38: The End of a Genius

Inner District, Yard No. 88, Ding Block.

It had been a month since he moved into the Inner District.

The days here were so peaceful that Zhou Wannian was almost unaccustomed to it. There were no blood-curdling screams in the middle of the night, no extortionists knocking on the door every few days—only dense Spiritual Qi and Black Armored Guards patrolling the streets.

"This rent of six hundred Spirit Stones is worth every penny."

Zhou Wannian stood behind the counter of his small shop, holding an account book, a satisfied smile playing on the corners of his mouth.

To avoid suspicion, he had converted a room facing the street into a storefront and hung up a small sign for buying and selling Talismans.

His main business consisted of "Medium Grade Cleaning Talismans" and "Medium Grade tranquility talisman" in bulk, with the occasional "Rushing Thunder Talisman" (castrated version) that was neatly drawn and of standard power.

Because the prices were fair—ten percent cheaper than Hundred Herbs Hall—and the service was good, the small shop's business was actually quite decent, barely enough to cover daily expenses.

But the real massive profits still lay underground.

"Old Mute's side sent over another eight hundred Spirit Stones this month."

Zhou Wannian patted his Storage Pouch.

With the "Thunder Duke Drill" becoming a legend on the black market and the "Double Spiral Talisman" continuing to sell like hotcakes, his current net worth had ballooned to a staggering figure—three thousand Spirit Stones!

This amount, even in the Inner District, was enough to make a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator's eyes turn red with envy.

"With money, Cultivation speed naturally increases."

He glanced at the inner room.

There sat a Spirit Gathering Array Formation Plate (an upgraded version obtained from Gu Fan), with that piece of top-grade yin chen wood inserted into the formation core, surrounded by Spirit Stones to aid his Cultivate.

During this month, with the dual boost from "Spirit Accumulating Pills" and "Soul Nourishing Wood," his cultivation had completely stabilized at Qi Refining Stage Five, and there were even faint signs of a Breakthrough into the Middle Stage of the fifth level.

"This is the Gu Dao."

"On the surface, I am a diligent, middle-aged shopkeeper content with a modest fortune; in the shadows, I am 'Thunder Duke,' the one who controls the lifeblood of high-end Talismans in the black market."

Just as Zhou Wannian was immersed in the joy of counting money, the shop's door curtain was lifted.

A gaunt young man dressed in a dusty dharma robe walked in.

His eyes were sunken, his hair was somewhat greasy, and his gaze was gloomy and anxious; that once-insufferable arrogance had long since vanished.

Zhou Wannian looked up, his pupils constricting imperceptibly.

Zhao Feng?

Having not seen him for only a month, how did this former "Genius" end up looking like this ghost of a man?

"Shopkeeper, do you buy Talismans?"

Zhao Feng's voice was hoarse; he didn't even recognize that the unremarkable middle-aged shopkeeper before him was the same "destitute old man" he had mocked at the victory banquet (after all, Zhou Wannian had changed his persona).

"I do."

Zhou Wannian remained calm, "However, this shop only takes high-quality goods; I don't want rejects."

"Humph, when has a Talisman drawn by me, Zhao Feng, ever been a reject?"

Zhao Feng snorted coldly, took a stack of Talismans from his robe, and slapped them on the counter. "Ten Top-grade Exploding Flame Talismans, five Vajra Talismans. Only... only fifty Spirit Stones!"

"Fifty?"

Zhou Wannian was inwardly startled.

This price was practically a steal! One had to know that previously, a single Top-grade Exploding Flame Talisman from Zhao Feng would dare to sell for eight Spirit Stones.

He picked up an Exploding Flame Talisman and examined it.

The brushwork was still "fluid," and the spiritual power was still "full." But Zhou Wannian keenly noticed that the material of the Talisman paper... was actually the lowest-grade, inferior yellow paper, with traces of plant fibers even visible on the surface.

Furthermore, the color of the cinnabar was also wrong—dim and lusterless, emitting a foul, fishy stench.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Zhou Wannian put down the Talisman and looked at him with a half-smile. "If I'm not mistaken, this Talisman paper is 'coarse paper' from a mundane world paper mill, isn't it? And this cinnabar... is it mixed with the soot from the bottom of a pot and the blood of a first-tier Low Grade 'Fire Rat'?"

"Talismans drawn with such Materials lose spiritual power extremely quickly and can be preserved for three days at most. After three days, it's just a piece of scrap paper."

"By bringing such things to sell to me, do you think my little shop is easy to bully?"

Having his secret exposed in one word, Zhao Feng's face instantly turned flushed, followed by a deathly paleness.

"You... you're talking nonsense!"

He roared with blustering bravado, "This is my secret recipe! The power is no less than before! Take it or leave it!"

"I'm not taking them."

Zhou Wannian waved his hand dismissively, "See the guest out."

Zhao Feng grit his teeth and stared fixedly at Zhou Wannian, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes. But in the end, he didn't dare to cause trouble in the Inner District; he could only grab the Talismans and rush out of the shop in embarrassment.

Watching Zhao Feng's departing back, Zhou Wannian shook his head.

"He's at the end of his rope."

