Chapter 47: Master Xiao Fu is the least suspicious!
The meeting ended quickly with Wu Qingquan and the other two confessing their guilt.
Many talisman masters present were so frightened that they broke out in cold sweats, secretly thinking they were lucky.
Xiao Changqing is one of them.
Fortunately, he was sharp enough and realized from the beginning that the new shopkeeper had ill intentions and might make some big moves, so he stopped cooperating with the Cao family in time.
Otherwise, he might have been on the list of people being named today!
of course.
Another important reason is that he has been cautious over the past year.
Fortunately, he did not sell the talismans himself, nor did he cooperate directly with the Cao family. Instead, he used a pseudonym and sold them through Lin Zixi as a middleman. Even the Cao family did not know who the mysterious talisman master Bai Wuji was.
"Master Xiao Changqing, please stay."
Just when Xiao Changqing was about to return to his studio, Zhou Changkong suddenly called him.
Xiao Changqing stopped in his tracks. Although he knew that he had not revealed any clues and the other party could not find out his true identity, he still felt uneasy.
……
What was previously Hong Jiantao’s exclusive talisman master has now become Zhou Changkong’s training room.
The furnishings in the room had not changed. Xiao Changqing had always felt relaxed when he came here in the past, but at this moment he felt a little heavy-hearted.
"Master Xiao Fu, don't be nervous. I asked you to come here just to chat and get to know you. After all, in the past month since I came to Nanshanfang, the most common rumors I've heard are about you, Master Xiao Fu. How did you go from being a low-level casual cultivator to becoming a first-class Fu Master in just four years?"
Zhou Changkong changed his stern and unapproachable look from the meeting just now and seemed to be easy to talk to again.
Xiao Changqing was not careless. He just exchanged pleasantries and tried to guess the other party's true intentions.
Zhou Changkong is not someone who is good at beating around the bush.
Soon, he also revealed his true intentions.
"I know that among the talisman masters of Lingfu Pavilion, there are far more than just the three of Wu, Liang and Sha who enriched themselves and damaged the interests of Lingfu Pavilion and the sect. It's just that I have only been in Nanshanfang for a short time, so there are some things that I cannot find out clearly. Master Xiao, based on your usual understanding, which other talisman masters in the pavilion do you think are suspicious?" Zhou Changkong asked.
Xiao Changqing frowned and said, "I was also just promoted to the first-level Talisman Master not long ago, and I don't know more about the first-level Talisman Masters in the pavilion than you, Shopkeeper Zhou... But Shopkeeper Zhou, since you can't find more, I don't think there should be anyone else, right?"
Zhou Changkong shook his head and said firmly, "There must be something I haven't found out! For example, the Cao's Talisman Shop has suddenly emerged in the past year and has become the second largest store after our Ling Fu Pavilion... The Cao family doesn't even have an entry-level talisman master, but every month they have a fixed source of first-level talismans, or even first-level mid-quality talismans. The person who cooperates with the Cao family must be a talisman master from our Ling Fu Pavilion. But I haven't found out who it is yet."
Hearing this, Xiao Changqing's heartbeat slowed down slightly.
What does this Foundation Establishment Elder mean?
Could it be that he found out something and suspected me, so he deliberately deceived me?
It shouldn't be... right?
Zhou Changkong suddenly looked at Xiao Changqing and said meaningfully, "I have seen the talismans produced by the Cao family. Although they are first-grade mid-quality talismans, they are of a full range of types, and there are many types that are rare in Nanshanfang. Moreover, the quality is excellent. The attainments of the talisman master are probably close to the first-grade upper-grade level! Master Xiao, who do you think best meets this condition in our pavilion?"
Xiao Changqing was a little flustered, but his face remained calm. He raised his head and looked at him, and said suspiciously: "Manager Zhou, you called me here today. Are you trying to say that you suspect that the talisman master who cooperated with the Cao family is me?"
Zhou Changkong was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and laughed: "Master Xiao Changqing, you think too much. How could I possibly doubt you? To be honest, among all the talisman masters in the pavilion, I trust you the most! No one is less suspicious than you! You have only been promoted to the first-level talisman master for less than two months! Haha..."
