Chapter 114 : Second-rank Spirit Brush

Chapter 114: Second-rank Spirit Brush

Gathering Immortals Tower.

“Brother Lin, you really haven’t changed one bit.”

Even at the age of sixty, cultivators at the late-stage of Qi Refinement could not avoid the marks left by time.

Shen Lie had the face of a middle-aged man; though he still had black hair and a black beard, wrinkles had already formed at the corners of his eyes.

As for Lu Qingqing, perhaps it was due to age, or maybe female cultivators cared more about appearance—she looked fairly well-maintained.

“This is merely a slight advantage of cultivating a wood-type cultivation method. Though it lacks offensive capabilities, it is top-tier when it comes to body conditioning and maintaining one's looks.”

Lin Chang’an joked with a smile, prompting Lu Qingqing to respond with a soft nod and laugh. She cultivated a water-type cultivation method, which was also excellent for preserving one's appearance—no less than the wood-type methods.

“Erniu is practically overwhelmed these days. That brat Yifan needs resources to cultivate, and the two kids below also need care. Though the Zhou Family doesn’t lack resources...

Still, as parents, who wouldn’t want the best for their children?”

Shen Lie shook his head and laughed as he spoke of Li Erniu, who had thrown himself entirely into raising his children, no longer harboring the intense cultivation drive he once had.

Over the past two years, his cultivation had even been delayed, and he remained at the seventh level of Qi Refinement.

Wei Buyi also chimed in teasingly, “Don’t be fooled by how busy Erniu is. His days have been quite comfortable these past two years. He’s even taken two concubines—he’s not only grown plump with prosperity but is also thinking of having more kids.”

Hearing that, Lu Qingqing giggled, and Lin Chang’an shook his head with a smile.

There was just no comparison.

Disciples of major clans often had many children. As long as they had a Spiritual Root, even a poor one, they could still receive cultivation resources—far better off than Drifting Cultivators.

But for Drifting Cultivators, it was different. People like Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing were responsible types—limited in resources, so they only had one child.

That way, resources could be focused, making it easier to nurture talent.

Of course, some Drifting Cultivators still believed in having many children and letting fate decide each one’s fortune.

That kind was more of a “cast a wide net” approach.

“Brother Lin, this is a two-hundred-year-old Spirit Fruit I collected some time ago.”

Amid laughter and chatter, Lu Qingqing took out a Spirit Fruit from her Storage Pouch, which Lin Chang’an received with a satisfied nod.

“If you come across suitable Spirit Fruits or Spirit Plants, keep an eye out for me.”

With Wei Buyi being a mid-grade first-rank Alchemist, there was little worry of misjudging the value of Spirit Plants.

However, even after becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Lin Chang’an still persisted in bitter cultivation as before. This sight made Wei Buyi admire him all the more.

“Brother Lin, I, Old Wei, truly admire you.”

Wei Buyi nodded with respect. Most Drifting Cultivators who broke through to Foundation Establishment would have begun enjoying life by now.

Of course, there were a rare few with steadfast hearts—clearly, Lin Chang’an was one of them.

Yet in the face of such praise, Lin Chang’an merely shook his head and sighed lightly:

“It’s not that I don’t want to, but although the situation in Yue Kingdom is clear for now, who can say when war might erupt? Keep in mind, Tianxuan City is adjacent to the Palace of Blazing Fire—once war breaks out, the flames could easily spread here.”

When Lin Chang’an brought up the current situation in Yue Kingdom, Wei Yingying and Shen Fan, who were serving tea nearby, didn’t seem to think much of it.

But Shen Lie, Wei Buyi, and Lu Qingqing—all of whom had experienced the journey here—furrowed their brows, worry etched across their faces.

“Indeed, Tianxuan City is next to the Palace of Blazing Fire. If war breaks out, this place would surely be the frontlines.”

“Word is, over these years, the Chief Elder of Xuanyin Pavilion has been gravely injured and hasn’t recovered. Master Lu surely won’t stand by and watch Xuanyin Pavilion fall into decline.”

