Chapter 32: The Daoist of Pinglu

Mid-grade talismans were indeed more popular in the market than low-grade ones. In just half a day, only one of the dozen or so Golden Light Talismans on Song Qingming's stall remained; Qin Zhen alone had purchased four in a single go.

The cultivation techniques used by rogue cultivators were mostly common varieties without any particularly powerful divine abilities. When hunting demons, they relied heavily on external aids such as magical tools, talismans, and formations. Aside from formations, among items of the same rank, talismans were much more powerful than magical tools when used, making them a common method for cultivators.

Back in Cloud Mist Mountain, Song Qingming had only managed to escape the pursuit of that bandit from Eagle's Nest Ridge because he used a relatively powerful mid-grade talisman for a sneak attack, which granted him a slim chance of survival. Such situations were common throughout the cultivation world; at critical moments, talismans were far more useful than other spiritual items.

However, while talismans were useful, they were consumables—one-time-use spiritual items that were gone once used. Although they were much cheaper than magical tools, they were not something one could use recklessly; they could only be deployed at crucial moments. Because of this, regardless of their cultivation level, every cultivator would choose to carry a few talismans on them for emergencies.

A while ago in Guiyun Market, Song Qingming had spent thirty spirit stones to purchase two high-grade talismans for himself to guard against potential dangers. With these two high-grade talismans, his mind felt much more at ease on the journey back from Guiyun Market. Even if he encountered a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, having two high-grade talismans in hand gave him the confidence to attempt an escape.

Having not visited for several months, Song Qingming's stall-setting this time was exceptionally successful. Not only were all the mid-grade talismans sold out, but he also sold a significant amount of the low-grade talismans he had previously stockpiled. Before sunset, there were very few talismans left on his stall, with only twenty or thirty low-grade ones remaining.

Seeing the setting sun, people had begun to pack up their stalls and leave. Song Qingming also stood up to tidy his things, preparing to leave Caolu Mountain. This trip had indeed yielded considerable gains.

Unexpectedly, just as he stepped out of the courtyard, someone walking toward him interrupted his departure.

The newcomer was an elderly cultivator with white hair and a youthful complexion, his face flushed with health. Dressed as a Taoist, he was none other than Daoist Pinglu, one of the three masters of Caolu Mountain. Song Qingming was quite surprised to see him, wondering what business the old Taoist had with him.

"Little friend Song, you are young and your cultivation has progressed significantly. You are no less impressive than I was in my youth; you are a rare young genius in Qinghe County. I fear you have prospects for Foundation Establishment in the future," Daoist Pinglu said with a beaming smile, clearly regarding him as a genius cultivator with three spiritual roots.

Hearing Daoist Pinglu's excessive praise, Song Qingming thought it unnecessary to explain too much. It didn't matter if others mistook him for a three-root genius; as long as he didn't openly admit it, it was fine. Among the major cultivation families in Qinghe County, they generally did not disclose the specific attributes of their talented members' spiritual roots to protect them from being targeted by enemies while traveling.

Song Qingming waved his hands in a humble response, "Senior is a peak Qi Refinement cultivator; how could I compare to you? If I could reach your level in this lifetime, I would have no regrets. I wouldn't dare dream of Foundation Establishment or attaining the Dao."

Daoist Pinglu's cultivation had already reached the peak of Qi Refinement. Decades ago, he had attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, but because he lacked a Foundation Establishment Pill, he failed. However, he had survived through sheer willpower. Among the nearly thousand cultivators in Qinghe County, there were only a handful of legendary figures like him who had dared to attempt Foundation Establishment without a pill and were still alive.

Although these people had failed to achieve Foundation Establishment, their courage to risk death for the sake of their Dao made them heroes in the hearts of many Qi Refinement cultivators in Qinghe County. Song Qingming held great respect for him; he wasn't sure if he himself would have the courage to make such a life-or-death gamble.

"Humble, polite, and down-to-earth—you are indeed a fine talent for cultivation. I heard that you need to purchase a large amount of mid-grade talisman-making materials. This old Taoist happens to have some on hand; I wonder if you still need them?"

"I do! Of course I do!"

So that was it. The three elders of Pinglu rarely appeared at the gatherings; it was usually their disciples who maintained order in the courtyard. The old man's sudden appearance was indeed for a few spirit stones. Song Qingming finally understood Daoist Pinglu's true purpose and couldn't help but let out a small smile.

Following the old Taoist into an inn within Caolu Mountain, the two found a quiet guest room. Song Qingming had initially thought the old man wouldn't have many materials, as he planned to visit Qinghe Market later this month. To his surprise, Daoist Pinglu was a man of hidden depths; he produced over a hundred sets of mid-grade talisman-making materials all at once, which quite startled Song Qingming. Good heavens, it was almost comparable to a standard material shop in Guiyuan Market.

Song Qingming inventoried the materials. Combined with what he had received at the gathering earlier, he had enough to last him nearly half a month. After negotiating the price with Daoist Pinglu, he readily accepted the batch.

Seeing Song Qingming produce dozens of spirit stones, Daoist Pinglu took them, glanced at them, and quickly stowed them into his storage bag before looking up with another smile.

"Little friend Song, if your family intends to purchase them long-term, you can inform me in advance. This old Taoist has some connections around Caolu Mountain; it won't be difficult to help your family gather some talisman-making materials."

Song Qingming was delighted. If the old Taoist truly had such connections, it would save him a lot of trouble in the future. After some thought, he agreed to the arrangement, and the two decided to conduct secret, long-term transactions at this inn.

However, Song Qingming did not dare to ask for too much at once. He only requested a fixed amount of one hundred sets of mid-grade materials and one hundred sets of low-grade materials each month. He feared that asking for too much might arouse the suspicion of this old fox who had been in the cultivation world for nearly a century.

Furthermore, although he could now produce mid-grade talismans, he still needed to make low-grade ones as a cover. Otherwise, if he only sold mid-grade talismans, he would likely expose his identity as a mid-grade talisman master very quickly within the market.

"Rest assured, little friend. I have an old friendship with your family head. Since I have promised, I will certainly be able to gather them for you within a month. When the time comes, you can come directly to me to collect the goods." Seeing that Song Qingming was willing to commit to long-term purchases, the old man began to give solemn guarantees.

It had to be said that Daoist Pinglu was quite skilled at business; the current scale of Caolu Mountain was undoubtedly due in part to his efforts.

However, he and the Song family head, Song Gushan, were of the same generation of cultivators. Both were nearly a hundred years old, with only about a dozen years of lifespan remaining. To be running around for a few spirit stones at such an age, he was likely paving the way for his descendants.

In the cultivation world, only a few cultivators of a generation often manage to achieve Foundation Establishment. Once most cultivators lose their path to further advancement, they choose to take on many disciples or establish families to spread their lineage, helping them gather cultivation resources and placing their hopes on the next generation.