Chapter 81: The "Small" Shop

Just as Jiang Xu thought he would be returning empty-handed, the Steward suddenly flipped to a name. His face lit up for a moment before he seemed to recall something and hesitated.

"Junior Brother, there’s an opening for a resident Talisman Maker at a shop here, it’s just..."

"Just what? Senior Brother, feel free to speak your mind."

"Ahem, it’s just... well, the scale is a tad small. But you needn’t worry too much, Junior Brother. It may be small, but it’s got everything it needs. Even if a shop is tiny, as long as what you’re selling is the real deal, you won’t have to worry about sales."

Hearing the Steward’s words, Jiang Xu had a bad feeling.

"Senior Brother, I’m not a picky person, but if we could find another option..."

"I knew you weren’t the type to be picky and ignore the big picture, Junior Brother! There, I’ve already signed you up. You can go report for duty now!"

With that, the Steward made a mark in the register, handed Jiang Xu a Guiding Talisman, and then promptly ushered him out the door.

Standing outside, Jiang Xu clutched the Guiding Talisman, feeling utterly speechless.

’Was that really necessary? Just how scared was he that I wouldn’t go?’

Then, Jiang Xu activated the Guiding Talisman.

’I’ll see for myself just how bad it can be!’

...

Looking at the shop before him, Jiang Xu was suddenly reminded of Du Fu’s "Song of My Hut Unroofed by Autumn Gales."

The shop looked like it had been around for years, giving it a weather-beaten feel. The paper pasted over the windows was in tatters, torn completely through in some spots, offering a glimpse of the furnishings inside through the holes.

Instead of adding light and warmth, the windows only made the entire shop feel gloomier and more desolate.

The shop’s main door was also old, its color faded to a dull gray. The wood was coarse, covered in a multitude of scratches and dents that testified to the shop’s history.

’How have I never noticed this shop before?’

Jiang Xu muttered to himself. After a moment’s hesitation, he walked over.

He knocked lightly twice, and the door immediately let out a loud CREAK.

’The door sounds like it’s going to fall apart after just two knocks...’

Jiang Xu was rendered speechless yet again. He suddenly had the urge to turn around and walk away.

"Come in."

An aged voice drifted from behind the door. Jiang Xu paused for two seconds before gently pushing the large door open and stepping inside.

Once inside, Jiang Xu looked around at the decor and layout.

A couple of glances were enough; he couldn’t stand to look anymore.

The shop’s furnishings were old and outdated. The products on the shelves were arranged haphazardly, and the items inside the display cases were thick with dust.

The entire shop gave off an impression of being poorly maintained and neglected.

"I didn’t expect any customers would come to my shop."

Jiang Xu looked toward the source of the voice.

He saw a dejected-looking old man sitting behind the counter.

His eyes were somewhat cloudy, having lost the brightness and vigor of youth, as if he had grown weary of the world. The wrinkles and age spots covering his face testified to the years he had lived and the hardships he had endured.

His hair, now graying and thin, was strewn haphazardly over his shoulders, giving him a peculiar air of destitution and listlessness.

As was his habit, Jiang Xu activated his Spiritual Eye Technique. But after just one glance at the old man, he was so startled he stumbled a step backward!

Because he discovered, to his shock, that the man’s Cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment level!

But Jiang Xu quickly sensed that something was off.

He found that the man’s Cultivation level was unstable.

One moment it was at Foundation Establishment, the next at the Qi Cultivation Early Stage, then the Qi Cultivation Late Stage, and then it would vanish as if he had no Cultivation at all.

The dejected old man didn’t notice Jiang Xu’s subtle movement. He didn’t even glance in Jiang Xu’s direction, simply staring ahead with vacant eyes.

Now, however, Jiang Xu no longer dared to underestimate the seemingly ordinary old man before him.

"Senior, my name is Jiang Xu. I’m the resident Talisman Maker sent by the Profound Origin Hall. I’ll be staying in your shop from now on to provide Talismans for sale."

The man gave no reaction, neither agreeing nor refusing.

"If you don’t object, I’ll take that as your tacit approval..."

The man still gave no response.

Seeing this, Jiang Xu couldn’t help but sigh internally.

’If he continues to ignore everyone, I can just pretend he doesn’t exist. It’s like getting a free shop. It might be old and small, but in a Marketplace where every inch of land is worth a fortune, it’s still a valuable asset.’

Jiang Xu carefully inspected all the merchandise in the shop.

He found that although the Talismans were caked in dust, they were still usable. There were even quite a few Tier One Upper Grade Talismans.

A single one of these Talismans was worth several dozen Spirit Stones. By a rough calculation, the contents of this shop were actually quite valuable!

"Senior, I’m using a Dust-removal Talisman now!"

Giving the same advance warning, Jiang Xu stepped outside and activated several of them on the shop’s exterior.

A clean breeze swept away the dust and grime, leaving the shop before him merely small, dilapidated, and old. The filth was gone.

"World’s Number One Talisman...?"

With the filth gone, Jiang Xu saw the plaque hanging above the small shop.

The characters on the plaque were as sharp as the edge of a sword. Every stroke brimmed with power and confidence, and every line seemed to throb, ready to leap off the wood. The calligraphy’s indescribable, razor-sharp edge revealed its magnificent spirit.

But in contrast with the old, dilapidated little shop beneath it, the sight was utterly bizarre.

’This domineering name and calligraphy clearly don’t match the shop’s appearance!’

Connecting this to the dejected old man’s strange Cultivation fluctuations, Jiang Xu’s mind immediately concocted at least seven or eight different melodramatic backstories.

’Although I have no idea what happened to that old man, I imagine it wasn’t anything good. I won’t press the issue and touch a sore spot.’

However, since Jiang Xu was now a member of the "World’s Number One Talisman" shop, he had to take on some responsibility.

First things first, he had to fix up the shop.

Otherwise, no one would even bother coming in to buy things if they saw the shop in this state.

If no customers came, Jiang Xu would have no choice but to sell his Talismans to other shops, like the Duo Bao Pavilion.

But their buying prices were significantly lower than the market rate, a thought that made Jiang Xu’s heart ache.

’Time to get to work! First step: fix the windows and the door!’

...

Fixing the windows involved making new frames, installing the lattices, pasting on fresh paper, and then decorating and reinforcing them.

Fixing the door involved choosing suitable lumber, then cutting, sanding, and assembling it before installing the door itself and its hinges, followed by decoration.

With Magical Power at their disposal, even carpentry work was incredibly fast for a Cultivator.

In less than a day, Jiang Xu had more or less finished repairing the shop’s exterior.

As for the interior, Jiang Xu once again used a Dust-removal Talisman to clean it from top to bottom.

He even cleaned off every single Talisman that was for sale.

Whenever Jiang Xu tidied up the Talismans, he always gave the old man a heads-up.

But aside from those first two remarks at the beginning, the old man never spoke again.