Qi Condensation First Level, Beginning Talisman Crafting

The next day, at dawn.

Zhong Bai slowly opened his eyes from a deep sleep. Just as he was about to get up, a wave of soreness instantly swept through his entire body.

As his memories returned, Zhong Bai couldn't help but smile wryly.

Drawing lightning into my body nearly cost me half my life. As expected, lightning has never been easy to control throughout history…

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Bai didn't dwell on it. After lying there for a full hour, he finally felt the soreness in his body begin to ease.

Sitting cross-legged, Zhong Bai narrowed his eyes, immediately sensing the changes within his body.

His meridians had widened considerably after the purple lightning passed through them, and the impurities in his body had been further expelled.

Most importantly, the original thundercloud in his dantian had transformed into a faintly discernible lightning imprint—his lightning cultivation seed.

In the future, as he continued to cultivate and improve, once the lightning imprint fully materialized, he would be able to summon heavenly lightning for his own use at any time.

"Now that the lightning imprint has formed, the next step is to focus on improving my cultivation.

Let's set a small goal: reach the first level of Qi Condensation within three months!"

Thinking of this, a bright smile finally appeared on Zhong Bai's face.

In truth, with the lightning imprint in his dantian, he could already be considered at the first level of Qi Condensation.

However, the lightning power within the imprint couldn't sustain Zhong Bai's unlimited use.

Therefore, he needed to form a spiritual cloud from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth beside the lightning imprint in his dantian to supply spiritual energy to the imprint, ensuring continuous flow. As his cultivation advanced, the lightning imprint would be constantly nourished, leading to infinite possibilities in the future.

Stars twinkled. This was the second month after Zhong Bai drew lightning into his body.

For a full month, Zhong Bai repeated the same actions every day: absorbing the spiritual energy between heaven and earth and refining it into his dantian.

At this moment, Zhong Bai was beaming with joy. In his dantian, a cloud formed by converging spiritual energy was constantly churning, echoing the lightning imprint. As the spiritual cloud fully materialized, Crack! The meridians in Zhong Bai's body instantly felt as if a river had rushed through them. The spiritual cloud formed, and he entered the first level of Qi Condensation!

Narrowing his eyes, Zhong Bai was excited. He had spent a full month to step through the threshold of the cultivation world.

According to his master, True Immortal Qianyuan, only by entering the first level of Qi Condensation could one pursue further studies in the various halls of Maoshan.

In fact, the cultivation method Zhong Bai needed to supplement after breaking through to the first level of Qi Condensation had already been decided: the talisman art from the Talisman Hall!

As one of the Three Talisman Sects, Maoshan's proficiency in talismanic divine abilities had always been at the pinnacle of the Daoist sects. To say they were first might be a bit arrogant, But to say they were second, no one in Maoshan would disagree.

"Mist gathers into clouds, becoming a Qi Condensation Master.

Clouds gather into rain, becoming a Foundation Establishment True Human.

Rain condenses into a core, becoming a Golden Core True Monarch.

The core nurtures its soul, becoming a Nascent Soul Dao Lord.

The soul cultivates its spirit, becoming a Soul Transformation Ancestor.

The spirit merges with the body, becoming an Integration Grandmaster.

The body endures the lightning tribulation, immortal bones are born, revered as a Human Immortal!

Alas, the road is long and arduous; I will strive to seek it. Fortunately, all Zhong desires in this life are the two words, Foundation Establishment. As for immortality, I'll treat it as an illusion."

As Zhong Bai broke through to the first level of Qi Condensation, while feeling joy, he also truly understood why the saying "If one learns the Dao in the morning, one can die content in the evening" held such truth.

He had only spent a month. It was hard for Zhong Bai to imagine how those True Lords and Dao Monarchs who often entered secluded cultivation for decades managed to pass such long periods.

In the Law Enforcement Hall.

True Immortal Qianyuan's slightly narrowed eyes gradually opened. He casually glanced in Zhong Bai's direction, and his divine sense, coming from a Foundation Establishment Peak expert, effortlessly perceived everything.

"Senior Brother Qianyuan, aren't you going to take a look?"

Beside him, Liu Gang, the second elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, who had been silent, slowly spoke.

