Chapter 90: Life Isn’t Easy
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Amidst the toasts, the welcome gathering came to an end.
Shen Ping could clearly feel that the other guest ciders’ attitudes were much more enthusiastic. Even Shopkeeper Qu personally drank a cup of spirit wine with him.
Before leaving, Guest Elder Chong even handed over a communication talisman and said bluntly, “Talisman Master Shen can make a Level Two talisman at the eighth level of Qi Refinement. His potential is extraordinary. My disciple will disturb you if he visits. After a few years, he will have a more stable personality, at that time I’ll let Talisman Master Shen guide him.” He walked out of Virtue Tower.
Shopkeeper Ding caught up and said with a smile, “Talisman Master Shen, you’re hiding your strength well. You secretly changed to Huiquan Alley. The rent there is as high as 200 spirit stones a year. Even Guest Elder Cui and the others don’t have the confidence to live there.”
Shen Ping sighed in his heart. This time, he was still a little high-profile. However, it should not be a bad thing to be able to get to know Guest Chong and Shopkeeper Qu. Moreover, he was safe and free in Qingyang City. He still wanted to build his foundation as soon as possible. He had to reveal some things.
He had finally seen Shopkeeper Ding’s connections. No wonder he could take a flying ship in Cloud Mountain Parlour. It was even very likely that these were only some of Shopkeeper Ding’s connections. At least, he had never heard of Shopkeeper Ding’s family.
“Shopkeeper Ding. I had no choice but to change to Huiquan Alley. I’m already 50 years old this year. If I don’t speed up my cultivation, I’m afraid there’s no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment.”
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Ding sighed in agreement. “That’s right. We Qi Refinement cultivators still have to cross the threshold of Foundation Establishment in the end. Speaking of which, although I’m at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, I’m 55 years old. I’m afraid it’ll be difficult to cross if I delay for another two to three years.”
Shen Ping shook his head. “Shopkeeper Ding, your aura is thick. You should have reached the Perfection of Qi Refinement long ago. I believe that the Foundation Establishment is within these two years.”
“With Talisman Master Shen’s auspicious words, I hope to build my foundation as soon as possible.” Shopkeeper Ding chuckled. He had been polishing his foundation all these years in order to break through in one go, but he had yet to find an opportunity.
They chatted for a while more. The two of them then left separately. He looked at Shopkeeper Ding’s back.
Shen Ping looked thoughtful. Although the other party did not reveal anything, it seemed that there was something special about making Level Two talismans at the Qi Refinement Stage. It made Shopkeeper Ding, Guest Elder Chong, Shopkeeper Qu, and the others change their attitudes.
He returned to the small courtyard in Huiquan Alley. When he entered, he saw his wife busying herself in the small spiritual field.
“Husband, you’re back.” Wang Yun put down the work in her hands and hurriedly washed her hands before going forward. When she smelled the alcohol on Shen Ping, she hurriedly said, “Husband, I’ll make you fresh soup.”
Shen Ping nodded. With his current strength, he only needed to meditate for a short while to dissolve the wine’s strength. However, making fresh soup was his wife’s token of appreciation. He would not reject it.
After finishing the soup, he was not in the mood to make talismans today, so he simply planted some ordinary spiritual plants in the spiritual field with his wife and planted a spiritual date tree beside it.
At Red Willow Alley, he planted a date tree at the entrance, but he did not have the chance to plant it later. Now that he was in Qingyang City, he finally had some leisure time.
The stars were dazzling. The bed actually swayed with the sound of a symphony. The difficult action ended.
Bai Yuying stuck out her tongue and said softly, “Husband, you’re getting more and more powerful. I have to have more nourishment tomorrow, or I won’t even have the strength to speak in the future.”
Luo Qing leaned against the bed and said faintly, “It’s a little stronger, or it’s too nourishing.”
Shen Ping laughed dryly. “I’ll be more careful in the future.”
He secretly thought that it was most likely related to the increase in his immersive physique. He comforted his wife and concubines.
The daily comprehension began. He glanced at the virtual frame casually and put it away.
The improvement in the Dao of Talismans was very fast.
The bonus after the transformation of the golden frame allowed him to obtain 200 experience points per dual cultivation. Although the requirements for subsequent improvement were higher, according to the current speed, he would only need about a year to break through.
As for the metal and wood spiritual roots, they had entered a slow period. It would take at least four years for them to break through next time.
It was the same for divine sense and puppets.
Shen Ping could not help but look at his wife, Wang Yun. As his physique increased, Bai Yuying and Luo Qing almost could not take it. However, he did not take it to heart. There were many rare treasures in the True Treasure Pavilion, and they were more suitable for mortals. He would prepare more when the time came. His wife’s physical condition could keep up. If it really didn’t work, he could only waste more time.
