Leaving Cloudfield Market is not easy.

According to the rules set by the Clearwater Sect, any casual cultivator who accepts the task of opening up wasteland must stay in the market for five years. After five years, the Clearwater Sect does not interfere with whether the cultivators stay or leave.

Of course, Cloudfield Market is located deep in the Yunmeng Lake area, and the Clearwater Sect's spirit ship is needed to travel back and forth. Before coming, the spirit ship will pick you up for free. There are many promotions for various opportunities:

"Do you want to become an immortal? Come to open up wasteland. Cloudfield Market, the starting point of your longevity."

However, upon arrival, reality hits hard:

Immortal cultivation fraud. This is the end of the longevity road. The Clearwater Sect is a friendly cooperative unit of the underworld.

Can't stay and want to leave? No problem, three hundred spirit stones per ticket. If you think it's too expensive, you can try to run out by yourself. If you can make it out of the Yunmeng Lake area on your own, you win.

The boat tickets are too expensive, but going alone is too dangerous. The Clearwater Sect also understands the difficulties of independent cultivators. If you work in Cloudfield Market for ten years, the cost of the boat ticket is halved. If you work for twenty years, the boat ticket costs 100 spirit stones.

All the above rules are set for those without means. If you have connections and spirit stones, you can repeatedly challenge the cultivation world of Cloudfield Market and Chu Country.

Unfortunately, Alex Reed lacks spirit stones and has no connections, making him doubly poor.

Why did his predecessor come to Cloudfield Market? It was to see if he could find any opportunities. By opening up the wasteland, one might stumble upon high-level ores, spiritual medicines, etc. This kind of thing happens every once in a while in Cloudfield Market. It inspires many independent cultivators to rush into the depths of the wilderness like they're on a sugar high.

For lower-level cultivators, Alex can understand the thoughts of his predecessor. If you can't rely on yourself, you can only rely on fate. Maybe one day, you'll pick up a high-level ore or a high-level spiritual medicine. But the probability is very low. On the contrary, the probability of losing his life is very high.

More than half a year ago, as soon as Alex came here, he immediately completely denied the original owner's strategy of risking his life. He changed the risky route to a... steady route.

With a steady system in hand, he only needs to find a safe place and practice peacefully. He wants to be steady! Desperation is not suitable for him!

Looking at the fire talisman in his hand again and again, Alex recalled the memory of making the talisman in his mind. It's different with a system. The predecessor, Cai Kun, studied for a long time but didn't get started.

After a while, putting down the fire talisman, Alex began to calculate and emptied everything from the storage bag.

In total... a spiritual stone. A second-rate low-grade spiritual sword, worth about eight spiritual stones. If it weren't for self-defense, Alex would have pawned the sword as rent.

He picked up the talisman pen and checked it. There were already cracks on it. This first-grade low-grade talisman pen was bought for thirty spirit stones, which can only be regarded as ordinary goods. The spirit ink is quite rich. Although it is just an ordinary product among first-grade low-grade spirit ink, it also cost twenty spirit stones when it was bought. The talisman paper is cheap. One knife of talisman paper has ten sheets, worth three spirit stones. The original owner bought a few knives, and later there were only thirteen sheets left.

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"If there was no system, I would want to become a talisman master. I don’t know how many spirit stones I would have spent."

In memory, the original owner bought three bottles of spirit ink, wasted two bottles, but didn’t draw a single talisman. The remaining bottle was ticked by the King of Hell before it could be used.

"A talisman pen can be used a hundred times, and the cost is one-third of a spiritual stone each time."

"A bottle of spiritual ink can be used to draw ten to fifteen times. Even if it can draw fifteen talismans, the cost is one and a third of a spiritual stone each time."

"A piece of talisman paper costs one-third of a spiritual stone."

"In other words, regardless of success or failure, the cost of a low-grade fire talisman is two spiritual stones."

"This is still the most common three-piece set for making talismans. If the quality of spiritual ink and talisman paper is better at the same level, the cost will be even higher."

"For a fire talisman, Treasure Pavilion charges three low-grade spiritual stones. To avoid losing money, you need to make at least seven successful talisman papers with one knife."

After calculating the cost problem, Alex couldn't help shaking his head. It seems that the life of low-level talisman masters is not easy. They can only make a little money from their skills. Maybe they will even lose money.

However, the higher the level of the talisman, the more expensive it is. Some first-level medium-grade talismans are worth ten spiritual stones each. Although the cost is a bit higher, the profit is also greater. From this point of view, being a talisman master has a promising future. At least it is much easier than being a puppeteer or alchemist.

Of course, you can also sell to casual cultivators at a higher price, four spirit stones per piece. But Alex has never thought about retail.

After calculating the cost, he suddenly smiled. The talisman pen, spirit ink, and talisman paper in front of him are all free.

Chi Chi—

On the smooth bed board, a piece of talisman paper sparked and burned to ashes in an instant. Alex was frightened by the flames. When he drew the last stroke, his whole body trembled violently, as if his body was emptied.

"Cough cough cough..."

Alex coughed violently, and the miasma was entangled in him, and he couldn't even draw the talisman well.

After hesitating for a moment, he put away the three-piece set of talisman making and re-laid the bedding. He took out the last spirit stone at the bottom of the box and practiced.

He hadn't practiced for more than half a year.

He practiced Qianyuan Gong, a moderate and peaceful method. It took into account all five elements and could practice up to the seventh level of Qi training. In layman's terms, this method is common and has no advantages at all.

The spirit stone glowed in his hand, and the spiritual light penetrated into his body along his arm.

[Calm down, perception point +1]

[Calm down, perception point +1]

…

Early the next morning, Alex got up and first grabbed a sweet potato to chew. He then lifted the quilt.

He spread out the talisman paper.

The failure yesterday was mainly due to the miasma affecting his spiritual power and mental state.

A normal third-level Qi training cultivator can make two or three talismans in a row without feeling exhausted.

Many beginners of talisman making have to bathe, change clothes, burn incense, and calm their breath before drawing talismans. The purpose is to calm their minds and be able to concentrate on making talismans.

Alex did not have this condition either.

He ate a sweet potato, and that was it.

The talisman pen dipped in the spiritual ink, and then the spiritual power in the body flowed to the talisman pen, and began to outline on the talisman paper.

On the blank talisman paper, a faint light appeared after the talisman pen moved.

The whole process was smooth.

When Alex raised his hand, the red light on the talisman paper in front of him flashed and then dimmed, and the spiritual ink and talisman paper merged into one.

The fire talisman, it's done again!

"Ahem..."

He put away the talisman pen and covered it with spiritual ink.

After yesterday's mistake, Alex didn't plan to draw anymore.

His lungs were poisoned.

If he continued to draw, regardless of how his body would bear it, wasting talisman paper and spiritual ink would be a waste.

Take a rest first, and draw again in the afternoon.

...

Six days later.

On Alex's stone bed, twelve fire talismans were neatly laid out.

It's different with the system; the success rate is almost 100%.

The total value is thirty-six low-grade spirit stones.

After traveling here for more than half a year, he finally has a foothold.

After putting away the fire talisman, Alex calmed down first.

He tidied up his robes, opened the door, and walked out, preparing to sell the talisman.