Jade Heavenly City saw him standing there dumbfounded and thought he had said sothing wrong. He quickly added,
"I'm just a wild practitioner who couldn't even pass the scholar exam. What I say might not be right."
That said, he was still the hall master of Red Mountain Hall, a grandmaster of talismans.
Back then, after Road Fragrance Master had witnessed Chen Shi's talisman skills, he had told the brothers in the hall that Chen Shi could rank second, while the top spot belonged to this very hall master who hadn't passed the scholar exam.
Later, after seeing the endlessly varied talismans Chen Shi produced, Road Fragrance Master never ntioned it again.
Jade Heavenly City was a big, rough fellow who had failed the scholar exam. By all rights, he shouldn't have had any chance of becoming a talisman master. Yet he had taught himself, relying on a tattered and incomplete copy of *Compendium of Talismans*, and beco one of the top experts among talisman masters.
He couldn't cast many of his talismans, and the ones he had self-taught were full of flaws and gaps, but his eye for them was incredibly sharp.
He was a man whose potential had been wasted.
With proper guidance from a famous teacher and profound techniques, his achievents would never have stopped at this level.
Chen Shi stood there in a daze, lost in deep thought.
Ever since waking from death two years ago, he had followed his grandpa in learning to draw the patterns of all sorts of talismans and in reading and writing. Whenever he picked up a brush, he could draw any talisman. He could even channel his qi and blood without a Divine Embryo and produce talismans of no small power.
But he had never considered casting talismans as spells.
There was a clear line between talismans and spells.
Talismans required a dium, pure yang blood, brush and ink. The talisman master had to concentrate their mind, embed a thought, and commune with the divine to draw talismans imbued with different powers.
Talisman masters who reached a profound realm could forgo brush, ink, black dog blood, cinnabar, and yellow paper. Using their own qi and blood as the dium, they could commune with the divine and draw talismans out of thin air.
So could even form a talisman with a single thought!
Spells, on the other hand, took shape in the Divine Shrine. They gathered qi to cast, transforming qi and blood into spells under the control of sword arts and intent, unleashing astonishing power upon activation.
The two were completely different in execution.
But could the Taotie Devouring Heaven Talisman not beco a spell?
What if he didn't draw it but instead used his intent to direct his own qi and blood, channeling it into the Divine Shrine to form the Taotie Devouring Heaven pattern—could that turn it into a spell?
If so, could the Five Mountains True Form Chart be cast directly too?
Could the simplest fire talisman, water talisman, thunder talisman be unleashed straight from his divine intent?
Were the door gods on the Peach Talisman akin to the Golden Light Mantra modeled after the Great Wheel Bright King's golden body?
Could the Galloping Horse Talisman and Divine Travel Talisman beco Wind Riding Art or Soaring Body Technique?
Could a transformation talisman let him pinch a spell gesture to shift into different forms?
And those creation talismans recorded in the *Talisman Creation Treasure Mirror*—if they could beco spells, could he turn into a Wire-Pulling Worm and soar through the air? Could he beco a brain worm and burrow into soone else's mind to control their body?
Could he beco the Creation chanism, wielding the power of talisman gods?
Could he even beco Little Five of Creation?
Chen Shi stood there in a daze, racking his brains on how to break the barrier between talismans and spells. Seeing this, no one disturbed him.
Red Mountain Lady curiously watched her true body in the basin. She picked up two chopsticks and poked at it. Suddenly, she cried out in surprise to Min River Granny,
"Look!
When I poke myself in the reflection with chopsticks, a dent appears on my real body too!"
This discovery thrilled her to no end.
Min River Granny rolled her eyes. She herself had fought this foolish little girl for decades and still hadn't managed to kill her?
"I'm really useless."
She thought to herself.
"It's your true body in there. You're a divine reflection. Damage to the true body harms the reflection too."
Min River Granny patiently explained,
"If soone took a knife and cut a piece off you right now, your divine reflection would be missing a piece in the sa spot.
Say, right here."
She took a chopstick from Red Mountain Lady and gestured at the Blood Tai Sui in the basin.
"Your head would correspondingly be missing a chunk, as if it had been sliced off.
Cut here, and your whole head would be gone."
Only then did Red Mountain Lady understand. She hurriedly hugged the basin holding her true body, afraid soone might snatch it away.
Jade Heavenly City gathered several fragrance masters and said,
"The Lady staying in the headquarters makes too big a target. Now that she can hide in the water basin, it's easier for us to move her.
Let's split up right away, take the Lady and Min River Granny out of headquarters, and hide them where no one can find them."
Fragrance Master Xiao asked,
"Where to hide them?"
Jade Heavenly City's eyes flickered as he said,
"I make too big a target. You all can hide more easily."
