Chapter Eleven: This Is Far Too Cautious

As long as they weren’t coming for him, that was enough.

“So it’s Fellow Daoist Lin. I thought we were under attack by some demonic cultivator...”

Once he confirmed it was Lin Cong, and sensed no murderous intent, He Song cupped his hands in greeting.

After speaking, He Song glanced at the earthen-yellow barrier enveloping him. Though his words were tinged with relief, he did not regret in the least having used the Thick Earth Talisman that cost five spirit stones.

No matter how many spirit stones one had, they were worthless without a life to spend them on.

Besides, wasn’t carrying talismans precisely to safeguard one’s own survival?

Although this time had been merely a false alarm, He Song never believed he could sail through danger unscathed every time.

It was just a talisman; now that it was spent, so be it.

His life was precious.

From now on, he ought to remain vigilant at all times.

If he were to die, that would truly be a tragic loss.

“My apologies for startling you, Fellow Daoist. I, Lin, have returned wounded and merely wished to hurry back to my room to tend my injuries. I did not expect to alarm you.” Glancing at the bloodstains on his own robes, then at the earthen-yellow barrier around He Song, Lin Cong’s expression turned awkward.

Who would have thought, just because he walked a little faster, his neighbor would be so startled as to activate a Thick Earth Talisman.

Are cultivators these days all so cautious?

But soon, the awkwardness faded from Lin Cong’s face. He reached into his sleeve and placed five spirit stones in He Song’s hand.

“I have five spirit stones here, Fellow Daoist. Consider it payment for your talisman. I hope you won’t mind.”

As soon as he finished, Lin Cong’s face suddenly flushed. After a couple of heavy coughs, he cupped his hands to He Song once more before turning and entering his own room.

“I’ll go inside to treat my wounds first. Please, do as you wish.”

He Song had just wanted to decline the spirit stones Lin Cong handed over, but noticed the man’s injuries seemed to be worsening, reaching a critical point where immediate care was needed.

Stopping him now might only cause displeasure.

So he said no more, entered his own room, and closed and locked the door.

In the dim light, He Song lit a lamp to illuminate the surroundings, then sat quietly at his table.

Not until this moment did his mind finally settle.

Even during his exchange with Lin Cong just now, He Song had never let down his guard.

Now, replaying every detail in his mind—the sound of Lin Cong’s footsteps, the scent of blood on the air, Lin Cong’s greeting, the activation of the Thick Earth Talisman, and their face-to-face conversation—He Song began to reflect.

After combing through nearly every detail, He Song finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed this had truly just been a coincidence.

The gravely wounded Lin Cong had neither motive nor ability to attack him.

Moreover, his own attire was enough to make any ordinary rogue cultivator think twice.

It seemed he really had been overly cautious.

But it wasn’t a loss.

He glanced at the five spirit stones on the table, a hint of resignation in his eyes.

Though he’d used up a Thick Earth Talisman, he now had five more spirit stones in hand.

All in all, it was neither a loss nor a gain.

“Lin Cong is rather principled, but I suspect he gave me those five spirit stones largely because of my attire.”

Five spirit stones was no small sum for a low-ranked rogue cultivator.

Yet Lin Cong had handed them over without hesitation.

He Song felt his clothing had played a significant role.

Had it been someone else, Lin Cong might not have been so straightforward.

He shook his head, pushing away those thoughts.

His gaze grew profound.

A few days ago, upon first meeting Lin Cong, the man had been burly and imposing, eyes fierce, muscles knotted all over his body, resembling a humanoid beast—one glance was enough to see his ferocity.

Back then, Lin Cong mentioned he had urgent business to attend to.

Yet just a few days later, he returned gravely wounded.

Though He Song did not know what had befallen him, he could guess it was nothing good.

Lin Cong was only a third-level Qi Condensation rogue cultivator, and though he seemed formidable, outside the immortal marketplace, any mishap could mean death.

Let alone returning wounded—He Song would not have been surprised if Lin Cong had perished and never returned at all.

Yet witnessing Lin Cong’s battered return only strengthened He Song’s resolve to remain hidden within the safety of the marketplace, cultivating at his own pace.

Rogue cultivators—especially those who lived by the blade—always faced a high mortality rate.

Even if they made quick profits for a time, most would die unnatural deaths.

Very few ever reached the late stages of Qi Condensation, let alone the Foundation Establishment realm.

Such an achievement required extraordinary fortune.

But he, sheltered within the immortal marketplace, could steadily progress to mid-stage Qi Condensation, late stage, and even Foundation Establishment, simply by cultivating in safety.

He was one blessed with longevity.

All he needed was a secure environment, and he could continue growing stronger indefinitely.

No matter how long it took.

With immortality already in hand, was time ever truly a constraint?

Thoughts surged through his mind.

Tonight’s encounter with the gravely injured Lin Cong had only solidified He Song’s chosen path.

After pondering a while longer, He Song extinguished the lamp and began his meditation.

Still, even during cultivation, He Song kept an ear out for any sounds from Lin Cong’s room next door, his vigilance unwavering.

In the first half of the night, he occasionally heard coughing and faint groans of pain through the wall.

Later, the noises faded, and no more sounds came.

So it remained until dawn.

When golden sunlight spilled from the sky, warming his body, He Song opened his eyes.

He cast a thoughtful glance at Lin Cong’s room.

Then he rose and stepped outside.

First, he went to the spiritual fields under his care and performed the Rainfall Technique.

After making a circuit to check for any abnormalities and finding none, He Song headed to the marketplace’s trading area.

Having expended a Thick Earth Talisman the previous night, he was now down to only one.

But since Lin Cong had compensated him with five spirit stones, it was only natural to exchange them for a new talisman.

With just one left, he felt unsafe.

At the trading area, He Song haggled with the talisman vendor for quite some time.

In the end, he failed to negotiate a better price and had to spend five spirit stones for a new Thick Earth Talisman at the set rate.

There was nothing he could do.

The talisman business was tough, and the price had held steady for a long time.

With a new talisman and the crumpled old one, He Song carefully placed them in the most accessible part of his sleeve.

From now on, he could not allow a repeat of last night, when the enemy was already upon him and he had yet to activate his talisman.