“Chapter Seventy-Eight”

"Chapter Seventy-Eight"

"The chubby guy asked warily, 'What are you doing here?'"

"The young man stammered, 'I was just passing by and came over when I heard some noise.'"

"No one present believed his words."

"Shen Wang rubbed his wrist and looked coldly at the man: 'You've seen enough, haven't you? Why don't you leave?'"

"The young man shivered, struggled to his feet, and instead of leaving, he stepped closer to Shen Wang and the others: 'Are you masters? I saw everything just now. You were talking to a ghost.'"

"Seeing that Shen Wang and the others didn't respond, he wasn't embarrassed and pleaded in a low voice: 'Master, I've recently encountered some problems too. Can you help me? I'm willing to pay any amount.'"

"Shen Wang sized him up and, instead of answering, turned to the chubby guy: 'Didn't you say you know physiognomy and fortune-telling? Can you figure out his problem?'"

"The chubby guy tensed up, feeling like he was back at home taking a test from his father."

"Under the dim light of the only street lamp in the alley, the chubby guy scrutinized the young man carefully for a while before cautiously speaking: 'Eyes with a hint of romance, lips that naturally curve into a smile, a face that attracts romantic attention. But his eyes are yellowed with bloodshot veins, lips are purplish black... it's clear he indulges in nightly pleasures, overusing his vitality.'"

"Shen Wang nodded, signaling the chubby guy to continue."

"After racking his brains, the chubby guy finally concluded: '...With such a face, due to his flirtatious nature, he's likely to turn good relationships into problematic ones. If it gets serious, it could negatively affect his future fortunes. It's advisable to cultivate his character, be sincere with others, and not indulge too deeply in carnal desires to avoid straying onto the wrong path.'"

"Shen Wang waited, then realized the chubby guy had actually finished."

"Shen Wang looked disappointed: 'Is that all you could discern?'"

"The chubby guy: '...'"

"His skills in physiognomy were not refined. Without the person's birth chart or divination tools, he could only do so much with face reading."

"Meanwhile, the geomancer thoughtfully said, 'I see a faint yin energy on him. I'm afraid his romantic luck has turned into a romantic misfortune... Walking too much on the dark path, he might have encountered ghosts.'"

"Shen Wang nodded: 'In face reading, it's not just about the facial features. You also have to consider the person's aura and fortune. The most prominent thing about him is his romantic misfortune. Take a closer look at his children's palace, which is closely related to romantic fortune.'"

"Upon a closer look, the others were startled."

"The romantic misfortune on him was so strong that it overshadowed his children's palace. Now, upon closer inspection, although his face indicated he should have children, a faint yin energy enveloped his children's palace. This excellent children's palace had, unbeknownst to him, undergone a reversal of yin and yang!"

"The chubby guy was dumbfounded: 'Reversal of yin and yang... What does that mean?'"

"A person's fortune and facial features are not static. For example, someone with a face indicating many children might end up childless due to personality or unforeseen events, changing the children's palace to reflect that."

"Conversely, someone naturally without children might gain a hint of vitality in their barren children's palace through good deeds and accumulating virtue."

"These are all normal transformations in physiognomy, but the chubby guy swore he had never seen such a strange transformation. It was unheard of!"

"The geomancer frowned deeply: 'Is this... a ghost child?'"

"A reversal of yin and yang meant that a living, normal child had turned into a ghost child."

"The young man, who had become an impromptu teaching material for Shen Wang, felt completely exposed under their scrutiny, as if all his secrets were laid bare."

"Hearing the term 'ghost child,' the young man's pupils shrank, and he clung to the idea like a lifeline: 'Master! You truly are masters! Yes, I've been haunted by a ghost child! Please save me, Master!'"

"Shen Wang stepped back several steps as the young man lunged forward. In desperation, the young man grabbed someone's hand, clinging on tightly."

"The chubby guy, suddenly grabbed by the wrist: '...Why is it always me who's unlucky?'"

"The young man was in agony: 'Master, I will pay any price if you can help me drive away the ghost child!'"

"The young man told Shen Wang and the others that he had been feeling unwell for the past three months, especially in his stomach, which was always cold and occasionally painfully cramping. He hadn't taken it seriously, thinking it was just a stomach issue."

