Chapter 11: Gifting a Pen
Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Gifting a Pen
In the small courtyard.
After she finished speaking, Meng Qingyi looked at Li Ping, an apologetic look in her eyes.
She had previously extended a warm invitation for Li Ping to join the Immortal City, but now she was personally rejecting his bid to become one of its Honored Guest Elders.
She felt rather embarrassed by her contradictory behavior.
But remembering her senior sister’s orders, she said resolutely, "With Fellow Daoist Li’s talent, I’m sure you will find a more suitable place to settle than the Immortal City."
Li Ping was taken aback. He had been about to decline the offer himself, but to his surprise, Meng Qingyi had beaten him to it, rejecting his entry into the Immortal City before he could say a word.
But the stunned look on his face lasted only a moment before his expression returned to normal. "That’s fine too," he said. "It’s best to stay as far away as possible from the troubled waters of the Immortal City."
Seeing Li Ping’s stunned expression, Meng Qingyi sighed inwardly. She knew he was a Loose Cultivator and that just reaching Foundation Establishment had exhausted all his savings. He didn’t even have a Cultivation Technique lined up for his new stage.
Now that he couldn’t become an Honored Guest Elder, finding not only a post-Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique but also the Spiritual Land required for cultivation would likely be a major hurdle for him.
At this thought, her guilt deepened.
’After all, Li Ping hasn’t done anything wrong.’
...
Li Ping gave a wry smile. "With what happened to your nephew, and it even affecting your senior sister’s breakthrough to Core Formation... even if you hadn’t said anything, Fairy Meng, I would have been too embarrassed to join the Immortal City. Please, see me off Cyan Dragon Mountain."
Hearing Li Ping’s words, Meng Qingyi couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, perhaps driven by a desire to compensate him somehow.
She then added with sincerity, "Fellow Daoist Li, although you aren’t a member of our Immortal City, the fact that you achieved your Foundation Establishment here shows we share a certain affinity. I, Qingyi, have some standing within the city. If you run into any trouble in the future, please feel free to find me. As long as it’s not too much of a hassle, I can help you think things through."
Hearing this, Li Ping’s heart stirred.
As a matter of fact, there was something he wanted to ask for her help with.
Not only was Meng Qingyi a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, but she was also a Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Maker—the only cultivator Li Ping knew who possessed a Tier Two cultivation craft.
Furthermore, after receiving her guidance, he had achieved a breakthrough in his own talisman-making craft, becoming a Tier One Upper Grade Talisman Maker.
However, the Talisman Maker inheritance he possessed only went up to Tier One Upper Grade. On his own, he had reached the end of the road in his craft.
The major powers all fiercely guarded their Tier Two and higher inheritances and would almost never put them up for sale.
Back then, he had already thought about obtaining a used Talisman Brush from Meng Qingyi to feed as nourishment to his Tree of Inheritance.
By doing so, he too could master the Tier Two Middle Grade talisman-making craft and become a Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Maker.
At the time, however, their relationship was still tenuous, and he couldn’t make such a presumptuous request.
’But now... Meng Qingyi seems to feel guilty toward me. Perhaps I can give it a try?’
With that thought, Li Ping stopped hesitating. ’It’s now or never,’ he thought.
"You’re too kind, Fairy. Your guidance yesterday helped my talisman-making craft reach Tier One Upper Grade. If I had just been holed up working on my own, I’m afraid a breakthrough would have been a distant dream. I have nothing but gratitude for you," Li Ping said, his expression calm.
Hearing this, Meng Qingyi couldn’t hide the surprise in her voice. "You’ve become a Tier One Upper Grade Talisman Maker? Then congratulations are in order, Fellow Daoist!"
Li Ping nodded, took out a Cyan Thunder Talisman he had crafted the previous night from his Storage Bag, and handed it to Meng Qingyi with a smile, asking for her appraisal and guidance.
Meng Qingyi accepted the Spirit Talisman. After observing it carefully for a moment, she pointed out several issues with Li Ping’s brushwork.
