In the early morning, the air after the spring rain was filled with a faint earthy smell.
The market had already become lively.
Street vendors were each shouting about the goods on their stalls.
"Fresh Demon Beast Meat, just slaughtered yesterday, ten pounds for one Spirit Crystal, guaranteed tender."
"Fasting Pills, an essential item for deep exploration."
Walking on the bluestone path of the market, Lin Chang'an took a deep breath of this environment he was more than familiar with.
"It's still good to stay here."
The reluctance and dismay when he was about to leave now felt like living a second life.
This feeling was truly wonderful.
However, Lin Chang'an's bloodshot eyes made many acquaintances shake their heads quietly; wasn't this also their future?
Cultivators on the road, strangers brushed past while the familiar ones smiled and cupped their hands in greeting, calling each other "Daoist friend."
Although he had lived here for twenty years, this time, under a different state of mind, Lin Chang'an had more smiles on his face.
"Many people here are doing worse than me."
Yet after seeing those numb expressions, from the high spirits of entering the Immortal Cultivation Realm to the numbness after being battered by reality,
The dissatisfaction within drove them to keep gritting their teeth and persevering.
These somewhat familiar numb expressions slowly dissipated Lin Chang'an's excitement, internally sighing at how it was no different from his past self.
"The Immortal Cultivation Realm is ever-changing; I still have a long way to go."
Under the morning light, Lin Chang'an walked with firm steps, forming a sharp contrast with the hurried and numb figures on both sides.
The butcher Daoist Luo looked at the departing figure of Lin Chang'an, scratching his head in confusion.
"Why does Mr. Lin look seemingly different?"
"Ah, what else could it be, I heard Mr. Lin's preparing to go to the Mortal Realm."
Upon hearing this, butcher Daoist Luo suddenly realized and then sighed,
"So that's it."
Familiar Daoist friends shook their heads at each other; they had seen this sort of thing many times, who knows, it might be their turn one day.
Some cultivators could have enjoyed prosperity in the Mortal Realm, yet they could only grit their teeth and endure for the sake of having descendants with Spirit Roots.
...
Along the main street of the market, he arrived at True Treasure Tower, also a shop of Li Huo Palace.
"Oh, Mr. Lin."
The middle-aged shopkeeper Miao greeted with a full smile upon seeing a familiar face.
When he saw the talismans Lin Chang'an took out, a genuine smile appeared on shopkeeper Miao's face.
"Mr. Lin, I told you, why go to the Mortal Realm when you don't have to? Your talismans are getting better, and the Chang Chun Skill is known for its steady and profound progress."
"Shopkeeper Miao, you do have a sharp eye."
Lin Chang'an smilingly nodded, admitting he planned to continue staying.
From initially being in the Demon Hunting team to later becoming a Talisman Master, the two had dealings for almost twenty years. His talisman success rate, combined with getting cinnabar talisman paper from here, made them well acquainted with each other.
When he took out twenty Golden Light Talismans and eight Divine Movement Talismans, it was clear he wasn't planning to go to the Mortal Realm.
Otherwise, who wouldn't prepare a bit of foundation before going to the Mortal Realm, after all, once outside, finding materials for talisman painting would be difficult.
"Is this!?"
Upon seeing the quality of one of the talismans, a trace of disbelief flashed in shopkeeper Miao's eyes.
"A High-Quality Golden Light Talisman!"
"Shopkeeper Miao, indeed you have eyes as sharp as a hawk."
Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile as shopkeeper Miao realized too, giving him a playful look.
"I was wondering why Mr. Lin's vitality seemed different today, so this is the reason."
Shopkeeper Miao was genuinely happy for Lin Chang'an.
Not only was he happy to have gained a big client, but also because he had known this old client of twenty years who finally broke through a major barrier.
"Amazing, they say among the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, talismans, pills, tools, and arrays come first, and though talismans are simple, they are also easy to learn but hard to master. Mr. Lin, you're making great strides, congratulations."
Facing shopkeeper Miao's congratulations, Lin Chang'an also nodded with a sense of melancholy.
"Blinded by obsession, I never thought I would have a breakthrough after letting go."
His sigh, from the bottom of his heart, thinking of twenty years of bitter cultivation, the bitterness known only to himself.
Shopkeeper Miao also nodded in empathy, knowing countless cultivators were stalled by this thin layer, spending a lifetime without breaking through.
"Mr. Lin, would you like to exchange for Spirit Stones or materials?"
Spirit Stones!
Upon hearing these words, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but sigh; twenty years of cultivation, it finally wasn't Spirit Crystals anymore.
"Shopkeeper Miao, let's keep it as usual."
"Alright then, two stacks of talisman paper, and one bottle of Gold Attribute cinnabar."
With shopkeeper Miao's call, two thick stacks of yellow talisman paper and a jade bottle were placed in front of him.
"These materials total 20 Spirit Crystals; I'll give you back 34 Spirit Crystals, plus a Spirit Stone for the High-Quality Golden Light Talisman."
Seeing the Spirit Stone about the size of a baby's palm, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but show delight.
The High-Quality Golden Light Talisman, its value increased fivefold, upgraded from being calculated in Spirit Crystals to Spirit Stones.
Shopkeeper Miao was also full of smiles.
A Talisman Master capable of crafting high-quality talismans, a promising future awaited.
Lin Chang'an tucked the Spirit Stone into his chest, gazing longingly at the Spirit Gathering Array in the shop, pondering that as long as he earned enough to pay his dues, he would have it eventually.
On the way back home, he bought fifty pounds of Spirit Rice and ten pounds of Demon Beast Meat, along with some Spiritual Vegetables. Although he was diligent in cultivation, he never skimped on his food and drink.
This wasn't just about the appetite but also for his cultivation.
Returning home, Lin Chang'an looked at the filled rice jar, the table with steamed Spirit Rice, and a pot full of Spirit Flesh, the aroma making him smile.
"If I could eat Spirit Flesh every day, I wouldn't have had to wait twenty years."
His poor aptitude was true, but being at the Qi Refining Third Layer after twenty years wasn't just an issue of poor aptitude, but poverty!
This was also the predicament of countless cultivators, seemingly cultivating for twenty years, but most time wasted on toil, delaying their cultivation.
With small days of hope, Lin Chang'an contentedly picked up his chopsticks, swiftly sweeping the food on the table like a gust of wind.
This Demon Beast Meat, eaten by the potful, even on usual days he rarely had such luxury.
A meal that left his mouth oily, and Lin Chang'an could clearly feel the food nourishing his body.
Thinking about those Foundation Establishment Great Clans, even ordinary cultivators with low-grade Spirit Roots could easily reach the middle stage of Qi Refining; this thought filled Lin Chang'an with emotion.
"Indeed, no matter which world, what some people spend a lifetime pursuing, is innately possessed by others."
Every day Spirit Rice, every meal Spirit Flesh, with diligent cultivation, reaching Qi Refining Fourth Layer is no problem.
"Once I earn some Spirit Stones in the future, I not only want to eat meat every day but also buy a Storage Bag."
Thinking of the future, where every meal has meat and a Storage Bag to store items with a flick of a finger, filled him with motivation.