The Second Elder frowned. In his view, he was merely disciplining a servant. What was with this attitude?
His face grew slightly dark as he spoke, "Daoist Lu, what do you mean? Are you going to take sides with a servant against me?"
Although he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Lu An had the Yingchang couple behind him, so he was not afraid.
"Bai Sheng is my friend. I hope you have an explanation for this treatment."
Hearing this, the Second Elder's anger turned into a sneer.
"I see your talisman skills are quite impressive. I only paid attention to you because of that. Do you really think of yourself as someone significant?"
"A mere Qi Refining Fourth Layer dares to be so brazen. It seems you need a lesson to understand that there are greater heights beyond."
With that, he unleashed an astonishing aura that forced Lu An to stagger back a few steps to stabilize himself.
Then he stepped forward and slapped his hand toward Lu An.
Lu An remained calm, standing still.
Just as the hand was about to strike his chest, Ying Chang rushed out from behind Lu An and stood in front of him.
The two palms clashed, and both retreated a few steps, separating their positions.
"Early Foundation Establishment!"
The Second Elder's eyes narrowed. He did not expect that Lu An had such a formidable figure by his side.
He then frowned and sneered, "With this person's strength, it's not enough to protect you."
He was also at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and Ying Chang had only recently entered this stage. He was confident that in a fight, he would have the upper hand.
Just then, another figure appeared at the Spirit Talisman Residence.
"Lu An, Second Elder, you are both here. How are things going?"
Shen Mi did not notice the awkward atmosphere and asked.
Lu An took a seat, sipping tea.
In his mind, he was contemplating: "My cultivation is still too low. I cannot always rely on Brother Ying and the others. I need to quickly raise my cultivation."
"The drawing of the Minor Gathering Qi Talisman cannot be delayed. I will let Brother Ying accompany me for a battle later. The results should be good."
He silently planned his future cultivation matters and ignored Shen Mi.
The Second Elder was also feeling embarrassed and sulking alone.
Shen Mi was somewhat confused and could not understand the situation.
However, recalling the sect's mission, he addressed Lu An: "Mr. Lu, our Divine Talisman Pavilion wishes to invite you to explain the new talisman techniques. We will also award you the title of Honorary Elder afterward. Do you have time?"
Lu An glanced at the Second Elder, sneering, "No need. I, Lu, am just a rogue cultivator and cannot accept your Divine Talisman Pavilion's favor. Please leave."
The Second Elder's expression also turned cold, his eyes fixed on Lu An: "Lu An, are you refusing to give me this face?"
Lu An slammed the table and retorted, "You insulted my friends, and now you act this way. What if I don't give you face?"
The Second Elder's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, saying harshly, "Fine, we'll see."
With that, he waved his hand and turned to leave.
Shen Mi looked at Lu An, then at the Second Elder, hesitated for a moment, and did not follow them out.
"Why aren't you leaving?"
"Mr. Lu, what's going on here?"
Lu An did not answer, but Bai Sheng stepped forward.
"It's all my fault. I offended the Second Elder of the Divine Talisman Pavilion, and Mr. Lu stood up for me, which led to the scene just now."
After a detailed inquiry, Shen Mi understood the situation, and his expression fluctuated between gloom and cheerfulness.
"This matter is indeed the Second Elder's fault. However, Mr. Lu, the Second Elder has considerable influence in Gugu County and is unlikely to let this go easily."
"Furthermore, your brother is studying at the Divine Talisman Pavilion and may also face his difficulties."
Lu An was surprised, not expecting Shen Mi to say such things. However, he was not worried about Zhao Wenliang.
Now that he had established himself in the marketplace, he planned to bring Zhao Wenliang to his shop soon and personally teach him. This would not only help Bai Sheng share the task of selling talismans but also, under his guidance, Zhao Wenliang might not fare worse than at the Divine Talisman Pavilion.
Still, he inquired further.
"How is my brother doing now?"
"Brother Wenliang is doing well. He is studying diligently and has now mastered two types of first-level talismans. Since I instructed the apprentices, no one dares to bully him."
Lu An nodded and suddenly asked with curiosity:
"You are also from the Divine Talisman Pavilion. Why do you not support the Second Elder but rather side with an outsider like me?"
Shen Mi smiled wryly and sighed.
"In the Divine Talisman Pavilion, I am just an unpopular disciple."
"If it weren't for you, the Second Elder would not have said those things to me or involved me in the talisman faction contest."
Lu An, upon hearing this, glanced around, then smiled slightly:
"Let me help you secure the talisman position."
Shen Mi seemed to have heard something unbelievable. Before he could respond, Lu An continued:
"From tomorrow, you should bring my brother here every day to report and study the art of talismans."
"Also, inform the Divine Talisman Pavilion that I accept the title of Honorary Elder."
"As for the matter of explaining the talisman techniques, just let me know the time once you've arranged it."
He had his own considerations. Since his strength was lacking, he first needed to elevate his status to make it harder for the Second Elder to act against him. Meanwhile, helping Shen Mi pave the way would also provide some time for him if he could secure the talisman position.
When he grew stronger, he would no longer need to worry about the Second Elder.
Shen Mi was overjoyed and immediately agreed.
Even Bai Sheng beside him looked at Lu An with shining eyes.
Lu An smiled slightly, gave him a sidelong glance, and said:
"You may also listen in."
Upon hearing this, Bai Sheng nearly jumped with joy, his delight evident.
Then, Lu An dismissed a few people and went into the secret room with the Yingchang couple.
Fang Ling, who had been severely injured, had not had a chance to inquire about the details before, but now found the time to ask.
"Sister Fang, was this injury caused by the Qi Sea Beast?"
To her surprise, Fang Ling shook her head and said with a solemn expression, "It was caused by the Fang family!"