In the city market,
Lin Chang'an finished tidying up and moved into the residence arranged by the Zhou family.
Compared to his previous lodging, this was an entire courtyard.
It had a small garden, and the environment was truly beautiful; the living conditions were far better than before.
[Golden Light Talisman +5 (Proficiency 18/1000)]
Inside the room, Lin Chang'an looked at the Zhou family's handbook on first-grade medium-quality Golden Light Talismans, and a prompt echoed in his mind, yet his expression turned thoughtful.
Because in the lifespan section, he seemed to have discovered an important issue.
[Lifespan: 40/98]
"Although I can now earn spirit stones, and my cultivation has even broken through to mid-stage Qi Refining, it seems there's still one thing that hasn't changed."
Before the "golden finger" appeared, I only had a lifespan of about a hundred years; now with the golden finger, I still have about a hundred years. So what good is it?
At this thought, Lin Chang'an's previously good mood vanished. Perhaps it was the recent reunion that stirred him, seeing others already preparing for Foundation Establishment.
The main issue was awakening too late. Had it been twenty years earlier, he probably would have already started preparing for Foundation Establishment by now. Instead, at his current age, he was worrying about his remaining lifespan.
"Foundation Establishment cultivators start with a lifespan of two hundred years!"
"Relying on the talent I've awakened, it's not unreasonable to aim higher."
Although the golden finger hadn't granted him immortality, it had given him unlimited opportunities.
The more Lin Chang'an thought about it, the more motivated he became.
"After sixty years old, the chances of breaking through Foundation Establishment only get smaller. I have twenty years left. First, I'll set a small goal: break through to Qi Refining Stage Seven within ten years."
"If I can't break through by sixty, then while I still have a few decades left, I must enjoy life. Otherwise, what was the point of coming here?"
With a clear goal, Lin Chang'an's enthusiasm surged. He put down the handbook and moved to the talisman crafting table prepared earlier.
Taking a deep breath and focusing, Lin Chang'an didn't close his eyes like other talisman masters but confidently picked up his talisman brush and dipped it into the cinnabar.
Swish swish!
The brush tip danced across the talisman paper with fluid, flowing strokes.
Pfft!
A thick plume of smoke rose, causing Lin Chang'an to cough harshly. It was clear—his very first first-grade medium-quality talisman had failed.
"Try again!"
Unlike other talisman masters who needed time to reset after failure, his innate talent allowed him to start immediately without hesitation.
Lin Chang'an showed no discouragement. Instead, fully focused, he picked up the brush and began drawing again.
Medium-quality Golden Light Talismans demanded not only more materials and magical power but also were far more complex and intricate, a difficulty leap incomparable to the earlier simple low-grade talismans.
Swish swish!
One by one, talisman papers emitted wisps of white smoke. Finally, on the sixth try, a golden light flickered.
"Success!"
Grinning broadly, Lin Chang'an gazed at his first ever first-grade medium-quality Golden Light Talisman and couldn't help but laugh.
"I never thought I'd actually create a first-grade medium-quality talisman."
Half a year ago, he was a disheartened Qi Refining Stage Three cultivator, preparing to return to the mundane world for the rest of his life.
But in less than half a year, not only had his cultivation reached Qi Refining Stage Four, he could now craft first-grade medium-quality talismans.
"A first-grade medium-quality talisman—defensive type at that—is worth four spirit stones outside."
From one spirit stone to four, he had achieved another qualitative leap.
In the days that followed, Lin Chang'an returned to a quiet home life.
In the eyes of the Zhou family, he was a somewhat talented talisman master who had quickly mastered the craft, producing his first medium-quality talisman within two months.
Starting from the third month, Lin Chang'an began teaching the four apprentices assigned by the Zhou family.
At the Wang family estate,
Inside a secret chamber, numerous iron cages confined several howling young demon beasts. Among them, two snarled viciously, baring their teeth.
"Elder Patriarch, we've captured a total of thirty-eight black wind wolf demon cubs, two of which carry the bloodline of a second-grade Wolf King demon beast."
