"Why do you want to help me?"

Talisman Master Zhang walked out of the Talisman Crafting Room, fixing his gaze on Jia Ren.

The production of the Evil Warding Talisman is not easy, and a Talisman Grandmaster could at most guarantee a success rate of around eighty percent.

This person couldn't possibly be a Talisman Grandmaster; having a success rate of around fifty to sixty percent would already be quite good.

Exchanging two sets of Talisman-Making Materials for one Evil Warding Talisman didn't offer much profit and carried potential risks.

If the visitor wasn't here to help him, then he might be... a swindler.

Talisman Master Zhang's eyes continuously assessed, trying to recognize the visitor as some missing talented disciple.

Unfortunately, he couldn't discern anything.

"I don't know why, but I feel that you can be trusted," Talisman Master Zhang said to Jia Ren, taking out ninety-nine portions of Spirit Ink and handing them all over to him.

"Dad! Let him exchange the Evil Warding Talismans for the Evil-warding Spirit Ink. What if he's a swindler? I've never seen this person at the Talisman Cultivators' Association!"

Zhang Peng Peng was wary of Jia Ren.

The visitor's timing was too perfect!

The Evil-warding Spirit Ink was crucial. If it was swindled away, neither the Meng Family nor the Talisman Cultivators' Association would let him and his daughter off the hook.

She didn't want to place her fate in the hands of another.

"Pengpeng, do you think I can still make Evil Warding Talismans? I choose to trust him."

Talisman Master Zhang spoke, leaving Zhang Peng Peng speechless.

It seemed they had no choice.

"I'll use your Talisman Crafting Room."

Jia Ren entered the Talisman Crafting Room, shut the door, set up the Yun Luo Illusion Array, and began crafting talismans.

He didn't craft Evil Warding Talismans of Grandmaster Level standard; it was sufficient if the quality was up to par.

Each one was guaranteed to be of Master Level standard, making sure not to 'overperform.'

Talismans of such quality could already be considered superior, and better ones were rarely circulated on the market.

Evil Warding Talismans were continuously crafted, and the Proficiency Level increased at a stunningly fast rate.

For Jia Ren, the transaction was a sure win. Earning half of the Evil-warding Spirit Ink while also improving his Proficiency Level in crafting Evil Warding Talismans, and leaving the risk to others—why not do it?

An hour later, Jia Ren returned to the Turtle Breath State and left the Talisman Crafting Room.

Zhang Peng Peng guarded the outside of the Talisman Crafting Room with a wary expression, constantly worried that Jia Ren would flee.

"Fifty Evil Warding Talismans."

Jia Ren walked out of the Talisman Crafting Room, taking out five ordinary Evil Warding Talismans obtained from a Loose Cultivator, as well as forty-five superior Evil Warding Talismans.

"In the future, if you need Evil Warding Talismans crafted, you can contact me. I don't want my identity exposed, or else, our cooperation will end."

He handed over the Evil Warding Talismans and didn't forget to remind them before leaving.

Next time, I'll ask if I can use Rhinoceros Horn to make my own Evil-warding Spirit Ink.

The quality of the Meng Family's Evil-warding Spirit Ink is too poor. It significantly affects the power of Grandmaster Level Evil Warding Talismans crafted from it.

I'm dissatisfied with such materials and will have to intervene personally. With Rhinoceros Horn, I can craft even higher quality Grandmaster Level Evil Warding Talismans. To escape the Great Wilderness, I need to prepare a large quantity of high-quality Evil Warding Talismans.

"Thank you for lending a hand."

While Zhang Peng Peng's talisman crafting level wasn't high, it didn't mean her appraisal skills were poor. She immediately recognized that the talismans Jia Ren brought out were all superior. His talisman crafting skills were close to a Talisman Master's standard.

She didn't know why this person wanted to help them.

"Remember to notify me for the next collaboration; the more Evil Warding Talismans you need crafted, the better."

Jia Ren left behind a Sound Transmission Talisman and drifted away.

