Cultivation: I Have a Golden Talisman

The next moment, a warm current quietly surfaced in his sea of consciousness.

An incredibly profound feeling arose, as if he had been practicing this technique for many years, all its intricacies intimately familiar to him.

Half a day later, the Yinluo Flying Ship arrived at the Abyssal Marsh.

The Feng Family Elders’ Meeting sent several Elders and a group of disciples to escort the Haihan Feng Family back. Fang Cheng and the others returned to Demon Lion Peak.

As for Mu Xuanyu, whom Fang Cheng had captured, everyone chose to selectively forget, and no one mentioned the matter.

Back at Canglan Cave, Fang Cheng saw that Ye Yan and the other two women were still in closed-door cultivation, so he didn’t disturb them. He went into his Quiet Chamber and sat down.

He felt that his trip to the Hanhai Desert had allowed the Resentment Demon Bead to accumulate a significant amount of Spiritual Qi. If he could refine it all, he should be able to break through to the Mid-Life Talisman Stage.

Moreover, he had obtained the storage bags of three Profound Elders and one Earth Elder from the Flame God Palace. They were filled with goods, and after sorting through them, he should be able to trade for a good amount of Geng Metal Profound Silkworm Threads.

However, before that, he planned to first try the Divine King’s Dream Spirit Secret Technique to see just how miraculous it was.

He sat cross-legged, took out a handful of Spirit Incense, and with a flick of his wrist, a hundred sticks scattered and embedded themselves in the ground.

The incense sticks faintly formed an array, concealing a profound mechanism.

Fang Cheng flicked a finger, and a spark of fire appeared, instantly lighting all the Spirit Incense. Wisps of green smoke began to fill the air.

Then, he took out a stack of Snow Silkworm Paper. This paper was one of the best mediums for creating Talismans and was quite valuable. He couldn’t recall which opponent’s storage bag it had come from; he had only thought at the time that the paper was snowy-white and delicate, good for painting, so he had kept it.

He placed the Snow Silkworm Paper in the center of the Spirit Incense array and then circulated his Magical Power to activate the Secret Technique.

The green smoke filling the Quiet Chamber immediately drifted down onto the Snow Silkworm Paper.

Fang Cheng’s spirit blurred as if he had fallen into a dream. In a state between waking and sleeping, he saw wisps of green smoke on the topmost sheet of Snow Silkworm Paper, outlining a line of text—

’I was born into a merchant family. At three, I could read; at five, I could compose poetry. At sixteen, I traveled to famous mountains and great rivers, where I chanced upon a Cultivator. From then on, I resolved to seek immortality and the Dao in this life.’

’In my twentieth year, I met a benevolent master who taught me a Qi Refining Technique, allowing me to open my Qi Sea and sense the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi...’

’My master was a Life Talisman Loose Cultivator, an Ascetic Practitioner living in seclusion in the mountains. In my third year of cultivation, my master took a wife. My master’s wife was a disciple of the great Zhou Cultivation Family, with a Ninth-Layer Sensing Cultivation. She possessed a nation-toppling beauty, like a Celestial Immortal... The following year, she gave birth to a daughter, who became my junior sister.’

’In my eighth year of cultivation, I was at the Third Layer of Sensing. Limited by my natural talent, my progress was extremely slow, and I grew impatient and restless. My junior sister, at a mere five years of age, could already sense the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi... Seeing that a Heart Demon had already taken root in me, my master sent me down the mountain to travel for several years.’

’In my tenth year of cultivation, deep within a valley, I stumbled upon a Divine Statue of a Divine King, identical to one I had seen in a dream in my youth. I bowed to it sincerely and, unexpectedly, received a divine blessing: the italicized "Divine King Origin Scripture." I bowed again, but received nothing further.’

’In my eleventh year of cultivation, I broke through to the Mid-Sensing Stage. I returned to my master’s home with the Divine Statue. My master, considering my age, had his wife act as a matchmaker with the Zhou Family. I was married to a beautiful woman, who was my master’s wife’s niece.’

’One year after our marriage, my wife gave birth to a son. The Divine Statue of the Divine King manifested its power and bestowed another divine blessing—a Celestial Essence Spirit Pill. I consumed the pill, and my Magical Power surged. Within a few months, I broke through to the Late Sensing Stage.’

’The following year, my wife gave birth to a daughter. I received another divine blessing, a Celestial Essence Spirit Pill, and my Magical Power advanced again, reaching the Ninth Layer of Sensing. My master, his wife, my junior sister, and my wife were all astonished. I realized the gravity of the situation and did not reveal the matter of the Divine Statue.’

’In my thirteenth year of cultivation, while out on business, I encountered Tribulation Cultivators slaughtering a group of Loose Cultivators. I intervened to save them. Among the Loose Cultivators was an exceptionally beautiful woman who fell for me. We consummated our relationship, and I later took her as a concubine, bringing her back to my master’s home.’

’In my fourteenth year, my concubine gave birth to a son. I received another divine blessing, a Divine Power Talisman. Upon receiving it, the Divine Technique formed on its own without me even needing to practice it. This Divine Technique was called the Heaven-Opening Seal. Its power was immense, and I used it to slay a Tier Two Demon Beast.’

’After this, my resolve was firm: I would take many wives and have many children in this life and establish a Cultivation Family.’