“I have to buy the Beauty Pill.” This thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
Peace returned to the following days. His cultivation life was on the right track. Making talismans, meditating, dual cultivation, accompanying… Occasionally, he would go to the True Treasure Pavilion to freeload spiritual tea. Time passed quietly.
In the blink of an eye, March arrived. The area outside Qingyang City was emerald green, and the number of demon beasts emerging from the lake gradually increased.
Shen Ping ended his cultivation and used his divine sense to sense the spiritual energy in his dantian and meridians. A smile appeared on his face. The effects of cultivating in the Spirit Pool for the past three months were displayed.
Originally, he estimated that it would take another seven to eight months for his spiritual energy to be filled up at the eighth level of Qi Refinement. Yet he could reach it in another month now, and once the spiritual energy in his dantian was filled, he could prepare to break through.
Level Nine of Qi Refinement.
That was half a step into the Foundation Establishment Realm. He suppressed his emotions. When he arrived at the small courtyard, he looked at the quiet room of the spirit pool. For the past few days, Shen Ping did not go in to cultivate because Yu Yan was about to break through.
Yu Yan had the special physique, the residual effect of the Snow Ganoderma Pill, the dual cultivation technique of Acacia Faction, the Phoenix Fusion, as well as the supplementary pills and spirit liquid. Her cultivation speed was not as fast as his, but with those, she still had to cross the threshold of the late-stage Qi Refinement Realm.
However, her speed would slow down in the future. Even with a cultivation environment like the Spirit Pool chamber, Yu Yan would still be restricted by her aptitude. As long as she crossed the threshold of the late-stage Qi Refinement Realm, she had a high chance of building her foundation.
True Treasure Pavilion.
Shen Ping came to the contribution room on the second floor with ease. He took out his storage bag and exchanged it for some spirit stones and contribution points after three months of hard work. He was not in a hurry to buy the Beauty Pill. Instead, he went downstairs to the backyard.
Today was a fixed auction for three months. There might be some special treasures. He put on the mask. Before long, he arrived at the underground auction hall.
The overall layout of this auction hall was almost the same as that of Cloud Mountain Parlour, but it looked more grand and magnificent. The decorations of the private rooms on the second and third floors revealed a noble aura.
Furthermore, the participants were not only Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but also Golden Core experts.
As the auction proceeded, some rare treasures appeared. There were not many Snow Ganoderma Pills and Spirit Jade Ginseng Ointment. As soon as the host shouted, they were quickly bought at a high price.
Shen Ping did not even have a chance to bid. He could not help but sigh. Qingyang City was indeed very safe. After the auction ended, he returned to the second floor and barely bought three Beauty Pills with his contribution points.
The expenditure in Qingyang City was indeed not small. He could only accumulate it for a few more days. He was about to leave when his communication talisman vibrated. He opened it.
It was Mu Jin.
“Talisman Master Shen, do you have time now?”
“I’m on the second floor of the True Treasure Pavilion.” Shen Ping said and returned to the private room.
He hadn’t contacted Mu Jin much recently, nor had he mentioned the generous reward she had mentioned at Cloud Mountain Parlour. After all, life in Qingyang City was not easy, and a female cultivator at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement like Mu Jin wasn’t good at fighting. She could barely maintain herself.
He waited for a long time.
A round figure appeared at the door of the private room.
Mu Jin walked in and closed the door. She looked at the familiar private room and sighed. In the past, she used to rest in the private room at Cloud Mountain Parlour, but now… she could only sit in the chair at the side in silence.
“What’s the matter, Fellow Daoist Mu?” Shen Ping asked casually as he tasted the spiritual tea.
Mu Jin hesitated and squeezed out a sweet smile. “Talisman Master Shen, I work in the Pengyun Shop. If you have extra talismans in the future, can you sell them in the Pengyun Shop?”
“Pengyun Shop?” He looked puzzled. There was no famous shop in Qingyang City.
Mu Jin quickly explained, “It’s a newly opened shop. The shopkeeper is a good person, but there’s a lack of stable cooperative Talisman Masters.”
Shen Ping was enlightened. “There are some Foundation Establishment Talisman Masters in Qingyang City. Since they can open a shop here, they must have a strong background. They shouldn’t need a high-grade Talisman Master like me to sell them, right?”
Mu Jin lowered her head. “Yes, I’m the one who needs your help.”
“I haven’t seen the generous reward that Fellow Daoist Mu mentioned last time. How can I help?” Shen Ping said calmly. Selling talismans was a small matter.
“I-I’m willing, I’m willing… I’m willing to let Talisman Master Shen go to my bedroom to take a look at the layout..”