“Oh, I’m quite interested in these puppets. They’d be excellent for protecting my disciple. I wonder what Master Tianjing intends to exchange for them?” said another elderly-looking cultivator, stroking his long beard.
“*Chuckle*, what I seek is rather rare—something from ancient times called ‘Soul Stones.’ One Soul Stone in exchange for one of my puppet beasts. These puppets were personally crafted by ancient cultivators, and I doubt there are any higher-grade puppets left in this realm,” replied Master Tianjing calmly.
“Soul Stones?” The unfamiliar name left the seated cultivators puzzled. None had heard of such a thing before.
Master Tianjing, seemingly expecting this, reached into his storage pouch and produced a thumb-sized emerald-green crystal. At first glance, it resembled a wood-attribute spirit stone, but upon closer inspection, the cultivators sensed not the familiar wood-attribute spiritual energy but an eerie, bone-chilling fluctuation.
“Perhaps some fellow Daoists possess this item but don’t recognize it. I happen to have one here for your reference,” the old Daoist said, holding up the crystal.
“Hmm, how peculiar. It resembles ghostly energy but is far purer,” remarked a demonic cultivator shrouded in black mist.
“I myself don’t know what this crystal contains, but it’s certainly no ordinary soul energy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be willing to trade these puppets for it,” Master Tianjing replied frankly.
“Ah, fair enough,” the demonic cultivator conceded, dropping the matter.
But when Han Li saw the crystal, his expression beneath the mask shifted dramatically, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.
If he wasn’t mistaken, this “Soul Stone” was none other than the “Nether Beast Crystal” he had collected in the Netherworld. The term “Beast Crystal” was merely what the locals called it, but it seemed the ancient cultivators referred to it as “Soul Stone.”
“Master Tianjing not only produces so many puppets but also seeks to collect these ‘Soul Stones.’ Considering the puppets I saw in the Void Sky Hall all contained these stones, it seems this man…” Han Li began to ponder.
However, Soul Stones were evidently extremely rare. After a long while, only one cultivator hesitantly produced one and exchanged it for a beast puppet.
Master Tianjing asked a few more times, but no one else came forward. Though he had anticipated this, disappointment still flickered in his heart.
Just as he was about to put away the remaining puppets, someone suddenly stood and approached. The old Daoist’s spirits lifted, and he asked eagerly, “Fellow Daoist, do you also possess a Soul Stone?”
The one approaching was Han Li, who had finally made up his mind. Silently, he flipped his palm, revealing an emerald-green crystal—this one the size of an egg, emitting a chilling aura far more potent than the one Master Tianjing had shown.
Master Tianjing was first startled, then overjoyed, though he kept his composure. “Fellow Daoist, such a large Soul Stone is truly rare. How about this—you may choose two puppets from my collection. I won’t shortchange you.”
“Two?” Han Li chuckled and shook his head.
“Oh? You find that insufficient? How many do you propose?” Master Tianjing asked amiably.
“I propose this Soul Stone in exchange for all the remaining puppets,” Han Li said calmly.
“All six? Don’t you think that’s rather greedy?” The old Daoist frowned, displeased.
“*Heh*, whether it’s greedy or not, you know best. The value of a Soul Stone isn’t determined by size alone. And for someone like you, such a large one must be…” Han Li trailed off, locking eyes with Master Tianjing.
Master Tianjing’s expression shifted slightly. After scrutinizing Han Li for a moment, he sighed. “Very well. Such a large Soul Stone is indeed rare, and I am in urgent need of it. Let’s proceed as you suggest.”
The other cultivators in the pavilion exchanged surprised glances, eyeing the egg-sized crystal in Han Li’s hand with newfound interest. Anything valuable enough to trade for multiple rare puppets was worth noting.
Han Li remained composed, handing over the crystal without hesitation. With a flick of his sleeve, the six puppet beasts vanished from the table.
Unnoticed by the others, Han Li’s lips moved slightly as he bowed his head. Master Tianjing’s eyes flashed with a mix of shock and suspicion, but Han Li had already returned to his seat with the puppets.
Master Tianjing then declared the exchange concluded, and the cultivators began dispersing. Han Li and his two companions blended into the crowd as they left the Crystal Dragon Pavilion.
No words were exchanged until they were a few streets away. Then, the Fire Dragon Child spoke in his aged voice, “Fellow Daoists, I have another appointment and must take my leave.”
“Brother Lan, if you have matters to attend to, please don’t let us delay you. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet again,” Lü Luo said with a smile.
“Very well. Farewell!” The Fire Dragon Child nodded to Han Li and strode off down another street.
“That Fire Dragon Child is quite a character,” Han Li remarked, watching the diminutive figure depart.
“Brother Lan has remained in child form since mistakenly consuming a rare herb in his youth. But he’s forthright and sincere—one of the few outsiders we can call friends. He’s also the only elder in the Ancient Sword Sect who treats our Falling Cloud Sect with goodwill.”
Han Li’s eyebrow twitched. *So the other elders of the Ancient Sword Sect aren’t so friendly?*
“By the way, Junior Brother Han, what are your plans now? Will you return to rest or explore further?” Lü Luo asked, glancing around.
“I need to procure some special materials. I’ll visit a few nearby markets—perhaps I’ll stumble upon something useful,” Han Li replied honestly.
“Perfect timing. I also need to consign an item to the auction house. Shall we part ways here?” Lü Luo took the hint and agreed readily.
Thus, Han Li and Lü Luo went their separate ways.
The markets of Tiantian City were vast—far larger than those of the Three Sects of Yunmeng Mountain. Han Li strolled through the western district, scrutinizing the shops lining the streets.
His claim about purchasing materials wasn’t a lie. He intended to gather rare ingredients for crafting high-grade talismans.
Though he still possessed many spirit beast hides and blood from his past, crafting high-grade talisman paper and cinnabar required additional materials. This was in preparation for the Spirit Subduing Talisman he had long coveted—a talisman of extraordinary power that could save his life in dire circumstances.
However, the Spirit Subduing Talisman was notoriously complex, far surpassing ordinary elemental talismans. To improve his chances of success, he needed not only to refine his talisman-crafting skills but also to acquire a superior talisman brush. His current one was long overdue for replacement.
While materials were easy to find, a satisfactory talisman brush proved elusive. The first two markets had offered a few, including some rare top-grade brushes, but none met his standards. They might suffice for ordinary high-grade talismans but fell short for something as intricate as the Spirit Subduing Talisman.
Talisman brushes, as specialized spiritual tools, were uncommon, with most being low or mid-grade. For talisman crafters, using a high-grade brush without sufficient spiritual power could backfire, increasing failure rates.
Most talisman crafters, distracted by their art, had modest cultivation levels—often lingering below the Foundation Establishment stage. Core Formation talisman crafters were rare in the entire South Heaven cultivation world, and as for Nascent Soul talisman crafters? None existed to Han Li’s knowledge. Most Nascent Soul elders merely dabbled in talisman crafting, focusing on one or two useful high-grade talismans. But with high-grade spirit beast materials scarce, practice was limited, and success rates suffered.
This scarcity explained why high-grade talismans sometimes fetched higher prices than top-grade magical artifacts—a peculiar phenomenon in the cultivation world.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage