99: Chapter 99: Aftermath of the Danjiao

In the height of summer in the Tianzhu Mountain Range, the midday sun was blindingly white.

The mountain rocks were baked scalding hot, and even the wind was scorching, kicking up waves of heat as it blew through the forest, carrying the dry, burnt smell of steaming vegetation.

The noisy chirping of the cicadas was irritating, layer upon layer, endless.

But inside the Hundred Talisman Hall, it was a completely different world.

The constant-temperature Formation was running at full capacity, and a coolness seeped out from beneath the bluestone floor, spreading along the walls to maintain the entire hall at a spring-like or autumn-like temperature.

When Lin Xuan pushed open the light barrier of compartment Dingwei No. 73, that familiar coolness rushed over him, forming a sharp contrast with the sweltering heat outside.

However, the atmosphere inside the hall was even "hotter" than the weather outside.

It was a tense, oppressive heat, like a bowstring pulled to its absolute limit.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour, just as the bell to start work fell, a deep voice transmission echoed throughout the hall:

"All Disciples, pause your current tasks and hear the order."

Lin Xuan put down his Talisman brush and looked up at the jade board on the wall.

Spiritual light flowed across the jade board, and new announcement text emerged.

[Wartime Production Adjustment Order (Emergency)]

1. Effective immediately, the monthly basic quota for all Disciples is increased.

2. Purchase price adjustments for certain Talismans:

- Offensive Talismans directly used for breaching defenses, area-of-effect damage, or powerful single-point attacks, such as Armor-Piercing Talismans, Fire Rain Talismans, and Thunder Spear Talismans, will have their purchase prices raised by twenty percent on top of the current rates (see attached table for details).

- The purchase prices of all other defensive and auxiliary Talismans will generally rise by ten percent.

3. Disciples are encouraged to prioritize drawing Talismans in short supply, and the contribution points for the excess portion will be settled according to the adjusted prices.

4. This order is to be executed immediately.

Beneath the announcement, the densely packed attached table was exceptionally eye-catching.

Lin Xuan's gaze swept over it.

Thunder Shield Talisman, up from 22 points to 24 points, a ten percent increase.

Thunder Spear Talisman, up from 30 points to 36 points, a twenty percent increase.

The Armor-Piercing Talisman was even more exaggerated, jumping directly from 28 points to 34 points, an increase of over twenty percent.

The hall fell into a dead silence.

Even the soundproofing Restriction could not block the oppression that instantly spread through the room.

Through the transparent light barrier, Lin Xuan could see that Senior Sister Su in the opposite compartment had turned even paler, her hand holding her Talisman brush trembling slightly.

Junior Brother Zhao of compartment Bingwu No. 12 diagonally across was slumped directly on his futon, his lips twitching as he muttered something inaudible.

Even the usually steady Senior Brother Feng had stopped his brush at this moment, his sallow face expressionless, but his eyes were as deep as a pool of stagnant water.

A moment later, the Deacon Disciple's voice rang out again, his tone flat yet every word clear:

"Consumption on the front lines has surged, and the Sect needs to increase its reserves to cope with the critical phase that may lie ahead. Fellow Disciples, you must do your utmost."

"Now, continue."

The soundproofing Restriction went back into effect, but the atmosphere inside the hall had completely changed.

Lin Xuan spread out the purple-patterned paper and dipped his brush tip in cinnabar.

The quota had increased from four to six, a fifty percent increase. This meant spending nearly an extra hour drawing Talismans every day, which would consume more Divine Sense and potentially increase the error rate.

Yet, his brush remained very steady.

The runes of the Thunder Shield Talisman extended stroke by stroke, smooth and fluent.

He knew in his heart that the increased quota was expected—the war had been going on for eight months, and consumption would only grow larger and larger.

But a targeted, substantial increase in the price of offensive Talismans was not just a simple replenishment of consumption.

This was clearly telling everyone: the Sect was actively stockpiling "spears," not just "shields."

Was it to prepare for an active offensive, or to deal with a decisive battle that the Xuanyin Sect might initiate?

Whichever it was, it meant that a more intense conflict was imminent.

When the midday rest bell rang, Lin Xuan had already completed three Thunder Shield Talismans.

He walked out of his compartment and went to the exchange office to replenish his Materials.

There weren't many people in the corridor, but everyone's expression was grim. A few familiar Disciples gathered in a corner, complaining in low voices.

"Six... I can barely draw five a day at most. Now I'm finished."

"The price of the Armor-Piercing Talisman did rise a lot, but is that something we can even draw? Nine out of ten are ruined!"

"The Sect is driving us to our deaths..."

Lin Xuan did not linger and walked straight to the exchange office.

While waiting in line, he heard two Disciples in front of him talking in low voices:

"Do you think... Senior Brother Qi has been in seclusion for a month, is he about to succeed?"

"Who knows? The Spiritual Qi fluctuations over at the Golden Sun Grotto-Heaven have been getting more and more obvious lately. When I was cultivating the night before last, I could feel the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surging in that direction."

"If he succeeds, will we be able to breathe a sigh of relief?"

"Breathe a sigh of relief? I think it will be even more lethal. Would the Xuanyin Sect just let us have another Golden Core Immortal Master? Just wait, something big is coming..."

