"There are two arrays at this level, one with earth and the other with water attributes, but none with the wood attribute you need."
Zhao Xiaoxu removed his eyeglasses magical artifact and shook his head.
"Can we try other shops?"
Shen Wang was specifically looking for the wood attribute mainly to have one more attribute in play; a combined array would be more complete and less likely to be broken.
"We don’t have it at Lingxi Pavilion, and it’s unlikely other shops have it. I can inquire for you, but doing so won’t get you the internal price."
Zhao Xiaoxu clarified in advance.
"Please inquire first. If the price suits me, I’ll buy it. If not, I’ll choose the earth attribute array from you."
Shen Wang insisted on his choice.
"Okay, since the inventory of armor and weapons requires some time, please wait here for a moment, and I’ll go out for a bit."
Zhao Xiaoxu instructed the staff to pour tea for Shen Wang and then left the shop.
Shen Wang didn’t drink the tea. He was pondering whether, if he didn’t have enough money, he should sell the two secret cultivation technique manuals he obtained from Yun Conghui and Ge Changzhuang.
The two most valuable ones were the Claw Technique Celestial Eagle Skill and the Qi Cultivation and Wind Thunder Technique, possibly their family inheritance techniques.
This type of technique is not suitable for sale since family inheritances are not to be leaked. If discovered by the two families, they would undoubtedly pursue the matter. Even if they were sold, Zhao Xiaoxu might not accept them due to certain unwritten rules.
"If I don’t sell these, there isn’t much else to sell."
Shen Wang felt a bit tight on funds.
After thinking for a long time, he felt he needed to rely on talismans to make money.
"When will the Yun family find out that I killed Ge Changzhuang and Yun Conghui, and when will they come for revenge..."
Shen Wang muttered to himself. He hadn’t chosen to flee because with family in tow, it’s simply not feasible.
Staying at the ancestral home offers protection from the array, whereas once outside, if danger arises, he cannot protect his family.
Thus, he can only try to fortify the array and gather resources before the Yun family retaliates.
"Assuming the Yun family has something like a life plate, they’d know immediately if a person died. However, Yun Conghui and Ge Changzhuang are not core family members, so they might not have life plates. Still, there’s the risk of a ’what if’."
Shen’s eyes flickered: "For instance, if Profound Thunder Zhenren requires daily reports, then he wouldn’t know for a day, but a day later, he might come to kill."
"Just one day, earn all I can!"
He took out the last few sheets of talisman paper and began drawing talismans swiftly.
Just as he finished several High-Level Fireball Talismans and received system rewards in terms of experience, Zhao Xiaoxu returned, surprised: "I didn’t expect Brother Wang to also be a Talisman Master."
"Necessity drives skill; one must have a livelihood to earn some money."
Shen Wang didn’t elaborate on his talisman mastery, looking at Zhao Xiaoxu: "Did Shopkeeper Zhao find anyone selling a wood attribute array?"
"No, the wood attribute arrays are mostly trapping arrays; if not, they’re killing arrays. Rarely are they defensive arrays."
Zhao Xiaoxu shook his head.
Shen Wang felt regret. He wanted a wood attribute array, considering the mountain’s abundant grass and wood forces, which could incorporate the mysteries of a natural array.
"I recommend you choose the earth attribute array; it’s suitable for most terrains, and its defensive capability is strong."
Zhao Xiaoxu said, "That water attribute array isn’t bad either. You know our Lingxi Sect excels in the Path of Water. That array was crafted by a sect elder, making it of excellent quality, but it works best near abundant water sources to unleash its full power."
Shen Wang had no choice but to ask, "What are the prices for the two arrays?"
"I’ll give you the final prices: earth attribute six thousand two hundred, water attribute six thousand eight hundred."
Zhao Xiaoxu provided the numbers: "I already calculated the selling price for your items; my purchase price is nine hundred, which means your goods are worth six thousand four today. If you want the water attribute array, you’d need to add four hundred."
Shen Wang thought for a moment and said, "I’ll go with the earth attribute, and use the rest for some talismans; I need to earn some money drawing talismans here."
Seeing Shen Wang still wanting to sell talismans, and making them on the spot, Zhao Xiaoxu was quite pleased.
This allowed him to gauge Shen Wang’s actual skill level.
Shen Wang received the talisman paper and continued drawing High-Level Fireball Talismans; each one could sell for thirty spirit stones, making ten worth three hundred.
With his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, drawing ten took less than a quarter of an hour, ten times faster than during the Qi Cultivation Stage.
Zhao Xiaoxu watched enviously; in the time it took to drink a cup of tea, this man earned over two hundred spirit stones, more than he, as a shopkeeper, made.
In reality, Shen Wang managed it by expending spiritual essence; letting the talisman slowly absorb fire attribute spiritual qi would be too time-consuming.
Shen Wang drew thirty in one go, depleting quite a bit of spiritual essence and energy before pausing to rest.
Zhao Xiaoxu, standing nearby, finally spoke up: "I didn’t expect Brother Wang to be a Grandmaster of Talisman, my apologies for not recognizing sooner."
Being able to produce High-Level Fireball Talismans, a type of lower-grade magic talisman, so effortlessly is beyond a Talisman Master; only a Grandmaster of Talisman could achieve such skill.
A Grandmaster of Talisman’s status surpasses that of the average Foundation Establishment Cultivator, as it’s a more lucrative profession.
However, becoming a Grandmaster of Talisman is challenging, requiring both talent and resources; some may never reach this level in their lifetime.
Shen Wang merely smiled slightly. If not for being besieged and lacking talisman paper to practice on recently, he reckoned he’d already have reached the Grandmaster level.
A Grandmaster of Talisman could effortlessly produce middle-grade magic talismans, a quantity sufficient to threaten those at the Golden Core level.
"I need some magic tier talisman paper; what are your prices here?"
Shen Wang planned to use the available time and resources to advance to Grandmaster of Talisman level, which would aid in countering the Yun family’s pending retaliation.
"Lower grade ten apiece, middle grade thirty."
Zhao Xiaoxu smiled: "Since you’re a Grandmaster of Talisman, I can authorize a ten percent discount for you."
Shen Wang internally sighed, realizing the price had become steep; previously, an old man sold magic tier talisman paper for just three coins, whereas here it’s more than doubled.
"I’ll take thirty lower grade and five middle grade, and I’ll rest here while I draw more fireball talismans to sell."
Shen Wang abandoned the idea of crafting magic tier talismans for sale, not because he couldn’t, but because drawing magic talismans consumed ten times more power and considerably more time, making it unsuitable to craft them here.
Crafting fireball talismans was simpler, quicker, and earned significant money in a short period.
After regaining his status, he drew sixty more, a task that once took him several days during the Qi Cultivation Stage.
In one go, he earned over a thousand spirit stones, and after deducting the cost of talisman paper and rune liquid, Shen Wang purchased a top-grade magical artifact flying sword.
Once he adjusted to peak condition, Shen Wang quietly left the Lingxi Sect Market with his substantial earnings.
Though he was already at the Foundation Establishment Stage, he cautiously took a detour before returning to the ancestral home, which took until midday.
Outside the ancestral home was eerily quiet; no bandits dared return. After careful sensing, he detected no danger, allowing him to swiftly return to the ancestral home and begin installing the top-grade array he purchased.