Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Support

The Shopkeeper’s voice turned solemn. "When activated, this Talisman instantly unleashes a thunderclap as powerful as a casual strike from an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. It’s incredibly swift and specializes in shattering Protective Spiritual Light and destroying malevolent Yin Souls."

"At a critical moment, you can use it to stake your life on a single blow or to block an enemy’s escape."

"A life-saving item doesn’t come cheap. One hundred and eighty Spirit Stones." He deliberately mentioned "Early-stage Foundation Establishment" and "life-or-death" to emphasize its value as a trump card.

Lu Zhao stared at the Thunder Patterns dancing across the Talisman, his heart pounding in his chest.

A Tier Two Talisman!

This was the most powerful offensive tool he had access to. Its power was absolutely terrifying, but the price made him gasp.

The Shopkeeper then opened a second, slightly larger brocade box. Inside lay a palm-sized shield shaped like a turtle shell, its body a deep, mysterious blue.

The shield was neither metal nor jade, cool and smooth to the touch as if carved from deep-sea Profound Ice. Its surface was covered in naturally formed, intricate layers of turtle shell patterns. A faint blue Water Light seemed to flow between the lines, emitting a heavy and resilient fluctuation of Water Element Spiritual Power.

"A Tier One Middle-Grade Defense Spiritual Artifact: the Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield," the Shopkeeper announced.

"This shield was refined using fragments from the back armor of a hundred-year-old deep-sea Profound Turtle as the Main Material, supplemented with Water Element Spiritual Materials. Its Defense Power is considered top-tier among Magical Artifacts of the same grade."

"It excels at defending against Water Element and Ice Element Techniques, and also has impressive resistance to physical impacts and corrosion from Poisonous Miasma. When activated, it protects the entire body with moderate Spiritual Power consumption. The price is one hundred and five Spirit Stones."

He emphatically stressed "top-tier" and "Water Element Spiritual Pattern," highlighting its compatibility with Lu Zhao’s Cultivation Technique.

Lu Zhao’s gaze was riveted to the small shield. Its deep blue hue and natural Turtle Shell patterns gave off a feeling of extreme stability and reliability.

’A Water Attribute Defense Spiritual Artifact... it’s exactly what I need.’ The price was high, but compared to the Tier Two Talisman, it seemed more "practical."

Finally, the Shopkeeper opened the largest brocade box. Inside was a short needle, about a foot long. It was as crystal clear as ice but carried the faint luster of Cyan Jade.

The needle’s lines were fluid and sharp. A glint of cold light at its tip was condensed and unwavering. Inside, an ice-blue liquid seemed to flow slowly, radiating a bone-chilling cold and an incomparably fierce, piercing intent.

Just by being near it, Lu Zhao felt a faint stinging sensation on his skin.

"A Tier One Middle-Grade Attack Spiritual Artifact: the Cold Chilong Needle." The Shopkeeper’s voice held a note of admiration. "This needle was meticulously forged by an Artifact Refining Master. It uses the Poisonous Fang of a Tier One High-Grade demon beast—the Cold Pool Chi Snake—as its Main Material, fused with the essence of Cold Iron."

"It is incomparably sharp and possesses an innate Extreme Cold Piercing power, allowing it to easily penetrate the Protective Spiritual Light of same-tier cultivators and ordinary Armor. After piercing an enemy, the Cold Qi erupts, slowing their movements."

"When wielded by a Water Element or Ice Cultivator, its power increases by thirty percent. It’s a true masterpiece, priced at one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones."

He highlighted keywords like "Poisonous Fang," "essence of Cold Iron," "master-forged," "Extreme Cold Piercing," and "slows movement," vividly describing its offensive properties.

Three items. The Talisman’s power was earth-shattering, but it was a one-time consumable. The Turtle Shell Shield offered solid Defense and its attribute was a perfect match. The Cold Chilong Needle had a vicious attack with its own special effect.

Each one was a masterpiece in its own right, and each one was prohibitively expensive.

Lu Zhao’s gaze shifted back and forth between the three items as he mentally calculated their cost-effectiveness, his own needs, and the looming threat he felt closing in.

The total of his accumulated Spirit Stones flashed through his mind. The steady income from the Flowing Cloud Sparrows gave him some confidence, but spending nearly two hundred, or even three hundred, Spirit Stones at once would still be a devastating blow.

’The Small Thunder Shock Talisman is the most powerful, a trump card to turn the tide in a desperate situation. But once it’s used, it’s gone. One hundred and eighty Spirit Stones would vanish in an instant.’

’The Cold Chilong Needle’s attack is formidable and its attribute matches mine, but it’s not like I don’t have other options for an Attack Spiritual Artifact. Besides, this Magical Artifact is more expensive than the Defense Spiritual Artifact.’

’The Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield, on the other hand, is for Defense, and defense is my weakest link right now.’

