Chapter 19

Choice

He walked out of the True Treasure Pavilion. Shen Ping felt relaxed and wanted to hum a tune, but when he saw the surrounding cultivators, he resisted the urge to blurt it out. He flicked his sleeves expressionlessly and took a big step forward.

“Let’s go home. The precarious days are finally coming to an end.” He could not suppress the excitement in his eyes.

On the way back, the cold wind blew on his face, and this excitement slowly calmed down. He could not help but fall into deep thought.

“The last time I came to sell high-level talismans, I wasn’t invited. Perhaps it’s related to the number of talismans I sold. This time, I sold ten of the twelve talismans. So it should have reached their bottom line’s requirement of three talismans per month.

“After all, it’s impossible for every high-grade talisman master to sell all the talismans they make. Now that I think about it, it shouldn’t be a coincidence. However, isn’t the True Treasure Pavilion worried that some cultivators will take the opportunity to use high-grade talismans to swindle the quota for the small courtyard?”

This was what he thought.

But Shen Ping could not help but laugh. He was thinking too much. The True Treasure Pavilion was the largest shop in the Cloud Mountain Market. As long as cultivators wanted to work hard to improve, it was impossible for them not to interact with the True Treasure Pavilion. If they used high-grade talismans to cheat the quota and failed to reach the conditions in the contract, they would undoubtedly commit suicide.

Moreover, if he could sell ten high-level talismans, the spirit stones he obtained could easily rent a small courtyard in the market.

After much deliberation, he was completely relieved when he did not find out the danger of the contract. If he belatedly discovered that there was a trace of danger, no matter how tempting the quota for the medium-sized courtyard was, he would definitely not go.

He passed by the Deacon Hall on the side of the main road of the market. There were still many cultivators queuing up.

Shen Ping glanced around and saw that Yu Yan was not inside. He could not help but sigh. “She should have finished the procedures. In a while, when the restrictions on the medium-sized house are released, she can move in. It will be difficult to see her again in the future.”

The 300 small courtyards were extremely wide. Even if they were lucky enough to become neighbors, they would still see each other frequently like before. He turned his gaze back.

He quickened his pace. Now that he had the Spirit Protection Talisman, Golden Light Talisman, and many mid-grade talismans on him, he was confident that he could escape quickly even if he encountered a robber cultivator.

As long as the cultivator didn’t kill him in a few breaths, there wouldn’t be much risk. After all, robber cultivators did not want to attract too much attention. Fast, accurate, and ruthless were the truths they pursued. If they fell into a swamp then the chances of them dying would increase.

“Fellow Daoist Shen, you haven’t returned yet?”

As soon as he got off the main road and stepped onto the dirt road, a familiar voice sounded in his ears. Shen Ping did not need to turn around to know that it was Yu Yan.

Indeed, waves of fragrance entered his nose. Soon, he saw the ripples on the front of the robe. He hurriedly retracted his gaze. He asked in surprise, “Fellow Daoist Yu, you didn’t go back either?”

Yu Yan smiled and said, “Of course I’m waiting for a certain fellow Daoist. I can’t waste the two amulets.”

It turned out that she was thinking about the amulets. The trace of gratitude that surged out of Shen Ping’s heart instantly vanished. He took out the amulets from his storage bag and handed it over.

“Let’s go!” With Yu Yan, a fellow Daoist who often went out to fight, protecting him, Shen Ping felt much more relaxed.

On the way, Yu Yan asked casually, “Fellow Daoist Shen, you stayed in the market for a long time this time. I thought you had gone back in the morning.”

Shen Ping opened his mouth and said, “I saw a senior and was delayed.”

The conversation stopped. When they returned to Red Willow Alley, it was already evening. The sky darkened. There was no one in the alley. Only the sound of the wind could be heard. In April, there was always a strong wind at night. Sometimes, it could hide the darkness. He walked to the door of his house.

Yu Yan suddenly said, “Fellow Daoist Shen, if you go out in the future, you can still call me.”

Shen Ping was stunned on the spot. When he came back to his senses, Yu Yan had already returned to her room. He was silent for a while. Then, he looked at the old house next door in a daze with a complicated expression.

To cultivators, nothing was more important than safety. A medium-sized courtyard house could provide the greatest safety for cultivators.

Yu Yan was only at the intermediate stage of Qi Refinement. No matter what the reason was, it was irrational to give up this kind of safety. Shen Ping really wanted to rush over to open the door and ask. But in the end, he suppressed this thought. Every cultivator had their own considerations.

Since Yu Yan chose to give up, she must have thought about it carefully. Perhaps it was because of him. Perhaps it was because of something else. However, the outcome was already like this. There was no point in investigating further.

Moreover, he still had the Golden Sun Sect’s wooden token in his storage bag.

Thinking of this, Shen Ping smiled and pushed open the door.

…

Late at night, the wind howled outside. The brocade blanket was filled with spring light.

[You have dual cultivated with your wife once. You have received +2 Experience in Dao of Talisman.]

[Current wife’s favorability: 100]

[Duo Cultivation Bonus: 4]

[Talisman Master: Level One High-grade (11,856/50,000)]

…

[You have dual cultivated with your Dao Companion once. You have obtained a metal-element spiritual root aptitude +2, wood-element spiritual root aptitude +2.]

[Current Dao Companion’s favorability: 90]

[Duo Cultivation Bonus: 3]

[Metal Spiritual Root: Mod-grade (8,445/10,000)]

[Wood Spiritual Root: Mid-grade (8,337/10,000)]

He looked at the increase in his attribute panel.

Shen Ping’s heart was warm. There was still a long time before he could improve his Dao of Talismans. However, his spiritual root would break through in at most two months and advance to a high-grade spiritual root.

During this period of time, he could clearly sense the speed at which the mid-grade spiritual root meditated and cultivated every day. Even though he had four types of impure spiritual roots, the transformation of his metal and wood spiritual roots allowed his spiritual energy to steadily increase. According to his estimation, without other medicinal pills, natural treasures, and other supplementary resources, relying on this kind of meditation and cultivation, he would be able to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refinement in more than ten years.

If he swallowed some medicinal pills in the middle, he would probably only need five to six years to break through.

“I wonder how fast the cultivation speed of a high-grade spiritual root will be?” He couldn’t help but look forward to it.

At this moment, Bai Yuying, who was on the left, moved a little and asked carefully, “Husband, did everything go well today?”

Shen Ping immediately laughed. After he returned, his wife and concubine endured it and did not ask about the procedures in the market today. They were worried that something would happen and their hopes would be destroyed.

But they couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Hearing the laughter, Wang Yun opened her eyes and turned around like a little rabbit. Her eyes flickered with surprise. “Husband, you’re smiling. Everything must have gone smoothly, right?”

Shen Ping lowered his head and kissed her cheek. “Get ready. In a few days, we’ll officially move to the market!”

There was a wooden token given by the True Treasure Pavilion. He believed that there would be no more accidents this time. His wife and concubine were overjoyed.

Without waiting for Junior Shen Ping to recover, they pressed down on him. That night, the two women used all their experiences that they secretly learnt. Even though Shen Ping had broken through to the intermediate stage of Qi Refinement, he still felt a little pain in his waist from the nourishing medicinal cuisine every day.