Everyone's gazes fell on him. This massive rabbit over two zhang tall and covered in at was surely everyone's top target.
"Stewed mushroom with rabbit would taste even better. The hall master is definitely eye-catching..."
One talisman master had just said this when his head was smacked.
Road Fragrance Master asked,
"So, who takes the Lady and Min River Granny?"
Everyone pondered in silence.
Those small enough to evade notice lacked the strength.
Those strong enough were too conspicuous.
At that mont, a whooshing wind ca, bringing a scorching heat wave.
Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a small temple floating behind Chen Shi's head. With a point of the young man's sword art forward, a fireball shot out from the temple, flying over three zhang.
At three zhang out, the fireball burst with a boom, instantly expanding to a zhang across. The surging blast wave nearly tore the roof off the neighboring incense hall!
"Good spell!"
Everyone cheered in unison.
But Chen Shi's brows were furrowed. Squatting on the ground in thought, he suddenly leaped up and unleashed another fireball.
This one was only finger-sized but shot over ten zhang in an instant before exploding with even greater power!
Chen Shi thrust his sword art forward repeatedly. Fireball after fireball flew out, growing smaller and flying farther, but their explosive force grew stronger with each one.
They bood and blasted nonstop, toppling houses all around in monts!
Everyone in Red Mountain Hall looked grim.
Suddenly, those tiny fireballs swirled around Chen Shi, following his palm. With a palm strike, the fireballs followed, exploding on impact and shattering a decorative rockery to pieces!
Road Fragrance Master was shocked and furious.
"Tearing down my headquarters?!"
He shot to his feet, only for a large hand to appear on his shoulder, pressing him back down. Jade Heavenly City held a steel file in his other hand, trying to grind down his rabbit teeth a bit.
"He's on the verge of a breakthrough in comprehension. Let him be."
Road Fragrance Master saw him filing his teeth and wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
Rabbit teeth grew too fast and needed constant gnawing to keep short.
Jade Heavenly City couldn't gnaw like a real rabbit, so he had to file them manually.
The scholar instructor evolving fire talismans into spells was indeed much more impressive.
Road Fragrance Master sincerely praised,
"This spell is slower for singles than a fire talisman, but the casting speed is fast. Many fireballs together make the power even greater!"
Just as he spoke, Chen Shi's gestures shifted, turning to a water talisman. A trickle of water flowed out from the small temple like a water dragon, dancing with his hand seals and sword arts.
It whistled as the water surged greater and greater, roaring mightily, like a whole river whipping around his body!
His earlier fire spell had been fierce and domineering, while this water spell fully displayed his palm force's profundity and versatility!
Road Fragrance Master saw Jade Heavenly City's gaze fixed on Chen Shi and said,
"Hall Master, his commotion is too big. He's not suited to take the Lady and Granny."
Jade Heavenly City nodded slightly. Chen Shi trying to convert talismans to spells created huge disturbances, with qi and blood fluctuations that were hard to hide from experts.
Suddenly, flas erupted under Chen Shi's feet as he tried walking on fire, igniting his clothes and shoes.
Blackie Pot hurriedly fetched a basin of water and doused the fire on Chen Shi.
Before everyone could react, the dog was on fire too, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Chen Shi summoned a surge of water underfoot, trying to walk on waves. But the water kept rising. Instructor Chen's spell went out of control, and he nearly drowned himself.
Blackie Pot dove in, paddling doggy-style to drag Instructor Chen out.
The spell's power faded, and the water vanished.
Jade Heavenly City's eyes lit up.
"The scholar instructor isn't reliable, but the dog is! Give Min River Granny and the Lady to them! We'll draw the attention of the city's big shots to cover their escape!"
Road Fragrance Master hesitated.
"Entrusting the Lady's safety to a dog, Hall Master—is it
who's mad, or you?"
Jade Heavenly City had the cook divide the big fish, giving each person a twenty-jin chunk as rations for the next few days.
"Brother Road, have you noticed anything off about the scholar's family dog these days?"
Road Fragrance Master puzzled,
"What's off? It's perfectly normal! A dog jumping in to save its master—normal.
A dog dousing fire to save its master—normal too."
Jade Heavenly City said,
"I think it's normal too, but if other dogs did that—would you think it normal?"
"Of course that's an evil spirit!"
Road Fragrance Master declared.
"If other dogs did that."
Hearing this, Jade Heavenly City laughed.
"Then the Lady and Granny go with the scholar! With Blackie Pot there, I bet the Lady and Granny outlive us all!"
The cook finished dividing the fish. Chen Shi and Li Tianqing each got a chunk.
Jade Heavenly City glanced at Blackie Pot and ordered an extra chunk for them.
He said gravely,
"Everyone, headquarters is too big a target. We split into ten groups, scattering everywhere.
