Chapter 78: I, Lu Changsheng, Will Be An All Round Craftsman!

After moving in, Lu Changsheng used a cleaning talisman to do a simple cleaning of the house and yard. “This house is only equipped with a simple soundproofing formation. It seems that I will have to buy a few sets of small formations later.”  Lu Changsheng looked at the situation in the yard and thought to himself.  Though Jiulong Market had good security, it couldn’t compare to living in Qingzhu Valley and the Lu Family’s estate in the East District. Still, he needed to be cautious and take some defensive measures. Otherwise, if he wasn’t home and something happened while his wives were at home, what would he do? Moreover, after purchasing these small formations, he could take them with him when moving in the future. The next day, before leaving for work, Lu Changsheng gave twenty spirit stones to Xiao Qing. He asked her to buy some spirit rice, spirit vegetables, and spirit materials to keep at home. Now with Xiao Qing as the spirit chef, they could eat better naturally. At the same time, he asked Xiao Qing to prepare lunch for two and deliver it to the talisman shop. On his way to the talisman shop, Lu Changsheng saw a formation shop and went in to inquire about the prices of small formations, formation tools, and formation discs. “For formation tools, they come with formation flags, formation discs, and formation eyes. The price will depend on how big your area is,”  The shopkeeper of the formation shop explained. Then, Lu Changsheng asked about the price of formation tools for a yard of four to five hundred square meters. “There are many formations, for this size, the most common first-tier low-grade formation, the Small Concealment formation, costs one hundred and eighty spirit stones. As for some more powerful formations, it’s not just about having formation tools; you also need a formation master to set up and engrave the formations.” The shopkeeper recognized Lu Changsheng, so he elaborated a bit more and talked to him about formation knowledge. Hearing this, Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but click his tongue. Just covering four hundred square meters with a first-tier ordinary low-grade formation tool costs one hundred and eighty spirit stones. A complete set of first-tier medium-grade formation tools costs four to five hundred spirit stones. As for a complete set of first-tier high-grade formation tools, the price is basically over a thousand spirit stones. And for more difficult formations, the price is even higher because it involves the cost of a formation master setting up the formation. “It really falls a bit short compared to formation masters, alchemists, and artisans. I wonder if I’ll be able to draw formation skills in the future. If I could draw formation skills and become a formation master, once I settle down, I wouldn’t have to worry about being robbed.” After chatting with the shopkeeper for a while, Lu Changsheng shook his head and left. He didn’t have money now, and he couldn’t even afford a first-tier low-grade formation tool. Moreover, in his opinion, the effect of a first-tier low-grade formation tool was only average. At noon, Xiao Qing brought lunch in a food box. When Lu Miaoge learned there was also a portion for her, a smile appeared on her face. Lu Changsheng asked Xiao Qing to prepare two portions, and naturally he prepared one for the Eldest Lady.  After spending so much time together, Lu Changsheng also knew that this Eldest Lady was also a bit of a foodie and she usually loved to eat.  Unfortunately, he didn’t have much cooking skills himself. There’s no way he could impress her with some chicken dish and then conquer her stomach and then her heart. Unless he won a prize someday and gained skills in cooking. After finishing their meal, Lu Miaoge also said that she would give spirit stones to Lu Changsheng as a food allowance. Lu Changsheng naturally didn’t want to accept this kind of gesture from Lu Miaoge. However, unable to resist Lu Miaoge’s insistence, he reluctantly accepted twelve spirit stones as a monthly allowance. Night fell. When Lu Changsheng returned home from work that day, Xiao Qing told him that in the afternoon, the neighbors from next door came to visit. They also brought three talismans and said they would be neighbors from now on, hoping for mutual care and interaction. Hearing this, Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected the neighbors to be so enthusiastic. He took the talismans from Xiao Qing and saw that they were all low-grade talismans. “Giving talismans, could this neighbor be a talisman master?” Lu Changsheng thought to himself. Thinking that it’s better to have a good relationship with neighbors, especially since he would be staying here for a while, Lu Changsheng decided to visit them and get to know them better. He also thought it would be good to know what kind of people his neighbors were. So, Lu Changsheng prepared a basket of fruits, packed two gift boxes with some talismans, and went to visit them. *Knock knock knock!