The Blood Talisman Emerges, I Need a War!

Half a month later. Inside the fortified manor. Fu Zhang listened as his subordinates reported the previous month's revenue and profits. Thanks to the recent turmoil in Dahe Market, instant-cast low-grade talismans had become wildly popular among rogue cultivators. Consequently, net profits had reached three thousand spirit stones the previous month. This figure, however, left Fu Zhang unsatisfied. The Fu family boasted over fifty cultivators, and five of them, including himself, were at the ninth level of Qi Refining. The resources consumed by their collective cultivation were undeniably colossal. Most critically, if things continued at this rate, when would they ever manage to earn a single Foundation Establishment Pill for him? And without a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Fu family's so-called title of a Foundation Establishment clan would be completely stripped away within ten years. "Fortunately, we secured a share of the Mountain Breaker Gang's demonic beast business. That will drastically cut our costs on talisman skins and talisman inks." Tanned beast hide made excellent talisman skins. Meanwhile, beast blood, blended with several mineral ingredients, produced top-quality talisman ink. Having these two businesses was far more worthwhile for the Fu family than taking a few plots of territory. Fu Zhang put away the ledger, his foul mood lightening slightly. "I hear business at our inner city shop has been picking up lately, with dozens of patrons visiting daily. It seems our Fu family's talisman craft has gained the recognition of Dahe Market's rogue cultivators!" "In that case, we should..." Just as he was about to issue instructions, his third brother, Fu Jue, who managed the inner city shop, walked in with an anxious look. "Third Brother, what is it? Being so flustered doesn't suit your usual steady self," Fu Zhang said with a smile. Fu Jue took a deep breath and asked bluntly, "Eldest Brother, before the Ancestor passed away, did he leave behind any technique for crafting blood talismans?" "Blood talismans?" Fu Zhang froze. The other Fu family cultivators in the hall were equally puzzled. In the cultivation world, the concept of blood talismans certainly existed. But how could their Fu family possibly know how to make them? Seeing his elder brother's genuine bewilderment, Fu Jue said anxiously, "Business has been bustling lately, but people keep inquiring about blood talismans. Those are demonic talismans; our Fu family doesn't know how to craft them at all! Even if we did, we wouldn't dare make them!" Fu Zhang's brow furrowed tightly into three deep creases. "Someone is slinging mud at our Fu family!" "Exactly!" Fu Jue agreed immediately. "That's my thought as well." Fu Zhang mused, "Who could it be?" At once, chatter erupted across the hall as names were thrown out. In Dahe Market, the Fu family was not the only faction involved in talisman craft. For one, their former ally, the Chen family, dabbled in talisman crafting. Yet the primary suspect was the Divine Talisman Pavilion. Because the Fu family's talismans were inexpensive, they had noticeably encroached upon the Divine Talisman Pavilion's market share. As an external great sect's storefront, they couldn't easily strike against a local faction. Spreading rumors, however, was harmless and cost nothing. After pondering for a moment, seeing the discussion grow increasingly chaotic, Fu Zhang raised a hand and pressed downward. His patriarchal authority quieted everyone at once. "We still need to address this matter." "First, publicly announce that the Fu family possesses no blood talisman crafting techniques." "Second, instruct our clansmen to prioritize safety whenever they enter or leave." "Lastly, host a banquet on my behalf at Zhongding House. Invite Clan Head Chen and Deacon Cui of the Divine Talisman Pavilion so I can speak with them first." Hearing these three decisions, the Fu family cultivators nodded in approval. The clan head was indeed the clan head; whenever trouble arose, he could always make the right call. Back when their ancestor had reached the end of his lifespan and perished, it was Clan Head Fu Zhang who had braved widespread opposition to lead the entire family away from the cutthroat competition of Tianlan Immortal City to Dahe Market. Remote though this place was, its resources were abundant and its potential immense. Given another few decades, it was not impossible for the Fu family to rejoin the ranks of genuine Foundation Establishment clans! ... At some point, a rumor began circulating through Dahe Market. Of the five Foundation Establishment clans, setting aside the original Duan and Li families, each of the three newcomer clans had their own strengths. The Chen and Fu families possessed no living Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the others as Foundation Establishment clans simply because each held a formidable ace. The Chen family had a bloodline magic treasure. Even though Chen Haoran, their genius, had died in the battle on Qingjiang Main Street, reclaiming the treasure ensured they still retained high-tier combat power to uphold their prestige. Yet what entitled the Fu family from Tianlan Immortal City—skilled only in crafting talismans—to stand alongside the other four clans? Talisman crafting had always been time-consuming, expensive, and low-margin. Using it to support a family's daily expenses was fine, but relying on it to hold up the facade of a great clan was somewhat lacking. Gradually, an insider leaked a piece of news. The Fu family dared to maintain their standing as a Foundation Establishment clan not only