12: Chapter 12 accepted him as a direct disciple, mid-stage Qi Refining.

“This Disciple is willing!” Chen Xuan cupped his hands.

“Good!” Master Chen smiled and quickly helped Chen Xuan up. “Good child, from now on, treat the Chen Family Talisman Workshop as your own home.”

“Starting today, just like the other Elders, you will receive a thirty percent share of the profits from the Talismans you refine.”

A workshop as large as this naturally didn't consist of only a Revered Master and Disciples; otherwise, how could they possibly refine so many Talismans?

“Thank you, Revered Master!”

Apprentices received no share of the profits.

After all, how could one expect to get paid while still learning the craft?

Master Chen saying this meant that Chen Xuan was no longer considered an outsider.

Even after completing his apprenticeship, he wouldn't need to leave the Chen Family Talisman Workshop to make a living elsewhere.

Of course, from Chen Xuan's perspective, being able to live a stable life while steadily raising his cultivation and various immortal arts was simply too wonderful.

Stability was incredibly precious.

Since that day, Chen Xuan had refined almost every kind of Low Grade spiritual Talisman.

And his refining time grew shorter and shorter, from the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, to half a stick, and then to a quarter.

Their quality was also stable at Earth-Grade, and many times, relying on [Talisman Expert], they could be promoted to Heaven-Grade, selling for an extra Spirit Stone!

He had finally shown them what a true Talisman Genius looked like!

It was terrifyingly formidable.

Several Senior Sisters and Senior Brothers had even approached Chen Xuan in private, asking if he wanted a wife. If he did, they would bring one to him.

They had even brought young women to meet him.

But Chen Xuan politely declined them all, using the excuse that he needed his parents' permission.

Finally, a month later.

The north wind howled, wrapping the entire Biyun Market in a blanket of silver, with thick snow accumulating on many red lanterns.

By this time, Chen Xuan had reached the Perfection of Qi Refining Stage 3, but he hit a Bottleneck.

The Yuhua Record's spiritual power was continuous and long-lasting, which was suitable for making Talismans but not for breaking through Realms.

After attempting to break through three times in a single day, Chen Xuan was completely exhausted and had to call it a day.

“Celestial Han, can a Pseudo Spiritual Root really cultivate to immortality?”

Chen Xuan was no fool. The next day, he spent a hefty sum of forty Spirit Stones to purchase two Qi Refining Mid-Stage Breakthrough Pills.

“Breakthrough Pill!”

“Break through for me!”

The Bottleneck that had trapped him for a whole day remained completely unshaken under the impact of his spiritual power.

Then, the medicinal efficacy of the Breakthrough Pill strengthened his spiritual power, as if condensing it into a tight rope, and surged forward again!

Boom!

It was incredibly sturdy!

Until the medicinal efficacy was completely exhausted, Chen Xuan still did not succeed.

Hiss!

Chen Xuan muttered, “Isn't this just an early-stage Qi Refining Bottleneck? I don't remember it being this hard when Celestial Han broke through!”

Chen Xuan sighed; even he was starting to feel a bit of disdain for his Pseudo Spiritual Root now.

But thinking about it, it was quite laughable.

When he didn't have a Spiritual Root, he desperately wanted one.

Once he had a Spiritual Root, he complained that it wasn't good enough.

Humans are truly never satisfied.

Suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Chen Xuan waited until his mind was completely clear and focused before taking another Breakthrough Pill.

This time, with absolute focus, he controlled the spiritual power within his body, launching charge after charge against the internal Bottleneck.

Finally, a tiny crack split open in the Bottleneck.

Then, like a collapsing mountain!

The entire Bottleneck shattered with a boom.

The surging spiritual power transformed into galloping horses, racing through his Meridians.

His aura climbed, and his spiritual power surged, breaking through the Realm:

Qi Refining Realm Stage 4!

How incredibly refreshing!

From now on, not only could he learn the subsequent advanced techniques of the Yuhua Record, but he could also start learning some high-grade spells and escape arts.

The road ahead is bright!

It's just that his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters were a bit too overly friendly.

Thinking of those ridiculous matters, Chen Xuan couldn't help but laugh.

At this moment, dawn was breaking, and a light snow was drifting down.

Chen Xuan gazed into the distance; the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, leaving him feeling relaxed and happy.

Such a beautiful scene deserved a divination.

The wordless heavenly book floated out, its crimson tadpole-like characters merging into three Jade Slips:

[Today's Fortune: Minor Luck.]

[Today's Heavenly Secret: Mars Phenomenon.]

[Today's Destiny: Talisman Revered Master.]

[Minor Luck: On the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range, an eight-hundred-year-old wild Vermilion Fruit has matured. Obtaining it can serve as one of the spiritual items for a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.]

