Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 118: Chapter 102: A Beauty Ages, A Hero Grows Old

”I should start with Attack Spirit Talismans first.”

The Talisman patterns of Middle-Grade Attack Spirit Talismans were the simplest, and they had the lowest requirements for Magical Power stability. Furthermore, for the sake of profit, he had to raise his Talisman Success Rate with Middle-Grade Attack Spirit Talismans first.

Five months passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Jianghe put away his Wolf Hair Talisman Pen, Spiritual Ink, and the remaining fifty-five pieces of Spirit Blood Pig Hide.

The Magical Power consumed to draw Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans was nearly double that of Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans. The toll on his Heart and Mind had also increased significantly. He could only attempt drawing seven times a month, though his Talisman Success Rate had gradually climbed to thirty percent. From thirty-five pieces of Spirit Blood Pig Hide, he had successfully produced ten Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans.

The market price for a Middle-Grade Water Arrow was five Spirit Stones each. With the store’s buyback rate set at eighty-five percent of the market value, ten of them yielded forty-two Spirit Stones and fifty Spiritual Sand.

As expected.

The initial profits from drawing Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans were lower than those of Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans. However, as long as he could increase his Talisman Success Rate to forty percent, the profit would surpass that of the lower-grade versions. If he could reach fifty percent, his annual Spirit Stone earnings would soar to a new height.

Moreover, with a fifty percent Talisman Success Rate on Middle-Grade Attack Spirit Talismans, he could begin attempting to draw Middle-Grade Protection Talismans and Middle-Grade Five Elements Escape Talismans. At that point, his income would see yet another significant boost.

Checking the time, he realized Mid-Autumn was approaching. Yu Daniu and the others should be arriving at Qinghe Marketplace soon, meaning it was no longer an appropriate time to seclude himself for Talisman drawing.

He left his room, bringing Little Black and Fur Ball along, and headed to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to sell the Spirit Talismans he had on hand.

Nineteen Lower-Grade Five Elements Escape Talismans sold for a total of forty-eight Spirit Stones and forty-five Spiritual Sand. Ten Middle-Grade Water Arrow Talismans sold for forty-two Spirit Stones and fifty Spiritual Sand. In total, he earned ninety Spirit Stones and ninety-five Spiritual Sand.

The Spirit Stones in his possession became plentiful again, reaching a total of one hundred and fourteen Spirit Stones and five Spiritual Sand.

But it had to be said—drawing Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans right now was a real loss. The returns from five months of drawing Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans didn’t even match three months of drawing Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans. Of course, the high profit margin of the lower-grade versions was also partly due to his thirty percent Magic Power Amplification.

After finishing his sales, he walked down from the second floor of the Hundred Treasures Tower, arriving at the river corridor landscape on the first floor. He had been living in Qinghe Marketplace for over four years, but he hadn’t truly taken the time to stroll around and look at the sights.

”Elder Chen?”

A crisp, lively voice reached his ears. Chen Jianghe looked toward the sound and saw Jiang Ruxu, the young girl who had once guided him around. Over four years had passed, and she had grown into a graceful and stunning young woman.

With a curvy figure, jade-like skin, and delicate features, she wore a bright and cheerful smile. Though her looks were slightly inferior to Gao Peiyao’s, she exuded a beautiful, youthful vitality.

”Fellow Daoist Jiang,” Chen Jianghe greeted with a smile as he watched her jog over.

”Have you settled down in Qinghe Marketplace, Elder?” she asked, curiosity shining in her lively, large eyes.

”Yes, you could say I’ve settled here,” Chen Jianghe nodded.

Barring any accidents, his time in Qinghe Marketplace would likely be longer than the time he had spent at Jingyue Lake.

”Qinghe Marketplace is a great place! You’ll definitely be very satisfied living here long-term. If there’s anything you’re unfamiliar with, you can still ask me. I won’t charge any extra fees, hehe.”

”Oh? Such a good deal? I suppose I must thank you then.”

”I’m not a guide anymore. According to the marketplace rules, I’m no longer allowed to collect fees.”

”You’re not a guide anymore?”

Chen Jianghe looked confused. Logically speaking, for a bottom-tier Cultivator like Jiang Ruxu, securing a subsidized job as a guide in Qinghe Marketplace was extremely fortunate. After all, every subsidized position here was incredibly scarce.

”I...”

Jiang Ruxu lowered her head and bit her lip, a flash of disgust crossing her eyes. She remained silent for a few breaths before her face regained its cheerful demeanor. ”That’s right, I’ve started studying Alchemy now.”

”Alchemy?”

It was only then that Chen Jianghe noticed this young woman had actually reached Fourth-Layer Qi Refining in her Cultivation. She had met the minimum requirement to become an Alchemist.

However, Alchemy required an inheritance. This was entirely different from the Talisman Dao. Even with a legacy to study, one might not necessarily reach Entry Level. A master’s personal guidance was practically mandatory.

”Did you take a master to learn?” he asked.

”As expected of an elder, you guessed it instantly. I took Elder Zhuang as my master.”

”And his conditions?”

”Eighty percent of the profits from all the Elixirs I refine for the next sixty years. Elder, don’t think eighty percent is too steep—the Alchemy Dao is incredibly hard to come by. Plus, I get personal instruction from my master, so it’s a great deal.”

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe fell silent.

For a bottom-tier Cultivator, opportunities to access the Alchemy Dao were exceedingly rare. Let alone eighty percent, even giving up ninety percent of the profits was a rare chance to turn one’s life around. Even if they couldn’t fully reverse their own fortunes, they could pave the way for their descendants to do so.

Furthermore, Pill Masters generally did not take outside disciples; their knowledge was passed down strictly within their own families. Only solitary Pill Masters nearing the end of their lifespans would even consider taking an apprentice. In fact, many Alchemists would rather let their Alchemy Dao inheritance die with them than take on a student.

But something seemed very wrong about Jiang Ruxu’s situation.

If this Elder Zhuang was truly nearing the end of his lifespan, how could he demand eighty percent of her Alchemy profits for the next sixty years as his tuition?

Yet, if he was doing this simply to secure long-term benefits for his family, there was absolutely no need to go about it this way. He could have just passed his knowledge directly to a family member!