Chapter 88: Five-Transformation Umbrella

"This is truly the lowest price. You know how much gold costs. Why don't you take a look at two other defensive artifacts? They're works by two artifact refiners I know, and they'll be a bit cheaper."

Wu Wan pulled out two printed documents, which were the appraisal certificates he had issued. The images and functions of the two artifacts were clearly described on them.

Chen Mobai took a look. One was a long-sleeved magic robe, and the other was an umbrella.

The long-sleeved magic robe offered better defense than the helmet, but it lacked the function to enhance spiritual perception. Its price was eighty-nine thousand merit points.

The wooden umbrella, on the other hand, was the cheapest at seventy-five thousand merit points. Its defensive power was not low, but it had high requirements for the user: the umbrella surface had to be opened for each defense.

However, once opened, the umbrella surface would continuously drain the user's spiritual power, so it needed to be closed when not in use.

As soon as Chen Mobai saw this, he felt it was very suitable for him. Besides the agreeable price, it was also because he was a cultivator skilled in manipulation. Furthermore, the artifact's appearance matched the style of the Tianhe Realm, whereas Wu Wan's golden helmet was simply too conspicuous.

"Is this umbrella from the same city, or from Weiyu Grotto-Heaven?"

"From the same city."

"Then I'll take this one. Where is it? We'll take a taxi right away; I need it urgently."

Chen Mobai's eager demeanor stunned Wu Wan, but since Chen Mobai was paying for the taxi, he naturally had no objections.

"It's the work of a student from Danzhu Academy, made with a first-tier Wutong wood for the handle and frame, and a first-tier talisman paper for the umbrella surface."

"Calling it an artifact might be less accurate than calling it a talismanic artifact."

"Five defensive talismans are drawn on the umbrella surface. Theoretically, it can defend against spell attacks of the five elemental attributes. However, based on my verification, it can at most withstand attacks from cultivators at the late Qi Condensation stage."

The two discussed the pros and cons of the artifact while waiting for a taxi.

Although Wu Wan hadn't sold his own artifact, he was in good spirits because this wooden umbrella was listed on his online store, and he would still earn a commission.

"This student is quite creative. The concept behind this 'Five Transformations Umbrella' is excellent, aiming to neutralize all five-element spells in the world. Unfortunately, it's broad but not deep. It can resist five-element spells cast by cultivators below the seventh level of Qi Condensation, but once that limit is exceeded, the defensive talismans will immediately become imbalanced."

"However, this wooden umbrella has a hidden trick: after the defensive talismans become ineffective, you can find a talisman master to redraw any talismans you desire, converting it for offensive use."

"Of course, I won't write this detail on the appraisal certificate. If the law enforcement department comes knocking later, I'll definitely claim that you, the buyer, privately and illegally modified it."

Wu Wan's guidance was an eye-opener for Chen Mobai, who greatly admired the concept of this "Five Transformations Umbrella."

This artifact could be considered half-talismans. Its usage could be altered by changing the umbrella surface and the talismans drawn on it. Chen Mobai admitted that without someone to guide him, he certainly wouldn't have come up with such an ingenious idea himself.

Spending 260 merit points on a taxi, they arrived at Danzhu Academy, where the student, having been notified by Wu Wan, was already waiting at the entrance.

They introduced themselves.

"Luan Jingsheng, sophomore student."

"Chen Mobai, ordinary person."

Luan Jingsheng was a young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, a person of few words. When he handed over the wooden talismanic umbrella, he seemed a little reluctant to part with it.

After the two added each other as friends, Chen Mobai immediately paid the merit points to Wu Wan's store in front of Luan Jingsheng. Then, he took the wooden umbrella and left. How Wu Wan and Luan Jingsheng handled the accounting afterward was none of his concern.

His only requirement was to get points, for which he even paid an additional 3,750 merit points in tax.

In the future, even if the Immortal Sect Tax Bureau audited the accounts, he was the one who paid, and the procedures were proper and legitimate, with no issues. Even if Wu Wan faced trouble due to tax issues, Chen Mobai would remain blameless.

Chen Mobai took another taxi back home, then teleported to Qingguang Island, arriving with just enough time for a cup of tea before the hour was up.

Luan Jingsheng had also provided a long cloth bag for the wooden umbrella and said that if there were any issues in the future, Chen Mobai could contact him for repairs at any time. After their initial interaction, Chen Mobai felt that Luan Jingsheng was quite good and considered the possibility of long-term cooperation.

He placed the wooden umbrella into the cloth bag, which had a drawstring at its opening, perfectly sized to tie onto his waist belt.

Chen Mobai also tied his needle case to his left wrist and put on a backpack filled with over two hundred talismans. Fully equipped, he hurried to Manager Wang's office hall, the familiar place where he had originally rented his wooden hut.

By the time he arrived, it was already a bit late, and everyone was waiting for him.

"My apologies, I was delayed buying some artifacts and talismans from a few friends."

Chen Mobai immediately apologized. Seeing him fully equipped, the previously impatient rogue cultivators calmed down, understanding that the more prepared their companions were, the safer it would be for everyone.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, our team of twenty-eight cultivators needs to guard a formation flag node of the 'Heavenly Wood Divine Light Formation.' Here is the basic information."

Manager Wang handed Chen Mobai a small booklet, then patted a green cloth pouch at his waist, and a flying boat appeared floating in mid-air before everyone.

"It's a storage bag!"

A female cultivator recognized the origin of the green cloth pouch at Manager Wang's waist and was greatly astonished.

It was well-known that even the smallest storage bag required 100 spirit stones. Yet, Manager Wang's storage bag could hold a twenty-meter-long flying boat, its value likely equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"This is a storage bag specifically used by the sect for allocating bulk goods. Martial Uncle Zheng gave me one. The daily supply of spirit stones for all fellow Daoists is also inside."

Manager Wang chuckled and patted the storage bag at his waist. His words, however, caused a few rogue cultivators present to show signs of desire.

However, in this team, besides Manager Wang, who was at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, there were also four late-Qi Condensation disciples from the Divine Wood Sect, completely capable of holding their ground. No one dared to entertain any ill intentions.

Nevertheless, covetousness was unavoidable.

Chen Mobai calculated that out of the twenty-eight cultivators in this team, five were disciples of the Divine Wood Sect, and the rest were rogue cultivators. This included four late-Qi Condensation cultivators (himself among them), seven mid-Qi Condensation cultivators, and twelve early-Qi Condensation cultivators.

The daily cost of employing them alone was 46 spirit stones. Typically, a beast tide attacking the island would last at least a month, meaning there were at least a thousand spirit stones in the storage bag.

With such wealth, it was no wonder the rogue cultivators were envious.

Under Manager Wang's command, the group boarded the flying boat. Propelled without regard for the cost of spirit stones, they arrived at the formation flag they needed to guard in just a few moments.

It was on a cliff by the shore, where a ten-meter-diameter plot of land was enclosed with bluestones, and a bare tree was planted in the center.

After reading the booklet, Chen Mobai understood that this was the formation flag.

The "Heavenly Wood Divine Light Formation" was the Divine Wood Sect's most renowned formation. It used trees as formation flags. At the sect's headquarters, Giant Wood Ridge, fortified by tens of thousands of spiritual trees, not even Nascent Soul ancestors dared to intrude easily.

On Qingguang Island, a total of thirty-six spiritual trees had been transplanted by the Divine Wood Sect from Giant Wood Ridge. At their peak power, they could reach third-tier effectiveness.

It was precisely because of this that the Divine Wood Sect disciples and rogue cultivators had the confidence to defend the island.

"They're here!"