**Chapter 81: Two Years**  

Rather, it was about putting on a show for others, turning the profits from his spirit fields into spirit stones earned through his craft. 

By showcasing another skill, he could avoid suspicion about the source of his wealth. 

Hiding the most valuable thing while deliberately revealing something less important to cover it up—this was a tactic He Song had seen many times and could now use with ease. 

If he wanted to use the massive profits from his spirit fields without raising suspicions, learning a skill that others would consider normal and not overly covetous became the best option. 

After some deliberation, He Song ultimately chose the path of a talisman master. 

He chose talisman-making not for any particular reason but because talismans could complement his knowledge of formations. 

Formation techniques involved carving formation patterns into a medium, while talisman techniques involved drawing talismanic symbols on a medium. 

Although formation patterns and talismanic symbols weren't exactly the same, mastering one made it easier to understand the other. Having already learned to carve formation patterns, He Song could quickly pick up talisman-making. 

Being able to swiftly learn talisman-making meant He Song could soon explain the source of his spirit stones. 

After all, in two years, He Song would fully master the Five Elements Formation. 

Once he could successfully set up the Five Elements Formation, the spirit fields he had established outside the market would soon bring him massive profits. 

At this point, if he wanted to learn another cultivation art to cover up the source of his wealth, speed became his top priority. 

Other skills like alchemy, artifact forging, and beast taming would take a long time for He Song to master to the point of earning spirit stones. 

Just like formation techniques, they would take at least three years to get started. 

But talisman-making, with its foundational similarities, could allow He Song to master the basics within two years and begin showcasing his identity as a talisman master. 

By then, his first batch of spirit rice would have just been planted. 

A year later, when the spirit rice matured and yielded ten thousand pounds, his identity as a talisman master would provide the perfect cover for the sudden influx of spirit stones. 

As a talisman master, what was wrong with having a few extra spirit stones? 

These spirit stones were earned through hard work, crafting and selling talismans. 

Moreover, since talisman masters were relatively common in the cultivation world, a Qi Refining talisman master wouldn't attract too much attention. 

Additionally, the income of a talisman master was respectable, making it unlikely for others to question the source of He Song's wealth. 

Thus, talisman-making became He Song's top choice. 

As for other cultivation arts, he could explore them in his spare time. 

After all, time was something he had plenty of. 

However, despite having decided on talisman-making as his public identity, He Song felt a pang of helplessness when he checked the few spirit stones left in his storage bag. 

He was out of spirit stones! 

When he had established the spirit fields, he had set up five formations there: four Spirit Gathering Formations and one Misty Traversal Formation. 

The remaining one Spirit Gathering Formation and one Misty Traversal Formation had been brought back with him. 

The market also needed formations to operate. 

The five formations at the spirit fields required twenty-five spirit stones annually. 

At the time, He Song had only had a little over thirty spirit stones left. 

After returning from establishing the spirit fields, he was down to just over a dozen spirit stones. 

And out of these, ten were needed to maintain the Spirit Gathering Formation and Misty Traversal Formation in his quiet room. 

If it weren't for the few spirit stones he had kept on hand, He Song would have been left with nothing. 

No spirit rice, and perhaps not even ordinary rice to eat. 

If he wanted to learn talisman-making, he would need to buy a beginner's guide for a hundred spirit stones. 

Talisman paper, talisman brushes, and talisman ink—all of these would need to be purchased. 

After calculating the costs, He Song estimated that he would need over a hundred spirit stones for everything. 

After a long moment of contemplation, He Song sighed softly and shook his head. 

"Forget it, forget it. Two more years won't hurt. I'll just store the harvested spirit rice and sell it later once I've learned talisman-making." 

There was no other way. His annual stipend was simply too low. 

Only when he needed spirit stones did he realize that earning a little over a hundred spirit stones a year wasn't enough. 

At the same time, he prepared to store the harvested spirit rice and sell it later. 

Otherwise, if he sold it prematurely and attracted attention due to the sudden influx of wealth, the consequences would far outweigh the benefits. 

For the sake of caution, He Song decided to wait. 

Waiting would minimize the risks. 

Even if it meant his profits wouldn't be maximized, it didn't matter. 

After all, as someone seeking immortality, He Song had no shortage of time. 

Only those with short lifespans needed to race against time. 

For He Song, time was never in short supply. 

If waiting could reduce risks, he wouldn't hesitate to do so. 

Having made his decision, He Song focused on studying the Five Elements Formation. 

As his first offensive and defensive formation, the Five Elements Formation was significantly more complex than the Spirit Gathering Formation and the Misty Traversal Formation. 

This was why, even after mastering two formations and gaining some experience, He Song still needed three years to learn how to set up the Five Elements Formation. 

Time flew by. 

Two years passed in the blink of an eye. 

During these two years, the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market was anything but peaceful. 

Although He Song spent every day within the market, the news from outside kept him informed about the surrounding situation. 

Three years ago, after the law enforcement team from the Verdant Wall Immortal City left the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market and was ambushed, resulting in three deaths and two severe injuries, the city's law enforcement team had launched repeated campaigns against the evil cultivators. 

Unfortunately, the Verdant Wall Immortal City's law enforcement team lacked a Foundation Establishment expert. 

In their numerous battles with the evil cultivators, the law enforcement team suffered significant losses. 

But the evil cultivators suffered even greater casualties. 

Now, three years later, the conflict between the Verdant Wall Immortal City's law enforcement team and the evil cultivators showed no signs of ending. 

In fact, it seemed to be escalating. 

This was evident from the fact that the law enforcement team had started recruiting rogue cultivators in the Verdant Wall Immortal City. 

If the evil cultivators weren't a formidable force, the law enforcement team wouldn't have resorted to recruiting rogue cultivators due to a shortage of personnel. 

When He Song first heard this news, he was shocked by the number and strength of the evil cultivators. 

But shock aside, the situation had little impact on him. 

Having stayed in the market for two full years, He Song had only left once. 

(End of Chapter) 

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