Everyone clearly understood one thing: if war were to break out again in Yue Kingdom, it would be the Palace of Blazing Fire and the Divine Sword Sect joining forces to attack Xuanyin Pavilion and Tianxuan City.

“That’s why I dare not slack off—not even for a moment. I must seize every moment to cultivate.”

At this point, Lin Chang’an rarely revealed a hint of melancholy: “Low-grade Spiritual Root aptitude is simply too poor. Treasures that can enhance one’s root quality are far beyond what us ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators can touch.”

“Therefore, all these years, I could only rely on Spirit Fruits and Spirit Herbs to assist my cultivation. Fortunately, I practice a wood-type cultivation method, which happens to be compatible.”

Though pure Spirit Fruits and Spirit Herbs were not as effective as pills, they still offered advantages for Foundation Establishment cultivators of the wood-type path.

Even more importantly, second-rank pills that could aid Foundation Establishment cultivators were hard to come by. Thus, Lin Chang’an’s surface-level focus on gathering these resources seemed perfectly normal.

What outsiders didn’t know was that he had been secretly collecting Spirit Fruits and Spirit Herbs capable of being refined into pills.

“These past two years, I’ve noticed that Yingying has a gift for being a Spirit Plant Caretaker. Shen Fan may not be suited for that, but his honest nature suggests great potential in cultivation.”

Lin Chang’an wasn’t simply boasting—he truly held some admiration for Shen Fan.

Few youths of this age could settle down and commit to long-term cultivation.

Simply put, Shen Fan was a natural-born bitter cultivator.

Upon hearing Lin Chang’an’s praise, Shen Lie scratched his head with a proud grin, though he restrained himself somewhat in front of his son.

“I knew it. This rascal had to have inherited something good from me and Qingqing.”

This remark earned him a side-eye from Lu Qingqing.

Lin Chang’an simply smiled and shook his head. He could genuinely sense how solid Shen Fan’s foundation was.

With such a solid foundation, there might really be hope in the future.

Thinking of this, Lin Chang’an subtly glanced at the honest and simple Shen Fan. With Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing’s resources...

Supporting the boy to reach late-stage Qi Refinement was no problem at all—he just needed to persist in bitter cultivation.

Moreover...

Looking at Wei Yingying beside them, whose bright eyes sparkled mischievously, always focused on Shen Fan, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle. This kid had good fortune.

All he needed to do was focus on cultivation. His parents had resources, and in the future, there was also that cheeky girl Wei Yingying—he wouldn’t suffer any loss.

“Alright, everyone, don’t slack off in your cultivation. There’s always room for improvement. In such turbulent times, strength is the only true safeguard.”

Lin Chang’an’s earnest reminder made Shen Lie scratch his head and nod quietly. It seemed he had been slacking a bit over the past half-year.

He was, after all, at the eighth level of Qi Refinement—perhaps with some effort, he could reach the ninth level.

As for Wei Buyi, he was holding back a fire inside. Being surpassed by Erniu once still didn’t sit right with him. Over the past two years, he had reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement, just one step away from breaking through.

“Alright, I’ll take a walk around the Marketplace, see if I can find any suitable Spirit Fruits.”

Lin Chang’an bade the group farewell with a smile. Wei Yingying mischievously tugged Shen Fan along, escorting him all the way out.

“Uncle Lin, I’ll help you keep an eye out too.”

Faced with Wei Yingying’s wide-eyed glare, the sincere Shen Fan stammered before finally squeezing out a response, which made Lin Chang’an laugh.

“Alright, you rascal, you’ve got good fortune. With this cheeky girl around, you’ll never be at a loss.”

With Lin Chang’an’s teasing, Wei Yingying’s face turned a bright red. Only Shen Fan kept scratching his head with a silly, honest grin.

As long as Uncle Lin didn’t mind him being slow-tongued, it was fine.

After Lin Chang’an left, Shen Fan turned his head and looked at Wei Yingying with a puzzled expression, asking, “Yingying, why is your face red?”

“Blockhead! You’re a total blockhead!”

