Sun Ye clearly remembered Ye Chen, which was why he immediately led him upstairs, greeting him with a broad smile.


    "Did the Sword Finger Technique work well for you last time? Were there any difficulties during your cultivation? If you want some guidance, a few spirit stones will do the trick."


    Ye Chen smiled and shook his head. "I''ve already mastered the Sword Finger Technique, so there''s no need for guidance."


    "This time, I''ve come to buy a defensive spell," Ye Chen added casually.


    Sun Ye''s smile grew wider upon hearing that. "A defensive spell? Well, in that case, I have just the one for you, Golden Light Technique."


    "This spell originates from an ancient Buddhist sect and is a foundational defensive technique," Sun Ye continued, his voice growing more animated. "It can cover your entire body, with no blind spots. Even your feet are protected! Moreover, the golden light it emits also has the effect of driving away evil spirits, so you won''t have to worry about sneak attacks from ghosts or demonic creatures. Once you''ve cultivated it to perfection, you''ll be nearly invincible among Qi Refining cultivators. Very few people will be able to hurt you, and you''ll stand undefeated from the very beginning."


    Sun Ye was pushing hard, clearly eager to make a sale.


    Ye Chen was becoming even more certain of his suspicions. When the time came to learn talisman-making, paying money would likely solve most of the problems.


    As for Sun Ye''s exaggerated descriptions of the Golden Light Technique, Ye Chen was not buying them for a second. It was clear that Sun Ye had inflated the technique''s abilities by a massive margin. But that didn''t matter since he wasn''t planning to actually cultivate this spell.


    Feigning the curiosity of a novice, Ye Chen asked, "Senior, how much does this Golden Light Technique cost?"


    Sun Ye extended a finger confidently. "One middle-grade spirit stone!"


    Ye Chen''s lips twitched. "Shouldn''t it be around eighty lower-grade spirit stones?"


    Sun Ye immediately shook his head. "I''m telling you, this technique is incredibly effective. Many outer disciples of Green Cloud Sect cultivate the Golden Light Technique."


    "I was once an outer disciple of Green Cloud Sect myself. Do you really think I''d lie to you?" Sun Ye continued, lowering his voice as though to emphasize his sincerity. "One middle-grade spirit stone is already a very fair price. Even if you were in Green Cloud City, that''s what it would cost. You won''t find it any cheaper. It''s simply impossible to lower the price."


    Ye Chen nodded, signaling that he believed Sun Ye, but then spoke with determination. "Eighty lower-grade spirit stones."


    Sun Ye immediately flared up, his face turning red with anger. "Didn''t you hear what I just said? This is the price!"


    Ye Chen inwardly scoffed, Trust you? Not a chance.


    Still, he maintained a friendly demeanor and replied, "In that case, I''ll take a look at other spells first, just to compare. It''s not that I don''t trust you, Senior, it''s just that my spirit stones are a bit tight."


    Sun Ye, an old man who wasn''t even a female cultivator, was clearly not going to give ten times the feedback, so every bit he could save would count.


    Seeing Ye Chen''s resolve, Sun Ye knew he was about to leave, so he sighed in frustration. "Fine, you get it for eighty, but I’m only giving you this discount because you’ve bought from me before."


    Ye Chen immediately grinned, pulling out eighty lower-grade spirit stones from his pouch and handing them over to Sun Ye. Afterward, he quickly stashed away the Golden Light Technique. This would be a gift for Lu Jing later this afternoon. He was curious to see what kind of feedback he would receive from her.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Sun Ye, having received the spirit stones, was in a good mood, clearly satisfied with the deal. He felt like he had made quite a bit of profit.


    Ye Chen then pondered for a moment and asked, "Senior, I''ve heard that your talisman-making skills are quite profound, one of the best in Silver Moon Market."


    Sun Ye rolled his eyes. "What do you mean ''one of the best''? In a small place like Silver Moon Market, if I say I''m second, no one would dare claim to be first."


    Clearly, Sun Ye was confident in his talisman-making skills.


    Ye Chen nodded in admiration and then asked, "Then, Senior, if I wanted to learn talisman-making from you, how much would you charge for your guidance?"


    Sun Ye gave Ye Chen a strange look. "You''re an alchemist, what do you want to learn talisman-making for?"


