Chapter 32: True Guide to Talisman Drawing
Chapter 32: True Guide to Talisman Drawing
As dusk fell, the daylight vanished swiftly. Dark Mist rose, turning the entire world into a dark abyss.
The deserted village nestled in the valley resembled a tiny island amid a sea of roaming ghosts, ready to be swallowed and destroyed at any moment.
Beneath the cliff east of the village, the Demon Man greedily gulped the Dark Mist swirling in from all directions. The suction was so strong it created a giant vortex around it.
As vast amounts of Dark Mist were consumed, one of its grotesque heads wore an expression of deep satisfaction, while the other showed sheer agony.
After a long time, the head in agony suddenly ripped off the other head. Opening its cavernous mouth, it crunched on it like edamame beans.
Immediately, the Demon Man’s form began shifting towards that of a normal human. Once it took the shape of an ordinary young man, the Dark Mist surrounding it abruptly dissipated.
Now, twenty or thirty additional corpses of Evil God Cultists could be seen scattered at the cliff’s base. Had Li Si been there, he would have recognized them as the long-awaited second wave of cultists he never encountered.
The Demon Man gazed silently toward the deserted village for several moments. Turning, it calmly stripped intact clothing from the bodies and dressed itself. It then reached into its chest, drew out a ribbone with unnerving ease, and violently plunged it into the crown of a corpse.
Seconds later, the body began shaking violently. Dark Mist enveloped it, and within moments, it transformed into a monstrous form no longer human.
One after another, the Demon Man repeatedly plucked its own ribs, converting each cultist corpse into a malevolent beast. Their forms varied wildly: some sprouted enormous wings, others grew several meters tall, some were encased in bony shields, others wriggled earthworm-like into the ground, and some resembled bulbous sacks filled with fouled fluid and fat, wriggling maggots visible within…
“Grooowl!”
The Demon Man growled low. Immediately, the dozens of corpse-turned-demons obeyed its commands like well-trained soldiers, advancing and retreating in perfect formation.
After a brief drill, a twisted grin spread across the Demon Man’s savage face. It growled once more, and the demon horde vanished silently into the Dark Mist, converging towards the deserted village.
The Demon Man followed unhurriedly behind, as if intending to wear down the village’s protective barriers using these demonic pawns.
—
“Creak!”
The wooden door swung open. Li Si slipped out of the Stone House, his eyes sharp and expression calm. The bleak environment outside didn’t faze him.
His right hand holding the Array Control Disk, he walked leisurely around the village perimeter. Finding nothing amiss, he arrived at the central clearing. This spot was thirty paces from the Stone House. Elevated and offering the widest view, it was no more than a hundred meters from any village edge—east, west, north, or south.
He first cast a Disaster Warding Aura upon himself, ensuring no disruptions, then solemnly gestured, smoothly forming hand-seals. Three Devil-Sealing Curse barriers instantly sprang to life around him.
The three layered Demon Sealing Auras formed an invisible barrier, separating him from the howling winds, mournful ghostly wails, and corrupting miasma beyond.
Stepping inside, Li Si was enveloped by soothing warmth and soothing calm. It felt like sanctuary. His body and mind relaxed completely.
It was no exaggeration—within these barriers, even the worst insomniac could sleep soundly until dawn.
But Li Si came to cultivate. He dared not push his limits during the day; only at night would he train with full intensity. That was one reason he insisted on keeping the Five Tribulations Thunderlight Array ready.
No matter how strong the Demon Sealing Auras were, a powerful Demon Man breaching them while he was deeply engrossed could spell disaster.
The Five Tribulations of Lightning Method Array was his safety net. With its control disk in hand, he could calmly direct its power right from the safety of the barriers.
“The Floating Cloud Sect still has deep reserves,” Li Si thought. “It’s just failing because of incompetent disciples and poor management.”
Today’s gains were excellent. He had gained the Old Madam’s favor and secured resources from Ji Chang and Xu Shen.
Ji Chang’s “True Guide to Talisman Drawing” was incredibly insightful. Skilled himself, Ji Chang’s afternoon lecture profoundly enlightened Li Si, making him feel that one session surpassed years of study.
Of course, in return, Li Si agreed to manage the Five Tribulations Thunderlight Array’s daily upkeep starting in five days: three Spirit Gathering Talismans per day, plus one slightly weakened Demon Sealing Talisman for Ji Chang.
This deal pleased everyone. Only Senior Sister Jiang Ying felt Li Si got the short end. After much thought, she gifted him a crucial Floating Cloud Sect asset—a Storage Pouch.
