Cultivation Starting from Full Talent
Chapter 566 - 564: With a Request

Chapter 566: Chapter 564: With a Request

"Oh?"

Ning Daoran was surprised. "Fairy, how did you know this person came to invite me out to sea to hunt demons?"

"Hmph, this person specializes in such business."

Jade Marrow Immortal crossed her arms and spoke softly, "Fellow Daoist, you may not be aware, but in Guiru City, there are many cultivators who, knowing they have no hope of advancing further, abandon cultivation and dedicate their efforts to researching the Endless Demon Sea. These people call themselves guides and charge exorbitant fees.

Of course, they spend tremendous effort studying the Endless Demon Sea, down to tracking the habits and whereabouts of each Nascent Soul Demon Beast. They predict locations of demon activity based on beast behavior and ocean currents—sometimes to hunt them, sometimes to avoid them. This information is quite valuable for those heading out to sea to hunt demons."

"In that case, these people don’t seem to be evildoers. Why is Fairy so displeased with Zhou Yunlong?"

"Fellow Daoist Ning, you may not know."

Jade Marrow Immortal said, "Zhou Yunlong has a Golden Core Late Stage cultivation but is as cowardly as a mouse. Over the years, the teams he has guided have rarely met favorable outcomes, yet he always manages to return alive. I suspect this man might have dealings with demon beasts, acting as their Chang Ghost."

"A Chang Ghost..."

Ning Daoran furrowed his sword-like brows. "Fairy, do you have evidence to support this claim?"

"If I had evidence, it wouldn’t be a deduction," Jade Marrow Immortal rolled her eyes at him.

Ning Daoran looked slightly embarrassed. "Haha..."

Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "By the way, Fairy, are there currently any Fourth-order Talismans available? If so, I would like to purchase more."

"Oh?"

Jade Marrow Immortal smiled. "There are indeed some Fourth-order Talismans available, but they aren’t ones I crafted personally. They are being sold on behalf of others, but their quality is guaranteed. Does Fellow Daoist sincerely wish to purchase them?"

"Yes."

Ning Daoran nodded.

Selling on consignment is very common in the Cultivation World. For instance, Jade Marrow Immortal herself is a renowned purveyor of high-level talismans in Guiru City. Many Great Cultivators directly seek her out to purchase talismans. Thus, some cultivators who stumble upon high-level talismans but wish to avoid paying the hefty fees of the workshop marketplace often entrust these talismans to Jade Marrow Immortal for resale.

Jade Marrow Immortal patted her storage bag, and a stream of talismans radiating rich mana energy floated into the air—they included Forbidden Breaking Talismans, Divine Speed Talismans, even Divine Frost Talismans, Green Vine Talismans, and True Rock Talismans. All were Fourth-tier Mid-grade talismans. Judging by the refined crafting techniques, they appeared even more filled with mana than the Fourth-tier Mid-grade talismans crafted by Jade Marrow Immortal herself!

Impressive, truly masterful work!

Ning Daoran frowned slightly, inwardly astonished. Could there be an even higher-ranked Talisman Master hidden within Guiru City?

"Fellow Daoist, what do you think?"

"Exquisite!"

Holding a talisman carefully, Ning Daoran examined it closely. "The crafting technique is incredibly refined, the spiritual energy is abundant, and the materials used are extraordinary. Normally, one would..."

"Your guess is correct."

Jade Marrow Immortal said with a smile, "If you wish to purchase these talismans, Fellow Daoist, you’ll need to pay a premium of an additional ten percent—this was the consignor’s requirement."

"I see."

Ning Daoran, unconcerned about money, replied, "An additional ten percent premium is no issue. My only curiosity is about the talismans’ maker."

He gently ran his fingers over the slightly uneven surface of the talisman, murmuring, "I feel that the lingering aura on this talisman seems somewhat familiar, though I can’t quite be certain."

"These talismans..."

