"Stop!" As his thoughts flew wildly, Li Jizhou suddenly bit his tongue.
The incident with Pharmacist Zheng half a year ago should have given him enough warning.
The cultivation world is full of deceit and unpredictability, with countless exotic skills and bizarre secret techniques.
No one can guarantee how many eyes might be secretly watching you?
Li Jizhou possessed the Reincarnation Treasure Mirror, which not only enhanced his natural Spirit Root, but also boosted the growth of his Divine Soul. Particularly, the cultivation technique he practiced was extraordinary.
Any of these three points could make countless old monsters drool and be willing to search his soul regardless of the cost.
He must not be careless!
"Why do I feel inexplicably restless?"
"It seems I should copy Ancestor Master of Longevity's 'Stability Scripture' hundreds of times?"
He thought and did it immediately.
Spending three days, Li Jizhou calmed his mind and spirit, neither anxious nor impatient, slowly and carefully copying the 'Stability Scripture' a total of six hundred and sixty-six times.
He completely settled down.
"Hoo~" Letting out a long breath, Li Jizhou took out the Celestial Secret Pavilion's report jade talisman.
The new quarter's update had already arrived.
Last quarter's report was mostly about the Thunder Spirit Crystal Ore, almost catching the attention of the entire cultivation world in the Qi Kingdom.
However, progress was slow, and many who entered never came out.
This quarter, it was even more intense. Two months ago, someone finally brought back half a block of Thunder Spirit Crystal.
However, that person died shortly after coming out.
And that half-block of Thunder Spirit Crystal was fiercely contested.
Eventually, Master Lu from Celestial Essence Dojo, the strongest loose cultivator at Inverted Mountain, stepped in to deter the crowd and publicly exchanged a Foundation Establishment Pill for the half-block of Thunder Spirit Crystal.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the person who brought out the Thunder Spirit Crystal had carried three mid-level talismans, causing them to be quickly bought up.
Moreover, this quarterly report vaguely mentioned that it seemed the shadows of three major sects and five major families had also joined in.
"It's truly escalating!"
Li Jizhou sighed, but still had no particular thoughts about it.
Setting aside the report, he took out the token he had just received that morning.
Previously, Wu Daniu would send one annually, but this time it had only been half a year.
As usual, it was full of everyday trivialities, but this time the words seemed to lack the initial pride and joy.
Especially about his boastful tales of having multiple wives half a year ago, which were barely mentioned this time.
Even the brief mentions of his children conveyed a sense of irritation.
This time, the letter focused on one thing,
The Yang family's three-hundred-year anniversary celebration in five years at Qingshui River,
The Yang family's patriarch insisted that all clan members showcase all their connections, inviting as many and as wide a circle of friends as possible to the Yang family.
Wu Daniu's most significant connections were Lin Caiwei, an inner sect disciple at Golden Sun Sect, and Zhao Qian, the young master of the Zhao family at Twin Lakes, followed by Li Jizhou.
Wu Daniu eagerly told Li Jizhou that Lin Caiwei had already agreed, saying she might come out if she was still at a bottleneck at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation in five years.
And Zhao Qian was also quite obliging, promising to attend.
In closing, Wu Daniu earnestly expressed that he truly hoped Li Jizhou could come.
Moreover, he hoped that once Li Jizhou came, he wouldn't leave!
He mentioned that he was about to achieve a full circle at the Second Level of Qi Cultivation, ranking at the forefront among the Yang family's new generation, and perhaps his status could be elevated slightly, allowing him to have a say.
"Connections?" Reading the letter, Li Jizhou smiled slightly.
In his past and present life, he had heard too much about connections.
But most got it wrong.
Connections aren't about how many people you know.
It's about how many people you can establish a mutually beneficial exchange and win-win cooperation with.
Everything in this world revolves around equal value.
A person's connections are merely a reflection of their own value!
Beware of favors beyond one's value.