Xiao Changqing was secretly certain in his heart.
It seemed that the scheming Shopkeeper Zhou did not suspect him.
Also.
In everyone's eyes, he was just a rookie talisman master who had just been promoted to a first-level talisman master two months ago.
The mysterious talisman master who cooperates with the Cao family has a level of attainment in talisman skills that is close to the top level of the first grade.
Even though Xiao Changqing has a strong talent in the art of talismans, if he wants to reach this level, it will take at least seven or eight years of hard practice.
With this prerequisite, Xiao Changqing is indeed the first-level talisman master with the least suspicion.
At this time, Zhou Changkong suddenly changed the subject and said again with deep meaning: "Even if I doubt your previous shopkeeper Hong Jiantao, I can't doubt you, Master Xiao Fu. What do you think? After all, I got the news that since Shopkeeper Hong left, the Fu Master who cooperated with the Cao family also disappeared mysteriously..."
Xiao Changqing's heart, which had been relaxed, suddenly became slightly nervous. He frowned and asked, "Manager Zhou, you want me to come forward and slander Manager Hong? If so, I'm sorry, I can't do it. Manager Hong will never sell out the interests of the Spirit Talisman Pavilion, and will never cooperate with the Cao family. Moreover, others may not know, but Manager Zhou should know what level Manager Hong's current talisman skills have reached, right?"
"Of course I know that Shopkeeper Hong is still strong and has been promoted to the second-level Talisman Master." Zhou Changkong smiled and then asked, "It seems that Talisman Master Xiao has a good relationship with Shopkeeper Hong?"
Xiao Changqing said bluntly: "Manager Hong has been very kind to me. He has also always taken good care of me."
Zhou Changkong didn't take it seriously: "Shopkeeper Hong is indeed good at discovering talent. This was true of Master Lu Qiu before, and it is also true of you, Master Xiao. However, Master Xiao, you don't have to take this too seriously. As long as you have good talent, you will find that everyone in the cultivation world is very friendly and everyone will take care of you."
Xiao Changqing didn't reply, not wanting to argue about the matter.
After chatting for a few more words, Xiao Changqing stood up and said goodbye.
After a while, several young monks appeared in the room, but each of them was an expert at the ninth level of Qi Refining!
Zhou Changkong ordered: "Keep a close eye on the key people. As for the Cao family, I will go there myself..."
……
……
In the next few days, Lingfu Pavilion seemed to have calmed down on the surface, but in fact, there were still undercurrents.
The new shopkeeper, Zhou, seemed unwilling to investigate Lingfu Pavilion thoroughly and punish everyone from beginning to end.
Xiao Changqing was sitting on the Diaoyutai without worrying about being found out. The unknown Bai Wuji vest and the false information that he had just broken through to the first-level Talisman Master made him the first "good citizen" in Zhou Changkong's eyes.
Even if Xiao Changqing blew himself up, or someone reported him, Zhou Changkong would not believe it.
However, this incident made Xiao Changqing decide to show more of his talents and gain more say for himself.
When Manager Hong was here, he didn't have any pressure or sense of urgency, and it was better for him to develop secretly step by step. But now that the crisis has come, he has to change his strategy.
Just like now, if he had not been promoted to a first-level talisman master, and it only took him four years to break through, how could he be qualified to be neither humble nor arrogant in front of Zhou Changkong?
So in the following period of time, from the perspective of outsiders, Xiao Changqing's talisman skills improved very rapidly!
When I was promoted to the first-class talisman master, the success rate of drawing the first-class low-grade talismans was less than half, only 30% to 40%. In just half a year, it has been improved to 70% to 80%!
With such a success rate, he is considered a senior first-class lower-grade talisman master.
Perhaps in another year or two, Xiao Changqing would be able to become a first-class intermediate-grade talisman master!
This speed is even faster than Lu Qiu's back then!
Xiao Changqing's reputation as a genius talisman master became more and more famous.
(End of this chapter)
