The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

Chapter 183: Talisman Channels

Finding no luck with any of the talisman stores he had approached, Li Lang soon turned to someone who he could rely on when it came to tall matters relating to brushweaving. His brushweaving teacher, Yi Lin.

The abode Yi Lin stayed in remained unchanged. Li Lang knocked on the doors and, as expected, it took several minutes before someone came to answer. The familiar disheveled appearance of his teacher poked out from the other side of the door, and his expression quickly changed to that of surprise upon recognizing his student.

“Li Lang. Can’t say I was expecting you to pay me a visit. When did you get back?”

“Just last night.”

“And you came to see me the next day? Didn’t know you held me in such high regard. Please come in.”

Li Lang felt a little guilty that he only turned to his teacher because he needed help, but he kept that to himself. He was guided up to the second floor study where Yi Lin usually carried out his work. As a workaholic himself, Yi Lin got straight back to what he was working on, while Li Lang skillfully maneuvered around the messy room to a seat.

The two hadn’t spoken too much after the event of the pocket realm. They only went through some of Li Lang’s findings from the knowledge he had gained and filled out the gaps in his brushweaving knowledge. It couldn’t be helped, as both of them had busy lives.

Perhaps due to this similarity, Li Lang silently waited for his teacher to complete the inscription of a talisman before speaking.

“Yi Lin, do you mind if I ask you something?”

“Hmm? You never asked for permission before, so you don’t need to now. Just ask. I can work at the same time,” the brushweaving mentor nonchalantly replied as he prepared to get started on his next piece.

“Hypothetically speaking, if I somehow can get a stable and large supply of low-quality Mortal-grade talismans, how can I sell them?”

“Well, besides having your own store like most brushweavers do, you can usually sell in bulk to organizations or even to the Brushweaver Guild.”

“But the catch is?”

“There isn’t really one except for having to negotiate the deals. The Brushweaver Guild is easy, as they are more of a middleman who gathered the work of numerous apprentices to sell to the organizations themselves. However, the price they give will also likely be the lowest. It’s why so many rush to open their own store.”

“Then why don’t you open your own? I think you should have the skill and funds for it by now.”

“Ha, look around. Do you really think it’s something I am suited for?”

Li Lang didn’t have to glance around the chaotic room to know what his mentor was referring to. He only chuckled in response.

“Stores are profitable when selling large quantities of the same old things,” Yi Lin continued. “In my case, I sell my services to create high-quality products, customized to my client’s specifications. It’s just as profitable as long as you have the skill, and much more exciting, being able to do new and challenging work.”

“Makes sense. After all, it is working out for you.”

“So do you want to share how you’ve come across a large supply of low-quality talismans? Don’t tell me you recruited dozens of students to slave away for you or something.”

Well, he’s not wrong about recruiting a dozen students part.

“I said hypothetically. Just wondering after learning that most talisman stores don’t resell low-grade talismans.”

“Right, right. Suit yourself. If you don’t want to tell me, then it’s fine.”

Li Lang shrugged at his surprisingly perceptive mentor. For someone who was as messy as him, Li Lang had expected otherwise. Thankfully, he didn’t press the matter, so Li Lang directed the conversation to different topics. There was still a lot he could learn from him. Li Lang hadn’t neglected his brushweaving training, so he naturally had a plethora of things to consult with his mentor.

Their sudden tutoring session came to an end slightly past noon. Li Lang still had things to get done today, so he bid Yi Lin farewell and returned to the streets of Emberglow City.

He had no hesitation about his next destination. He knew that it was a futile effort to negotiate with any organization as only an Energy Gatherer. That’s why he headed straight for the Brushweaver Guild. He would let the guild do the negotiating for him.

The lower price they could offer wasn’t that much of a problem to him. He could produce over a thousand talismans a day. The true profit was in being able to move the huge quantity of talismans.

Li Lang soon set foot into the Brushweaver Guild within Emberglow City once more. It was some time since he had been here, but just like the previous time, the sound of water could be heard as soon as the doors opened.

The entrance led straight to a bridge, with water splashing down on both sides of the walkway.

He walked briskly, heading to the reception counter.

“Welcome, Sir. How may we help you today?”

