The business Lord Lushan spoke of was not complicated.
Over the past year, using her connections in Longyuan Immortal City, she had specifically inquired about Luo Chen's recent situation.
She learned that although he was an independent cultivator who had not established any major faction, he nonetheless had a Foundation Establishment clan at his beck and call.
Initially obscure, that Foundation Establishment clan had flourished more and more over the years beneath the renown of Demonic Lord Qingyang. Both their own clan industries and their shop in Longyuan Immortal City, Qingyang Firm, had steadily found their footing.
Especially after Demonic Lord Qingyang forced Huangfu Song into retreat, an increasing number of rogue cultivators flocked to Qingyang Firm to buy goods.
This was precisely why Lord Lushan had not doubted Luo Chen in the least when he mentioned having his own ways of generating wealth.
Her proposition was to partner with Luo Chen and place the talismans she crafted on consignment at Qingyang Firm.
Her background was not particularly obscure.
Like Huangfu Song, she hailed from a mortal dynasty in the Northern Sea and was once an imperial princess.
Yet, naturally intelligent, she detested the deceit, scheming, and struggles for power within the imperial family. From childhood, she loved reading Daoist canons and immersed herself in tales of immortals.
Later, to escape an arranged political marriage, she joined a Daoist temple enshrined by the imperial family at a young age, becoming a Daoist nun.
After entering the temple, she devoted her primary interests to cultivation and talisman arts.
After the seas changed to mulberry fields and the world moved on, she had no lingering attachments to the imperial house, embarking alone upon the long journey of immortal cultivation.
What she relied upon for cultivation resources was her extraordinary talent in talisman craft.
Over the years in the Myriad Immortals Association, even without forming cliques or factions, she lived comfortably, which showed just how high the quality of the talismans she traded to her peers was.
However, the number of Core Formation cultivators in the Myriad Immortals Association was limited.
Especially in the absence of major warfare, the utilization rate for disposable consumables like talismans was extremely low.
Over time, her revenue stream suffered significantly.
With fewer spirit stones earned, the rent for her third-rank cave dwelling hung overhead like a dangling sword. Elegant and aloof as she was, she had no choice but to worry about vulgar worldly wealth.
"As for high-rank talismans, I have my own trading channels, so there is no need for Fellow Daoist to worry.
"However, through long years of crafting, I have accumulated a massive stock of low-rank talismans. I could have liquidated them through the Demon Hunting Department, but they drive down prices far too ruthlessly. Selling them myself is overly tedious. Thus, I thought of your Qingyang Firm.
"Naturally, Pindao will not borrow your manpower for nothing. For all talismans sold through Qingyang Firm, you may take a twenty percent cut."
Twenty percent!
This concession was indeed substantial.
After all, Qingyang Firm provided no support for Lord Lushan's talisman crafting, which meant virtually zero cost for them.
At this, Luo Chen furrowed his brow in contemplation.
Seeing his prolonged silence, Lord Lushan's delicate brows knitted slightly.
"Fellow Daoist, the sincerity I have offered is ample enough. Do not be overly greedy."
Unexpectedly, Luo Chen let out a breezy laugh.
"Lord Lushan, you worry too much. It's not too little, but rather too much. In my view, a ten percent cut is more than enough."
Lord Lushan froze.
Who would push away profit handed to them on a platter?
"However, I do have a condition... or rather, a request!" Amid her confusion, Luo Chen smiled and said, "Could Fellow Daoist consign a few third-rank talismans to Qingyang Firm as well? There's no need for many, just a steady supply of a few per year."
"A few?" Lord Lushan lowered her head in thought.
Among the myriad arts of immortal cultivation, apart from the four primary arts of alchemy, formations, artifact crafting, and talisman making, there was little distinction of superiority.
Among cultivators who mastered the four arts, alchemists and formation masters ranked above artifact crafters and talisman masters.