* Lu Changsheng knocked on the door of the house next door. After a while, the door creaked open. “Uncle, may I ask who you are looking for?” The one who opened the door was a cute little girl, about eleven or twelve years old, with round cheeks and two buns tied on her head. She was wearing a pale blue dress. The little girl was extremely cute, with long eyelashes fluttering. She looked at Lu Changsheng with clear eyes and asked crisply. “I’m your new neighbor from next door. I came to visit. Is your family home?” Lu Changsheng smiled slightly and replied. “The neighbor next door?” The little girl tilted her head and then shouted into the house, “Dad, it’s the uncle from next door!” Soon, a middle-aged man in his thirties, with a kind face and a somewhat plump figure, walked out of the house. “I’m Lu, I just moved in next door. I heard that a friend came to visit today, so I came to meet you.”  Lu Changsheng said politely as he handed over the fruit basket in his hand.  “It turns out to be Friend Lu. I’m Gao He. Please come in.”  The middle-aged man said with a smile and made a welcoming gesture, giving people a feeling of harmony and wealth.  This courtyard was a separated courtyard. It was only a hundred square meters wide and was not as big as the courtyard of Lu Changsheng’s house.   However, Lu Changsheng also took a look and found that the family only consisted of Gao He, his daughter, and two servants, so it was enough for such a small family. During their conversation, Lu Changsheng learned that Gao He was a medium-grade talisman master and worked as the head talisman master in a talisman shop.  Gao He, upon learning that Lu Changsheng was the owner of the Qingzhu Lu Family’s talisman shop, also showed enthusiasm and suggested future business cooperation. He mentioned that there would be opportunities for business exchanges in the future. Afterwards, the two of them exchanged insights on talisman crafting for a while.  Through their conversation, Lu Changsheng roughly understood that Gao He was in the intermediate stage of being a medium-grade talisman master, still some distance away from being a high-grade talisman master. After leaving Gao He’s home, Lu Changsheng also went to the house opposite to pay a visit.  The door was opened by an elderly man, the family’s old servant.  Upon hearing Lu Changsheng’s purpose, he informed that the patriarch was not at home and would only return after midnight every day.  Lu Changsheng apologized for the disturbance and said he would visit another time. He then knocked on the door of the left side and prepared to pay a visit there. “Who are you?”  The one who opened the door was a woman in her thirties, with a gentle demeanor and a plump figure.  Her skin was fair, her eyebrows were like green feathers, her nose was like a distant mountain, her lips were like flowers, and her long black hair was tied up in a bun.  She was wearing a light blue dress, which accentuated her slender waist, revealing her proud figure. There was a faint gentle smile on her lips, exuding a charm unique to a mature woman. “I’m Lu Changsheng, your new neighbor. I came to pay a visit.”  Lu Changsheng greeted her with a warm smile and handed her a gift box containing talismans.  Inside were three low-grade talismans and one medium-grade talisman. After all, it was just a small gift for the visit, so it didn’t need to be too valuable. “So, it’s Friend Lu. Please come in.”  The woman invited Lu Changsheng into the courtyard, poured tea, and also called her husband out to entertain him.  Her husband was a man in his forties, tall and burly.  This man was completely different from the amiable Gao He.  Lu Changsheng could even sense a bit of fierceness from him, feeling that he was not easy to approach.  After a brief chat, Lu Changsheng bid farewell and left, saying that they could contact him if they needed to buy talismans.  The man introduced himself as Zhao and mentioned that he made a living by hunting demonic beasts. If Lu Changsheng needed to purchase demonic beast meat in the future, he could look for him. After visiting the three neighbors, Lu Changsheng returned to his own residence.  After taking a bath, he called Xiao Qing and the two maids and began to work hard towards becoming an immortal! The next day, just as Lu Changsheng was about to leave, he heard a knock on the door.  Opening it, he saw a middle-aged man with a graceful and handsome figure.  He was the neighbor from across the door. He had heard about Lu Changsheng’s visit yesterday and heard some noise here just now, so he decided to come over and pay a visit.  The man recognized him and knew that he was the new owner of the Lu Family’s talisman shop.  