"Xuan Ting, this is the Talisman Painting Room arranged by the sect for you. Let's see if it suits you!" Two days later, Liu Yu followed Yue'er to the Holy Talisman Hall. "Taoist Qiu Xing" was in charge of the late foundation building of the Holy Talisman Hall. After receiving him in person and exchanging pleasantries, "Taoist Qiuxing" took Liu Yu to a spacious talisman room.
"It's all up to Uncle Master!" Liu Yu glanced around the room. The entire talisman room was very spacious. It was divided into two rooms, the inner and the outer, by the floor-to-ceiling smoke and cloud painting screen in the middle. The inner room was the talisman painting area. A large ink talisman table was placed on it. It is filled with a series of utensils such as pens, paper, ink, inkstones, stands, etc. There is also a soft jade mat against the inner wall for resting.
The room outside where the two of them are standing is a tea room, which is equipped with coffee tables, low stools, incense burners and other utensils. A complete set of red jade tea sets is displayed on the coffee table. You can enjoy tea and take a break in your free time, or you can also entertain visitors here. In short Liu Yu was very satisfied.
"Come and sit down! From now on, my nephew will draw talismans here. Just tell the warehouse about all the necessary talisman materials, and the warehouse disciples will deliver them!" Taoist Qiuxing asked Liu Yu to sit down and introduced.
"Xuan Ting knows! Should I go to the Talisman Hall to ask about the daily task of drawing talismans?" Liu Yu had worked in the Holy Talisman Hall before and knew the daily operations of the Holy Talisman Hall. What kind of talismans the Talisman Master needs to draw every day, how much, and how many talismans he needs to draw every day. All arrangements will be made in the Talisman Service Hall. According to personal tasks, the Talisman Master will go to the warehouse to collect the appropriate amount of Talisman materials and complete them.
"That's right! My nephew has served as a blood refining deacon in this hall before, so these poor people won't waste much time. The position that my nephew takes this time as a "senior talisman master" deacon in this hall has a salary of 24 yuan per year for the intermediate level. Spirit stones, ten thousand sect contribution points, and three "Qing Ke Dan"." Taoist Qiuxing nodded and said slowly.
The "senior Talisman Master" as Taoist Taoist Qiu Xing calls it is a general professional title given by the sect to the Talisman Master's ability to make spells. It is divided into three levels: primary, intermediate and advanced. The condition for reaching the advanced level is to be proficient in the three fourth grades. Naturally, Liu Yu had already achieved the skill of drawing spiritual talismans, and Yue'er was also a "senior talisman master".
Liu Yu is now proficient in rare sixth-grade talismans such as the "Five Poison Explosive Miasma Talisman", and Yue'er has only begun to try to draw fifth-grade talismans. It can be seen that this job title is too general and cannot effectively distinguish the talisman-making abilities of senior talisman masters. In fact, The world of cultivation has a standard set of professional titles for Talisman Masters.
There are nine levels in total. The first three levels are all Talisman disciples, and those in the last four to nine levels can be called "talisman masters". The condition to achieve this is to master a corresponding level of spiritual talisman. The success rate of this talisman should not be less than 70%. According to this standard professional title, Liu Yu is a sixth-level talisman master, while Yue'er can only be regarded as a fourth-level talisman master.
"Xuan Ting will go to the Fuwu Hall soon to check out today's talisman painting task!" Liu Yu couldn't help but say with joy, taking three pills of "Qingke Dan" every year, one more than he expected.
"My nephew's task of drawing talismans today is eight "Yinfengthorn" talismans. The required talisman will be delivered to you by the warehouse as soon as possible. Okay, my nephew will take a break here. I still have some trivial matters, so I will Let’s go first!” Taoist Qiuxing stood up and said.
"Uncle Master, let's go slowly!" Liu Yu frowned slightly as he sent Taoist Qiuxing away. The three "Qing Ke Dan" pills every year are not so easy to get. Drawing eight "Yinfeng Thorns" in one day is not easy, not to mention the time consuming. It also consumes a lot of soul energy, but it's worth it for the extra "Qing Ke Dan".