The reason lay simply in the fact that training an alchemist cost far too much, formation masters required immense innate talent, and their creations had a tremendous impact on cultivation and the strength of major factions.
In comparison, artifact crafters and talisman masters were slightly less esteemed.
Talisman masters in particular were easy to learn but hard to master, leading many in the cultivation world to dabble in talisman crafting on the side.
Consequently, the general market for talismans was somewhat lackluster.
Yet that applied only to low-rank talismans.
The market for high-rank talismans, much like high-rank pills and high-quality magic treasures, was perpetually in fierce demand.
For Lord Lushan herself, drawing a single third-rank talisman took considerable effort.
To squeeze out a few extra talismans for Qingyang Firm on top of maintaining her existing channels would cut into her daily cultivation.
Yet however much it impacted her, it was a minor matter.
If she failed to earn enough spirit stones, she would have to say farewell to her third-rank cave dwelling in the Dragon Taming Mountain Range.
After all, she had volunteered for this ten-year garrison mission solely to raise her Demon Hunter star rank so she could obtain a higher discount.
Lord Lushan looked up at Luo Chen. "Must it be high-rank talismans?"
Luo Chen nodded. "Ideally, yes. In return, even when those third-rank talismans sell, I won't take any commission on them."
Uh...
Lord Lushan was baffled once more.
She had thought that voluntarily lowering the commission and asking for high-rank talismans was aimed at securing higher profits, yet Qingyangzi waived any cut on the third-rank talismans altogether. What was he playing at?
She pondered hard and gradually caught on.
"You want to use the prestige of my high-rank talismans to draw foot traffic to Qingyang Firm, thereby profiting more from your other businesses, don't you?"
Luo Chen tapped in admiration. "Fellow Daoist is quite versed in the ways of commerce after all!"
Lord Lushan gave a self-deprecating smile. She merely disliked worldly affairs, but that hardly made her a fool. With a little thought, knowing that merchants never took a loss willingly, she could naturally deduce Luo Chen's intentions.
Still, his lack of evasiveness showed the forthrightness of a gentleman.
After a brief deliberation, Lord Lushan nodded.
"Very well. Three!
"Each year, in addition to the first- and second-rank talismans, I will supply an extra three third-rank talismans. However, their effects may vary, so Qingyangzi, you will have to bear with me on that."
She genuinely loved talisman making; beyond common talismans, she frequently modified designs or developed entirely new ones.
Throughout that process, there were successes and failures. If she could turn the imperfect specimens she wasn't entirely satisfied with into substantial profit through Qingyang Firm, it would clearly be a win-win situation.
Luo Chen agreed to the partnership without hesitation.
"There are still three months left. Pindao will go back to sort through that backlog of older talismans and rush out some third-rank talismans for you. There should still be enough time."
Luo Chen blinked. "It won't disrupt Fellow Daoist's cultivation, will it?"
Lord Lushan shook her head with a wry smile. "To say there is no impact would be a lie, given the tight schedule. But compared to decades or centuries of cultivation, the loss of a mere three months is negligible."
With that, she took her leave from the beach ahead of him.
Only Luo Chen remained, leisurely strolling across the sands.
When Black King returned from running wild, he found Luo Chen wearing a smile.
"Master, you seem in high spirits today! Are you happy about my cultivation making progress?"
"You certainly think highly of yourself."
Luo Chen scolded with a laugh, walking back into the sunset's golden afterglow.
His good mood was partly due to Black King's advancing cultivation, but even more so to the partnership with Lord Lushan.
Once her high-rank talismans were sold at Qingyang Firm, the ripple effect would go far beyond just a few third-rank talismans.
In the Myriad Immortals Association, which group of cultivators made up the largest numbers?
It was neither the seven Nascent Soul Perfected Persons nor the hundred-plus Core Formation cultivators, but the tens of thousands of Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators.
To them, magic treasures were out of reach and formations were too difficult, whereas talismans—which could be triggered beyond one's own cultivation realm—were the most convenient recourse.
