Longevity Begins With Zongmen Handyman

Chapter 19: Recognized Disciple

"I heard from Sister Xu that you started learning the art of talismans two years ago?" The girl in white asked.

Li An nodded, "Yes."

The girl in white pondered for a moment and nodded, "I see."

She smiled, "I accept your apology. We'll forget about you monopolizing the trading market!"

"Good!" Li An also smiled.

In reality, Li An did monopolize the market for Spirit Gathering talismans and Qi replenishing talismans, but the main reason for this monopoly was... the profit margin for these two types of talismans was not high, and the market was not large. The people in the talisman hall didn't care about them.

"Li An, this is Tan Qingxue, the disciple of Elder Guo Xiaochang from the talisman hall," Xu Qiuhui introduced.

She was quite satisfied that Li An was able to grow, not letting her efforts go to waste.

"I've heard a lot about you!" Li An exchanged pleasantries.

"Alright, you still have to go for the assessment, right? Go ahead, we won't delay you," Tan Qingxue said with a smile, and Li An immediately bid farewell.

"Sister Xu, does he really deserve such attention from you? You even brought me here to meet him?" After Li An left, Tan Qingxue looked at his back and asked in confusion.

It was indeed rare for Li An to go from being a servant to becoming a talisman master.

But his talent could only be considered average.

It was not uncommon for disciples in the talisman hall to refine Flame talismans within two years, and Li An's Flame talismans were not of high quality. It was obvious that he had barely managed to refine them.

"His preciousness does not lie in his talent for talismans," Xu Qiuhui said lightly. "Qingxue, although you have strong talent, you are too naive and immature in your interactions with others. If you want to compete with Sun Lin for Elder Guo Xiaochang's second-tier inheritance, you need to have one or two capable people by your side, otherwise it won't work."

"Although this person's talent for talismans is average, his character is rare, and... he is particularly cautious!"

She remembered what happened a year ago when the Hundred Beasts Sect attacked the Xuan Yang Sect...

She had just casually reminded him, but she believed that Li An had definitely taken it to heart.

- Later, in the forest where Li An was hiding, she carefully observed the surroundings. The cave he chose was obviously carefully selected and didn't seem like an accidental find.

That's why she valued Li An!

"And, this person comes from a humble background. As long as you treat him well, he will remember it and be easy to control."

Since Li An became the person in charge of the Lingzhi Mountain, she deliberately didn't let him see her for a year, but Li An would send her some spiritual rice and talismans every month through someone else. Although they were not valuable, it showed his determination.

She had already gone through a screening process, so she dared to leave this person to Tan Qingxue, increasing her influence in the talisman hall.

"Alright, alright," Tan Qingxue said, "If you approve of him, Sister Xu, he shouldn't be too bad. I won't mistreat him in the future."

Xu Qiuhui couldn't help but say, "You silly girl, don't take it lightly. Sun Lin is not an ordinary person!"

"I'll go participate in the inner sect assessment first."

...

"Next, Li An."

Li An paid the assessment fee of two spirit stones and waited for a long time before it was his turn.

"Ten sheets of talisman paper, create any kind of low-grade first-tier spiritual talisman. If you fail, you're eliminated."

The person in charge of the assessment was a middle-aged disciple with a black mole at the corner of his mouth. Seeing Li An dressed in a servant's robe, he didn't seem pleased, but he didn't say anything and handed Li An the talisman paper.

Li An took out his talisman pen and carefully drew.

The first eight sheets of talisman paper were all slightly off, and it wasn't until the ninth sheet that he barely succeeded in creating a Spirit Gathering talisman.

Li An's face was filled with joy as he asked, "Did I pass?"

"Pass? It's not that easy!"

"Make another twenty sheets and create at least three low-grade first-tier spiritual talismans."

Ten sheets might have been luck!

He had to create four out of thirty sheets to pass.

Li An gritted his teeth and continued to create. After twenty sheets of talisman paper, he was already sweating profusely, but he still managed to create three more Spirit Gathering talismans.

"Pass."

The disciple made a big stroke on the register, "You passed!"

A hint of joy appeared in Li An's eyes!

In the afternoon, the assessment finally ended.

In addition to Li An, there were seven other named disciples who passed the assessment and became new named disciples of the Fu Hall.

The disciple in charge of the assessment led them into the Fu Hall.

Now Li An knew that this disciple's name was Feng Lin, a first-grade middle-level Fu Master, with a cultivation level of Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

"The Central Xuanfu Hall is where Elder Guo gives lectures. He gives lectures three times a week."

"In addition, there are two trading places in the hall. You can use contribution points to obtain talisman paper, talisman brushes, and some special materials for making talismans, as well as insights into talisman making."

"It's cheaper than the sect's exchange center."

As Feng Lin walked, he introduced, "As named disciples of the Fu Hall, you will receive seven spiritual stones and ten bags of spiritual rice as monthly allowances. In addition, you will be given twenty talisman papers each month and one talisman brush per year."