The scene of the two youngsters on the marketplace street likewise fell into the eyes of Shen Lie, Lu Qingqing, and Wei Buyi, who were in Gathering Immortals Tower.

“Hoho, Brother Shen is really scheming. Are you planning to count off my entire fortune?”

Wei Buyi puffed his beard and glared—he only had this one daughter.

Shen Lie, on the other hand, laughed heartily and feigned ignorance, stepping forward to put his arm around him and divert the topic.

“Brother Wei, think of the years of friendship we’ve had. What do you mean scheming? If it’s not enough, I’ll have Fan’er call you ‘Father’ next time.”

“You—!”

“Come, come, Brother Wei, I’ll treat you to a drink—finest Spirit Wine.”

As the two grown men walked away with arms around each other, only Lu Qingqing shook her head with a smile. However, she truly liked this little girl Wei Yingying.

“With this girl around, Fan’er won’t suffer any losses in the future. I hear Brother Wei has made some progress in Alchemical Skill—it won’t be long before he breaks through.”

Just thinking of the assets of an Alchemist, Lu Qingqing couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

With the combined resources of both families, if Fan’er showed some ambition, Foundation Establishment might not be out of reach in the future.

Walking through the Marketplace Trading Zone, Lin Chang’an had already disguised his identity.

“What’s the price for this Heavenly Spirit Fruit? So expensive?”

“This Ten Thousand Spirits Flower is only about two hundred years old. It’s short by over a decade. At most, I can offer...”

As he walked along, changing identities, Lin Chang’an’s Storage Pouch had already filled with quite a few alchemy ingredients.

“Now that my Alchemical Skill has broken through to Second-rank, the pill formulas are relatively easy to obtain, but I have to try various Spirit Herbs and Spirit Fruits each time to gather ingredients.”

Along the way, Lin Chang’an silently pondered. These easily obtainable pill formulas were all legacies from ancient times.

Many herbs listed in those formulas were extinct—or simply didn’t exist in Yue Kingdom—thus testing the experience of an Alchemist to replace them with herbs of similar medicinal properties.

Otherwise, why would such pill formulas be so easy to get?

As for the improved pill formulas—those were the private, untold secrets that fed every Alchemist.

This was also why the same pill, when crafted by different Alchemists, always showed subtle differences in quality and effectiveness.

“To improve the quality of pills, one must either enhance the age of the herbs or the quality of the Alchemy Furnace.”

After mulling over the matter, Lin Chang’an sighed helplessly. Whether it was aged medicinal herbs or high-quality Alchemy Furnaces, all required a large number of Spirit Stones.

Though he had an exceptional talent for making Spirit Stones, the current number of expenditures made it difficult.

“Being a Drifting Cultivator is just troublesome. Everything has to be done personally—no wonder so few of them rise up.”

“Let’s go find this Fellow Daoist Song first. The Alchemy Furnace will have to be bought in disguise and can wait until the auction half a year later. But I can change to a new Spirit Brush now.”

At this thought, a satisfied smile appeared on Lin Chang’an’s face. The Alchemy Furnace could wait.

But this ordinary Second-rank Spirit Brush he had used for so many years—it was time to replace it with one of better quality.

After all, on the surface, he was a Second-rank Talisman Master. Buying a high-grade Spirit Brush was perfectly reasonable.

“I’ll be a mid-grade Second-rank Talisman Master soon. I ought to match my identity.”

Looking at his Talisman Master Proficiency, Lin Chang’an smiled.

It wouldn’t be long before he became a mid-grade Second-rank Talisman Master.

Since the grand-scale auction three years ago was a success, Tianxuan City had established it as a triennial event.

It was now considered a grand occasion of Tianxuan City.

One could even say it was the largest auction event across Yue Kingdom and its surrounding neighboring countries.

“Ordinary Second-rank Spirit Brushes and Alchemy Furnaces are still relatively cheap, but higher-quality ones are extremely expensive.”

But this time, he was well prepared. The most ordinary Second-rank Spirit Brushes cost about six to seven Mid-grade Spirit Stones—seemingly affordable.

