Back at Spirit Plant Mountain, Li An took out his talisman brush and papers.
The brush he’d bought from Xu Qiuhui wasn’t completely worn out and could still be used, but he stored it carefully for now.
He pulled out the new brush.
“Fla Talismans, Chill Wind Talismans, and Earth Shield Talismans—the more, the better!” he murmured.
In his fight with Fan Jie, he’d only been 95% sure of success.
First poisoning Fan Jie to cripple his cultivation, then unleashing all his talismans… it was still risky.
If Fan Jie hadn’t pushed him so far, Li An wouldn’t have taken the chance to kill him.
He began crafting the three High Grade Talismans.
His skills had grown sharper, success rate climbing. Using all 100 sheets, he made ten Fla Talismans, four Chill Wind Talismans, and three Earth Shield Talismans.
Seventeen total!
For First Rank Low Grade Talismans, a near-20% success rate was outstanding, even in the Clear Sun Sect.
“With my ntal strength, I can draw 100 Low Grade First Rank Talismans without feeling tired. In battle, I can control ten at once!” Li An nodded happily. The talismans boosted his sense of security.
The remaining 43 sheets he used for other talismans.
“It’s been a year since I made Spirit Gathering Talismans. Ti to try Qi Recovery Talismans!”
Qi Recovery Talismans, also Low Grade First Rank, were slightly better than Spirit Gathering Talismans but below High Grade ones. They sold better, letting cultivators quickly restore spiritual qi from spirit stones.
Especially useful for low-level cultivators in combat.
They fetched a better price too. Three Spirit Gathering Talismans sold for one spirit stone, but three Qi Recovery Talismans could get one and a half, half a stone each!
Li An found them easy to make but had delayed to match a typical talisman maker’s growth tiline.
Holding the brush, he focused, slowly tracing the runes…
That night, from the 43 sheets, he made 15 Spirit Gathering Talismans and five Qi Recovery Talismans.
…
Ti flew by.
Half a year has passed.
The past six months were calm. Li An regularly sold Spirit Gathering and Qi Recovery Talismans at the market, gaining a small reputation.
A nial becoming a talisman master was news among low-tier disciples.
He visited Nurture Path Residence three tis but never saw Xu Qiuhui.
His cultivation sped up, no longer limited by spirit stones. He used them daily.
Just for regular training, he burned through about five stones a month.
Stones had purer qi, absorbed faster. His Life Seed’s second leaf grew broader and thicker.
He also kept refining his Water Arrow Technique and Light Step Technique.
Though his realm capped further progress, he could now control the Star Glow Dagger as precisely as his water arrows, turning the sharp-but-simple blade into a flying sword!
Four months later, the sect exam lood.
One day, Li An reviewed his gains over the past year.
From selling talismans, plus Spirit Plant Mountain’s rations and extra harvest rewards, after daily cultivation costs, he had 23 spirit stones left.
He always carried 30 Fla Talismans, ten Chill Wind Talismans, and ten Earth Shield Talismans—a “wealthy” stash for a low-level cultivator.
Most importantly, his Life Seed’s second leaf reached full growth, and a third leaf sprouted.
He went into seclusion, aiming for the Third Layer of Qi Refining.
…
Half a month later, Li An erged, his aura stronger.
In his dantian, the Life Seed bore a third leaf.
He felt refreshed!
“My lifespan’s probably around 180 years now!” he thought calmly. Steady progress like this might truly give him a shot at immortality.
With the Life Seed’s growth, his vitality and ntal strength surged.
His spirit root was slowly changing too. Still a Low Grade Yellow Tier Spirit Root, but his sense for the Great Path and spiritual qi grew sharper.
Typically, a Low Grade Yellow Tier Spirit Root had a sensitivity of about 30.
Now, Li An felt he was around 40.
At 60, he’d reach a Mid Grade Yellow Tier Spirit Root, rivaling Mu Qingwan, the top entrant back then.
For the next while, he solidified his realm.
One day, in the forest, Li An sat on a rock 100 ters from a stream, listening to faint ripples in a pond. He ford eight water arrows, shooting them rapidly into the water.
Splash, splash!
Eight fish thrashed briefly before floating dead.