[Moderate Danger: The Tunyun Secret Realm seems to have no more danger. Countless Loose Cultivators have already gone deep into the Tunyun Secret Realm to harvest Spiritual Plants and capture Yao Beasts, seemingly making some gains.]

[Great Danger: The Tunyun Secret Realm has countless Spirit Treasures. The Demon King is feigning weakness to wipe everyone out in one fell swoop. Inside, there is a Tier 2 Talisman Dao Legacy, Earth Spiritual Qi, Water Spiritual Qi, Gold Spiritual Qi, and several Foundation Establishment spiritual items. One must beware of Tier 2 Great Demons and the Demon King!!!]

Hiss!

This Yao King is so intelligent?

It's just that this Mars Phenomenon Heavenly Secret has been hanging there for so long, why hasn't it changed yet?

It seems going treasure hunting would just be throwing my life away.

Chen Xuan chose the second Jade Slip.

Images flashed by rapidly. Many of the opportunities he had seen before, including the Five Elements Spiritual Qi, had already been taken by others.

And among these people, Chen Xuan actually saw Zhang Kai!

He was holding the Water Spiritual Qi in his hands, his face full of excitement.

He went after all.

Chen Xuan was speechless and sat back down on his futon to regulate his breathing.

He could only say he respected others' fates.

Today was a rare day off.

At the same time, because of the intervention of the Golden Core mighty figures from the Fusheng Sect in the Tunyun Secret Realm,

the development progress had greatly accelerated, and many Talisman orders had fallen through.

However, they had collected quite a bit of deposits, which was basically free money, and they had also successfully consumed their inventory of Talismans and a large batch of Materials.

Everyone in the workshop, from top to bottom, was visibly happy.

“Junior Brother! Junior Brother!”

Chen Xuan had just swallowed a pill and hadn't refined it for long when Chen Qiuyu's voice came from outside the room.

Among this group of peers, almost everyone was four or five years older or younger than them, so the little Senior Sister's natural playmate was, of course, Chen Xuan.

“Coming.” Chen Xuan pushed open the door, letting the spiritual power circulate on its own within his body.

“Today, Mother is going to buy New Year's goods. Let's go together! I heard there's also an auction, so we can go see the auction and the Lantern Festival!”

“I heard people from the Qingcang Sect are coming too.”

Chen Xuan nodded.

After joining the Chen Family Talisman Workshop, Chen Xuan was no longer a complete novice who knew nothing.

The region they were in was in the south of the entire cultivation world, known as the Southern Domain. It was vast, spanning who knew how many tens of thousands of miles.

The Southern Domain was bordered by the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range to the north and west.

To the east was the boundless ocean.

To the south was an endless marshland.

It almost felt completely isolated from the world.

And the Southern Domain had a total of three ancient, great Sects.

They were the Fusheng Sect, the Qingcang Sect, and the Liuyang Sword Sect.

In terms of strength:

First was naturally the Fusheng Sect, which the Biyun Market was subordinate to. Its Dao of Beast Taming was world-famous, and perhaps calling it the Beast Taming Sect would be more appropriate.

Second was the Liuyang Sword Sect, famous for its flying swords.

Third was the unremarkable Qingcang Sect.

These three great Sects monopolized all cultivation resources in the Southern Domain, essentially acting as the heaven of the Southern Domain.

Below them were the powerful clans established by their Disciples and members, as well as various second-rate Sects of all sizes.

“By the way, we made a lot of money this year and bought many robes. Go quickly and choose one.”

This instantly perked Chen Xuan up.

These robes were not cheap, usually costing dozens of Spirit Stones for even a Low Grade one.

The base material itself wasn't expensive; what cost a lot was the processing by a Formation Master.

Engraving defensive and offensive Formations onto them required extremely high skill.

And such robes were often synonymous with Disciples of wealthy clans.

But logically speaking, how could they possibly be given to apprentices?

Filled with confusion, Chen Xuan arrived at the inner hall.

“You two are here? Go ahead and choose first. After you're done, the other robes have to be sent back,” said a person from the Robe Hall.

Behind him, there were indeed several robes: black and white long shirts, pure white Daoist robes, short shirts and trousers resembling night-traveling attire, and long dresses for women.

There were all kinds of styles.

And when touching them, one could sense the speed-boosting and other Formations engraved inside.

However, looking at the sizes,

it seemed these robes could only be worn by himself and Chen Qiuyu.

The workshop owner had simply prepared a New Year's gift for the two of them.

In the end, Chen Xuan changed into a black and white Daoist robe, which had a defensive Formation engraved inside that could block attacks from the Late-stage Qi Refining.

Chen Qiuyu also chose a pink princess-style long dress, which made her look exceptionally beautiful.

“Junior Brother, do I look good?”

“Just a bit worse than me. Keep trying.”

Chen Xuan laughed heartily and ran out the door with Chen Qiuyu chasing after him.