These mocking words about Master Tang Youshu were too harsh!

The Talismonger Sect disciples all lost face. Ji Wuqi bared his teeth and was about to argue with them.

Just then, a sword sect youth with two lotus curve lines on his forehead immediately jumped out, extended his index and middle fingers, transformed his single hand into a qi sword, and attacked the eagle on the roof beam.

Accompanied by a sharp cry, the eagle instantly disappeared, leaving only a yellow talisman paper floating down.

At this moment, when the county magistrate touched his official hat, it was sitting properly on his head, as if it had never been snatched away…

“Hmph, what Lingshan Talismonger Sect? Nothing but illusions and trickery, unworthy of refined consideration!” the youth said disdainfully while retracting his qi sword.

In the way of cultivation, forming cores and refining qi was the supreme method. For example, the sword sect’s controlling swords with qi required extremely high talent and fortune.

The middle path, such as gathering and refining pills, could also lead to ascending to heaven in one step if one occasionally gained an immortal fate.

As for talisman crafting and similar practices, they were the most unworthy, barely counting as heretical side paths for making a living. Although they looked flashy, they were difficult to enter the refined halls of cultivation.

In the past hundred years, other cultivation palaces and sects had produced several great powers who ascended, but no one had ever heard of anyone from the Talismonger Sect achieving proper results.

Now, a small Talismonger Sect dared to speak lightly and dismiss the Jiuxuan Sword Sect disciples—this was truly absurd.

Cui Xiaoxiao originally didn’t understand these things. Now, being humiliated to this extent, she understood that the sect she had inherited wasn’t even worthy of carrying shoes before these great sects and schools.

However, she wasn’t angry. Even though the other party had mocked her sect with words, she only blinked her lively, big eyes and silently glanced at those disciples.

Seeing both sides at an impasse, the county magistrate hurriedly tried to smooth things over: “You are all sleeping dragons and young phoenixes. Your presence in our county is truly a blessing for the people! How about this—you all stay, and whoever can solve the evil supernatural matter at the silk farm, this official will greatly reward, how about that?”

The eldest disciple of the Jiuxuan Sword Sect, Jiang Zheng, sneered coldly: “We eliminate demons only because we follow our master’s orders, not for mere rewards! It’s just that your notice has attracted too many heretical side paths. To avoid complications, please don’t send anyone else, and leave everything to our Jiuxuan Sword Sect to handle. But if anyone doesn’t know their place, don’t blame me for not speaking beforehand—being killed by demons isn’t as comfortable as dying of old age!”

He said this last part obviously for those Talismonger Sect disciples to hear.

The county magistrate was left speechless by this rebuke, somewhat unable to save face, and being suppressed by the sword cultivators’ aura, he didn’t dare to speak. He turned to look at the few from the Lingshan Talismonger Sect.

Cui Xiaoxiao didn’t have the noble spirit of the Jiuxuan Sword Sect and immediately said, “We also don’t need gold or silver. Subduing demons and eliminating evil is all for the people… but… if Your Honor would provide us with a few full meals, my fellow disciples and I would be extremely grateful!”

Master’s damned curse hadn’t been lifted yet, so even if they had mountains of gold and silver, they couldn’t take it. It was better to quickly exchange for some full meals instead.

Hearing these words, the county magistrate felt he had been given a way out and immediately beamed with joy, feeling that these Talismonger Sect supernatural beings were more lovable than those damn sword sect brats.

The leading sword sect disciple, hearing that these heretical side paths weren’t very teachable, couldn’t be bothered to waste more words. He snorted coldly, turned around, and led his people away with a flourish of sleeves.

Perhaps the sword sect disciples’ aura was too strong. When they passed by, they seemed to carry sweeping whirlwinds around them, their long sleeves fluttering gracefully, their robes blooming like flowers. The few down-and-out members of the Talismonger Sect all unconsciously stepped back several paces.

But Cui Xiaoxiao remained motionless, her big eyes staring fixedly at one of those sword sect disciples.

