Luo Yu was in a very good mood.
Although he had given up the chance to secure more potential clients, he knew this was the right move for now—he had to keep a low profile.
A tree that stands out in the forest is bound to be toppled by the wind.
More importantly, once his talismans were revealed, they would deal devastating blows to monsters—and inevitably draw attention from the Hero Association as well.
Under these circumstances, agreeing to cooperate exclusively with the Blizzard Group was a solid choice.
After all, the Blizzard Group was publicly recognized as the largest organization within the Hero Association. They had large numbers, unified ideology, and relatively consistent ways of handling matters.
They should be capable of keeping the origin of his talismans tightly sealed.
That said…
He still needed to squeeze out a bit more benefit.
"Miss Blizzard, your request does put me in a difficult position," Luo Yu said calmly.
"But if you're willing to agree to a few conditions of mine, I can guarantee full supply to the Blizzard Group for the next six months."
"And if our cooperation goes smoothly after that, I can even prioritize you for some more powerful items to further increase your group's strength."
By "items," he was referring to magical artifacts produced through Divine Machine Crafting.
Of course, he didn't have that yet—but there was nothing wrong with dangling a little bait.
Hearing this, Hellish Blizzard grew cautious.
Providing high-powered talismans was one thing—but artifacts that could directly enhance strength as well?
That sounded almost too good to be true.
As the leader of the Blizzard Group, she wasn't someone easily fooled. She scrutinized Luo Yu carefully before speaking.
"If your conditions aren't excessive, agreeing isn't a problem."
"But how can I be sure that everything you're saying is real?"
Luo Yu had never underestimated Blizzard.
While her obsession might seem laughable at times, she was widely regarded as someone with the makings of a true commander.
In terms of courage, judgment, and strategy, she far surpassed ordinary people.
"Whether it's real or not—you'll know once you see it."
"Let's find a clean place. I'll show you a talisman I personally make."
"Is that so?" Blizzard murmured softly, a hint of interest appearing on her face.
After a moment, she draped her white cloak back over her shoulders and turned around.
"How about the nearest hotel?"
"If that works for you, follow our convoy."
"Sure."
The journey was smooth and unobstructed.
After arriving at the hotel and freshening up, Luo Yu finally opened his system interface.
Host: Luo Yu
Age: 20
Lifespan: 69
Combat Power: 10,350 (Demon-level)
Abilities: Heavenly Talisman Codex
Currently Deducing:
– Eight Extraordinary Techniques (15%)
– Comprehensive Talisman Manual (0%)
Deduction Energy: 5,342
Along the way, Luo Yu hadn't been idle—he had asked the system countless questions.
For example:
Wolf-level monsters: 200+ combat powerTiger-level: 1,000+Demon-level: 5,000+Dragon-level: 60,000+God-level: 5,000,000+
The gap was staggering—especially God-level, which made Luo Yu salivate just thinking about it.
After covering the basics, he turned his attention to talisman creation.
In the end, he decided to deduce the Comprehensive Talisman Manual.
"System, complete the deduction of the Comprehensive Talisman Manual immediately."
Ding! Accelerating deduction…
Ding! 3,000 deduction energy consumed.
Deduction complete. Congratulations, Host—you have obtained the Comprehensive Talisman Manual!
In the blink of an eye, vast amounts of knowledge poured into Luo Yu's mind.
All kinds of strange and mysterious talismans multiplied in his memory.
More importantly, the intricate and detailed crafting processes came with them.
But just like with the Heavenly Talisman Codex, he already possessed a solid level of proficiency the moment he obtained it.
Creating talismans didn't feel particularly difficult at all.
After digesting the new knowledge, Luo Yu left his room and headed to the private dining room they had agreed on.
The moment he entered, many eyes turned toward him—several of them filled with doubt.
Luo Yu remained perfectly calm.
He glanced at the materials laid out on the table, considered them briefly, then picked up a brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and began writing rapidly on yellow talisman paper.