Rember: no going to the Demon Domain's edge, no approaching the prefectural yan or big shots' hos, no Great Prosperity Zen Temple.
Hide well—the deeper, the better! Away from crowds, steer clear of mushrooms!"
Everyone dispersed.
"Brother Tianqing, Brother Blackie Pot, the Lady and Granny are in your hands."
Jade Heavenly City bowed deeply to Li Tianqing and Blackie Pot, sincerely saying,
"If we survive this demonic upheaval, we'll drink and talk it over with you all!"
Li Tianqing returned the bow. As he straightened, he saw Blackie Pot rear up on hind legs, front paws in fists, bowing deeply in return.
As for Chen Shi, he stood there blankly, as if his brain had been rattled from nearly drowning in his own spell.
Jade Heavenly City left.
Li Tianqing saw Red Mountain Lady and Min River Granny each holding a basin, standing awkwardly to the side.
He said quickly,
"Put the basins in the cart first."
Blackie Pot raised a paw and patted the wooden cart. With a crack, it opened a bloody maw, long tongue flailing.
Li Tianqing jumped in fright and peered inside. The cart was filled with crimson light and writhing flesh, bottomless.
Red Mountain Lady and Min River Granny placed their basins inside. Whoosh—the two dove into their true bodies and vanished.
The wooden cart closed its mouth, looking like an ordinary cart again.
Li Tianqing steadied himself and was about to set off when he saw Blackie Pot hop into the cart, fetch Chen Shi's little knife, slash itself, then grind its blood with cinnabar. Once ready, it began tracing the talisman outlines on the cart.
Seeing the dog so ticulous, Li Tianqing felt ashad and joined in tracing them.
Man and dog each traced once. Blackie Pot hopped onto the cart, pulled out the compass, and barked at Li Tianqing. Li Tianqing realized and climbed aboard.
Blackie Pot spotted their three chunks of fish still unpacked, hopped down, shouldered them onto the cart, and stowed them.
Li Tianqing flushed and lent a hand.
Chen Shi sat in the cart like an idiot, lost in thought about who knows what.
Blackie Pot barked once. The wooden cart started up, following the compass out of Red Mountain Hall headquarters. It wound through the streets, nimbly dodging mushroom giants.
Jade Heavenly City watched them go, then leaped high onto another street. He jumped again, drawing a horde of mushroom giants in hot pursuit.
Others in the city stirred too—especially the starving masses, who went wild at the sight of such a huge rabbit and chased after Jade Heavenly City.
With him drawing eyes, Chen Shi's group slipped away smoothly.
The wooden cart headed out of the city when suddenly a massive boom echoed from within. Li Tianqing
turned to look and saw a golden-bodied great Buddha appear in the city, taller than most buildings—only a bit shorter than Moon-Gazing Tower.
Moon-Gazing Tower was the city's tallest, seven stories high with an observatory on the seventh, usually bustling. The golden Buddha landed beside it. Though a touch shorter, its mushroom cap was even huger than the tower!
The golden Buddha, like a man in a conical hat, punched out with a roar of Buddhist chants, as if a thousand old monks were chanting sutras together!
Beside Moon-Gazing Tower was the Provincial Administration Commissioner's yan. Old Beggar had diverted disaster, luring the golden Buddha there. The commissioner hailed from the Gao family, nad Gao Canghai—a cultivator who had reached the Spirit Descent Realm.
Gao Canghai knew this was a life-or-death mont. If he couldn't stop this demon, his life, property, and entire family would perish here!
He unleashed his Gao family ancestral art, the Wenxiang Righteous Qi Art. His primal spirit flew out, wielding a massive brush like a rafter. Taking heaven and earth as paper and righteous qi as ink, golden script erged around him, weaving ornate prose that attacked the golden Buddha.
Li Tianqing saw this from afar, his thoughts drifting as he praised,
"What a fine Gao family technique!"
Before the words left his mouth, the golden Buddha grabbed Gao Canghai's primal spirit and refined it in an instant, turning it into a mushroom-headed giant.
Li Tianqing's heart jolted. Gao Canghai tried to flee, but the golden Buddha stomped down. Spores sprayed from its mushroom head like colorful streams.
Gao Canghai's head flew off. A massive mushroom cap sprouted from his neck, his body swelling and bursting skin to beco a mushroom giant.
His head and eyes turned into different mushrooms too!
At the sa ti, Gao family cultivators one after another mutated—heads bursting off to beco human-head mushrooms on the ground, bodies into mushroom heads, eyes sprouting mushroom bodies, hopping about.
The golden Buddha raised its hands. Mushroom giants great and small, human-head mushrooms, and eye mushrooms floated up, gathering behind its head into a great ring like a Buddha's halo.
The demonic transformation accelerated.
End of chapter.
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