The young man looked at the brush, and before he even held it, he felt an irresistible urge to have it. There were so many spirit brushes on the shelf, even ones worth four thousand qingfu coins, but Lin Zhao was inexplicably drawn to this one. This brush exuded a strong aura of combat, making it perfect for inscribing military talismans; its killing intent would surely be even greater. Perhaps this was the legendary perfect match.
However, this brush was placed right beside the old gentleman, seemingly for his personal use. Judging by its appearance, it was likely not cheap. Those who "presided" in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion were all profoundly knowledgeable figures, weren't they?
Thus, despite Lin Zhao's admiration for the brush, he almost lacked the courage to speak. Poverty indeed curtails one's aspirations. A person carrying just over a hundred qingfu coins would have to speak softly in such a place.
...
The old gentleman looked at Lin Zhao with the vigilance of a thief, already having prepared his refusal should the boy dare to speak. But at that moment, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Old Mr. Zhu."
The speaker's voice was rich and mellow; it was Qin Suihan.
"Mm."
The old gentleman immediately straightened up, responding in kind through telepathy, "Mr. Qin, what is your esteemed advice?"
"This brush..."
Qin Suihan said, "Sell it to Lin Zhao. Make it fifty qingfu coins."
"Huh?!"
Old Mr. Zhu looked as if his life were in peril. "Mr. Qin, this brush of mine... it has been my cherished companion for half a lifetime! I bought it in Bailu City of the Great Xia Dynasty for a hundred gold zisu coins. After so many years, its spiritual energy has been nurtured to be even more potent. It's worth at least two hundred gold zisu coins now. This... forgive my frankness, but fifty qingfu coins wouldn't even buy a single strand of this 'Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow'!"
"Old Mr. Zhu!"
Qin Suihan chuckled, "This Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow was once a general's tool for mustering troops. It only fell into the mortal realm after the ancestral home of the military experienced great chaos. For a mere ledger keeper like yourself to use such a brush, favored by military saints, is truly a waste, wouldn't you agree? It's unnecessary. Why not return it to the military? This brush is a perfect match for Lin Zhao and for military talismans. Mr. Zhu has always been kind and generous; you would naturally wish to fulfill this good deed, wouldn't you?"
The old gentleman wore an expression of utter resignation. "But..."
"No buts about it."
Qin Suihan smiled. "Old Mr. Zhu, haven't you long coveted my 'Flowing Water Fish Inkstone'? If you do this kind deed, I will gladly gift you the inkstone. Furthermore, doesn't your great-grandson always wish for a spot at Cloud Academy? If you agree, I will write a letter to my junior, asking him to personally mentor your exceptionally bright great-grandson."
"Stop, Mr. Qin..."
Old Mr. Zhu said, "I am willing to part with it, simply for your noble intention of protecting Lin Zhao..."
"Thank you."
"I will come this afternoon to collect the Flowing Water Fish Inkstone. Please don't go out visiting this afternoon."
"Chessboard and tea await your arrival, sir!"
"Mr. Qin, you flatter this old man~~~"
...
The old gentleman looked up. Lin Zhao was still gazing at the brush, unable to tear his eyes away.
"Lin Zhao?"
The old gentleman flicked his hand, and a Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow appeared in his grasp. He smiled, "Do you like this brush?"
"Mm!"
Lin Zhao nodded quickly. "I like it very much!"
"Hmph~~~"
The old gentleman chuckled. "This Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow has a rather illustrious origin. It once belonged to a military saint who called himself 'I Always Wish for More Troops.' He often used this brush to muster his forces. Later, it fell into the mortal realm and has been with me for half my life. If young friend Lin Zhao likes it, perhaps I can offer you a discounted price."
"Really!?"
Lin Zhao was overjoyed, but after a few seconds, his smile faded. He said softly, "Since it is your cherished possession, I shouldn't take what you love. Perhaps it's best if I don't."
The old gentleman wished he could bash his head against a wall. *Please, just take it! My Flowing Water Fish Inkstone and my great-grandson's education at the academy all depend on this! For goodness sake, Lin Zhao, don't be so modest and polite right now!*
"Hmph~~~"
The old gentleman smiled. "Young friend, there's no need for such modesty. This brush... it only serves to record accounts when it's with me. It would be better to sell it to you and foster good relations. What do you think?"
"Mm!"
Lin Zhao said, "I am willing to purchase this brush with all my might."
The old gentleman muttered inwardly, *All your might? Even if you opened a hundred Hundred Flavors Restaurants, you still couldn't afford this brush! Why are you so unaware of your own limitations?*
"Alright."
The old gentleman sat up straight and said, "I won't deceive you. I'll sell you this brush for fifty qingfu coins."
"Fifty!?"
Lin Zhao was stunned. Although he had some discerning eye, he had only vaguely sensed the brush's aura of combat. He truly liked its appearance. To sell it for fifty qingfu coins based on its looks alone? This was outrageous. That story about Han Xin mustering his troops and always wishing for more must also be a fabrication by this old scoundrel. He's truly wicked! The young man said cautiously, "Could it be a little cheaper? How about thirty qingfu coins?"
