darknovel Chapter 94 Talisman Price Increase
Chapter 94 Talisman Price Increase
There is a Talisman Society in Yunxia City, which was founded by Bai Shui Dao Ren, the first disciple of Shen Lian, a half-step second-level talisman master.
Daoist Baishui was a first-tier high-grade talisman master with a cultivation level as high as the eighth level of Qi Refining. His cave dwelling was the most luxurious among the Qi Refining cultivators of West Mountain, and it was renowned throughout the entire Cloud Mist City.
At this moment, inside the White Water Cave, the cultivators were seated in their respective positions, with the White Water Daoist in a red robe and bright eyes sitting in front of the platform.
"It is an honor for me, Bai Shui, to have all the cultivators gathered at my residence. Therefore, I will not keep you in suspense any longer. This meeting is to discuss the matter of raising the price of talismans."
Bai Shui's eyes flashed as he looked at the many talisman cultivators and spoke.
"Is this the Taoist's own idea, or Master Shen's?"
A monk asked.
"This is my intention, and it is also Mr. Shen's intention."
Bai Shui said.
As soon as he finished speaking, the cultivators exchanged glances.
We have been fighting against the evil sect for five or six years now.
Under the control of the Great Yun Kingdom, cultivators are required to pay a demon-slaying tax every month, and lower-level cultivators are even required to pay a blood tax.
As talisman masters, they had families to support, unlike Lu Qingyun who was all alone and whose monthly income was taken away by the Great Yun Kingdom by seventy or eighty percent.
The price increase Bai Shui mentioned refers not only to the price the Great Yun Kingdom pays for talismans when collecting exorcism taxes each month.
This also refers to the prices that talisman masters charge when selling talismans to independent practitioners.
The price increase is indeed a good thing for talisman masters.
But this price increase...
Will the Great Yun Kingdom agree? Will the Niu family agree? Will the Yunxia Sect agree?
Some cultivators asked themselves this question, and their hearts pounded with unease.
They feared the pursuit of the Great Yun Kingdom, the investigation by the Niu family, and even more so, the purge by the Yunxia Sect.
However, out of respect for Daoist Baishui, no one dared to speak out.
The cultivators looked at each other.
Those who were bolder, however, thought that Bai Shui must have his own reasons for saying he would raise prices.
The cave fell silent.
After a long while, a voice rang out.
"But what if the higher sect investigates?"
An elderly talisman cultivator said nervously.
He was a mid-grade talisman master, but his eyesight was failing him all his life. He couldn't choose the right side or follow the right people, and his talent was extremely poor. He only managed to cultivate to the fourth level of Qi Refining in his old age, becoming a mid-grade talisman master.
Upon hearing Bai Shui Dao Ren's words, he felt fear and unease, afraid that the Demon Exorcism Guard would come after him at any moment, which is why he hurriedly asked the question.
"Could this fellow Daoist be a spy for the Demonic Sect?"
Bai Shui Dao Ren snorted coldly, and the title of "boss" was immediately bestowed upon him.
"Only by living better and acquiring more resources can we, the talisman masters, draw stable talismans for the Great Yun Kingdom. Now that the world is in turmoil, we have devoted ourselves to drawing talismans to resist the demons, which has given the Great Yun Kingdom a chance to breathe in the face of the demonic sect."
"Price increases are inevitable. Only in this way can a stable supply of talismans be guaranteed. The price of talisman materials is about to rise. If the price of talismans doesn't rise, won't we be forced to pay out of our own pockets and even go bankrupt?"
Before the old talisman master could say anything, the White Water Taoist waved his hand, ordering the young Taoist to throw him out.
"Fellow Daoist, your actions today are likely those of a spy from the Demonic Sect. Our Talisman Alliance is too small to accommodate someone as great as you. Please refrain from selling talismans in Cloud Mist City in the future, or our Alliance will surely pursue the matter!"
The cold voice of the Taoist priest Bai Shui rang out.
The elderly Fu Xiu immediately cried out anxiously, "I'm innocent! I truly raised this question for the sake of the righteous path... Please, Daoist, investigate thoroughly!"
Within Yunxia City, neither mid-grade nor high-grade talismans are allowed to be traded privately; permission from the Talisman Alliance is required for their sale.
