Chapter 45: Lucky Star

Several days later, inside a quiet chamber of the Blood Robe Pavilion.

The Immortal Feixia had long since departed; Lu Yang sat cross-legged on a cushion, beginning to study the talisman arts he had received from his discourse with her.

As for romantic and sexual pleasures, Lu Yang never gave them a second thought.

He knew full well that the Holy Sect held no true love—only exchanges of interest.

Her gratitude for saving her life was only one reason; another was that, as the one holding the marketplace, even a Qi Condensation peak cultivator could not touch him, and Immortal Feixia needed his help.

There was also the fact that cultivation through sexual union progressed faster.

After all, the Holy Sect possessed the Yin-Yang Great Bliss Scripture, a cultivation method that directly absorbed knowledge through sexual union—far more efficient than verbal exchange.

Yet if Immortal Feixia hoped to extract any favors from these few days of discourse, she was utterly mistaken.

After all, he had also taught her array techniques during these days.

Money and goods settled—fair and square!

"Talisman arts…"

As one of the hundred arts of cultivation, talisman arts were also quite popular; after days of deep exchange, Lu Yang had gained deeper understanding of them.

In his view, talisman arts were merely temporary micro-arrays—though their power paled beside true arrays, they excelled in portability, required no ley lines or spiritual energy support, imposed no geographic restrictions, and could be activated merely by channeling magic power.

Lu Yang focused his mind and gazed at the 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】 interface.

【Jin Guang Talisman (Beginner), Wu Lei Talisman (Beginner), Jian Qi Talisman (Beginner), Hui Feng Fan Huo Talisman (Beginner)】

Immortal Feixia had passed on to him four talismans; Jin Guang, Wu Lei, and Jian Qi were all common, their rank no higher than ninth grade.

Only the last one, Hui Feng Fan Huo Talisman, was a seventh-grade great talisman.

This talisman could imprint and preserve a cultivator's state during a specific time period, then overlay it later to restore the cultivator briefly to peak condition.

For example, after a brutal battle, your body riddled with wounds and your magic power reduced to less than one-tenth—using this talisman would instantly restore you to perfect health and peak magic power, though the backlash afterward would triple your injuries; still, in critical moments, it served as a perfect emergency tool.

Immortal Feixia's escape back to the marketplace had owed much to this talisman.

That she willingly taught him such a life-saving talisman showed that, despite her hidden motives, she had still held some sincerity in this discourse.

Of course, the effect of the Hui Feng Fan Huo Talisman could not be stacked.

And because its power was exceptional, its cooldown period was longer—after one use, one must wait three months before using it again.

"Heaven is round, earth is square; the Nine Chapters decree. Now as I write, all spirits shall lie hidden."

Several talisman papers floated in the air; Lu Yang formed a hand seal with one hand and channeled magic power to inscribe on the paper, occasionally losing control and destroying the talisman paper.

But soon, Lu Yang would summon new talisman papers to replace them.

After much time, Lu Yang slowly finished, and before him now lay four talismans, glowing with spiritual radiance, each differing in color and inscription.

"Done!"

Lu Yang first stored away the most precious Hui Feng Fan Huo Talisman, then took the remaining three in hand, gazing intently—and suddenly a thought struck him.

"Unlike the Hui Feng Fan Huo Talisman, these Jin Guang, Wu Lei, and Jian Qi talismans are all conventional—they require no advanced talisman skills. As long as materials are prepared, repeated refinement can achieve mass production; the only problem is finding enough people to draw them for free."

Fortunately, Lu Yang never worried about this.

Perfectly, the spirit beings within the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner had nothing to do all day—he could simply teach them talisman drawing to give them work and pass the time.

This could even save him money.

After all, if he hired Holy Sect disciples to draw talismans, he'd have to pay them wages.

And the banner spirits? Come on—if I offer them work, that's already their fortune; wages? Don't blame me if I fire them!

Stepping out of the quiet chamber, Yun Miaoqing, waiting outside the door, delivered an unexpected message to Lu Yang.

"Zhao Xuhe?"

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow, wondering why this Senior Brother Zhao had suddenly come to see him—after all, their last conversation had been filled with suspicion.

Seeing Lu Yang frown, Yun Miaoqing whispered, "Brother Dao, if you'd rather not meet him, shall I send him away?"