Jade Marrow Immortal pursed her red lips and said, "To be honest, they were consigned to me by an old friend of mine. This friend is also Nascent Soul Early Stage like us and had spent some time cultivating in Li Country before recently returning here to Guiru City for training. These talismans are part of the fortune he gained in Li Country. To seek opportunities for advancing to Nascent Soul Middle Stage, he decided to sell some of them. As for the refiners... I’ve heard it was a female Talisman Master with the surname Lin..."

"What?"

Ning Daoran’s heart trembled. "Was her name Lin Man?"

"What?"

Jade Marrow Immortal was also startled, her lips parted slightly. "Fellow Daoist Ning, how do you know that this Talisman Master is named Lin Man?"

Ning Daoran wiped off a bit of dust from the talisman and grinned, "Because she’s my wife."

"..."

Jade Marrow Immortal stood in stunned silence.

The consignor had indeed mentioned in detail the origin of these talismans—the refiner’s name was Lin Man. During one of their encounters, the consignor was accompanied by a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator who, upon meeting Lin Man, became enraptured and inquired if she was already part of a Daoist couple. Lin Man, without hesitation, proudly revealed her husband’s surname, Ning.

Her face bore a radiant smile when she mentioned her husband’s name.

It was the same expression Ning Daoran had now.

When he called Lin Man his wife, his gaze was filled with unmistakable tenderness.

Jade Marrow Immortal found herself unsettled. What kind of feelings could sustain such profound mutual care between two Nascent Soul Cultivators who traversed vastly distant paths?

All at once, she felt a faint envy for this Talisman Master Lin.

...

"I see..."

Jade Marrow Immortal said softly, "Nonetheless, Fellow Daoist Ning, if you wish to purchase these talismans, you must still pay the ten percent premium. This is a promise I made to someone else, and it cannot be changed."

"Of course."

Ning Daoran nodded and began retrieving spirit stones from his storage bag. "I’ll take all of these talismans."

"..."

Jade Marrow Immortal found herself momentarily dumbfounded, then couldn’t help but secure a generous amount of spirit stones from Ning Daoran.

Ning Daoran carefully stored the pile of talismans into his storage ring, handling them with extreme caution as if afraid to damage them.

"Fellow Daoist Ning."

Jade Marrow Immortal chuckled, "Since you care for her so deeply, why not seek her out? You clearly treasure each other deeply—why not strive to come closer together?"

"I’ve thought about it."

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows. "But each of us has our fated missions. Her endeavors are monumental and perilous, while mine are elusive and complex. I cannot hold her back, nor do I want to let her down."

Lin Man’s goal was to assist her martial sister Chi Shan in defying heaven to reconstruct her physical body, achieving true resurrection—a process fraught with unimaginable danger.

Ning Daoran’s objectives were even broader. His first priority was simply surviving; his second was ascension.

Only through ascension could he shatter the shackles of this world, possibly uncover the reasons behind his transmigration, and determine whether he could return to his original world.

In truth, he still longed for that world.

If he stayed by Lin Man’s side, her rapid progress in cultivation might outpace his breakthroughs, leaving him unable to keep up. This could hinder her or force her to abandon helping Chi Shan in order to live a shared life in cultivation with him—a burden Ning Daoran couldn’t bear to impose.

How could Ning Daoran not want to remain by her side, not desire to be with Lin Man? Yet fate refused to align with his wishes.

"I see..."

Jade Marrow Immortal pressed her lips together, then suddenly smiled faintly.

"Why does Fairy smile?" Ning Daoran asked.

"I laugh at myself."

Jade Marrow Immortal turned to face him, her beautiful eyes gazing steadily at him as she said with a smile, "These past days, I’ve grown to think quite fondly of Fellow Daoist Ning. I even entertained the thought that, given more time, the two of us might strengthen our bond and perhaps become a Daoist couple. But seeing that Daoist Ning already has Talisman Master Lin, I find myself slightly disappointed."

"Don’t feel disappointed."

