Inheritance

"Talisman scripts are the world!" Yu Lin declared in a timid voice, speaking words of great boldness.

He did not dare look at the crocodiles below. He merely raised his head slightly and stared diagonally upward.

"Everything in the world can be depicted with talisman scripts. In theory, one could even use talisman scripts to con... construct an entirely new world."

His voice was pleasant, and his lesson plan was not bad either. He was just a little timid. Fortunately, after hesitating for quite a while, he finally found his rhythm.

He could finally muster the courage to look down at the water. The crocodiles were gathered in droves, but thirty percent were staring at him in bafflement, another thirty percent were minding their own business, and the remaining thirty percent were asleep.

The classroom effect was awful beyond belief.

This was probably the worst class Yu Lin would ever teach in his entire career.

The atmosphere immediately made him nervous. "I... I'm not lying to you!"

As though to make his words more convincing, he leaped up. "Talisman scripts are everything!"

"Wind, come!" With two fingers thrust together, he drew a spirit talisman in the air. In an instant, a gale rose, rolling up crashing waves against the shore.

"Rain, come!" Another talisman appeared, and beneath a clear sky stretching for miles, a torrential downpour suddenly fell, drenching him into a bedraggled mess.

The sudden rain caught the crocodiles off guard, and they began howling one after another. Yu Lin was immediately even more at a loss, waving his hands without knowing how to maintain order.

"Roar~"

Su He let out a timely roar, and the Crocodile Pack fell silent.

Yu Lin cast him a grateful look. When he saw Su He's appearance clearly, his face showed even greater surprise. "Did you eat a Demon Transformation Fruit, or are you about to advance into an Advanced Exotic Beast? Thank you! I'll introduce you to Junior Brother Lu another day. Junior Brother Lu loves exotic beasts most of all. You two will surely become friends."

Yu Lin decided that while he was teaching at Crocodile Beach, this turtle would be the Head of Vegetarian Hall.

He waved his hand and flung out several runes. His rain-soaked robes dried in moments, even becoming clean and ethereal.

In his good mood, even his state improved by several degrees.

"This is what talisman scripts are!"

If he had demonstrated this before new junior brothers and sisters, it would surely have drawn wave after wave of astonished exclamations, wouldn't it? A trace of pride rose in Yu Lin's Bottom of Heart.

"Every spirit talisman is formed from runes with different functions. Origin Runes, Descriptive Runes, and Determinative Runes are the three essential elements that make up talisman scripts."

"The seven hundred and twenty Origin Runes are the foundation of the talisman path. Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, water, fire, wood, earth... every Origin Rune is one of the primal sources of all things."

"Descriptive Runes determine the power and nature of the talisman script you write. Even for Lightning Talismans, Descriptive Runes decide whether it is Nine Heavens Divine Lightning or ordinary lightning."

Immersed in teaching, Yu Lin seemed to have flicked some switch within himself. The crocodiles vanished from his eyes; all he wanted was to teach. He curled his fingers and drew talismans in the air.

A rune flashed with electric light as it condensed in mid-air: one of the seven hundred and twenty Origin Runes, the Lightning Talisman.

"This is the Lightning Origin Rune. Add different Descriptive Runes to it, and it can combine into different Lightning Talismans: Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, Palm Lightning, Yang Lightning, Yin Lightning..."

Yu Lin drew rapidly, and one Lightning Talisman after another took shape. Each was different, and each gave off a completely distinct aura. Yet even an outsider could tell that all of them had the Lightning Origin Rune Yu Lin had first drawn as their core.

"Descriptive Runes describe the traits of a talisman script, while Determinative Runes are its mechanisms. When a talisman script takes effect and under what circumstances it takes effect are all decided by Determinative Runes."

He again used his two fingers to add strokes to each Lightning Talisman.

"For this talisman, I want it to take effect immediately and strike the stone ahead." The Lightning Talisman formed, and a bolt descended from the sky. With a crackle, it blasted a stone to pieces.

"For this talisman, I want it to activate only upon touching water." Another talisman formed. He sent the spirit talisman flying, and it charged wildly all around, yet nothing happened until it rebounded into the lake.

Crackle!

A bolt of lightning struck the lake. Seven or eight crocodiles immediately foamed at the mouth and floated belly-up.

Yu Lin was Astonished. "S-sorry!"

He was immediately At a Loss. In a flurry, he pulled out seven or eight bottles of pills and stuffed them into the crocodiles' mouths. After scrambling around for quite some time, those crocodiles finally woke slowly, their eyes rolling white.

He no longer dared demonstrate carelessly. Dispersing the spirit talismans in the air, he Looked Towards the Crocodile Pack with embarrassment. "Everyone... do you understand?"

No crocodile answered.

They had all been frightened by the thunder just now. Only This Time did they cautiously poke their heads above the water, looking at him in confusion.

