Meanwhile, within the Talisman Association, resentment festered.

They no longer cared about reasoning.

They only wanted to bring Lana down.

As a result, they made their move.

They lowered the price of their talismans to ninety thousand dollars.

Their strategy was simple.

’As long as we keep reducing prices and endure the losses, we can outlast her,’ they believed. ’Once she goes bankrupt, we’ll reclaim everything.’

It was a neat plan. But it was flawed.

What they failed to account for was Lana’s overwhelming financial reserves. Even if they drained their entire treasury, they might not be able to outlast her.

While they plotted their revenge...

Lana was immersed in something far more important.

Excitement filled her chest as she continued her practice late into the night.

After countless attempts, adjustments, and failures... she finally broke through.

"I did it..." she whispered softly, her voice trembling slightly with exhaustion and excitement.

She had unlocked the next level.

Protective inscriptions.

Unlike ordinary talismans, these could be engraved onto amulets, jade pendants, crystals, or other spiritual materials.

Once completed, they would provide long-lasting protection.

As she studied the process, she quickly grasped the core principle.

First, she needed to inscribe the talisman pattern onto the material.

Then, instead of simple carving, she had to channel her energy into it, guiding it carefully, embedding it deep within the object itself.

It was far more precise than anything she had done before.

But also far more powerful.

Her heart raced. ’If I succeed... my net worth won’t just grow... it will explode,’ she thought, her eyes shining.

Without wasting time, she picked up a smooth, circular piece of jade.

Slowly, she began carving the intricate inscriptions.

Once the pattern was complete, she held the jade firmly and began channeling her energy into it, little by little.

The process was delicate.

Every strand of energy had to be guided perfectly.

Sweat formed on her forehead as minutes turned into hours.

At one point, her hand trembled...and the energy slipped.

The jade cracked faintly.

"...Damn," she muttered under her breath, exhaling sharply.

The amulet was ruined. She didn’t stop.

Again and again, she tried. Time passed unnoticed.

Her body grew exhausted, her shoulders aching, her fingers sore.

Yet she refused to rest. ’Just one... I only need to succeed once,’ she told herself stubbornly.

It took her an entire week.

Finally, she succeeded.

The completed protective amulet rested in her palm.

A tired but satisfied smile appeared on her face.

Her first thought was not profit. It was her loved ones.

’They should have this...’ she thought gently. ’With this, they won’t have to fear accidents or spirits.’

The first person she chose was her uncle.

When she handed it to him, the room was quiet.

He stared at the amulet for a long time, his rough fingers tracing its surface. For a moment, he said nothing.

Lana thought he might reject it.

But then... she saw him discreetly wipe the corner of his eye.

He quickly turned away, clearing his throat before speaking in a slightly gruff tone.

"Making something like this must be exhausting," he said. "Don’t overdo it. You shouldn’t push yourself too hard."

Lana looked at him, her eyes softening.

"...I understand," she replied quietly.

By now, she had already created around twenty protective amulets.

She began distributing them among those closest to her.

Compared to ordinary talismans, which took only five minutes, each of these amulets required nearly an entire hour of focused effort.

Naturally, she set their price at twenty million dollars.

Not because of greed... but because of their true value.

These amulets were far more powerful than any talisman she had made before.

Each one could withstand attacks from a hundred-year-old ghost, not just once.

But continuously, for an entire lifetime.

It was something unheard of.

A single amulet... capable of protecting someone for life.

Of course, there were a few conditions attached to the amulet.

They would break if a two-hundred-year-old ghost were attacking.

Lana let out a slow breath.

’It’s restrictive... but not impossible,’ she thought, her eyes narrowing with quiet determination.

She knew this limitation would make things inconvenient for now, yet deep down, she was certain that one day she would find a way to overcome it.

For the moment, she chose to focus on what she could do.

Carefully, she began distributing the amulets to those she trusted most.

She sent one to Lucian, another to James, then to Jenny, Naina, Luke, and even Sean.

By the time she finished, a small pile still remained.

She glanced at the remaining ten amulets resting quietly in front of her before muttering under her breath,

’Might as well sell these...’ Without hesitation, she listed them for sale.

Once everything was done, she leaned back into her chai.

Her gaze lingered on the screen as she waited, anticipation curling in her chest.

At the same time, far away, a woman named Margaret...wife of a high-ranking government official...was casually scrolling through her phone.

The soft glow of the screen reflected in her sharp eyes as she browsed absentmindedly, until suddenly, her fingers froze mid-swipe.

"What’s this...?" she murmured, leaning forward slightly.

Her interest was instantly piqued when she came across Lana updating her shop.

Without wasting a second, she tapped into it, her heartbeat picking up ever so slightly.

The moment she saw the amulet, her lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Only twenty million?" she whispered, almost amused.

To others, such a price would have been outrageous, but to Margaret...who came from immense wealth...it barely registered as significant.

Without hesitation, she completed the purchase.

After that, she waited.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly, the minutes dragging on as impatience crept into her mind.

When the amulet finally arrived, she opened the package with careful hands.

Inside lay a beautifully carved jade pendant, its surface smooth and cool to the touch.

Margaret’s breath caught slightly. "It’s... beautiful..."

She lifted it gently and placed it around her neck, the jade resting against her skin with a faint, soothing chill.