because of their ancestral talisman treasure, but also because they possessed a blood talisman technique! A talisman treasure was not sustainable. Powerful as it was, its uses were limited. Blood talismans were different. Using human skin for parchment and cultivator essence blood for ink, combined with special methods, they could unleash a cultivator's entire strength in an instant. If crafted using the skin and essence blood of a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator, its power would rival a full-force blow from a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining! Most importantly, they could be mass-produced. When this news spread, Dahe Market's rogue cultivators were stunned. They feared the Fu family would abduct rogue cultivators to flay their skin and drain their blood, yet they also yearned to obtain a blood talisman as a trump card. For a time, the Fu family's inner city shop was flooded with visitors. Even though Fu family cultivators repeatedly stated that they possessed no blood talisman techniques and sold no blood talismans, rogue cultivators remained skeptical. Moreover, cultivators occasionally died in Dahe Market with no trace of their corpses left behind, which only deepened the suspicions. Helpless, the Fu family could only let things run their course, trusting that with time, such absurd rumors would fade on their own. After all, no one had actually seen a blood talisman, had they? ... Had no one seen one? No, someone had! In Crescent Moon Valley, within a row of stone houses nestled against the mountain—the quarters of the Battle Hall. Inside a secret room, Luo Chen looked in astonishment at the blood-soaked aura emanating from the talisman in Wang Yuan's hand. "This is a blood talisman?" Wang Yuan shook his head. "Strictly speaking, this isn't a blood talisman." He explained, "This is merely a rudimentary application of qi and blood by a body cultivator. It took ten days of continuous effort to infuse a vast amount of qi and blood into this sheet of human skin." "How powerful is it?" Luo Chen cared more about this aspect. Wang Yuan gave a light chuckle. "Decent. While it can't match a Foundation Establishment strike, within a hundred-meter radius, once triggered, it carries fifty percent of my strength." Listening to his description, Luo Chen moistened his dry lips. This was already formidable! Wang Yuan had stepped into the second realm of body cultivation, which rivaled Foundation Establishment. Though his offensive methods weren't as versatile as a Foundation Establishment cultivator's, his raw might was enough to crush any Qi Refining cultivator. An attack radius of a hundred meters posed no threat to Foundation Establishment cultivators, but ordinary attacks from Qi Refining cultivators usually ranged only one to two hundred meters. Any farther, and without external spiritual sense, the Attraction Art couldn't freely manipulate magical artifacts. Luo Chen, who possessed Great Perfection in the Attraction Art, was an anomaly in that regard. "With this, I can make a major fuss!" Luo Chen said, reaching out to take the counterfeit blood talisman. Yet when he pulled, the talisman didn't budge. Wang Yuan looked at him, perplexed. "Why target the Fu family so aggressively?" "I'm not just targeting the Fu family, but all five great families, and Miao Wen," Luo Chen explained patiently. "I need to break the deadlock." "Break the deadlock?" "A deadlock that confines my Luotian Association. Only by shattering it can this faction truly support our cultivation!" Wang Yuan released his grip. Taking the talisman, Luo Chen said ruefully, "Without experiencing war, an emerging faction will be ignored and slighted by everyone, never treated as an equal. "If I were content to spend my life as Miao Wen's money-making tool, that would be one thing. "But you know I seek longevity. How could I ever be willing to spend my entire life subservient to others?" Wang Yuan fell into contemplation. Looking at Luo Chen's melancholic yet supremely confident expression, he nodded. "I understand. The Luotian Association needs a war!" Luo Chen smiled brightly. "Yes, a contained war, and the Fu family is the ideal target." "Then do as you see fit. You have my full support. As for the Fu family, they can only blame themselves for being too weak." In the cultivation world, the weak were meat for the strong. Wang Yuan understood this truth even better than Luo Chen. Pinching the talisman between his fingers, a ruthless gleam touched the corners of Luo Chen's mouth. "Besides, Fu Zhang was among those who laid siege to Crescent Moon Valley back then. I haven't forgotten that grudge!" ... Zhenlong Black Market! This was Luo Chen's second visit. Concealing his aura, altering his disguise, and presenting his embroidered ball token, he entered the premises. The familiar Tianxingzi, the familiar auction proceedings. A vast array of magical artifacts appeared on the auction block. Many of them were left behind by cultivators who had perished during the recent chaos. Passing through a few hands, they could now fetch handsome prices at the auction. Under the pseudonym Murong Yuan, Luo Chen bid on several good items. Among them was the spiritual medicine known as Golden Quality Jade Liquid. Back when Wang Yuan had still been the master of the Flood Dragon Hall and developed the Taishan Market for the Mountain Breaker Gang, he had once brought a bottle back for Luo Chen. At the time, Luo Chen hadn't realized its wonders. Later, after learning from Wang Yuan about the specific stages of body cultivation and the focal points at each stage, he realized how miraculous Golden Quality Jade Liquid