secret letter between a Blood Fiend Sect insider and Li Mo of the Pill King Valley. The letter clearly stated, "The ancient talisman has been obtained and is currently stored at the Pill King Valley branch in Blackwater City. It will be brought back to the sect after the Alchemist Conference." At the end, he even made a rubbing of the patterns on the ancient talisman in his possession, imitating Li Mo's personal seal. It was done flawlessly, even the traces of spiritual energy were imitated exactly, and there was absolutely no trace of forgery.