"It wasn't until a month ago that, aside from stomach discomfort, he often felt nauseous and wanted to vomit."

"That's when he began to worry about being ill and hurried to the hospital for a check-up, only to be told by the doctor, astonishingly, that he wasn’t sick but pregnant!"

"The young man was tearfully incredulous: 'How could I, a man, be pregnant? Not to mention I don’t have the means to be pregnant, even if I did, I’d have to have been with a man, right? But I've only ever dated women, never men!'"

"Later, it was his current girlfriend who inadvertently made him realize that he might have encountered something unclean."

"'I'm just an ordinary guy. I haven’t done any particularly good deeds, but I haven't done evil ones either. How did I end up in this situation?' The young man, wiping his nose, cried bitterly, 'You have no idea what this past month has been like for me...'"

"As a former playboy with numerous ex-girlfriends, the irony of now being pregnant, even with a ghost child, was something that would be laughably unbelievable if he told anyone."

"He didn't dare to go out and socialize, spending his days hidden at home, searching online for renowned temples and shrines to pray for help, but to no avail."

"The entity in his stomach had firmly made itself at home in his body."

"The young man was terrified. He feared carrying the child for nine months, showing with a big belly, and even more, he feared what he might give birth to – whether some unidentifiable entity or an actual human child, it would be devastating for his life."

"The chubby guy, upon hearing the young man's tragic tale, couldn't help but click his tongue in sympathy: 'That's terrible...'"

"The geomancer looked skeptical: 'How could you attract such an entity without reason?'"

"You should know, the younger the child, the lesser their attachment, the less likely they are to become a ghost. Could this man really have attracted a ghost baby as innocently as he claims?"

"The young man’s face stiffened, and he shook his head with a bitter smile: 'I truly don't know what happened. Master, I don't want to delve into the reasons anymore. I just want to send it away and regain my peace.'"

"Shen Wang looked at him meaningfully and smiled slightly: 'The ghost child in you doesn’t harbor much malice towards you. Otherwise, with just a thought, it could have made you suffer for a long time with its yin energy.'"

"At this moment, aside from the mental anguish of a man being pregnant and haunted by a ghost, the man’s physical condition was not problematic."

"'It's inside me, and you say it means no harm!' The young man was gritting his teeth, eyes wide with disbelief."

"Shen Wang, noncommittal, continued: 'Your situation is easy to resolve. You don’t need to do anything. Just carry it for ten months, give birth, and it will naturally leave you, causing no harm.'"

"The young man was incredulous, blurting out: 'Impossible! I can't give birth! What will people around me think? I have a girlfriend, how will she see me...'"

"Shen Wang responded: 'It's a very well-behaved child. Carrying it hasn’t been too difficult for you, has it? It's much easier than what many pregnant women go through.'"

"The young man, thinking he had finally found someone to help him, was infuriated by Shen Wang's suggestion to give birth to the entity inside him. His entire demeanor radiated resistance as he lashed out, 'Easy for you to say when you’re not the one pregnant! Would you be so calm if it were you? You’re only advising me because it’s not happening to you...'"

"As he spoke, the young man burst into a tirade: 'You charlatan, fraud! Are you even unable to solve my problem? I waited for you all afternoon, only to find out you’re just a big-talking swindler...'"

"His emotions escalating, the young man became like a cornered, desperate, and pained beast, lashing out indiscriminately to mask his panic."

"Shen Wang remained unruffled by his accusations, watching him rage impotently."

"The three companions of Shen Wang could stand it no longer, indignant: 'What nonsense are you spouting!'"

"'We weren’t even eager to solve your problem. You sought us out because you knew Shen Ge could unravel your secret and recognized his prowess, lurking around all afternoon to ask for his help.'"

"'You were the one insisting on Shen Ge’s assistance. He already told you the entity is harmless to you. If you don't believe it, that's on you, yet here you are, ranting like a madman...'"

"'Do you even know how much Shen Ge charges for a single job usually? Such an ungrateful wretch, biting the hand that feeds. You get a free tip and still snap back at us, shame on you!'"

"As tensions and voices escalated on both sides, Shen Wang clicked his tongue lightly, interrupting their quarrel: 'Enough. You want to get rid of the ghost child, right?'"

"The young man, breathing heavily with anger, stared intently at Shen Wang, his eyes red and desperate with a glimmer of hope."

