After saying those words, Filch felt as if he had finally bid farewell to everything in his past.
His heart became lighter.
Perhaps all those years of suffering had been a trial.
From now on, Filch would live for one thing alone: seeking the Dao.
To hear the Dao in the morning and die by evening—what regret would there be?
As the gloom in his heart scattered, the Heavenly Master power inside him also became livelier and more fluid.
Theodore, who had been watching from afar, showed a trace of surprise.
Had Filch just clarified his Dao heart?
Good grief.
It was only his first day touching cultivation, yet he had already reached this point.
In the Primordial World, he would be considered a seed fit for the Dao.
But when Theodore thought about Filch's life, he understood.
A Squib's inability to use magic was like a blind person's inability to see color, or a deaf person's inability to hear sound.
In the wizarding world, it was treated as an incurable defect.
Perhaps in the summer when they failed to receive their Hogwarts letters, Squibs still hoped that one day their magic might awaken.
But day after day, year after year, how many had long since fallen into despair?
How many people would keep walking a road with no hope?
Yet Filch had spent decades longing for magic, and that longing had never been worn away.
If one spoke of a "Dao heart," then there were very few people in the magical world whose Dao heart was firmer than Filch's.
In magic, Filch was a failure.
But if that Dao heart was used for cultivation—
Filch could be called a prodigy.
Theodore's eyes filled with expectation.
Before long, once Filch's Heavenly Master Method advanced further and he could temporarily borrow stronger power, he would be able to begin cultivating talisman arts and produce talismans himself.
In the future, Theodore would no longer need to personally draw many low-level talismans.
He could hand them all to Filch.
But when Theodore thought about the resources required for talisman arts, he felt a headache coming on.
This path was truly a money-devouring monster.
Half a year to draw talismans.
One instant to throw them all away.
If alchemy masters in the Primordial World were rich beyond measure, then talisman masters were the kind who lived with their belts tightened.
The reason was simple.
Pills refined by alchemy masters were useful to every cultivator.
But talismans had a smaller market.
Low-level talismans were weak, so no one cared about them.
Truly powerful talismans were usually kept by the talisman master for personal use or given to close allies for protection. They were rarely exchanged for cultivation resources.
After all, once a talisman circulated outside, it might eventually end up in an enemy's hands.
If one died under one's own talisman, that would be the biggest joke under heaven.
Because of that, talisman masters in the Primordial World often carried all kinds of powerful talismans, yet had few cultivation resources to their names. Worse, they constantly had to trade for more materials to continue studying the Dao of Talismans.
Their lives were enough to make listeners weep.
Theodore frowned.
After drawing the previous talismans, most of his materials had already been consumed.
On top of that, he still intended to set up the Wuzhuang Temple Great Formation, which would require a massive amount of resources.
He could use his own blood to replace some materials, but he could not possibly pull every ingredient out of his own body.
Then his thoughts shifted, and he laughed softly.
"Right. How did I forget that?"
"Talisman masters are poor in the Primordial World, but this isn't the Primordial World."
"Here, I don't even need to sell high-level talismans. I don't even need to sell proper low-level talismans. Just selling defective talismans would be enough to exchange for a huge amount of resources."
Defective talismans were failed products that could only exert a small fraction of the original talisman's power.
For example, a proper low-level Vajra Talisman could strengthen the body once activated. It was quite useful for low-level cultivators.
But a defective Vajra Talisman—also called a Lesser Vajra Talisman—could only strengthen one small part of the body.
In the Primordial World, it was pure trash.
There were also talismans like the Lesser Flame Talisman, which could only produce a small flame useful for cooking.
Or the Lesser Wind-Control Talisman, whose wind power was roughly equal to a high-powered vacuum cleaner. At most, it could be used for cleaning.
In the Primordial World, no one would buy these. Even if given away, they would probably be rejected.
But in the magical world, they had a different value.
At the very least, Squibs would definitely buy them.
And many wizards had poor control over magic. Plenty of them could not properly use spells to cook, start fires, or clean dust.
Lesser Flame Talismans, Lesser Wind-Control Talismans, and the like had a huge market.
As for the Lesser Vajra Talisman, that needed even less explanation.
In the Muggle world, sildenafil had produced astronomical revenue every year since its development.
The magical world was much the same. Strengthening potions and love-related potions had always been favorites among adult male wizards.
