"Sigh ! I couldn't even convience him to become my disciple. He would have made a good larky. It seems I have to change my temper or I'll attract trouble i won't be able to handle." Ling Aotian self internalized as he walked through the streets of Mar Long city.
It seemed that his mental realm was still lacking, acting like an old monster while in a 16 year old body. Just how many people will find it curious..? How many old monsters may investigate his sudden burst of matureness not along his extreme physique. It must be known that his physique is not inherited and nor is it acquired in the normal way. That could be seen by the fact that Ling Aotian was still in the Qi refining realm. Just how many people would kill just for this secret..?
The streets of Mar Long city were tidy and well kept, like ones from the great Ming Era. Snow was absent, probably due to the formations fluctuations Ling Aotian could sense all over the buildings, pavements and shops. Dozens of shops were on the sides of the streets with shop banners boldly hang out of each shop. The people were also of varying race, with the demon race occupying most of the population.
Ling Aotian could see few human cultivators that have set shop in this city. They were selling all types of reasources that were rare to the demon snow Domain. Most likely the only reason that they were tolerated dispite of the long history of hatred between the two races.
"The city lord must be a smart character." Ling Aotian guessed as he eyed few low grade talismans, pills, spirit weapons refinaries and the such. These were all managed by humans. Ling Aotian could guess the scheme of the city lord just by the apprentices of the refinaries and stalls. They were all demons. He humffed and picked a regular talisman shop, while his mind thought of the city lord.." He should also be a scheming character..! " Allowing humans to trade for things demons cannot produce on their own, and at the same time making them teach the demons their art in the guise that their trade should benefit the locals.."
This was actually a simple scheme, with the human traders knowing so, but still choosing to make some profit. Not carering whether they were used or not. This was the same to all snow Domain cities, but Marlong city took it to another level by making demons learn the arts of humans. Demons rely on bloodline abilities and inheritances, making their innovation and invention rather low. For hundreds of thousands of years, ever since the emergence of the fourth Venerate( Ice Soul demon Venerate) demons would rely on humans for supplementary things like formations and talismans for cultivation. Although conflicts would arise and blood would spill, at the end of the day humans also needed demons for their resources. Resources like pill ingredients that only grow where demons live, natural spirit deposits that mainly form in their territory and other kinds of resources. This interdependence led to their collaboration, where spirit stone mines are in the demon territories while humans had the means to mine and refine them into usable spirit stones.
Ling Aotian proceeded to walk to a talisman shop, his side steps benovelent with an austiar grace.
Ding!
A bell rang when he walked in. From the sides of the shop's interior talismans float at different heights, with rays of color managing them in the air while at the same time showing their grade. This talisman shop only had from copper to gold, indicating that their talismans could be used by cultivators from the spiritual Qi awakening to the core formation realm. Cultivators above core formation realm may also be able to use talismans of gold grade to copper grade but they usually don't since it wastes their origin Qi.
For talismans, the amount of Qi used to activate it is the same but the density doesn't matter as long as the talisman is activated. This means that a person in the core formation realm would use the same amount of Qi to activate the same talisman as a Qi refining realm. Although the amount is the same, the quality and density is different.
"At last, a customer..!" As soon as the bell rang, an old man sighed as he walked towards Ling Aotian. He looked to be about fifty to sixty years old. His cultivation unmistakeably at the late stage of body and tempering realm. The old man had a scholars disposition, his white robes plain and simple with a silver badge on his chest. He had wrinkles on his forehead, a mole below his nose and a long drooping beard that made him look like an immortal master.
"My name is Wu xiantian, I am the owner of this humble shop. How can I help you fellow daoist." The owner cupped his hand as he bowed slightly. Ling Aotian reciprocated and said his name,but as soon as he lifted his head..sheew!! A gust of fragrant wind blew his hair as a figure passed through him and into the old man with terrifying speed. Ling Aotian was stunned, even he with his superior sences could not see it.
" This..fragrance.. is..."
Looking over, a little girl of five to six years was hugging the owners legs like a little Koala. The little girl had long, pointed ears and a single protrusion at the middle of her forehead: between her two eyebrows.
"Wu ke'er stop running all over the place..! You will scare of the customer.Daoist Ling, please don't mind my granddaugh.." " wu ke'er wants meat." Before Wu xiantian could apologise, Wu ke' er already demanded. She was acting like a spoiled brat, one minute on her grandfather's legs, the next of his hair. She was a handfull, full of energy and mischief.
Then she saw Ling Aotian, a smile lingering on her face as new torments got birthed in her mind. Ling Aotian looked at her with curiosity, eyeing the fact that the shop owner called her granddaughter while he himself was human.
"She's my adapted granddaughter." Wu xiantian said as if he was reading his mind. Ling Aotian nodded in understanding but also with praise. He looked at the little girl and gave a smile,making the little girl blush slightly before pouncing into Ling Aotian with an exergirated smile.
"Big brother..? Do you have any meat..!! Wu ke' er is hungry.." Wu xiantian showed a shocked expression. He turned to Ling Aotian and literally plucked the little demon of of Ling Aotian's shoulder. He gave the girl a talisman and the little demoness flashed with speed into the inner area of the shop.
"Daoist Ling Must be a good person." Wu xiantian suddenly spoke. " Why would you think that..? " A smirk escaped Ling Aotian lips.
"Don't take it wrongly, but that little demon has a weird divine ability that makes her hear people's thoughts in a certain range." Ling Aotian's mind blanked. Just what kind of ability was this..? Wasn't it too ..usefull..??
He couldn't help but think while his head thought of all scenarios where such a divine ability could be used.
This was a habit of his, overthinking, overolanning and always thinking four levels of things before doing them. For Ling Aotian to actually come to a certain decision, he would think forward to all consequences. It was both a con and a pro. In the end he was still human, making mistakes from time to time, only to try again and again until he achieves his directive. He liked being in control.
"Daoist Wu xiantian, I actually came to ask for a job.." Wu xiantian squinted his eyes. He could not believe what he was hearing. Although his shop was small, it still needed someone proficient in talismans to maintain it. And by the looks of Ling Aotian, he could clearly see that he was only 16 or 17. How could his attainment in talismans be the required level..?
"I am sorry bother Ling but, to work here, you need at least half-step master attainment.." Ling Aotian smiled, putting his right hand into his robes to show his qualification..
Bangg!! Suddenly, the door of the talisman shop flew off right into Ling Aotian. Ling Aotian dodged thanks to his quick calculated movements. Wu Xiantian narrowed his eyes.
"Impudence!! Who dares use force in my shop.." he shouted at the door, or the space where the door should be. He was angry, but secretly admired Ling Aotian's reaction speed. ' This daoist is not a simple character' Wu xiantian thought.
Ling Aotian however was already at the door, his talismans shimmering as jade Qi poured into the immortal runes on the talisman. " Explode..! "
"No..don't !! " Wu xiantian screamed, also using a talisman with the immortal character " Neutralize" in it. The old Wu Xiantian, released his talisman later, but his talisman activated at the same time as Ling Aotian. Showing his great skill in talismans while also saving the perpetrators from harm.
Ling Aotian looked at the intruders, they were four in number, their robes all of a black color. Then his eyes narrowed, he saw the silver badges on the chests of the perpetrators.
" Alchemists !! "