"Shen Wang pulled out a stack of talismans, casually selecting a few: 'Twenty thousand per talisman. Burn it to ashes, mix with water, and drink it, and your problem will be solved.'"

"The young man hesitated for no more than three seconds before reaching out to snatch the talismans: 'I want them! I’ll buy!'"

"Tormented by the entity within him to the brink of mental collapse, he was not willing to give up on even the slightest chance of hope!"

"Especially after witnessing Shen Wang's skill in catching ghosts barehanded, the young man knew he was genuinely capable and was even less willing to give up this sliver of hope."

"Just as the young man was about to grab the talismans, Shen Wang smoothly lifted his hand, avoiding his reach: 'One probably won’t be enough, you'll need to buy several.'"

"Twenty thousand per talisman... The young man pondered over his savings and then bit the bullet: 'How many do you suggest I buy?'"

"'Five should do,' Shen Wang said with a slight smile, 'That’ll be one hundred thousand, thank you for your patronage.'"

"One hundred thousand... It was somewhat expensive, but still within his financial capacity. The young man immediately took out his phone and transferred the money to Shen Wang."

"Perhaps in his eagerness to see the effects of the talismans, he almost snatched them from Shen Wang’s hand before hurrying away, sticking close to the walls, slightly hunched over and clutching his stomach."

"He looked like a frightened bird."

"The Miao youth was discontent: 'Shen Ge, he insulted you, why would you still help him?'"

"The chubby guy was in a dilemma, feeling sorry for the young man on one hand, but on the other, annoyed by his earlier desperate pleading and subsequent quick change of attitude."

"Shen Wang raised an eyebrow and casually sent several red envelopes in the Plastic Squad’s group chat: 'Help him? Do you really think I'm the type to return good for evil?'"

"The other three pondered for a moment, then shook their heads in unison."

"'In that case, that settles it,' Shen Wang said, watching the young man’s departing figure, a slight smirk playing on his lips, 'Don’t worry, he’ll be back looking for me.'"

"The other three thus set their worries aside and enthusiastically began snatching up the red envelopes."

"After completing the bounty task, there was no need to report back to any special department; it was sufficient to submit the task through the app."

"As the group discussed and completed their report for the mission submission, they all left with joyful laughter, their steps light and springy as they headed home."

"Especially the chubby guy and the geomancer, who had each gained insights from Shen Wang's few words of guidance, were profoundly grateful, showering him with praises before departing."

"Upon returning home, Shen Wang was surprised to find Xiao Kong already awake. He asked in astonishment, 'How did you wake up so soon?'"

"Xiao Kong, still chubby like a little cannonball, rushed towards Shen Wang as he entered the house: 'Master.'"

"Shen Wang casually stroked Xiao Kong's head, feeling the icy touch, befitting of the little ghost known as the air conditioner: 'How is the absorption of the Ghost King’s qi going?'"

"Unaware of Shen Wang secretly calling him an air conditioner, Xiao Kong obediently nodded, clinging to Shen Wang's leg like a pendant: 'I've absorbed a part of it. The qi, refined by the Ghost King, is easier for me to assimilate... And, I think I saw some of the Ghost King’s memories.'"

"Shen Wang was momentarily taken aback."

"As he recalled, Xiao Kong shared, 'I saw his life when he was alive, a senior brother in a large sect, beloved by many. He had a junior brother with whom he shared a good relationship, but one day, while catching ghosts together, the junior brother suddenly attacked him.'"

"At this point, Xiao Kong shuddered, even though he had only accidentally glimpsed fragments of memories while absorbing the qi, it seemed he could feel the Ghost King's shock and anger at the time."

"'He was tied to an altar and bled for an entire month, ultimately devoured alive by evil ghosts. After his death, his memories became chaotic, alternating between being ordered by his junior brother to kill and fighting with the increasing number of evil ghosts on the altar.'"

"Shen Wang sighed softly, patting Xiao Kong’s shoulder: 'Such memories, better not to look at them in the future.'"

"It wasn't good for the mental and emotional development of a minor ghost."

"Xiao Kong obediently agreed, then suddenly, as if remembering something, said, 'In that altar, it was always just the junior brother who came, but later a stranger appeared, and that stranger... that stranger was completing the formation for the junior brother...'"

