The Art of Talismans

"Yu Shitou? What kind of ghost name is that?"

Zhou Yi recalled every prisoner in the jail and was certain there was no such person.

There was no shortage in the martial world of formidable men born at the bottom who clawed their way up. Yet once they rose to power, they would all change to a domineering title.

A gang leader called Li Ergou, a Sword God called Zhang Tiezhu—wouldn't that make their fellow martial artists laugh themselves to death?

As a result, many experts had similar titles, constantly using characters such as Xiao, Ba, Hao, and Lie. Most likely, they had hired the very same person to name them.

"I have seen much in my time, yet I have never heard of this man. You brat still dare to spin lies?"

Sword Qi circled above Yu Jie's head, slowly making a turn. Strands of hair drifted to the floor; if it tilted even half an inch, it would have split open his skull.

"Senior, please quell your anger. This junior has absolutely not deceived you..."

Yu Jie trembled with fear. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Yu Shitou was my ancestor's original name. He had another title outside—Yellow Sky King!"

"Yellow Sky King..."

Zhou Yi's voice drifted ethereally, as though recalling the past. "This old man met him once. I heard him speak of the Cang Huang Rebellion. The Jiangnan Aristocratic Families were behind it all, and in the end, the two Heavenly Kings became abandoned pawns!"

"What Senior says is correct. Back then, Azure Sky King had my ancestor's talismans to aid him. Even Li Wu could not gain the upper hand against him."

Yu Jie said indignantly, "The Jiangnan Aristocratic Families originally supported my ancestor, but secretly defected to the imperial court. They tricked my ancestor and Azure Sky King into drinking a strange poison. Otherwise, how could Innate Grandmasters possibly have been captured alive!"

"So that was it."

Zhou Yi was suddenly enlightened. Only after using demonic arts to break through to the Innate realm did he understand just how powerful Azure Sky King had been back then.

Li Wu had captured him alive. Zhou Yi had thought it was due to extraordinary talent, but the truth was that he had been poisoned.

The famed general whose name was known throughout the land, whom everyone called upright and honorable—who would have thought that he too used such underhanded methods?

The smug satisfaction in Zhou Yi's heart was like having a basin of cold water poured over it.

Innate Grandmasters were invincible among mortals, but they were not immortal. Enemies had traps, poisons, curse magic, and all manner of vicious methods.

One careless misstep, and he would follow in Azure Sky King's footsteps!

"How will you prove that you are Yellow Sky King's descendant?"

"This talisman is called a Shadow Talisman. It is a secret talisman art passed down by my ancestor. The Shadow Guard, which once shook Jiangnan, originated from it."

Yu Jie took a talisman from his robes. Vermilion cinnabar had been smeared across it in ghostly, crooked strokes. "When the imperial army breached the Heavenly King's residence, this junior relied on this talisman to hide himself and barely escaped disaster."

Zhou Yi asked, "What does this talisman do?"

Yu Jie replied, "The Shadow Talisman can summon mist to protect the body and blend one into the night, as though becoming invisible."

Zhou Yi ordered, "Use it. Let me broaden my horizons!"

When Zhou Yi had sensed danger in the Heavenly Prison years ago, he had hurriedly fled to avoid trouble. After that, he had never seen Yellow Sky King again.

He had originally believed that the folk tales of Yellow Sky King treating illnesses with talisman water were merely a strategy to gather faith and make rebellion easier.

Now, it seemed there truly were several mysterious methods at work.

The art of talismans had already stepped beyond mortal martial arts. It resembled more the methods of cultivators, filling Zhou Yi with anticipation.

Yu Jie did not dare refuse. He poured inner qi into the talisman, and the Shadow Talisman spontaneously ignited without flame, turning to ash.

A cloud of black mist rose out of nowhere within the cell, wrapping around Yu Jie for half a foot. From afar, it looked pitch-black, almost merging with the night itself.

Zhou Yi asked, "Do you have any other talismans?"

"Several years ago, while evading the Brocade Guard's pursuit, this junior used up all his offensive talismans. Only a few Shadow Talismans and Swift Travel Talismans remain."

Yu Jie took out another talisman, its patterns different from those on the Shadow Talisman.

Hidden in the darkness, Zhou Yi watched Yu Jie for a while. He could not be sure whether this brat truly had no offensive talismans. What if, once he revealed himself, Yu Jie blasted him with several giant fireballs?

Innate Grandmasters had only barely set foot upon the path of cultivation. They might not necessarily be able to withstand spirit talismans.