After the man introduced himself, Lu Changsheng realized that he was the owner of the Jade Feast Hall, a place he had visited several times.  Perhaps being a businessman, the owner of the Jade Feast Hall was also very friendly.  He suggested that they should interact more in the future and offered discounts for dining at the Jade Feast Hall. Lu Changsheng was also easygoing, so after exchanging pleasantries with the man, he left.  He thought to himself that among the three neighbors, except for the family on the left side who seemed a bit unfriendly, the other two families were quite nice. Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was nearing the end of the month. Zhang Shan brought the inventory list of the goods received this month for Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge to inspect.  It took two days for the two of them to complete the inspection.  During the process, they still found some substandard and defective items, but not too many.  This prompted Lu Changsheng to ask Lu Miaoge why there were always substandard and defective items despite the fact that the suppliers for the shop were supposed to be long-term partners. In response to this question, Lu Miaoge simply explained that although they were long-term partners, only some of them were truly stable. There could be changes in between, necessitating the need to find new suppliers. Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng nodded in understanding. He realized that even the supply chain of the Lu Family was not entirely stable, and so such quality issues were unavoidable under these circumstances. Thinking ahead to when Lu Miaoge would no longer be here in two months, Lu Changsheng felt a headache coming on at the thought of having to spend three or four days each month inspecting the goods. After all, this kind of work was truly tedious and exhausting. After handing the confirmed inventory list to Zhang Shan, Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge agreed to return to Qingzhu Mountain two days later. Two days later, Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge rode steel-feathered eagles back to Qingzhu Mountain.  Xiao Qing naturally stayed in Jiulong Market; it wasn’t feasible for her to follow them around.  When he returned to Jiulong Market later, he would also bring Guan Xin along, so it would be inconvenient with too many people. The two of them returned safely to Qingzhu Mountain. Upon returning home, Lu Changsheng learned that his twenty-fifth child had already been born.  And on the third day after his return, his twenty-sixth child was also born.  There were no unexpected surprises.  Neither of these two children had Spirit Roots. Lu Changsheng was quite calm about this. There was still one more month until Lu Miaoyun would give birth. Lu Changsheng held some anticipation for the child in Lu Miaoyun’s arms. He even thought to himself, maybe this month he should stay at Qingzhu Mountain, wait for Lu Miaoyun to give birth, and then leave after seeing the child born. However, considering that after Lu Miaoyun gives birth, it will be Qu Zhenzhen’s turn to deliver in a month. He couldn’t just wait for Lu Miaoyun and not wait for Qu Zhenzhen, could he? In such matters, it’s not about scarcity but about fairness. But if he waited for both, it would feel like he didn’t want to leave the house. In the end, Lu Changsheng decided to spend these few days well. Then, estimating the time, he planned to return home early when the time came and stay a few more days at home. It could be considered a special treat for his wife. During these three days at home, Lu Changsheng still spent time with his wives and children, and did not practice talisman making much. This time, when he went to listen to the teachings of the Fourth Elder on talisman making, the Fourth Elder handed over the talismans that the store replenishes every month directly to Lu Changsheng.  There weren’t many talismans, only three top-grade talismans, thirty high-grade talismans, and thirty medium-grade talismans. This made Lu Changsheng wonder, did the Fourth Elder draw a high-grade talisman and a medium-grade talisman every day? But he also remembered that the Lu Family had several shops in other markets, and the Fourth Elder probably had to provide some talismans for them too. In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and Lu Changsheng returned to Jiulong Market with Lu Miaoge. Seeing that Lu Changsheng brought Guan Xin with him this time, Lu Miaoge sighed slightly.  