"Xiao Kong didn’t understand formations; he only gathered this from the broken memories of the Ghost King, knowing the stranger was there to complete the formation."

"Shen Wang paused, his mind racing to the formation in the Qingcheng Mountain cellar and the Qingcheng Mountain treasury... A thought flashed through his mind, and he quickly sent a message to Gu Dongting."

"[Among the Qingcheng Mountain disciples captured, is there anyone skilled in formations?]"

"Although Shen Wang asked this, he knew the likelihood of that person being from Qingcheng Mountain was minuscule."

"The formation in the treasury was basic but sufficient for the current metaphysical world. The formation in the basement, however, was complex enough to challenge even Shen Wang’s expertise and judgment."

"Whoever set up these formations was certainly not an obscure, ordinary individual in the metaphysical world."

"'How did I overlook the obvious?' Shen Wang tapped his forehead in self-reproach. He had seen both formations with his own eyes but subconsciously ignored them."

"Thinking of formations, Shen Wang's gaze sharpened. He quickly dug out the contact information of the head of the Yu Gui Sect, buried somewhere unknown, and sent a message: '[Is Lin Yin-Yang still alive?]'"

"Back then, there were also two formations at Lin Yin-Yang’s place."

"One was for trapping a baby ghost, and the other was a life-extending, life-exchange formation."

"Gu Dongting didn't reply, but the head of the Yu Gui Sect quickly responded: '[That criminal was already at the end of his rope. Not long after we brought him back to the Yu Gui Sect, he died.]"

"So he’s also dead. Shen Wang had anticipated this and wasn’t surprised. He thought for a moment and then decided to message Xiao Hei Ge, sharing his suspicions."

"Xiao Hei Ge had been at the scene of Lin Yin-Yang's incident. Although he hadn't seen the formations at Qingcheng Mountain himself, he probably had heard of them. When it came to discussing such matters, Shen Wang trusted Xiao Hei Ge the most."

"Not long after the message was sent, Xiao Hei Ge called back, his voice grave, getting straight to the point: 'Are you suggesting a connection between these two incidents?'"

"Shen Wang hummed softly in affirmation: 'That's my guess. How many in the metaphysical world understand formations? And how many are proficient in them?'"

"'Both the Yu Gui Sect and Qingcheng Mountain have no known ties to formations. How did they learn them? And coincidentally, both of these people were cultivating ghost kings using methods of mutual ghost consumption.'"

"Previously, he hadn't connected the dots, but now, pondering carefully, there were too many suspicious points."

"Xiao Hei Ge fell silent for a moment before responding, 'I'll investigate this matter.'"

"'Then I'm relieved.' Shen Wang breathed a sigh of relief, a glint of light flashing in his eyes as he asked, 'How's the preparation for the talisman paper going?'"

"'It's all ready.'"

"Shen Wang was surprised: 'That was fast.'"

"He thought it would take more time to brew, but it was ready to be implemented so soon."

"Xiao Hei Ge's swift actions caught everyone off guard. Just the next day, Shen Wang saw a message about the new talisman paper in the Plastic Squad’s chat group."

"[Heard about a new kind of talisman paper that’s more effective and powerful. Anyone wants to try it out?]"

"[Really? Sounds too good to be true, Chubby, are you sure you’re not being scammed?]"

"[I heard about it too. I asked around, and the store just opened today, but the news has already spread throughout the metaphysical community… The people behind it must be extraordinary.]"

"[That sounds amazing... Just opened today, where is it?]"

"[Location link]"

"[If you’re free, let's all check it out together? If it's not good, we just won’t buy.]"

"The skeptical Miao youth hesitated, feeling it might be unreliable and didn’t want to follow Chubby and the others on a possibly fruitless trip."

"But the others in the group didn’t care if he joined or not, already arranging a time."

"[I have to study with my dad in the morning, I'll go in the afternoon.]"

"[Si Ke, you’re into Gu magic, you wouldn’t understand. A good talisman paper is so important for genuine celestial masters and Daoists like us.]"

"[Okay, let's go in the afternoon. If it’s really as good as they say, I’ll stock up a hundred or eighty sheets...]"

