Chapter 22: Talent (1)
Ji Yuan nodded in agreent, and by the ti he arrived ho, dusk had already fallen.
Just as he was about to unlock his courtyard gate, the neighboring Lin family's gate suddenly opened, and Wu Qin peeked out halfway.
"Ji... Brother Ji," Wu Qin called out softly.
"What's the matter?"
"Lin Hu... Lin Hu went to Zengtou Market with Deng Yunliang tonight. He said he won't be back tonight..."
Wu Qin's voice grew quieter as she spoke, and by the end, she had lowered her head deeply.
Ji Yuan was montarily stunned, pausing even in opening his door, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Perhaps they have so business to attend to."
Ji Yuan smiled and pushed open his courtyard gate.
"No... it's not that. Lin Hu went behind my back. I'm worried they're up to sothing bad."
"Then you should try to dissuade him more."
With that, Ji Yuan entered his house and closed the door. He could sense the underlying aning in Wu Qin's words, but he didn't want to get involved, nor could he afford to.
What kind of bad things could happen in Zengtou Market?
Plenty.
Moreover, everyone has the right to choose their own path. Ji Yuan wouldn't criticize others for their choices.
Staring at the locked gate next door, Wu Qin remained silent for a long ti before sighing and quietly closing the door.
Back ho, Ji Yuan first inspected his house to ensure everything was in order.
Once he confird there were no changes to the buildings, he took out the book "Introduction to Talisman Dao."
Although he hadn't slept the previous night, Ji Yuan didn't feel tired.
Cultivators who temper their bodies can go two nights without sleep—it's a minor issue.
After studying for half the night, he finally gained so understanding of the art of talisman drawing in the cultivation world.
Drawing talismans involves three steps: first, drawing the talisman head to set the spiritual pivot.
Second, locking the spiritual pattern at the talisman corners.
The final and most crucial step is activating the spirit.
It seed simple... and actually, it didn't seem too difficult. Ji Yuan imdiately took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from his storage pouch and turned to the page on the "Calm Mind Talisman."
He read it several tis, then practiced copying it on regular paper. After repeatedly ensuring there were no mistakes, he picked up the green bamboo brush.
The paper was green hemp paper, and the ink was vermilion-black ink.
After preparing everything, Ji Yuan infused a bit of spiritual energy into the green bamboo brush. Instantly, the brush emitted a faint green glow.
He steadied his mind and began to draw according to the book's instructions.
Steady and precise, he continued outlining the talisman, channeling spiritual energy through the brush, creating strokes like dragons and snakes.
Ji Yuan couldn't help but feel pleased. It seed he had so talent in talisman crafting.
But just as his mind wavered, his hand faltered, and the entire sheet of green hemp paper spontaneously combusted.
Watching the talisman paper turn to ash and dissipate.
Ji Yuan imdiately cald down. That wasn't just paper burning—it was money!
After a while, Ji Yuan regained his composure and picked up the brush again.
With the previous experience, he maintained a tranquil mind this ti.
Holding the green bamboo brush, he completed the drawing in one go.
Looking at the semi-finished Calm Mind Talisman on the table, Ji Yuan finally smiled.
It seed he indeed had so talent in talisman drawing.
Only the final step remained... activating the spirit.
Activating the spirit involved injecting spiritual energy into the talisman paper, triggering the previously embedded spiritual power, making the talisman co alive. Only then would the talisman be complete.
After calming his mind, Ji Yuan picked up the brush again and gently tapped the talisman, infusing it with spiritual energy.
The talisman... burned.
"Damn it!"
Ji Yuan couldn't help but curse as he watched the brilliant flare on the table.
There was no choice but to try again.
Fortunately, this was only the second talisman paper, so Ji Yuan wasn't too distressed.
But then the third, fourth, fifth... up to the tenth all burned, and Ji Yuan began to feel the pain.
Sothing was wrong; there had to be an issue sowhere.
Ji Yuan set down his brush and pondered his recent experiences.
The drawing process was undoubtedly correct.
The problem lay in the activation step.
When in doubt, consult the book.
Ji Yuan reopened "Introduction to Talisman Dao" and carefully reviewed the content word by word... but there was nothing wrong.
Before long, dawn broke. Ji Yuan tried drawing a few more talismans, but the results were the sa.
Staring at the small pile of ashes on the table, Ji Yuan finally accepted reality.
