22: Lin's Talisman Shop

After traveling all the way to the gate of the inner city of Red Pine City, the carriage was finally stopped.

"Fellow Daoist, please pay the city entry fee!"

Several people wearing the uniforms of Outer Sect Disciples of the Red Pine Sect were guarding the gate, and one of them stepped forward to stop the carriage and spoke.

Red Pine City was built relying on the largest Second-Tier branch of the Red Pine Sect's Third-Tier Spirit Vein.

The inner city was protected by a Second-Tier Formation and was overseen by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Red Pine Sect.

The entry fee for the outer city was one large copper coin, while the entry fee for the inner city was one silver coin; the entry fees alone generated a considerable amount of income each year.

Liu Xuan got out of the carriage, handed his Inner Sect Disciple token to him to check, and asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist, what is your monthly salary?"

Inner Sect Disciple!

The man guarding the gate was startled. He carefully examined the token in his hand, and it was indeed genuine.

He returned the token to Liu Xuan with both hands and respectfully said, "Reporting to Senior, this Disciple's monthly salary is two Spirit Stones."

Two Spirit Stones per month meant twenty-four per year. Even for an Outer Sect Disciple position purchased with money, one could still earn fourteen Spirit Stones a year.

'I didn't expect this gatekeeping job to be such a lucrative position!'

After chatting with them for a few moments, Liu Xuan put away his token and returned to the carriage. The carriage continued on its way without paying the entry fee, as this was one of the privileges of an Inner Sect Disciple.

The environment of the inner city was much more luxurious. There was not a speck of dust on the ground, and all the buildings were imbued with Spiritual Qi, possessing a unique charm and Concept.

Quiet courtyards, towering skyscrapers that reached into the clouds, solemn grand halls, and islands in the middle of lakes shrouded in Spiritual Qi...

The scene inside the inner city of Red Pine City did not lose to the Sect, and if viewed from the perspective of enjoyment, the buildings in the city were even more luxurious.

After all, it was the largest external immortal city market of the Red Pine Sect, so it certainly could not be made too shabby.

"Not bad!"

"Really not bad!"

The atmosphere within the Red Pine Sect was too competitive; everyone was either busy Cultivating or busy making money.

The atmosphere in this city was much more comfortable. This was more of a place for Cultivators to enjoy themselves and spend money.

Fine wine, delicious food, beautiful women, Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts... everything was available.

One of the pink high-rise buildings was exceptionally lively, and Liu Xuan could hear the seductive music from far away.

"I'll have a chance to experience it later; business comes first!"

Liu Xuan did not have much interest in brothels.

...

Lin Family Talisman Shop.

A two-story shop was located at the end of the street. After Liu Xuan stated his identity, a woman dressed in red led several servants out to welcome him.

Lin Anqi was wearing a red dress and secretly sized up this husband her father had chosen for her.

'He actually looks quite good!'

Lin Anqi's inner resistance lowered slightly.

She had not been very satisfied with Liu Xuan before. Although his talent as a Talisman Master was not bad, his Spiritual Root talent was too poor; he hadn't even passed the Outer Sect examination, and he had already formed a Dao Companion relationship with a woman from a branch of the Lin family and even had a child...

Lin Anqi had extremely high standards. Because of Lin Tianyue's doting, the people she came into contact with were all young talents from the Talisman Hall, so she had remained unmarried.

Truly talented Cultivators rarely married, and even if they did, they would choose Dao Companions with Spiritual Roots.

Lin Anqi was good in every way, but she had no Spiritual Root. After being ruthlessly rejected a few times by Sect Geniuses she had pursued, she had somewhat resigned herself to fate.

While Lin Anqi was sizing up Liu Xuan, Liu Xuan was also sizing up Lin Anqi.

She had an exquisite, pretty face with very fair skin, and her face shape had a sense of nobility that matched well with the bright red long dress she was wearing.

Her figure was full; where it should be firm, it was firm, and where it should be curvy, it was curvy. It was just right, and her proportions were simply perfect.

To describe her in one word: luscious!

Not to mention anything else, Liu Xuan was very satisfied with this appearance alone. Lin Tianyue truly had not lied to him; his daughter was indeed beautiful.