"[If it's as good as the rumors say, it won’t be cheap. Tang family’s special talismans are expensive, even the slightly better ones cost several thousands. This new talisman paper, even if the quality is a bit lower, will probably be in the five-figure range.]"

"[Well, we'll see when we get there.]"

"The lively discussion in the group chat finally ceased with the milk-voiced audio message of the little monk: 'Brother Zhi Ming, Brother Si Ke, Brother Li Nian, please don’t type, I haven’t learned to read yet... I can’t understand the words...'"

"Thus, all the chat switched to voice messages, each longer than the last, so lengthy that Shen Wang couldn’t be bothered to listen to them all."

"Having learned the address of the store, Shen Wang thought for a moment and sent a voice message: 'I’ll join you guys.'"

"After speaking, he ignored the flurry of sixty-second voice messages that followed and set his phone aside to start drawing talismans."

"In the afternoon, Shen Wang arrived punctually at the store mentioned in the group chat. He stood at the entrance, silent for several minutes, until a hand patted his shoulder, bringing him back to reality."

"'Shen Ge, what are you looking at?' Following Shen Wang’s gaze, Chubby also chuckled, 'A small shop? The name is quite interesting.'"

"Shen Wang didn’t find it amusing; he felt an overwhelming sense of perfunctoriness, an extreme perfunctoriness."

"Once inside, this feeling of being casually dismissed was unmistakable."

"In the narrow shop, a few blank talisman papers were sparingly displayed side by side in a showcase resembling a mobile phone glass case. On top of the case were a bottle of cinnabar and a talisman brush, obviously meant for trial use."

"In such a cramped space, a long line had formed for trying out the talisman paper, with people around recording and taking pictures from all angles with their phones."

"The person drawing the talisman was sweating profusely under the watchful eyes of the crowd, concentrating so hard that they were almost holding their breath."

"The talisman brush struggled to leave marks on the paper, jerky and unusually slow. Despite the effort, it was evident that the person was gritting their teeth, exerting all their strength."

"Chubby, on tiptoes and with eyes wide open, was also anxiously watching: 'Do you think he can succeed in drawing it?'"

"Shen Wang only glanced once and knew: 'This talisman is going to be a failure.'"

"Hearing his words, the surrounding crowd cast disapproving glances at him."

"Who criticizes someone's efforts by declaring failure while they're still trying? That's just rude!"

"The next second, the person drawing the talisman trembled, and the painstakingly gathered spiritual energy in the talisman abruptly dissipated. Frustrated, he dropped the brush: 'This talisman paper is no good, this talk of a higher success rate is all a scam.'"

"I knew it, if there were talisman papers with a higher success rate, how could they just be sold in a shop so easily."

"Still, they don't compare to the Tang family's talisman papers. Although expensive, they are genuine and definitely improve the success rate of making talismans."

"I think they're just boasting. Let's disperse, fellow Daoists."

Amidst the noisy crowd, Shen Wang glanced at those stirring up the commotion. Just as he was about to speak, a person in black with a masked face emerged from the backroom of the shop: "If your own skills are lacking, even if the success rate of the talisman paper is 100%, there's still a 1% chance of failure."

The man who was drawing talismans turned red with anger, retorting, "What do you mean by that? Are you the owner of this shop? How do you conduct business…"

"I don't do business with bad customers," the person in black replied coolly, looking at the man dismissively and issuing an eviction notice, "Our products are neither for sale nor for free to you."

All the customers: "..."

This owner, on the very first day of opening, drove away a customer. Such arrogance.

The man drawing talismans was furious: "You think I care for this? These worthless talisman papers, I wouldn't want them even if you gave them to me for free!"

The man in black remained unmoved: "Please."

His indifferent demeanor infuriated the talisman drawer to no end.

With a fierce glare at the man in black, the talisman drawer pushed through the crowd and left.

The atmosphere grew somewhat quiet, with the others shrinking back, contemplating retreat: "If it weren't absolutely necessary, who would come to buy and then get scolded by the shop owner?"

At that moment, someone squeezed into the middle of the crowd and picked up a talisman brush: "Let me try."

The crowd, just about to disperse, stopped in their tracks and gathered around again.

Shen Wang and Xiao Hei exchanged a covert glance. Without a word, one played the role of an unfeeling boss, while the other picked up the talisman brush and dipped it in cinnabar.

