The Mirror Legacy

Li Qinghong composed herself and carefully recounted the events of recent years. When she finished, Li Xuanfeng, who had been listening quietly by her side, said softly, "I have not been at home to lend a hand with all these matters. It must have been hard on all of you."

With that, he gently ran his hand over the black-gold tiger belt at his waist, producing a glimmering jade slip in his palm. "This contains the talismans I acquired in the Southern Border. Take it back and let your eldest uncle examine it. Yue State is well-suited to cultivating talismans; our family could make great strides in this field."

Li Qinghong accepted the slip and, after listening to Li Xuanfeng, asked with curiosity, "Yue State is suitable for cultivating talismans…? This is the first I have heard of it."

Li Xuanfeng paused briefly before replying softly, "It is not something widely known. Fortunately, we are within a secluded cave dwelling, so I can share it. It seems that the True Monarch of Azure Pond Sect has Pristine Water Fruition Attainment connected with talisman cultivation. His Dao field is located in Yue State, making the region a fertile ground for talismans."

Now that he mentioned it, Li Qinghong realized that nearly everyone in Yue State knew at least a few talisman techniques. Talismans were indeed abundant, and although true mastery was rare, there were far more talisman cultivators than those skilled in alchemy or smithing. Even rogue cultivators would have a few reliable talismans in their possession.

Nodding thoughtfully, Li Qinghong remembered the True Monarch she had glimpsed by the shore earlier, hesitating to speak. She thought to herself, It is said that the head of the Yue Cultivating Sect has unmatched divine abilities, greater than any of the three sects. I'd better keep quiet to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Glancing down at the jade slip Li Xuanfeng had given her, she noticed faint, handwritten notes on its surface. The title read Annotations on the Upper Enclosures, written by Chen Gao of Mount Douxuan, detailing various techniques of talisman arts.

Mount Douxuan—it must be an ancient sect, Li Qinghong mused as she skimmed through it. She found several methods for crafting talisman swords appended at the end, finally understanding Li Xuanfeng's intent. She nodded, saying, "This will work well. Many in our family are sword cultivators, so we could forge some talisman swords for our younger generations. They could be passed down to bolster our clan's future."

Li Xuanfeng nodded in agreement, then produced two jade bottles, one large and one small. The larger bottle was a blue-green hue, with what seemed to be a liquid flowing inside, while the smaller was the usual size for holding pills. He explained, "This is Yuwa Stone Liquid and Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pills, both to aid Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation. There are five portions of Yuwa Stone Liquid and ten Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pills. Using these will greatly enhance one's progress in cultivation."