Even though Ye Chen had expected this, he was still caught off guard when Sun Ye spoke.

  "Five mid-grade spirit stones for the manuscript."

  Five mid-grade spirit stones? Why not just rob me directly? This was clearly a blatant attempt to rip him off.

  Immediately, Ye Chen lost interest.

  But Sun Ye, seeing the change in Ye Chen's expression, quickly said, "Don't think I'm trying to scam you. My master is an elder of the Green Cloud Sect, a peak second-tier talisman master, who could break through to third-tier at any time. Do you know? In the Green Cloud Sect, there's only one third-tier talisman master. Such an individual's talisman-making notes are priceless. To be able to access them for five low-grade spirit stones is an opportunity that many would kill for. It's like learning directly from the master. You'll never lose on this deal."

  A peak second-tier talisman master?

  Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. That sounded somewhat promising. But five mid-grade spirit stones were still too steep. In the end, Ye Chen managed to haggle the price down to three mid-grade spirit stones.

  However, Ye Chen didn't pay immediately. Instead, he said he needed to ask his family for the money and would make a partial payment to the shop and return the next day to complete the purchase.

  Ye Chen didn't want to appear too wealthy. With Sun Ye being so greedy, what if he thought Ye Chen had too much money and tried to steal the spirit stones or cut him off from lessons?

  Sun Ye, for his part, flashed a satisfied grin. The talisman-making notes were indeed genuine, offering valuable insight that could inspire any talisman master. But they weren't as miraculous as Sun Ye was making them out to be.

  Selling them for three mid-grade spirit stones would still be a good profit. But more importantly, once Ye Chen bought the notes, he would definitely continue attending classes. The higher the sunk cost, the less likely Ye Chen was to quit halfway through. So, it was a win all around.

  As for Ye Chen, he only returned to the Green Cloud Shop after waiting for a while, seeing that Sun Ye had grown anxious, fearing that the Ye family would refuse to play the fool. He took out three mid-grade spirit stones and purchased the manuscript. The manuscript had an intriguing name: Linxi's Discussions on Talismans.

  After waiting for such a long time, Sun Ye's face lit up with a smile as he received the spirit stones. He even urged Ye Chen to pay his tuition fees right then.

  However, Ye Chen declined. He would first give the manuscript to Lu Jing to see if it could be of any help. If the feedback was useful and could improve his talisman-making skills, then he would consider paying for more lessons. If not, then so be it. He would find another way to approach Sun Ruoxin in the future.

  Not receiving the tuition fee from Ye Chen left Sun Ye a little disappointed, clicking his tongue. But upon seeing the pile of low-grade spirit stones in his hands, a smile once again appeared on his face.

  ...

  "Fellow Daoist Ye, come, join me for a meal! This is the meat of the Snow Spirit Deer. These creatures only appear in winter, and they are incredibly fast. Even late-stage Qi Refining cultivators struggle to capture them, making the meat very rare… But Snow Spirit Deer meat greatly benefits a cultivator's physical constitution! Come, eat!"

  Inside the room, Lu Jing eagerly prepared the bowls and chopsticks for Ye Chen. The scent of venison reached Ye Chen's nose, opening his appetite.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  However, Ye Chen was more concerned with whether the talisman-making notes he had bought from Sun Ye's master would bring him any benefit. So, instead of diving into the meal, Ye Chen took out Linxi's Discussions on Talismans.

  "This is a talisman-making notebook by a second-tier peak talisman master from the Green Cloud Sect. I came across it at Green Cloud Shop and immediately thought of you, Fairy Lu. You're also learning talisman-making. This notebook should prove helpful to you, so I bought it for you. Please accept it, Fairy Lu."

  Upon hearing this, Lu Jing's eyes immediately brightened. A second-tier peak talisman master's notes? Such a thing was immensely valuable to any talisman maker. Ye Chen must have spent quite a bit of spirit stones to acquire it. But what was more important was Ye Chen's thoughtfulness.

  Truth be told, Lu Jing had genuinely started to develop feelings for Ye Chen. After all, Ye Chen was not lacking in any regard. He had reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining. He was also an alchemist. His family background was impressive, coming from a family of Qi Refining cultivators, and he appeared to be favored, receiving abundant resources for his cultivation.

  Most importantly, Ye Chen genuinely cared about everything concerning her. He had given her so many gifts, yet had never acted arrogant or condescending in front of her. These gestures deeply moved Lu Jing. To live with such a companion for a lifetime, the future must surely be bright.

  But what Lu Jing found hardest to accept about Ye Chen was his heartlessness. He was affectionate with her, yet just as affectionate with Lin Ke'er. In her heart, Lu Jing made a decision: If one day Ye Chen firmly chose her and no longer tangled with Lin Ke'er, she would agree to be his Dao partner.

  "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye. This really means a lot to me!"

  A joyful light shone in Lu Jing's eyes. Seeing her accept the gift, Ye Chen couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. At the same time, the system notification sounded.

  Ye Chen was about to check the rewards he had received, but at that moment, he accidentally brushed against the Snow Spirit Deer meat that Lu Jing had placed on his plate, his hand covered in juices. He immediately began to wipe his hand clean, but just then, Lu Jing grabbed his hand firmly.

  "The juice of the Snow Spirit Deer is the most precious part, as all its benefits are extracted during cooking," she said. "Wiping it off would be such a waste. I'll just eat it myself."

  Ye Chen froze for a moment.

  Eat? How?

  It wasn't long before Ye Chen realized exactly how. The sensation on his fingers made him feel as though he were floating in the air, almost like a celestial being! Bold, too bold! Even after leaving Lu Jing's room, Ye Chen still lingered on the experience.

  Most notably, the associations were too vivid. If merely the fingers felt so good, what about other places? He dared not think, dared not imagine.

  Returning to his room, Ye Chen took some time to calm his mind. Only then did he have the chance to check the system's notification.

  "Gift successful!"

  "Gift: Reflections on Talismans."

  "Processing feedback..."

  "Tenfold feedback. Reward: Heavenly Master Introduction to Talisman."

  "Detected that the gift was extremely significant to the recipient, surpassing expectations and causing a huge shift in their mindset, triggering a critical hit reward!"

  "Reward: One-day manifestation of the Sect Leader's avatar from the Heavenly Master Sect. You may inquire about talisman crafting techniques."

  Upon reading this, Ye Chen's eyes lit up. The Heavenly Master Sect? He had heard of this sect before. It was a top-tier sect, far superior to the Green Cloud Sect. Their fame rested on their mastery of talisman crafting. Did he just receive a Heavenly Master's talisman crafting notes? And an opportunity to receive guidance from a Heavenly Master Sect master? This was a huge leap!

  Without hesitation, Ye Chen took out the Heavenly Master Introduction to Symbolism and began to study it. The book was of the highest level, both profound and accessible, thoroughly analyzing all the key points of talisman crafting.

  Many aspects that he couldn't quite grasp when learning from Sun Ye were suddenly crystal clear as he read this book. The author's understanding of talisman was truly on another level.

  Moreover, whenever he encountered questions that were difficult to comprehend, Ye Chen could directly consult the avatar of the Sect Leader for guidance. In just one night, his mastery of talismans soared to new heights.

  ...

  The next day, Ye Chen walked into a class full of confidence. Sun Ye was taken aback by Ye Chen's performance that day. Ye Chen had successfully drawn a Dust-Dispelling Talisman. Though it was the most basic of beginner-level talismans, one that hardly mattered, this was Ye Chen, someone whom Sun Ye had considered hopeless. He seemed to have suddenly unlocked something, as though his mind had been illuminated. What on earth was happening?