As soon as the brush touched the paper, everyone was stunned.

The talisman brush moved across the paper like a dragon, effortlessly and freely, with consistent thickness and intensity in each stroke. Spiritual energy quickly gathered towards the paper, until the final stroke was placed.

With a flash of spiritual light, the talisman was complete.

"It took just a few brief seconds. Those wanting to take photos hadn’t even managed to pull out their phones before everything was over, and before the crowd could react, the drawing was complete."

"'Is this… drawing talismans? Looks more like calligraphy…'"

"'Impossible, drawing talismans isn’t that easy. This one must be all form and no substance, without any spiritual energy!'"

"'It’s too fluid. How did he even draw it…'"

"'Is the talisman really that powerful?'"

"Shen Wang flicked the talisman paper and handed it to the skeptic: 'You can see for yourself.'"

"The doubtful person carefully held the talisman, first examining its appearance. Then, cautiously sensing it with spiritual energy and finding it brimming with power, his face turned red with excitement: 'This is the most perfect talisman I’ve ever seen!'"

"'Let me see, hurry, let me see too!'"

"'Don’t hog it, pass it back here, let us have a look too.'"

"'This naturally perfect imprint, this abundant and rich spiritual energy…'"

"'Incredible, big shot, are you selling this talisman? I'm willing to pay a high price for it!'"

"'Sell it to me, I'll pay a hundred thousand per piece!'"

"'One hundred and fifty thousand!'"

"'Two hundred thousand!'"

"Just as the scene was turning into an impromptu auction, Shen Wang interrupted their bidding with a smile: 'The reason my drawing turned out so well is because of the store's excellent talisman paper. This has been my best experience so far. As a token of my gratitude to the store, I've decided not to sell this talisman. I’ll give it to the store!'"

"Xiao Hei Ge followed up, saying: 'I will hang it in the center of the wall. If anyone doubts our talisman paper again, I'll just ask them to look up at it.'"

"It took a moment for the crowd to catch on, realizing the store owner was mocking those who doubted the talismans and complaining about their own lack of skill, which brought a few chuckles."

"Reluctantly returning the talisman to Shen Wang, someone in the crowd couldn't help but ask: 'Sir, may I know your name? Who taught you? If you create more talismans in the future, could you consider selling them to me first?'"

"'Yes, yes, let's exchange contact information. From now on, we're brothers. Just let me know if you need anything; I'm more than willing to help.'"

"Shen Wang casually handed the talisman to Xiao Hei Ge and said with a laugh: 'My name is Shen Wang. I have a small online shop. If I decide to sell anything in the future, it will all be listed there. Just follow my shop.'"

"The others hurried to follow his shop, only to be disappointed to find that everything was sold out, sighing deeply."

"Someone mumbled in confusion: 'Shen Wang… That name sounds familiar.'"

"Wait a minute! Shen Wang!"

"All eyes in the room turned to Shen Wang, gleaming like cats in the dark: 'Are you the Shen Wang who has risen to fame recently?'"

"'The expert in both talismans and formations?'"

"'The one who saved dozens of people trapped by evil spirits during the entry exam, and later saved an entire mountain of people at Qingcheng Mountain, Shen Wang?'"

"'The same Shen Wang who annihilated Qingcheng Mountain because they offended you?'"

"'I heard that you first beat up Chen Fengbao, and then pinned down the Qingcheng Mountain Sect Master. Is that true?'"

"'Do you have a ghost king as a pet? The one that's so chubby it can hardly fly...'"

"Shen Wang maintained his smile upon hearing the first part, but at the mention of the ghost king, the corners of his mouth twitched: 'That's not me, I don’t have one.'"

"However, the crowd didn’t pay attention to his feeble denial, excitedly continuing their discussion."

"'An expert in both talismans and formations. I don’t know about formations, but his talisman skills are truly impressive.'"

"'No wonder the Metaphysical Association and the Special Department had a falling out over him. Talk about a dangerous allure.'"

"'I really don't understand how his mind works. Just studying talismans alone makes me feel like I’m losing my hair.'"

"Shen Wang responded wistfully, 'Perhaps it's because there’s a wall between geniuses and ordinary people.'"

"The crowd: '...'"

"Although what he said was a fact, hearing it from him somehow makes it less pleasing."