"I am Lin Anqi, I have met Talisman Master Liu!"

Lin Anqi bowed to greet him and led Liu Xuan into the shop with a faint smile on her face.

Liu Xuan's conditions were a little worse than what she had previously required, but he was handsome and had an extraordinary temperament, which added a lot of points.

"I'll make do!"

Liu Xuan was the son-in-law designated for her by Lin Tianyue, and Lin Anqi did not intend to resist.

Entering the shop, the main hall displayed various Talismans, ranging from unranked to First-Rank High Grade.

However, the most numerous were the unranked ones; there were also quite a few First-Rank Low Grade ones, but only three types of First-Rank Medium Grade, and only one type of First-Rank High Grade.

Lin Anqi introduced, "This small shop is my father's property, mainly dealing in Talisman-related business."

"On average, we can sell about one thousand Spirit Stones worth of Talismans per month. After deducting costs, there is a profit of nearly two hundred Spirit Stones. Would you like to see the income and expenditure ledger?"

"Twenty percent net profit?!?"

This small Talisman shop was only a very small shop in the inner city. According to Liu Xuan's previous estimates, even a ten percent net profit would be good, as the lion's share had to be earned by the Talisman Master, and the Sect also had to collect a portion of tax.

A twenty percent profit, earning two hundred Spirit Stones a month, was somewhat beyond Liu Xuan's expectations.

Lin Anqi's eyes flashed slightly, realizing that Liu Xuan was a true layman, and she explained:

"Our kind of Talisman shop doesn't just sell Talismans; we also acquire Talismans from some low-level Talisman apprentices, as well as various Materials for Talisman Drawing."

"This aspect was previously overseen by a First-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Master, but since Talisman Master Liu was coming, Father has already transferred him away."

There was also an acquisition business?

A trace of imperceptible joy flashed across Liu Xuan's face.

The main reason why Liu Xuan had agreed so readily back then was because of this Talisman shop.

The Talisman shop didn't just sell Talismans; it also had a business of acquiring Talismans, which would make it much more convenient for him to wash the batch of Talismans he had on hand.

Looking through the ledger that Lin Anqi handed over, Liu Xuan discovered that this shop mainly did low-end business, and most of it was at the unranked level.

The customers were either small forces from the outer city or procurement from local county forces.

The main advantage was that it was low-end with a low threshold, and it had the backing of the Lin family of the Red Pine Sect, so transactions were guaranteed.

Seeing that Liu Xuan had seen enough, Lin Anqi said, "Talisman Master Liu, do you have any questions? If there are no problems, shall we go and check the goods?"

Liu Xuan had delayed for two days before coming over. The previous First-Rank Talisman Master had already left, and several old customers were still waiting to sell their goods.

"Alright!"

Liu Xuan nodded in agreement; he happened to be interested in the shop's business right now.

Next door in the reception room.

Liu Xuan picked up a stack of Talismans to look through and nodded, saying, "Fifty Dust-Avoiding Talismans, fifty Burst Talismans, fifty Hemostasis Talismans. Not bad, only two are of poor quality!"

Placing the Talismans separately on the table, Liu Xuan turned to ask Lin Anqi, "What is our acquisition price here?"

"One hundred Dust-Avoiding Talismans for six Spirit Stones and five gold coins; Burst Talismans and Hemostasis Talismans for seven Spirit Stones."

It was half a percent lower than the acquisition price within the Sect; those Talisman apprentices outside had an even harder time than the Talisman apprentices in the Sect.

Those Talisman apprentices with low success rates in Talisman Drawing worked hard for a month and couldn't earn many Spirit Stones at all.

Liu Xuan examined them very quickly. In a short while, he had looked through all the Talismans, and he could identify unqualified Talismans at a glance.

Lin Anqi had originally thought that since Liu Xuan hadn't passed the First-Rank Talisman Master examination, she was worried he would make mistakes. She hadn't expected those few Talisman apprentice customers to be extremely convinced; whenever Liu Xuan pointed out problems with the Talismans, they were all in a humble, teachable manner.