Talisman Master Zhang sighed. As a Talisman Master, having to rely on others to craft talismans was a great shame for him.

Let me see the Evil Warding Talisman. I hope the quality of the Evil Warding Talismans isn't too poor... The Meng Family has stringent quality requirements for Evil Warding Talismans. If they aren't met, we can't complete our task.

An Evil Warding Talisman was handed to Talisman Master Zhang. His eyes brightened immensely, no longer showing signs of his advanced years, and he murmured, "Is this the Evil Warding Talisman he made?"

"Haha, truly a genius in the Path of Charms!"

"Dad, what genius in the Path of Charms?"

Realizing he had misspoken, Talisman Master Zhang hastily laughed, "This person is a rare genius in the Path of Charms, not far from becoming a Talisman Master."

Ordinary people might not notice the differences in Evil Warding Talismans, as each looks exactly the same.

Talisman makers have their own language, with distinct features in the talismans made by each maker.

The talismans made by the visitor were indistinguishable from his own.

What did that imply? Either he was a Talisman Master who deliberately imitated my style, or... he was a disciple I taught, carrying on my techniques. I'm not a Talisman Master of such renown that others would eagerly imitate me. The people I've taught are few, with only one possessing outstanding talent. Thus, the answer is clear. The disappearance of my stunningly talented disciple, whose fate remained unknown, has always been my greatest sorrow. Unexpectedly, he has returned... The fact that he is alive is all that matters.

As his disciple didn't wish to reveal his identity, Talisman Master Zhang would not expose him either.

Having finished his tasks, Jia Ren returned to his residence to rest for the night, where he crafted more than fifty additional Evil Warding Talismans.

Compared to the products made with Grandmaster Level Evil-warding Spirit Ink, the new Evil Warding Talismans had less than half the effect and couldn't be considered satisfactory.

Fifty-four Evil Warding Talismans were tucked close to his chest, providing a scarce sense of security.

If I continue to craft talismans a few hundred more times, it should be enough to raise the Proficiency Level of the Evil Warding Charm Art to the Great Grandmaster limit. Once the skill breaks through the limit, I'll be able to make Extraordinary Saint Level Evil Warding Talismans, which will definitely be more effective. I hope the Black Blood Bizarre doesn't come too soon.

The following morning, a large number of cultivators, over 300, gathered at the central area of the Great Wilderness Market's Inner City.

All the cultivators of the Market had assembled. The only exception was a certain individual who always used the Turtle Breath Technique and had been overlooked by those capturing cultivators—the one who slipped through the net.

Jia Ren hadn't arrived, but his Spirit Insects had.

"The Black Blood Bizarre blocking the way out of the Great Wilderness doesn't mean we've lost hope."

"The path of life is only temporarily cut off. The Black Blood Bizarre won't besiege the Great Wilderness forever. If we hold on, there will be a glimmer of survival."

"Go out to hunt Magical Beasts to ensure a sufficient food supply, and organize patrol teams outside the Great Wilderness Market."

The Spirit Rice and ordinary rice within the Market were all transported by foreign merchant caravans. With the trade routes now blocked, no new grains would be coming.

Cultivators still had some Spirit Rice, but it couldn't last for long. Inevitably, they would exhaust their stores without replenishment.

They had to solve the problem in advance.

The Market also needed to organize forces for patrol, searching for any potential breaches in the Black Blood Bizarre's blockade and preparing for escape from the Great Wilderness.

Such tasks could not always be assigned to their own people or be handled personally.

The Loose Cultivators had their place to shine.

"Only those who contribute to the Great Wilderness can stay within the Market we protect. As for those parasites unwilling to exert effort, we will purge them from the Market, forbid them from stepping one foot into it, and leave them to fend for themselves."

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Pill Cauldron Sect took charge, becoming the uncrowned king of the Market.

Based on contributions to the Sect, a strict reward and exchange system was established.

The most noteworthy items on the exchange list were skills such as Formation, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Talisman Crafting, as well as the precious Evil Warding Talismans.