"Xiao Hei Ge timely interrupted the crowd’s curiosity, knocking on the glass: 'Any more volunteers to test the talisman paper?'"

"This time, with Shen Wang's endorsement, someone quickly stepped forward to try, picking up the talisman brush."

"His movements were smoother than the previous man’s, but still slow. Holding the talisman brush as if it were a heavy stone, his wrist trembled slightly from the effort."

"Sweat trickled down his neck, and as his concentration wavered, he suddenly heard Shen Wang’s stern voice: 'Don’t get distracted!'"

"'When holding the talisman brush, don’t grip it too tightly. Don’t treat the brush as your enemy to wrestle with. Be friends with it, follow its natural flow and let it guide your movements.'"

"Go with the flow? The man didn’t dare relax his grip, fearing another failure."

"But the advice came from none other than Shen Wang, the talisman-drawing prodigy! The man’s forehead veins bulged as he forced his whitened-knuckled fingers to gradually loosen. The next second, his movements visibly smoothed out."

"He completed the talisman at twice the speed compared to before!"

"'Is it successful?'"

"'It didn’t explode after finishing, so it should be successful, right?'"

"'What are you waiting for, check it now!'"

"As if waking from a trance, the man’s trembling fingers held the talisman, probing it with spiritual energy, and he stammered in disbelief, 'It’s... successful.'"

"'It worked!'"

"'How do you feel?'"

"'What about its power?'"

"The man, thrilled, answered everyone’s questions in detail: 'Drawing it felt much easier on my spiritual energy than other talismans, and it locked in more spiritual energy… Its power is much stronger than the occasional successful ones I’ve managed before.'"

"After the enthusiastic discussion, the man gratefully looked at Shen Wang: 'Many thanks to Daoist Shen. Without his timely guidance, I doubt I could have succeeded.'"

"Shen Wang smiled modestly, downplaying his role: 'It was just a comment. It’s your own insight that made the difference.'"

"The man was overwhelmed with emotion. Others only knew he had successfully drawn a talisman, but he alone understood how Shen Wang’s remark had enlightened him, saving him from countless detours in his future practice."

"To call Shen Wang his enlightening teacher was no exaggeration!"

"Quietly cherishing this debt of gratitude, the man handed the talisman to the store owner: 'I’ll leave this talisman here as well. Naturally, it can’t compare to Daoist Shen’s brilliance, but having my talisman beside his is an honor beyond measure.'"

"Those who had planned to buy the man's talisman immediately backed off, feeling sour: 'Just by selling a few talisman papers, the shop owner got two for free. What a windfall.'"

"The lucky Xiao Hei Ge carefully found a frame for Shen Wang’s talisman, placing it in the center of the high wall. It was positioned so that one could easily see it just by looking up."

"After dealing with Shen Wang's talisman, he looked at the other talisman given for free, nonchalantly using glue to stick it directly onto the wall."

"The man: '...'"

"The others: '...'"

"This is quite the preferential treatment."

"The man, unable to bear looking, averted his gaze, pretending not to see, and forced a weak smile: 'Boss, how much are you selling the talisman papers for?'"

"'Basic talisman papers for two hundred, advanced ones for two thousand.'"

"Everyone inhaled sharply at this revelation. Such high-quality advanced talisman papers for only two thousand?!"

"At this point, no one bothered with quips, instead scrambling to purchase: 'How many do you have in the shop? I’ll take them all!'"

"'Move it, don’t hog them all! Give me a hundred!'"

"'I want two hundred!'"

"As things progressed smoothly, Shen Wang watched Xiao Hei Ge get busy, along with Chubby and the geomancer frantically buying in the crowd. Even the Miao youth, who didn’t need to draw talismans, was part of the frenzied crowd."

"It was unclear whether he was buying for others or simply enticed by the low prices."

"Shen Wang’s gaze shifted, and he stepped out of the shop, surveying his surroundings. Finally, across the street in a coffee shop, he spotted the person he was looking for."

"Their eyes met, both gazes turning icy."

"Shen Wang flashed a brazen smile, gesturing an internationally friendly sign at Tang Jiu, his grin wide as he mouthed: 'Loser.'"

Tang Jiu suddenly crushed the teacup in his hand, a murderous intent surging in his heart.