But whether Muggle medicine or magical potions, none could claim to be free of side effects. Nor could they be taken continuously for days.
Compared with the Lesser Vajra Talisman, those things could all be swept into the rubbish bin.
Theodore exhaled lightly, his eyes shining strangely.
"In that case, the resource problem should be solved soon."
"I won't have to spend too much effort gathering materials anymore."
"And this has another benefit. Talismans can begin spreading through the magical world as a method of casting that bypasses magic."
"For most wizards, combat magic is rarely needed in their entire lives. Magic is mostly used to make life easier. If talismans replace part of magic's function, then little by little, the total amount of magic used across the wizarding world will drop."
"That should also suppress the return of the ancient era and the awakening of the Old Ones."
With that thought, Theodore made his decision.
Talismans had to be promoted in the magical world as soon as possible.
Coincidentally, after befriending those herbology masters, he had obtained several storefronts in Diagon Alley. They could be used to sell talismans.
Supply would not be a problem.
They were only defective talismans. Theodore could produce plenty with a casual effort.
And once Filch began practicing talisman drawing, he would naturally produce no shortage of defective talismans.
The problem was who should manage the shop.
Theodore had neither time nor energy for it.
As for hiring a professional manager, he did not trust that. After all, this involved Primordial products. It would be best to leave it to someone close.
At that moment, Theodore's gaze fell on the Weasley twins.
His eyes lit up.
In the original story, these two were talented businessmen.
Their joke shop had flourished. They were a model example of successful entrepreneurship.
In terms of business ability, few people in the original story surpassed Fred and George.
As for their character, that required even less discussion.
One could call the Weasleys poor, but no one had ever questioned their family's integrity.
Conveniently, Theodore's relationship with the twins had long since reached close friendship. It was not far from life-and-death friendship.
If even they could not be trusted, then there were not many people in the magical world Theodore could trust.
Besides, opening a shop of their own was precisely the twins' dream.
Theodore could give them one directly, but the twins would never accept such a gift.
However, asking them to manage his talisman shop was perfectly reasonable. In the process, he could naturally support their future business.
It would also help deepen his relationship with them.
If he could reach life-and-death friendship with the twins, he would obtain two divine abilities: Wisdom Cleaves Through Complexity and Sword-Light Differentiation.
The former could increase comprehension and wisdom. The latter was a famous sword-path combat divine ability.
Both would be quite useful to Theodore.
Since there was a chance to obtain them, he naturally would not let it go.
With his plan settled, Theodore stepped out.
…
At that moment, Filch had already used the Wind-Control Talisman again and brought the Weasley twins back from the Forbidden Forest.
Theodore soon appeared before them.
He looked at Filch with appreciation.
Filch looked battered, but Theodore could sense that he had truly undergone a rebirth.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Filch. It seems you have found your own path."
Filch looked at Theodore and shook his head, gratitude filling his eyes.
"It's only because you were willing to help me, Theodore. Otherwise, I would still be nothing more than a Squib."
Tonight had given him a clear understanding of the Heavenly Master Method and talisman arts Theodore had passed to him.
It was no exaggeration to say Theodore had entrusted him with knowledge that could overturn the magical world.
That grace was something Filch felt he could not repay even with the rest of his life.
All he could do was walk further on this path, until he gained the ability to help Theodore in return.
Theodore smiled and said nothing more.
He raised his hand.
A soft green light emerged.
It was the Yi Wood Divine Light.
This time, it was not used for combat, but healing. Among the Five-Colored Divine Lights, Yi Wood Divine Light ranked first in restoration.
Under the green light, Filch's injuries healed at an unbelievable speed.
His deathly pale face quickly regained color.
Even his graying hair regained vitality and turned black again.
He looked at least ten years younger.
Filch stared blankly at his own hands, joy spreading across his face.
After receiving the Heavenly Master Method, he understood that at his age, his vitality had already begun to decline. The road of cultivation should have been difficult.
But now, much of his vitality had been replenished. Vigorous life force surged through his body.
Filch immediately bowed to Theodore.
Then his eyes shimmered with insight, as if many realizations had come to him. He could hardly wait to study the Heavenly Master Method and talisman arts further.
Theodore waved him off with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Filch, I imagine you have many insights to digest tonight, so I won't keep you."