Otherwise, the Demon Exorcism Guards, who have close ties with the Talisman Alliance, will soon come knocking and accuse the cultivators of privately selling talismans and colluding with the Demonic Sect.
The White Water Taoist's words were a way of cutting off his chance to sell talismans in Yunxia City and driving him out of the city.
Although the exploitation within Yunxia City was brutal, it was still relatively stable. Once he left Yunxia City, he would have to face the rampant plunderers and demonic sects outside the city. How could a mere fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator like him possibly cope with that?
Thinking of this, the old talisman master's face turned ashen, like the color of wax.
The White Water Taoist clearly didn't want to hear his explanation, and watched as the boy dragged him out.
The cultivators inside the manor kept their eyes down, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, exchanging glances as they considered the words spoken by Daoist Bai Shui.
"What the Taoist said makes sense."
"With the world in such turmoil, these talismans certainly deserve a price increase."
"If that's the case, the Taoist must have his own plans."
After a brief discussion, the cultivators finally made a decision.
Lu Qingyun, sitting at the end of the group, remained silent, watching the talisman cultivators discuss the matter.
Finally, the talisman cultivators reached a conclusion after discussion.
From then on, the price of mid-grade talismans all rose to forty spirit stones and up.
This is the result.
Daoist Baishui nodded in satisfaction. Most of the talisman shops in the city were under his control. With the price of talismans rising this time, he could make a fortune selling talisman materials, and he could also make a fortune selling talismans.
He's making a profit both inside and out, how could he not be happy?
Most of the talisman cultivators had already left, leaving only Lu Qingyun and a few mid-stage cultivators behind.
"Fellow Daoists, you are all newly promoted talisman cultivators in the city. Since you are new to Yunxia City, you may not know the rules and accidentally sold a few talismans. Fortunately, I discovered it early, so the Demon Extermination Guard did not label you as spies of the Demonic Sect."
"I have invited you all to this talisman gathering for two reasons: first, to let you see the power and influence of my Talisman Alliance; and second, to invite you to join the Talisman Alliance. By joining our alliance, you only need to pay two talismans at market price each month, but you will have the opportunity to witness the talismanic teachings passed down within the alliance."
"What are your thoughts?"
Bai Shui Dao Ren's gaze swept across Lu Qingyun and the others, his words containing both threats and inducements.
"It's all up to the Taoist priest's arrangement."
Lu Qingyun naturally did not refuse.
He had brokers sell talismans to lure the Talisman Alliance to his doorstep, all for the sake of the Talisman Alliance's talisman inheritance.
Although both the Purifying Light Talisman and the Obstacle Karma Talisman are high-grade talismans, they are not particularly precious or rare. They are rather obscure, and most talisman masters without profound knowledge of their craft are unfamiliar with them.
In the present-day Great Yun Kingdom, it's hard to find a talisman master with a more profound foundation than Shen Lian, a half-step second-tier talisman master.
If he cannot obtain the methods for drawing these two paths from the Talisman Alliance, then he will have no choice but to abandon the talisman path and seek other methods.
A few moments later, Lu Qingyun left the White Water Cave with satisfaction.
Although he would have to hand over two more talismans to Daoist Baishui afterward, he spent five hundred spirit stones to obtain the drawing methods for three high-grade talismans from Daoist Baishui.
One is the [Purifying Light Talisman], another is the [Karma-Blocking Talisman], and the last one is a killing talisman called the [Sword Light Talisman].
With these three talismans, he could attempt to purify the turbid energy within his body, try to break through to the half-step Foundation Establishment stage, and at the same time accumulate a trump card for his own use.
"However, this Taoist Bai Shui may not get a good result."
Looking at the pavilions and towers of Baishui Cave, adorned with jewels and precious stones, Lu Qingyun couldn't help but shake his head.
"Daoist Baishui doesn't understand Niu Gao. He thinks he can use Fu Xiu's current status to force the Niu family to make concessions, but I will always remember Niu Gao's cold and sharp eyes."
"They want to raise the price of talismans. Will Niu Gao agree? If something goes wrong, Niu Gao naturally won't harm Shen Lian, a half-step second-tier talisman master, but Bai Shui Dao Ren might not be so safe..."