She truly was worthy of her title as a Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Maker. Every issue she pointed out was right on the mark. Any other Talisman Maker who received her guidance would likely see a significant increase in their success rate.
Of course, thanks to his Tree of Inheritance, Li Ping’s success rate for crafting talismans of the same tier was already a fixed 100%, so he didn’t gain much from her advice.
After a bit more small talk, Li Ping seized the moment while Meng Qingyi was in a talkative mood and made his request. "Fairy Meng, after my breakthrough in talisman making, I really should have switched to an Upper Grade Talisman Brush. The thing is, I nearly wiped out all my savings just to reach Foundation Establishment, so now I simply can’t afford a new Talisman Brush Dharma Artifact."
He looked at her earnestly. "I was wondering if you might have a used Talisman Brush that you no longer need? I would be willing to purchase it at a fair price."
’So that’s how it is.’ Meng Qingyi knew Li Ping wasn’t lying. For a Loose Cultivator like him, even if he’d had some fortuitous encounters, buying a Foundation Establishment Pill would have certainly wiped out his savings.
’It’s perfectly normal that he can’t afford a Talisman Brush or a new Cultivation Technique now.’
’What a shame Senior Sister Dai gave the order, otherwise... Sigh...’
Meng Qingyi already felt guilty toward Li Ping. On top of that, she had enjoyed the experience of teaching him about talisman making, and her overall impression of him was quite good. She immediately decided to help him.
After a moment’s thought, she patted the Storage Bag at her waist. A Talisman Brush exuding a faint Spiritual Pressure appeared in her hand. Its shaft was bluish-purple with a crimson tip, which seemed to be made from the hair of some kind of Demon Beast.
Meng Qingyi held the brush in her slender hand, a nostalgic look in her eyes. "Fellow Daoist Li, this is the ’Purple Phoenix,’ a Talisman Brush I once used. It’s a Tier Two Middle Grade artifact, but because I’ve used it so much, the tip is a bit worn. This has caused the success rate for crafting Tier Two Spirit Talismans to drop significantly. However, if you use it to craft Tier One Upper Grade Spirit Talismans, there shouldn’t be any problem."
She smiled. "Since you are in need, Fellow Daoist, I will gift this Purple Phoenix to you, free of charge."
"For me?" Li Ping’s voice was filled with astonishment.
’A Talisman Brush was still a Dharma Artifact. Although as a crafting tool, it was naturally not as expensive as a Flying Sword or a shield of the same tier.’
’But in any case, a new Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Brush costs around three to four hundred Spirit Stones. Even if Meng Qingyi’s ’Purple Phoenix’ is worn, selling it for a hundred Spirit Stones would be no problem at all.’
’And she’s just giving it to me?’
But in reality, Li Ping was mistaken.
The Tier Two Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink required to create Tier Two Spirit Talismans were extremely expensive.
Once a Talisman Brush became worn and the success rate dropped, it wouldn’t just affect profits—in serious cases, it could even lead to a net loss.
Therefore, Tier Two Talisman Makers would replace a worn brush without hesitation.
A discarded, used brush simply couldn’t fetch a high price and could only be sold for about the same as a Low-Tier Talisman Brush. This was one of the things that set Talisman Makers apart from other professions.
...
Li Ping had been worried that he might not even be able to afford a used Talisman Brush.
Now that Meng Qingyi was offering it to him for free, he certainly wasn’t going to refuse her kindness.
Accepting the Talisman Brush that floated before him, Li Ping’s face lit up with irrepressible joy. "Thank you for the gift, Fairy Meng! I owe you a favor for this!"
As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the Talisman Brush in his hand, where he saw a line of text floating above it.
[Talisman Brush imbued with the craft of a Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Maker. Required materials: 1,000 Lower Grade Spirit Stones, three liters of Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Ink, a three-foot length of Tier Two Middle Grade Spirit Wood. Consume as nourishment to master the Tier Two Middle Grade talisman-making craft.]
’I’ve hit the jackpot!’