When word spread that Qingyang Firm had a massive supply of high-grade talismans and even third-rank talismans, customers would flock to their doors.
At the same time, his existing plan to sell defensive magic treasures through Qingyang Firm would receive a massive boost.
Perhaps before long, Qingyang Firm would become one of the premier luxury establishments in the Myriad Immortals Association!
And Luo Chen's gains would not be limited to spirit stones.
Qingyang Firm sold goods, and naturally bought them as well.
With so many loose cultivators trading with Qingyang Firm, he could use the shop to commission quests for the resources he needed.
And what resources did Luo Chen need?
None other than the three primary ingredients of the Nascent Soul Formation Pill!
With Penghu Lake, a high-grade third-rank spirit land, his cultivation speed advanced by leaps and bounds.
In a short span, he had advanced to the fifth layer of Core Formation, and the day of breaking through to the sixth layer was not far off.
After the sixth layer of Core Formation lay the late Core Formation stage!
When that time arrived, he would have to contemplate condensing a Nascent Soul just like other high-tier cultivators.
The method of Nascent Soul condensation he had already comprehended.
And with a senior like Han Zhan advising him from the side, he could avoid many detours.
Yet to give forming a Nascent Soul a better chance of success, the Nascent Soul Formation Pill was indispensable.
Although Luo Chen possessed the cultivation speed of a Heavenly Spiritual Root talent, he was not inherently a Heavenly Spiritual Root. Whether he would encounter immense hurdles during Nascent Soul formation, just as he had during Foundation Establishment and Core Formation, was still an open question.
Therefore, refining the Nascent Soul Formation Pill was a necessity.
Over the years, he had gathered nearly all of the associated auxiliary ingredients.
Only the three main ingredients had him by the throat.
At present, Luo Chen possessed only a single stalk of Divine Iris, which he had obtained from the storage bag of Qian Ting, a late Core Formation cultivator.
This item was widely known across the cultivation world as a miraculous spirit herb for Nascent Soul condensation.
It was only natural that Qian Ting had collected one.
Yet the other two main ingredients, Purple Monkey Flower and the Five Elements Lotus Platform, had eluded Luo Chen entirely over these years—not even a scrap.
Even after tapping into the Demon Hunting Department's intelligence network, he turned up empty-handed.
Never mind the herbs themselves, not even a whisper of news!
"Once Qingyang Firm builds its name and rogue cultivators gather there, I might be able to gather one or two. Even if not, just news of the spirit herbs would be wonderful.
"There's still time. Step by step, year after year, something will turn up," Luo Chen murmured.
...
Three months later.
Or rather, a full year had finally elapsed since Luo Chen's arrival on Quyang Island.
This meant his mission had at last come to an end.
"Fellow Daoist Wang, who will take over your garrison duties, arrived two days ago, and you've already met him. As for the other person, though they haven't arrived yet, it matters little. With me stationed here, no major problems will arise in the short term.
"Here is the batch of talismans I prepared. There are 151 first-rank talismans, and the second-rank ones are the most numerous, numbering a full five hundred. As for third-rank talismans, I managed to rush out two: one is a Thousand-Li Divine Travel Talisman, which upon activation grants a brief burst of extreme speed, covering a thousand li in just a few breaths. The other is a Water Giant Talisman; once refined, it must be nurtured by its master for nearly half a year. Upon activation, it manifests a water giant matching the cultivator's own realm. Not only is this giant formidable in combat, but in a water-rich environment, it remains undying and indestructible for the span of an incense stick.
"As for the third one, it still needs a bit more work. Once I finish drawing it in a while, I'll send someone to deliver it to you.
"Additionally, to prevent the low-rank cultivators at Qingyang Firm from failing to grasp the essence of my talismans and selling them under price, I specially prepared a compendium detailing each of them."
Luo Chen took the storage bag and a newly transcribed book.
*Lushan Talisman Record*.