’The Ink-Scale Snake at Cyan Rattan Stream, the Tribulation Cultivators outside the Marketplace, the potential spies from Northern Plains County... a solid Defense means a higher chance of survival!’

’Plus, it’s a Magical Artifact, so I can use it repeatedly. Its attribute is a perfect match for the Little Spirit Rain Technique, making it easier to activate.’

"Shopkeeper."

Lu Zhao took a deep breath and made his decision. Pointing to the mysterious blue Turtle Shell Shield and the pale purple Talisman, he said, "I’ll take the Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield and the Small Thunder Shock Talisman."

He paused, his tone a mixture of pleading and testing the waters. "It’s just the price... Shopkeeper, you know I’m a regular at the Nine Abyss Pavilion. The total for both is two hundred and eighty-five Spirit Stones, which is a bit steep. Could you perhaps come down a little? How about two hundred and seventy Spirit Stones?"

The Shopkeeper looked at Lu Zhao’s final choice, and a flicker of imperceptible approval flashed in his eyes.

’Defense for survival first, an offensive trump card second. This young man is clear-headed; he knows what’s most important.’

He stroked his beard, feigning contemplation. After a moment, he slowly nodded. "Fine. Seeing as you know your stuff and don’t beat around the bush, two hundred and seventy Spirit Stones it is. Deal."

"However, Mr. Lu," his tone shifted, becoming more profound, "this Small Thunder Shock Talisman is a rarity in Changfeng County. You can’t buy it even if you have the money."

"I’m giving it to you today because of our good working relationship and the potential I see in your skills as a Puppet Master. I trust you’ll use it well."

Lu Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. ’The Shopkeeper’s words... there’s a hidden meaning!’ He immediately clasped his fists in a solemn gesture. "I will engrave this great kindness in my heart, Shopkeeper! I will not disappoint you!"

Without further hesitation, he quickly counted out two hundred and seventy Spirit Stones and carefully put away the Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield and the Small Thunder Shock Talisman. He pushed aside the thought of the bone-chillingly cold Cold Chilong Needle for now.

The transaction complete, Lu Zhao thanked him again and left the Nine Abyss Pavilion. His steps were steadier than when he had arrived, but they also carried a new, imperceptible vigilance.

He needed to familiarize himself with his new protective treasures as soon as possible.

As he watched Lu Zhao’s figure disappear into the Marketplace crowd, the smile on the Shopkeeper’s face slowly faded, replaced by his usual calm expression.

Just then, a middle-aged Cultivator who looked like a Steward and had been standing silently in the shadows of a corner, stepped forward. He was the Shopkeeper’s confidant, Zhou An, and his face was a mask of confusion and pain, as if he’d suffered a personal loss.

"Uncle Kang."

Zhou An lowered his voice, his tone laced with complaint. "That Small Thunder Shock Talisman was a masterpiece personally drawn by the Third Elder, a Foundation Establishment Stage expert!"

"At an auction, it would’ve easily fetched two hundred and twenty, maybe even two hundred and thirty Spirit Stones! People would have been fighting over it!"

"And that Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield! It’s one of the finest Water Defense Spiritual Artifacts we had tucked away in the Warehouse. One hundred and five Spirit Stones was already a bargain, so why did you knock off another fifteen?"

"That kid’s just a Tier One Lower-Grade Puppet Master. Is he really worth investing so much to win over? You even went out of your way to point out how precious the Talisman is..."

The Shopkeeper didn’t answer right away. He slowly sank back into his Grandmaster’s Chair, his withered fingers gently stroking an inconspicuous Cyan Jade Ring on his left thumb. His gaze was profound as he stared in the direction Lu Zhao had vanished.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice low and distant, as if muttering to himself, yet also answering Zhou An. "What do you know."

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes for a fleeting moment. "For the family—especially for the family right now—the importance of Flying Puppets is far beyond what a few Spirit Stones can measure."

"The attrition of the Cloud Pattern Cavalry, Pingyuan’s recovery... we urgently need reliable eyes in the sky."

"In all of Changfeng County, besides this kid, can you find a single other person who can reliably refine Entry-Tier Flying Puppets?"

Hearing this, Zhou An’s expression changed. He seemed to realize something and didn’t dare say another word.

The Shopkeeper picked up his Spirit Tea, took a delicate sip, and continued, "That Talisman... you think it was my decision to give it to him?"

"The Third Elder himself ordered that it be ’appropriately’ delivered into Lu Zhao’s hands as a form of ’protection’."

"The Elder also indicated that we should pick a high-quality Magical Artifact from the Warehouse that suited him, and that the price just needed to be ’reasonable’."

He set down his cup with a nearly inaudible sigh. "The family is giving him a Protective Talisman, and in doing so, we’re taking out an insurance policy on our future ’eyes’."

"This Lu Zhao has real talent, and he’s cautious enough."

"As long as he can survive and continue refining Flowing Cloud Sparrows, the family will earn back this small investment ten, even a hundred times over. Now, all that’s left is to see what fate has in store for him."

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