Second Senior Sister Jiang Nanmu also followed her gaze—it was a tall young man dressed in white robes with black hair draped over his shoulders, broad shoulders, and narrow waist.

When this young man with snow-white robes and black hair crowned with jade walked by, one couldn’t help but gaze at his sword-like eyebrows and handsome eyes.

What a beautiful youth! No wonder a young girl like Cui Xiaoxiao in her prime couldn’t help but stare.

However, unlike the other sword sect disciples whose foreheads displayed curved lotus patterns, this handsome man’s forehead was completely clean and smooth. He appeared to be a newly initiated disciple with no cultivation yet.

Jiang Nanmu considered herself not given to lust, but she also followed her junior sister in watching that handsome man depart, lingering with unfinished interest for a long time.

People said that the Jiuxuan Sword Sect had gathered all the talented beauties of the mortal world, and now seeing them, this was truly the case.

After the sword sect people left, Cui Xiaoxiao and the others shamelessly stayed behind to first enjoy a full meal.

So the four people and one dog, having received the county magistrate’s promise, entered the county office dining hall to eat their first hot meal in several days.

However, halfway through eating, it seemed another distinguished guest arrived at the county office. A middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy merchant walked in with the county magistrate’s accompaniment, chatting and laughing all the way.

It appeared this gentleman had considerable status, as the county magistrate was also bowing and scraping to him.

According to the cook who brought the dishes, this gentleman was surnamed Jin, named Youde. He was the largest silk merchant in the area, owning silk farms and mulberry groves within a hundred li radius. Besides that, he had opened quite a few banks and tea houses.

The silk farm where the evil demons appeared naturally belonged to him as well.

Now that the silk farm had problems, it greatly affected his business. Not only did silk merchants from various places stop coming to collect goods, but his tea houses and banks could hardly continue operating.

Jin Youde was worried, so he came with the county magistrate’s accompaniment to see whether these masters who subdued demons and eliminated evil had real ability.

Ji Wuqi took the lead, directly bypassing Cui Xiaoxiao to exchange pleasantries with that merchant surnamed Jin.

That merchant had a pair of peach blossom eyes. Although he was talking with Senior Brother, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifted to the two women at the dining table, finally fixing his stare on Cui Xiaoxiao.

Tsk tsk, what a wonderful beauty!

Although this girl wore only ordinary coarse cloth clothing and sat straight-backed at the dining table, that red mole at the corner of her eye was truly eye-catching.

Even without powder or rouge, one could see this woman had clear, beautiful features, pure as a lotus that had just been touched by water drops. If she could change into thin silk garments, loosely arrange her hair in a bun, and gently sway her waist before candles and screens, she would have quite a different charm…

As he watched, Jin Youde’s gaze became somewhat meaningful.

When Jin Youde stared at her, Cui Xiaoxiao didn’t avoid his gaze, only moved her cherry lips slightly as she chewed her rice, looking back at him indifferently.

Ji Wuqi saw this flirtatious exchange between man and woman and couldn’t help but sneer—it seemed their new sect leader could make a living with her beauty if she fell into worldly life.

Finally, after the pleasantries, this silk merchant surnamed Jin reluctantly left with the county magistrate.

Cui Xiaoxiao seemed to have been stirred by this wealthy merchant as well. Although the visitor had already left, she still wanted to learn more about Jin Youde’s background.

When Ji Wuqi looked up again, Cui Xiaoxiao was already holding a large bowl, squatting by the door, eating while chatting with the gatekeeper.

She was originally very small and thin, and after these days of hardship and wandering, she appeared even more frail. Combined with her delicate appearance, she easily aroused men’s protective affection. So after saying just a few words, the gatekeeper was already telling the young girl everything.

According to the gatekeeper, the silk farm that had the incident initially showed no abnormal signs. It was only two months ago that a night-watching silk worker suddenly disappeared. At first, they thought the young man was playful and had secretly run off to indulge in wine and women.