Especially the former—during normal times, Loose Cultivators wouldn't even have the chance to see these.

Want to acquire the Four Arts of Cultivation? Go out and risk your life!

Coveting the Four Arts of Cultivation, and needing to earn Market contributions to avoid being expelled, everyone began their busy activities, each to their own duties.

The Market contributions needed to exchange for the Four Arts of Cultivation were too high.

Ten pounds of Monster Beast Meat exchanged for ten Market contributions, whereas the simplest entry-level Talisman Crafting art required 10,000 Market contributions.

The exchange price for other treasures was exorbitantly high: an Evil Warding Talisman cost 200 Market contributions, and a First Order Artifact Refining heritage cost 30,000 Market contributions.

To ensure the stability of the Market contribution system, Market contributions could also be exchanged for Spirit Stones: two contribution points were worth one Spirit Stone.

"This is an opportunity! An opportunity to learn the other Cultivation Arts!"

The Four Arts of Cultivation were the foundation for cultivators to secure their livelihood. If the merchant guilds hadn't been trapped in the Great Wilderness Market and desperate to motivate Loose Cultivators to risk their lives, they probably never would have offered them.

Jia Ren had quite a few Spirit Stones on hand. Exchanging them for Market contributions would be enough to acquire several heritages of the Four Arts of Cultivation.

But the risk is too great; it could easily draw unwanted attention. This matter requires careful planning. The Market contributions earned from crafting Evil Warding Talismans shouldn't be low. Maybe I can obtain the desired items through Talisman Master Zhang's help. I should talk to them properly tonight.

Jia Ren deployed Spirit Insects within the Market as his spies to collect intelligence for him.

The target to watch was still the Foundation Establishment Cultivator—his information was far more extensive than Jia Ren's.

The Spirit Insects dared not get too close, to avoid being detected by the Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Market Master, we've just found a Jade Slip that records ancient secrets. It reveals an unknown piece of information about something with an extremely high resemblance to the Black Blood Bizarre."

The Black Blood Bizarre?

Any information related to the Black Blood Bizarre demanded the utmost attention.

Jia Ren received the intelligence immediately and sent out Spirit Insects to eavesdrop.

"This Bizarre Demon was designated by ancient cultivators as the Blood of Fear."

"It's a special kind of Bizarre Demon that feeds on the emotion of fear. The more fear it consumes, the stronger it grows."

"The Blood of Fear enjoys breeding lifeforms, especially humans with their rich emotions."

"It prefers to corral humans, enclosing them without killing, continuously releasing Magical Beasts and Bizarre Demons into the corralled area to stimulate human fear."

"Millions of humans have perished in its grasp, and a Nascent Soul Sect employed the full force of their sect, paying a great cost to seal it away..."

The Blood of Fear? Corralling humans? Any lingering hope that the Bizarre Demon's blockade was temporary, that the Black Blood Bizarre might lift the siege, now vanished.

It feeds on fear? Releasing Magical Beasts and Bizarre Demons just to evoke human fear? How can such a revolting Bizarre Demon exist in this world?!

Higher-order Cultivators accessed a broader range of information.

For High-Order Cultivators, Bizarre Demons were almost taboo; many Bizarre Demons' names were too dreadful to even speak.

These kinds of Bizarre Demons were usually distant, beyond my reach, so I never understood them deeply. But the Black Blood Bizarre I face now is absolutely the most revolting existence.

"Isn't anyone coming to save us?"

The answer was definite. In the Barren Extreme Land, the most powerful Sects were the five Great Sects. Even their Golden Core Cultivators had died in the Great Wilderness—who would dare come here seeking their own death?

The Nascent Soul Sects wouldn't venture thousands of miles into the Great Wilderness for unknown cultivators to face a Black Blood Bizarre of unknown strength.

They only had two choices left: either die at the hands of the Magical Beasts and Bizarre Demons unleashed by the Black Blood Bizarre, or force their way through the siege and confront the Black Blood Bizarre directly.

No matter the method, the final outcome was death.

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