After Meng Lin sorted out all her belongings, she couldn't help but be sad again after realizing how much of a loss she suffered.

all the spirit stones that she had within her storage rings were gone not to mention other items that she didn't feel the need to put within her inventory.

Her mind-calming tassel was destroyed and even the High-Grade Shifting Essence Robe which has self-repairing properties was destroyed, It's a good thing that she had spare clothes within her inventory otherwise she wouldn't have anything to wear after she came back alive.

Even though the system could replace all those items, Meng Lin still felt that she suffered a loss, for that reason she decided that from now on she would only put disposable things within her storage rings.

Step!

Arriving outside the cave Meng Lin soared into the air, heading towards the city that she passed by a month ago, as she flew through the sky, the wind caressed her face and she couldn't help but reflect on the events up to now.

The recent encounter with a powerful enemy had left her with a bitter taste of defeat, something she doesn't know how to respond to, she knew that there would be setbacks within her journey however she didn't think it would be this distasteful.

As she approached the city, Meng Lin decided to land nearby and walk the rest of the way there, with no shoes on Meng Lin wasn't bothered much as she surrounded herself with a thin veil of qi, not allowing any direct contact with the ground.

After walking for a few minutes Meng Lin entered the city gates, under the weird gazes of the guards. Taking in the bustling streets filled with normal humans, Meng Lin was slightly surprised as she could only see a few talisman masters based on the small aura they were emanating.

The air was thick with the scent of incense and the sound of chanting filled her ears, she made her way through the city, her steps light and graceful. 

Unlike the usual cultivation cliche, Meng Lin wasn't approached by anyone, only gazed upon weirdly from time to time as she walked through the city, she eventually arrived at a restaurant and entered after much contemplation.

In the restaurant, the atmosphere was different noticeably. The interior was dimly lit, with hanging lanterns casting a soft glow over the wooden tables and chairs. The chatter of patrons and the clinking of dishes created a lively backdrop. Meng Lin found a quiet corner to sit in, where she could observe and wait without drawing too much attention to herself.

As she settled in, a waitress promptly approached, offering her a menu filled with an array of dishes that Meng Lin found both familiar and exotic. Despite the loss of her items and the reflection that weighed on her mind, the prospect of a warm meal in this cozy setting brought a small comfort.

Meng Lin ordered a simple meal, opting for dishes that seemed comforting and nourishing. As she waited, her thoughts wandered to the talisman masters within this city.

Within her spiritual consciousness were 4 slightly powerful talisman masters based on their auras, of course slightly powerful within Meng Lin's eyes were earth-grade Talisman Masters.

All four auras were from the four different corners of the city, probably four different families that hold similar powers and are competing for the ownership of this city.

Based on the feel of their auras Meng Lin concluded that they should be old men that are about to reach the end of their lifespans.

Of course, Meng Lin didn't know if her assumption was truly accurate so she could only wait and see if her guess was somewhat correct.

"Everyone out"

A sudden command cut through the ambient noise of the restaurant like a sharp knife, silencing conversations mid-sentence and causing a ripple of a shock to travel through the place. 

Heads turned to the door, seeing a middle-aged man standing by the door of the restaurant, "the head of the Li Family"

Murmurs and whispers filled the air as the crowd hastily took their things and exited the restaurant, it was the Li Family that owned this restaurant after all and all of them knew the consequences of going against the four great families within the city.

It wasn't just inside the restaurant as outside, the streets quickly buzzed with speculation.

"Why would the Li Family clear out their restaurant like that?"

"Something big must be happening, i think I saw two Earth Grade Talisman Masters just enter along with the Head of the Li Family, but who was the old man" 

"You idiot, you don't know, that man is the patriarch of the Li Family, a legend among Talisman Masters. They say he's reached the pinnacle of Earth Grade and is on the verge of breaking through to the Sky Grade. If he's here, this is no small matter."

The crowd's whispers grew louder, their theories more audacious as they dispersed, leaving the street outside the restaurant eerily quiet compared to the usual hustle and bustle.

Inside the now-empty restaurant, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation as the old man approached Meng Lin with a steady gait, his aged voice carrying caution with it, "I am here." He spoke with an ancient language, a language Meng Lin recognized.

Meng Lin, her expression unreadable, gestured to the seat across from her, "Take a seat." She said with much difficulty.

