However, the refining of high-grade talismans demands higher requirements for materials.

High-grade talismans require premium talisman paper, high-grade spiritual ink, and must be paired with a middle-grade or above talisman pen to be successfully refined.

Of course, a low-grade talisman pen isn't impossible, but it demands very high skills from the Talisman Master.

To reach this step, one's Talisman Dao level must already be at Tier Two.

At this moment, Zhou Xun naturally falls short.

He then took out the Thousand Faces Mask, transforming into an old man with graying hair.

After crossing seven or eight streets, he arrived at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Such treasures as premium talisman paper and high-grade spiritual ink are only sold at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion; other stores do not have such treasures.

Walking into the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, a servant immediately approached.

"What treasures would you like to see, sir?"

"Do you have premium talisman paper and high-grade spiritual ink?" Zhou Xun spoke curtly, directly stating his intentions.

Upon hearing "premium talisman paper," the servant's expression instantly became much more respectful.

"It turns out we have esteemed Talisman Master here. My apologies, please take a seat in the elegant chamber; our shopkeeper will personally attend to you!"

With that, he led Zhou Xun to an elegant chamber.

It was the very chamber Zhou Xun usually visited with his own appearance.

Moments later, Shopkeeper Zheng walked in.

Currently, the old man Zhou Xun had transformed into was appearing at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for the first time, so Shopkeeper Zheng did not recognize him.

"I am Zheng Tiande, modestly serving as the shopkeeper here. Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"No matter, about the items I want?" Zhou Xun's tone was purposefully indifferent, reluctant to speak much to avoid revealing himself to this person.

After all, he frequently interacted with Shopkeeper Zheng, often drinking tea together, very familiar.

"Oh, we certainly have these treasures at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Premium talisman papers are priced at three spirit stones per sheet, high-grade spiritual ink at fifty spirit stones per box. How many does the esteemed friend wish to purchase?"

"The price is rather fair!" Zhou Xun nodded.

One box of spiritual ink can roughly draw fifty talismans, combined with premium talisman paper, the cost of one high-grade talisman is approximately four spirit stones.

While a typical Tier One High-Grade Talisman is priced between 30-50 spirit stones, if it's a special talisman like a Flying Talisman, it can sell for over sixty or seventy spirit stones.

This means, as long as the success rate reaches fifteen percent, one can break even or even make a small profit.

However, Talisman Masters must infuse Essence, Qi, and Spirit while making talismans, consuming a great deal, and the daily refining quantity is limited.

If one overexerts by refining too much, it affects the cultivator's lifebound true essence, hindering cultivation progress or severely damaging longevity.

Therefore, most Talisman Dao cultivators often cultivate a Health Cultivation Secret Technique to replenish their essence.

Zhou Xun possesses the Spring Condensation Scripture, capable of replenishing his foundation, so naturally, he need not worry about this.

"Bring me a hundred sheets of talisman paper and two boxes of spiritual ink!" Zhou Xun contemplated for a moment before speaking.

With a full hundred materials, enough for him to reach a breakthrough.

"By the way, do you have any middle-grade level talisman pens?" Zhou Xun recalled his own low-grade talisman pen and couldn't help but ask.

"You also need a talisman pen, esteemed friend?" Shopkeeper Zheng expressed joy upon hearing this,

"We certainly have it. Our shop received one last month; I'll fetch it for you right away!" With that, Shopkeeper Zheng left the elegant chamber.

Zhou Xun naturally did not believe such words.

A middle-grade talisman pen can only be afforded by middle-grade talisman masters at the very least. In the entire Qingyue Square, there are only a few talisman masters above middle-grade, and fewer still in need of new talisman pens.

Zhou Xun suspected that this talisman pen must have been on sale for years without being sold.

Moments later, Shopkeeper Zheng returned, accompanied by a maid.

She held a tray in her hands, upon which were the treasures Zhou Xun sought to purchase.

"This middle-grade talisman pen is crafted by a master, made with the tail-tip fur of a Red Moon Spirit Fox, priced at one hundred fifty spirit stones!" Shopkeeper Zheng picked up the talisman pen and handed it to Zhou Xun for inspection.

Zhou Xun took the talisman pen, infused mana into it, lifted it, and drew several strokes in the air, nodding.

