"Yueshu Talisman?"
Qin Xueyan looked confused. As a top-tier disciple of the Qingtang Sword Sect, apart from her profound cultivation, she was also well-versed in talisman craft, spirit botany, and puppet techniques. Yet she had never heard of any talisman paper called a "Yueshu Talisman."
Had she not been wearing this peculiar talisman at that very moment, feeling the comfort and convenience it brought, she would surely have thought this little scoundrel was trying to fool her.
Fang Yang smiled gently. "My dear, this is a talisman I invented myself. Its purpose is to bring blessed relief to the vast masses of lower-tier female cultivators troubled by their monthly menses!"
"..."
Qin Xueyan stared at Fang Yang, feeling that whatever this little scoundrel said was deeply bizarre.
Stunned for a long moment, Qin Xueyan finally collected her wits. Looking at the pile of inferior blank talisman paper in her hands, her expression turned frosty.
"Such a shameless little scoundrel! To think of exploiting a woman's menses to earn spirit stones! And even making me do the labor for him! What does he take me for?"
Soon, the remaining few Qi Recovery Talismans and Blood-Coagulation Powder were turned into five "Yueshu Talismans."
Fang Yang told Qin Xueyan to continue drawing talismans, while he packed twenty Yueshu Talismans into bundles of five, and then went out to the Changhuan Market.
Seeing the words written on the white cloth banner, the female cultivator paused slightly, and the look she gave Fang Yang grew peculiar.
With Qin Xueyan standing there in utter bewilderment, Fang Yang had already stood up and walked toward the door.
Fang Yang said no more. He crushed the Blood-Coagulation Powder one by one into a large bowl, and cut each piece of blank talisman paper into four sections.
"My dear, the production speed of these Yueshu Talismans determines whether we can go to Tianhuan City in the future. You mustn't slack off; you must be diligent."
After all, where else could one find such a fine bargain as having the righteous path's number one fairy serve as one's unpaid laborer?
Determined not to let the little scoundrel sense that something was amiss, Qin Xueyan purposely slowed down her talisman-drawing speed. Half an hour later, when Fang Yang returned, she had just finished drawing two.
[As a female cultivator only at the Qi Refinement 2nd Layer, being unable to quickly dry pants soaked by menstrual blood using spiritual power—surely that is not strange, right?]
"I can draw the Qi Recovery Talismans myself. Reckoning it this way, the cost of making a single Yueshu Talisman is less than two spirit coins."
Looking closely, Fang Yang noticed that this female cultivator's face was pale, and her sitting posture was somewhat awkward.
"Husband, where are you going?"
It was already evening now, the busiest time for the night market.
"Can you draw Qi Recovery Talismans?"
Picking up the Qi Recovery Talisman drawn by Qin Xueyan, he sprinkled the powder, attached the leak-proof wings, and infused spiritual power to fuse them into a talisman.
Ten spirit coins were not cheap for lower-tier cultivators, but Yunyu Town was not lacking in wealthy female cultivators who spent plenty of money on clothes, jewelry, and rouge.
Before she could ponder further, Fang Yang had already buried his head in excited work.
Muttering under his breath, Fang Yang began to calculate:
"One spirit coin can buy ten sheets of blank talisman paper, one Blood-Coagulation Powder costs three spirit coins, and a single Yueshu Talisman requires one Qi Recovery Talisman, half a Blood-Coagulation Powder, and half a sheet of blank talisman paper."
Apart from cultivating techniques, immortal cultivators could also delve into seven auxiliary arts.
After this calculation, Fang Yang felt the venture was entirely feasible.
Talisman masters, alchemists, array masters, spirit botanists, artifact refiners, beast masters, and puppet masters.
Yet in her wildest dreams, she never imagined that her attainments in the Dao of Talismans would one day be used on such filthy items.
[Hidden Troubles]
Fang Yang was not in a hurry. He strolled around the night market, and half a quarter of an hour later, his steps paused.
He looked at Qin Xueyan with eager eyes. "Rou'er, you know how to draw talismans, right?"
With that, he excitedly opened the door and went out.
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Qin Xueyan nodded. "Husband, this wife only knows how to draw the most basic talismans."
These materials were enough to make fifty "Yueshu Talismans."
