Immortality begins with equipping a worn-out talisman pen.

Li Mufeng was now genuinely puzzled.

Looking at Zhou Zhengyang, his face was full of confusion.

"Does Senior Zhou know my master?"

Seeing his appearance, Zhou Zhengyang was slightly taken aback, and then frowned.

"Has that old bastard Lu Tianhe never mentioned me to you?"

Li Mufeng recalled carefully for a moment.

Suddenly, I remembered that when Master was drunk, he seemed to have boasted that he was not without backing in the Qingxuan Sect. He said that one of his junior brothers had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage and had quite a bit of influence in the sect.

At the time, he thought it was just an old man bragging after drinking, but now it seems that the old man was actually telling the truth.

Seeing the expression on Li Mufeng's face, Zhou Zhengyang knew the answer immediately and couldn't help but snort coldly.

"As expected, given that old man's personality, he probably didn't even mention the Heavenly Origin Qi Talisman Making Method to you."

At this point, Zhou Zhengyang's gaze fell on Li Mufeng.

"Don't you want to know why I was able to tell your relationship with Lu Tianhe just by looking at you?"

Li Mufeng was puzzled, but continued to look at Zhou Zhengyang, indicating that he was listening attentively.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhengyang laughed and scolded:

"Just like Lu Tianhe, he's like a silent gourd."

"Your talisman-drawing techniques are all basic techniques of the Tianyuan Yiqi talisman-making method. I'm even very curious how you were able to draw such exquisite talismans with a technique that you hadn't even entered the door. Your talent is even better than I imagined."

Upon hearing this, Li Mufeng's heart skipped a beat.

Only then did he finally understand why this Foundation Establishment senior had left him behind alone.

Zhou Zhengyang gently put down his teacup and slowly opened his mouth.

"The path of a talisman master is not limited to simply copying others. The same talisman drawn by different schools can have vastly different power. Some people emphasize the use of spiritual ink to carry spiritual energy and connect with heaven and earth; some people emphasize drawing talisman bones to communicate with heaven and earth through spiritual patterns; and some mediocre people even use their own blood as a sacrifice to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

My lineage cultivates the path of communion between life and spirit, resonating with talismans through one's own life force.

Upon hearing this, Li Mufeng felt as if an invisible gust of wind had suddenly swept through the previously quiet room.

Zhou Zhengyang had sat up straight without anyone noticing, his eyes were shining brightly, and he looked energetic and radiant, completely different from his lazy demeanor just now.

"When I draw talismans, I do not only infuse spiritual power into the talisman paper, but also use destiny as a guide to unite with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, the talismans created by my lineage have a spirituality far exceeding that of ordinary talismans. If they can generate Dao patterns, their power can even surpass the talisman itself by a level."

At this point, Zhou Zhengyang sighed softly.

"However, this method is too profound, and my senior brother Lu and I have only just begun to understand it."

It seems he hasn't had a chance to truly teach you yet.

Li Mufeng remained silent for a moment, then finally couldn't help but ask:

"Uncle-Master Zhou, how exactly did my master die?"

The quiet room fell silent for a moment.

Zhou Zhengyang picked up the spirit tea and remained silent for a long time.

After a long pause, he slowly asked:

"How much do you know about this matter?"

Li Mufeng shook his head.

"This disciple doesn't know much either, only that Master seemed to have some involvement with the Foundation Establishment royal family before his death."

Upon hearing the words "Wang family".

Zhou Zhengyang paused slightly in his teacup, a hint of coldness flashing deep in his eyes.

He then murmured softly.

"As expected, it was that old scoundrel Wang Xuanyue."

Li Mufeng was shocked. Wang Xuanyue, the Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Wang family, was a household name in the market fifty years ago. By the time of Li Mufeng's era, he was already like a skeleton in a tomb, and some people even said that he had already perished.

He wanted to ask more questions, but saw Zhou Zhengyang wave his hand.

"Stop asking. With your current strength, knowing too much won't do you any good. Wait until you've reached Foundation Establishment before asking me. Otherwise, you'll just be throwing your life away."

Upon hearing this, Li Mufeng could only suppress his doubts.

Just then, Zhou Zhengyang suddenly changed the subject.

"By the way, have you ever heard of the Four Sects' Talisman-Asking Conference?"

Li Mufeng shook his head slightly.