"Did Yellow Sky King not pass the art of talismans down to you?"

Yu Jie pondered briefly before saying, "He passed down some of it, but this junior's talent is dull, and he failed to comprehend it."

Zhou Yi did not conceal his intentions. His tone was fierce and overbearing. "I am very interested in the art of talismans. How about trading your life for it?"

Yu Jie had already decided that Zhou Yi was some old monster of the martial world. Such people were temperamental and violent, so he did not dare refuse in the slightest.

With a ripping sound, he tore open his sleeve and took out a blue-covered booklet hidden inside. "The talisman arts passed down by my ancestor are all recorded here. Senior may take them and study them as you please."

Zhou Yi asked again, "Since you have the inheritance, why did you come to this Heavenly Prison?"

"Senior does not know this: my ancestor only passed down the introductory talisman arts. Then a sudden upheaval occurred, and he was unable to leave behind a complete inheritance."

Yu Jie explained, "Even for the introductory talisman arts, this junior has studied them for years without grasping their essence. I could only place my hopes on finding the later portions. Perhaps then I could master the art of talismans."

"Ke ke ke!"

A string of strange laughter reached Yu Jie's ears, and Zhou Yi's voice carried chilling killing intent.

"You brat, after saying all this, are you trying to drive the tiger to devour the wolf and use my hand to search for the talisman inheritance?"

Yu Jie obediently admitted it. "This junior has searched every place where my ancestor might have left an inheritance. Now only the Heavenly Prison and the Imperial Prison remain."

"The Imperial Prison..."

Zhou Yi had long since searched the Heavenly Prison, so Yellow Sky King's talisman arts were very likely hidden in the Brocade Guard's Imperial Prison.

The Imperial Prison was fraught with danger, even more so than the Heavenly Prison!

"The world says that Yellow Sky King received teachings from an extraordinary person and cultivated the art of talismans. Is that true?"

"I would not dare hide it from Senior!"

Yu Jie sensed the killing intent gradually fading and secretly breathed a sigh of relief before answering truthfully.

"What the world knows was merely a pretense my ancestor spread. Back then, droughts came year after year, and the dog emperor kept raising taxes. My ancestor entered a Daoist temple only so he could eat."

"Who would have known that even the temple had no grain or rice? My ancestor was unwilling to starve to death, so he posed as a wandering Daoist on the surface while secretly making a living by robbing tombs."

"The art of talismans was dug out from a tomb on Mount Dai. After my ancestor mastered it, he treated illnesses with talisman water and accepted quite a few disciples..."

There was no need to continue. Yellow Sky King's disciples had spread across Jiangnan, and many were children of aristocratic families. Once the two joined forces, they raised the banner of rebellion and proclaimed themselves Heavenly Kings!

Zhou Yi scrutinized Yu Jie for a moment. In the end, he did not kill him and merely ordered, "Leave the booklet behind. You brat may go."

"Many thanks, Senior!"

Joy appeared on Yu Jie's face. He repeatedly bowed in all directions, carefully placed the booklet on the ground, and hurriedly left the Heavenly Prison.

Zhou Yi did not take the booklet. Instead, he secretly followed Yu Jie to a detached residence in Desheng Ward.

Yu Jie relaxed slightly, quickly gathered his gold, silver, and valuables, then headed straight for Shenjing's western gate.

The soldiers on duty seemed acquainted with Yu Jie. After accepting several silver notes, they lowered a hanging basket and sent him out.

"This brat has a future ahead of him!"

Zhou Yi stood atop the city wall, watching Yu Jie's figure disappear.

He returned to the Heavenly Prison.

Cell A-2.

The blue-covered booklet lay quietly on the floor, untouched by anyone.

Zhou Yi used a wooden stick to turn the pages one by one. No offensive talismans activated. Then he found some rats and had them gnaw through several pages, confirming there was no deadly poison that would strike upon touch.

Innate True Essence wrapped around his hands as he picked up the booklet and read it page by page.

"Methods for making talisman paper and talisman brushes; beast blood mixed into cinnabar... one must calm the mind when drawing talismans... inner qi gathered at the brush tip... completed in one breath, without interruption..."

The contents recorded in the booklet were not proper talisman arts. They were more like Yu Jie's class notes, mixed with many insights whose correctness was unknown.

Zhou Yi flipped to the final pages, where four complete talisman designs were drawn.

"Dust-Cleansing Talisman, House-Protecting Talisman, Shadow Talisman, Light-Body Talisman!"