Chapter 4

In the days that followed.

Wu Tao practiced the Three Yang Technique in the morning and practiced engraving seals in the afternoon.

Of course, when he went out in the early morning to empty the chamber pot and returned, he would often see his female neighbor smiling as she saw off her customers.

Then, she would take the initiative to pull him into a conversation.

Although Wu Tao was not fond of it, out of basic politeness (mainly because he was afraid that the female neighbor would be embarrassed and angry, and have her lover beat him up), he had to stop and listen to her polite words of apology and such.

At such times, Wu Tao would inwardly curse her as a little vixen, saying she was embarrassed during the day but got louder and louder at night.

She was truly one of a kind.

By the way, after a few days of brief chats, the two of them had exchanged names.

It was Zhang Li who took the initiative to introduce herself, and Wu Tao, out of politeness, also revealed his name.

Zhang Li originally worked at the Lichun Hall on Luma Street, but after offending a customer, she was kicked out. To make a living, she had no choice but to start working from her home.

When talking about this, Zhang Li often lamented the loss of her former glory. The customers at Lichun Hall were generous, while the customers here were stingy. Some were even shameless, using magic to control her just to last longer and get more attention from her.

"Daoist Brother Li, wait a moment!" Zhang Li called out as she saw Wu Tao about to turn and go inside.

Wu Tao turned around, looking at Zhang Li with confusion: "Daoist Sister Zhang, is there anything else?"

He really didn't want to hear Zhang Li talk about her glorious past again. She described it vividly, elaborating on the details, and Wu Tao found himself distracted and uncomfortable, always finding an excuse to go back inside when this happened.

Zhang Li turned back to her room and quickly came out with a long oil paper package, handing it to him and saying, "Here, it's for you."

Wu Tao looked at Zhang Li, thinking that they had developed some feelings from chatting, which he did not want. He quickly shook his head and refused, "Daoist Sister, I cannot accept a gift without doing anything in return."

Zhang Li smiled and said, "This is a calming incense, not worth much. Consider it a gift to apologize for disturbing you these past few days. Burn it at night, it will help you sleep. I hope you can bear with me in the future."

"This..." The calming incense was not expensive, but it was not cheap either. One piece of spirit stone could buy one stick. Wu Tao still didn't want to accept it, mainly because he didn't want to get entangled with Zhang Li.

Even if he wanted to in the future, he would pay for it, keeping business and feelings separate.

Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Li took a step forward, grabbed Wu Tao's hand, and placed the oil paper package in his palm, then playfully tickled his palm.

Wu Tao felt a fragrant breeze and a tickling sensation in his palm, and had no choice but to reluctantly take the calming incense, stepping back a few steps and saying, "Alright, thank you for your kindness, Daoist Sister Zhang. I'll take it!"

Zhang Li covered her mouth, her captivating eyes seemingly brimming with water, looking at Wu Tao with a smile, "Daoist Brother Li, why are your cheeks red?"

Damn, was he being teased?... Wu Tao felt his face getting hot, but he wouldn't admit it. He quickly said, "I have something to do, I'll take my leave." Then he turned and went back inside, closing the door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

Zhang Li found it amusing and didn't let up, knocking on the door, "Daoist Brother Li, won't you invite me in for a moment?"

"Stop knocking, I need to take a nap."

This hit Zhang Li's sweet spot, and she laughed, "I also need to take a nap. How about we do it together?"

"Men and women should not be too intimate. Please respect yourself and don't ruin yourself. Leave quickly." Wu Tao was now secretly regretting being forced to accept Zhang Li's calming incense.

"Is Daoist Brother Li still a virgin? No way, no way?"

The mocking voice of Bai Shi rang outside the door. Wu Tao, hearing this, became furious, his face turning red, and he wanted to go out and fight her to show her his strength, but he quickly calmed down, saying nothing, refusing to fall for her trap.

"Haha, Daoist Brother Li, I'm going to sleep."

The sound of footsteps and the door closing followed. Wu Tao sat in his chair, his mind gradually calming down, and he muttered, "She's truly one of a kind."

He opened the oil paper package and saw ten sticks of calming incense lying inside. He didn't want to talk much about Zhang Li, feeling a mix of emotions.

"I won't think about it anymore. After dispelling the evil qi in my body, I'll work hard to earn spirit stones and move to a better place."

Wu Tao put aside his thoughts and began practicing the Three Yang Technique.

In the blink of an eye, he had been living in Xinde Alley for ten days. With the calming incense and the cotton earplugs he made himself, he could finally sleep better at night.