“I’m here to sell Mortal-grade talismans in bulk. Who do I need to speak to?”

“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll see if anyone in the procurement department is available.”

Seeing the receptionist dart to the back, Li Lang had no choice but to wait. He spent the time watching the people passing by. Some were in a rush, while some were appreciating the calligraphy on the walls.

The ones leisurely looking around were the experienced cultivators with unfathomable cultivation, while the ones in a rush were the young apprentices.

He wondered if the adolescents rushing around him were in the same position, selling their work to the guild so they could fund their studies. However, they didn’t have an artifact printer as he did, so he could only admire their hard work and perseverance.

After having witnessed dozens of people walking by him, the receptionist, who had received him, finally returned.

“Sir, please head up to the second floor to room eight.”

“Understood, thank you.”

Li Lang was no stranger to the upper floors of the Brushweaver Guild. He had been there before during the time he got his certification. Very soon, he entered a room that was reminiscent of the waiting rooms he had been to, with nothing more than some chairs and a table in the middle.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long. Before he could warm his seat, a knock could be heard, and the doors opened. A young man in the guild’s attire walked in. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with a cultivation similar to his own. Based on those clues, Li Lang believed he was one of the many employees who managed the operation of the guild instead of being a brushweaver himself.

“Thank you for coming. My name is Mou Fong. I’ve heard you’re here to sell talismans, but may I see your guild ring first?”

“Of course, here it is.”

Li Lang smoothly took off the ring that had been with him for years. He took a brief glance at it before handing it over. Having been in his possession for so many years, he knew it was an exceptional item.

It wasn’t an artifact, but it had the ability to contract and expand so that it would fit the wearer perfectly.

The guild worker took out a thin slate and placed the ring on it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“So, Li Lang, what kind of talismans do you have for us today?”

“I’m looking to negotiate a long-term deal for Warding Talismans.”

“Hmm, those are certainly useful, especially for merchants and the like, but I can’t give you a definitive answer about any extended arrangements. I’m only authorized to deal with onetime transactions, but I can send your proposal to someone higher up. It may take a few days or weeks, though.”

“That—is no problem.”

“Okay, give me the details of the arrangement you’re looking for in terms of quantities, terms, and prices.”

“Hmm, for terms, the only thing that comes to mind is the bulk purchase of materials for Mortal-grade Warding Talismans. If the guild can satisfy that part, I plan to sell the guild a thousand talismans.”

“Per month?” Mou Fong asked as he jotted down some notes.

“Per day.”

Mou Fong suddenly stopped mid-stroke and froze.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“One thousand Warding Talismans per day. We can do our transactions once a week or month, if that is more convenient for you.”

Li Lang’s Weave Press could print three hundred talismans every hour, but it had to take a two-hour break after one hour of printing. He had tried allowing the artifact to rest before it hit its limit, hoping it could recover faster, but the recovery period remained static.

That meant it could theoretically work eight hours a day, which equals twenty-four hundred talismans, but that could only be possible if Li Lang woke up multiple times in the middle of the night. As the artifact was bound to him, only he could operate it. He only needed to start it up every three hours, but Li Lang wasn’t in desperate need of money.

Eventually, he made the decision to only sell one thousand talismans for now. That way, it wouldn’t disrupt his sleep, and he got the chance to observe the impact it had on the market.

One thousand was already a lot. Even seasoned brushweavers took a few minutes to inscribe simple talismans, with novices taking closer to fifteen minutes. Few brushweavers produced more than fifty talismans a day. His thousand had the same impact as having twenty brushweavers slaving away at nothing but Warding Talismans for him.

Of course, their quality also had to be taken into account.

“I’m sorry, but can you say that one more time? I thought I heard you say you want to sell a thousand talismans every day,” the guild worker continued.

“That’s correct.”

“Umm, okay. Sorry about that. Very few groups choose to produce only one type of talisman. Normally, when you have that many brushweavers working together, they collectively open a store instead or satisfy what’s in high demand. You’ll have to list out the names of every brushweaver you’re working with and the quota they’re responsible for, so we can add that to their records.”

This time, it was Li Lang’s turn to freeze up.

Umm, how do I tell him it’s just me without this becoming a big deal?