Banshee Family Training Record

Page 19

Other brands may not have the same quality, and you might have room to negotiate a lower price.

"Hmm, they're passable," he reluctantly complimented, then asked, "How many of these explosive tags do you have here?"

Zhu Yunqing didn't answer directly: "How much do you want?"

Wenren Jing raised an eyebrow; it had been a long time since any rogue cultivator had dared to speak to him like that: "How many do you have? I'll take as many as you have."

Zhu Yunqing smiled, then reached into his wide sleeve and said, "Well, I have a thousand explosive talismans here. I wonder if you can take them all, sir."

These words struck Wenren Jing like a thunderbolt, and he could hardly believe his ears.

What the heck? Did I hear that right?

One thousand?

Are there really talisman makers who neglect their own cultivation and spend day and night just drawing explosive talismans?

Aren't you afraid of hindering your cultivation?

He couldn't believe it. Because of their family business, they had a high demand for explosive talismans and dealt with many talisman makers, so they were very familiar with their character.

Most talisman makers, after drawing thirty to fifty talismans and earning some spirit stones, will prioritize returning home to cultivate in seclusion and improve their cultivation level.

If they fail to break through, they will come back to work. But if they succeed, they will pursue higher-level, more complex, and more profitable talismans. They will not waste too much time on basic items like "explosive talismans".

Therefore, over the years, Wenren Jing has only ever bought a maximum of one hundred at a time, and usually thirty to fifty. Some independent cultivators can only sell one or two at a time, and they feel that buying from them is a waste of their time.

He had never imagined that a rogue cultivator could provide a thousand explosive talismans at once!

But the woman in front of him didn't seem to be lying. She really took out stacks of explosive tags from her sleeve, a total of ten stacks, a thousand tags, and placed them on the lotus leaf in front of him, assaulting his eyes.

Since taking charge of the family's procurement, he had never held so many detonating tags at the same time!

"Uh..." Staring at the talismans, he couldn't help but swallow.

On the lotus leaf, Zhu Yunqing took in his gaze. She found it quite amusing, wondering if Yun Chu'an had felt the same way when he saw the shock on her face that day.

Her face remained impassive, as if nothing was amiss: "Mr. Wenren, how are you feeling?"

Wenren Jing swallowed hard, not in a hurry to answer. He reached into one of the stacks, randomly picked out a card, and said, "No rush, let me check the goods first."

Zhu Yunqing did not urge him, but waited silently.

Wenren Jing examined it carefully, but the more he looked, the more alarmed he became. The explosive talisman was a handmade product, and it was normal for its quality to vary depending on the talisman maker's energy and condition.

However, the explosive tags in his hand now seemed to have been carved from the same mold; each one was almost identical, and...

The quality is equally perfect!

He then checked a few more, and the conclusions were all the same. The shock he felt from this perfect high quality was no less than the shock he felt when he saw a thousand detonating tags in one go.

What kind of master craftsman could create so many flawless masterpieces?

He couldn't believe it. He glanced at Zhu Yunqing before him, his eyes no longer able to conceal his emotions. Zhu Yunqing chuckled inwardly, his face remaining calm: "Mr. Wenren, what do you think of these talismans?"

The latter sighed, "It's alright, I'll take them all, let's settle the bill!"

Zhu Yunqing said, "Eighty low-grade spirit stones per sheet, and there are one thousand sheets here, so it's eighty thousand low-grade spirit stones."

Behind her, Yun Chuan listened intently, and when he heard the number, he also gasped.

Eighty thousand low-grade spirit stones!

In the three months since he transmigrated, the total amount of spirit stones he has handled is probably less than eight thousand!

But today, can I make 80,000 in one go?

He was incredulous for a moment, while Wenren Jing on the other side naturally wouldn't accept the price so easily: "It's too expensive. An ordinary detonating talisman costs only fifty spirit stones, and you've raised it by thirty. That's too greedy."

He raised his head, displaying a disgruntled expression. This guy was a seasoned veteran, a shrewd old hand, who knew how to negotiate in a way that would be most advantageous to him.

Then, he began to list various reasons and fabricate non-existent rules and conventions in an attempt to overwhelm Zhu Yunqing through market means.

Unfortunately, this spider demon was also quite experienced, and these little tricks were ineffective against her.

Later, Wenren Jing had no choice but to emphasize his identity, the powerful family behind him, and the benefits he could gain in the future if he befriended him.

Zhu Yunqing was not intimidated by this and remained calm throughout.