…
In the morning, there were dozens of simple wooden houses built next to the cold pool at the foot of the mountain deep in the Black and White Mountains. An open space was opened in front of these wooden houses. This was a remote border guard post of Sanzong, named "Black Pool Post". At this moment, several teams of sentry guards were gathered in the open space for a morning meeting. The deacon of the sentry post was a middle-aged Taoist priest with a gloomy face.
"Uncle Master! What should we do with the two thieves caught by Team 6 yesterday?" One of the people in the queue stepped forward and asked with his hands in hand.
"Send to the "Lingya Post" as usual!" The middle-aged Taoist said immediately. The "Lingya Post" he mentioned was a large post on the west side of this post. The Black Pool Post was named after the "Lingya Post" Jurisdiction, these two thieves are two smuggling cultivators captured by the guards.
Nowadays, the three sects, the Spiritual Beast Sect and the Tianluo Tantric Sect are in a state of truce. The two sides have banned trade. In addition to being responsible for guarding and patrolling to prevent the enemy from crossing the border, the border guard station also needs to strictly investigate cross-border smuggling and crack down on the increasingly frequent smugglers. .
Most of these caught smugglers are casual cultivators. Once caught, depending on the amount and value of the smuggled goods, they may be subject to hard labor. The mines, stone factories and other places that are the most tiring and dirty in the three cases belong to these people. Wherever they go, or more importantly, they are executed on the spot, so they are all desperadoes who don't care about life and death.
The reason for risking such a high price and taking risks is because the profits from smuggling are huge. The Tianluo Ganbei Grassland is rich in mushrooms and spiritual materials. The Spirit Beast Sect sells the cubs of spirit beasts of all levels at low prices. The three sects occupy the fertile land of Yunzhou and are rich in products. , can cultivate various spiritual materials. In short, each sect has its own famous specialties.
The three sects, the Spiritual Beast Sect and the Tianluo Esoteric Sect have been in complete opposition since the last war. In the past, some border trade markets were open for exchanges, but now they have all been closed. This has caused the prices of some spiritual materials to rise rapidly. Seeking, such as "Snow Cordyceps" that only grows in the Qianbei grassland.
"Snow Cordyceps" is a third-order snow moth that lays eggs under the soil as larvae. It is eaten by the fungi and grows mycelium in the larvae. It takes over the larvae and forms a special insect-shaped fungus. It is a third-grade elixir of the water system. The main medicine of "Snow Grass Pill" and the fourth-grade elixir "Snow Fungus Pill" is very rare.
Before the opening of the trade market, the price of this Juncao was not low. A plant in an ordinary year cost about 300 low-level spiritual stones, and a plant that was more than 100 years old cost no less than 700 low-level spiritual stones. But now an ordinary plant costs 700 low-level spiritual stones. The market price of low-grade spiritual stones is five hundred pieces, and the price of one that is over a century old is no less than one thousand.
This shows the profits of smuggling. It is no wonder that many casual cultivators will take risks. If they are not caught after a trip, the income will be enough to practice for several years. This also increases the risks faced by the sentry members under the jurisdiction of the outpost. A few points.
Because these desperadoes are discovered, they will naturally not be willing to be captured, and a fight is inevitable. Although the combat power of the disciples of each sect is naturally much higher than that of these desperadoes who were born as casual cultivators, there will inevitably be casualties, let alone these There are also ruthless people who have experienced hundreds of battles among the desperadoes.
In response to the increasingly rampant smuggling activities, various sects have also stepped up their crackdowns. First, they hire members of small and medium-sized cultivator families to increase the number of border guard guards. Second, they seize smuggling stolen goods, half of which are handed over to the sect and the other half for themselves. , This curbed the spread of smuggling activities.
"Okay! If there is nothing else, let's all set off to change the guard!" the middle-aged Taoist waved his hand.
"Yes! Commander Xuan'an!" The sentry guards who lined up immediately responded in unison. Then, under the leadership of the leaders of each guard, they took off with their weapons and flew towards the low and curved "Four Foot Mountain" not far away. ", went to replace the No. 2, 4, 6, and 8 Guards that had been on patrol for half a month.