No wonder the cultivation world emphasizes ntorship. Without a master, one can't even get started with talisman drawing... Ji Yuan rubbed his temples.
Do I need to find a Talisman Dao master?
Talisman... Suddenly, a na popped into Ji Yuan's mind.
Lu Wan!
She was a talisman prodigy in Zengtou Market and had apprenticed under the renowned Master Wu Wenbin. Seeking her help for this minor issue shouldn't be a problem.
But he wasn't sure if this involved any ntorship protocols... Well, he could just ask.
If it didn't work out, he could consider finding a master.
Just as Ji Yuan finished feeding the Green-Yellow Chickens and Spiritual Pigs and collected the Spiritual Eggs, he heard Deng Yunliang and Lin Hu laughing outside.
The two had spent the entire night in Zengtou Market and returned at dawn.
Judging by their deanor, they seed to have had a good ti.
But what exactly they did remained unknown.
Ji Yuan deliberately waited in the courtyard for a while. Once he heard the gates of both neighboring courtyards close, he quietly left.
He first went to Lu Wan's house and t her uncle, Lu Song.
Perhaps due to years of comfortable living and staying away from the water, Lu Song, who Ji Yuan rembered as dark and thin, had beco a rather plump middle-aged man.
Seeing Ji Yuan, Lu Song was naturally a bit surprised.
"Looking for Wan'er? She went to Master Wu's place and won't be back until evening."
The two families had interacted in the past, and Ji Yuan had always had a good relationship with Lu Wan, so Lu Song didn't hide anything and told him the truth.
Ji Yuan understood and chatted with Lu Song for a while before politely declining the invitation to stay for lunch and taking his leave.
Lu Song stood at the door, hands tucked into his sleeves, watching him depart.
After a mont, a woman's voice ca from inside the house, "Ji Qingyun's son? He's quite handso, but unfortunately, looks aren't worth much."
The speaker was naturally Lu Wan's mother, Lu Song's wife, Li Qiuling.
Unlike Lu Song, who maintained so semblance of the relationship, she couldn't be bothered to show her face. So even though she saw Ji Yuan, she didn't co out.
Dressed in splendid clothes, Lu Song shook his head.
"Without parents, yet breaking through to mid-stage Qi Refining at such a young age... he might be worth sothing."
Lu Song had reached the fifth level of Qi Refining years ago and had recently approached the threshold of the sixth level.
Being ticulous by nature and seasoned with age, even though Ji Yuan concealed his aura well, Lu Song still sensed sothing unusual.
A mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator at that age either had exceptional talent or strong backing.
Either way, it indicated that Ji Yuan wasn't simple.
"What? Mid-stage Qi Refining?"
Li Qiuling asked in surprise.
Reaching mid-stage Qi Refining was normal, but achieving it before the age of twenty was rare in Zengtou Market.
Combined with Ji Yuan's rare good looks, calling him a young talent in Zengtou Market wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Unaware of this, Ji Yuan, after so inquiries, finally stopped in front of a grand mansion in Zengtou Market.
Only the wealthy and noble could afford such a residence in Zengtou Market.
Wu Wenbin, being a talisman master capable of drawing top-grade first-tier talismans, naturally belonged to the wealthy and noble.
Not to ntion, he had a group of talisman-drawing disciples under him who contributed significantly each month.
It was said that with his talisman skills, he could have joined the Water Dragon Sect, but he chose not to.
Everyone has their own way of life. If he joined the Water Dragon Sect, he'd be just another soldier, following orders.
But now, he could wield power in Zengtou Market.
Ji Yuan knocked on the gate of the Wu residence.
There was no gatekeeper; the door was opened by one of Wu Wenbin's disciples.
"Who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Lu Wan," Ji Yuan cupped his hands slightly.
"Looking for Junior Sister Lu?"
The white-robed man who opened the door imdiately scrutinized Ji Yuan, his gaze not particularly friendly.
Ji Yuan didn't want to engage in any drama over a female cultivator, especially since he had no other intentions toward Lu Wan, so he added,
"Yes, she's my sister."
As expected, upon hearing this, the white-robed man's eyes imdiately ward.
"I see... Fellow Daoist, please co in. Junior Sister Lu has been attempting to draw mid-grade talismans lately. She truly has great talent."
"Master is preparing to have her participate in next year's Water Dragon Sect selection."
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