Liu Gang hadn't initially thought highly of this disciple taken by his senior brother, the chief elder. After all, wanting to enter the Foundation Establishment realm within twenty years was quite difficult.

However, Liu Gang hadn't expected that both his senior brother, as the master, and Zhong Bai, as the disciple, would so resolutely stake their hopes on the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art.

This boldness moved Liu Gang.

From his perspective as a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, Zhong Bai might have some minor flaws in talent, but his temperament and his desire for the Dao were exceptionally firm.

After considering their complementary qualities, Liu Gang began to take Zhong Bai seriously, even actively paying attention to him.

Cui Cheng, the third elder, had no interest in the conversation between his two senior brothers.

Hmm, it's easy to talk when you're not the one doing the work. Cui Cheng's own talent was ordinary; he had barely managed to reach Foundation Establishment just as the leadership was changing.

Despite all his efforts over the years, he still couldn't break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and could only continuously accumulate and try within the early stage.

Simply put, he couldn't even manage his own affairs, so how could he possibly have time to bother with Zhong Bai?

True Immortal Qianyuan shook his head.

"Second Junior Brother, regarding Zhong Bai as a disciple, I don't want to meddle in everything. We originally chose the Lightning Thunder Fist. Even now, at Foundation Establishment, who can truly understand the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art?"

"Just let him explore on his own."

The subtext was simple: whether they praised Zhong Bai or not, they no longer had the right to point fingers.

As the saying goes, "know what you know." Rather than forcefully explaining and instructing, it was better to remain silent and quietly support him.

"That's true, Senior Brother Qianyuan's consideration is thorough. Speaking of which, now that Zhong Bai has entered the threshold of Qi Condensation, shouldn't he head to the Talisman Hall to learn the art of talisman crafting next?

Last month, Lin Fengjiao, the personal disciple of the Talisman Hall's chief senior brother, seemed to have advanced another level. If Zhong Bai builds a good relationship with Lin Fengjiao, in the future…"

Before Liu Gang could continue, True Immortal Qianyuan's gaze turned serious.

"Junior Brother, watch your words!"

Uh… Liu Gang was startled, then realized what he was about to say. He nodded awkwardly. Right, he almost blurted out what he was thinking.

Even if he had said it, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but who knew how many old geezers Maoshan had hidden away? If any of the old geezers hidden in other halls overheard, it could easily be misconstrued as an attempt to sow discord between the halls.

So, even though the outcome was clear, he could only be cautious with his words and actions.

Talisman Hall.

Lin Junmen, the chief elder of the Talisman Hall, was smiling as he looked at the young man sitting cross-legged beside him.

"Fengjiao, there's no need to be so restrained. I've told you before, our Talisman Hall doesn't have many rules. You're too rigid; you really need to change that."

"Uncle-Grandpa, Fengjiao understands!"

Lin Junmen, who had been beaming with joy, suddenly looked a bit awkward. "Fengjiao, in the main hall, you should address me as Master. Only in the small courtyard may you call me Uncle-Grandpa."

"Yes, Master!"

Indeed, the relationship between Lin Fengjiao and Lin Junmen, the chief elder of the Talisman Hall, was quite close.

Lin Fengjiao's grandfather was Lin Junmen's elder brother. Over the long years, Lin Fengjiao was the only remaining descendant of the Lin family.

It wasn't that Lin Junmen was cheating or showing favoritism towards Lin Fengjiao. When Lin Fengjiao first joined Maoshan, his talent was exceptional, and elders from other halls also wanted to take him as a disciple.

However, in the end, they all gave up due to the existing relationship between Lin Junmen and Lin Fengjiao.

Five years had passed since he entered Maoshan.

Lin Fengjiao had transformed from the sixteen-year-old boy into the upright young man before him.

"Never mind, let's not dwell on this issue. In a few days, Zhong Bai, the personal disciple of True Immortal Qianyuan, the chief elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, will come to the Talisman Hall to learn the art of talisman crafting.

At that time, you two will be together.

My only request is that you build a good relationship with Zhong Bai…

As for the reason, don't ask too many questions!"

"This disciple obeys your command!"

Lin Fengjiao kowtowed and accepted the order. Intelligent as he was, he already knew the reason.

However, just like what happened in the Law Enforcement Hall, everyone silently kept it to themselves…

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