Chapter 164: Immortal Talisman Sect

Chapter 164: Immortal Talisman Sect

“It was just a discussion about the Dao, young man. This life is but an illusion, there is no need to worry too much!”

Reverend Ruoxu gave a faint smile. Unexpectedly to Mu Feng, he did not mention anything else and slowly continued: “One hundred years, in the blink of an eye, another hundred years have passed! Young man, you are the second person to reach the top of this tower in the last hundred years. I rambled a bit; I hope you do not mind!”

The second?

Mu Feng was a bit curious and said: “Reverend Ruoxu, you are too kind. This young student could not thank you enough for your guidance; how could I mind? May I ask, who was the other person who reached this place within the last century?”

Reverend Ruoxu smiled without answering and raised his hand to point at the wall behind Mu Feng.

Mu Feng turned around and looked. He saw a line of bold, powerful characters carved on the wall behind him: “First Year of Tongtian Calendar, while touring the Southern Borderlands, sat in meditation at the tower top for three days and three nights, Zhao Wuji!”

“Wu Zhenren, Zhao Wuji?”

Mu Feng exclaimed in surprise. He suddenly remembered someone mentioned by Ghost Mother and his expression turned grave.

The writing reflected the person; viewing the characters was like savoring tea. The large characters carved on the wall were bold and unrestrained, majestic and imposing, clearly written by someone of either great wealth or high status. To be able to ascend to the tower top under the pressure of the thunderous sounds, that strength was also extraordinary! He wondered if this was the same person Ghost Mother had spoken of!

“Cultivating Buddhism but not becoming a Living Buddha, cultivating immortality but not becoming an immortal, both are illusions. What Zhenren, what Saint, in the end, they all vanish into the River of Fate.”

The old Taoist paused, then continued faintly: “The time is almost up, young man. It is time for you to leave this place; someone is looking for you below. Walk seven steps to the left; there is a skeleton with a small booklet pressed beneath it. Take it away; consider it my gift to you. Remember, the Dao follows nature; everything should go with the flow, free and unconstrained. What is destined to be yours is yours; what is not, forcing it is useless. Sometimes, do not be too stubborn!”

“Yes!”

Mu Feng snapped back to attention. He walked seven steps to the left and indeed found a yellowed small booklet under a skeleton. On the cover were the words ‘Immortal Talisman Scripture’. Without time to examine it further, he bowed in respect, then turned and left. The moment his trailing foot left the tower top, overwhelming thunder crashed down with tremendous force.

Only at this moment did he realize that while he was discussing the Dao with the old Taoist atop the tower, the terrifying thunderous sounds had unknowingly faded. It was only after he left that they reappeared. More surprisingly, with each step downward, a frightfully loud thunderclap exploded behind him, as if urging him to hurry down.

Going down was exceptionally easy, but trying to turn back and climb to the tower top again was extraordinarily difficult. Compared to when he originally ascended the tower, the thunderous sounds at the same positions had increased nearly threefold!

“Incredible, who exactly is this Reverend Ruoxu? Could it be that the thunderous sounds on this thousand-year-old tower are controlled and caused by him?”

With deep puzzlement, Mu Feng walked faster and faster. Only after descending to the third level did he faintly hear Jing Wushuang’s calls amidst the rolling thunder. Rushing out of the ancient tower, he saw that Jing Wushuang and A Su had already been waiting at the entrance for a long time, their faces full of anxiety. Seeing him safe and sound, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Young Master Mu, which level did you reach?”

A Su looked Mu Feng up and down. While impressed, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat curious.

Following Mu Feng’s footprints all the way here, he and Jing Wushuang had entered the ancient tower but had to retreat after staying only briefly on the first level; their ears were still ringing. Based on the time, Mu Feng had stayed in the ancient tower for at least half an hour, making them curious about which level he had reached given his strength.

The thunderous sounds inside Wenbi Tower were majestic and imposing, each level more perilous than the last. Clearly, the higher one climbed, the stronger their ability.

“I don’t know, I didn’t look carefully. I retreated when I reached a place I couldn’t pass!” Mu Feng smiled, then continued: “By the way, A Su, when was this ancient tower built? Why are there such strange thunder sounds?”

