25: More talented than a genius

"A gathering?"

"What do you plan to do? What do you need me to do?"

The Soul inside Liu Xuan's body had already been replaced, and he had no feelings for his former acquaintances.

As for those fellow villagers from the Yongning Dao Academy, apart from Yan Qingyao, he only knew they were in the Sect, but he did not know their specific situations.

"You don't need to do anything. I'll make the arrangements when the time comes, and you can just come over. I'm just telling you in advance now."

"Fine! I will definitely be there."

A class reunion!

He never expected to encounter a class reunion after his Transmigration into the world of cultivation; Liu Xuan was speechless!

However, he did not want to dampen Yan Qingyao's spirits. Since he didn't need to do anything, there was no harm in going to see it.

Yan Qingyao did not say anything more and turned back to her seat.

Liu Xuan only stayed in the hall for half an hour before leaving early to head to his Immortal Cave in the Inner Sect to Cultivate.

The Spiritual Qi concentration in the Inner Sect Immortal Cave was as high as First-Rank High Grade, one level higher than the Cultivation Chamber at the Lin Family's Talisman shop. Cultivating for two hours a day was more cost-effective in the Inner Sect Immortal Cave.

Besides Cultivating, Talisman Drawing in the Inner Sect Immortal Cave could restore his mana faster, and it offered great privacy.

For the First-Rank Low-Grade Arrow Talisman, Liu Xuan could draw one in less than a quarter of an hour, and his mana could support drawing two at once.

In two hours, plus time for meditation and regulating his breath, Liu Xuan could successfully draw eight.

Talisman Drawing consumed not only mana but also energy. With Liu Xuan's current cultivation level, eight a day was his limit. If he continued to draw, he would suffer from mental fatigue at best, or damage to his Divine Soul at worst.

The cost of a First-Rank Low-Grade Arrow Talisman was three gold coins, and the selling price was one Spirit Stone and two gold coins; he made a net profit of seven Spirit Stones and two gold coins a day.

Liu Xuan had now stopped drawing unranked Talismans and was focusing all his efforts on drawing First-Rank Low-Grade Arrow Talismans.

First-Rank Medium Grade Arrow Talismans were more expensive, selling for five Spirit Stones each, with a cost of only one Spirit Stone.

Provided the success rate was high enough, higher-level Talismans were more profitable.

Unfortunately, one needed to be at least at the Qi Refining Third Layer to draw First-Rank Medium Grade Talismans. Liu Xuan had the skill for Talisman Drawing, but his cultivation level was not yet sufficient.

In the afternoon.

After Liu Xuan finished his Talisman Drawing, he took a carriage back to the Talisman shop in Red Pine City.

Lin Anqi was carrying a watering can, watering some Spirit Medicine in the Spirit Field in the courtyard, acting as if she hadn't seen Liu Xuan.

Liu Xuan walked over, looked at the plants with round, emerald-green leaves in the Spirit Field, and asked: "What kind of Spirit Medicine is this?"

Lin Anqi did not speak, acting as if she hadn't heard him; she was clearly angry because Liu Xuan had left without saying goodbye that morning.

"Are you angry?"

Liu Xuan pulled her arm and snatched the watering can from her.

"You misunderstood me. I went back to the Sect to Cultivate. The Spiritual Qi in the Inner Sect Immortal Cave is as high as First-Rank High Grade; wouldn't it be a waste not to go? Besides, I wanted to wake you up at the time, but who knew you were sleeping so soundly that I couldn't wake you at all!"

"It's all your fault!"

Lin Anqi blurted out, then, remembering something, her face flushed with shyness.

"Alright!"

Liu Xuan took a large package out of his sleeve, opened it, and said: "Here are five hundred unranked Talismans and twenty Arrow Talismans. Can we sell them in the shop?"

Lin Anqi asked in surprise: "Why do you have so many Talismans kept aside?"

Usually, Talisman Masters would sell the Talismans in their possession once they accumulated a certain amount, exchanging them for Spirit Stones as soon as possible.

"These were all saved up from my previous practice. I have enough Spirit Stones, and I felt the Sect's purchase price was too low, so I saved a few."

Liu Xuan had three thousand one hundred unranked Talismans and one hundred First-Rank Low-Grade Arrow Talismans on hand.

