Chapter 11: Too Cautious

It's good that it wasn't directed at me.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Lin. I thought it was an evil cultivator attacking..."

After confirming that it was Lin Cong and sensing no killing intent, He Song cupped his hands and spoke.

After saying this, He Song glanced at the yellowish-brown barrier surrounding him. Although his tone carried a sense of relief, he didn't regret using the Thick Earth Talisman, which was worth five spirit stones.

No matter how many spirit stones one has, they're only useful if one is alive to spend them.

Besides, isn't the purpose of buying talismans to protect one's life?

Although this time it was a false alarm, He Song didn't think he could always be so lucky.

It's just a talisman. Once used, it's used.

His life is far more precious.

From now on, he should remain vigilant at all times.

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

"I must have startled you, Fellow Daoist. I returned injured and wanted to quickly return to my room to recover, but I didn't expect to disturb you." Lin Cong glanced at the bloodstains on his body and then at the yellowish-brown barrier around He Song, his expression awkward.

Who would have thought that just walking a bit faster would scare his neighbor into using a Thick Earth Talisman?

Are cultivators nowadays so cautious?

However, the awkward expression on Lin Cong's face soon disappeared, and he quickly took out five spirit stones from his sleeve and placed them in He Song's hand.

"Here are five spirit stones to compensate for your Thick Earth Talisman. I hope you don't mind."

After saying this, Lin Cong's face suddenly turned red.

After coughing heavily twice, he cupped his hands towards He Song again and turned to enter his own room.

"I'll go in first to recover from my injuries. Fellow Daoist, please do as you wish."

Taking the five spirit stones from Lin Cong, He Song was about to decline politely.

But he noticed that Lin Cong's injuries seemed to be worsening, and he was at a critical moment where he needed to start healing immediately.

Stopping him now would likely upset Lin Cong.

So He Song didn't say anything more, opened the door, and entered his own room.

Closed the door.

Locked it.

In the dimly lit room.

He Song lit a lamp to illuminate the surroundings and then sat quietly at the table.

Only now.

Did He Song's mind finally settle down.

Even during his conversation with Lin Cong, He Song had never let his guard down.

Recalling the events that had just unfolded, He Song fell into deep thought.

From the moment he heard Lin Cong's footsteps.

To the smell of blood in the air, Lin Cong's warning, his activation of the Thick Earth Talisman, and the face-to-face conversation with Lin Cong.

After going over almost every detail.

He Song let out a sigh of relief.

This incident seemed to be nothing more than a coincidence.

The severely injured Lin Cong had no motive to attack him.

At the same time, his attire would make ordinary rogue cultivators think twice.

It seemed that he had indeed been overly cautious.

But it wasn't a loss.

Glancing at the five spirit stones on the table, a trace of helplessness flashed in He Song's eyes.

Although he had used a Thick Earth Talisman, he now had five more spirit stones.

Relatively speaking, it was neither a loss nor a gain.

"Lin Cong is quite considerate, but it's probably largely due to the respect for my attire that he compensated me with these five spirit stones."

Five spirit stones were no small amount for a rogue cultivator at the early Qi Refinement stage.

For him to give them so readily.

He Song felt it had a lot to do with his attire.

If it were someone else, Lin Cong might not have been so quick to hand over the spirit stones.

Shaking his head, He Song pushed these thoughts aside.

His gaze soon turned profound.

A few days ago.

When he first met Lin Cong, the man had been burly, with a fierce aura, his muscles bulging like a humanoid demon beast. At a glance, one could tell he was extremely formidable.

Back then, Lin Cong had said he had important matters to attend to outside.

But just a few days later, he had returned severely injured.

Although He Song didn't know exactly what Lin Cong had encountered, he guessed it was nothing good.

Lin Cong was only a third-level Qi Refinement rogue cultivator. Although he appeared to be extremely strong in combat.

Outside the immortal market, any accident could lead to death.

It wouldn't be surprising if Lin Cong had died and never returned.

But the sight of Lin Cong returning severely injured only reinforced He Song's decision to stay within the immortal market and cultivate slowly.

Rogue cultivators.

Especially those who live by the sword.

Have always had a high mortality rate.

Even if they earn a lot temporarily, most of them die untimely deaths.

In the end, very few can break through to the late Qi Refinement stage, let alone reach Foundation Establishment.

That requires extremely good fortune to achieve.

But he only needed to stay within the immortal market and cultivate slowly, and one day he would break through to the mid-Qi Refinement stage, late Qi Refinement stage, and even Foundation Establishment.

As an immortal.

All he needed was a safe environment, and he could continue to grow stronger.

Even if it took a long time.

But... as someone who is already immortal, is time something he lacks?

Thoughts churned in his mind.

Today's encounter with the severely injured Lin Cong made He Song even more determined about his path.

After some contemplation.

He Song extinguished the lamp and began to meditate.

However, even while in a meditative state, He Song remained alert to the movements next door, maintaining his vigilance.

In the first half of the night, He Song faintly heard coughing and low groans of pain from next door.

In the latter half of the night, the noises from next door subsided, and no more sounds were heard.

From then until dawn, He Song didn't hear any more sounds from next door.

When the golden sunlight fell from the sky.

And He Song's body was warmed by the sunlight, he opened his eyes at the right moment.

With a thoughtful glance at Lin Cong's room next door.

He Song got up and left the house.

First, he went to the spirit fields under his jurisdiction to perform the Art of Spirit Rain.

After walking around the spirit fields and finding nothing unusual, He Song returned to the stall area within the immortal market.

Yesterday, he had used a Thick Earth Talisman, leaving him with only one.

But Lin Cong had compensated him with five spirit stones.

Naturally, He Song needed to exchange those five spirit stones for a new Thick Earth Talisman.

With only one Thick Earth Talisman on him, He Song didn't feel entirely secure.

In the stall area.

He Song haggled with the talisman seller for a long time.

In the end, he failed to negotiate a lower price and had to spend the original five spirit stones to buy a new Thick Earth Talisman.

There was no other way.

The talisman business was tough.

The price of five spirit stones per talisman had been stable for a long time.

Holding the new Thick Earth Talisman and the original crumpled one, He Song carefully placed them in the most accessible part of his sleeve.

From now on, he couldn't let a situation like last night happen again, where the enemy was already by his side before he could activate the talisman.

(End of Chapter)