Zhao Chunsheng kept a calm face and asked, "What's the price?"
"We're neighbors after all, so for these one hundred top-grade talismans, let's say thirty-six Spirit Stones!"
Zhao Chunsheng was taken aback for a moment.
He examined Shen Xuan with his eyes, nodded, and showed a smile on his face.
"Fellow Talisman Master Shen is a straightforward person!"
This price was not expensive, but surprisingly cheap.
For one hundred top-grade lower-grade talismans, if purchased from a Talisman Shop, it would probably cost fifty Spirit Stones.
Shen Xuan directly gave him a thirty percent discount.
As for the talisman quality, Zhao Chunsheng, being in the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, could discern it with a slight sweep of his Divine Sense.
"Then many thanks to Talisman Master Shen! If you're free, come visit my home sometime," Fellow Daoist Zhao said with a smile.
"Certainly!" Shen Xuan happily agreed when he heard this.
After all, he was a cultivator in the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, the most formidable expert in the vicinity.
Moreover, he had intentions of befriending Zhao Chunsheng and Jiang Xueqi.
After the transaction, Shen Xuan seemed to ask casually, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, have you ever heard of the Qingyu fish?"
"Qingyu fish? A middle-grade spirit fish in the Longze River, extremely fast."
"I'm recently researching a new talisman and need Qingyu fish as material. If Fellow Daoist Zhao hears about this fish, could you purchase it on my behalf?"
"Oh, does Talisman Master Shen want to create a [Water Control Talisman]?"
"That's exactly the intention."
Shen Xuan nodded with a smile.
The [Water Control Talisman], a middle-grade talisman, could control the power of water flow within a certain range and reduce water consumption, a common talisman for water cultivators on rivers and seas.
"The Beast Blood Cinnabar for the [Water Control Talisman] comes in various kinds; the Qingyu fish is the best," Shen Xuan said sincerely.
The Qingyu fish is the fastest among spirit fish in the Longze River, reaching a thousand miles per hour!
Since he wanted to seize the Water Control Talent, he naturally chose the fastest one!
"Since Talisman Master Shen asked, how could Zhao not help! However, the Qingyu fish is a middle-grade spirit fish and is quite expensive!"
"How many Spirit Stones per fish?"
"Depending on the size, two Spirit Stones per pound."
So expensive!
Silver Jade Fish, one Spirit Stone can buy three pounds.
That's directly six times the price!
Snow Cow meat, a middle-grade domesticated Demon Beast, one Spirit Stone can buy two pounds.
However, the grade of the two spirit fish is different, and the Qingyu fish is famous for its speed, making it hard to hunt.
"No problem! I hope Fellow Daoist Zhao puts in more effort! Regardless, please keep this matter confidential."
"Naturally. Zhao understands the rules."
...
After sending off Zhao Chunsheng and Jiang Xueqi.
Shen Xuan went to the Ding Family store again.
"Cinnabar and Talisman Paper for the [Water Control Talisman]? Talisman Master Shen, are you researching a new talisman?"
"Why, can't I?"
"Of course, you can, of course!"
Shopkeeper Ding laughed as he took out the [Water Control Talisman] Cinnabar and ten batches of Talisman Paper.
"These are materials for middle-grade talismans; I'll give you a discount price, thirty Spirit Stones!"
"That's so expensive!"
Shen Xuan exclaimed.
"It's not expensive! These are middle-grade talisman materials! The middle-grade talismans produced sell for one Spirit Stone each!"
Shen Xuan shook his head, directly took out thirty Spirit Stones, and handed them to Shopkeeper Ding.
"Do you have better Talisman Brushes?"
To achieve good work, one must sharpen their tools.
As his cultivation realm improved, the Spiritual Power infused became purer, and the former Tier One lower-grade Talisman Brush felt somewhat outdated.
"Yes!"
Soon, Shopkeeper Ding brought out several ornate boxes, all containing Tier One middle-grade and upper-grade Talisman Brushes.
Shen Xuan was tempted by the upper-grade Talisman Brushes.
But his pockets were empty; he had to spend thirty Spirit Stones to select a Water Attribute middle-grade Talisman Brush.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, we are like family! After creating the [Water Control Talisman], remember to find me, and the price will satisfy you!"
Shopkeeper Ding said with a beaming smile.
"Okay!"
With his Storage Pouch empty, Shen Xuan left the Ding Family store without looking back.
...
A month later.
In the Talisman Making Room.