Taking them all out would be too exaggerated; five hundred was more reasonable. Although Lin Anqi was shocked, she wouldn't think there was a problem.

"Private transactions are not allowed in the shop, but... I can help you. However, you have to split the extra Spirit Stones with me!"

The actual owner of the shop was Lin Tianyue, so naturally, private transactions by shop staff were not allowed.

However, Lin Anqi was the person in charge of the shop. If she manipulated things from within, no one would care, and Lin Tianyue wouldn't blame his daughter for such a small amount of Spirit Stones.

"No problem!"

Liu Xuan agreed immediately.

Lin Anqi happily counted the Talismans, forgetting that she had been angry.

"One hundred Rejuvenation Talismans, two hundred Lightness Talismans, two hundred Dust-Avoiding Talismans, a total of... fifty-three Spirit Stones. Twenty Arrow Talismans, twenty-two Spirit Stones, for a total of seventy-five Spirit Stones."

"Calculating based on thirty percent of the revenue, you can earn an extra twenty-two Spirit Stones and five gold coins."

"I'll take eleven; how about you get sixty-four?"

Liu Xuan had no objections. The two quickly finished dividing the loot and then discussed how to use the shop's channels to sell the Talismans.

In fact, Liu Xuan understood that if Lin Anqi really wanted to embezzle Spirit Stones from the shop, she wouldn't have needed to split the loot with him.

Rather than saying he was splitting half the profit with Lin Anqi, it was more like Lin Anqi was giving him an extra half of the profit!

Affection was a catalyst for desire, and the Qi and blood in Liu Xuan's body couldn't stop boiling.

It was likely a side effect of Cultivating the Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Body Refining Technique; Liu Xuan felt his desires in that regard growing stronger and stronger, and his combat power was terrifyingly strong!

Fifteen days later.

The affection between Liu Xuan and Lin Anqi grew stronger by the day. Lin Anqi took Liu Xuan to meet her acquaintances in the city, and everyone in the nearby neighborhood knew of his existence.

The street where the Lin Family's Talisman shop was located was full of shops dealing in Low Grade cultivation resources.

Talisman shops, Medicinal Pill shops, herb shops, Magical Artifact shops, Spirit Beast shops... everything was available.

Some were businesses owned by Sect Disciples, and others were businesses owned by cultivation Families in the city or the local area.

Although the prices here were generally a little higher than in the Sect, Liu Xuan still preferred to spend here.

All transactions within the Sect were recorded; if anyone noticed him, they would be able to uncover his issues.

It was different here; it was a mixed bag, and the Red Pine Sect couldn't track every single transaction.

"Husband, what is your actual success rate for drawing First-Rank Low Grade Talismans?"

Lin Anqi suddenly remembered the bet from the night they first met and asked while hugging Liu Xuan's arm.

These days, Liu Xuan gave her five Arrow Talismans every day, so the success rate must not be low.

"About seventy or eighty percent!" Liu Xuan replied.

"Then why don't you go take the Talisman Master assessment?"

Lin Anqi was puzzled. After passing the Talisman Master assessment at the Talisman Hall, one could obtain many privileges, and there were discounts on purchasing Talisman Drawing materials. Most people would try their luck whenever they had the chance, even if their success rate was only forty or fifty percent.

"It's too much trouble!"

Liu Xuan smiled and explained: "My cultivation is only at the Qi Refining Second Layer; I can only draw eight First-Rank Low Grade Talismans a day. Just drawing ten would take more than a day. Plus, your husband has too high of a talent for Talisman Drawing, and I'm afraid people will get jealous!"

"Nonsense..."

Lin Anqi felt that Liu Xuan was spouting nonsense again, but when she thought about it carefully, Liu Xuan had joined the Sect less than a year ago and had only been learning Talisman Drawing for half a year, yet his success rate in drawing First-Rank Low Grade Talismans was seventy or eighty percent...

His talent was indeed exaggerated.

He had to keep a low profile!

Becoming a First-Rank Talisman Master in less than a year since joining, and having his cultivation break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer—he was no worse than those Genius Disciples!

Thinking this way, Lin Anqi felt that she had picked up a treasure; Liu Xuan was even more of a Genius than those Geniuses who had once looked down on her!