Something big is coming.

Lin Xuan silently repeated those words in his mind.

He exchanged for two stacks of purple-patterned paper and a jar of thunder-patterned cinnabar—the prices had gone up again, 220 points per stack for the purple-patterned paper, and 110 points per jar for the thunder-patterned cinnabar, totaling 550 points.

His contribution points were flowing out like water.

Returning to his compartment, Lin Xuan quickened his pace.

By the end of the Wei hour in the afternoon, all six Thunder Shield Talismans were completed, all of superior quality.

He did not hand in the Talismans immediately, but instead spread out a seventh sheet of Talisman paper.

This time, he was drawing a Thunder Spear Talisman.

Thunder Spiritual Energy condensed and compressed at the tip of his brush, the runic strokes sharp and rigid. With a fifty percent success rate, he was now able to control it stably.

After half a cup of tea's time, the Talisman was finished.

The purple lightning-wrapped Talisman lay quietly on the table, a single point of thunderous light at its center condensed and unyielding, full of piercing power.

Lin Xuan put it away, not intending to hand it in.

This was the stock he had prepared for the black market—the purchase price of the Thunder Spear Talisman had risen to 36 points, and if sold through Senior Brother Feng's channels, the price could be another thirty percent higher, close to 50 points per sheet.

Pure profit.

But he was in no hurry to sell.

At the third quarter of the You hour, the bell to finish work rang.

Lin Xuan handed in his quota of six Thunder Shield Talismans, earning 144 contribution points. Combined with his previous remaining balance, his jade token's balance returned to just over two thousand.

When he walked out of the Hundred Talisman Hall, the setting sun was slanting westward, but the summer heat had not dissipated.

A wave of heat rushed over his face, instantly breaking him out in a light sweat.

Instead of returning directly to Emerald Bamboo Peak, he detoured toward the bamboo forest in the back mountain.

Three days later was the transaction day agreed upon with Senior Brother Feng.

Deep in the bamboo forest, at the Listening Bamboo Pavilion.

Senior Brother Feng had arrived earlier than usual, his sallow face carrying a rare gravity. Upon seeing Lin Xuan, he did not exchange pleasantries as usual, but directly handed over two jade bottles.

"Golden Bone Grass Powder, iron thread vine marrow. Same old price."

Lin Xuan took them, verified that there were no issues, and transferred the contribution points.

The transaction was complete, but Senior Brother Feng did not leave immediately.

He looked around; the bamboo shadows swayed, the cicadas chirped noisily, and there was no one around. Only then did he lower his voice, speaking almost in a whisper:

"Junior Brother Lin, the rumors lately aren't right."

Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat. "How so?"

"Two aspects." Senior Brother Feng extended one finger. "On the outside. News from the contact in the Mutual Aid Society says that an elite squad from the Southern Wasteland Demonic Sect has already slipped into the Tiannan Region."

He paused, his voice dropping even lower. "The leader is suspected to be a Golden Core, and the members are all in the middle to Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. Their movements are stealthy, but their general direction... points toward us."

Lin Xuan's breath caught slightly.

The worst-case scenario had come true.

"Their purpose?" he asked.

"What else could it be?" Senior Brother Feng sneered. "To interfere with Senior Brother Qi's Core Formation, or even... destroy it. The demonic Sect won't sit by and watch us gain another Golden Core Immortal Master of superb combat strength."

He extended a second finger. "On the inside, it's not clean either."

"The flow of certain controlled Materials lately has been very off." Senior Brother Feng's gaze was sharp. "Some strategic Materials that should be strictly controlled have been flowing out in larger quantities than expected, and their destination is a mystery. Higher-ups are investigating, but the water is too muddy to figure out anytime soon."

He looked at Lin Xuan, his gaze laden with meaning. "I suspect there's a mole inside the Sect. Their status isn't low; they are either cooperating with external forces, or at least exploiting this chaos to reap huge profits and weaken the Sect's reserves."

Lin Xuan fell silent for a moment. "Senior Brother, you mean..."

"The water is getting muddier and muddier." Senior Brother Feng patted his shoulder. "Junior Brother, we're just doing some small business to get by; don't get yourself dragged into this. Be absolutely more careful with transactions lately. I suggest... temporarily stopping."

Lin Xuan nodded. "I understand."

"Also." Senior Brother Feng fished a small cloth bag out of his robe. "Here are the Mid-Grade Spirit Stones you wanted, thirty of them. Three bottles of Ningshen Pills, and five bottles of 'peiyuan pills'. As you said, with a twenty percent markup, it totals two thousand and seventy points."

Lin Xuan transferred the contribution points, his balance instantly hitting rock bottom.

But he felt a bit more at ease.

Senior Brother Feng put away his jade token and gave him one last look. "Take care."

He turned and vanished into the depths of the bamboo shadows.

Lin Xuan stood in place, clutching the cloth bag that still carried some body heat, motionless for a long time.

The cicadas' chirps were piercing, and the hot wind was dry and irritating.

A mole.

Demonic Sect elites.

The critical period of Qi Tianyuan's Core Formation.

A mountain storm was truly about to break.