“I don’t know. Nobody knows when this ancient tower was completed.”

The clever A Su shook his head and smiled apologetically, then continued: “However, according to the records of Jianshui County Annals, this ancient tower has an extremely long history. This tower existed first, and only later did Jianshui City below appear. They say it is a thousand-year-old tower, but its history might be tens of thousands of years, or even millions of years. According to some ancient legends passed down orally by local mountain folk, this tower was originally not called Wenbi Tower, but a Demon-Suppressing Tower. It is said to suppress a great Devil Leader from the Ancient Era below, though it is unknown whether it is true or false!”

Demon-Suppressing Tower?

Mu Feng frowned, concentrated and sensed for a moment, but could not detect any abnormality. He did not know whether the elusive legend was wrong or his own ability was too weak to sense it.

“Brother Mu Feng, there is an old Taoist in the temple who tells fortunes very accurately. Let’s go see him together!”

Jing Wushuang suggested softly.

Having managed to come out this once, she wished she could accompany Mu Feng to every inch of Western Huashan Mountain, travel through all the mountains and waters here, and never have to go back.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Looking at Jing Wushuang, who was still injured, frail, and full of expectation, Mu Feng nodded and signaled A Su to lead the way. He glanced once at the high tower top, then turned and left with Jing Wushuang.

The towering Western Huashan Mountain was very steep, but apart from the thousand-year-old Wenbi Tower, Mu Feng did not find any other strange places. There were people coming and going along the road, and the mountain path was rugged, but they did not encounter any suspicious individuals and had a safe journey. It seemed as if the people from the Immortal Sword Sect and the Blind Master had truly ceased their activities and had not pursued them further.

At night, after confirming that everyone around was asleep, Mu Feng once again slipped quietly out through the window and came to the grove from the previous night.

This time, he was not in a hurry to cultivate. He summoned the Eighteen Blood Witch Commands for protection, sat down cross-legged, took out the small booklet obtained from the ancient tower, and quickly flipped through it.

Unlike ordinary secret manuals, this was not a profound cultivation technique, but a small booklet recording various methods for crafting talismans. On the cover were the words ‘Immortal Talisman Scripture’, and on the last page, it was signed: Immortal Talisman Sect — Thunderbolt Master.

“Immortal Talisman Sect, the same Immortal Talisman Sect that, together with sects like the Immortal Sword Sect and Immortal Divination Sect, is called the Immortal Sect?”

Mu Feng was startled and carefully studied the small booklet in his hands.

The booklet recorded a variety of methods for crafting Talismanic Scripts, but the one that took up the most space and was described in the greatest detail was a method for crafting something called the Immortal Thunder Talisman. It involved gathering falling thunder from the nine heavens and refining it with Innate Vital Energy. A single thunder talisman could split a great mountain in two! Its power was astonishing, like a mighty thunderbolt; no wonder he called himself Thunderbolt Master!

He had ascended the tower top to gather falling thunder. Unfortunately, he failed to gather it and ended up dying under the thunder strike instead!

After a brief contemplation, Mu Feng guessed mostly correctly and understood the identity of the skeleton on the ancient tower. It seemed that reaching the tower top was not really the feat; being able to retreat unscathed was the true skill. If not for the help of the mysterious Reverend Ruoxu, he probably would not have been able to ascend, nor descend safely!

Hu…

After a cold wind, a mist of blood seeped out from within Mu Feng’s body.

It did not condense into a Blood Spear, nor did it transform into fearsome Blood Vines. Instead, after churning, it condensed into a Talismanic Script flowing with blood light, its volume shrinking smaller and smaller. Finally, it suddenly expanded and exploded with a ‘boom’, blasting several nearby hundred-year-old trees into two pieces.

Blood Thunder!

Using Lifeblood Essence as the foundation and one’s own Spiritual Soul as the guide to craft a crimson thunder talisman!

Mu Feng ingeniously crafted a unique Talismanic Script for a Great Blood-Refining Sorcerer. Its power could not yet compare to the Immortal Thunder Talisman recorded in the booklet, but it did not require the risk of gathering falling thunder from the nine heavens. As long as his blood energy did not run out, his attacks would not cease. Moreover, attacking this way was more covert, making it hard to defend against!