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Chapter 14: First-Rank Talisman Master
Three months later.
Lan Chang'an sat cross-legged, exhaling a long breath.
After practical testing, taking pills, the mana growth was indeed a few points faster.
However, the increase was limited by the Evergreen Technique's ability to draw in the Qi of the ages.
Once exceeding a certain "threshold", adding more Qi Nourishing Pills would be useless.
The cycle of time, day and night, year after year.
This would not change due to pills. At least, ordinary pills would not work.
In contrast, if Li Ergou had a stable supply of elixir pills, cultivating with the same low-grade spiritual root, his progress would be slightly faster than Lan's.
"However, the pills greatly saved me time from sitting in meditation," Lan Chang'an concluded.
Now, he only needed to meditate for an hour or two each day. This way, he had a lot of free time.
Lan Chang'an considered whether he should juggle some time-consuming side-works in the future.
For example, he could study the art of talismans, learn alchemy, and cultivate body refining on the side.
Or cultivating some hobbies.
"First, I need to get out of being a parasite." he thought.
...
Walking out of the house, Lan Chang'an saw a letter in the gatehouse of the courtyard.
It was signed by Lin Yi.
Lan Chang'an opened the envelope.
In the letter, Lin Yi said that after parting last time, he and Zhang Tieshan went to that haunted house to exterminate the ghost, without any incidents, and captured and killed the vicious ghost.
The materials left behind by the ghost, as well as the spiritual items from its hiding place, were worth more than a hundred spirit stones.
Zhang Tieshan was very generous and gave Lin Yi forty percent of the spoils.
At the end of the letter, Lin Yi regretted that Lan Chang'an did not participate, otherwise he could not only have a share of the gains, but also make friends with a promising disciple of the sect.
After reading the letter, Lan Chang'an smiled.
The letter Lin Yi sent might not be without the intention of showing off, complaining that Lan did not join them last time.
Lan Chang'an had no regrets nor envy.
He took out paper and a brush, and wrote a reply to Lin Yi, congratulating him on the opportunity and chatting about some everyday matters.
"May the Immortal Path be ever flourishing."
At the end of the letter, he left a blessing full of positive energy.
...
A few days later, it was the middle of the month.
It was time for the monthly trade fair within the Purple Moon Manor.
Lan Chang'an came to the September Building for the second time.
This time, he sold the basic talismans he had refined.
It was not so much selling, but more like displaying them.
Being able to refine basic talismans meant he was already a student of the talisman path.
Although he only sold three basic talismans for one spirit stone,
Lan Chang'an's identity as a talisman apprentice had already been noticed by the attentive cultivators of the Mu family.
"That Miss Mu is not here this time."
Lan Chang'an's purpose in coming out to display was to convey a message to the core members of the Mu family.
In this way, becoming a first-rank talisman master would be a natural progression.
He bought the talisman tools and materials from Mu Xiuyun, who was a key witness.
Of course, it didn't matter if Mu Xiuyun wasn't there.
As long as he became a first-rank talisman master, there would be a trail to follow.
"Young Master Lan, the young miss wishes to see you."
Just as Lan Chang'an finished buying some talisman materials and walked out of the September Building, a maid came after him from behind.
She was quick to react!
Lan Chang'an remained calm and followed the maid into the backyard of the September Building.
A young lady in a long turquoise dress, graceful and jade-like, was tending to the flowers.
From the side, one could see Mu Xiuyun's dark eyebrows like distant mountains, a typical eastern beauty's profile.
"You can draw basic talismans? What's your success rate?" Mu Xiuyun's voice was like a clear mountain stream as her bright beautiful eyes fell on Lan Chang'an.
"For basic talismans, my success rate is sixty percent," Lan Chang'an was not overly modest.
For those with decent talisman talent, basic talismans were easy to learn.
"Sixty percent?" Mu Xiuyun did not ask further. She took out a set of talisman drawing materials and placed them on the table, gesturing for Lan Chang'an to demonstrate.
Lan Chang'an did not stand on ceremony either. He picked up the talisman brush, prepared the cinnabar ink, and neatly drew three basic talismans.
Two were successful, one failed.
With Lan Chang'an's previous life's third-rank talisman master attainments, deceiving a first-rank talisman master was naturally easy.
Mu Xiuyun nodded: "Good talent."
"By the way, I nearly succeeded in refining a first-rank low-grade talisman last time," Lan Chang'an added with seeming regret.
"A first-rank talisman, you nearly succeeded?" Mu Xiuyun couldn't help but be moved, her starry eyes seemed to have fluorescent light flowing through them.
"Yes, just a little bit away from succeeding."
"Draw one for me to see."
"Okay."
Lan Chang'an picked up the talisman brush again.
Mu Xiuyun gently moved closer, observing by his side, her dark fragrance trailing and a faint fragrance wafting from her sleeves.
Shhh!
When Lan Chang'an drew about seven or eight tenths of the first-rank talisman, his spiritual sense suddenly broke off, and a wisp of blue smoke rose from the talisman paper.
"Your mana lacked precision and could not be sustained," Mu Xiuyun commented.
"Thank you for your guidance, Miss," Lan Chang'an acted as if greatly honored.
"This book 'Nine Essentials of the Talisman Path' is a gift for you. Study it carefully when you return. If you have any questions, you can come and ask me."
Mu Xiuyun took out a book from her storage bag.
Lan Chang'an accepted the kindness and thanked her again.