Gu Manling, sitting opposite Tang Jiu, frowned slightly: "Brother Tang, what's wrong?"

Tang Jiu took a deep breath, suppressing his murderous aura. He released the shattered pieces of the teacup from his hand, which remained smooth and unscathed: "It's nothing, I just... thought I saw my brother."

Gu Manling paused, then turned around, but there was no one across the street.

"He just provoked me," Tang Jiu sighed softly, melancholic. "It's my debt to him, his hatred is justified. But he shouldn't have gone after our parents, or the company. That's his own flesh and blood."

Gu Manling's eyes were full of disapproval: "The moment he left the Tang family, he ceased to be your kin. You shouldn't blame yourself. In the matter of the mistaken identity, you were also a victim, yet he blames everything on you alone. That's truly a vile and unworthy character."

Tang Jiu, comforted, showed a grateful smile: "Thank you, Ling'er, I'm glad you're here."

Gu Manling's cool demeanor slightly softened: "It's nothing, I'm just being honest and impartial."

"I also have to thank you for investing a lot in our company, saving both the company and our family," Tang Jiu continued. "You're exceptionally talented, kind-hearted, and even surpass your brother in looks and demeanor. It's a pity..."

Gu Manling's eyes turned cold: "A pity what?"

"A pity you were born a woman," Tang Jiu sighed regretfully, looking at Gu Manling with pity and sorrow. "Your brother, only a few years older than you and being a man, received full support from the family. Others don't view him differently, which allowed him to become the foremost figure in the metaphysical world."

"But you, Ling'er, despite your equal talent and aptitude, lacking the full resources of the family, still stand almost as strong as your brother. Yet, in the outside world, you're at most known as a 'fairy'."

Fairy... nowhere near as prestigious as the leading figure of the metaphysical world.

Gu Manling was silent for a while, then slowly said, "Although he's the leading figure in the metaphysical world, I'm also the foremost female practitioner in it."

Tang Jiu just smiled, saying no more. His aim was already achieved, there was no need to overdo it.

Looking at the bustling talisman shop across the street, Tang Jiu felt a foreboding. This feeling had been hanging over him ever since he learned of the shop's opening.

Today, he had hired people to stir the crowd, but the leader was quickly driven out and even messaged that he'd been blacklisted by the shop. The owner declared they wouldn't sell anything to him again, truly a waste.

As for the others... Tang Jiu was slightly puzzled. What about the rest he sent to cause trouble?

Why did they report progress at the beginning but now have completely disappeared? Like fish entering the sea, vanished without a trace.

Hiding his thoughts, Tang Jiu spoke softly to Gu Manling. His most important task now was to win over this noble Fairy Manling.

With her around, he wanted to see what that hypocritical Gu Dongting could do. Tang Jiu's gaze fell on Gu Manling's face, then slowly drifted down to her neckline, and further down...

Besides, with Gu Manling's stunning beauty, it would be a waste not to have a taste.

Meanwhile, the people Tang Jiu sent to stir up trouble were arguing fiercely, making the atmosphere in the shop extremely tense, ready to explode at any moment.

"We agreed for fairness, everyone splits the talismans equally, why do you get to buy more!"

"Because I have the money!"

"Who here isn't wealthy? Who needs that little extra money? Do you think you're Gu Dongting with billions in assets?"

"I don't care. It's my turn in the line, and I'll buy as much as I want. What's it to you?"

"You jerk, are you looking for a fight?"

"Let's fight then. Whoever wins buys all the talismans in one go, and the rest can wait for the next batch!"

The crowd immediately got angry, unitedly suppressing the two troublemakers: "Buy if you want to! If not, just get out!"

In a way, the troublemaking was a success.

I forgot to mention, Bai Gu and Hei Gu are actually the same person, so their affection for each other accumulates, rather than being counted separately.

For instance, when they first meet, Hei Gu's affection for Shen Wang is 0, but Bai Gu's initial affection is 5.

When Hei Gu opens his eyes again, he naturally has an affection score of 5 for Shen Wang.

Similarly, after Hei Gu adds 10 more to his affection score, when Bai Gu wakes up again, he has an affection score of 15...

Additionally, Bai Gu and Hei Gu are essentially the same person in different states, so what Hei Gu can do, Bai Gu can also do. It's just that his (current) morals don't allow him to act that way.