"This wife has lost her spiritual power, but the most basic Qi Recovery Talismans should still be within my ability."
The "husband and wife" worked with one heart, each performing their own duties, turning the tiny room into a small workshop.
Then she remembered she was currently wearing a Yueshu Talisman made by the very same person, and fell instantly speechless.
A flash of cold light crossed Qin Xueyan's eyes as she put on a look of anticipation and shyness. "Whatever my husband desires is what this wife seeks."
There was also the Bainu District, which sold ordinary daily necessities.
This was not even her fastest speed, but Fang Yang was already very satisfied.
He immediately quickened his pace, and within half a quarter of an hour, he had finished drawing two Qi Recovery Talismans.
One had to pay a stall fee to enter the Lingbao District to set up a stall, but the Bainu District required no such fee.
If that little scoundrel really could earn spirit stones through this, he could buy spirit marrow to aid his cultivation and become a Xuan Grade disciple all the sooner. Only then could she borrow his help to go to Tianhuan City and assassinate the Demon Sect leader.
Fang Yang took out dozens of sheets of talisman paper and said to Qin Xueyan:
"Good!"
So be it; it was all for the greater picture.
Fifty sheets of blank talisman paper, fifty portions of Blood-Coagulation Powder.
The currency of this immortal cultivation world consisted of spirit stones and spirit coins, with one spirit stone equaling one hundred spirit coins.
With a cold face, Qin Xueyan picked up a sheet of blank talisman paper and began drawing talisman runes upon it.
A woman's menses lasted about seven days, one Yueshu Talisman a day. Exchanging seventy spirit coins for unhindered movement without side-leaks—surely they would find it worthwhile.
Qin Xueyan's gaze narrowed slightly, her expression shifting before she finally nodded submissively:
"It was this wife who was not diligent enough. Husband, rest assured, I will do my best to draw the talismans."
Even within a Demon Sect like the Tianhuan Sect, rarely did anyone openly discuss such shameful women's private matters in public.
Over an hour later, twenty "Yueshu Talismans" were completed.
Fang Yang arrived at the Bainu District. By this time, vendors covered the ground, and all the good spots were already taken.
The Changhuan Market had several districts: the Lingbao District, which sold talismans, pills, spiritual herbs, Monster Beast pelts and cores, and the like.
Fang Yang entered the room and took a pile of items out from his Storage Bag.
Fang Yang thrust the dozens of sheets of talisman paper into Qin Xueyan's hands.
"However, the production process is quite laborious, so... selling a single Yueshu Talisman for ten spirit coins is not too much to ask, is it?"
Fang Yang turned back. "I'm going out to buy the materials for making the Yueshu Talismans. Rou'er, draw well. Once we earn spirit stones and buy the spirit marrow, your husband's cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds!"
"Rou'er, don't you want your husband to become a Xuan Grade disciple soon and take you to Tianhuan City to live a good life?"
"Menses arrived? Use a Yueshu Talisman!"
As it happened, there was a small patch of open ground right next to this female cultivator's stall. Fang Yang immediately went over, laid down a piece of cloth, arranged the five packs of Yueshu Talismans upon it, took a long pole with a white cloth hanging from it, and wielded a brush to write two lines of bright red characters:
"Dry and fresh by day, comfortable and cozy by night."
"Then I must trouble Rou'er to draw talismans for me!"
Seeing that Qin Xueyan had only drawn two Qi Recovery Talismans, Fang Yang knew she was deliberately holding back, and frowned.
Qin Xueyan was well-versed in talismans, spirit botany, and puppet techniques.
This lowest-grade Qi Recovery Talisman was something she could draw with her eyes closed.
Ahead stood several female vendors, the head of one bearing a label and text.
Qin Xueyan froze. The little scoundrel actually dared to scold me?!
Fang Yang's voice then softened. "Rou'er, it's not that I don't pity you, but surely you don't want us trapped in this Yunyu Town for the rest of our lives, do you?"
Yet this fellow had actually written the word "menses" in characters so huge, and was even publicly selling such a shameful item meant for menstruation.
Simply utterly shameless!
And yet...
Was what was written on that white cloth true?
Could it really bring days of dryness and nights of comfort?