Not giving much thought to Wu Daniu's letter, Li Jizhou organized the talismans he had drawn in the past half year.
All were Tier One Middle Level talismans.
The lower-grade ones were more prevalent, and most middle-grade ones were placed in his trump card treasury, for the purpose of protecting the path.
He then proceeded to the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion.
"Talisman Master Li! Please come in!"
Upon hearing Li Jizhou's voice, Lu Zhenhua laughed heartily and welcomed him.
He directly led him to the VIP room on the second floor.
Observing Lu Zhenhua's complexion and demeanor, and the attitudes of others towards Lu Zhenhua, Li Jizhou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
Before Li Jizhou could speak, Lu Zhenhua personally closed the door, turned around, and cupped his hands in appreciation to Li Jizhou: "Lu sincerely thanks Talisman Master Li!"
"Why do you say so, Shopkeeper Lu?" Li Jizhou smiled faintly.
"Lu... Ah, Talisman Master Li indeed has sharp news. Yes, Lu made a fortune by stockpiling Tier One Middle-Level talismans, gained the Main Pavilion's recognition, and has been appointed as a shopkeeper!" Lu Zhenhua didn't hide his excitement.
"Congratulations Shopkeeper Lu!" Li Jizhou stood up to return the courtesy, taking out a middle-grade Tier One Middle-Level talisman and a premium Tier One Junior Level talisman as a congratulatory gift.
"Talisman Master Li is too gracious... Wow, in just half a year, Talisman Master Li's skills have advanced again, and you can already craft middle-grade Tier One Middle-Level talismans?
This... a premium one?"
"Talisman Master Li, you can already craft premium talismans?"
Lu Zhenhua first saw the middle-grade Tier One Middle-Level talisman that Li Jizhou handed him and made a commendatory remark.
Then he immediately noticed the premium talisman beneath and was utterly shocked.
Even Lin Chaobei, a Tier One Advanced Level Talisman Master, as Lu Zhenhua understood, could at best craft top-grade talismans.
Regardless of the tier, a premium talisman doesn't just represent an increase in tier level, but also the exquisite proficiency and harmony between magical power and the divine soul.
With such skill, once the cultivation realm improves, advancing to a High-Tier Talisman Master will be as natural as it can be.
"Unlimited prospects!" This was Lu Zhenhua's evaluation of Li Jizhou.
The only pity was that Li Jizhou practiced the Evergreen Skill, which, though it provided profound and enduring magical power, complicated the cultivation realm.
"Shopkeeper Lu flatters me, the junior was merely motivated by the heard invitation for a Honored Guest Elder position in the Main Pavilion, hence held himself to more rigorous standards.
Even then, it's only occasionally through a lucky synergy that I managed to draw one or two premium pieces." Li Jizhou modestly replied.
"Haha, Talisman Master Li, you are too modest. It's well-known that to craft a premium talisman of any tier, requires the alignment of time, place, and harmony of mind and method; you're already amazing, a youth with great potential seems apt!" Lu Zhenhua didn't hold back on the praise.
After exchanging a few compliments, Li Jizhou handed over all the talismans for sale to Lu Zhenhua.
Lu Zhenhua instructed the newly-appointed reclaim steward to settle at the highest price.
Additionally, he privately provided the highest price difference promised during the previous talisman sale by Li Jizhou.
At parting, Lu Zhenhua hesitated for a long time and finally offered Li Jizhou an unexpected surprise.
"Li Xian-di, we've known each other for three years, no unnecessary words, I have now ascended to shopkeeper of Inverted Mountain Branch Pavilion, wield a little authority; can to some extent authorize a Third-class Honored Guest Elder position, if you manage to craft a middle-grade top-tier talisman within two years, there's a seventy percent chance."
"Thank you, Brother Lu!"
In a single transition, the address changed from 'Shopkeeper, Talisman Master' to 'Brother Lu, Xian-di.'
Nothing more than a value exchange!