"A mediocre code official can get nearly 20,000 meritorious services in less than a year?"
Ma Qin rubbed his eyes, suspecting that he had seen it wrong.
As an eighth-grade inspector, Shi Xiaohan had more than 30,000 meritorious deeds, which Ma Qin could barely accept.
After all, the higher the rank of an official, the more likely he is to get access to higher-level tasks - if he solves a major case, he might be able to obtain thousands of merits at once.
But Gu Xu was just a low-level official. He could only receive some small tasks with low remuneration, solving some worthless "wandering soul" level ghosts; or doing odd jobs for officials and sharing some leftovers from them.
It is already extremely exaggerated to have hundreds of merits recorded every month.
Is it possible that Gu Xu doesn't eat, sleep, or practice, and is always working at any time and anywhere?
But the problem is, if he is doing tasks all day long, how does he find time to practice? And it takes less than a year to reach the first level of consummation?
Ma Qin really couldn't understand.
He secretly decided that if there was a suitable opportunity, he must ask Gu Xu for time management skills.
…………
After a while, Ma Qin wandered to the door of the warehouse.
The old man guarding the warehouse was playing with the crickets in the cage with his head lowered, and did not notice his arrival at all.
Ma Qin's eyes fell on the "price list" at the door of the warehouse——
"Gui Yuan Jue", "Dog Beating Stick Technique", "Bone Crushing Hammer", "Spirit Gathering Pill"...
It's all commonplace stuff.
Compared with Qingzhou Mansion, both the quality and price are far behind.
The only thing that caught Ma Qin's attention was the line at the bottom of the price list.
"The improved version of the Taishang Arctic Demon-Suppressing and Ghost-killing Talisman can be used to destroy 'wandering soul' level ghosts. Price: Fifteen meritorious deeds."
"Improved talismans...that's something only a master of talismans can do!" Ma Qin was a little surprised, "I didn't expect that the small Yishui County could get such a rare thing, and the price is so cheap!"
At this moment, a short, dark-skinned young man came to the door of the warehouse and said to the hunchbacked old man inside:
"Uncle, I want to change it to a 'ghost-killing charm'."
The hunchbacked old man reluctantly put down the cricket cage in his hand, took out a "Ghost Killing Talisman" from the cabinet behind him, and handed it to the swarthy boy.
"If you have nothing else to do, just take it and leave. Don't affect my work."
The swarthy boy took the talisman and said with a smile: "Thank you, uncle!"
Then he turned his head and saw Ma Qin standing aside.
"Uncle, are you new here?" The swarthy young man greeted Ma Qin enthusiastically, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Wang Yang. Please give me your advice in the future!"
Ma Qin touched his unshaven face and muttered in his heart: I am less than thirty-five now, and this brat actually calls me uncle? Do I look that old?
However, out of politeness, he still forced out a smile and responded: "My name is Ma Qin, from Qingzhou Prefecture. Don't take advice seriously, just communicate with each other."
"Then I will call you Brother Ma from now on!" The swarthy young man who called himself "Wang Yang" continued, "Brother Ma, are you planning to exchange something in the warehouse? You are new here and may not be familiar with the things here. You need me to give them to you. Can you introduce me?"
"Little brother, you are too polite!" He shook his head and said, "I have no intention of exchanging anything, but I am just curious about the improved version of the 'Ghost Killing Talisman' you just exchanged."
"Ghost-killing talisman?" Upon hearing this word, Wang Yang's face suddenly showed a proud smile, and he said in a show-off tone, "This talisman was drawn by our brother Gu himself. It can kill low-level ghosts effortlessly. It is not only powerful. , the price is very affordable! Except for our Yishui County, no other government offices can replace it!"
Let’s...Brother Gu...
Ma Qin quietly thought about Wang Yang's words.
He never expected that in this shabby Yishui Yamen, there would actually be a master of Fu Dao!
This is incredible!
Unknowingly, Ma Qin's sense of superiority as a big city official had disappeared without a trace, and he no longer dared to look down on this humble little county.
In the Daqi Dynasty, there were not many people with spiritual talents. They could be said to be "one in a hundred".
Among them, there are very few Talisman Masters—across the country, even counting those who have just started, there are only a few dozen people.
After all, Fu Dao is too difficult. In Ma Qin's eyes, this stuff is simply not something that normal people can learn.
Ma Qin did not believe in evil when he was young. He once bought a copy of "Detailed Explanation of Talismans: From Beginner to Master", hoping to learn something famous, and then went to show off in front of his colleagues. Yun Danfeng said: "Talk." Tao is just like that, you can understand it once you learn it, it’s not interesting.”
But such a scene obviously only happens in dreams.
Three days later, with dark circles on his face, Ma Qin angrily threw the "Detailed Explanation of Talismans" into the stove, cursing in his mouth: "Garbage Talismans, ruining my youth. If you look at it again, I will be like a dog!"
However, in this world, the rare number of Talisman Masters has extraordinary strategic significance.
Because they not only possess extraordinary power themselves, but also bring powerful team benefits.
For example, for a mediocre warrior like Wang Yang, after possessing the improved version of the "Ghost Killing Talisman", his chances of winning against low-level ghosts increased by at least 50%.
And a Fu Dao master like Da Qi's Imperial Preceptor could even arm an army on his own.
Therefore, within the territory of Daqi, every accomplished Talisman Master is the target that the imperial court and major sects are eager to win over.
In Ma Qin's opinion, this mysterious talisman master from Yishui County was able to improve the talisman on the original basis. He has obviously reached the level of a master who can draw inferences from one instance and be able to do things with ease. He is definitely an expert who does not show off his skills.
Although when he heard the name "Brother Gu", Ma Qin had doubted whether this Talisman Master could be Gu Xu...
But he quickly dismissed the outrageous speculation.
No matter how talented Gu Xu is, he is still a first-level monk, and there is no way he can have such profound attainments in Talismans.
Besides, Gu Xu has to practice and do tasks. Even if he doesn't eat or sleep, he will never find time to learn the difficult and obscure knowledge of Talisman.
"Gu" is not a particularly rare surname.
It is normal for there to be two people named Gu in a yamen.
The "Brother Gu" in Wang Yang's mouth is probably an unknown hermit master. For some unknown reason, he is currently living in Yishui Yamen as a guest.
If he could make friends with this mysterious talisman master and get some talismans from him for free, Ma Qin felt that his combat effectiveness could be increased by at least 20%.
"Brother Wang Yang, if it's convenient, you must introduce Brother Gu to me," Ma Qin grabbed Wang Yang's hand and said eagerly, "I've read some books on Talismans before. , I admire the monks who are proficient in Talismanism the most."
"Me too," Wang Yang also held Ma Qin's hand tightly, as excited as if he had met a close friend, "The person I admire most is Brother Gu. If you also admire Brother Gu, then we are the best brothers!"
Just when the two were shaking hands and chatting happily, Wang Yang suddenly stood up on tiptoes and pointed behind Ma Qin:
"Look, Brother Gu is here!"
