Crimson_Lore
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Chapter 76: The Dragon Unleashed with the Brush
🕑 Added 2025-04-21 11:42:57 +0000 UTCAfter carefully storing the spirit-sealing talisman, Wu Qing's complexion visibly improved by the afternoon. However, as a talisman designed to assist body cultivation practitioners in advancing, using it to treat diarrhea seemed a bit of an overuse. Despite this, Chen Xiao was quite satisfied with the result, he had successfully drawn an effective talisman.
Because the talisman was made of paper, cultivators like Tong Nuonuo referred to it as a "paper talisman." Chen Xiao, ever the agreeable one, quickly adopted the term as well.
The following morning, Wu Qing's diarrhea had improved significantly, and he was ready to continue the journey. When Chen Xiao suggested examining the paper talisman, Wu Qing didn't hesitate and promptly handed it over.
The paper talisman, once vibrant and glowing with the intricate talismanic lines, had now turned dull. The paper, too, had lost its previously fresh appearance and had become faded.
Wu Qing stared in surprise, "Why has the paper talisman turned like this?"
Chen Xiao, with a serious expression, replied, "It might be due to my limited knowledge and insufficient skill. This paper talisman’s effect can only last for less than a day."
Tong Nuonuo approached, taking the paper talisman from Chen Xiao's hands and inspecting it closely. With certainty, she said, "It's not your fault. The issue lies with the materials of the paper talisman. The energy contained within them was minimal to begin with, so its effectiveness was always going to be short-lived."
Wu Qing, unconcerned, replied, "It’s fine. I'm in good health now, and we can continue our journey." He was already surprised that a paper talisman created by an ordinary person like Chen Xiao could have such an effect. The short duration seemed reasonable.
Chen Xiao, however, said, "Wu Qing, your health is not completely recovered. Your injuries are still healing. Please wait a moment while I prepare another paper talisman to make your journey more comfortable." He then turned to Du Rong to fetch a wild chicken.
Wu Qing opened his mouth, intending to decline the trouble, but after a moment’s thought, he decided that a spirit-sealing talisman could still be useful. While its effect wouldn’t be as powerful as a recovery pill, it would still benefit his injuries.
Tong Nuonuo, however, had a different perspective. Though no one had directly spoken about it, Wu Qing’s diarrhea earlier was clearly a sign that his body was still weak from exhaustion, leading to reduced digestive function. With the spirit-sealing talisman to nourish him, at least Wu Qing wouldn't suffer from frequent diarrhea and delay their progress. Taking a little time each day to catch a wild chicken and prepare a talisman wouldn't delay them for long. The remaining time could be used for travel, which would be far more efficient than staying in one place while Wu Qing fully recovered.
Soon, Du Rong returned with a wild chicken and slaughtered it. Chen Xiao took enough for a small bowl and began preparing the drawing materials. He sat in silence, clearing his mind and focusing. Meanwhile, Tong Nuonuo set up the mechanism box and arranged everything else.
The blooded wild chicken wasn’t wasted. Du Rong took it to a downwind spot and began preparing it for lunch.
Half an hour later, Chen Xiao finished his meditation and began drawing. With the experience of the previous day, his talisman drawing came much smoother, the brushstrokes carrying more momentum.
After waiting a bit longer, the paper talisman dried. They packed up their belongings and resumed their journey.
Chen Xiao had originally been optimistic, thinking they could return to Immortal Master Xi’s valley in just a few days. He longed for the talisman furnace and talismanic icebox there. Though he couldn't use them, the women from Changjia Village who often traveled with their group were skilled, and one of them had even delivered food to them. The variety of vegetables in the icebox had amazed him, though he could only watch. Du Rong could manage with some oil and salt, but it wasn’t the most delicious.