    Although Ye Chen hadn''t used his face to sell himself at Green Cloud Shop, the faint scent of medicinal herbs and elixirs that clung to him was unmistakable. Sun Ye could tell immediately that he was an alchemist.


    Ye Chen gave a rueful smile. "Though I''m an alchemist, my skills in alchemy are quite poor.... So I was thinking of trying my hand at talisman-making to see if I have any talent for it."


    Upon hearing this, Sun Ye couldn''t help but sneer inwardly. In the cultivation world, there were too many people who were not focused or dedicated like Ye Chen. They would try a bit of everything, hoping for a stroke of luck.


    There were plenty of such people even in Green Cloud Sect. Today they''d study alchemy, tomorrow it was talisman-making, and the next day they''d turn to artifact forging. But in the end, they accomplished nothing.


    However, Sun Ye thought that if a fool like Ye Chen came knocking on his door, he might as well take advantage of him.


    Sun Ye pondered for a moment, then said, "I don''t take apprentices, but since I find you somewhat agreeable, I don''t mind offering some guidance. Here''s the deal: five middle-grade spirit stones, and I''ll give you one lesson a week, teaching you the basics of talisman-making."


    Upon hearing this, Ye Chen didn''t hesitate to clasp his hands and bid farewell.


    This is a rip-off, a total rip-off! One month, four lessons—five middle-grade spirit stones? That''s over a middle-grade spirit stone per lesson. You might as well be asking for the moon!


    Seeing Ye Chen leave with determination, Sun Ye quickly waved his hand. "Alright, alright, I''ll lower the price. Three middle-grade spirit stones."


    Ye Chen didn''t slow his pace.


    "Two! Two middle-grade spirit stones, how about that?"


    Ye Chen remained steadfast, walking even faster.


    When Sun Ye realized that Ye Chen, the young fool, was truly about to leave, he hurriedly dropped the price again. "One middle-grade spirit stone, that''s the lowest I''ll go. After all, I''m a master at talisman-making. I could easily make that much from just a few talismans. It''s only because I''m getting old that I''m willing to offer you young people a chance to learn from me."


    This time, Ye Chen actually stopped. One middle-grade spirit stone for four basic lessons was still a rip-off, no matter how you looked at it.


    As for the claim that talismans were easy money? Ye Chen didn''t buy that for a second. But what he needed wasn''t to learn the art of talisman-making. He simply wanted a way to establish a connection with Sun Ruoxin.


    This price was still within the acceptable range for him. So Ye Chen cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Senior. But this is quite a sum, so I''ll need to consult with my elders first."


    Sun Ye nodded in understanding. "Take your time, but do come soon, or I might be reassigned elsewhere."


    Ye Chen nodded in thanks and turned to leave.


    Sun Ye watched him go with a glint of excitement in his eyes. One middle-grade spirit stone for four lessons? That was a huge profit. And four lessons weren''t even enough for the basics.


    Since Ye Chen had already paid, there was no way he wouldn''t continue after that. He''d probably need two or three months to get through the beginner lessons. Then, surely, he''d want to advance to the next stage. Advanced lessons would definitely cost more, right?


    By the time all was said and done, Sun Ye would be making a pretty penny. By then, he had developed a keen interest in Ye Chen. He was curious which cultivation family this young man hailed from.


    ...


    After leaving Green Cloud Shop, Ye Chen made his way directly to Lu Jing''s residence. On the way, he casually flipped through the introduction to the Golden Light Technique. Compared to ordinary defensive spells, this one did indeed seem somewhat stronger.


    It could conjure a golden light to protect the body, but the so-called protection was achieved by lowering the strength of the attacks. If a cultivator fully activated the golden light, it would be shattered after only a few hits, and the spell consumed a significant amount of energy.


    Moreover, the spell made the user glow with golden light, making them a conspicuous target.


    That said, it did have some merits. For one, the spell activated quickly, and it was also very effective at repelling evil spirits, offering some protection against sneak attacks.


    However, the effects that Sun Ye had described were clearly exaggerated.


    Ye Chen wasn''t particularly bothered. It was merely a gift for Lu Jing, after all.


    What he intended to cultivate for himself was a defensive spell with tenfold feedback. The effectiveness of that spell would surely be far beyond what the Golden Light Technique could offer.