Chapter 21: Bone Talisman Spirit Body
Three months later.
Cold Spring Peak.
“Rise!”
Along with Elder Tianding’s low shout, specks of blue light rose from the depths of the cold spring at the very summit, dazzling like gemstones.
“Combine!”
His hand seals changed. At the bottom of the cold pool, nine water dragons suddenly appeared, spewing icy mist. They froze the specks of blue light into fist-sized chunks of ice, which floated up to the surface.
“The Foundation Establishment Pill… has finally been refined.”
At the foot of the mountain, a group of mid-stage Qi Refining disciples were utterly exhausted, even though they could occasionally meditate to recover their vital energy. They looked emaciated and drained.
Only Xu Wusu forced himself to stay alert and sent out a sound-transmission talisman.
Not long after, the talisman returned. After listening to a few lines, a smile appeared on his face. “This time, Elder Tianding refined twenty standard Foundation Establishment Pills…” “Mhm. Compared to last time, Elder Tianding’s pill-refining skills have improved yet again.”
“This round of pill refinement was truly exhausting. We should all return and rest properly for a few days…”
The disciples took their leave one after another.
Fang Qing was also preparing to depart, but Xu Wusu pulled him aside and spoke a few more words.
‘This person… is he trying to draw me over to his side?’
Inside his cave dwelling, Fang Qing recalled Xu Wusu’s interactions with him, and his heart stirred.
‘Is my pill-refining skill really that valuable?’
‘Or is he an enemy of Floating Cloud Daoist’s faction?’
‘Forget it. There’s no point thinking about this. Tomorrow, I should go to the Administrative Affairs Hall and prepare gold- and fire-aspected talismans, as well as various spiritual items. That’s the proper thing to do…’
‘After reaching mid-stage Qi Refining, my cultivation speed slowed significantly. I still needed pills to assist.’
The next day, Fang Qing summoned the Green-Leaf Flying Vessel and first went to the nearest Pill Island pill hall, where he accepted several tasks to refine Jade Splendor Spirit Water.
This kind of spirit water was more suitable for early-stage Qi Refining cultivators. After reaching mid-stage Qi Refining, he needed to consume the higher-grade, low-tier “Ginseng-Green Spirit Water”.
The main ingredient of this spirit water was “Azure Qi Ginseng”. Not only were the materials more expensive, but the refining techniques were also more difficult. Fang Qing could not challenge it yet.
Therefore, he could only refine “Jade Splendor Spirit Water” first, exchange it for contribution points, and then trade those points for “Ginseng-Green Spirit Water”, suffering an extra layer of exploitation for nothing.
‘I’ll endure it for now. Once I make a few more trips to the World of Ancient Shu, I’ll definitely buy large quantities of Azure Qi Ginseng and raise my proficiency with “Ginseng-Green Spirit Water”.’
Having made up his mind, Fang Qing arrived at the Administrative Affairs Hall on Ten Thousand Treasures Island, only to see a scene of utter misery everywhere.
“Oh? It seems the sect’s mandatory missions have already been issued. Everyone is now scrambling to buy life-saving artifacts and pills and talismans?”
Fang Qing wandered among them with considerable leisure, even taking the opportunity to pick up a bargain or two.
Of course, these so-called bargains were not truly bargains. These sect disciples were all shrewd to the extreme. Any item Fang Qing could not see through was priced outrageously high, with sellers boasting more extravagantly than the last, daring to claim even Nascent Soul relics.
Fang Qing’s “bargain hunting” merely consisted of stocking up on certain raw materials while their prices had dipped.
‘In the land of Ancient Shu, metal and fire manifest the Dao in this age. Metal- and fire-aspected spiritual items are more abundant… though still not as plentiful as on Jade Island…’
‘If I want to trade spiritual items between the two worlds, I should sell earth-, wood-, and water-aspected items that exist in both worlds over there, and exchange them for metal- and fire-aspected items to bring back. The price difference alone would be substantial.’