She also had her own standards, and at the right time, she would make appropriate concessions, letting this guy think he had really achieved something.

In the end, the price of these thousand explosive talismans was set at 70,000 low-grade spirit stones. No matter how eloquently this guy talked, he couldn't get any results.

The conversation seemed to have reached a stalemate; for a moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat cold.

Wenren Jing lowered his head, pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up again and stared at her: "I can accept the offer of 70,000, but I have an additional condition for you."

His gaze was fixed on the spider demon's stunningly beautiful face, her small, triangular eyes gleaming with an evil light, and a sinister smile curling at the corners of her mouth.

Chapter 35: The Conquest of Fourth Sister in Progress

Yun Chuan felt uneasy, sensing that this guy was going to use his family's power to intimidate people and make some unreasonable demands.

Facing the man's aggressive gaze, Zhu Yunqing remained calm and composed, her expression unchanged: "You speak first."

Then, Wenren Jing said, "I want you to write a contract with your spiritual power imprint on it. The contract must contain these talismans. In return, you have received 80,000 spirit stones from me."

Yun Chu'an was stunned. This request came so suddenly that he couldn't believe his ears.

What did I just hear?

This is this...

After picking on things that weren't their faults and haggling over prices, are they now starting to take kickbacks?

Damn it, members of a family of cultivators who can split mountains and shatter rocks with a wave of their hand are actually corrupt?

Yun Chu'an felt that none of the knowledge he had gained had had as great an impact on his soul as this one sentence.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yunqing seemed to be used to this kind of thing, nodding in agreement: "Of course, sir, we always have principles in doing business. No matter who comes, we will not haggle."

As she spoke, she took out a sheet of Xuan paper from her sleeve, gathered her spiritual energy at her fingertips, and wrote a simple contract on it, specifying the unit price and total amount, before handing it to him.

Wenren Jing was overjoyed and readily paid 70,000 low-grade spirit stones before turning to leave with a thousand explosive talismans. Zhu Yunqing also packed her things, preparing to go back, but as soon as she started moving, she noticed Yun Chuan's dazed expression and couldn't help but smile: "What's wrong? What's that expression?"

Yun Chu'an withdrew his shocked expression, his face still complicated: "It's nothing, uh... it's normal."

He recalled the company he worked for in his previous life, where every successful business deal required a kickback to the middleman. It seemed that many things were the same, whether in ancient or modern times, in the secular world or the cultivation world.

Zhu Yunqing chuckled: "Take your time to digest this. The cultivation world is vast, and there's still a lot for you to learn."

As she spoke, she handed him the bag containing all 70,000 low-grade spirit stones: "Take it, this is the fruit of your labor."

Yun Chu'an composed herself, took the item, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Fourth Sister, now that my cultivation level is high enough to produce a large quantity of items like 'explosive tags,' I shouldn't take things from the family for free anymore."

As he spoke, he took out his spirit stone bag, put in only 30,000 low-grade spirit stones, and returned the remaining 40,000 to Zhu Yunqing: "Consider this my contribution to the family."

Zhu Yunqing raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "You actually have this kind of heart?"

She couldn't help but be surprised. Back in her own family, she had nurtured many promising young talents. Many young cultivators at his level would be overjoyed to receive even 7,000 spirit stones, let alone the huge sum of 70,000, and would pocket them, fearing that someone would try to take them from him.

Now that Yun Chuan has received ten times the quantity, his first thought is to hand over a portion to give back to the family.

She couldn't help but be surprised. Then, she heard Yun Chu'an say, "My family has been kind to me. If it weren't for their help, I might still be farming in my hometown. Of course, there's nothing wrong with farming, but the cultivation world is much more open and expansive for me!"

As he spoke, he resolutely handed her the bag of spirit stones: "Not to mention the countless ways you've taken care of me along the way, Fourth Sister. I don't want to be a useless person who can only rely on the family for support. I also want my power to return to the family so that my family members can become rich and powerful together."

As he spoke, every point aligned with Zhu Yunqing's values, and every word resonated deeply with the spider demon, creating a profound connection that deepened her admiration.

Although 40,000 low-grade spirit stones is a lot, it's not a huge sum for her. At her cultivation level, she uses higher-grade mid-grade spirit stones.

But his sincerity made her look at him with new respect.

What a wonderful child! Not only is he smart and eager to learn, but he is also hardworking and knows how to invent efficient gadgets.

Most importantly, he also had a grateful heart. He remembered the few times I had taken care of him in a trivial way and decided to return to the whole family...

