Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Making Ends Meet

"We, Gu Yao and I, are currently unsuitable for selling talismans ourselves. The Tian family has its own shop. How about entrusting Brother Tian to sell them on our behalf, offering him a 10% commission?" After figuring out a strategy, Chi Changye gained some confidence. Discussing business with Tian Feirong became possible. Choosing Tian Feirong was deliberate; he was the only person willing to accommodate both Chi Changye and Gu Yao. Regardless of the motive, they owed him gratitude.

"Alright! As Brother Chi suggests. No matter how many talismans Brother Chi has, just hand them over to me. I'll also provide the parchment and blood for the talismans you need. If there's anything else you require, feel free to instruct me," Tian Feirong grinned.

Chi Changye glanced at him. Indeed, a clever person. He nodded, saying, "Keep what I need, and let Brother Tian handle the rest."

"I won't disturb Brother Chi's talisman-making then." With cheerful farewell, Tian Feirong left with his entourage. He didn't forget to instruct someone to keep an eye on the situations at the Gu and Lu families. With those twins and Lu Minzhu returning, there was bound to be some commotion. He was eagerly anticipating the spectacle.
Gu Yao stayed in the room until almost noon, then had to come out to prepare lunch. He had been identifying the properties of spiritual herbs and other medicinal plants, conducting experiments based on his familiarity. It was quite fruitful; the variety of plant resources here surpassed those in the Interstellar Alliance.

As he opened the door, a burnt smell rushed into his nose. Having been too engrossed, Gu Yao hadn't noticed the situation outside. He hurried to the kitchen, where he found Chi Changye looking bewildered. The pot in front of him was completely burnt, and when he looked up, Chi Changye's scarred skin was all red. Gu Yao couldn't help but chuckle.

Chi Changye felt even more awkward, realizing his incompetence.

Afraid of laughing further, Gu Yao said, "I know you're the young master. Can't you cook or even call me for help? Let me clean up; I'll take care of it. I'm hungry."

"Sure, I'll clean up. I made some grilled meat. Have a bite to fill your stomach," Chi Changye presented a plate of well-cut grilled meat. Seeing Gu Yao's surprised expression, he awkwardly explained, "I can at least grill meat, learned it during my travels."

Even as the young master, he couldn't have servants with him during his adventures. Ingredients were readily available in the wild, so he became adept at grilling meat. However, cooking and preparing meals posed a challenge, and the kitchen mess left him embarrassed.

Gu Yao raised an eyebrow, took the plate, and tasted a piece. After swallowing, he praised, "Tastes good. When it comes to grilling, I'm definitely not as skilled as you."

In reality, his skills were mostly inherited from the original body. When he got deeply involved in his experiments, he had no time to cook. Either a robot prepared the food and brought it to him, or he consumed nutritional supplements for energy. It was the original body that, upon discovering the lack of cleanliness in the delivered food, started cooking for itself.

"As long as you like it," Chi Changye sighed in relief. Finally, there was something presentable.

After cleaning the kitchen, Gu Yao quickly prepared the meal, with Chi Changye assisting. At the same time, he observed Gu Yao's actions. Starting anew, he had to learn these things. Before entering seclusion, he needed to eat.

During dinner, Chi Changye shared the trade deal with Tian Feirong. Seeing Gu Yao's delighted expression, he felt relieved. Finally, someone could earn money, or else they would end up penniless.

Seeing Gu Yao's happy face, Chi Changye also smiled. He needed to take on the responsibility of providing for the family. The past could be set aside for now; they could settle scores later when they returned. Now, sharing a pot of food and sitting at the same table with Gu Yao made him feel particularly at ease.

During dinner, Tian Feirong came again, bringing new blank talisman paper and talisman blood. He also generously gifted a talisman pen, which was of higher quality than the one Gu Yao had bought for a hundred spirit pearls. Chi Changye tried it and felt that the flow of spiritual energy was much smoother, affecting the success rate of talisman-making. Once spiritual energy stagnated, it could easily lead to failure.

"These are the ones I made today. Brother Tian, please take them." Chi Changye brought out all the talismans he had made in the morning and afternoon. Healing his injuries required gradual adjustment, so he utilized daytime to make talismans. From an initial success rate of twenty to thirty percent, it had now reached fifty percent. With the new talisman pen, he believed the success rate could increase further.

Tian Feirong's hand trembled slightly as he counted. There were twenty fireball talismans in total.

"Brother Chi, you're truly remarkable. If there's any healing elixir you need, I can try to get it for you." Making so many while injured, how powerful would Chi Changye be if he were in perfect condition? Tian Feirong felt like he had stumbled upon a great opportunity.

Chi Changye shook his head. "Not for now. If I need anything, I'll ask Brother Tian. As for you, Xiao Yao..."

"For now, I don't need anything either," Gu Yao interjected.