Shen Xuan looked at the exhausted talisman making materials on the table and shook his head.
On the Mysterious Jade Talisman.
[Water Control Talisman: Entry Level (4/100)]
He intentionally slowed down his pace, making only four per day.
Even so, the Talisman Success Rate was still surprising.
Out of one hundred and twenty Talisman Papers, only eighteen [Water Control Talismans] were produced.
A fifteen percent success rate.
Far from reaching the thirty percent passing line.
"It's normal; this is a common situation."
Without the help of the Mysterious Jade Talisman, his Talisman Making Skill could only improve slowly.
He would lose twelve Spirit Stones in a month; no matter how big the family wealth, it couldn't bear such loss!
Shen Xuan felt a bit dejected.
Under normal circumstances, to build experience through talisman making, it would take at least two to three years to advance to a middle-grade Talisman Master.
During this period, he would need to continuously consume talisman making materials for practice.
Shen Xuan estimated that at this rate, he would lose at least three hundred Spirit Stones before he could break even.
"It looks like I need to adopt multiple approaches, and I can't give up on the [Breath Concealment Talisman] and [Invisibility Talisman]!"
He calculated that the success rate for making [Breath Concealment Talisman] and [Invisibility Talisman] was about seventy percent, with thirty percent being top-grade.
With one hundred twenty sets of materials costing ten Spirit Stones, he could produce sixty ordinary talismans and twenty top-grade ones, selling for twenty Spirit Stones.
With his current Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer realm, he could make three hundred sixty sets in a month with a profit of thirty Spirit Stones!
By making the [Water Control Talisman], he could only make one hundred twenty sets a month, losing a pure eighteen Spirit Stones!
"Pretty good! By making the [Breath Concealment Talisman], [Invisibility Talisman], and [Water Control Talisman] together, I could earn twelve Spirit Stones a month, enough for living expenses!"
Shen Xuan quickly made the decision to walk the path of supporting talismans with talismans.
Two months later.
Zhao Chunsheng visited again.
"Here's the Qingyu fish you wanted!"
"Ah! Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao!"
Shen Xuan hurriedly took the fish bag, which contained a Qingyu fish weighing a full three pounds, with a dorsal fin broad like a flag and a long pointed snout as sharp as a sword.
"How many Spirit Stones!"
"Let's say six Spirit Stones!"
"Great!"
Shen Xuan calmly handed over seven Spirit Stones.
Zhao Chunsheng glanced at them, didn't say much, and accepted the Spirit Stones.
"Do you need more in the future?"
"Yes! The more, the better!"
After sending off Zhao Chunsheng, Shen Xuan happily carried the fish bag into the Practice Room.
In the Mysterious Jade Talisman, a golden light shot out, enveloping the Qingyu fish.
Soon, the fierce Qingyu fish was silent, its body turning into a mass of dead flesh.
On the Mysterious Jade Talisman, ancient golden characters were shining.
[Stealable Talent: Water Control, Thrust.]
Shen Xuan did not hesitate to choose Water Control.
[Talent: Water Control (6/100)]
[Water Control Talisman: Entry Level (16/100)]
[Dao Rhyme: 92]
The three-pound Qingyu fish contributed 6 points to the Water Control progress and enhanced the [Water Control Talisman] insight by 8 points, equal to two months of painstaking talisman making.
Additionally, Dao Rhyme increased by 12 points.
Shen Xuan tried and found that Dao Rhyme could improve his talent's skill level.
He applied them to the [Concealing Breath Technique] and the [Invisibility Technique] to increase the corresponding skill levels.
The [Concealing Breath Technique] and [Invisibility Technique] were comparatively easier to practice, so he hadn't used much and had been saving them.
He planned, after stealing the Water Control Talent, to apply it all to the [Water Control Technique].
After all, for someone who rarely ventured outside, practicing the [Water Control Technique] was not easy.
He couldn't very well dig a pool at home and practice inside it!
The three-pound Qingyu fish, seven Spirit Stones, contributed two months of [Water Control Talisman] crafting experience.
More importantly, he stole the [Water Control] Talent, which, when perfected, could teach him an extremely practical Water Technique and enhance his Spirit Root Talent.
It was worth the value!
Zhao Chunsheng, being a Late Stage Qi Cultivation Demon Hunter, lived on the market's outskirts, clearly needing Spirit Stones badly.
Shen Xuan hoped that Zhao Chunsheng, in view of the Spirit Stones, would quickly acquire more Qingyu fish for him.