The Obstacle Dispelling Charm and Calming Talisman are also basic talismans that don’t have a rank. Although their effects are stronger than the Purification Talisman, their use is quite limited. For example, the Obstacle Dispelling Charm is only useful in situations like encountering fog, illusions, or being trapped in a phantom maze.
When Charles Evergreen picked up his brush to draw the Obstacle Dispelling Charm, his movements were fluid and steady, every stroke and infusion of mana perfectly aligned, like a standard template. In no time, the charm was completed.
Shopkeeper Snifer, who was observing from the side, showed a satisfied smile, nodding subtly.
He then encouraged Charles to continue without a break and try crafting the Calming Talisman.
This time, Charles "made a mistake."
Halfway through the process, his brush slipped.
Immediately, the mana on the talisman paper dispersed, causing it to ignite. The half-finished Calming Talisman quickly burned up.
Seeing this, Shopkeeper Snifer merely waved his hand to extinguish the flames. He didn’t offer any criticism, simply asking Charles to clean up the desk and start over.
For a talisman master, it’s commonplace to have a talisman catch fire due to a crafting failure.
Newcomers might do this, but so do seasoned veterans.
After all, talisman masters also have different levels—basic, first rank, middle rank, top rank, second rank...
On his second attempt at crafting the Calming Talisman, Charles didn’t "mess up" again and completed it smoothly.
"I must say, I underestimated you. I thought you were just a diligent and reliable young man who could become a competent talisman assistant here at the Charm Pavilion. But it turns out you have a decent talent for talismans!" Shopkeeper Snifer said with a smile, looking at Charles, who was standing respectfully waiting for feedback after finishing the talisman. His eyes gleamed with deep meaning as he asked, "The other three talismans—the Warding Talisman, Fireball Talisman, and Defensive Charm—could you manage to draw them as well?"
A look of embarrassment crossed Charles's face. "I’m not very confident with those three talismans. The success rate wouldn’t be high if I forced myself to draw them."
Shopkeeper Snifer laughed heartily, shaking his head. "If you could master those three talismans as quickly as the Purification Talisman, Obstacle Dispelling Charm, and Calming Talisman in just two months, then you could be considered a true prodigy in talisman crafting. I would break the rules and promote you to the Exclusive Talisman Master of the Spirit Talisman Pavilion right away!"
Shopkeeper Snifer was confident that he had thoroughly assessed Charles’s capabilities.
In two months, with the Rune Master's Handbook annotated with Snifer’s own insights, Charles had managed to grasp the basics of the simplest talismans with a decent success rate, which was already rare among rogue cultivators—one in a hundred, even.
He was like a hidden gem waiting to be polished.
With some hard work and more practice, becoming a Ranked Talisman Master seemed almost certain.
That’s why Shopkeeper Snifer admitted he had misjudged Charles initially.
As for more extraordinary talent—mastering all six basic talismans in such a short time?
That would be more than just decent; even the sect behind Snifer would eagerly recruit such a person for special training.
"In these two months, you must have spent quite a bit of energy stones on talisman materials, losing more than half to achieve your current skill level, right?" Snifer asked with a knowing smile.
Huh?
Not at all. I just used some leftover materials to verify my skills.
Is skill proficiency really something you need to burn materials for?
When I said I wasn’t confident, that the success rate wasn’t high, I was being modest, hiding my true strength.
I didn’t know you could actually lose money crafting talismans.
"Yes! Not only did I spend all my savings from the past ten years, but I also borrowed a lot of energy stones from a neighbor. To be honest, my neighbor came to collect the debt just a few days ago." Charles said, putting on a pained expression.
Ten years of savings amounted to just two low-grade energy stones.
And indeed, Sylvia Lin did come by to collect her debt three days ago.
So technically, I’m not lying.
"Exactly! Talisman masters are among the most profitable professions, but at the beginning, you have to invest first, living frugally. Even I still lose money sometimes when the success rate of a talisman is low, and I force myself to craft it." Snifer said with a sigh.
Talisman masters do make money.
But locking yourself in a studio, repeatedly failing and starting fires while trying to master new, more difficult talismans just to increase proficiency—that’s quite torturous.
Even a prodigious talisman master can’t grasp a talisman technique without repeated attempts and constant trial and error.
It’s always bitter before it’s sweet, with proficiency increasing little by little.
"But you won’t have to worry about losing money anymore."
Snifer paused for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Charles Evergreen, would you like to become an official member of the Charm Pavilion?"
Charles's eyes lit up, and he let out a long breath before cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. "I would be honored!"
This time, he wasn’t pretending.
Becoming an official member of the Charm Pavilion was the opportunity he had been waiting for over the past three days.
"Excellent."
Snifer nodded, pulling out a golden token from his storage pouch and tossing it to Charles. "Refine this token, and from now on, you’re an official member of the Charm Pavilion. In South Mountain Market, if you encounter any trouble, just show this token, and as long as it’s not a Foundation-Building Cultivator, they’ll give you some respect."
"Also, from now on, you don’t need to worry about material losses when crafting talismans. As long as it’s within a reasonable range, you can craft talismans to your heart’s content, gaining experience, accumulating proficiency, and improving your skills!"
"Of course, the successful talismans will belong to the Charm Pavilion."
"The Charm Pavilion will pay you in energy stones based on your monthly output."
"There’s no limit to the amount of energy stones. The higher your success rate and the better the quality of your talismans, the more you’ll earn."
"Even if you incur losses, you’ll still have a monthly guarantee. Based on your current talisman skills, your minimum compensation will be twenty low-grade energy stones."
"In addition, as an official member of the Charm Pavilion, you’ll receive a housing allowance. You can enjoy a fifty percent discount on Class C and D abodes, though not on the Class A and B abodes."
"And if your skills improve one day, allowing you to craft ranked talismans, your benefits will naturally increase. You may even be considered for joining the sect and becoming an Exclusive Talisman Master of the Spirit Talisman Pavilion!"
Listening to Snifer list all the benefits of becoming an official member, even though Charles was already somewhat aware of them, he couldn’t help but clench his fists in excitement.
He had finally achieved his goal!
The goal that he and Ally had worked toward for over ten years, through countless hardships, had now been realized.
A guaranteed monthly income of 20 low-grade energy stones, ten times more than his previous earnings!
And, in South Mountain Market, he could now enjoy a fifty percent discount on Class C and D abodes.
The abodes in South Mountain Market are divided into four grades—A, B, C, and D—based on the concentration of spiritual energy.
Class A abodes are the highest, reaching the level of second-rank mid-grade, and are often occupied by Foundation-Building Cultivators. Even if ordinary cultivators have the money, they might not be able to secure one.
If you’re wealthy enough, you might be able to rent a Class B abode, which just reaches the level of a second-rank spiritual vein.
However, even the smallest and most basic Class B abode costs dozens of low-grade energy stones per month, with better ones costing over a hundred.
The price is too high, so the Charm Pavilion doesn’t subsidize these abodes.
Even with the subsidy, Charles still couldn’t afford to live there.
He could only afford to stay in the lowest grade, a Class D abode.
The rent for a Class D abode ranges from 5 to 20 low-grade energy stones per month.
With the Charm Pavilion’s subsidy, the rent would be halved.
As for where Charles used to live, it wasn’t even an abode... more like a shantytown.
"I can finally move out of the shantytown!"
His previous self had spent over ten years in South Mountain Market, advancing only one level in cultivation, largely due to the poor living conditions.
But a Class D abode would fully meet the daily cultivation needs of a Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator, and many poorer late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators also lived in Class D abodes.
Charles believed that after moving into a Class D abode, his cultivation speed would significantly improve.