"Four Foot Mountain" is a small branch of the Qi Snake Mountain Range. The Qi Snake Mountain Range is like a winding giant snake in the forest. The "Four Foot Mountain" is like the legs grown by this giant snake. Such feet are like There are a total of eight branches extending out like this, and "Sizu Mountain" is named after the fourth one.
There are nine guards in the "Black Pool Post", each team has more than ten people, a small number are inner disciples, and most are hired outer disciples. Taking the No. 1 guard as an example, there are five inner disciples and outer disciples. As many as eleven people.
The garrison area is a long and narrow section on the east side of "Sizu Mountain". On the right is the starting point of the northern line "Heishan Post", on the left is the west line "Lingya Post", with "Sizu Mountain" as the boundary, and the north side is the boundary of the Spirit Beast Sect. On the south side are the boundaries of the three sects, which are remote and dangerous.
Due to the defeat of the Great Wilderness Sword Sect and the occupation of the Tianluo Tantric Sect, the "Fengwei Outpost" that originally relied on Qingfeng City also disappeared. Now, only the "Northern Guard Outpost" is left in the northern border of the three sects, which is divided into two lines of defense. One is based on Ling Feng. The Ice Palace and the Spirit Beast Palace govern the narrow border of the tributary country that was retaken in the last war, which is the northern line.
The western front is still bounded by the Qishe Mountains and is mainly used to defend against the Tianluo Tantric Sect, but the defense line has been greatly shortened.
"Lingya Post" and "Black Pool Post" are located at the junction of the two lines. Their location is delicate. Although they are bound by the armistice, the guards on both sides are very restrained, but private provocations and conflicts still occur from time to time, resulting in bloodshed and casualties. This is also common.
In addition, the Tianluo Tantric Sect occupies the original territory of the Great Wilderness Sword Sect, so that the Tianluo Tantric Sect is directly adjacent to the southern boundary of Lingbing Palace and the western boundary of the Huangsheng Sect, and the three sects have to establish a new "Southern Guard Outpost".
The defense line consisted of the southern border of Lingbing Palace and the western border of Huang Sheng Sect, which forced the number of garrison disciples from the three sects to nearly double. This was despite the large number of outer disciples being hired.
"Zhang Zhen, please bring a few people to escort those two thieves to the "Lingya Post"!" After several sentry guards flew away, only Guard No. 9 was left in the open square, and Guard No. 9 was the guard of the post. , there is no need to go out to garrison on weekdays. If other guard posts are in danger and are in urgent need, they dare to go to support. They serve as a reserve team to guard the post camp and also act as a law enforcement team to handle some trivial matters.
"Okay, Master!" Zhang Zhen is Wang Ping's apprentice and a descendant of Tian Ping's Zhang family. He has reached the eighth level of Qi cultivation. He followed Master Wang Ping to the outpost to guard the border. He is the deputy captain of the No. 9 Guards and nodded in response.
"Lu Yu, follow Pindao on a patrol!" After saying this, Wang Ping took off with his sword and took off. Lu Yu, the captain of the No. 9 Guards, quickly followed with his sword, and flew towards the "Four Foot Mountain" one after the other.
"Disciple pays homage to the Commander-in-Chief!"
"Um!"
…
Along the way, he met sentry disciples who had been replaced from time to time to rest. These disciples took the initiative to come forward to greet them, and Wang Ping nodded in response.
After about a stick of incense, the two came to a dense forest in the middle of the defense line of "Sizu Mountain". Lu Fei, the captain of the seventh team who had just taken over the garrison, and several close associates were waiting in the forest.
"Master Du Tong is here!" Seeing Wang Ping and his second brother Lu Yu Fei coming, Lu Fei and his men immediately went up to greet them.
"Is the person here?" Wang Ping asked with a solemn expression.
"Waiting five miles away!" Lu Fei said softly.
"Let them come over!" Wang Ping took a deep breath and said.
"Second brother, go and take over!" Lu Fei nodded and said to his second brother, Lu Yu.
"Okay, big brother!" Lu Yu nodded and immediately flew in the direction behind him.
"Capital! My subordinates and brothers will disperse first. If there is any movement, the "Spiritual Word Talisman" will be activated!" Lu Yu said with cupped hands.
