Joyous Lane.

Southland Teahouse.

At a table by the window on the second floor, Qin Lu sat across from Manager Yan.

“Here, Fellow Daoist Qin, please try the spirit tea from our shop. It is a small-leaf variety from South Mountain called Bamboo Leaf Green Tea. It has the miraculous effect of refreshing the mind and clearing the eyes,” Manager Yan introduced with a warm smile as he poured a cup for Qin Lu.

“You are too kind, Manager Yan,” Qin Lu responded, picking up the delicate teacup to examine it carefully.

He could see faint wisps of spiritual energy dancing lively within the pale green liquid.

Having been in this world for so long, Qin Lu had spent the vast majority of his time struggling below the poverty line. Until this moment, he had never actually tasted spirit tea.

He inhaled the fragrance deeply, blew gently on the rising steam, and then downed the contents in one go.

Immediately, a sequence of flavors hit his tongue—bitterness, followed by astringency, and finally, a lingering sweetness.

Qin Lu smacked his lips, trying to savor the aftertaste, but honestly, he couldn’t discern anything particularly remarkable about it.

Setting down the cup, he cut straight to the chase. “Manager Yan, you mentioned earlier that your shop wishes to purchase my 【Water Qi Shield】 talismans on a long-term basis?”

“Correct. We have rigorously tested the 【Water Qi Shield】 crafted by Fellow Daoist Qin. Its defensive power is excellent, and the duration is exceptional. It can be considered top-tier quality. An ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator might not even be able to produce such a standard.”

As he spoke, Manager Yan looked at Qin Lu with a hint of genuine admiration.

This person was truly a talisman-drawing genius. With only a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation base, he had managed to create a 【Water Qi Shield】 comparable to one made by a Great Perfection cultivator.

It was truly incredible.

“Then, what price is Manager Yan offering?” Qin Lu asked the most crucial question.

Manager Yan took a small sip of his tea, smiled slightly, and then quoted a price Qin Lu couldn’t refuse.

“Three Spirit Stones.”

Qin Lu exclaimed in pleasant surprise, “Is that true?!”

“Of course. From now on, whenever Fellow Daoist Qin finishes drawing 【Water Qi Shield】 talismans, you can bring them directly to our Sky Book Pavilion. As long as the quality meets the current standard, the transaction price will remain three Spirit Stones,” Manager Yan said leisurely.

Hearing this, delight flashed across Qin Lu’s face, but after a moment’s thought, his expression turned serious. “Manager Yan, three Spirit Stones for a 【Water Qi Shield】 is practically the market ceiling, isn’t it? If you purchase them at this rate, can your shop still turn a profit?”

“That is not something Fellow Daoist Qin needs to worry about. You just need to bring them,” Manager Yan said cheerfully.

After listening, Qin Lu slowly nodded.

Indeed, their profit margins were not his concern. Since the Sky Book Pavilion was willing to pay three Spirit Stones each, he might as well sell his entire stock to them. It would save him the time and effort of setting up a street stall.

“No problem, then! When I finish the next batch, I will pay you a visit!”

“Hehe, it is a pleasure doing business,” Manager Yan said, his smile gentle.

“Good. Since that matter is settled, I’ll take my leave first.” Qin Lu made to stand up.

“Fellow Daoist Qin, don’t rush.” Manager Yan raised a hand to pause him. He hesitated for a brief second before continuing cheerfully, “Stay and relax for a moment. I have one more thing to inform you about.”

“Please go ahead, Manager Yan.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing major. It is just that our shop is currently aggressively purchasing defensive talismans. Besides the 【Water Qi Shield】 which early-stage Qi Refining cultivators can draw, we are also looking for the mid-stage 【Body Protection Shield】 and the late-stage 【Golden Light Talisman】.”

“If Fellow Daoist Qin knows how to draw these two types of talismans, you are more than welcome to bring them to the shop. We will certainly offer you a satisfactory price.”

Hearing this, Qin Lu agreed readily. “No problem!”

Exiting the Southland Teahouse, Qin Lu did not head directly home.

Instead, he began a massive shopping spree in the market district.

Spirit rice, demon beast meat, spirit vegetables, talisman-making materials, water purification pills, heavy winter quilts, and various other daily necessities.

The shopping trip took over an hour.

And it cost over ninety Spirit Stones.

With his purchases in hand, Qin Lu headed home. He carried large and small bags in both hands, with two thick quilts strapped to his back. The getup made him look somewhat comical and ridiculous.

“Damn it! I absolutely have to buy a 【Storage Bag】!”

Noticing the surprised and mocking glances from passersby, Qin Lu secretly made up his mind.