Its internal space was less than one cubic meter and would slowly degrade with exposure to corrupting miasma. Without maintenance and exposed to the wilderness, it might only last another decade.
But for Li Si, it was a lifesaver, securing his vital supplies.
Now sitting cross-legged, he carefully transferred items from his leather sack into the Storage Pouch.
These included: the Palm Thunder booklet, Thunder-Summoning Curse booklet, Devil-Sealing Curse booklet, Spirit Gathering Spell booklet, True Guide to Talisman Drawing booklet, two Heart-Cleansing Blood-Refining Pills given by the Old Madam that morning, and some Mushroom Remnant Husks.
He had returned other Dao Technique booklets to Jiang Ying, as required upon mastery. These remaining ones were those he hadn’t fully grasped yet.
He didn’t plan to consume the two pills—not to “gift to a destined person,” but to save them for emergencies. Pills that could directly cut Alienation Contamination Degree by 5% were far too rare.
Besides, he felt confident of Foundation Building even without them.
Item transfer complete, Li Si meticulously secured the pouch to his belt. This was his most valuable possession now—he’d defend it with his life.
Feeling fiercely protective, he felt he’d truly become a Cultivator now.
Then, with a thought, the Fate Forge appeared before him.
Inside, 100 bundles of Black Fate Fuel and 22,400 bundles of Gray Fate Fuel were stacked neatly, clearly separated yet without crowding.
“If the Old Madam says Fate is ethereal, anchored only by things of the Mortal Realm,” Li Si mused, “Then this Fate Forge fused with my body must qualify.”
Summoning the data fragment next, he checked his stats with satisfaction:
He’d maintained his Alienation Contamination Degree around 20%. But this morning, the Old Madam’s brief guidance slashed it by 5%, leaving him at just 15%.
Meanwhile, his Bloodline and Bone Evolution Progress hit 28.2%. Progress on the second layer of the Heaven-Turning Scripture reached 23%. His Magic Power cap grew to 2,400 points.
Finally, the Old Madam gifted him ten bundles of Gray Fortune. Combined with his secret stash, that amounted to eleven—now recognized as official “registered capital.”
“No rush to master Palm Thunder or Thunder-Summoning Curse,” Li Si concluded. “Just dedicate study time daily.”
“Focus instead on the basic Artifact-Control Incantation and Spirit Gathering Spell—boost them to Advanced level. And Ji Chang’s True Guide to Talisman Drawing—that’s the real treasure.”
The “True Guide” exchanged with Ji Chang today was revolutionary. Talisman crafting was pivotal for Cultivators across countless applications. Similarly, mastering Formation Arrays would be crucial later.
Too bad that sly Xu Shen wouldn’t part with his array expertise!
For centuries, Ji Chang honed Talismans while Xu Shen specialized in Formation Arrays. Their accumulated knowledge wasn’t trivial.
“Refine 44 bundles of Gray Fortune,” Li Si commanded mentally.
Green light flashed within the Fate Forge. 4,400 bundles of Gray Fate Fuel vanished, instantly replaced by 44 bundles of purified Gray Fortune.
“Strengthen Artifact-Control Incantation.”
“Strengthen Spirit Gathering Spell.”
Fourteen bundles of Gray Fortune vanished instantly. The results were undeniable:
[Artifact-Control Incantation: Advanced Dao Technique. Manipulate objects remotely within 100 meters. Magic Power cost: 1–50 points/sec, based on task.]
[Spirit Gathering Spell: Advanced Dao Technique. Maximum 300 Magic Points. Create a Spirit Gathering Aura, imprintable on Talisman Paper, jade, or treated bone. Duration: 30 days.]
Next, Li Si focused Gray Fortune purely on comprehending the profound True Guide to Talisman Drawing. Unlike Palm Thunder or Thunder-Summoning Curse, this compiled centuries of Ji Chang’s insights. Genius or not, Li Si couldn’t digest it quickly.
Actually, fully mastering the “True Guide” required 30 whole bundles of Gray Fortune! Ji Chang’s lecture lowered this barely at all, proving its immense value.
But it also confirmed Ji Chang’s sincerity. With barely twenty years left, he didn’t want his life’s work rotting unseen. Recognizing Li Si’s potential, he chose mutual partnership, securing his legacy. A win-win.
Li Si grasped its significance perfectly. This knowledge represented a core pillar of Cultivation. Every moment mastered sooner meant empowerment gained faster.