"Four hundred spirit stones in total, how about it?" Zhou Xun attempted to haggle.

"How did you manage to hit my bottom price exactly?" Shopkeeper Zheng showed a peculiar expression, surprised at the old man before him.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun was secretly amused.

During their tea sessions, Shopkeeper Zheng had shared his business strategies; hence Zhou Xun could accurately price.

"Alright! But esteemed friend, if you refine high-grade talismans, please remember to sell them to me, as we do purchase them!" Shopkeeper Zheng reluctantly agreed.

...

Ten days later, inside the quiet chamber of the cave mansion.

Zhou Xun spread out the talisman paper, focusing his mind.

He intended to draw a Wood Attribute Attack Talisman—a Wood Blade Talisman.

Among Tier One High-Grade Attack Techniques, the Wood Blade Talisman's power wasn't prominent.

But it excelled in simplicity, serving as the best practice piece for a middle-grade talisman master ascending to high-grade.

Once he successfully refines the Wood Blade Talisman and familiarizes himself with it, refining other high-grade talismans will become much easier.

Over the past ten days, Zhou Xun had wasted over forty sets of high-grade talisman materials.

Currently, he was incredibly close to drawing it successfully.

Lightly dipping in spiritual ink, the pen's tip moved swiftly.

The mana within his body flowed through the talisman pen, completing the talisman paper in one go.

The runes connected smoothly, the spiritual power circulated unhindered.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun immediately performed a solidification technique, and with a flash,

The Wood Blade Talisman was successfully drawn.

Zhou Xun's heart was slightly joyous, after spending over ten days and wasting dozens of materials, he finally ascended to High-Grade Talisman Master.

Using the insights gained from this refining, Zhou Xun attempted it once more, refining five times, succeeding twice more.

Looking at the three Wood Blade Talismans in his hand, Zhou Xun was eager to test their power.

Even for high-grade talismans, the power varies depending on the Talisman Master who refines them.

He went to the hall, fetched a piece of Iron Essence, and activated the Wood Blade Talisman.

Instantly, a foot-long ink-green wooden blade emerged, slashing fiercely at the Iron Essence.

A notch nearly an inch deep.

"Impressive power, reaching genuine quality!"

"It seems that although my current success rate is low, the quality of the refined pieces is quite good!"

...

The next day, Zhou Xun headed to Danhai Pavilion.

To break through as a High-Grade Talisman Master, he had stayed in the cave mansion these past days.

He had just arrived at Danhai Pavilion when he learned some astonishing news.

Song Zhiwu, the hall master of the Song Family Law Enforcement Hall, successfully broke through Qi Cultivation, advancing to Foundation Establishment, becoming the second Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Song Family.

"It seems that the Foundation Establishment Pill auctioned by the Song Family last time was given to Song Zhiwu!"

Zhou Xun thought inwardly.

He had often interacted with this Hall Master Song; he didn't expect that in merely a month, he'd become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

But why wasn't the Foundation Establishment Pill consumed by the Song Family Patriarch.

He recalled that Patriarch Song also had Peak Qi Refining Cultivation, logically prioritizing him.

In fact, Zhou Xun was unaware that the Song Family Patriarch was the first candidate of his generation in the Song Family to consume the Foundation Establishment Pill, but unfortunately, he failed to break through.

Song Zhiwu was already the third person in the 'Song' generation to consume a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The Song Family, backed by the Cloud Light Sect Master, had some avenues to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills.

Just seemingly not very lucky, the previous four pills resulted in failed Foundation Establishment.

Ten days later, the Song Family held a Foundation Establishment ceremony, and Zhou Xun was among the invitees, gifting a bottle of high-grade spirit pills as a congratulatory present.

At the celebration, Zhou Xun met for the first time the elusive mid-stage Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Song Family, the younger brother of the sect master's spouse, Song Qingheng.

This person, although gray-haired and appearing elderly, had a somewhat cynical personality, lacking the demeanor of a family ancestor.

Surprising Zhou Xun.

Indeed, this Song Family Ancestor, as the pampered younger brother of Master Jin Hong's spouse, had developed this temperament due to years of indulgence.

His current cultivation was also due to his sister's full support, through the expenditure of unknown rare resources.

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