‘Of course, there are also extremely high-value items, such as “Great Sun Purple Qi”. If I were to gather a strand here, it might sell for an astronomical price over there. But I fear I’d have the life to take it, and no life to spend it… Besides, I don’t even have a cultivation method for Great Sun Purple Qi…’
Moreover, although Great Sun Purple Qi was easy to gather—one only needed to face east at the moment before sunrise and absorb the Great Sun primordial energy—it would take at least several years to fully collect a single strand.
“Isn’t this Junior Brother Fang Qing?”
Just as Fang Qing was strolling and occasionally making purchases, a voice called out.
He turned around and saw Hua Lian.
This Hua Lian of Flying Fish Island was a native disciple of Ten Thousand Treasures Island, serving in the Administrative Affairs Hall—a lucrative position indeed.
Moreover, he knew many hidden details about various missions, treated people well, and had maintained continuous contact with Fang Qing.
“Recently, I heard that Junior Brother Fang successfully advanced to become a low-tier first-rank pill master. Are you here this time to purchase medicinal materials? I know several stalls where the ingredients for Jade Splendor Spirit Water are the best value for the price…”
A smile like a gentle spring breeze hung on Hua Lian’s face.
“Many thanks, Senior Brother Hua. I also wish to purchase some gold- and fire-aspected talismans for protection. Do you have any channels you could recommend?”
Fang Qing did not waste the opportunity presented by this local insider and stated his request.
“Gold- and fire-aspected talismans? Gold is one thing, but fire-aspected talismans are naturally weakened by three parts in the sea. When encountering water-aspected cultivators, they’re weakened by another three parts… Very few cultivators in our sect practice this path.”
Hua Lian frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, “I recall an inner sect disciple who happens to possess a mid-grade fire spiritual root, along with a physique suited for talisman drawing. He had no choice but to delve into this path. His stall is not far away. Because his goods don’t sell well, the prices are relatively cheap.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother.”
What Fang Qing wanted was precisely cheap fire-aspected talismans.
Although fire talismans struggled in the Small Huan Sea, in another environment they would be extremely powerful.
He still had a deep impression of the Golden Blade Talisman that had displayed terrifying might last time.
“I see that Senior Brother’s true power is profound. You’re probably about to break through to the fifth layer of Qi Refining, right? In ten years’ time, during the True Disciple combat trials, it may not be impossible for you to contend for a spot.”
Fang Qing chose pleasant words to say. After all, telling lies cost nothing.
“The True Disciple competition ten years from now? I have no confidence at all… But twenty years from now, when my cultivation should break through to late-stage Qi Refining, perhaps I could give it a try.”
Hua Lian knew his own limits and replied with a bitter smile.
“Aren’t there also True Disciple positions for the Hundred Cultivation Arts?”
Fang Qing asked what he most wanted to know.
This Senior Brother Hua Lian came from a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan and was a disciple of Ten Thousand Treasures Island. His information network was extensive—perhaps he knew more.
“Hundred Cultivation Arts disciples? That’s probably even harder than combat trials…”
Hua Lian shook his head. “Whether formations, pill refinement, or talisman drawing… each requires hundreds or thousands of failures to make progress. If one’s family foundation isn’t deep, how many times can one afford to try? Thus, those who can devote themselves to the Hundred Cultivation Arts must have a backing force behind them. To put it bluntly, it’s still reserved territory for the big shots. For outsiders like us, it’s better to fight it out in combat.”
‘The suppression is actually this severe? Even Hua Lian, a disciple from a Foundation Establishment clan, feels his family can only compete in combat?’
Fang Qing was shocked and quickly asked for more details.
“The Hundred Cultivation Arts also have hierarchies. Can a spirit planter compare to a pill master?” Hua Lian sneered. “If you’re a formation master, quasi–second tier is enough to pass the evaluation. A pill master needs full second-tier standards. A talisman master at low-grade second tier is still somewhat risky… As for spirit planters? At the very least, they must reach top-grade second tier to even have a chance of passing the assessment. And the evaluators are sect elders—the standards are entirely in their hands. Unless your skill overwhelms all others and leaves no room for dispute, otherwise…”
“So in the end, for disciples like us with no background or backing, the only real competition is for the ten combat slots?”