Previously, he was a Genius built upon top-grade Materials. Now, without the support of Hundred Herbs Hall (likely kicked out due to the mine disaster breach of contract), he couldn't even afford decent Talisman paper and could only use inferior Materials to try and trick people through "flashy techniques."

"But, why is he in such a hurry for money?"

Fifty Spirit Stones was just the cost of a single meal for the old Zhao Feng. Now, he was willing to deceive people with fakes for just this much?

"When things are abnormal, there must be something fishy going on."

Zhou Wannian thought for a moment, closed the shop door, and hung up a sign that said "Taking Inventory."

He returned to the secret room in the backyard and waited until the midnight.

Buzz.

The Heavenly Secret Dao Disk emerged.

"I ask of the Heavenly Secret: Why is Zhao Feng so destitute and in urgent need of Spirit Stones today? What are his next moves? Will it affect me?"

The bronze tortoise shell spun, and after a moment, several lines of text tinged with a bloody aura appeared:

[Today's Divination: Minor Luck (Watching the fire from the opposite bank)]

[Karmic Deduction: Zhao Feng was removed from the Hundred Herbs Hall due to the 'mine disaster breach of contract' and is burdened with massive debt. To make a comeback, he listened to the slanderous words of a Demonic Cultivator and intends to purchase forbidden Materials such as 'Blood Spirit Grass' to attempt to refine a Demonic Path Talisman called the 'Blood-Burning Spirit-Exploding Talisman'.]

[Movement Warning: He has contacted the remnants of the Black Wind Stockade and agreed to meet in three days at the 'Mass Grave' on the outskirts of Black Wind Ridge for a transaction. However, he does not know that the Black Wind Stockade's trip is not for a transaction, but for 'kidnapping.' The Black Wind Stockade urgently needs a Cultivator who understands Talismans to break the Restriction of a certain ruin (which is actually a trap).]

[Judgment of Fortune and Misfortune: Zhao Feng's journey is one of certain death. If the Host wishes to completely settle this Karma, he can follow afterward. Not only will he witness his downfall, but he can also recover the 'Second-Tier Low Grade flowing cloud talisman brush' that Zhao Feng refuses to sell no matter what.]

"A Second-Tier talisman brush?!"

Zhou Wannian's eyes instantly lit up.

That was Zhao Feng's lifeblood and the treasure he refused to pawn even when he was destitute enough to sell fake Talismans. It was said that the brush was made from the tail hair of a second-tier Yao Beast, the "Flowing Cloud Beast"; its guidance of spiritual power was like divine help, capable of increasing the success rate of drawing Talismans by twenty percent!

"Leaving this thing in his hands is a waste; leaving it in the hands of the Black Wind Stockade is a reckless waste of a precious resource."

"It's more appropriate for me to 'safekeep' it."

Zhou Wannian put away the dao disk, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Zhao Feng, oh Zhao Feng, originally I wanted to let you live for a few more days as a negative example."

"I didn't expect you to be in such a hurry to go to your death."

"In that case, I will see you off on your final journey."

...Three days later.

Outskirts of Black Wind Ridge, Mass Grave.

The place was thick with Yin Qi, with broken tombstones and exposed white bones everywhere.

Zhao Feng was wrapped in a tattered black robe, his hand tightly clutching a Storage Pouch (containing the Spirit Stones he got from selling his last belongings), standing nervously in front of a solitary grave.

"Why aren't they here yet?"

He kept looking around, his heart filled with unease.

To refine that legendary "Demonic Talisman" that could allow one to reach the heavens in a single step, he had gambled everything. Once successful, he could fight his way back to the market and trample all those who mocked him under his feet!

Just then.

"Jie jie jie..."

A burst of cold, eerie laughter came from all directions.

"Great Genius Zhao, I hope you've been well."

Several dark figures emerged from the mist, instantly surrounding Zhao Feng. The leader was the newly appointed chief of the Black Wind Stockade (the original second-in-command had been crippled by Zhou Wannian; this was the new one), a Cultivator at Qi Refining Stage Seven with a face full of scars.

"You... where's the goods?" Zhao Feng forced himself to stay calm.

"Goods?"

The new chief sneered, "What goods? We only want the person."

"Take him away!"

At his command, several Robber Cultivators pounced like wolves and tigers.

"How dare you! I am from the Hundred Herbs Hall..." Zhao Feng shouted in terror, trying to activate a Talisman to resist.

But those inferior Talismans in his hand hit the Robber Cultivators' protective spiritual light like a dud; not even a spark appeared.

"Useless trash!"

The new chief slapped him across the face, knocking him unconscious immediately, and dragged him away like a dead dog.

Meanwhile, on a withered tree not far away.

Zhou Wannian used the Turtle Breathing Technique and an "Invisibility Talisman," quietly watching the scene.

He did not step in to save him.

Because the divination said that Zhao Feng's place of death was at the "ruins," not here. The Black Wind Stockade captured him to break a Restriction; until he lost his utility, he was safe for the time being.

"Follow them."

Zhou Wannian's figure flickered, tailing the Black Wind Stockade members like a ghost.

"Since it's a ruin, there might be other rewards besides Zhao Feng's talisman brush."

"This time, not only will I harvest the Genius's legacy, but I'll also let the people of the Black Wind Stockade experience the Thunder Duke Drill's hospitality once again."