Luo Chen's brow raised. "Fellow Daoist has been thoughtful."
Lord Lushan shook her head. "It is merely for a livelihood, so naturally I must take care."
"In that case, this humble one shall take his leave. When Fellow Daoist's ten-year term is complete, you are welcome to visit me at Penghu Lake."
Luo Chen cupped his hands, leapt into the air, and flew beyond Quyang Island.
Reaching the seashore, he waited a brief moment before a massive form surfaced from the sea.
It was Black King.
His cultivation had progressed recently, making him increasingly reluctant to stay inside the space of the Hunyuan Cauldron.
In his words, that space was like a prison; unless he was hibernating, he didn't want to step foot inside for the rest of his life.
Luo Chen did not force him. Since rushing back would take several days and he didn't wish to expend mana piloting a flying boat, he simply let Black King serve as his mount.
Leaping onto Black King's back, Luo Chen sat cross-legged.
With a slight shift of mana, a Glazed Canopy enveloped him, shutting out the wind and rain outside.
With a joyful cheer, Black King dove beneath the water, swimming at blistering speed toward the headquarters of the Myriad Immortals Association.
...
At Black King's pace, the return journey to the Dragon Taming Mountain Range would only be faster than a flying boat.
With nothing to do, Luo Chen simply flipped open the book gifted by Lord Lushan.
Titled *Lushan Talisman Record*, it was evidently her personal chronicle of the talisman path.
Upon a casual reading, however, Luo Chen made another discovery.
The woman had not only recorded details of the talismans she personally crafted, but had also compiled a foundational guide for crafting low-rank talismans.
The latter could only be seen by scanning with divine sense.
"What is this? Returning a plum for a peach?"
Luo Chen was stunned, amused yet touched.
Though he had made concessions, he had done so for his own greater benefit.
He hadn't expected Lord Lushan to be someone who refused to accept unearned favors, returning the gesture with a foundational talisman-crafting guide.
Even from a brief skimming, Luo Chen could tell that if someone studied talisman craft according to its guidance, given time, they could become a low-rank talisman master with solid fundamentals.
"This Lord Lushan is truly someone worth befriending."
Luo Chen sighed with emotion and continued studying the book.
His mindset, however, was no longer the casual browsing to pass the time; he applied a measure of focus.
And for good reason: among the four arts of alchemy, formations, artifact crafting, and talisman making, the one best suited to him wasn't formations or artifact craft, nor was it even the alchemy in which he took such pride—it was talisman making!
Because the essence of talisman craft was to preserve a cultivator's proficient spells onto special talisman paper or parchment through specialized techniques.
In other words, the deeper a cultivator's understanding of spells, the greater the boost to their talisman crafting.
And among Luo Chen's many capabilities, spells were where his greatest talent lay!
For now, he had to focus his energy on refining the Demon Sovereign's remains and his cultivation, leaving no room to practice talisman crafting simultaneously, but gaining some familiarity was always beneficial.
...
As Luo Chen immersed himself in *Lushan Talisman Record*, time slipped quickly by.
Black King surged forward, unfamiliar sceneries falling behind them like a reversed film strip.
Just as they were leaving the Quyang sea territory...
Suddenly.
Black King halted in his tracks.
Frowning, Luo Chen looked up from beneath the surface of the sea.
From above came a voice:
"Qingyangzi, traveling all alone—isn't that lonely? Why not board the boat for a chat?"
Patting the flood dragon's metallic scales gently, Black King caught the cue and slowly surfaced his massive body.
From beneath the waves emerged a red-robed Daoist cloaked in a light blue water barrier, riding atop the dragon.
In the sky, a massive, opulent flying boat hovered in midair, gazing down upon them from above.
Aboard the vessel, gasps of astonishment rippled out at the sight.
Luo Chen paid them no mind, his gaze fixing solely upon the heavily wrinkled elder standing at the prow.
"Sang Jiugong!"
Chapter 614