Condensing the Natal Spirit Talisman

A dispute disguised as a wedding feast ultimately ended with the annihilation of the Lei and Xie families. Their forces, passed down for over a century, became nothing more than fertilizer for the Lin Family's rise.

The Lin Family was now unquestionably the top power in Qingyang Town. Many experts, including the likes of Payne and Yan Shuangying, came to pledge their allegiance, and the Lin Family's strength swelled overnight.

Unlike Lin Zhentian and the others, who were busy managing clan affairs and taking over territory, Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong returned to their quiet, fulfilling cultivation routine. Four months later, relying on the Azure Yuan Art—a Third-rate cultivation technique—they had pushed themselves to the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage and the Late Heavenly Origin Stage, respectively.

On a rocky outcrop in Ironwood Manor, Lin Dong sat cross-legged. The Natal Talisman Seal within his Mud Pill Palace pulsed with a powerful beat like a heart, spitting out streams of Spiritual Power and drawing them back in. With each cycle, his Spiritual Power grew more refined.

"Hoo..."

Lin Dong exhaled a puff of white breath and opened his eyes, a flash of brilliant light flickering and vanishing.

"Changqiang, are you really not going to condense this Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal?" He stood up and looked at Lin Changqiang beside him. "From what Gu Yuan's records say, the Natal Spirit Talisman is already quite good."

"Let me think about it."

Lin Changqiang curled his lip. Knowing about the Ancestral Talisman, he naturally looked down on the Natal Spirit Talisman. But since he had no way to get his hands on the Ancestral Talisman for now, he could only pin his hopes on the system's lottery.

"Display personal details."

With a thought, an interface visible only to Lin Changqiang appeared before him.

"Host: Lin Changqiang

Gender: Male

Cultivation Level: Lesser Yuan Dan Stage (7%)

Martial Arts: Mysterious Gate Seal, Fire Dance Whirlwind...

Cultivation Technique: Azure Yuan Art

Spiritual Power Level: Talisman Master Apprentice (99%, Natal Talisman Seal not condensed)

Secret Skill: God Transformation Needle

Spiritual Power Technique: Divine Movement Chapter

Treasures: Gao Lao Village, Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear...

Lottery Draw Count: 16."

"Sixteen times. There should be a good chance of drawing something related."

"System, use all Lottery Draw Opportunities!"

"Dong, sixteen Lottery Draw Opportunities used successfully. Congratulations, host, you have obtained:

Double Experience Card, four, Double Gold Coin Card, three, Intimacy Rose, four, Little Trumpet, two, Inner Demon Trial Card, one, Superior Eighth-grade Martial Art—Peerless Dance, Second-rate Cultivation Technique—Body Protection Charm."

"Peerless Dance, First Form—Seven Killings: Consumes Yuan Power, attaches it to a weapon, extending a light blade condensed from Yuan Power. The size and hardness of the light blade depend on Yuan Power output.

Second Form—Greedy Wolf: An attack launched from the Seven Killings light blade. Upon hitting a target, it absorbs Yuan Power and returns it to the user. The amount absorbed depends on the contact area between the light blade and the target.

Third Form—Po Jun: Leaps into the air and swings the weapon down from above, smashing into the ground. Upon landing, it destabilizes nearby enemies and consumes Yuan Power to draw a massive mark. Within the mark's range, the power of Seven Killings and Greedy Wolf is enhanced. The mark's size and duration depend on Yuan Power output."

"Body Protection Charm: Second-rate cultivation technique. Opens twenty-four meridians. During cultivation, a Body Protection Charm slowly forms within the body. This charm can withstand one attack whose power does not exceed the user's cultivation level by a minor realm."

"??? Who asked for martial arts and techniques? Where's my Ancestral Talisman?"

Lin Changqiang was a bit frustrated. Sure, the martial art was decent, and he did want a technique, but the Body Protection Charm was only Second-rate. Wouldn't it be better to just buy one in Flame City?

"Changqiang, have you decided? Need me to teach you how to condense the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal?" Lin Dong raised an eyebrow when he saw Lin Changqiang's expression shift from gloom to relief.

"I've decided. Let's do it."

Lin Changqiang nodded helplessly. At least later, when he got a better talisman seal, he could absorb the old one into Spiritual Power. For now, he'd make do with the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal.

He let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and silently mobilized the Spiritual Power in his Mud Pill Palace. Imitating Lin Dong's demonstration, he began to condense the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal.

The Spiritual Power slowly rotated, gradually forming a vortex. A sound like flowing water, a "whoosh-whoosh," suddenly echoed in Lin Changqiang's mind.

The vortex spun at an erratic pace, rotating in a peculiar rhythm. Before long, a faint, elusive suction force emanated from the spiritual vortex.

"Condense!"

Lin Changqiang let out a soft shout, abruptly opening his eyes as he manipulated the spiritual vortex to compress! When the vortex was compressed to its limit, a faint hum resonated throughout his Mud Pill Palace.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Changqiang pushed the Spiritual Power to compress further. The spiritual vortex finally gave way, bursting apart with a bang.

As the spiritual vortex exploded, Lin Changqiang's eyes blazed with unusual brightness.

"Shh-shh!"

At the center of the explosion, countless fine rays of light burst forth, instantly linking the scattered Spiritual Power together. They rapidly retracted, finally forming a mysterious rune about three fingers wide!

"Hoo, so this is the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal, created in imitation of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol."

Though the rune was somewhat dim, a closer look revealed it resembled a mutated vortex. As its light flickered, it seemed like a quietly spinning black hole.

"Dong, congratulations to the host for becoming a One-Seal Talisman Master. Reward: two Lottery Draw Opportunities."

Lin Changqiang had been observing for a long time before he snapped back to reality, only to find Lin Dong frowning intently at the Cosmic Bag in his hand.

"Still worried about the Blood-Clothed Sect?"

"Yeah." Lin Dong nodded. "Even though we've killed Gu Yuan, the Blood-Clothed Sect still has a sect master at the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage Perfection, one at the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage, and nearly ten at the Heavenly Origin Stage. Our Lin Family, counting you and me, only has two at the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage and four at the Heavenly Origin Stage. What can we use to fight them?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Lin Changqiang patted Lin Dong's shoulder without a care. "Sure, normally there's a big gap between the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage and the Lesser Yuan Dan Stage Perfection, but am I an ordinary person? If I go all out, killing a Perfection isn't that hard~"

Lin Dong shook his head in exasperation, clearly not convinced. "Even if you can hold off Wei Chen, so what? You stop Wei Chen, Grandpa stops that Lesser Yuan Dan Stage, Father and I hold off four Heavenly Origin Stages—but that still leaves several more Heavenly Origin Stages, doesn't it?"

"We'll deal with things as they come. What's the use of worrying yourself sick?" Lin Changqiang was a bit helpless too. He couldn't exactly say that in the original story, without him, Lin Dong had still come out fine.

This time, Lin Dong nodded with a smile, but Lin Changqiang knew he hadn't really taken it to heart.

That night, the sudden surge in Spiritual Power confirmed Lin Changqiang's guess.

"So he's already found Little Sable and started grinding Talisman Master experience by crushing spirits, huh..."