The more Zhu Yunqing looked at him, the more pleasing he became, and the more she couldn't understand why such a good person would be harmed by Granny Huaishan, who gave him an incomplete cultivation technique, ostensibly to protect him from humans and prevent the tragedy that Hua Caiyan had encountered.

It's ridiculous. If we need to guard against humans, then what about butterfly demons, snake demons, and fox demons? Giving servants incomplete cultivation techniques is one thing, but deliberately using such petty tricks on family members is just deliberately causing discord and destroying unity among family members.

Such were her values. Having grown up in the Great Spider Clan, she valued unity above all else. Then, she reached out and took the spirit stone bag that Yun Chu'an handed over, allocated 10,000, and kept it for herself. She then said, "I am very happy that you have this intention, but these are mainly your achievements, and you also have Qi Qiao to take care of. Therefore, the clan will only take 10% of these spirit stones. In addition, there is the 3,000 you owe me, which makes a total of 10,000. I'm taking it."

"Take the remaining 60,000 back and use it yourself. Breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining is fraught with danger, so it's best to be cautious. Don't be stingy with this; spend what you need to spend. Even if you spend all 60,000, if you can break through safely, it's still a profit, do you understand?"

She gave these earnest instructions and returned the spirit stone pouch. Yun Chu'an stopped refusing and took it, promising to take good care of Qi Qiao.

Zhu Yunqing wanted to say something more, but at that moment, a sudden change occurred.

In the distance, several cultivators clad in black robes, their identities unknown, were arguing, which gradually escalated into a fight. Seeing this, the other cultivators immediately distanced themselves to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

A ripple spread across the water, and several lobsters and crabs as large as elephants floated to the surface. At the head of them, a handsome man with silver dragon horns, wearing a brocade battle robe and holding a trident, shouted sternly at the fighting men: "Wei Lake is a place for immortals to trade. Fighting is not allowed. Since you have broken the rules, leave this place immediately!"

Now, Yun Chuan has read through the popular science book that Zhu Yunqing gave him and knows that the market on the lake was opened by the Weihe Dragon Clan, one of the local noble families, and naturally, the order here is also managed by them.

The handsome man leading the group was clearly a member of the dragon race. Judging from the shrimp soldiers and crab generals he led, they probably thought this was just a routine dispute.

However, at this moment, a sudden change occurred!

Not far from where the incident occurred, two seemingly ordinary male cultivators dressed in blue robes suddenly leaped into the air. In an instant, billowing black mist rose from their bodies and transformed into two giant brown pythons hundreds of meters long. They opened their blood-red mouths and bit straight at the dragon prince who was leading them!

The once calm lake surface was instantly churned into a raging torrent, the rumbling sound like thunder. The giant python's terrifying maw, large enough to swallow a building whole, was so awe-inspiring that even though Yun Chu'an had seen countless monster movies on the big screen in his previous life, he still stood frozen in place, unable to move, upon seeing such a colossal creature in person.

The giant beasts and waves were right in front of us; it was far more exciting than anything in the movies!

His eyes were glued to the screen when Zhu Yunqing shouted from the side, "Idiot, get out of here!"

Before she finished speaking, she flicked her long sleeves, wrapped her arms around his waist, and then ran away into the distance. Yun Chu'an only felt a blur before his eyes, and before he knew it, a tremendous force struck him, and he lost his balance. His arms instinctively reached out and actually hugged the spider demon's slender waist.

The latter said nothing, but simply led him away in a distant escape. In the distance, after the initial panic subsided, the dragon prince, no fool, immediately reacted, raising his spear and casting a spell to fight back.

This place is his home turf. Whether it's his racial talents, cultivation techniques, or the methods he has mastered, he can use them more skillfully here. With a slight wave of his hand, he can create towering waves tens of meters high, affecting cultivators within a radius of hundreds of meters. The lucky ones are simply drenched, while the unlucky ones are swept directly to the bottom of the water, not knowing where their final destination will be.

The dragon prince's subordinates, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, also reacted quickly, forming a defensive formation on the water and casting spells to meet the enemy. However, the attackers had planned ahead. One of their enormous bodies casually stirred up the enemy formation, and immediately these shrimp and crabs, whose size was comparable to that of elephants, were kicked away like balls. The remaining people were in chaos and had no power to resist at all!