When he returned home, Zhang Meng had already finished her shift. Seeing Qin Lu carrying a mountain of supplies, mother and son hurried forward to help unload everything.

After storing the supplies, Qin Lu washed his hands and sat down to a steaming hot meal.

The atmosphere among the three was harmonious and joyful.

After the meal and a brief rest, Qin Lu sat down at the redwood table and took out the “Novice’s Guide to Talisman Crafting,” which he hadn’t consulted in a long time.

“It’s time to study mid-stage talismans…”

The manual recorded that early-stage Qi Refining cultivators could only craft three low-level talismans—【Water Qi Shield】, 【Cleaning Talisman】, and 【Soundproofing Talisman】—due to limitations in their spiritual energy control.

Upon reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the number of craftable talismans increased by five.

They were: 【Repair Talisman】, 【Evil Warding Talisman】, 【Swift Step Talisman】, 【Body Protection Shield】, and 【Blazing Fire Talisman】.

Looking at the descriptions in the book, Qin Lu fell into deep thought.

There were many choices, but his energy was limited. He couldn’t possibly learn them all at once. He had to specialize in one or two types; otherwise, trying to learn too many would lead to mastering none, resulting in mediocrity across the board.

“Hmm… Sky Book Pavilion specifically requested the 【Body Protection Shield】, so that one is essential. As for the others…”

“The 【Swift Step Talisman】 might be worth considering…”

“The 【Evil Warding Talisman】? That’s specifically for dealing with ghosts and monsters. I probably won’t need that anytime soon…”

“As for the 【Blazing Fire Talisman】, it’s likely redundant. I already have the 【Ignition Technique】…”

“Forget it, forget it. Let’s focus on mastering the 【Body Protection Shield】 first!”

After making his decision, Qin Lu shook his head to clear away distracting thoughts and began carefully reading the instructions for crafting the 【Body Protection Shield】.

The general process was similar to previous talismans. However, the pressure applied during inscription, the speed and rhythm of the spiritual energy transfer, the complexity of the patterns, and the sheer volume of spiritual energy required all differed significantly from the 【Water Qi Shield】.

“Hoo—”

Qin Lu let out a soft breath, committing the specific patterns, production methods, and techniques firmly to memory.

He then took out a piece of talisman paper and began.

Spiritual energy flowed slowly from his body, through his right arm, and into the brush. He dipped the tip into the talisman ink, pressed down on the paper with his left hand, and began to draw the chaotic and seemingly nonsensical patterns with his right.

With ample experience drawing the 【Water Qi Shield】, his movements were fluid, even, and smooth.

A moment later.

Pfft!

The talisman paper in his hand suddenly made a soft popping sound. Startled, Qin Lu quickly let go and leaned back.

Whoosh!

The paper ignited spontaneously without any external fire, instantly turning into a pile of ash.

The first attempt… failed.

Qin Lu shook his head slightly. After allowing his spiritual energy to recover, he continued drawing.

Time passed quickly.

Pfft!

Pfft!

Two more instances of spontaneous combustion.

However, after three consecutive failures, fortune smiled upon him. Qin Lu finally succeeded in crafting a single 【Body Protection Shield】.

The panel displayed new data:

「Body Protection Shield」(Novice): 1/100

This filled Qin Lu’s heart with excitement.

But before he could celebrate for long, a knocking sound came from his door.

“Come in.”

To avoid disturbing his talisman drawing and meditation practice, Qin Lu had established a rule requiring everyone to knock before entering—even Zhang Meng was no exception.

Zhang Meng pushed open the door and entered, then turned around to gently lock it behind her.

The click of the lock immediately caused Qin Lu’s eyebrows to rise slightly.

Zhang Meng walked slowly to Qin Lu’s side.

Her face was flushed crimson, like that of a shy young girl. Her eyes held deep affection, and her breathing was slightly rapid.

Qin Lu was momentarily stunned. Then, looking down, he noticed she was clutching a book in her hand.

“The Erotic History of Immortal Mountain”!

Seeing the title, Qin Lu’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He immediately stood up, wrapping one arm around her slender, willow-like waist that felt soft as if boneless. His gaze fixed directly on her evasive eyes.

Zhang Meng didn’t dare meet his gaze. She turned her head aside, gently resting it on Qin Lu’s shoulder.

“How did you even find this book to read?”

“I saw it just lying there… so…” Zhang Meng whispered softly.

“Was it good?” Qin Lu asked with a light laugh.

“Mmm~”

“That’s good! Then let’s verify the truth through practice!”

With both arms, Qin Lu lifted the beautiful woman up and strode toward the bed…