Fang Qing murmured.
“Heh… Although there are also descendants of Foundation Establishment cultivators within the sect who study combat arts, when it comes to risking one’s life, they’re still a notch below us…”
Hua Lian spoke casually. “We’re here.”
‘Senior Brother Hua himself is also from a Foundation Establishment clan. Why does he give off such a desperate, daredevil aura? He’s even more like a loose cultivator than actual loose cultivators…’
Fang Qing silently complained inwardly and looked toward the stall ahead.
The stall owner was a red-browed youth. More than a dozen fire-aspected talismans were laid out before him. Judging from the lack of surrounding customers, business was not good.
“Low-tier first-rank Fireball Talismans, mid-grade Blazing Flame Talismans, high-grade Firecloud Talismans?”
After a glance, Fang Qing immediately felt tempted.
“This is Senior Brother Huo Tianhuo, an inner sect disciple. He possesses the ‘Bone Talisman Spirit Body’. His talisman-drawing skill is so exceptional that even Foundation Establishment elders praise it highly.”
Hua Lian introduced him.
“Senior Brother Huo, this junior wishes to purchase a few talismans.”
Fang Qing quickly bowed and then began sweeping up purchases. “Give me one Firecloud Talisman, a Blazing Flame Talisman, and a few Fireball Talismans as well…”
“A big customer…”
Senior Brother Huo’s face lit up with joy. “I’ll give you a cheaper price…”
After chatting a bit more, Fang Qing began to inquire, “May I ask if Senior Brother has any second-tier talismans for sale?”
The World of Ancient Shu was far too dangerous. Without a powerful life-saving trump card, he could not rest easy.
“Second-tier talismans?” Huo Tianhuo laughed. “That’s equivalent to a single strike from a Foundation Establishment elder… And how powerful is a Foundation Establishment elder? A single drop of their true power equals the total true power of all of us peak Qi Refining cultivators combined. Such a strike is terrifying. Even if you had a second-tier talisman, as a fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator, you’d drain yourself dry and still be unable to activate it. If you were in late-stage Qi Refining, you might barely try, but without having cultivated divine sense, you’d risk injuring others, injuring yourself, or even perishing together…”
“Divine sense? Isn’t divine sense exclusive to Foundation Establishment cultivators?”
Fang Qing did not mind displaying his ignorance, as long as he could hear more useful information.
Moreover, he possessed the innate talent of a “silver tongue”. His sincere manner made others more willing to share information with him.
“Divine sense is naturally exclusive to Foundation Establishment cultivators, but some exceptionally talented Qi Refining cultivators, or those who have encountered extraordinary opportunities, can also condense divine sense during the Qi Refining stage… Otherwise, how do those True Disciple prodigies who wield second-tier skills while still in Qi Refining come about?”
Huo Tianhuo smiled. “If one can cultivate divine sense during the Qi Refining stage, the benefits are many. It not only assists in mastering the Hundred Cultivation Arts more quickly, but also adds an extra ten or twenty percent chance when breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Unfortunately, this path is far too difficult and has no fixed route. To prevent the majority of mediocre Qi Refining disciples from wasting themselves internally, the sect generally does not speak of it.”
‘So… to grasp second-tier skills ahead of time, one must first have divine sense?’
Fang Qing immediately abandoned the idea of buying second-tier talismans. According to Huo Tianhuo, even if such talismans were available, Fang Qing could not afford them at his current level.
‘High-grade first-tier talismans… should be enough.’
After leaving the Administrative Affairs Hall, Fang Qing let out a long breath. “Next… is continuous accumulation, striving to break through to late-stage Qi Refining while also cultivating divine sense! And body refinement as well…”