"Go!" Wang Ping waved his hand and said, and then Lu Yu and others dispersed as before, alerting the surroundings for any movement. If they found any patrolling law enforcement disciples from the sect, they would immediately notify them with talisman.
"Capital, they are here!" Soon, Lu Yu returned with his sword. The dense forest behind him shook for a while. If he looked closely, he was followed by a pack team composed of more than a dozen tall "Rock Mountain Wolves". These dozen On the broad back of the adult "Rock Mountain Wolf", several heavy "ling mustard cargo boxes" are hung on each end.
"Let them follow!" Wang Ping withdrew his gaze, and then flew towards the depths of "Four Foot Mountain" with his sword. The pack team in the dense forest below also immediately followed up. Under the whip of the rider, the "Rock Mountain Wolf" flew into the dense forest. Running quickly through the woods and steep rocks, I was panting from exhaustion.
Along the way, Wang Ping kept a vigilant eye and kept looking around. Naturally, no accidents happened as the leader of the post personally led the way. Soon they arrived at a rocky area deep in the "Sizu Mountain". This was also the area where the three sects It is at the middle junction of the "Four Foot Mountain" with the Spiritual Beast Sect.
"Fellow Taoist Xuan'an, you are well!" At this time, Taoist Hanzhi, the commander of the "Black Eagle Whistle" of the Spirit Beast Sect, has been waiting for a long time. The "Black Eagle Whistle" is the sentry post of the Spirit Beast Sect on the north side of "Sizu Mountain". It can be said that it is as powerful as fire and water with the three sects of "Black Pool Whistle".
"I've seen Taoist Hanzhi!" The two of them greeted each other in the air. Wang Ping immediately took Lu Yu and turned around to return. Under the escort of Taoist Hanzhi, the pack team successfully entered the territory of the Spiritual Beast Sect. Waiting for this When the pack team unloads the goods and returns, someone will naturally send Wang Ping a generous sum of spiritual stones.
This pack team belongs to a hunting gang called "Hundred Rats" in the Black and White Mountains. The leader of this gang, "Rat King", is a personal friend of "Daishan Taoist", the former commander of Blackpool Sentinel Point.
Wang Ping was ordered to garrison at the "Beiwei Outpost" along with his friend Xia Hou Pian. Xia Hou Pian served at the "Lingya Post", while Wang Ping dispatched the "Heitan Post" to replace the outgoing "Daishan Taoist".
For so many years, Wang Ping has been working hard for his direct disciple Zhang Tianyi. Zhang Tianyi's cultivation has improved rapidly, but his own cultivation has been delayed and his promotion has been slow. Now he has volunteered to garrison at the "Northern Guard Outpost" for the sake of success. Get more training supplies for yourself and Zhang Tianyi.
Faced with the temptation and solicitation from the "Daishan Taoist" who privately promised a large amount of financial resources, Wang Ping thought over and over again and finally agreed to help the "Hundred Rat Gang" smuggle goods as a cover. However, every time he smuggled goods like today, the "Hundred Rat Gang" Then Wang Ping will be given a reward.
Wang Ping finally agreed to participate because the "Hundred Rat Gang" and the "Daishan Taoist" were extremely secretive. These people tried their best to insert many people into the "Black Pool Sentence", such as Lu Fei. , Lu Yu and others are members of the "Daishan Taoist" tribe. There are more than ten people like this in the outpost.
Secondly, every time they smuggle goods, they have made sufficient preparations in advance. There are people on guard everywhere, and there have never been any mistakes. Moreover, these people from the Spirit Beast Sect on the other side have also established a relationship. The "Black Eagle Whistle" Taoist Taoist Han Chi, who is the leader of the capital, is even more a member of the Suo family.
Although it was just a side branch, after hearing that the Suo family was the second family of the Spiritual Beast Sect, the new sect leader Youlong Zhenren came to the Suo family and it only took a short time to catch up with the original first family, the Tu family.
In this way, the Spiritual Beast Sect thought there would be no problems, and since he was personally taking care of the south side of "Four Foot Mountain", there would be no trouble, so Wang Ping agreed to this matter.