"The road ahead is long. You and I shall walk the Great Dao together."
After Filch left, the Weasley twins still had not recovered from their shock.
They had not understood much of the conversation between Filch and Theodore.
But they had understood one thing.
Filch really was a Squib.
And Theodore had given him the ability to cast spells.
Not only that, Theodore had healed him with a wave of his hand and even made him look younger.
That was absurd.
They could barely imagine anything Theodore could not do.
Then Theodore's gaze landed on them.
Fred and George immediately felt guilty.
They lowered their voices.
"Theodore, we know we were wrong."
"Pulling pranks in the castle is one thing, but sneaking into the deep Forbidden Forest was stupid. Really stupid."
"If Mr. Filch hadn't saved us, we would have died there."
Theodore smiled playfully.
"To make the fearless Fred and George say something like that… it seems the Forbidden Forest really did teach you a lesson."
"But educating you is the professors' job. I'm your junior, so I won't interfere."
"What I want to discuss with you is something else."
He looked at the confused twins and asked, "What do you think about opening a shop in Diagon Alley?"
The twins froze.
Then they quickly waved their hands.
"No, no, that won't do."
"Theodore, opening a shop in Diagon Alley is our lifelong dream, but it has to be something we accomplish ourselves."
"We haven't figured everything out yet. Once we do, and once we're sure we can manage it, you can invest…"
Before they could finish, Theodore smiled as expected.
"I knew you'd say that. But you misunderstood."
"The shop is mine. I'm asking whether you're interested in helping me manage it."
"Of course, I won't underpay you. I guarantee the wages will be much higher than any part-time work you could find."
"If you work for me for a year, you should save enough to rent your own storefront. You can also gain experience in operations and management."
"Don't tell me you can't even help me with this."
Fred and George exchanged a glance.
Both saw the temptation in each other's eyes.
For them, these conditions were excellent.
According to their original plan, they were still many years away from opening their own shop. They might not even save enough money before graduation.
But if things went as Theodore said, the progress toward their dream would accelerate dramatically.
Fred asked curiously, "What do you plan to sell?"
Theodore brought them to an empty classroom and began showing them the defective talismans he had casually drawn.
"This is a Lesser Flame Talisman. You only need to recite the activation word, and you can use it to create a small flame. It can be used for cooking or lighting fires."
"This is a Lesser Wind-Control Talisman. The method is similar, but it controls wind. You can use it to clean dust, or cool yourself in summer."
"…"
As Theodore displayed one talisman after another, the twins' eyes widened.
"Merlin above! These talismans don't need magic to create these effects?"
"Squibs—even Muggles—can use them according to the instructions?"
"Once activated, as long as they aren't used too intensely, a single talisman can last an entire day?"
The twins were future shopkeepers, after all. They instantly realized the business potential.
How many Squibs existed in the magical world?
Filch was not the only one.
Many Squibs simply lived in isolation because they feared the eyes of the world.
Once they learned about talismans, those Squibs would spend their savings like mad.
There were also many wizards who were not good at household spells. These talismans would make daily life far easier.
Once people became used to using talismans, talismans would become a daily consumable.
A necessity.
Even a social trend.
By then, the number of talismans sold each day would be beyond the twins' imagination.
However, while realizing the huge potential of talismans, they were also puzzled by the Lesser Vajra Talisman, which Theodore confidently treated as the trump card.
"Why do you think this one will have the strongest demand?"
"We don't feel like the Lesser Vajra Talisman is more magical than the others."
Theodore laughed and patted their shoulders, smiling meaningfully.
"That's because you're still too young to need its function."
"When you need it, you'll understand."
The twins looked at each other and shrugged.
"All right. Since you said it, Theodore, there must be a reason."
"But we have one last question…"
They asked in unison.
"Why choose us?"
"And why pay so much?"
Theodore replied naturally, "Because you have the potential."
"As for the wages, I won't deny that I want to help you open your own shop. But there's another reason."
"The influence of the Weasley family in the magical world, and your family's reputation… you seem to underestimate them a little too much."
The twins froze.
Then they both burst into laughter.
"All right, then. We'll shamelessly accept your help."
"Don't worry. We'll do our best to help you sell talismans."
Their eyes burned with fighting spirit.
They could hardly wait to plan an opening event.
