Chapter 65: Chapter Sixty-Five: Ritual Artifacts

Dozens of qiankun bags, merely piled together, nearly filled half a table, their treasure-light glowing bright and crystalline, leaving the new clerk at Baoju Zhai utterly stunned.

Even though these qiankun bags were only low-grade storage talisman tools, such a quantity, if converted into talisman coins, amounted to a vast sum.

Even if they worked at Baoju Zhai for decades, they might never acquire so much!

“I dare not claim to slay demons and exterminate evil—merely upholding orthodoxy.”

Chen Hang raised his cup with a smile, and the purple-robed manager hurriedly echoed him in unison.

Suddenly, a torrent of lavish praise rained down upon him, until the purple-robed manager himself grew flustered and blushed, finally falling silent.

“May I ask, sir, are all these qiankun bags for sale? Rest assured—I, Hao Qingyan, will handle them with utmost care and offer you a fine price!”

The purple-robed manager’s heart burned with desire, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Chen Hang.

If this deal went through, even just his commission would bring in a fortune; with a few more months’ salary saved, he might even push his Qi Condensation realm upward.

“No rush. I won’t trouble two masters—I have other miscellaneous items to entrust to Manager Hao as well.”

Chen Hang waved his hand slightly, releasing another dozen or so talisman tools, which hovered midair, illuminating the entire room with radiant light like water washing the floor.

“This…”

Even Hao Qingyan could no longer conceal his shock; a flicker of wariness glimmered in his eyes.

So many qiankun bags and talisman tools?

Could this be some demonic cultivator coming here to fence stolen goods?

But the thought vanished as quickly as it came; Hao Qingyan didn’t bother pondering further, nor did he feel any duty to uphold the righteous path.

What did it matter to him if this was some ancient demonic master?

His monthly salary was only thirty talisman coins—did they expect him to risk his life?

Even if some reckless strongman came to rob Baoju Zhai, his last boundary was silence and no guidance—enough to preserve his debt of gratitude to the shop.

If that strongman offered him a share, how could he still be called a strongman?

He was clearly Hao Qingyan’s righteous, sky-reaching elder brother!

As his thoughts churned wildly,

Hao Qingyan wasted no time—he focused his gaze and unleashed a dazzling, brilliant purple light that slowly swept over each hovering talisman tool, murmuring incantations under his breath.

“Mountain-Carrying Great Staff, low-grade talisman inscription—hmm? Nine Heavenly Treasure Great Prohibitions? Too bad, too bad! The material can’t withstand another refining—had it been refined twice, this staff would’ve been a mid-grade talisman tool! Then its price would’ve been at least tenfold!”

As Hao Qingyan spoke, Baoju Zhai’s clerks had already taken out paper and brush, recording his appraisal word for word.

Those who held managerial positions here naturally possessed a specialized skill.

Hao Qingyan’s dazzling purple gaze, for instance, was a Daoist technique for identifying object types—highly favored by merchants in the marketplace, capable of discerning the rank and number of prohibitions on talisman tools.

The techniques for forging talisman tools and magic artifacts in Xudu Tian were inherited from ancient times, an exquisitely profound method.

In other realms, even on some continents, they were forbidden secrets, passed only by word of mouth, never written or shared with outsiders.

If leaked, they would surely ignite torrents of bloodshed and roll countless heads.

Yet here in this realm, they were merely ordinary refining methods, accessible to all.

Even the most crucial prohibitions had been disseminated by the Eight Sects and Six Clans after a grand preaching event a million years ago.

In Xudu Tian’s ritual forging, refining the form came first, then the prohibitions.

A crude blank must first undergo “refining the form” to purge its impurities, align its qi channels and structure, and balance clarity and turbidity before prohibitions can be inscribed upon it.

But if the crude blank is of poor quality,

even after refining, it can bear only a few prohibitions—usually three or five, already reaching its material limit; forcing more will only shatter the artifact, bringing no benefit.

Some even lower-grade blanks cannot pass the “refining the form” stage at all.

Remember: “refining the form” is meant to purge impurities and balance clarity and turbidity—if the entire blank is nothing but impurity,

forget inscribing prohibitions…

After one refining, you’d be left with nothing but ash—every physical form utterly dissolved!

Thus, the higher the quality of the crude blank, the more prohibitions it can withstand—such as Spirit Heaven Pure Scene Essence Gold, Miluo Iron, and Yellow Splendor Secret Marrow—these were the materials cultivators dreamed of, priceless and scarce.

As for prohibitions, they fall into three categories: Heavenly Treasure Great Prohibitions, Spirit Treasure Great Prohibitions, and Divine Treasure Great Prohibitions—direct transmissions of the Eight Sects and Six Clans, each mysteriously potent, with no hierarchy among them.

One refining, ten prohibitions—that’s a low-grade talisman tool.

Ten prohibitions are also the absolute maximum for a low-grade talisman tool.

To inscribe more, the low-grade talisman tool must undergo a second “refining.”

Two refines, twenty prohibitions—that’s a mid-grade talisman tool.

By extension, every rank advancement of a magic artifact requires another refining to add up to ten more prohibitions.

Talisman tools, magic artifacts, Dao artifacts—even the legendary Immortal weapons—all follow this rule.

It is said that

when a magic artifact bearing true consciousness awakens, it can trigger celestial disturbances across a thousand li, swallowing boundless void spiritual energy; Dao artifacts and Immortal weapons are even beyond estimation.

…

At this moment,

Hao Qingyan had finally examined all the dozen or so talisman tools.

He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his drenched forehead, then bowed apologetically to Chen Hang, said nothing, and slumped into the soft chair, gulping down half a pot of tea. After a long while, he slowly regained his breath.

“Forgive me, forgive me—this ‘Spirit-Identifying Dao Eye’ drains too much of my primordial breath. Even as a Qi Condensation eighth-layer cultivator, I can barely endure it; every use feels like losing half my life.”

Hao Qingyan sighed and shook his head, then his face brightened with a smile:

“Sir, are you impatient? Wait a moment, wait a moment—fine work takes time! These items are truly valuable—I—”

“No need. I happen to have another question.”

“You have more talisman tools?!” Hao Qingyan exclaimed, startled and delighted.

“Not talisman tools—Dao techniques.”

As Chen Hang transferred Hao Qingyan’s memory into the True Law Realm, he smiled:

“Does your shop accept Dao techniques and Qi Condensation arts?”

“Ah, I see, I see.”

Hao Qingyan suddenly understood, chuckled twice, then ordered all clerks out of the room, shut the door firmly, and assumed an air of solemn gravity.

After finishing, he sat solemnly across from Chen Hang, silent for several breaths, then spoke slowly:

“Dao techniques—we do not accept them!”

Chen Hang lifted his eyes slightly.

“Not just Dao techniques—even Qi Condensation arts are refused. Not just us—every neighboring shop does the same.”

Hao Qingyan whispered:

“Sir, you don’t know how much havoc these things have caused!”