I was the fish on the chopping block.
Lü Zhong recalled the terms Xingwu Pavilion had offered, and a wave of depression washed over him.
This "ten percent premium" they mentioned—how was it even calculated?
Xingwu Pavilion held all the rights to interpret the terms. The conditions might have seemed generous on the surface, but in reality, they were full of hidden pitfalls.
KNOCK... KNOCK KNOCK!
Just then, another knock came from the door.
Lü Zhong looked up and saw an unfamiliar middle-aged male cultivator.
The man wasn't bad-looking, but he had the slight paunch of middle age, giving him a somewhat greasy appearance.
Seeing Lü Zhong, he shook the water from his oil-paper umbrella, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Lü, may I come in for a chat?"
"What is it? Come in," Lü Zhong said.
"My name is Chen Shaoyan. Like you, I'm also a Talisman Maker."
The man had just sat down when he stated his purpose, following it with a heavy sigh. "Sigh... All the Talisman Paper produced in Qingliu Square is now controlled by the three Great Commerce Associations. If we want to get any Talisman Paper, we have to agree to their terms. Who knows how much profit we Talisman Makers will lose because of this! I came to visit you today, Fellow Daoist Lü, to invite you to join our Talisman Maker Mutual Aid Association. That way, we can all band together for warmth."
"And this Mutual Aid Association... what are its rules?" Lü Zhong hesitated, not agreeing immediately.
"You don't have to worry about that, Fellow Daoist. We are a simple mutual aid association with no strings attached. It was founded to help us all band together and fight for more benefits for Talisman Makers. There are no conditions for joining or leaving!" Chen Shaoyan promised, patting his chest.
As if sensing Lü Zhong's apprehension, he explained everything again in detail.
Once he felt he had no more questions, Lü Zhong finally nodded and said, "Alright, I'll join then!"
Hearing that Lü Zhong was willing to join, a smile finally appeared on Chen Shaoyan's face.
"Great, it's settled then!"
"Oh, right. In half a month, remember to gather at Dihua Continent. The Mutual Aid Association will be holding its first meeting there." Chen Shaoyan suddenly stopped before leaving and added this reminder.
Lü Zhong saw Chen Shaoyan out, closed the courtyard gate, and turned back to the reception room.
Thinking it over, he suddenly felt a twinge of regret about joining the Mutual Aid Association.
But when he thought about the terms offered by Xingwu Pavilion, his regret vanished without a trace, steeling his resolve to join.
...
「That evening.」
Lü Zhong made a trip to Xingwu Pavilion and sold a small portion of the talismans he had made.
He then used the three Spirit Stones he had just earned to buy a ream of Talisman Paper, a small jar of fresh Pig Blood Talisman Ink, and eight catties of Cyan Rice Spirit Rice.
"Sigh, prices have gone up again!"
Lü Zhong clearly remembered that the same small jar of Talisman Ink used to cost only fifty talismanic coins.
It was the same for the Cyan Rice Spirit Rice. One Spirit Stone could now only buy eight catties, whereas before it had always been ten.
This was the consequence of the Great Commerce Associations monopolizing the market.
In their quest to squeeze out every last Spirit Stone, these Commerce Associations had even persuaded the Law Enforcement Team to ban street stalls, citing them as a public nuisance. They only left a designated stall area in a corner of Qingliu Market—in name only.
It was "in name only" because the so-called stall area was still just a pile of ruins.
'I've heard that in Yanling Mountain Market, there aren't any Commerce Associations that bully and dominate the market like this. The trade is relatively fair, too. It would be great if I could move to Yanling Mountain.' The thought of going to Yanling Mountain Market surfaced in Lü Zhong's mind once again.
However, the journey to Yanling Mountain Market was nearly a thousand li of mountain roads, a path fraught with danger.
Whether it was wandering Demon Beasts or Evil Cultivators who made a living by robbing travelers, he could not afford to provoke any of them.
'I heard before that some merchant caravans are willing to escort people to Yanling Mountain for a fee. I should look into that and find a reliable one. It would be good to have it as a backup plan.' Lü Zhong made a mental note of this idea, then started a fire to cook his meal.
「Night fell.」
After restoring his Spiritual Power by meditating and circulating his energy, Lü Zhong resumed practicing his Breath Concealing Skill.
Not long ago, with the help of the Gray Mist Space, he had finally managed to master all the spells and had become proficient enough in manipulating his Spiritual Power. He figured that with a bit more practice, he would soon learn this Magic Skill.
...
「Two hours later.」
"...Hah!"
As Lü Zhong uttered the final word of the spell, his entire aura diminished until it was barely perceptible.
Observing himself with the Qi Observation Skill, he saw that he had almost no Spiritual Qi, making him look just like a mortal.
This was the effect of the Breath Concealing Skill—it could suppress the caster's aura.
'Whew, I've finally mastered it!'
Lü Zhong was thrilled. He had spent a great deal of time practicing this Magic Skill.
Through subsequent experiments, he came to fully understand the effects of the Breath Concealing Skill.
Once cast, unless actively dispelled or broken, the Spiritual Power required to maintain its effect was even less than that needed for the Qi Observation Skill using casting techniques, making it a Magic Skill that could be used for extended periods.
For cultivators who wished to hide their identity, the Breath Concealing Skill was extremely useful.
'Hmm, maybe I can use this to hide my identity and pay a visit to the Ghost Market.' An idea suddenly popped into Lü Zhong's head.
The so-called Ghost Market was, in fact, a secret trade meet held at regular intervals.
It had existed for a long time, since back when Qingliu Square was still just a Ruins Market.
Its location was usually not fixed, which had a lot to do with the goods sold there. Most items were of questionable origin, or were stolen goods stained with blood, impossible to sell through normal channels.
Lü Zhong's idea was simple: hide his identity, attend the Ghost Market, and sell the Qingyang Jade Profound Technique he had acquired earlier. He estimated he could get at least thirty or forty Spirit Stones for it.
If he did that, he would have a lot more money on hand.
He also wouldn't have to sell his finished talismans at a loss; he could hoard them and wait for the market to improve.
He might even be able to buy an offensive Magic Skill.
...
「In the blink of an eye, another half a month went by.」
After reaching the introductory level with the Breath Concealing Skill, Lü Zhong used the Gray Mist Space to replay his memories and constantly correct his mistakes. He had now more or less mastered this Magic Skill. Not only was his casting success rate over ninety-five percent, but he could also control the strength of the skill's effect at will.
Whether it was disguising his aura as a Qi Refining First Layer cultivator or suppressing it to appear like a mortal, he could do both with ease.
At this point, his practice of the Breath Concealing Skill could finally come to an end.
Taking out a gray robe, Lü Zhong tried it on and found it was very loose, perfect for concealing his figure.
Remembering that the Ghost Market was opening tonight, he figured this robe would be perfect for the occasion. He was confident that between the robe and the effect of the Breath Concealing Skill, he could completely hide his identity.
When night fell, Lü Zhong took his Identity Token and left the Workshop Market.
He first headed north for a while, and only after confirming he wasn't being followed did he turn and walk west.
The whole time, he nervously clutched a Fireball Talisman, terrified of running into an Evil Cultivator waiting to rob someone on the road.
But soon, Lü Zhong realized his caution was unnecessary. At that moment, many other cultivators who had also come from the Workshop Market were walking along the road in groups of three and five. Even Evil Cultivators probably wouldn't dare to stage a robbery at a time like this.
Judging by the direction they were heading, it was clear they were also going to the Ghost Market.