Chapter 36 Smoke and Water

Seeing the terrifying fighting power unleashed by the giant snake, Zhu Yunqing, who knew the fighting strength of the Weihe Dragon Clan's security team, led Yun Chuan away while his expression turned solemn: "The cultivation levels of these two snakes must be at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage. It seems they came prepared. The Weihe Dragon Clan is likely to suffer a disaster this time."

Unbeknownst to her, Yun Chu'an's face was pressed against the blue robe around her waist. A delicate, fresh scent, whether from herbs or poison, wafted into his nostrils, like countless tiny insects crawling into his heart, making him itch incessantly.

Hearing his fourth sister's mutterings, he restrained his wandering thoughts and secretly glanced at the battlefield. Seeing the earth-shattering scene, he was filled with shock.

Is this the kind of impact one can make in the late stages of Foundation Establishment?

Moreover, it appears to be a one-sided victory for the team...

When will I be able to have that kind of fighting power?

He sighed inwardly, when suddenly a male voice rang out beside him: "Never heard of them before. Could these two be the snake demons from that demon cultivator family that ran away from Zhao? I heard that the price of explosive talismans has recently gone up, and it's related to them. All the major sects are preparing to gather manpower to drive them out."

He turned his head and saw Wenren Jing, the Wenren family member who had just bought their product and made a huge profit of 10,000 spirit stones in kickback, running towards them with a flushed face and panting heavily. He was obviously trying to avoid being caught in the crossfire and was seeking refuge.

Yun Chu'an remained silent. Zhu Yunqing glanced at him and shook her head: "I don't know, but this time, the Weihe Dragon Clan is probably going to be furious."

As the two conversed, the battle in the distance shifted once more. The dragon prince roared, yet still did not reveal his true dragon form, maintaining his human shape. With one hand, he wielded a gun, manipulating a massive volume of water to stab the serpent demon, while with the other, he summoned lightning to strike it. A series of thunderous roars filled the air, chilling all who witnessed them.

However, all of this was as weak as a tickle in the face of a powerful snake demon in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. One snake demon disrupted the formation of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, while the other snake demon used magic to entangle and fight him, using its own body to ram and crush him.

In the blink of an eye, after thirty to fifty rounds, the dragon prince had barely managed to injure the snake demon, while he himself was covered in wounds. Most of the surrounding cultivators had already scattered and fled, and few dared to offer a helping hand. So the snake demon opened its blood-red maw and swallowed the dragon prince whole!

Having swallowed their target, the two snake demons didn't linger and hurriedly turned to leave. None of the countless cultivators present dared to stop them, nor did they have the ability to do so.

Seeing their master being kidnapped, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals cried out in despair. But at that moment, a cyan sword light descended from the sky, slicing through the billowing black smoke, followed by a clear, melodious female voice: "Bold serpent demon, take this!"

The sword light struck the giant snake, like a celestial being unleashing a thunderous rage. A crimson line of blood appeared on the python's scales, which had remained unscathed by spear thrusts and lightning strikes. Then, bright red blood gushed out, and the python opened its mouth again, letting out a silent roar.

That last sword strike almost cleaved it in two!

It turned its head in fury, its cold, vertical pupils gazing at the sky, where it saw a young woman riding a sword, like a celestial being descending from heaven.

Her long, jet-black hair was piled high with a wooden hairpin. Beneath her delicate willow-leaf eyebrows, her almond-shaped eyes flashed like lightning. She wore a simple, plain black and white sword outfit, which was now being blown about by the strong winds coming from high above, and her boundless sword intent was also expanding wildly.

She stood on a flying sword, with six flying swords following behind her. At this moment, she was facing two snake demons alone, and she was going to fight two against one by one!

On the water, a young female disciple of the Qingyun Sect who had taken refuge saw the person in the sky, her eyes lit up, and she immediately shouted, "It's Senior Sister! That's great, we're saved!"

Another male disciple of the Qingyun Sect said worriedly, "But the two opponents are also late-stage Foundation Establishment demon cultivators. Senior Sister Yan Shui is actually going to fight two against one?"

Immediately, the female disciple became furious: "What do you know? When our senior sister was in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, she was able to kill a late-Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator. Now that she has broken through, dealing with these two is of course a piece of cake!"

She tilted her delicate face up and looked up at the sky with admiration. Clearly, the woman in the sky was her goddess and idol.

In the sky, the two snake demons naturally couldn't hear what these Qingyun disciples were saying. Sensing the cultivation level that Yan Shuiyi displayed, they immediately burst into laughter: "Another one who overestimates himself and comes here to die. Just one isn't enough to eat, so we'll take you back with us as a snack!"