The old gentleman's expression remained unchanged, but he glanced towards the window to his right. He wished he could jump out and smash his head against something. *You still think fifty qingfu coins is too expensive? If you're so capable, why not buy my priceless Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow for fifty copper coins?*
Beside him, the maiden Qing Qiu said understandingly, "Old Mr. Zhu, are you feeling stifled? Would you like me to open the window wider?"
Another person with no sense of tact.
The old gentleman rolled his eyes, inwardly grumbling, *Why would you open the window wider? To make it easier for this old man to jump to his death?*
"Cough cough..."
The old gentleman coughed. "Lin Zhao, thirty qingfu coins is simply too much, isn't it?"
"That seems to be the case..."
Lin Zhao gritted his teeth. "Forty qingfu coins. That's truly all I have, and I can't go any higher, old sir. This is all my savings."
"..."
Old Mr. Zhu was on the verge of foaming at the mouth. He sent a telepathic message: "Mr. Qin, look at this... he's actually haggling! What about that ten qingfu coin difference?"
Qin Suihan smiled gently. "I'll cover it... Old sir, look, this young man is so thrifty and diligent. What excellent character..."
"..."
The old gentleman no longer wished to speak. Fine, fine, what a load of nonsense! Thus, the old gentleman finally sold a Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow, worth at least two hundred gold zisu coins, to Lin Zhao for forty qingfu coins. According to the exchange rate, the actual price of this Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow should have been two million qingfu coins. Thinking of this, the old gentleman felt he might as well drink arsenic and end his life.
...
With the Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow in hand, Lin Zhao truly couldn't put it down. He repeatedly stroked the brush handle, finding it incredibly smooth and filled with an aura of killing intent. It was truly a treasure; his money had been well spent!
"Old sir."
He continued, "I'd also like to buy some high-grade cinnabar. Do you have any?"
"Mm?"
The old gentleman raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have any savings left?"
The young man smiled shyly. "I still have a little. I was just worried that if I spent all my money, I wouldn't have enough to buy good cinnabar."
"Hmph!"
The old gentleman gestured, and Qing Qiu immediately fetched a box of excellent cinnabar for Lin Zhao. A faint golden aura emanated from the cinnabar, clearly indicating it was no ordinary product. A box cost sixty qingfu coins, truly emptying Lin Zhao's pockets.
...
Not long after, the young man, with a few dozen qingfu coins left in his pocket, a pile of high-grade items, the Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow in hand, and the cinnabar, walked home with a thoughtful expression. Next, he needed to perfect the drawing technique for the Speed Talisman until it was flawless. Then he could draw a few on those blue talisman papers. He could even draw a few on silver paper. As for gold paper, he'd save that for talismans of even higher grade.
As Lin Zhao passed by a teahouse, he saw a beautiful woman in armor, a sword at her waist, drinking tea. She casually glanced at him a couple of times, and Lin Zhao couldn't help but look back. That woman had a pair of stunningly long, snow-white legs.
"This idiot..."
Leng Yan took a sip of tea, a slight smile playing on her lips. "An eleventh-realm rogue cultivator could come to kill you at any moment, yet you're acting as if nothing's wrong, with absolutely no awareness of potential danger. How will you survive in the future?"
...
At this moment, down the mountain.
At the temporary camp of the Mountain and Sea Division, a hunchbacked old man, leaning on a cane and dressed in a grey-blue robe, with a very ordinary face, was heading straight for the camp.
"Who goes there?"
A cavalryman immediately drew his sword. "Do you know where this is? This is a critical area of the Mountain and Sea Division. Trespassers will die!"
"Oh?"
The old man turned to look at him and chuckled, "Who did you say would die?"
"You."
The cavalryman frowned. "Take one more step forward, and your blood will splatter on the spot!"
"Good, good, good!"
The old man smiled slightly. "I'd like to see how my blood will splatter on the spot!"
He took a step forward, leaning on his cane.
The result was that the cavalryman was instantly dumbfounded. *Is there really someone in this world who isn't afraid of death? Has this old man lived long enough to be tired of life?*
"Where is the splattering blood, young man?"
The old man asked with a smile.
The cavalryman gritted his teeth.
"Indeed, there should be blood splattering on the spot."
The old man suddenly waved his sleeve, and the second-realm martial artist cavalryman's body instantly exploded into a mist of blood. The surrounding cavalrymen were horrified and simultaneously drew their swords, shouting, "Who exactly are you?"
...
"Everyone, stop!"
A centurion rushed out of the camp, ordered everyone to sheathe their swords, then bowed respectfully to the old man and said with a smile, "Old Immortal Lin, you've finally arrived. Our Junior Prefect has been waiting for you for a long time."
"How long?"
The old man smiled slightly. "I heard the person you want to kill is also surnamed Lin?"
"Yes!"
The centurion nodded.
"You knew my surname is Lin, yet you still dared to ask me to kill someone surnamed Lin?" The old man raised an eyebrow, exuding an ominous aura that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
The centurion hastily clasped his fists in apology. "We... we truly didn't know Old Immortal Lin had such particularities!"
"Hmph!"
The old man chuckled. "The character 'Lin' cannot be written twice. Since you want me to kill someone surnamed Lin, you need to add money... you need to add money..."