64: Chapter 64: Using Fake Talismans to Lure the Chen Family, Li Qingfeng's Talisman Skill Reaches the Perfection of the Beginner Level.

The night was deep, but the study in the New Courtyard was brightly lit.

The news brought by Wang Qingluan was like casting a stone into a calm lake.

"The Chen Family wants to clear out all the usable calming Talisman paper in town?" Li Qingfeng's fingertips lightly traced the design for the [Rank 1 Child Protection and Mind-Calming Talisman] that had just arrived, his face showing no signs of surprise.

He knew it like the back of his hand; since the Chen Family Trading Firm failed to choke the Li Family regarding Spirit Beast cubs and suffered a setback in spreading rumors, they would naturally switch to a more direct method.

Restricting Materials was the most common and effective tactic in commercial warfare.

"I just returned from the market. The Chen Family has already communicated with the three largest Talisman paper shops, explicitly stating they want to buy everything at a high price."

Wang Qingluan was wearing a short night-running outfit tonight, which made her waist look slender and her legs straight and long.

She spoke quickly, clearly in a rush to deliver the news, "Although our Wang Family shop has some in stock, the quantity isn't large; it won't be enough for you to draw many."

Hearing this, Li Qingfeng laughed, "Since the Chen Family likes to buy so much, let them buy to their heart's content."

He did not rush to compete with the Chen Family for the goods but instead calmly laid out his plan.

Wang Qingluan's brows were slightly furrowed at first, but as she listened, her bright eyes grew brighter, and eventually, her lips curled into an attractive arc.

"You really have no shortage of schemes."

She looked at Li Qingfeng, her tone filled with undisguised appreciation, "Fine, I'll handle this. I guarantee I'll make the Chen Family buy happily and realize clearly what they've done."

The next day, Wang Qingluan took action.

She first had the manager of the External Affairs Hall spread the word in the market that the Young Lord of the Li Family was urgently seeking a batch of high-quality calming Talisman paper to draw protective Talismans for his newborn twins, offering to pay ten percent above the market price.

Once this news broke, the Chen Family Trading Firm, already restless, could no longer sit still.

At the same time, Wang Qingluan personally visited the largest Talisman paper workshop in town and held a private discussion with the master craftsman for half an hour.

Three days later, a batch of "High Grade calming Talisman paper" with excellent appearance and smooth surfaces was delivered to the counters of the three Talisman paper shops.

The manager of the Chen Family Trading Firm didn't hesitate, immediately bringing people to sweep up the entire batch of Talisman paper at twenty percent above market price, triumphantly boasting in the market that the Li Family couldn't even buy a single sheet of Talisman paper.

However, what they didn't know was that the spiritual patterns of this batch of Talisman paper had been specially treated with a hardening process during production.

They were barely usable for drawing ordinary calming Talismans or dust-clearing Talismans, but once used to draw a mind-calming Talisman, which requires extremely high precision in Spiritual Qi flow, the moment the Talisman brush touched the paper, the Spiritual Qi would knot in the hardened patterns, directly causing the Talisman to fail.

That afternoon, the Talisman apprentice from the Outer Town hired by the Chen Family, after ruining over a dozen sheets of Talisman paper in a row, was so angry he nearly snapped his Talisman brush on the spot.

"There's something wrong with this paper!" he roared at the Chen Family manager, "The Spiritual Qi can't flow properly at all, how am I supposed to draw!"

The Chen Family manager looked at the pile of wasted paper, his face livid, yet he couldn't explain why.

Just as the Chen Family was swallowing this "silent loss," the Wang Family's shop quietly put out a small batch of soft-textured Talisman paper truly suitable for drawing mind-calming Talismans, priced only ten percent higher than usual.

Those Loose Cultivators and small Families who truly needed Talisman paper scrambled to buy up the stock.

In one move, the Chen Family spent a high price to buy a pile of trouble, while the Wang Family took the opportunity to earn a reputation and make a small profit.

In the study of the Li Family's New Courtyard, Li Qingfeng was behind closed doors, concentrating on drawing his Talismans.

Su Qingyue did not disturb him; instead, every hour, she would personally bring a cup of warmed mind-calming tea and gently place it on the stone steps outside the door.

After all, Li Qingfeng's Talisman attainments were still only at the late stage of the introductory level; drawing this [Rank 1 Child Protection and Mind-Calming Talisman], even if it was just a simplified Talisman embryo, took quite a lot of effort.