"No need." Lu Yang smiled faintly. "Let him in."

Soon, Zhao Xuhe was led into the Blood Robe Pavilion's reception hall; Lu Yang secretly observed him, found nothing suspicious, then walked in.

"Senior Brother Zhao! I've missed you so much!"

Lu Yang burst into laughter, rushing forward to embrace Zhao Xuhe. "To be honest, I recently fought that True Disciple from the Divine Martial Sect too fiercely—I killed him, but was badly wounded and needed long rest to recover. Sorry for keeping you waiting, Senior Brother Zhao."

"No, no."

Zhao Xuhe smiled awkwardly but politely, inwardly grinding his teeth—he had seen Immortal Feixia walk out of the Blood Robe Pavilion!

Yet his cultivation mind remained firm; he quickly shed his negative emotions.

"Junior Brother Lu, I've come with a request."

Zhao Xuhe cut straight to the point, speaking gravely: "Have you heard of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm? Lately, rumors about it have been everywhere…"

"Of course I know." Lu Yang nodded.

Zhao Xuhe pressed on: "To be frank, I have some clues about the Witch Ghost Secret Realm—perhaps tied to a Foundation Establishment opportunity!"

"Oh."

Lu Yang's indifferent reaction left Zhao Xuhe stunned.

This wasn't right.

In his expectations, a Foundation Establishment opportunity was a monumental matter—Lu Yang should have immediately rushed to ask for details!

What Zhao Xuhe didn't know was that Lu Yang's mind was perfectly calm.

After all, he had discovered the Witch Ghost Secret Realm only after transforming Ouyang Haoze into a banner spirit—absolute, rare secrecy.

But now?

The entire Skull Mountain was buzzing about the Witch Ghost Secret Realm; everyone talked as if finding it would let even a commoner achieve Foundation Establishment.

'When the neighborhood aunties start discussing stock trading, it's time to exit.'

If everyone knows a secret—is it still a secret?

This is just waiting to harvest the leeks!

Lu Yang saw things very clearly. The more the Wugui Secret Realm was hyped up to be in its prime, with opportunities everywhere, the more determined he was not to take a single step outside the market town.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately shook his head: "Sorry, Senior Brother, I'm not interested in the secret realm."

"This—" Zhao Xuhe gaped, hurriedly trying to persuade him: "Junior Brother, cultivation isn't easy. A person only lives once. How can you shrink back at the critical moment?"

"The ancient Wugui Dao was a major demonic sect. Although it was ultimately destroyed by the Yushu Sword Pavilion, a centipede dies but never fully stiffens—there are bound to be some good things left. Who knows, maybe a Foundation Establishment treasure. Doesn't that move your heart at all? You must know an opportunity is hard to come by in a lifetime. Miss it, and it's gone forever!"

'An opportunity hard to come by in a lifetime. That's for you.'

'I'm different. If not this life, then the next one.'

Lu Yang grumbled inwardly, but on the surface he firmly shook his head: "My mind is made up. You should know that what's meant to be yours will come, and what's not, don't force it."

Zhao Xuhe stood rooted to the spot, speechless.

No choice. Things had been said to that extent, and Lu Yang still wasn't planning to leave the mountain. He had no recourse either, and could only curse inwardly at that damned old turtle.

". Since that's the case, then forget it."

"However, on this visit, I have another transaction I'd like to discuss with you, Junior Brother."

Zhao Xuhe clenched his jaw, forced to turn to his second plan, and said with a pained look: "I have a secret art in my hands that can increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment."

"I want to use it as collateral to borrow thirty thousand contribution points from you, Junior Brother."

". A Foundation Establishment secret art?"

At these words, Lu Yang, who had just been about to see his guest out, suddenly had his eyes light up. Looking at Zhao Xuhe, he felt the man was a sight for sore eyes—this fellow was truly his lucky star.

Stir-fried Substitute Death Yin Puppet, Nine Transformations Dragon Art, Skeleton Mountain Market Town.

And now another Foundation Establishment secret art on top of that!

Looking back at all the opportunities he'd relied on so far, which one didn't have his beloved Senior Brother Zhao behind it? His ability to be where he was today, this man deserved immense credit!

(End of chapter)