In the dim chamber, hearing the report, the Wang family's Foundation Establishment elder smiled with satisfaction and nodded.
"Good, very good. This time, we will surely deal a heavy blow to the beast-taming Zhou family."
Following behind was a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator of the Wang family, who winced at this.
"Elder Patriarch, should we discard those two second-grade bloodline demon beasts as well?"
It wasn't stinginess. These second-grade demon beasts, once fully grown, could rival Foundation Establishment cultivators.
But the elder snorted coldly.
"Demon beasts! Let alone the difficulty of raising them, just consider the time and resources spent on raising one beast. Wouldn't it be better invested in our clan's descendants?"
"Our Wang family population thrives; we are not like the Zhou family, who live among beasts."
"Yes, yes," the late-stage Qi Refining cultivator bowed.
"Be careful."
The elder's greedy smile deepened as he looked at the cages.
"While the city market is in chaos, release these wolf cubs on the black market. Zhou family will definitely seize this opportunity. Then, we'll spread rumors to bolster our momentum."
"Let all cultivators know one thing: the beast-taming Zhou family has obtained two second-grade demon beast cubs."
The Wang family cultivator standing beside him showed a sinister smile upon hearing this.
"Elder, rest assured. I personally led the team to capture the wolf cubs. We left behind Zhou family disciples' clothing and talismans' scent, even fragments of the Zhou family's clan spirit beast—the Blackwater Turtle's armor. Those beasts must have gone mad."
"When these demon beasts attack the city market, Zhou family will have to wear that blame, whether they want it or not!"
Upon hearing the mention of the Blackwater Turtle, the elder's eyes flashed with hatred.
"Twenty years ago, it was because of that beast that this city market did not fall to our Wang family. This time, we will take down the Zhou family!"
Twenty years ago, the Wang and Zhou families had conflicts over city market resources. Thanks to the Blackwater Turtle, the Zhou family avoided defeat but still suffered a heavy blow.
It was also because of this that Li Erniu had the chance to marry into the Zhou family.
In the Yunwu Mountains, a chilling series of wolf howls echoed through a valley.
Under the moonlight, several wolf dens had been emptied, with signs of fierce battles between cultivators and demon beasts.
The scene was horrific—dismembered wolf cubs and mother wolves scattered everywhere, suggesting brutal revenge.
Pairs of oily green eyes filled with human-like rage appeared. Above the valley, two black wind wolf demon beasts radiated terrifying aura.
They stared fixedly in the direction of Qingzhu Mountain city market, then howled to the moon.
The wolf howls caused stones in the valley to tumble and roll. Hundreds of miles away, countless demon beasts seemed to sense something and panicked in fright.
Meanwhile, inside the valley, more intense howls rose.
Under the cover of night, led by the wolf king, a dense pack of black shadows rushed out of the valley—not toward Qingzhu Mountain city market, but deep into the Yunwu Mountains.
The leading wolf king glanced back at the city market with penetrating, human-like eyes filled with unforgettable hatred.
As the pack vanished, the valley returned to terrifying silence.
But on the edge of the valley, a large tree slowly revealed a figure.
"What a terrifying aura. This wolf king's power is probably late second-grade, and there's also an early second-grade demon beast with it."
The figure smiled wickedly as they watched the wolves disappear.
"A bunch of beasts. Now, obediently go into the mountains to drive out the demon beasts. Soon, Qingzhu Mountain city market will relive the carnage of the demon beast attack from fifteen years ago."
With a hoarse laugh, the figure recalled the horror of the attack fifteen years ago, their eyes still showing traces of fear.
"But this time is different. The anger of all the cultivators in the city market will be directed at the Zhou family."
The figure's cold smile deepened as they tossed out a flying boat and disappeared into the night.
Black wind wolf demon beasts are not only vengeful but also highly intelligent.
When facing the human city market, they did not blindly take revenge but, as the Wang family predicted, retreated into the mountains to drive out countless demon beasts, causing chaos in the market.