Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Lu Yang reckoned that if Tao Yaoye sought refuge with the Jiuyou Sect, the sect leader would likely treat her as a saintess or even let her become the leader.
This method of making money was much faster than Qin Haoran's loans; to say it was profit without capital wouldn't be an exaggeration.
No investment meant no worries about losses.
There was no need to hire actors or shoot scenes dozens of times; illusions could be conjured at will, and the special effects were as real as they come.
If you were caught in an illusion during battle and died within it, your death was real; the illusions induced by the magic were more authentic than reality.
There was no need to fret over the plot; the daily happenings in the world of cultivation could serve as material. With a bit of adaptation, they could be turned into movies, or serialized into TV shows for longer stories.
Not to mention, the storytelling of "The Legend of Seek Tao Sect" by our master could be made into a film.
"It's a good idea, but there are areas for improvement."
After pondering for a moment, Lu Yang pointed out the shortcomings in Tao Yaoye's use of illusions.
"You realize that mere spell battles aren't engaging enough, and adding a brief plot is a good idea, but it's still not enough."
"An engaging plot should leave people feeling exhilarated and longing for more, with foreshadowing and twists."
"Mhm, mhm." Tao Yaoye nodded repeatedly, impressed by her senior brother's quick thinking, seeing possibilities she hadn't considered.
"Right now, the plot is secondary; the main thing is how to cast the illusions."
Tao Yaoye was puzzled and didn't understand: "I can cast illusions myself."
Lu Yang shook his head: "Of course you can, but you can't be expected to cast illusions everywhere; that would be exhausting."
"You said it yourself, you want to make money through this method, and to do that, you need to promote it, which requires a more convenient way to cast illusions."
"For instance, talismans."
"If I remember correctly, talismans are the most common medium for carrying illusions."
Tao Yaoye thought about whom to consult: "For talismans… the sect leader is skilled in swordsmanship, the first elder in dream crafting, the second elder in formations, the third elder in body refining, the fourth elder in Confucianism, the fifth elder in artifact refining, our master in immortal physique, the seventh elder in alchemy, and the eighth elder in deception."
"It seems none of the elders specialize in it. Should we ask for help from our senior brothers and sisters?"
Lu Yang fell silent for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that the eighth elder, aside from his deception skills, is also proficient in talismans?"
Despite rumors that Bu Yu Taoist was brought up by the eighth elder when he first joined the sect, laying a solid foundation for his future crooked ways.
Despite the eighth elder swindling the Jiuyou Sect's treasury empty nine hundred years ago, forcing the previous sect leader to commit suicide.
Despite the eighth elder selling Meng Jingzhou the real exam questions twenty years ago.
Despite the fifth elder strictly forbidding the talisman cultivator Qin Yanyan from learning talismans from the eighth elder, fearing she would be led astray.
But it was undeniable that the eighth elder was indeed a master of talismans.
"Let's consult the eighth elder, but to be safe, it's best to bring the sixth elder along." Lu Yang cautiously suggested, and Tao Yaoye agreed.
***
Atop the Dustless Peak, the breathtakingly beautiful sixth elder sat cross-legged, creating a vacuum around her with the power of her pure immortal physique.
She tried to minimize the range of her immortal physique, finding that the smaller the area of effect, the stronger the repulsion. The optimal state was to have a thin layer of the pure immortal physique's domain coating her body, making her impervious to any attack.
However, according to the records, no one with the pure immortal physique had ever achieved this.
She sensed someone approaching and opened her beautiful eyes to see Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye.
"What brings you two here?" she asked telepathically.
"Sorry to disturb your cultivation, master, but I've had some new ideas about illusions recently…" Tao Yaoye explained her discussion with Lu Yang in detail.
"The idea is good, and with old eight's level of talisman crafting, it should be feasible," the sixth elder realized the business potential in Tao Yaoye's idea and felt a touch of pride.
Tao Yaoye's concept was far more lucrative than the ninth junior brother's "Partial Size-Adjusting Spell."
Look, this is the talented disciple I've taught!
"Let's go, I'll take you to him." The sixth elder lifted her hand, and a strange energy enveloped Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye, whisking them from the peak of Dustless Peak directly to the nearby Talisman Peak.
Talisman Peak was under the eighth elder's jurisdiction.
The trio landed, and for Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye, it was their first visit to Talisman Peak. They discovered that the place was covered with talismans, even the leaves bore talismanic marks, and the patterns formed by the plants resembled talismans.
"Old eight, come out, I need a favor!" the sixth elder sent a message to the eighth elder.
"The sixth sister is looking for me?" The eighth elder emerged from his cave with a surprised look; it was rare for the sixth elder to ask for his help.
"Did someone outside deceive my sister and you need me to deceive them back? That might be difficult; I haven't left the mountain to deceive people in decades."
Lu Yang thought to himself, didn't the eighth elder just deceive Meng Jingzhou a year and a half ago?
Tao Yaoye, unaware of this, thought the eighth elder had reformed.
"Don't worry, if someone dares to deceive you, sister, even if I don't leave the mountain, I can send my disciples to swindle them out of everything, even their underpants!"
"I'm different from the ninth junior brother; I've been deceiving people for so many years and have never been caught!"
"The disciples I've taught are reliable too; they won't get caught by the authorities!" The eighth elder patted his chest, assuring his sisterly bond, having received much care from the sixth elder in his youth.
Lu Yang was filled with respect, amazed at the eighth elder's skill in deception, never having been caught, something even their master couldn't claim!
After all, their master was the one who could trick the Minister of Justice into jail.
Optimistically, the master was probably still locked up.
Lu Yang heard that since the Minister of Justice was imprisoned in Dayan County, the Ministry of Justice had collectively relocated there, and the county's security had never been better, with not a single crime occurring.
The criminals weren't foolish; with the Ministry of Justice stationed in Dayan County, who would dare commit a crime under their watch?
They weren't Bu Yu Taoist.
But there was a cost; Lu Yang heard from Meng Jingzhou that even officials on leave from the capital had to visit Dayan County's prison to see the novelty.
Pretending to care for their colleague.
And to suggest to the county magistrate of Dayan that Bu Yu Taoist be sentenced to death.
The sixth elder gave the eighth elder a look; after two thousand years, she knew him all too well.
"Right, you've never been caught because you always turn yourself in, claiming it would reduce your sentence."
"Also, don't think I don't know why you won't leave the sect; you're just waiting for the statute of limitations to expire."
According to the laws of the Great Xia, if the statute of limitations for a crime has passed, the criminal is no longer held accountable.