was for body cultivators. It could temper the physique toward an adamantine body and subtly refine bones toward jade bones. Therefore, even though Luo Chen wasn't a body cultivator, he would still buy it whenever he encountered it. It was expensive—a single bottle fetched two to three hundred spirit stones at auction! Yet it was well worth it. The stronger one's physique, the higher the chance of success when breaking through to Foundation Establishment. When the first auction segment concluded, it gave way to the individual rogue cultivator auctions. This time, Luo Chen chose not to wait until the end. He stepped forward past the crowd at once. "I wish to auction a Tier 1 talisman. Starting bid: one thousand spirit stones." His raspy voice echoed through the hall. No sooner had the words landed than a wave of mocking laughter erupted across the spacious hall. "A Tier 1 talisman starting at a thousand spirit stones? Have you gone mad from poverty?" "Well, that's an eye-opener today!" "Never heard of a Tier 1 talisman daring to ask for such a price. Forget a thousand, I'd have to think twice before paying a hundred!" "What kind of talisman is it? Bring it out for us to see!" Amidst the clamor, a blood-crimson talisman floated into the air. A surge of vibrant, lifelike fluctuations emanated from the talisman. The formidable pressure even prompted Tianxingzi, who had been resting with eyes closed, to open them. "Huh?" Yet after looking closely, he shook his head in disappointment. No one noticed his reaction, as all eyes were glued to the talisman. Luo Chen, however, had been quietly observing Tianxingzi. Seeing him close his eyes again, Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief. As expected, such crude methods couldn't fool a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This was for the best! At least the man wouldn't try to bid on it. Of course, even if Tianxingzi bought it, it wouldn't be a big problem. The goal was simply to use the black market to spread word of the blood talisman's emergence. Now that Tianxingzi showed no interest, Luo Chen had even more room to maneuver. "Hiss!" "What talisman is this? Why does it carry such a pungent stench of blood?" "What incredible power!" "I'm already at the ninth level of Qi Refining, yet I feel a hint of threat under this talisman. If fully unleashed, even I'd have to be cautious!" Facing the commotion, Luo Chen remained unhurried. "A Tier 1 blood talisman, crafted by an anonymous ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator of the Fu family!" Everyone froze. An anonymous ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator of the Fu family? What kind of anonymity was that? The Fu family only had five ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators in total! Every single one was known by name. Once you ruled out the two who weren't skilled in talisman craft, only three suspects remained. "This talisman was made using the entire back skin of a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator, tanned five times before yielding a single sheet of talisman skin." "Furthermore, ten drops of his own essence blood were blended with a generous amount of rhinoceros horn powder produced in Tianlan Immortal City to make the talisman ink." "I won't go into excessive detail on the rest—you can feel its power for yourselves." "Once activated, it unleashes a strike rivaling the Great Perfection of Qi Refining." "Starting bid: one thousand spirit stones. Place your bids, everyone!" The moment the words left his lips, bids came pouring in. "One thousand!" "One thousand five hundred!" "One thousand eight hundred!" "Two thousand!" In the end, it was hammered down at two thousand three hundred spirit stones to a cultivator enveloped in a black robe. Selling a Tier 1 talisman for two thousand three hundred was an extraordinarily high price! Luo Chen was thoroughly satisfied. Skipping the third round of open trading, he took his leave. In the hall, Tianxingzi opened his eyes, frowning slightly as he watched Luo Chen's receding figure. ... North Street Lane Three, beneath the eaves in the shadows. Two figures stood motionless like dead trees. "Brother Wang, you're getting more and more proficient with the Breath Concealment Spiritual Art. You're almost on par with me." "Heh." "Alright, you're still far behind me, but fooling Qi Refining cultivators is no longer an issue." "Coupled with my Five Qis Returning to Origin, as long as I don't unleash my full strength, a Foundation Establishment cultivator shouldn't be able to see through my true state." The *Five Qis Returning to Origin* was a martial art Wang Yuan had learned in his early years. He had mentioned to Luo Chen that this technique could maximally rein in a martial arts grandmaster's colossal blood qi. The so-called five qis referred to the qi of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Only upon reaching the martial innate realm could one cultivate this technique. Combining it with the Breath Concealment Spiritual Art, Wang Yuan had grown increasingly adept at suppressing his blood-scented aura. As the two conversed via voice transmission, time ticked by. Suddenly, Wang Yuan's eyes flickered, looking toward the northeast. Luo Chen noticed immediately as well, asking instinctively, "Seven Star Slope?" "Yes. Seems you guessed wrong." "Not necessarily. That's also the most common spot for marauding cultivators to ambush people after the black market auctions." Luo Chen smiled faintly and sprang into the air, whipping up a fierce wind like a giant roc spreading its wings. With a shift of his will, Wang Yuan took a single stride that spanned ten meters.