Chapter 8: Manual of Beginner Talismans
After safely arriving in the lower district, Lu You parted ways with Zeng Yan.
Every time he came down the mountain, Zeng Yan always had his own affairs to attend to. Lu You adhered to a principle of social interaction built on warmth, generosity, and—most importantly—not asking what he shouldn't. As such, he made no attempt to pry into Zeng Yan's secrets.
Aside from the Myriad Talisman Pavilion, there were also many small shops and street stalls trading in talismans.
Lu You wandered around for quite a while, but apart from spotting a single low-grade Beginner Divine Speed Talisman at an old Daoist's stall, the entire lower district had no talismans that were truly practical for cultivators.
"Daoist, how much is this Divine Speed Talisman?"
Lu You returned to the old Daoist's stall and picked up the talisman to examine it.
The Divine Speed Talisman was a variant of the basic Beginner Wind Talisman. It transformed chaotic gusts of wind into orderly propulsive force, allowing cultivators to move with far less effort.
For cultivators below the Golden Core Realm, who were incapable of flight, the Divine Speed Talisman was exceptionally useful for long journeys.
"Not bad, you got a good eye."
The old Daoist squinted as he looked Lu You up and down. "Young sir, you really know your stuff. It took this old man three full years of practice to master drawing this talisman. If it were sold in the Myriad Talisman Pavilion, it would go for at least twenty spirit stones per piece. Since you're buying it from me, I'll give you a discount, just eighteen spirit stones."
Lu You decisively put the talisman down and strode straight toward the Myriad Talisman Pavilion.
"Hey, hey, hey! Young man!"
Seeing Lu You leave without a hint of hesitation, the old Daoist hurriedly grabbed him. "You look refined and scholarly, how can you be so rude? Don't you know how to bargain? Just name a price, we can talk!"
Lu You stopped and tapped the Divine Speed Talisman.
"The talisman paper is the lowest grade. The spirit ink is also the lowest grade. The cost is at most one spirit stone, and you're asking for eighteen?"
"That's not how you calculate it!"
Hearing Lu You's layman's logic, the old Daoist's nose practically twisted out of shape in anger. "The time and spirit stones I spent learning to draw this talisman don't count as costs? This is a Beginner talisman! Even the cheapest Beginner talisman in the Myriad Talisman Pavilion costs thirty spirit stones!"
"The Beginner talismans in the Myriad Talisman Pavilion are either for killing enemies or protecting oneself, thirty spirit stones for half a life. Something like your Divine Speed Talisman wouldn't even be sold there."
Lu You shook off the old Daoist's hand, clearly determined to leave.
"Ten spirit stones."
The old Daoist still refused to let go. "We're both fellow cultivators, help an old man out. My lifespan is nearly exhausted, and breaking through to Foundation Establishment is no longer possible. I just want to save up some spirit stones, return to the mortal world, and trade them for a minor official post—become a wealthy man and enjoy family happiness. Besides this Divine Speed Talisman, I've also compiled my insights on learning it. I'll give those to you as well."
As he spoke, the old Daoist pulled out a thin booklet from his robes and placed it beside the talisman.
Lu You didn't particularly care about the number of spirit stones. His bargaining was more about not revealing his wealth. After hearing the old Daoist mention his dwindling lifespan, and seeing the manual detailing the talisman's drawing method, Lu You decided not to press the price any further.
In front of the old Daoist, Lu You took out an exquisite small pouch.
Opening it, eleven spirit stones were revealed inside. Lu You counted out ten and handed them over, then carefully placed the Divine Speed Talisman and the learning manual—along with his last remaining spirit stone—back into his robes.
"Daoist, are there any other stalls around here selling Beginner talismans?"
A single Divine Speed Talisman was far from enough for Lu You. Scattered stalls like these suited him perfectly, buying one talisman from each would ensure no one noticed how much he spent in total.
"In times like these, who would dare casually sell Beginner talismans?"