"By the way, Miss. If I become a first-rank talisman master, can I freely cultivate the talisman path in the Mu family, without needing to take a wife and have children?"
Before leaving, Lan Chang'an laid it out plainly.
He felt that the Mu family's young lady seemed like a good person, graceful and beautiful, gentle and considerate, and appeared to sincerely want to cultivate the talisman path.
Mu Xiuyun showed a hint of surprise, pondering: "When you become a first-rank talisman master, I will speak for you before my father."
"Thank you for your trouble, Miss." Lan Chang'an cupped his hands in salute and left.
Watching his departing back, Mu Xiuyun pondered for a moment, her red lips slightly pursed:
"Even without me, the Mu family will have a decent person to take charge in the talisman path in the future."
...
After returning, Lan Chang'an did not plan to seek guidance from Mu Xiuyun.
Although doing so would make it more reasonable for him to become a first-rank talisman master, and bring him closer to the young lady.
"If not necessary, it's best to have less dealings with a beauty like Mu Xiuyun."
Lan Chang'an understood the principle that beautiful women bring calamity.
An outsider in the early Qi-Refining stage getting too close to the young lady would only invite trouble.
...
Half a year later.
The meditating Lan Chang'an suddenly looked towards the neighboring courtyard, sensing an unstable fluctuation of mana. 𝗳r𝚎𝐞w𝐞𝚋𝗻𝗼vel.𝗰o𝐦
"This brat! Even after taking a wife and having children, his cultivation surprisingly hasn't fallen much." Lan Chang'an murmured to himself.
In the neighboring courtyard, Li Ergou was the first to advance to the third layer of Qi-Refining. Li Ergou was simple-minded, and with the rewards and resources from the Mu family to nurture him, his cultivation progressed smoothly.
The Earth Rock Scripture that Li Ergou cultivated was not particularly powerful, but as long as he cultivated diligently and was given sufficient resources, he would be able to advance relatively quickly.
A few days later.
After consolidating his realm, the delighted Li Ergou came running to visit Lan Chang'an's place.
Lan Chang'an had put up a "Closed for Cultivation" plaque in advance, causing Li Ergou to leave in frustration, without being able to show off.
"Counting back, it has been almost four years since I came to the Mu family." Lan Chang'an thought inside his room, his mind calm like water, with any slight restlessness passing away with the the wind.
He did not become unsettled just because Ergou had surpassed him.
"It's worthy of being a cultivation technique that cultivates the temperament and spirit."
The state of mind was very important in the middle and late stages of cultivation.
The Evergreen Technique had beneficial effects in this aspect, which was precious. It might help with the tribulation of heart demons at the Nascent Soul Realm.
...
One year later.
Accompanied by a trace of the Qi of the ages, the Evergreen mana within Lan Chang'an flourished with a lush verdant intent.
"Five years of time, the third layer of Qi-Refining!" A slight ripple arose in Lan Chang'an's heart, but it quickly calmed like still water.
Five years from the first to the third layer of Qi-Refining was considered normal for an ordinary low-grade spiritual root.
But compared to his meteoric progress in his previous life, it was far behind.
There was also another important factor - age!
Lan Chang'an was now twenty-three years old, two years older than Li Ergou and three years older than Zhao Siyu.
Zhao Siyu was probably already at the fifth layer of Qi-Refining by now.
"A twenty-three year old at the third layer of Qi-Refining, by conventional evaluation, has limited future potential."
"But I am cultivating the Ancient Trees Evergreen Technique, which prolongs my life for twenty years at the early stage of Qi-Refining, giving me a lifespan of one hundred and forty years, and at the late stage of Qi Refining, my lifespan is as much as one hundred and eighty years."
Perhaps because the cultivation technique absorbed the Qi of the ages, Lan Chang'an could sense his own longevity.
Compared to a hundred and eighty years, twenty-three years old was still a youthful age, with a long future ahead.
Bloop!
Lan Chang'an extended a finger to draw a water mirror towards him, in which the reflection showed a fair-skinned, handsome and gentle youth with jet black eyes.
Coupled with the white robe, he had the air of a peerless noble. The calluses on his hands from martial training were also gone.
"Is this the rejuvenating effect of the Evergreen Technique, or is it the incerase in lifespan?" Lan Chang'an looked almost identical to five years ago, his skin even more delicate.
He silently circulated the Evergreen Technique, filling his body with an aura like rotten wood, making his formerly jade-like complexion less apparent.
After consolidating his realm and leaving seclusion,
The first thing Lan Chang'an did was sell first-rank talismans!
At the third layer of Qi-Refining, he was now a first-rank talisman master!
...
Initially, members of the Mu family held doubts.
But soon after, under Mu Xiuyun's personal examination, Lan Chang'an successfully refined a first-rank fire talisman.
Lan Chang'an's identity as a first-rank talisman master was officially confirmed.
...
"That kid... became a first-rank talisman master?"
On Moonheart Island, in a quiet room, the cross-legged Mu Maode looked at the note in his hand, somewhat caught off guard.
The five-year agreement with Lan Chang'an was about to expire.
Mu Maode was preparing to pressure Lan Chang'an into taking a wife and having children in the Mu family.
Unexpectedly, Lan Chang'an had now become a talisman master, disrupting his arrangements.
The talisman path, although not as prestigious as pill refining or artifact forging, still ranked high among the hundreds of arts of cultivation.
A first-rank talisman master in his early twenties was a rare talent, enough for the Mu family to extend an olive branch.
Mu Maode felt a headache coming on. How should he handle Lan Chang'an now?