63: Zheng Cheng's invitation

"What Fellow Daoist says is correct."

Zheng Cheng nodded slightly and said without changing his expression, "But even so, it still doesn't change the fact that the green feather wings are a Magic Treasure."

"That may be so, but a flaw is a flaw."

Su Ling pointed at the startling swan boat. "This Junior will still choose the startling swan boat!"

"Does Fellow Daoist really not want to consider it further?"

Zheng Cheng pushed the green feather wings toward Su Ling, his tone full of encouragement. "To be able to buy a flying Magic Treasure at such a low price is a rare opportunity! Perhaps the green feather wings are fated with you; who knows, you might be able to make them evolve in the future, showing a splendor comparable to a high-grade magic treasure or even a Spiritual Artifact!"

According to the investigation by the Treasure Pavilion's spies, the young Foundation Establishment Cultivator before him had arrived at Thousand Star City a few months ago accompanied by a Soul Transformation Cultivator from the Bitao Sect.

He had sold two batches of refining materials at the Treasure Pavilion and the Treasure Storing Tower, earning over fifty thousand Spirit Stones.

Afterward, he remained in Thousand Star City to Cultivate on his own and began selling Talismans at the Loose Cultivator Plaza a month ago.

His highly distinctive banners made of condensed magical power and his fire-attribute Talismans had attracted a large number of Loose Cultivators to buy from him.

Today, he had sold hundreds of second-rank Talismans at the Loose Cultivator Plaza.

Calculating it, this kid must have at least seventy to eighty thousand Spirit Stones in his hands.

Zheng Cheng had brought out the startling swan boat and the green feather wings precisely because he had calculated that Su Ling had the ability to buy them.

Little did he know that the Spirit Stones Su Ling had earned from selling refining materials had been swallowed—a full fifty thousand of them—by the Immortal Eye of Treasure Appraisal.

If not for picking up the ink abyss brush at a bargain, which made his Talisman-drawing success rate exceed fifty percent and his profit margin nearly eighty percent...

Forget the startling swan boat; he would even have to think twice about a flying cloud boat.

"Senior, please don't trick me. Even the Great Masters of your Pavilion have no solution; what capability could this Junior possibly have? Moreover, it's not that I don't want to, but rather that my pockets are quite empty."

Su Ling pushed the green feather wings back. "The green feather wings should be left for someone fated for them!"

The Immortal Eye of Treasure Appraisal had not given any prompts, but Su Ling had also figured it out.

Even with the Treasure Pavilion's capabilities, they couldn't appraise the green feather wings.

Or rather, they couldn't make the green feather wings display the power of a Magic Treasure level.

Either the green feather wings themselves were defective, or the conditions to activate them were simply too outrageous.

Even if he picked them up at a bargain and took them for himself, he likely wouldn't be able to make them shine again like the ink abyss brush.

Spending a massive fifty thousand Spirit Stones to buy a Magic Treasure that couldn't be used...

What kind of sucker would do such a thing?!

Seeing his firm attitude, Zheng Cheng suddenly changed the subject. "If Fellow Daoist truly likes them, this old Daoist has a compromise."

"What kind of compromise?"

Su Ling hadn't changed his mind; he only asked out of pure curiosity.

"Before that, allow this old Daoist to take the liberty of asking a question."

Zheng Cheng cupped his hands and asked solemnly, "May I ask what Fellow Daoist's success rate for drawing second-rank Talismans is?"

"This..."

Su Ling's gaze narrowed slightly. He looked Zheng Cheng over and slowly shook his head. "This is a personal secret; I'm afraid this Junior cannot say."

"No need to be nervous."

Zheng Cheng laughed and said seriously, "Fellow Daoist can rest assured. You have a connection with a Senior from the Bitao Sect; anyone on Thousand Star Island with even a bit of information knows not to move against you. The reason this old Daoist asks is mainly because I wish to cooperate with you."

"You know Senior Wu Haiya?"

Su Ling asked tentatively.

He suddenly realized that when Wu Haiya specifically took him to the restaurant to bid farewell, he likely did so with the intention of providing him some protection.

Otherwise, he could have just dropped him off anywhere.

Why go through all the trouble of treating him to a meal?

Thinking of this, Su Ling couldn't help but feel grateful, and he even missed that straightforward Brother Lu Tao.

"Senior Wu is a Late Stage Soul Transformation Cultivator of the Bitao Sect and is fond of poetry."

Hearing Su Ling mention Wu Haiya's name, the smile on Zheng Cheng's face grew a bit warmer. "No wonder Fellow Daoist uses poems as a banner; it turns out you were influenced by Senior Wu!"

"Not at all, I just spent some time by Senior Wu's side and heard him compose many poems every day. Actually, both Brother Lu Tao and I know very little about poetry."