The old Daoist let out a dry laugh. "This old man dares to sell the Divine Speed Talisman only because it's an auxiliary talisman. If it were the valuable offensive or defensive talismans sold in the Myriad Talisman Pavilion, they'd be targeted before they were even sold. And even if you managed to buy one, you'd be robbed by bandit cultivators on the road before you got far."
After hearing the old Daoist's words, Lu You fell silent for a while.
In a world of immortals, there were no surveillance cameras, no police serving the people. Everyone devoted themselves single-mindedly to the pursuit of longevity. Even when sects dispatched cultivators to enforce the law, it was little more than a cursory patrol—at best suppressing problems temporarily.
This world was good—good in that one could seek immortality.
But it was also bad—bad because everyone was seeking immortality.
Lu You continued, "Daoist, if I want to learn talisman crafting on my own, where can I buy manuals for Beginner talismans?"
"Heh, you're dreaming big." The old Daoist gave a dry laugh. "A Beginner talisman manual represents the accumulated lifework of countless talisman masters. How could it be so easily bought? To condense the experience of innumerable talismanists into a single book—only a sect like the Verdant Cloud Sect could manage that. If you want to self-study talismans, the first step is becoming an inner disciple of the Verdant Cloud Sect."
"The talismans circulating on the market are mostly the result of cultivators copying and reverse-engineering an existing talisman. That's precisely why it's so hard for rogue cultivators like us to produce true talisman masters. As for talismans developed through personal exploration—only cultivators like this old man, whose lifespan is nearly at its end, would trade such experience for a few spirit stones."
The old Daoist glanced at Lu You and saw the unwillingness written all over his face. Perhaps reminded of his own youth, he sighed and offered some advice.
"If you really can't accept it, you can try your luck at the Myriad Talisman Pavilion. You might find cultivators consigning their experiences there. Or you could wait for one of the Pavilion's auctions—now and then, the talisman masters stationed there will bring out Beginner talisman crafting manuals as bait to attract customers. But..." He paused.
"The price will be terrifying."
"Thank you, Daoist."
Lu You cupped his hands in salute. For someone who had only gone down the mountain twice, this common knowledge was extremely valuable. After a moment's thought, Lu You took out his last remaining spirit stone and handed it to the old Daoist as payment for the information.
"Daoist, may you enjoy family harmony and lasting happiness."
Lu You's action surprised the old Daoist slightly, but he said nothing in thanks. He silently accepted the spirit stone and waved Lu You off.
After Lu You left, two or three cultivators suddenly surrounded the old Daoist.
"Well, old man, how was it? That kid—was he a fat sheep?"
They had seen Lu You trading with the old Daoist from afar, but had no idea how many spirit stones he actually had.
"Fat my ass."
The old Daoist spat on the ground, his face full of disdain. "I only sold my Divine Speed Talisman for ten spirit stones. That bastard's just a dirt-poor soft-hearted fool."
Despite his words, the corner of his eye kept following Lu You. Only after Lu You completely disappeared from everyone's sight did the old Daoist quietly withdraw his gaze.
Naturally, Lu You had no idea what happened behind him. After leaving the old Daoist's stall, he placed the Divine Speed Talisman into his small cauldron and headed toward the Myriad Talisman Pavilion.
This time, the treatment Lu You received upon entering the Pavilion was completely different from before.
Last time, he had been dressed far too shabbily, and not a single female clerk in the Pavilion paid him any attention. This time, neatly dressed and elegant in bearing, the moment Lu You stepped inside, a fragrant female clerk came forward to greet him.
With a wave of his hand, Lu You ignored her. His gaze swept across the interior of the Pavilion, and he spotted a dark-skinned female clerk who was being subtly excluded by the pretty clerks, standing bored and idle at the back.
"Have her introduce things to me."
In his previous life, Lu You had watched far too many short videos of how domineering rich people acted—and now he imitated them flawlessly. Though the clerk who had approached him was surprised by Lu You's taste, she didn't dare say a word. Obediently, she went and brought the dark-skinned female clerk over.