Then Fred suddenly remembered something.
"Theodore, about the first month's wages…"
Theodore said, "I can advance you one month's pay. No problem."
Fred shook his head.
"No, I mean… can part of our wages be exchanged for talismans of equal value?"
His eyes shone.
"We want Mum to try them."
"That way, her housework might become much easier."
Theodore was silent for a moment.
Then he took out a stack of talismans and handed them over.
"These won't come out of your wages. Consider them a family discount. As long as you don't resell them, you can take some home every month."
"Also…"
He drew out several Lesser Vajra Talismans.
"These are gifts for Mr. Weasley."
"Ahem. If he finds them useful, please ask him to help promote them in the Ministry of Magic."
The twins' eyes lit up, and they nodded repeatedly.
…
At that moment, in Quirrell's office.
Quirrell and Voldemort had attempted to break through the three-headed dog's chamber again, only to return defeated by Fluffy once more.
The air was heavy and anxious.
After a while, Voldemort spoke through gritted teeth.
"Recently, Theodore has been busy with other matters and hasn't been targeting us."
"And yet, after all this time, we still haven't broken through the first obstacle."
"At this rate, obtaining the Philosopher's Stone is nothing but fantasy."
"Quirrell, we must change our mindset."
Quirrell looked confused.
"Master, what do you mean?"
Voldemort said coldly, "We cannot rush blindly."
"We must improve ourselves first."
"Even if I cannot obtain a complete body and recover to my peak, if we can acquire some alchemical items and combat potions, our effective strength can still rise considerably."
"I did not mention this before because I thought it unnecessary."
"But now, we no longer have room for arrogance."
"We must arm ourselves to the teeth if we want any hope of obtaining the Philosopher's Stone."
Quirrell's eyes brightened.
That sounded extremely reasonable.
But soon, his expression collapsed.
"Master, alchemical items and combat potions all require money."
"We have no money left. If meals at Hogwarts weren't free, even eating would be a problem."
Voldemort froze.
"What?"
"No money?!"
"Quirrell, after all these years, you have no savings?"
Quirrell's voice carried a trace of resentment.
"Master, have you forgotten that earlier, you gave all our money to Theodore?"
In an instant, Voldemort remembered that unbearable, enchanted episode.
His face darkened at once.
He gritted his teeth and changed the subject.
"If we have no money, then earn money!"
Quirrell hurriedly said, "Master, Gringotts is still on high alert. I heard they upgraded their defenses again."
"If we rob Gringotts again, the power we consume might be greater than what we'd spend trying to pass the obstacles and get the Philosopher's Stone."
"We can't afford that kind of expenditure anymore."
Voldemort sneered.
"Quirrell, your vision is too narrow."
"You Ravenclaws have a saying. Knowledge is wealth. Have you forgotten that too?"
"If I want money, why would I need something as crude as robbery?"
"With just a little knowledge, I can obtain wealth beyond your imagination."
Expectation slowly rose in Quirrell's eyes.
Voldemort continued, "Who has the most money in the magical world?"
"Noble wizards. Pure-blood families. They have gold sitting in their vaults for centuries without touching it."
"If we want money, targeting them is naturally the fastest."
"Do you know how decadent noble wizard life is?"
A mocking look appeared in Voldemort's eyes.
"For something that helps them enjoy themselves better, they will spare no expense."
"But most potions have long since lost effect on those debauched noble wizards because they have developed resistance."
"Fortunately, I happen to know a lost potion that can help aging male wizards regain their vigor."
"If we can brew it, won't those pure-blood nobles obediently hand over their money bags?"
Quirrell was overjoyed, but then seemed to think of something.
"Master, a potion that precious must require expensive ingredients, right?"
"What about the starting capital?"
"Should we wait until I get paid next month?"
Voldemort snorted.
"Wait for your salary? How long would that take?"
"And what use is that little money?"
"If you have no money, borrow some."
"With your identity as a Hogwarts professor, borrowing from Gringotts should be possible. If not, borrow from Knockturn Alley loan sharks."
"Don't worry. Once the potion is brewed, it will sell explosively across the magical world."
"Do you know what sudden wealth looks like?"
"Trust me. You will soon understand."
"You will become one of the magical world's new rich. Even your family will enjoy wealth for generations."
"Consider it my reward for your loyal service."
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