Cang Yue's Shock

Talismans were not rare.

What was rare was the extraordinary quality of these seven talismans.

Cang Yue came from the Great Yan Dynasty, where she was the esteemed eldest princess. She also had an exceptional talent for cultivation, and she had plenty of dealings with talismans.

Yet even with her breadth of experience, she had never seen talismans of such quality.

A talisman's quality depended on a talisman master's cultivation realm, but it was also closely tied to their inscription technique.

For the same kind of talisman, poor quality would affect its effects and power, as well as how long it could be stored and used.

A high-quality talisman could even produce several times its original effects and power.

If word of these seven talismans got out, all of Spirit Province would go wild over them.

Countless people would spend fortunes to buy them.

Cang Yue knitted her slender brows. She could imagine the frenzy these seven talismans would cause.

Because talismans placed no restrictions on their users, many family clans and factions purchased high-grade talismans for their younger members to carry for protection, as a trump card.

Many factions also supported talisman masters.

The Dragon-Seeking Sect had several such talisman masters in residence.

And Cang Yue herself, in addition to her regular cultivation, was a high-level talisman master.

That was why the sight of these seven talismans of such exceptional quality had made her take them so seriously.

Most importantly, each of the seven talismans was both exceptionally practical and powerful.

The Breath-Concealing Talisman concealed one's presence.

The Protective Talisman defended against attacks.

The Meridian-Sealing Talisman specialized in sealing meridians.

The Sight-Obscuring Talisman created illusions.

The Tiger God Float controlled a spirit tiger.

Of the remaining two, one was an Immortal-Trapping Talisman, and the other was also an Immortal-Trapping Talisman.

Once crushed, a talisman of this quality could trap even her for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

"You may leave."

Cang Yue's expression returned to normal. Parting her red lips, she ordered the woman to leave.

Looking at the seven talismans on the table, Cang Yue once again pictured Chen Ning's fair, handsome face.

She knew that Chen Ning had made all seven talismans.

The Sword Immortal was a giant of the Sword Dao and would not devote himself to studying such a side path. Wine Maniac was even less likely: he did everything with bold, sweeping strokes, so how could he have inscribed something so intricate and exquisitely crafted that it rivaled the work of heaven?

That left only one explanation: these talismans had to be Chen Ning's handiwork.

Could it be... that the old sect leader passed the position to him because he saw his talent for talismans?

As Cang Yue pondered, her ample chest rose and fell beneath her robes. At her cultivation realm, few things could excite her.

Even when the Sword Immortal had visited, she had not lost her composure as she had now.

A long-forgotten excitement slowly welled up within her.

She hurriedly circulated her cultivation art and calmed herself, forcibly suppressing the urge to go and learn this profound method of inscribing talismans at once.

She scarcely dared to examine the talismans on the table again.

The more she looked, the harder it was to resist the urge to investigate.

This also suggested that Chen Ning's talent for talismans might already be almost monstrous.

But how old was he?

Yet he already possessed such terrifying talent.

Given time, his potential would surely be limitless. Perhaps another grandmaster of talismans had appeared in the world.

A grandmaster of talismans like that would surely be held in high esteem, even without any cultivation.

Could that be why the Sword Immortal befriended him too?

Cang Yue ventured a bold guess, but just then, a rumble came from the beauty's stomach. She could not help knitting her slender brows as she took stack after stack of pastries from her storage ring.

Only after eating them did she look at ease.

Only sweets could put Cang Yue at ease.

Early the next morning.

Outside the Law Enforcement Hall.

The injury to Lu Qing's leg had not yet healed, but as soon as he had recovered a little, he had rushed to the Law Enforcement Hall to report Su Ling'er for using private punishment.

For the sake of a pretty boy who had just become sect leader, she had dared to cripple his leg.

He would never let this matter rest!

Su Ling'er was only a protector, and even Chen Ning behind him probably wouldn't dare offend the Law Enforcement Hall.

"Guard Lu, your leg?"

A Law Enforcement Hall disciple invited him inside, a puzzled look on his face.

"To tell you the truth, it's all thanks to Su Ling'er, the protector serving the new sect leader. I'm here to lodge a complaint today!"

Anger flared in Lu Qing's eyes as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"You're reporting Su Ling'er? Then write down what happened first. I'll take it to an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Thank you."

Lu Qing smiled at him, then picked up a brush and filled an entire page with his complaint.

It was a tearful, impassioned account.

On the paper, he described Su Ling'er as a villain who had set up a private torture chamber and a lackey of the new sect leader. He also subtly depicted the new sect leader as a useless fraud.

Lu Qing handed the written complaint to the Law Enforcement Hall disciple, a smile of vengeful satisfaction on his face.

After the disciple left, he remained in the main hall to await news.

Surely, an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall would come to deal with the matter before long.

With nothing else to do, he began listening to the occasional passersby chatting outside the hall.

"Senior brother, you've been in seclusion for a few days, so you probably haven't heard. At the Azure Cloud Rite, Protector Han Zhuang spoke disrespectfully and demanded that the sect leader be removed. The eighth elder slapped him dead with one blow."

"That happened?"

"I saw it with my own eyes. The new sect leader invited the Sword Immortal and Wine Maniac that day. Even the eighth elder was extremely deferential to the sect leader, attending him with great care."

"But I heard the new sect leader had no backing and no one he could call on?"

"Keep your voice down. You'd better be careful. Let me tell you, I heard from the third elder's maid that after all of us disciples had left, the nine elders obeyed the new sect leader's every word and treated him with the utmost respect. Don't ever disrespect the sect leader again..."

"By the way, why would the third elder's maid tell you all this?"

"Heh heh heh... don't ask, senior brother."

The two exchanged a smile, everything left unsaid.

But their conversation outside reached Lu Qing's ears clearly, and he listened in terror.

Lu Qing's face was deathly pale.

The... the legendary nine elders, so far above everyone else, had actually treated the new sect leader with the utmost respect?

He had invited the Sword Immortal and Wine Maniac?

Those two were among the most powerful figures in Spirit Province.

Hadn't people said the new sect leader had no backing?

Hadn't they said he was useless?

How had he suddenly become so damn impressive it scared people to death?

Lu Qing already had an injured leg, and the shock made him suddenly tilt sideways. He fell straight out of his chair and crashed to the floor.

The impact jolted him awake. He had to hurry and intercept the letter he had just written accusing Su Ling'er.

He had spent the past few days treating his injured leg and hadn't heard any of the rumors or news about the sect leader.

If he had known sooner, he wouldn't have dared lodge a complaint even if they beat him to death!

Just then, a figure stepped into the main hall. It was an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall.

"Are you the one reporting Protector Su, who serves the sect leader?"

"N-no... it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding... I'm withdrawing the complaint... withdrawing it!"

Lu Qing shouted haltingly, his voice trembling with fear.

He scrambled and crawled to the elder's feet and pleaded, "Please give me back my written complaint. I'm withdrawing it, withdrawing it."

"The hall master wants to see you. She'll handle this for you personally. Come on, you'll definitely get justice."

The Law Enforcement Hall elder grabbed Lu Qing with one hand and took him toward the inner hall.