Zhou Zhengyang smiled and said:

"That's normal."

"Only the core talisman masters of each sect know about this matter."

"The four major sects of Yue Kingdom jointly hold a Talisman Master Competition every ten years. All young talisman masters under the age of thirty-five can participate. It is divided into three levels: low-grade, middle-grade, and high-grade. Cultivation level is not the deciding factor; only talisman skills are considered. The final ranking not only affects personal reputation but also represents the honor of the sect."

"In previous conferences, countless unknown young talisman masters rose to fame overnight, were accepted as disciples by Golden Core cultivators, and successfully rose to prominence."

At this point, Zhou Zhengyang looked at Li Mufeng.

"This year, the Qingxuan Sect is still short one spot for the first-tier mid-grade talisman master level."

Are you interested?

Li Mufeng almost instinctively wanted to refuse.

The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind. His greatest reliance was the equipment system, and he had no shortage of cultivation resources. He always kept his distance from things that showed off.

Just as he was about to decline, he heard Zhou Zhengyang say leisurely:

"Don't rush to refuse. I know you've been cautious and careful in the market for so many years. But the Qingxuan Sect also has its own rules. Anyone who represents the Qingxuan Sect in battle, regardless of their performance, will receive a reward. Whether it's a cultivation technique, spirit stones, or a top-grade magic weapon, we can discuss it."

At this point, a smile appeared on Zhou Zhengyang's lips.

"If you can make it into the top three, I heard that the reward this year is the qualification to enter the ancient battlefield of Yue Kingdom - Lietuyuan, which is a real treasure land that can produce spirit embryos."

A spiritual embryo?

Li Mufeng's pupils suddenly contracted. Even though he was usually not one to show his emotions, he couldn't help but be somewhat tempted at this moment.

Magical artifacts are merely objects crafted by cultivators for people to use; in the end, they are nothing more than inanimate objects.

The spiritual embryo, however, is completely different. It is the prototype of a spiritual treasure, nurtured by the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, and already contains a trace of innate spiritual essence.

With continuous nurturing and refinement by its owner, it may even grow and eventually transform into a true spiritual treasure.

Its rarity far surpasses that of ordinary ritual implements.

But for Li Mufeng, this was not the key point at all; the spiritual embryo had another layer of meaning.

Equipment slots!

Even the various attributes that ordinary magical artifacts now possess are already of great benefit to him. If he could obtain a spirit embryo equipment, what kind of effect would that equipment slot produce?

Purple attribute? Gold attribute? Or perhaps the legendary red attribute?

Thinking of this, Li Mufeng swallowed back the words of refusal that were already on the tip of his tongue.

He stood up and bowed respectfully.

"This disciple is willing."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhengyang burst into laughter.

"That's more like it!"

"Young people should have some vigor. What kind of person stays in a dark cave all day long?"

"Cultivating immortality is not just about cultivating one's realm, but also about cultivating one's spirit. Besides, I didn't expect you to win the championship as soon as you went up. You just need to represent your lineage and get the spot in the ancient battlefield."

"The Talisman-Making Conference is still six months away. During this time, I will temporarily oversee Blackstone Market. From now on, come to me once every seven days, and I will personally guide you. At the very least, you must cultivate the Heavenly Origin Qi Talisman-Making Technique to the basics before the conference begins, otherwise you will embarrass my lineage."

Li Mufeng felt a warmth in his heart and quickly got up to refill Zhou Zhengyang's spiritual tea.

"Thank you, Uncle-Master."

Zhou Zhengyang took the teacup, but laughed and cursed.

"Thank me my ass, we're all family, don't give me that."

As he spoke, he looked Li Mufeng up and down again, his brows furrowing slightly.

"But with your cultivation level, how come you're only at the fourth level of Qi Refining?"

Then, as if realizing something, Li Mufeng, a rogue talisman master, already struggled to maintain his cultivation, let alone have so many spirit stones to buy pills.

Zhou Zhengyang had already reached into his sleeve, and with a flash of light, a cyan jade bottle appeared in his palm.

He casually tossed the jade bottle over.

"This is a special Yuan-Gathering Pill from Danxia Peak of the Qingxuan Sect. You know how important cultivation is to a talisman master, right?"

"In the path of a talisman master, divine sense, spiritual power, and comprehension are all indispensable."

"If your cultivation level can't keep up, even the best talent is useless."