After all, just last month, she had told Lu Changsheng that cultivation and strength were fundamental. Lu Changsheng had responded firmly at the time. But how long had it been? Not only did he buy a maidservant in Jiulong Market, but he also brought one from home. However, she wasn’t one to talk too much. Once was enough for this kind of thing, and she wouldn’t bring it up again. Back in Jiulong Market, Lu Changsheng used the house deed to arrange a free residence identity card for Guan Xin and settled her in. He instructed her to talk to Xiao Qing if she had any problems. Now, this side would mainly rely on Xiao Qing. In the following days, Lu Changsheng resumed his comfortable life of practicing, making talismans, raising children, and going to work. During this time, Gao He came to visit and chat, exchanging insights on talisman making with Lu Changsheng. For someone as friendly as Gao He, Lu Changsheng naturally reciprocated politely, and they spent most of the afternoon drinking tea and chatting, leaving Gao He feeling greatly benefited. Ten days later. Lu Changsheng learned that Xiao Qing was pregnant. He was very pleased about this. After all, Xiao Qing also had a ninth-grade Spirit Root, so there was a good chance she would give birth to a child with a Spirit Root. But then, a faint worry arose in his heart. He usually had Xiao Qing do everything for him. Now that Xiao Qing was pregnant, it wouldn’t be right to let her continue to work so hard. Thinking about how someone who works by his side will soon become pregnant and unable to work, Lu Changsheng realized that there would never be someone stable to work with him. “I need to find someone specifically to handle things and be the housekeeper of this courtyard,” Lu Changsheng thought to himself. He couldn’t help but think of the beast-eared girls from White Jade Tower. These beast-eared girls were trained by White Jade Tower through special means and techniques, and they were unable to bear children. If he bought one to work as a housekeeper, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. However, these kinds of beast-eared girls were quite expensive. Most of them cost tens of spirit stones, some even hundreds. To find one that suited his preferences would likely cost over a hundred spirit stones. Spending over a hundred spirit stones to buy a beast-eared girl seemed wasteful to Lu Changsheng, especially since he was in urgent need of spirit stones. “That’s not right. I’m not a stallion, and it’s not like women in my yard have to get pregnant. I specially arranged two maids to do the work, so it’s okay to prevent them from getting pregnant.”  Lu Changsheng snapped out of his reverie, feeling somewhat speechless about his previous thoughts. He realized he was getting caught up in the idea of having children every day. Sᴇaʀᴄh the NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality. As a cultivator, he might not be able to ensure that women get pregnant, but he could certainly prevent it. Thinking about the seven maids he still had at White Jade Tower who would be coming soon, Lu Changsheng decided that he would choose two of them specifically to handle tasks. The next day, Gao He came to chat with Lu Changsheng again, exchanging insights on talisman making. Lu Changsheng shook his head inwardly. As neighbors, occasional chats like this were enough in his opinion. There wasn’t much to talk about when it came to this.  Mainly because they were completely on different stages. Having discussions about talisman making with Gao He was like a professor discussing elementary school homework with a grade schooler. However, he knew that this was because of his insightful comments on talismans during their previous conversations, which had benefited Gao He. This time he also paid a little more attention and behaved relatively ordinary.  One reason was to avoid Gao He frequently coming over to exchange insights on talisman making. And also, as a medium-grade talisman maker, he couldn’t afford to stand out too much. During their conversation, Lu Changsheng also asked Gao He about the operating model and daily work of his talisman shop, seeing if there was anything he could learn from it. Gao He didn’t conceal anything and truthfully explained.  The talisman shop he managed operated similarly to the Lu Family’s talisman shop, but it lagged behind in supply, quality control, and talisman craftsmanship compared to the Lu Family’s shop. Lu Changsheng nodded slightly in understanding. In fact, whether it’s a talisman shop, a pill shop, a magic weapon shop, or a formation shop, as long as you have skill, your business won’t be bad, and you’ll definitely be able to make it! For a shop like Lu Family’s talisman shop, apart from the reputation of the Lu Family in Qingzhu, its core competitiveness lies in the three top-grade talismans and thirty high-grade talismans from the Fourth Elder. “As long as the lottery continues, maybe I can become an all round craftsman.”   Lu Changsheng thought. “At that time, I can train my children in this field, or train more craftsmen. This will not only ensure a stable income for the family, but the children won’t have to go out and fight for resources through desperate means.” “After all, what I seek is stability, which surpasses everything.” Lu Changsheng contemplated his future path again. Three days later, a servant from White Jade Tower came to inform Lu Changsheng that the maids he had purchased had arrived. Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng went to White Jade Tower with the servant. He was once again received by the charming and seductive Feng Jiuniang. Every time he saw Feng Jiuniang, Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, what a beauty! “Master Lu, are you satisfied?” Feng Jiuniang asked as she presented the seven maids to Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng didn’t continue to use the alias Li Feiyu, instead, he spoke his real name. After all, he had just instinctively borrowed his friend’s name at that time. And he also knew that this manager of White Jade Tower obviously knew his true identity, so there was no need to hide it. Otherwise, every time he was called Master Li he would have to explain to the maids he bought. “No problem,” Lu Changsheng nodded as he looked at the seven maids, each with their own charm and allure. These seven maids were not only beautiful but also of excellent stature. Some possessed remarkable talents, some had martial arts skills, and some had cultivated in the art of seduction. Otherwise, if they were just ordinary maids, he wouldn’t have had to spend a hundred and sixteen spirit stones to buy nine maids. In White Jade Tower, they truly embodied the principle of getting what you pay for! After paying the remaining spirit stones, Lu Changsheng took the spirit contracts of the seven maids and left White Jade Tower with them and headed back to his residence. Walking down the street with these seven enchanting maids trailing behind him, Lu Changsheng attracted a lot of attention. “Isn’t that young master from that family? He is traveling with seven charming young ladies.”  “I don’t know him, probably a young master from some family.” “It seems like he’s the new owner of the Qingzhu Lu Family’s talisman shop?” “This kind of life is my dream.” “Hmph, just mortal women, I can have as many as I want!” “Look at their appearance, figure, and demeanor, they’re not ordinary worldly women.” “I just saw him coming out of White Jade Tower, he must have bought them there.” “Having money is really good!” “Lusting after women and indulging in pleasure, how can one cultivate in such circumstances?” “Indeed, this is nothing but decadent behavior.” As people on the street looked at Lu Changsheng, some were envious, some disdainful, and some eyed him with curiosity. Many women also cast sidelong glances at Lu Changsheng, admiring his handsome face, tall and straight figure, as well as his composed and gentle demeanor. Their eyes shimmered with a hint of infatuation. In fact, several female cultivators even gathered the courage to approach Lu Changsheng and strike up a conversation. They inquired about his marital status and expressed their interest in becoming his wife. Faced with these advances, although Lu Changsheng felt somewhat tempted, he politely declined them all. He mentioned that he was already married and currently had no intention of taking another wife, but he would consider concubines and maidservants. His caution regarding marriage wasn’t just a personal decision; he also had considerations for the Lu Family. In his view, having a few concubines and maidservants was acceptable, but continuously taking new wives would place Lu Miaoyun and the Lu Family in an awkward position. After all, he and Lu Miaoyun had only been married for less than a year. Shortly after, Lu Changsheng briskly returned home with the seven maids. “It seems that in the future, when purchasing maids from White Jade Tower, I should either bring them back in batches or have White Jade Tower deliver them directly to my home,”  Lu Changsheng pondered inwardly.  “Otherwise, it might attract unwanted attention and make me feel like I’m being watched, or worse, targeted as prey.” Back at home, Lu Changsheng couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease caused by the admiring gazes and advances from strangers on the street. Seeing their young master bring back another seven enchanting maids from outside, Xiao Qing, Shao Yuyao, and Guan Xin were momentarily at a loss for words. However, knowing about Lu Changsheng’s vigorous energy at night, they understood. They knew that soon, all seven of these women would be pregnant. “In the future, you’ll be called Night Lotus, you’ll be called Red Cotton, you’ll be called Purple Rose, and you’ll be called Azure Orchid,” Lu Changsheng named the seven new maids. Previously, he had named two maids as Begonia and Lily, so he wanted to standardize the names. “Yes, Master!” These maids were all very understanding. That night, Lu Changsheng also began to explore and experience what Lu Miaochen had once described as “exquisite treasures.”