On the fifth day, while practicing engraving, he triggered the lucky bonus three more times, and the cooling seal was finally successfully engraved.

He still had nine practice spirit boards left, so he didn't rush to refine a magic robe, as a first-level cooling seal had no selling point. As a wandering cultivator, he knew that it was better to be a bit hot than to buy something useless.

He then prepared to practice engraving the running seal.

The running seal was a first-level second-grade seal, much more difficult than the first-level first-grade cooling seal.

It was also harder to comprehend.

The progress of practicing engraving was much slower than with the cooling seal.

Wu Tao estimated that the nine practice spirit boards would not be enough to complete the running seal, but he still had one spirit stone, which could buy him twenty more practice spirit boards.

Another problem was that as time passed, the yin evil qi in his body spread further, requiring more spirit and energy to resist it. He could only practice engraving once a day, and it was difficult to continue.

Also, due to the evil qi, he practiced the Three Yang Technique every day but made no progress, and even regressed.

After meditating for two hours, Wu Tao stopped to cook and eat.

After a nap, he started practicing engraving the running seal.

The first-level second-grade running seal was more complex than the first-level first-grade cooling seal, consuming more spirit and energy, and requiring more careful and slow engraving.

After a quarter of an hour, the spirit energy became unstable, interrupting the supply, and the seal rune broke, the spirit board immediately emitting white smoke, declaring it a failure.

"The running seal is one-third complete. I hope the lucky bonus triggers more often. I have three practice spirit boards left. I need to take a break and go to the market to buy more."

Wu Tao put down the failed spirit board, pressing his swollen forehead, and walked around the small room to relax his limbs.

After a short rest, Wu Tao got up and went to the market.

Arriving in the western outer city, it was his first time visiting the market. It was more like a village fair from his previous life, far from the bustling malls of big cities.

Walking down the street, he passed by shops.

"Yuan You Talisman Pavilion." Wu Tao looked up at the red-golden sign, pondered for a moment, and walked in.

Inside, there were cultivators selecting talismans. Wu Tao looked at each one, finally stopping at the Evil-Banishing Talisman, seeing the clear price: twenty lower-grade spirit stones.

A one-time-use talisman, twenty lower-grade spirit stones, was very expensive for Wu Tao. If he continued mining, he would have to go without food for nine months to save up.

'No wonder everyone in this cultivation world wants to step onto the path of the four arts of cultivation.'

Wu Tao glanced at it wistfully, and before the shop assistant could approach, he left the Yuan You Talisman Pavilion.

At dusk, Wu Tao returned to his small room with twenty practice spirit boards, leaving him with no spirit stones.

He only had less than ten pieces of spirit stone left.

He was as poor as a church mouse!

Since Wu Tao bought the practice spirit boards from the market, he resumed his regular life, and the days passed unnoticed.

In the blink of an eye, another fourteen days had passed.

Wu Tao sat cross-legged on the bed, took a deep breath, and then cleared his mind, adjusting his state, and began to circulate his spirit energy, methodically landing it on the spirit board.

At this point, Wu Tao's control over his spirit energy was extremely precise. The spirit energy followed his thoughts, gradually forming lines on the spirit board, the lines intertwining, and the mysterious runes slowly appearing.

Just as he was about to finish, Wu Tao inwardly cursed.

Because his spirit energy was a bit unstable.

He was about to fail.

At that moment, a mechanical voice sounded in his ear.

[You have triggered the Alchemist's Lucky Skill. Lucky Bonus: 50%]

The unstable spirit energy immediately stabilized, and Wu Tao quickly focused his mind, concentrating on the spirit board.

"Phew!"

With the final stroke, Wu Tao exhaled a long breath, a smile appearing on his face as he looked at the spirit board in his hand, a complete running seal completed, faintly emitting spirit energy.

"Luckily, the lucky bonus triggered at this moment, or it would have failed."

"Twenty-four days, and I finally successfully engraved a first-level second-grade running seal."

"Next, I need to make adequate preparations and truly enter the practical stage, refining a magic robe."

Thinking of this, Wu Tao opened his personal file, which he hadn't looked at for a long time.

[Name: Wu Tao]

[Lifespan: 25/25 (remaining 2 months and 6 days)]

[Realm: Qi Condensation Second Layer]

[Cultivation Technique: Three Yang Technique (Second Layer): 55%]

[Spells: Fireball (60%), Cleanse (12%)]

[Abilities: None]

[Primary Profession: Alchemist]: Seals Mastered: First-Level First-Grade Cooling Seal, First-Level Second-Grade Running Seal.

[Secondary Profession: Melee Mage]: Blank

...