Throughout the entire night, he drew twenty sheets of Talisman paper.

For the first ten, the Talisman lines broke halfway through, and the Spiritual Qi bled directly into the paper.

For the next five, the Talisman route was barely completed, but as soon as the Spiritual Qi was injected, the entire Talisman paper burst into flames on its own.

It wasn't until dawn that the last five Talisman embryos were finally able to remain stable for half an hour without dissipating.

Li Qingfeng picked up two of them; although they looked a bit rough, the aura of mind-calming and soothing was already very stable.

He pasted them on both sides of the doorframe of the twins' bedroom, and the Wood Spiritual Qi in the room, which had been slightly active due to the Small Spirit Gathering Array, instantly became gentle.

Li Changqing and Li Changsheng in the cradle were sleeping significantly more soundly than in the previous days.

Success.

[Ding! Host has successfully completed the drawing of the [Rank 1 Child Protection and Mind-Calming Talisman] embryo.]

[Stability of the nurturing environment for Family descendants increased.]

[Reward: Talisman proficiency increased; Cultivation infusion (small amount).]

[Current Talisman attainment: Introductory Talisman Apprentice · Perfection.]

[Hint: If the host can successfully draw a complete 'Rank 1 Azure Wood Formation Talisman', you can be promoted to a Rank 1 Talisman Master (Initial Stage).]

Feeling the True Essence growing within his body again and looking at the promotion prompt, Li Qingfeng's eyes lit up.

The path of Talisman is not only for combat and assisting Formations but is also a practical craft that can directly improve the lives of Family members and enhance the Family's foundation.

After the Chen Family suffered a loss over the Talisman paper, the news reached the Li Family's council hall. The Grand Elder flipped through the account books sent by Wang Qingluan again and again, and finally, after a clan meeting, kept Li Qingfeng behind.

"This girl from the Wang Family is not only good at accounting, but she also helps our Family stab others in the back."

The Grand Elder stroked his beard and said slowly, "I heard from Yuanheng that the Wang Family has deeper intentions. What do you think?"

Li Qingfeng did not answer immediately, pondering for a moment before saying, "Miss Wang is indeed a rare talent. But regarding this matter, first, I must ask for Qingyue's opinion, and second, it depends on what the Wang Family is willing to offer."

The Grand Elder nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, "As long as you have a plan in mind, that's fine."

In the evening, Wang Qingluan personally came to the New Courtyard to deliver the final payment for the soft-textured Talisman paper.

She handed the account book to Li Qingfeng, and just as she was about to turn and leave, Li Qingfeng called out to her and handed her the best simplified Child Protection and Mind-Calming Talisman he had drawn.

"Miss Wang, you've been running back and forth these days, it's been hard work," he said. "Although this Talisman is for children, it also has some use for calming the mind, so consider it a token of my gratitude."

Wang Qingluan was slightly taken aback as she looked at the Talisman paper he handed over.

She reached out, her fingertips unintentionally brushing against his hand as she took the Talisman paper.

She paused for a moment before asking softly, "For me?"

"Consider it a thank-you gift."

Wang Qingluan carefully tucked the Talisman paper into the hidden pocket of her sleeve, then looked up at him, her tone carrying a hint of subtle seriousness, "Then I will accept it. However, next time, don't just give a thank-you gift; give a more concrete promise."

Li Qingfeng looked into her bright eyes and smiled, "Promises cannot be given lightly; once given, they must be kept."

Wang Qingluan nodded gently, her voice low but clear, "I will wait for someone who can keep their word."

Not long after she turned and left, a secret letter written personally by Wang Clan Head Wang Chongyue was delivered to Li Qingfeng's table.

In the letter, the Wang Family formally proposed a marriage alliance and directly listed the dowry: two old trade routes that the Wang Family had operated for many years, a stable supply source for half of the low-tier Spirit Beast cubs, and three experienced managers who were familiar with all the surrounding towns.

This dowry could not be described as anything but heavy.

But just as Li Qingfeng was looking at this secret letter of marriage proposal, the manager of the External Affairs Hall hurriedly delivered another invitation.

The Chen Family Trading Firm from the Outer Town invited him to attend a small commercial banquet in the neighboring town three days later.

Li Qingfeng placed the marriage proposal and the invitation side by side on the table; one was a joyous occasion, the other was trouble, and they had arrived together.

He couldn't help but laugh, "They certainly arrived all at once."