bookbashuk Chapter 13 Each Other's Goals
Chapter 13 Each Other's Goals
Several days later, in a secluded and elegant room by the lake at Zuixianlou.
Outside the window, the wind howled, but inside, the charcoal fire burned warmly, and wisps of purple smoke rose, filling the air with a fragrant aroma.
Su Wanqing, Li Qingshan, Liu Xiaoying, Wang Ergou, and Yang Changsheng sat around a table with several delicate side dishes and a pot of ordinary spirit wine.
The group agreed to take turns contributing funds each year, and this was the first formal gathering of the "Immortal Path Mutual Aid Association." It was not a grand event and was quite simple.
The atmosphere was different from when we said goodbye to Old Zhao; there was less sadness and more scrutiny and subtle calculation.
Unlike when they first entered the path of immortality more than three years ago, when they were very green and inexperienced, everyone is more mature and has a broader vision than before.
Su Wanqing was still wearing an elegant white dress, her figure was slender, her delicate oval face was fair, her eyebrows were dark and her eyes were almond-shaped, her black hair reached her waist and was as smooth as silk.
After more than half a year of cultivation, his Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation has improved, and his temperament has become more ethereal, like a true fairy.
She spoke first, her voice clear, melodious, and magnetic: "Fellow Daoists, we have gathered here today for two reasons: first, to fulfill our previous agreement to help each other, and second, to exchange information and discuss our plans for the fishing moratorium."
"I am not very talented, but in my spare time I have recently been studying the 'Illustrated Compendium of Herbs' and have gained some knowledge about the properties of a few auxiliary herbs. If any of you have a need to cultivate or collect low-grade herbs, we may be able to discuss it further."
Her words were humble, yet they subtly pointed out the direction of her accumulation in alchemy. Her black gem-like eyes swept over the crowd, carrying a hint of barely perceptible expectation.
Among the various arts of cultivating immortality, alchemy holds the most esteemed position. As long as one can master it, it is a way to make money. Although one has only just begun to learn it, it is clear that one has good talent.
As long as you can successfully become an apprentice, you will have a smooth path ahead.
As for self-taught skills, aside from the difficulty of acquiring inherited techniques, the preparations needed just for practice alone would require fifty or sixty spirit stones, equivalent to more than ten years' output for an average intermediate-level fisherman.
A rogue cultivator without a background simply cannot afford it; a single trial and error to test one's talent is enough to bankrupt them.
Li Qingshan laughed heartily, picked up his spirit tea, and said, "Senior Sister Wanqing is dabbling in alchemy, and her future is promising. I am but a humble brother, though my family has some influence in the market. If any of you need to purchase some talismans or magical artifacts, or seek information, I may be able to make some connections for you."
His words carried the confidence of a scion of a prominent family, and the jade pendant at his waist gleamed warmly.
Even a small family has a far better environment for growth than a rogue cultivator. However, due to fierce competition for internal resources, they need to seek opportunities outside and demonstrate their personal abilities.
After a pause, Li Qingshan looked at Liu Xiaoying on the other side and said with a smile, "Junior Sister Xiaoying, I heard that your father has made further progress in the art of talismanic arts?"
Liu Xiaoying smiled, her bright and charming face radiating youthful energy, and said, "My father has indeed created several new high-quality first-tier mid-grade talismans... Their power is quite good. If Senior Brother Qingshan needs them, I can inquire about them on his behalf."
Everyone nodded, their faces showing envy. A mid-grade first-level talisman master is a genuine craftsman, and can earn a lot of spirit stones every month by refining ordinary talismans.
Not to mention the most powerful premium ones, a single one can sell for several spirit stones, and the supply still can't keep up with demand. The speed at which they earn resources is far beyond what even advanced fishermen and farmers can match.
"Then thank you very much, Junior Sister Xiaoying," Li Qingshan said with a smile.
The market price for talismans is 80%, but shops sell them for over 100%. If you buy directly from someone you know, you can save a lot of spirit stones by eliminating the middleman.
Having such a connection alone can grant one a significant position within the family.
Liu Xiaoying's eyes sparkled, and she parted her red lips slightly, saying, "As for myself... I plan to work from home during the fishing moratorium to refine my skills in drawing 'Concealing Breath Talismans.' If I can consistently succeed, I might have the opportunity to become a formal talisman master, which would be a valuable skill."
As she spoke, her bright, expressive eyes inadvertently drifted towards Yang Changsheng, a hint of shyness on her face.
During her time as a beginner, this slightly older boy of the same age left a very good impression on her. He was not only calm and composed, but also had a tenacity far beyond that of ordinary people, and was never stingy in offering help.
Several times, when I clumsily caused trouble, the other party cleaned up the mess and took the blame, thus avoiding being scolded myself.
If she were to find a Daoist partner in the future, she would definitely prioritize Yang Changsheng, who is tall, handsome, and somewhat elegant.
The atmosphere in the private room grew even more lively. The young girl already had a talisman master father and possessed talent, so the Immortal Path Mutual Aid Association gained another fellow practitioner with great potential.
Then, everyone's attention naturally fell on the remaining two.
Wang Ergou kept rubbing his hands nervously, his dark face looking even more honest in the glow of the charcoal fire. Now, being watched by everyone, he was so nervous that sweat beaded on his forehead.
He opened his mouth, his voice a little dry: "I... I don't have any skills, just a lot of stupid strength. The annual output of crystal shrimp is just above the standard. Recently, I also took on a job in Liujia Luogang Town, planning to grow spirit rice and learn another skill."
"And the pay for the short-term job... the pay is alright, enough... enough for me to buy a few packets of cheap Qi-gathering powder and see if I can break through to the second level of Qi Refining."
His voice trailed off as he spoke, and his head drooped slightly, revealing a deep sense of inferiority.
Of the three, one has extensive connections and is a scion of a small family of cultivators; another has the potential to become an alchemist; and the third has the potential to become a talisman master. Each of them is extraordinary.
In comparison, he is completely unsuitable here, even superfluous.
The boy, who came from a farming family, hardly dared to look at Su Wanqing and Li Qingshan. He felt that his meager skills and potential resources were not worth mentioning, and it would be shameful to even mention them.
Perhaps this is the last time I'll sit at a table with a few people and talk to them; after this, I won't even see their backs anymore.
"I might be a burden to everyone, so maybe I should withdraw from this Immortal Affinity Mutual Aid Association..." Wang Ergou said in a low voice, his tone full of bitterness and helplessness.
Yang Changsheng saw Wang Ergou's predicament. This man, who came from a mortal village, only had a low-grade spiritual root and barely managed to establish himself in Biyue Lake by relying on his honesty, diligence, and physical strength.
Already living at the very bottom of society, the invisible pressure he felt when faced with Su Wanqing's ambition in alchemy, Li Qingshan's family background, and Liu Xiaoying's family tradition of talisman masters almost made him breathless.
Yang Changsheng picked up his teacup, took a sip of the warm spiritual tea, and calmly continued the conversation, saying in a deep voice, "Ergou, you're too modest. You work hard and earn spirit stones through your own abilities, honestly and fairly. How can you say you're a burden?"
"Moreover, I also took on a job in Luogang Town, planning to plant those five acres of jade crystal rice. It's just physical labor, but it's stable. If a spiritual plant grower does a good job, he can achieve even greater things, with even higher potential than fishermen and farmers."
He spoke calmly, placing himself in the position of earning a living through physical labor, without mentioning that he was about to become an intermediate-level fisherman, thus relieving some of the pressure on Wang Ergou.