Yu Lin fell silent... They were only crocodiles. They could not understand what I said, nor could they understand my lesson...

He sank into gloom, then suddenly raised his head. They were crocodiles. Even when struck by lightning, they would not complain of injustice. Did that mean it did not matter what I did? They would not understand anyway...

His face twitched, and he suddenly pointed at an Old Crocodile. "Eh? This Junior Brother has raised his hand. Do you have something to say?"

The crocodile stared blankly as its front claw rose beyond its control. Then its entire body was dragged from the water by an invisible force, posed like a kneeling disciple rising to ask a polite question.

It wanted to struggle, but it could not move. In terror, it Looked Towards Su He.

My King, save me!

My King had no time to spare for it. My King was being a good student, listening with extreme focus. One turtle claw even moved back and forth across the water's surface, copying the Lightning Talisman Yu Lin had just drawn.

The crocodile was dumbfounded.

My King, this Daoist is toying with us as he pleases. Yet My King is listening to this Daoist's lesson so earnestly—

Why has My King betrayed the clan?

Its enormous body and tiny brain simply could not make sense of it.

Su He did not notice the crocodile's complicated mental activity. He now understood the dice's effect.

Learning efficiency!

Yu Lin had drawn a total of eleven spirit talismans just now, and in this brief time, Su He had memorized them all completely! He could even use his claw to perfectly reproduce the entire process of drawing them, following Yu Lin's changes in pressure, lifts, pauses, and drags.

When the crocodile did not speak, Yu Lin automatically supplied its question. "Eh? You want to ask why the talisman script you copied with your tail could not summon lightning?" Yu Lin asked the crocodile in Astonishment.

The crocodile: "???"

"Of course it's because you have no magical power!" Yu Lin burst into laughter. It was as though he had suddenly attained enlightenment; he no longer feared teaching, or perhaps had simply given up all hope.

He tossed the crocodile aside and began teaching with wild gestures. From Lightning Talismans, he went all the way to artifact forging, then from pill refining to dual cultivation. He even seriously discussed with the crocodiles the feasibility of cross-species dual cultivation.

Su He had no idea how he had taken such an enormous turn.

Not until the Full Moon climbed high and a few drops of autumn dew condensed did Yu Lin suddenly shiver. His soul returned to his body, and his face gradually turned Ghastly Pale.

Who am I? Where am I? What did I do? I taught talisman arts here for an entire day. Not only did I lecture, I danced too. When I got excited, I even lifted my robes in public and took a piss on the stone steps.

I...

His neck turned toward Su He joint by joint, like a puppet's.

This might be a demon. In the future, it might take human form and remember what happened today.

Silence it! Su He shuddered, feeling a wave of malice descend upon him. His turtle shell practically wanted to grow fur.

Su He immediately paddled with all four limbs, plunged headfirst to the lake bottom, and fled without looking back.

Yu Lin watched his retreating figure, trembling all over with a Ghastly Pale face. At last, he Fell Down headfirst, nearly drowning in the lake. Yet an immortal sword gently caught him. The sword emitted soft Sword Light and carried him drifting toward Azure Origin Mountain.

The malice Receded. Hidden beneath the water, Su He felt inexplicably excited.

Fortuitous opportunity!

Some people racked their brains to squeeze into the capital, while others were born in the capital. Even for beasts, choosing one's starting point was of utmost importance. Being born near a sect always meant encountering all kinds of fortuitous opportunities for no apparent reason.

The Slovenly Old Daoist, the shy Yu Lin. The Old Daoist had drunkenly boasted for three days, telling him of his experiences in the Profound Wilderness Realm for three days. Yu Lin's practice lesson had shown him the splendor of cultivation.

A turtle's life was long. There would be many more opportunities like this.

Su He's heart pounded, his excitement impossible to suppress. He only wanted to find someone to share it with. His limbs unconsciously paddled him to the Snake Valley tunnel, and he passed through it before swimming up to the lake's surface.

A stretch of tranquility washed over him.

Snake Valley was peaceful. The Full Moon hung low, hazy and misty. On a willow tree by the lake, Green Snake lay coiled around herself and let out a long hiss toward the moon.

An indescribable charm rippled around Green Snake, as though veiled moonlight enveloped her.

Su He unconsciously Approached.

The moonlight flowed over and enveloped him as well.

Boom! The scene In Front Of him changed drastically. He saw a snake—a white snake that blotted out the sky and filled the entire world. One moment, it soared high and plunged into the Nine Heavens; the next, it entered the water and swam freely through endless waves.

Inheritance!

Green Snake was receiving an inheritance! The Demon Transformation Fruit she had eaten contained the inheritance of a white snake!

Su He's mind shook. Amid the towering waves, the white snake slightly Turned Head and Looked Towards him.

It seemed the white snake had discovered an uninvited guest.

Just then, a dice as massive as a mountain came crashing down, landing atop the boundless Giant Snake's head and spinning rapidly.