The symbols were complex and profound.
Yet his strokes flowed like dragons and tigers—decisive, fluid, without the slightest hesitation.
Just from the opening strokes alone, everyone's impression changed dramatically.
This doesn't look like a fraud. This guy actually knows what he's doing.
Soon, two talismans were completed.
Luo Yu handed them to Blizzard.
"They look impressive," she admitted, "but how are these used? Do you stick them on yourself, or throw them into the air? That's how onmyoji usually do it, right?"
Luo Yu's expression immediately turned serious.
"Don't compare me to those frauds."
"These are orthodox Daoist talismans."
"This one is called the Divine Speed Talisman."
"As the name implies—stick it on your leg, and it increases running speed."
"Increases speed?" Blizzard echoed in surprise.
She immediately handed the talisman to a subordinate named Mountain Ape.
"You test it. Go grab a few watermelons from the kitchen."
"Yes!"
Mountain Ape took the talisman, pressed it firmly onto his leg—
And in that instant, the paper flared with brilliant light.
His already-large eyes widened until they looked like bronze bells.
"Th-This feels amazing… I'm going!"
Whoosh—whoosh!
In just a few steps, he vanished, leaving behind nothing but afterimages.
A few breaths later, he returned—cradling two large watermelons in his arms.
"It's definitely much faster than before—about a thirty percent boost!"
The private room exploded with noise.
"Thirty percent?! That's Mountain Ape—wouldn't it be even higher for us?"
"If we stack multiple talismans, wouldn't we become absurdly fast?"
"This is eye-opening… I never thought this mystical stuff could actually work!"
Faces burned with embarrassment as their earlier doubts came rushing back.
But that didn't last long.
The benefits of befriending Luo Yu were simply too obvious.
Soon, the looks they gave him were filled with warmth—even eagerness.
As if grasping Luo Yu meant grasping a bright future.
And as the leader of the group, Blizzard was no slower than anyone else in seizing that future.
"I've seen your talismans. They're genuinely excellent," she said.
"Let's talk cooperation."
"State your conditions. As long as we can do it, we'll agree."
Her domineering aura from before was gone.
Her gaze had softened, as if she were looking at a priceless treasure.
Luo Yu knew he had her exactly where he wanted.
He didn't hold back.
"First, I need you to help me keep my talisman-making confidential. For certain reasons, I can't mass-produce them, so supply will be exclusive to you for now."
"Second, per my master's instructions, I need to accumulate merit."
"That means after you defeat monsters, I want them brought to me first—for proper 'transcendence.'"
"Lastly, all materials and funding for talismans and future artifacts will be covered by you."
"I'll also need a monthly salary of 200,000."
The conditions were actually very lenient.
Of course, there was nuance hidden inside them.
A craftsman always knows how to extract value during production—just like artifact refiners in cultivation novels.
The manufacturing costs were kept low deliberately.
He wanted the Blizzard Group to worry less about money and focus entirely on hunting monsters.
After all, strength was the only real foundation—everything else was fleeting.
Besides, Blizzard herself was ambitious (and had a known fondness for peaches).
With proper grooming, she might become an excellent long-term employee.
However, after hearing his terms, Blizzard looked utterly stunned.
"These conditions are… too simple."
"At this point, you might as well join the Blizzard Group. I could offer you far more."
Luo Yu shook his head.
"No need."
"As long as you can meet these conditions, it's enough."
"In the future, when my cultivation improves, these things will be shared with more people."
"After all, there are still many living in dire circumstances."
Blizzard felt conflicted.
To her, Luo Yu seemed like a rare kind of reclusive expert—detached from worldly desires, principled, and righteous.
She admired people like that.
But she had no intention of giving up on recruiting him.
Still, forcing things now would be counterproductive.
Better to take it slow.
"…Alright," she said at last.
"I agree."
"But if you ever want anything in the future, just say the word."
"Don't hold back with us."
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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