As the old man settled down, the two Talisman Masters positioned themselves discreetly nearby, their eyes sharp and alert. The head of the Li Family remained standing, his gaze fixed on Meng Lin with a mixture of curiosity and respect.

'It seems my theory was correct after all', Meng Lin thought after using her spiritual consciousness to scan the old man more.

"Why have you called me here" the old man asked, his aged voice betraying worry and doubt mingled with intrigue.

Meng Lin paused, her eyes locking with those of the old man, She understood what he said as she had learned the language of this world somewhat from old man Liu, however not being a native her speech sounded alien somewhat.

However she needed information and she needed to identify the golden talismans, so she could only go to someone knowledgeable about that, this old man appeared the oldest so she chose to transmit her voice to him, threatening him to come or be killed, under threat no one would be thinking about language barriers.

Meng Lin leaned forward slightly, her eyes meeting the old man's gaze. "Relax, I just want your help with identifying some things," she replied coldly.

The old man raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued as he noticed the way Meng Lin was speaking however he was more concerned about other things. "Are you a sky-grade Talisman Master or perhaps even a Heaven-grade talisman master?" he asked, his voice filled with worry because that had to be the only explanation for what happened to him.  

Meng Lin neither confirmed nor denied it, maintaining her composed demeanor. Instead, she continued speaking while taking out a single Golden Talisman. "Do you know what this is?" she inquired, holding it up for the old man to see.

The old man's eyes widened as he examined the talisman closely. "This... This is a Celestial Harmony Talisman," he said in awe, his voice filled with reverence. "It is an extremely rare and powerful talisman known for its ability to harmonize the spiritual energies of the surroundings onto one's self."

Meng Lin nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Thank you for confirming," she said with a hint of gratitude in her voice. "Now I'll take out twenty-nine more talismans and if you can identify all of them then I will let you live but if not then I will kill you"

The old man's face stiffened and the middle-aged man and the two Earth Grade Talisman Masters also showed expressions of shock and disbelief, they understood the threat expressed, furthermore for someone to have such a collection was unheard of, even among the most storied talisman masters.

The old man, now fully aware of the gravity of the situation and the extraordinary individual before him, nodded solemnly. "I will do my best," he promised, recognizing the seriousness in Meng Lin's tone.

As Meng Lin began to take out the talismans one by one, laying them on the table, the old man leaned forward, his eyes scanning each talisman with a mixture of fascination and intense focus. The room was silent, save for the occasional shuffle of talismans and the old man's murmured identifications.

Each talisman was a marvel in its own right, bearing inscriptions and energies that were beyond the comprehension of the three Earth-grade talisman masters.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the old man identified the last talisman. He sat back, his energy spent but his eyes gleaming with a renewed vigor, he seemed to be having an epitome "All of these talismans are Sky Grade, and rare even amongst them" he said, his voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and excitement.

Meng Lin nodded, taking in the old man's words. "Thank you for your assistance," she said, her voice conveying a sense of gratitude. "As promised, your life is spared."

The old man nodded, a sense of relief washing over him. He knew that he had just skirted the edge of death, but the opportunity to witness such a collection made it worth the risk.

Meng Lin then turned to the others in the room. "Let this meeting be a secret among us. If I hear a whisper of this outside, I will know who to find," she warned, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The middle-aged man and the Earth Grade Talisman Masters nodded in agreement, fully understanding the consequences of crossing someone who is most likely a Sky Grade talisman master.

"And, I need a place temporarily and I want access to your library." Meng Lin asked the old man with a smile.

"Of course," the old man replied, his voice reflecting a mix of eagerness and caution, although he didn't know why she was asking for such things, he recognized the potential benefits of allying with such an individual "You may use the private library of the Li Family. It contains books and scrolls that have been collected over generations, including rare texts on the world and the mysteries of talisman crafting. I will ensure you have complete access and the privacy you require."

The middle-aged man, head of the Li Family, stepped forward. "I will prepare the best courtyard for your stay and make sure that you are not disturbed," he said, bowing slightly to show his respect.

Meng Lin didn't expect things to go this smoothly but after thinking about it she knew that after witnessing the display of Sky Grade talismans, it was only natural for the Li Family to accommodate her requests. The strategic value of forging a relationship with someone of her capabilities far outweighed any potential inconvenience or risk.