“My hearing catches insect hums 100 ters away… Water Arrow Technique reaches 100 ters, firing eight arrows at once!” he murmured.
Channeling qi, he levitated the Star Glow Dagger, then shot it out!
Thirty ters away, a thick tree was pierced, blood seeping from the hole.
Two woodpeckers, caught mid-affection, were killed by his pinpoint strike!
“In combat, with talismans for cover and the ‘flying dagger’ for surprise, even a Fourth Layer Qi Refining cultivator might not block it.”
Li An stood, satisfied, retrieved the dagger, and returned to Spirit Plant Mountain.
That night, he took a hot bath and slept soundly. The next morning, he packed his two brushes, unsold Qi Recovery Talismans, and four remaining spirit stones, heading out.
After three years on Spirit Plant Mountain, it was ti to leave.
“Li An, you off to the sect exam?” Wang Zilin limped over, emotions swirling in his eyes.
“Yeah.”
“We three ca to Spirit Plant Mountain together. Now Susu’s gone, I’m crippled, and you’re the only one moving forward. That’s good…” Wang Zilin’s eyes held sadness and reluctance. With Li An gone, he’d be alone.
“Here’s so rice, the best I picked from the fields these past days!” He handed Li An a small bag of fine rice.
His hands were calloused. In just three years, he’d aged, looking more like a mortal farr than a cultivator.
Li An sighed softly and took it.
“Keep this talisman. If the new Spirit Plant Mountain overseer skims your rations, give it to them.” Li An handed him a Qi Recovery Talisman.
Wang Zilin’s eyes widened. “No, this is too valuable. I can’t take it… I didn’t give you rice for this.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Li An pressed it into his hand and turned to leave.
A hundred ters out, he stopped and looked back. “Rember, your ration is one stone a month, not half!”
Then he walked away without looking back.
Wang Zilin, caught in his gratitude, froze. “What?!”
“Bloodsucker Li, you’ve been skimming all along? You’re ruthless!” He gritted his teeth, staring at Li An’s back, eyes red, shouting, “Li Bloodsucker, co back and visit soti!”
His voice echoed across the empty Spirit Plant Mountain.
…
By noon, Li An reached the outer sect, buzzing with activity. On a wide open area, the Alchemy Hall, Tool Forging Hall, Talisman Hall, and dicine Hall had set up spaces to screen applicants.
The three main halls—Alchemy, Tool Forging, and Talisman—drew the longest lines.
For average registered disciples to aim for official disciple status, they needed at least Fifth Layer Qi Refining and lots of contribution points.
Few could manage that.
So, most dread of joining the three main halls.
Alchemy, Tool Forging, and Talisman Halls offered the best benefits and easiest work.
“Brother Li, you made it!” Wang Dazhu and Zhao Xianchuan approached, eyes bright with excitent.
They exchanged encouragent before heading to their chosen halls.
“Hm?” Li An noticed two striking girls walking together, chatting and laughing.
One, in a pale yellow dress, tall and stunning, was Xu Qiuhui.
The other, in a light white pear-blossom robe, resembled a jasmine flower—black hair, fair skin, just as beautiful as Xu Qiuhui but with a livelier, more spirited vibe.
If Xu Qiuhui was cool and commanding, this girl was vibrant and clever.
Li An didn’t join the line. He approached and bowed. “Greetings, Immortal Xu!”
Xu Qiuhui smiled. “Qingxue, this is Li An, the talisman maker I ntioned.”
Li An caught the shift in how she addressed him.
The girl, Qingxue, looked at him, surprised. “I know him! Spirit Plant Mountain’s Li An. Since he started selling at the market, our Talisman Hall disciples can’t move Spirit Gathering or Qi Recovery Talismans there… His are better quality.”
Her eyes held a playful glint. “Talk about eting a rival!”
Li An smiled. “My apologies for that.”
He pulled out two Fla Talismans, offering one to each. “Immortal Xu, I recently managed to make two Fla Talismans. A small token.”
To the white-robed girl, “A gesture of apology!”
Qingxue’s eyes widened as she took the Fla Talisman, studying it closely. A serious look crept into her gaze.
…
(Chapter End)
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