"For the first three months after entering the Fu Hall, you only need to submit five first-grade low-level talismans each month. These talismans are part of the basic tasks. If you submit more, contribution points will be calculated based on the grade and quality of the talismans."

After becoming a named disciple, contribution points became very important.

Because important techniques and inheritances require contribution points to exchange for, and spiritual stones cannot be directly purchased.

Moreover, whether the contribution points meet the standard is the key to whether a named disciple can be promoted to a formal disciple.

The popularity of the Alchemy Hall, Artifact Hall, and Fu Hall is not only because of the high monthly allowances, but also because after joining these three halls, as long as you diligently refine spiritual pills, spiritual artifacts, and talismans, you can obtain contribution points.

After all, spiritual pills, spiritual artifacts, and talismans are strategic resources.

On the other hand, disciples from many other halls have to take on tasks assigned by the sect, such as clearing spirit beasts, which can be dangerous if not careful.

Li An was very satisfied with this.

This kind of place is most suitable for survival.

Even if a major sect war really happens, they would be the last to die.

"Well, this residential area is where you will live. Have you seen it? Some door lintels are pasted with talismans. Those are first-grade middle-level Spirit Gathering talismans personally drawn by Senior Brother Sun Lin. They can enhance your cultivation and increase the success rate of refining talismans."

Feng Lin suddenly stopped and pointed to a row of houses on the right side of the residential area, speaking persuasively.

The buildings of varying heights were arranged in an orderly manner. The houses on the right side were obviously newer and more luxurious, built with spiritual wood, and had talismans pasted on the door lintels.

While others appeared old and ordinary.

"Feng Senior Brother, can we live in these residences?" someone asked.

"Of course," Feng Lin smiled. "For three spiritual stones per month, you can obtain the right to live here."

Three spiritual stones!

Everyone was taken aback.

This number... is not small, almost half of the monthly allowance.

Senior Brother Sun Lin is a first-grade high-level Fu Master and also Elder Guo's disciple. He even helps teach your classes on weekdays."

Feng Lin sneered.

Everyone suddenly realized and immediately paid the money.

"What about you?" Feng Lin looked at Li An.

Li An suddenly looked embarrassed. "Senior Brother Feng, can I put it on credit for now?"

"Credit?" Feng Lin narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I estimate that I will have to put it on credit for half a year because I still owe a friend a large sum of spiritual stones that I haven't paid back yet. Being a Fu Master in the early stage is too expensive..."

"Get lost!"

Feng Lin instantly lost interest in listening. Half a year on credit, even ghosts would shake their heads.

He immediately led the other seven disciples to choose those luxurious residences.

As for Li An, he sighed deeply and could only find a quiet and secluded ordinary house to live in.

Although it was called an ordinary house, it was much better than the one on Lingzhi Mountain. The houses on Lingzhi Mountain had windows made of paper and were very narrow. Eating, sleeping, and bathing were all done in one room. But here, it was a "four-room, one-living room" layout, with a separate kitchen, study, bedroom, and bathroom.

Compared to before, it was much more comfortable!

The only difference was that there were no so-called first-grade middle-level Spirit Gathering talismans.

But Li An didn't care. First-grade middle-level Spirit Gathering talismans could only be sold for one spiritual stone outside at most. Once Sun Lin's name was attached, they would charge three spiritual stones... too expensive.

Moreover, he was not familiar with the internal situation of the Fu Hall since he had just arrived. He didn't want to rashly establish any relationships with anyone.

So, he used the excuse of not having money to hide for a while, which would also prevent him from offending Feng Lin and Sun Lin.

When the situation became clear in the future, he could take action.

He took a hot bath, changed out of the old and dirty clothes of a menial worker, and put on the robe exclusive to named disciples in the room.

The silk-like smooth and soft touch, the heavy texture, warm in winter and cool in summer, was much more comfortable than the menial worker's uniform!

Only one difference was that there were no so-called first-grade middle-level Spirit Gathering talismans.

But Li An didn't care. First-grade middle-level Spirit Gathering talismans could only be sold for one spiritual stone outside at most. Once Sun Lin's name was attached, they would charge three spiritual stones... too expensive.

Moreover, he was not familiar with the internal situation of the Fu Hall since he had just arrived. He didn't want to rashly establish any relationships with anyone.

So, he used the excuse of not having money to hide for a while, which would also prevent him from offending Feng Lin and Sun Lin.

When the situation became clear in the future, he could take action.

He took a hot bath, changed out of the old and dirty clothes of a menial worker, and put on the robe exclusive to named disciples in the room.

The silk-like smooth and soft touch, the heavy texture, warm in winter and cool in summer, was much more comfortable than the menial worker's uniform!

Li An then went out to find Wang Dazhu and Zhao Xianchuan.

The three of them agreed to meet by the Moon Lake.

...

(End of this chapter)