SWNOVELXO Ch. 30
“Come in.”
Li An set down his talisman brush.
Tan Qingxue, in a white robe, entered, noticing the papers on his desk. “Brother Li, you’re crafting Mid Grade First Rank Talismans now?”
Li An nodded. “My success rate’s up lately. I’ll start selling soon.”
Tan Qingxue nodded. “Brother Li, I came to discuss safety.”
She mentioned the Liuyang River Market incident. Her close bond with Xu Qiuhui ensured she’d hear such insider news.
“I’m worried we might face danger here…” She frowned at Li An.
Since her view of him shifted, she often sought his advice in the market.
Li An, with his past life’s clan experience, found running a talisman shop easy, offering practical, sound suggestions.
The shop’s rising profits and their talismans’ steady sales owed much to him.
She respected him more, even growing… dependent.
Though she was the shop’s master, Li An was quietly the backbone.
“Demonic cultivators are so rampant…” Li An frowned. “We must prepare.”
“Exactly. Sister Xu warned me to be cautious,” Tan Qingxue said. “So, I think we need to strengthen the shop’s defenses.”
“Any ideas, Brother Li?”
The Liuyang River incident prompted the Clear Sun Sect to strengthen all markets, but that protected the whole market, not individual shops.
They had to rely on themselves.
Li An mused, “How about buying an array?”
Tan Qingxue agreed. “Best option, but arrays are costly. Even pooling our savings, we might not afford a Second Rank one…”
Li An said, “They’re pricey, but for safety, it’s the only way… Shall I check the array shop tomorrow? If there’s a good one, I’ll buy it.”
Tan Qingxue nodded. “Alright, trouble you, Brother Li.”
“Here’s 500 spirit stones. Use them. If it’s not enough, I’ll find more.” She handed over a pile of stones.
Li An was surprised. “Sister Qingxue, why not come with me?”
She smiled brightly. “I trust you to handle it.”
She left.
Li An took the 500 stones, reflecting.
In a few years, Tan Qingxue had matured significantly.
In fact, in the blink of an eye, Li An will soon be thirty years old, and Tan Qingxue is a few years older than him.
However, his Art of Nurturing Life and Forging Immortality kept him youthful.
With her 500 stones and his own, he had enough.
Over the next few days, he visited Zhang Shouye, chatting, probing about demonic cultivators, acting worried, and repeatedly asking about High Grade First Rank arrays.
Zhang Shouye, eager to offload his dusty array disk, pushed hard, offering discounts. Li An bought it for 650 stones.
Back at the shop, he set it up.
“This array’s between High Grade First Rank and Low Grade Second Rank. It can kill anything below Foundation Establishment…” Li An was pleased.
For most Qi Refining cultivators, this array was a scam—their mental strength couldn’t control it.
But Li An’s mental power was perfect for it.
“If a demonic cultivator comes, I’d be behind the counter or in the back hall…”
He planned for scenarios, placing the defensive part at the shop counter and the killing mechanism in his back-hall room.
This way, whether in the shop or his room, he’d have array support, never caught off guard.
He hid it so well even Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t notice without divine sense!
“Good thing it doesn’t auto-defend or attack, so it uses just 15 stones monthly…” Li An winced but accepted it. He’d soon sell Mid Grade First Rank Talismans, boosting income.
It was sustainable.
With the array, he felt safer.
He began selling Mid Grade First Rank Talismans in controlled batches—mostly standard ones, mixed with a few Swift Step, Cold Rain, and Pitfall Talismans. Standard ones sold for one stone each, High Grade ones for two.
“Selling this many, I’ll net about 35 stones monthly…” he murmured.
He bought more High Grade paper and silver sand, spending 240 stones.
His three years of savings, plus fencing profits, dwindled to 20–30 stones.
Thanks to Tan Qingxue’s hefty contribution.
…
Three months passed.
Qingyang Market stayed calm. Talk of demonic cultivators faded.
One day, Tan Qingxue knocked and entered.
“Brother Li, I heard a secret realm appeared in Liyang Valley, possibly a Core Formation cultivator’s cave…” she said, excited.
Liyang Valley, just 100 miles from Qingyang Market.
A secret realm in that wilderness, Core Formation-level?
Li An frowned. “Sounds… suspicious.”
Tan Qingxue wavered. “Core Formation might be a stretch, but Foundation Establishment opportunities could be plenty.”
“Brother Li, should we check it out?”
Li An smiled. “Sister, staying here crafting talismans is fine. A secret realm opening will spike talisman sales.”
Seeing his lack of interest, Tan Qingxue relented. “Alright, fair enough.”
The next few days confirmed it—news spread fast, and the market buzzed.
Pill, tool, and talisman sales soared.
In just days, the sect’s talisman stock sold out. Li An and Tan Qingxue crafted nonstop, raking in profits.
In half a month, Li An earned 60 stones!
A huge jump!
“Liyang Valley’s first layer barrier was breached. A Fourth Layer Qi Refining cultivator got lucky with a Second Grade Spiritual Herb!”
“The second layer’s open. A tool flew out—likely a Foundation Establishment treasure!”
“Rumor says the third layer holds Foundation Establishment Pills…”
Liyang Valley news spread like wildfire.
Many cultivators left to seek fortunes. Even Zhang Shouye went, returning with High Grade First Rank crafting materials.
“It’s real! The third layer’s unopened but might have Foundation Establishment Pills… A huge opportunity!” Zhang Shouye said fervently at the talisman shop, planning another trip and seeking strong allies, eyeing Tan Qingxue.
After a day’s thought, Tan Qingxue visited Li An that night, hesitant. “Brother Li, should we really skip Liyang Valley?”
Her eyes burned with longing.
Exiled from the Talisman Hall, her market life was decent, but without a big break, she’d stay stuck.
Foundation Establishment Pills held irresistible allure for any Qi Refining cultivator.
Zhang Shouye’s group included many sect disciples, a strong lineup.
“Too risky,” Li An said, pausing. “If you must go, buy two things.”
“High Grade First Rank Golden Silk Armor and Cloud Stride Boots from the tool shop.”
Both were treasures, costly!
Li An, often browsing shops, had eyed them for defense and escape, perfect for staying low.
But he lacked the stones.
With the shop’s array, he didn’t need them now.
“Okay” Tan Qingxue’s eyes lit up at his advice. “Brother Li, will you come with me?”
He shook his head. “The shop needs someone.”
Her eyes dimmed, but she nodded. The shop couldn’t be left empty.
She turned to leave.
"Don't save money, you must buy those two things." Li An called after her.
Tan Qingxue has performed well in the past three years, and has been particularly generous recently. For his interests, he didn’t want her in trouble.
She looked back, smiling faintly. “Got it.”
…
(Chapter End)