’In my sixteenth year, my master’s mortal enemy joined forces with three Life Talisman Tribulation Cultivators and launched a night raid on our home. My master, his wife, and I fought with all our might. I managed to kill one of them against the odds, but we were ultimately no match for our foes. My master held them back, sacrificing his life, while his wife and I fled with my junior sister, my own family, and our children.’

’In that same year, we reached the Zhou Family and received their protection. I had two more sons and received divine blessings, using them to break through to the Life Talisman Realm. The Zhou Family, who had been arrogant before, now became respectful and recruited me as an Honored Guest Elder.’

’In my seventeenth year of cultivation, I took three more concubines.’

’In my nineteenth year of cultivation, I took six more concubines. I received a divine blessing and mastered the Tribulation Seal of the Nine Divine King Seals.’

’In my twentieth year of cultivation, my strength greatly increased. I left the Zhou Family, fought my way across a thousand miles, and slew my enemies to avenge my master.’

’In my twenty-first year of cultivation, I married my junior sister. I received a divine blessing and mastered the Destruction Seal of the Nine Divine King Seals.’

’In my thirtieth year of cultivation, feelings developed between my master’s wife and me, and we consummated our affair... In that same year, I broke through to the Mid-Life Talisman Stage.’

’In my fiftieth year of cultivation, I broke through to the Late-Life Talisman Stage. I had collected all Nine Divine King Seals. Within a radius of ten thousand li, I had no rival and was called the number one person beneath the Life Soul Realm. That year, I established my own family.’

’In my sixtieth year of cultivation, I had taken over a hundred concubines and fathered several hundred children, receiving hundreds of divine blessings. However, because my Dao Foundation was inherently flawed, I could never defy fate to break through to the Life Soul Realm. Thus, I bestowed my divine blessings upon the younger generations of my clan to aid their growth.’

’I finally understood that one’s destiny is set by the heavens. The Life Talisman is the foundation of the Great Dao. Once the Life Talisman is formed, there can be no regrets in this life. In my haste for revenge back then, I rushed my breakthrough. No matter how many divine blessings I received afterward, I never had the chance to defy the heavens and change my fate.’

’In my two hundred and sixty-third year of cultivation, I felt my lifespan nearing its end, so I passed the Divine Statue of the Divine King down to my descendants.’

...

In the Quiet Chamber, green smoke drifted. The writing on the Snow Silkworm Paper was dreamlike and illusory. Unconsciously, more than ten sheets had been filled.

As if waking from a long dream, Fang Cheng let out a deep breath, his gaze clearing.

He had just been lost in a dream-like trance, as if he had truly experienced the entire life of a cultivator’s quest for the Dao.

"This Dream Spirit Technique is truly miraculous!"

Fang Cheng looked at the completely burnt-out Spirit Incense on the floor and the dozen or so sheets of Snow Silkworm Paper covered in flowing script, all chronicling the experiences from his dream. He couldn’t help but sigh in amazement.

He formed a hand seal and activated the Divine King’s Dream Spirit Secret Technique, squeezing a drop of blood essence from his fingertip.

He circulated his Magical Power, and his Essence, Qi, and Spirit madly surged into that drop of blood essence. In an instant, his aura weakened considerably, and his face turned pale.

After devouring a third of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the drop of blood essence became dazzlingly bright, faintly glowing with a divine light.

With a flick of his finger, the drop of blood essence shot out and landed on the Snow Silkworm Paper.

A flash of bloody light, and it seeped into the paper.

The dozen or so sheets of Snow Silkworm Paper floated up, spinning gracefully before merging in the center, transforming into a paper figure about a foot tall, dressed in wide robes with long sleeves.

The paper figure’s features were lifelike. It exuded a vast, surging aura, and its expression was majestic and serene as it looked calmly at Fang Cheng.

Their eyes met, and a feeling of mutual understanding instantly formed between them.

The paper figure spoke slowly, "Daoist Brother, I am your Dream Spirit. This world is like a dream to me as well. I possess the power for only a single, full-strength strike in this realm. I hope you will only summon me at a critical moment."

Fang Cheng asked in a low voice, "Can your single strike threaten a Life Soul Cultivator?"

The paper figure shook its head. "I’m afraid it would fall short."

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands. "Please revert, Daoist friend."

The paper figure nodded, its body dissolving back into more than ten sheets of inscribed Snow Silkworm Paper. Fang Cheng gathered them, stacked them neatly, tied them with a red string, and put them in his storage bag.

This was the true form of the Divine King’s Dream Spirit Secret Technique.

It used the power of an array to deduce and refine a Dream Spirit. The Dream Spirit’s temperament was somewhat similar to the caster’s, and thus its achievements were also influenced by the caster.

This Dream Spirit possessed the power of a single strike, comparable to one of Cai Li’s Sword Light Talismans.

In fact, in terms of sheer power, it was even superior.

It took Cai Li several years of cultivation to refine a single Sword Light Talisman. Fang Cheng, on the other hand, had expended one-third of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit to perform this technique. The costs of each had their own pros and cons.

Fortunately, Fang Cheng practiced the Celestial Fire Body Forging Technique for his Body Refining, so his essence and qi could be quickly replenished. Only the consumption of his spirit would require a slow recovery.

He took out several Spirit Pills, swallowed them, and circulated his Cultivation Technique to begin meditating and regulating his breath.

...