Su Ling showed a hint of shame on his face, then followed up by asking, "I wonder what the cooperation Senior mentioned refers to..."

"Haha, little friend is too modest."

Seeing him even call out 'Brother Lu Tao,' the last trace of doubt in Zheng Cheng's heart vanished, and his form of address became even more familiar. "My meaning is, if your success rate reaches twenty percent... the Treasure Pavilion will purchase all the Talismans you draw at your previous price. This way, little friend, you won't have to work so hard setting up a stall anymore."

"But for you, that's a completely losing business!"

Su Ling looked surprised.

Generally speaking, for a Talisman Maker drawing Talismans of different ranks, a ten percent success rate is considered Entry-Level.

Twenty percent is considered Intermediate, thirty percent is Advanced, and forty percent allows one to be called a Great Master for that rank of Talisman.

For an Entry-Level second-rank Talisman Maker, the cost of drawing a second-rank Talisman is roughly seventy Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

If it's an Intermediate Talisman Maker, the cost can be reduced to about forty Spirit Stones.

The Treasure Pavilion was willing to purchase the finished Talismans at Su Ling's price.

This meant that for every Talisman paper the Treasure Pavilion sold, not only would they make no money, but they would also have to pay a commission to the servant responsible for the sale.

This was equivalent to paying out of their own pocket to work for Su Ling; it was a completely losing business!

He didn't quite understand why Zheng Cheng was doing this.

However, if the fire-attribute Talismans were also priced according to his rate, the Treasure Pavilion could still make a profit.

Su Ling didn't think that was what Zheng Cheng valued.

Because he hadn't said he would refine specific Talismans according to their needs.

"To tell you the truth, little friend, the reason for this is also out of necessity."

Seeing his confusion, Zheng Cheng explained, "This Pavilion is a competitor with the Treasure Storing Tower and the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Previously it was fine, as our strengths were similar. But two months ago, one of this Pavilion's second-rank Talisman Makers unexpectedly perished, leading to a shortage in our supply of Talismans. The Precious Talisman Pavilion is unwilling to cooperate with us, so I can only seek new Talisman Makers to fill the gap. It just so happens that little friend has set up a stall in the plaza twice in a row, showing talent in Talisman making. Even if you hadn't come today, I would have visited your Immortal Cave within three days."

"I see."

Su Ling realized that his actions had indeed attracted the attention of those who were watching.

"Little friend, rest assured, you only need to provide three hundred second-rank Talismans each month."

Seeing that he was still hesitating, Zheng Cheng immediately threw out his final bargaining chip. "As long as little friend agrees to cooperate, you may choose either the startling swan boat or the green feather wings as your reward. Of course, the Talismans you provide must follow the principle of one fire or thunder-attribute for every two of other attributes."

thunder-attribute Yao Beasts were also very rare in the Yaoxing Sea, perhaps even more so than fire-attribute ones.

In the information the Treasure Pavilion had gathered, Su Ling had never sold thunder-attribute Talismans, but that didn't mean he wouldn't in the future!

"Senior, with such a generous offer, surely it's not just to fill a gap in your Talisman business?"

A bitter smile appeared on Su Ling's face; it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.

But with such excellent treatment, Su Ling felt it was a bit surreal.

It couldn't be just to get closer to him in hopes of climbing the high branches of Wu Haiya or the Bitao Sect in the future, could it?

That would be a very roundabout way of doing things.

His relationship with Wu Haiya wasn't actually that close.

"The Treasure Pavilion does business in all categories; our main feature is being comprehensive."

Zheng Cheng smiled slightly and explained, "We can have less of something, but we cannot be without it. Once we lack something, our reputation will decline, and customers will flow into our competitors' shops. Over time, the loss won't just be the few Spirit Stones from Talismans."

Su Ling opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment.

In his heart, he actually agreed with Zheng Cheng's explanation.

As they say, all changes eventually return to the source.

Many comprehensive supermarkets on the Blue Star were the same; clearly, some products wouldn't sell more than a few items all year round.

Yet they still had to be on the shelves taking up space.

It was for the sake of 'I have what others have; I even have what others don't.'

But after thinking it over, Su Ling still didn't really want to become a dedicated Talisman Maker.

The reason he had the idea to make Talismans and set up a stall was mainly because his strength was insufficient, and he wanted to use it to earn Spirit Stones to Breakthrough to the Core Formation Stage as quickly as possible.

If he spent a long time earning Spirit Stones through Talisman making and delayed his cultivation, it would truly be putting the cart before the horse.

"Senior..."

Just as Su Ling was about to politely decline, a piece of information suddenly surfaced in his mind, causing him to instantly change his mind.