Ning Daoran said, "Wouldn’t it be better for us to remain friends?"

"True."

Jade Marrow Immortal smiled and nodded. "Now, I’d truly like to meet this Talisman Master Lin someday. If possible, Fellow Daoist Ning, please introduce me when the chance arises."

"Of course!"

And so, Jade Marrow Immortal stayed in the cave mansion for a meal before leaving. Naturally, she couldn’t help but praise Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer for their exceptional cooking skills. Their culinary prowess was well-recognized—even Slaying Immortal Tower Master Shen Luoyan herself had praised their dishes, so it was no surprise Jade Marrow Immortal enjoyed them, given her refined yet unsatisfied palate.

Afterward, Ning Daoran entered a prolonged period of retreat, reflecting on the lessons learned from the battle in the Endless Demon Sea, honing his cultivation diligently.

...

Time flew by, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.

One afternoon, a commanding aura appeared outside the cave mansion.

"Swish~~~"

A Sound Transmission Talisman flew into the cave mansion. Ning Daoran emerged from the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven, grasped the talisman, and heard a robust male voice within: "Young Friend Ning, I am Ning Tianyi, City Lord of Guiru City, here with my daughter Ning Mingyu to pay my respects! I humbly request your audience."

Ning Tianyi?!

Ning Daoran’s heart tightened. Ning Tianyi was an extraordinary figure. Despite presenting himself as Nascent Soul Late Stage, rumors suggested he’d been at the Nascent Soul Late Stage for three hundred years—perhaps long since transcended into Divinity Transformation!

Guiru City, ostensibly governed by Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators, was in fact under the protection of a Divinity Transformation cultivator!

Given this, it was clear why the Endless Demon Sea had never managed to annihilate Guiru City.

"Prepare for Ning City Lord’s visit immediately." Ning Daoran said sternly, "Little Bai, brew some tea! Old Lu, tidy up the toys you and Little Blackie left scattered around Spirit Garden Cave Heaven—quickly, lest they make a laughingstock of us."

"Ow ow~~"

Big Stupid Deer immediately invoked mana, sweeping the cave mansion clean before dragging Little Blackie’s curious head back into Spirit Garden Cave Heaven.

Ning Daoran lifted his hand to deactivate the prohibition, respectfully cupping his hands with a smile. "I humbly greet City Lord Ning!"

"No need for formality!"

Ning Tianyi, with one hand clasped behind his back, entered the cave mansion accompanied by the graceful Ning Mingyu.

"Little Bai, bring tea to the pavilion!"

"At once, Master!"

After inviting Ning Tianyi and Ning Mingyu to sit, Little Bai, clad in snow-white garments, served tea attentively.

Ning Tianyi’s gaze briefly flickered.

He assessed Little Bai’s nature in an instant but chose not to remark on it.

Young folk and their whims—something an old man like him wouldn’t grasp fully. But while he didn’t understand, he respected it.

"So, how was your recent demon hunt at sea?" Ning Mingyu asked.

"Ahem, moderately successful..."

Ning Daoran cleared his throat, refraining from elaborating.

"Mind your manners."

Ning Tianyi frowned at his daughter. "Calling him ’family’ so casually—is that proper decorum? Young Friend Ning is, after all, a Nascent Soul cultivator and your elder."

"So what?"

Ning Mingyu retorted, "If not ’family,’ I’ll call him ’brother.’ After all, we share the same surname, and who knows, we might be descended from the same ancestral clan thousands of years ago."

Ning Tianyi felt a tinge of awkwardness.

Ning Daoran, however, chuckled and said, "That’s not impossible. If I could have a sister like Fairy Mingyu, I would count myself quite fortunate."

"Truly?"

Ning Tianyi’s eyes lit up. "If you’re genuinely willing to accept Mingyu as your sworn sister, I wholeheartedly support it."

Ning Daoran hesitated. He had merely spoken casually, yet Ning Tianyi seemed to have arrived with an agenda. What could the City Lord be seeking?