But after five days, he still hadn’t returned.

Later, it was an aunt who swept the courtyard who accidentally looked up and discovered something white wrapped around the roof beam of the courtyard building.

When she looked carefully, she immediately fainted from fright. It turned out that enormous “silkworm cocoons” were wound around the roof beam, and a pale face could be vaguely seen through the cocoon silk.

The person wrapped inside was the previously missing silk worker. But when the villagers discovered him, he seemed to have been drained dry by some demon, leaving only skin and bones without a drop of blood.

At that time, the county office received the report and sent people to stand guard. As a result, two more officials and a helper who accompanied the night watch were also wrapped around the roof beam, dying in the same horrible manner as the previous silk worker. Only one person luckily escaped, but was later scared to death.

This time, news that the silkworms had become spirits spread like wildfire. Besides the silk farm being sealed off, shops in the county and countryside closed their doors one after another.

The confused common people could only scatter realgar powder around their homes to ward off evil and disaster, then every household shut their doors and stayed inside, waiting for the officials to solve the silk farm’s calamity.

Cui Xiaoxiao maintained the demeanor of a Xianshan Sect Leader, smiling throughout as she listened to the gatekeeper finish speaking. During their chat, she somehow managed to ask the pipe-smoking gatekeeper for a pouch of tobacco leaves.

Ji Wuqi deeply disliked this aspect of hers—truly swindling and cheating wherever she went, taking advantage at every turn. She wouldn’t even spare a gatekeeper. How despicable!

When Cui Xiaoxiao could learn nothing more, she swallowed her last mouthful of rice and returned to the dining table to whisper to her three subordinates: “This job is too difficult. We probably can’t handle it. After finishing this meal, let’s withdraw…”

Ji Wuqi, disgusted by the new sect leader’s marketplace swindling habits, simply put down his bowl and chopsticks and glared: “Do you think we’re marketplace swindlers like you? Since we’ve agreed to it and eaten their food, we can’t retreat even if we die!”

As for Second Senior Sister Jiang Nanmu and Junior Brother A’Yi, they also nodded in unison.

Among cultivation sects, the Talismonger Sect was the most unworthy and was looked down upon by other cultivation schools.

But as the flickering light carrying on the Talismonger Sect’s inheritance, they couldn’t fail to uphold their sect’s honor and trustworthiness.

Cui Xiaoxiao looked at them, pursed her lips slightly, thought for a moment, and said: “Fine, since you insist so much, then let’s give it a try tonight…”

After speaking, she pulled out an old book with a damaged cover from her bosom, decided to sharpen her dull spear before battle, learn some incantations, and opened the pages to read seriously.

This book was the secret manual that the Talismonger Sect’s founding sect leader, Tang Youshu, had passed to Cui Xiaoxiao before his death.

The other three people had no interest in this “secret manual.”

Although Master claimed this book contained the supreme mental methods of the Lingshan Talismonger Sect, passed down only to successive sect leaders.

But when Ji Wuqi and the others first became disciples, they had all received Master’s favor and were “exceptionally” allowed to read this book.

What was recorded in the book, besides the shallow incantations and talismans for entering the Lingshan Talismonger Sect, was mostly Tang Youshu’s own bitter experiences of founding the sect and following his master Wei Jie.

Perhaps fearing that after his death, his disciples and grand-disciples would forget his great achievements, the Master had specifically written his biography while alive, then put it under the title of a secret manual, making all Talismonger Sect disciples read it without exception.

As for deeper cultivation after initiation… the old man had said that masters lead you through the door, but cultivation depends on the individual—it all depends on personal aptitude.

What he said was correct. So-called talismans were merely carriers that amplified the power of those who held them.

The same talisman would have completely different effects in the hands of people with different natural talents.

In Ji Wuqi’s view, someone like Cui Xiaoxiao, a female con artist with no foundation whatsoever, would find even spiritual talismans personally drawn by Master to be as useless as toilet paper.