Chapter 12: Steadiness and Prudence Are Not Cowardice

The jade had already developed a patina!

Steward Weng was indeed honest with me.

After drinking the spirit stone decoction, the fake smile that plagued Steward Wang vanished instantly.

Shen Lian immediately felt that Wang’s smile was much more sincere.

Please call him Shen, the Old Physician Lian.

“I am Shen Lian, sent by Steward Weng of the Treasure Pavilion,” he said with a smile, only after seeing Wang Yang pocket the spirit stones. “I’m here seeking to rent lodgings in the central district of the market.”

“So you’re Fellow Daoist Shen—please, have a seat.”

Only then did Wang Yang take a proper look at Shen Lian.

Recommended by an acquaintance and generous in spending—clearly a like-minded friend.

Two strangers became instant comrades.

“Since you’re a friend of Steward Weng, you’re a friend of mine as well. I won’t hold anything back.

Recently, the number of itinerant cultivators in the market has increased, and the lodgings are in short supply.

Every day, countless cultivators come to the Administrative Hall seeking accommodations.

If it were anyone else asking, I’d say there’s nothing available.”

Wang Yang piled his merchant’s smile back onto his face.

The houses in the market were meant to be rented out anyway.

Whoever rents them—it makes no difference.

Besides, he’s sensible—offering spirit stones right off the bat.

Of course, some difficulties must be mentioned.

Ten spirit stones should yield real value.

Shen Lian nodded, waiting for Wang’s next words.

He understood that what had just been said was bought for ten spirit stones—the kind of words you listen to and then disregard.

Just as he earned spirit stones by crafting talismans, Steward Wang made his living from his seat.

Truly, living off wherever one sits.

If not for those ten spirit stones, today’s business might not have gone smoothly.

This is the way of the world—each has their own path.

“The elders of the sect care greatly for the cultivators’ living conditions.

The elders of the Administrative Hall have ordered a thorough cleaning of the market residences, sorting out the vacant lodgings.

At that time, a batch of free lodgings will be cleared, and one will surely be reserved for Fellow Daoist Shen.”

“Thank you, Steward Wang,” Shen Lian said, timely offering a word of flattery.

“The central district is all small courtyards.

Each courtyard has a two-story pavilion, a small yard, some already cultivated into spiritual fields for growing simple spiritual herbs.

You may choose to rent the entire courtyard,

Or share it with others.”

“Share,” Shen Lian said.

He had no intention of renting an entire courtyard.

Not that he lacked funds, but even if he had enough spirit stones, it would draw too much attention for a fourth-tier Qi Refining cultivator like him.

Sharing with others, blending into the crowd, was the best way to stay hidden.

Later, he could set up an array in his room.

As for the yard, he didn’t plan to grow anything—no use for it.

When he reached the late Qi Refining stage, or became a first-tier superior-grade talisman master, it wouldn’t be too late to rent a whole courtyard.

By then, perhaps he would have left Yunmeng Market entirely.

Shared lodgings were common in the market.

Some cultivators banded together—seven or eight at a time—to rent an entire floor.

It was not only safe but fostered camaraderie.

“The rent for a whole courtyard ranges from eighty to a hundred spirit stones per month.

The price depends on proximity to the spirit gathering array.”

Shen Lian thought it was outrageously expensive.

Even sharing, it cost at least forty spirit stones per month.

Cultivating immortality was truly no easy path.

He almost wished he could just find a mountain outside and dig his own cave.

Be lord of the house in life, and have a tomb in death.

“The exact timing depends on the sect’s orders. But since we’re friends, barring any surprises, a house token will end up in your hands.”

Hearing “barring any surprises,” Shen Lian paused.

Had he not given enough spirit stones?

Surely not so greedy.

In the end, Wang Yang handed him a small wooden token as proof.

It was made from a common tree of the wilderness, without the slightest hint of spiritual energy, marked only by a few fingerprints.

Even if caught, no one could say such an ordinary wooden token had any use.

Clearly, Steward Wang had carved out his own unique path in the business of distributing lodgings.

Standing outside the Administrative Hall, Shen Lian looked toward the street.

The shadow that had been tailing him at the gate was gone.

He drew a deep breath and hurried toward the street’s edge.

At the gate, he took an inferior grade flying talisman from his storage pouch and slapped it onto himself.

He didn’t use the tunneling talisman—not out of fear of drawing attention, but because tunneling risked landing in someone else’s home.

With the flying talisman, his speed shot up, and he dashed toward Blackrock Lane.

“Follow him!”

Outside the commercial street, two figures sprang out from opposite directions.

“At least two people.”

As he fled, Shen Lian surveyed his surroundings.

Besides the man who had been tailing him, there was also an older cultivator.

After a moment, Shen Lian added another flying talisman, boosting his speed again.

Leaving the central district, the streets grew emptier, and his pursuers were more obvious.

Now Shen Lian could confirm he had become their target.

Two men in total.

With the flying talismans speeding him up, the two lagged behind, but kept him clearly in sight.

At the corners, they hurried after him, afraid of losing him.

This meant neither had developed divine sense.

A second confirmation—they were mid-tier Qi Refining cultivators.

As he neared his residence in Blackrock Lane, a tunneling talisman appeared in his hand.

If he activated it, he could vanish from their sight and return home instantly.

But he hesitated and did not trigger the talisman.

These men had targeted him twice. If he escaped again, they would only come back.

No sense living always on guard against thieves.

He hadn’t noticed anything odd on previous trips to the Treasure Pavilion, and didn’t know if his address had been discovered.

As for moving to a new cave,

What if these men kept watch on the commercial street?

He couldn’t simply stop selling talismans.

Though cautious and steady, he was not timid.

Shen Lian snorted coldly to himself, put away the tunneling talisman, and dashed into his lodgings.

It was still daytime, and the Law Enforcement squad from the Azurewater Sect patrolled intermittently, so the two did not dare make a move.

Inside, Shen Lian first activated a tunneling talisman and vanished into a residence ahead on the street.

Then, he spread out talisman paper and spiritual ink, and began drawing talismans.

Though only a first-tier inferior-grade talisman master, his inheritance included hundreds of rare talismans little seen in the cultivation world.

Moreover, he had inherited methods for combining talismans, which could unleash several times, even more than tenfold, destructive power.

After some thought, Shen Lian had a plan.

...

“Uncle, that’s the one.”

At the corner of Blackrock Lane, Lin Xiang leaned against the house and pointed at Shen Lian’s residence.

Lin Yunshan studied Shen Lian’s lodgings, a cold glint in his eyes.

“Are you sure you saw him hand a stack of talismans to the Treasure Pavilion steward?”

“I saw it clearly, Uncle—a stack this thick. Even if they were all first-tier inferior-grade talismans, they’d be worth two or three hundred spirit stones. No wonder he can afford Yellow Sprout Pills.”

Lin Xiang gestured with his hands, emphasizing the size.

“A talisman master—hard to deal with.”

Though he said so, Lin Yunshan’s gaze stayed fixed on Shen Lian’s residence, unwilling to look away.