The Little Golden Light Temple, which had piqued Su Ping's curiosity, was located on a large mountain at the intersection of three major cities.
Unlike the markets that preferred to hide deep within the mountain forests, the Little Golden Light Temple exposed itself to the eyes of Mortals.
The Monastery area where the Outer Sect lived was wide open, making it convenient. In principle, as long as one could ascend the mountain, whether a Loose Cultivator or a Mortal, they could enter the Monastery to worship and enjoy a decent vegetarian meal.
Outside the mountain, the Little Golden Light Temple had reclaimed vast tracts of farmland and employed tens of thousands of tenant farmers to cultivate them. Coupled with numerous annexed farms from various regions, it was considered one of the largest landlords in the vicinity.
The Little Golden Light Temple had a rule: to cultivate these lands, one had to complete three daily Buddhist Dharma lessons.
There would also be unscheduled pop quizzes on Buddhist Dharma knowledge.
This ensured that these tenant farmers and their families were mostly believers of the Little Golden Light Temple.
They gathered at the foot of the mountain, naturally forming a bustling small town.
With a bustling town came no shortage of traveling merchants.
As a chime of bells echoed through the busy streets, a caravan from Jinque City entered the town district and began hawking their wares, shaking their bells.
As passersby were drawn to this new caravan, no one noticed, or if they did, they didn't care.
Before the caravan entered the town, over a dozen large rats leaped from the carriages and then hid in the fields.
These rats were elite rats controlled by Su Ping's Spirit Rat White and Grey.
This batch of rats was intended for early deployment, to investigate any unusual activity at the Little Golden Light Temple.
From the currently available intelligence, the Little Golden Light Temple appeared to be in order.
The ordinary people dependent on them still lived difficult lives, but they were better off than most villagers.
The Monastery, located on the mountainside and peak, remained solemn and majestic, with solemn chanting echoing from its bells ringing on time.
"Nothing major happened just because I investigated it? Well… that's normal, isn't it?"
"Even if there's a conspiracy, it'll probably only be revealed in the Late Stage of the Water-Land Dao Assembly."
Su Ping confirmed that the Little Golden Light Temple was normal, at least for now.
He breathed a sigh of relief and began to focus on his own Cultivation.
Besides Qi Refining and Body Tempering, various skills were also indispensable for Cultivation.
Especially since Su Ping had a great secret, the more self-sufficient he was, the more secure he would be.
Su Ping began to try reading.
He consumed pills to finish the chapters related to Talismans and Artifact Refining in the books.
Su Ping, feeling confident, thought that Talismans seemed the simplest.
He had also bought the relevant Materials from the Hundred Treasures Market, so he decided to give it a try.
The result was as Su Ping expected.
His mind told him he could do it, but his right hand, holding the brush, told Su Ping, "No, you can't!"
After wasting several sets of Materials, even the simplest Light Body Talisman failed.
Su Ping sighed and decided to call for help.
Su Ping wrote a letter to an acquaintance from the Outer Sect.
After offering some benefits, he received a reply introducing him to an Outer Sect Cultivator skilled in Talisman arts.
"He's an Inspector too!"
Su Ping finished reading the letter and recalled its content. The Cultivator introduced was named Luo Qing.
He came from a herding background and, through the Rising Immortal Assembly, rose to become a high-ranking Cultivator.
He discovered his talent in Talismans at the Immortal Sect and thus became a Talisman Master in the Outer Sect.
Unfortunately, his talent was poor, and in his early years, he was greedy for Cultivation growth, consuming too many Peiyuan Pills. Even though the Spirit Stones he earned from Talismans were significantly more than what ordinary Disciples earned, he still couldn't Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Qi Refining after sixty years of arduous Cultivation.
Then, a few months ago, he seemed to have come to terms with it and returned to his hometown with his Talisman skills and savings to become an Inspector of the local major city.
It was considered a glorious return home.
If his descendants could produce a few capable individuals, there was still hope of becoming a local prominent family in a hundred years.
For such a Cultivator, Su Ping thought for a moment, then brought the remaining ten catties of Ling Rice and five catties of Yao Beast meat to visit him.
As for the Little Green Fish, it wasn't that he was unwilling to part with them, but such Ling fish, which had never appeared in the Cultivation World, would be too dangerous to reveal rashly.
In Jinque City, Inspector Luo Qing, like Su Ping, did not live in the city but found a scenic spot and built a separate courtyard to reside in.
Luo Qing entered the Immortal Sect at fifteen and was now seventy-five years old.
For Mortals in this world, such an age was by no means young.
Even for a Qi Refining Cultivator, this age marked the onset of decline.
Luo Qing had also received a letter from an acquaintance, informing him that someone wanted to learn his Talisman knowledge.
He agreed out of politeness, but he didn't care much about the matter, only intending to casually brush it off when the time came.
Although he was retired, it wasn't as if fellow practitioners were enemies.
But watching others earn money still made him uncomfortable.
Luo Qing was lying in bed, discussing life with his newly taken twentieth concubine.
Suddenly, he uttered a soft exclamation, sensing a Cultivator approaching the courtyard.
Soon, someone reported, causing Luo Qing to frown slightly:
"Why did this person arrive so quickly? If he's truly interested in the Dao of Talismans, why didn't he learn it when he was at the Immortal Sect?"
Luo Qing mumbled, got up, dressed, and his expression became serious:
"Wait for me under the covers. I'll be right back."
Ignoring his concubine's resentful expression, Luo Qing walked out of the room and into the main hall.
Upon seeing Su Ping, his gaze fell upon the Ling Rice and Yao Beast meat Su Ping was carrying.
Luo Qing's old face immediately broke into a smile, blooming like a chrysanthemum.
"A distinguished guest has arrived! How could my servants be so clueless? Quickly! Tea, serve tea, serve good tea!"
Su Ping had no interest in tea, especially since this Old Talisman Master was incredibly stingy; the so-called good tea he brought out was not even as good as what the City Lord's mansion had given him.
In a few simple sentences, Su Ping realized that this Old Cultivator perfectly matched the Outer Sect Disciple's stereotype of a retired Inspector living out his old age.
Because these Old Cultivators who only wished to await death were exactly like that!
Su Ping had little idle talk with the other party. After receiving the benefits, this Old Talisman Master also entered the state of a master and began to inquire about Su Ping's difficulties and confusions regarding Talismans.
Many things are like different trades, different worlds, yet often, they are merely separated by a thin sheet of paper, and once pierced, they bring sudden enlightenment.
Half a day of hard thinking is not as good as a Senior's single piece of experienced advice.
Su Ping finally understood the meaning of these words.
After being instructed by the Old Talisman Master for a day, although his Talisman drawing still failed, Su Ping truly felt his progress and believed he had found the correct Talisman Dao.
Then, feeling that it was worth the price, Su Ping took out more Ling Rice.
He monopolized the Old Talisman Master for another day and night, resolving all his current doubts before leaving contentedly.
However, the concubine waiting for the Old Talisman Master in the inner courtyard's bed was miserable.
Even though she was newly taken, without the Old Talisman Master's command, she wouldn't dare to disobey even with a hundred guts!
Not every Inspector Lord was like Su Ping, who wouldn't indiscriminately kill or even implicate family members.
If the Old Talisman Master told her to stay in bed, she could only stay there, even if she was thirsty or hungry, she had to stay!