What he didn’t expect was that the area Xi Yunqing had guided him through earlier had taken them ten full days to cross. The mountains were steep and treacherous. The terrain was dangerous even for Chen Xiao, let alone Wu Qing. Everyone now appreciated the spirit-sealing talisman. Without it, Wu Qing could have easily lost his footing in the perilous landscape. Given his current state, any fall could have been fatal. Tong Nuonuo might have been able to save him, but both of them would likely fall with him. Without Chen Xiao and Du Rong, they would be lost.
Thankfully, they passed through the dangerous area without incident, reaching the starting point of the mountain crossing. There were just three days left to the valley. Each morning, Chen Xiao would draw a new talisman for Wu Qing. Drawing talismans not only helped Chen Xiao hone his concentration, but also extended the duration of the talisman’s effectiveness to a full day. He realized that while talisman drawing didn’t require high cultivation, it was heavily influenced by the spirit and focus of the person drawing.
Chen Xiao asked Tong Nuonuo earnestly if cultivators also trained their spirits. Tong Nuonuo explained that mental cultivation was essential.
The stages of Dao cultivation were divided into nine major realms: Gathering Qi, Body Refinement, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Out of Body, Dividing Spirit, Combining Body, and Crossing Tribulation.
Each of these major stages had nine smaller levels, each broken down further into initial, mid, and late phases. For instance, Tong Nuonuo was currently at the second level of the Foundation Building stage, which was considered an early stage. He also mentioned that his spiritual root was of high grade, a three-element root consisting of gold, water, and wood.
After Foundation Building, cultivators needed to focus on mental training, especially in the Out of Body stage, where spiritual power became paramount.
Upon hearing Tong Nuonuo’s detailed explanation, Chen Xiao immediately recognized the importance of cultivating mental strength. If he neglected this aspect, when he reached a semi-immortal body, he would be like a porcelain bottle, hard on the outside but hollow inside. In the event of a spiritual attack, he would be utterly defenseless.
A cold sweat broke out on Chen Xiao’s forehead as he realized how important this was. He was relieved to have realized it early on, avoiding a wrong path.
For the next two days, Chen Xiao focused even more on drawing talismans.
On the final morning, Chen Xiao quietly pulled Tong Nuonuo aside and asked to borrow a small amount of mineral essence.
Tong Nuonuo replied, "That essence already belongs to you. There's no need to borrow it. But what do you need it for?"
Chen Xiao, a bit embarrassed, said, "I want to use the mineral essence to replace the minerals in the drawing materials for today’s paper talisman."
Tong Nuonuo nearly went mad. "What? You want to use such precious mineral essence to make a one-time-use paper talisman?" If it weren’t for the fact that Chen Xiao was the one asking, Tong Nuonuo might have lost his temper. This was a huge waste!
Even if one was going to make a paper talisman, it should be for something powerful or high-grade. This kind of talisman, meant for use in the Qi Refining stage, would always be of low grade, no matter how expensive the materials.
Chen Xiao, sensing the gravity of his request, said earnestly, "I know this is excessive, but it’s really important to me. Just a little bit will be enough. You know how much I use every day. Just a tiny amount, less than half a penny’s worth."
Tong Nuonuo took a deep breath. After hearing how important it was to Chen Xiao, his emotions calmed. "If you want to use something else as a substitute, I have plenty of options in my mechanism box. Feel free to choose. What you’re using is just common minerals, and I have plenty of metal and earth minerals you can choose from."
Chen Xiao looked at him apologetically and said, "Only with the mineral essence can I achieve the best results."
In the end, despite his reluctance to waste such precious material, Tong Nuonuo gave Chen Xiao enough to create one paper talisman.
This time, Tong Nuonuo personally helped prepare the drawing materials. Chen Xiao’s meditation time was longer than ever before, and even Du Rong and Wu Qing were affected by the atmosphere, holding their breath in concentration.
When Chen Xiao finally opened his eyes and took up his brush, it was with more force than ever before. He drew a deep breath, and the brush hit the paper, almost piercing it. His movements were fast, and the lines he created seemed to take on a life of their own, like a dragon soaring through the sky with tremendous power!