However, in reality, that was about one month’s income for a Second-rank Low-grade Talisman Master.

“The brush I used before, though labeled Second-rank, was actually substandard. Normally, a proper Second-rank Low-grade Spirit Brush would cost over a dozen Mid-grade Spirit Stones.”

A mid-grade Second-rank Spirit Brush was worth around one hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones, while a high-grade Second-rank Spirit Brush cost about three hundred.

“The price isn’t as steep as Magical Artifacts, but for an ordinary Second-rank Low-grade Talisman Master, three hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones would take more than four years to accumulate.”

Lin Chang’an calculated silently. He still understood the principle of not displaying wealth—otherwise, it could attract trouble.

“But that depends on who you’re showing your wealth to.”

With a calm smile, Lin Chang’an headed in the direction of Fengle Auction House.

He was a Second-rank Low-grade Talisman Master, had a Top-grade Magical Artifact—the Green Bamboo Sword—and had once managed a Hundred Mu of High-grade Spirit Field. Accumulating this bit of fortune was perfectly normal.

And to this Fellow Daoist Song, it likely meant nothing at all.

Fengle Auction House.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, you bitter cultivator are a rare sight.”

As soon as he reached the third floor of the auction house, he saw Song Tingfeng, the Foundation Establishment cultivator, looking over his received auction items with satisfaction.

Upon seeing Lin Chang’an, this Fellow Daoist Song’s eyes lit up as he greeted him enthusiastically.

Lin Chang’an smiled and nodded. “Fellow Daoist Song.”

This scene had become quite common.

Especially the old Foundation Establishment cultivator with the surname Feng who managed the auction—he simply shook his head in speechless resignation.

This fool actually managed to find a kindred spirit.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, perfect timing. Let’s find a private room and have a good discussion about formations.”

No sooner had they met than Fellow Daoist Song couldn’t help but speak with excitement. He had no talent in formations but loved to talk about them endlessly.

Lin Chang’an was different from others—most people tried to flatter or cozy up to him. Only this Fellow Daoist Lin genuinely studied and made progress.

He could now discuss the subject with him.

“Fellow Daoist Song, I’d definitely like to seek your guidance in formation studies when free. But today, I came with important business.”

Others tried to avoid the chatterbox that was Song Tingfeng, but when Lin Chang’an saw him, his eyes genuinely lit up.

In other words, when the two met—it was truly a case of kindred spirits.

“Come, come, Fellow Daoist Lin, you’re one of us. Please, sit.”

Song Tingfeng’s face was all smiles. Just for what Lin Chang’an had done before, it was certain he would never defect to the Palace of Blazing Fire.

“Fellow Daoist Song, there’s still half a year until the auction. I came to see if there are any high-quality Spirit Brushes.”

“Spirit Brush!?”

Upon hearing that, Song Tingfeng’s expression shifted slightly. Lin Chang’an responded with a calm smile and nodded.

“Tsk tsk, then I must congratulate you in advance.”

Song Tingfeng sized him up with a look of appraisal, while Lin Chang’an modestly waved his hand.

“Not worthy of congratulations. It’s just that I recently had some insight into the Talisman Path, so I gritted my teeth and decided to look for a better-quality Spirit Brush.”

Lin Chang’an’s modest demeanor, with a hint of a smile between his brows, earned him an approving nod from Song Tingfeng.

He had long known this Fellow Daoist Lin had good comprehension. His prior achievements in the Talisman Path had brought him this far.

It hadn’t even been ten years since he became a Second-rank Talisman Master, yet now his skill had advanced again.

“A mid-grade Second-rank Talisman Master—even in Tianxuan City, that’s someone who ranks.”

Song Tingfeng sighed in admiration, while Lin Chang’an humbly waved it off, saying he was still lacking and had only gained a bit of insight.

His behavior was entirely normal. In the Cultivation Arts of All Kinds, aside from practice, comprehension was highly prized.

Given his age and progress, a mid-grade Second-rank Talisman Master was talented—but not at the level of a top-tier genius.