Li Qingyuan was beside himself with joy, his heart surging with excitement. Who would have thought that the Mysterious Feminine Space's third function could actually restore incomplete talisman papers?
Could it only restore incomplete runes? Or could it restore runes, spells, Alchemy Skill, Artifact Refining Technique...? He could try more things in the future.
"Hey, kid, snap out of it." Li Guangao stretched out a hand and waved it in front of Li Qingyuan.
"Is it really worth being this happy over?"
Clan Leader Li Guangao shook his head and sighed. "This Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman not only has incomplete runes, but was also only barely successful. Its power is not strong."
"Furthermore, the talisman paper materials, talisman brush, and talisman ink are all merely Mid-grade First-tier. Even if you luckily succeed in making one, this talisman paper's power will probably only equal a Qi Condensation Fourth Layer cultivator's full-force strike."
"It cannot even compare to a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer cultivator."
Li Guangao stroked his beard and shook his head. "Give it up, Qingyuan."
"Even if you become proficient at drawing the Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman, due to the incomplete runes, its power will only be comparable to the Qi Condensation Fifth Layer or Qi Condensation Sixth Layer."
Li Qingyuan did not argue and merely nodded. "All right, Grandpa Clan Leader. I'll listen to you."
"Oh, right. These are the talisman papers you asked me to draw this month."
Li Qingyuan took out several dozen talisman papers.
There were six types of First-grade Low-rank Talisman Paper, with no fewer than ten of each type.
There were three types of Tier 1 Mid-grade Talisman Paper, with no fewer than five of each type.
Clan Leader Li Guangao accepted the talisman papers and nodded in satisfaction. "Hehe, every First-grade Low-rank Talisman Paper is of Genuine Quality. There are even no fewer than fifteen Premium Talisman Papers."
"The three types of Tier 1 Mid-grade Talisman Paper have all reached Genuine Quality as well, with power no weaker than a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer cultivator's full-force strike."
"Eh, there is even a Tier 1 Mid-grade Talisman Paper of Premium Quality. Once activated, even this old man's Qi Condensation Sixth Layer Perfected cultivation would need to strike with all his strength to block it."
Li Guangao happily put away all the talisman papers, then took out seven Spirit Stones and gave them to Li Qingyuan.
He smiled. "Qingyuan, starting this month, I'll Leave to Me the matter of drawing talismans for the clan."
"This old man's monthly salary for drawing talismans for the clan is only seven Spirit Stones."
Li Guangao said, "Starting this month, I'll give you seven Spirit Stones as Cultivation Resources. This is also your payment for the hard work of drawing talismans for the clan."
"From now on, all your monthly Cultivation Resources will be allocated according to this standard."
Li Qingyuan smiled. "Thank you for your guidance, Grandpa Clan Leader."
His talent as a talisman master was simply too strong.
Originally, the clan would have needed to provide him with resources for free for five years. Now, however, he could earn a large amount of Spirit Stones for the clan and receive a monthly salary of seven Spirit Stones.
Seven Spirit Stones a month meant eighty-four in a year. For any Mid Qi Condensation cultivator in the clan, that was an enormous sum.
At the very least, aside from the Clan Leader, the Great Elder, and the Second Elder, none of the clan's Mid Qi Condensation cultivators could accumulate more than eighty Spirit Stones in one or two years.
Li Dingzhou served in the clan's Hunting Team. At Body Refining Fourth Layer and Qi Condensation Fourth Layer, he could exchange a few moves with a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer cultivator, and his strength was second only to the Second Elder's.
Even when everything went smoothly, after setting aside the clan's share, his actual annual income was only around twenty Spirit Stones.
Li Qingyuan picked up the Wind Spirit Wolf Hair Brush, a stack of talisman paper materials, and a small bucket of talisman ink. "Grandpa Clan Leader, from now on, Leave to Me the matter of drawing talismans for the clan."
"You can devote yourself wholeheartedly to preparing for your breakthrough into Late Qi Condensation."
Li Qingyuan knew that reaching Qi Condensation Level 7, breaking into Late Qi Condensation, and raising the clan's prestige and strength had always been Grandpa Clan Leader's pursuit.
"Grandpa Clan Leader, my father said that if not for raising me all these years and using up the Spirit Stones in your personal treasury, perhaps you would have already begun attempting a breakthrough to Qi Condensation Level 7."
Li Guangao blew his beard and glared. "Don't listen to your father's nonsense."
"How could it be easy to Stepped Into Late Qi Condensation?"
"The required Spirit Stones and pills would cost at least two to three hundred Spirit Stones. Our clan can currently only maintain normal operations, and we still have to offer six hundred Spirit Stones in tribute to the Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan—the Liu Family."
"However..." Li Guangao smiled with relief. "Now that I can safely hand the matter of drawing talismans over to you, this old man can rest easy."
"Next, I will further polish my cultivation, adjust my condition, and prepare to break through to Qi Condensation Level 7."
Li Guangao looked at the talisman brush and said, "I'll lend you this Wind Spirit Wolf Hair Brush for now. Remember to maintain it well and do not damage it."
"This is the most valuable thing on this old man's person."
Li Qingyuan smiled. "Don't worry, Grandpa Clan Leader."
"Qingyuan will take his leave."
Li Qingyuan bid farewell and left, returning to the secluded Small Courtyard where he lived alone in quiet cultivation.
"Spirit Stones, collect!"
The seven Spirit Stones were duplicated and doubled, becoming fourteen.
Next came the talisman paper materials and talisman ink, which were likewise duplicated and doubled.
"This talisman brush—I'll try it once more." Li Qingyuan silently thought, Collect!
Unfortunately, the Mid-grade First-tier talisman brush, the Wind Spirit Wolf Hair Brush, still could not be stored or duplicated.
Li Qingyuan muttered, "Could it be because the Wind Spirit Wolf Hair Brush does not belong to me, the master of this space, and therefore cannot be duplicated?"
Forget it. If it could not be duplicated, then so be it.
"Next, I'll draw a true Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman."
Li Qingyuan focused his mind and calmed his breath. His spiritual power began studying and learning the complete Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman's drawing process, following the mysterious figure in the Mysterious Feminine Space as it guided him in talisman drawing.
The first sheet failed.
The second sheet failed.
The third sheet finally succeeded. The talisman was barely completed, of Low-Grade Quality.
Li Qingyuan frowned. "Logically speaking, a complete First-grade High-rank talisman paper, even one of Low-Grade Quality, should possess the power of Qi Condensation Level 7."
"However, the talisman paper materials, the talisman brush's grade, and the talisman ink's grade—all three fail to reach First-grade High-rank."
"Therefore, this First-grade High-rank talisman paper of Low-Grade Quality cannot reach the power of Qi Condensation Level 7. At most, it falls between Qi Condensation Sixth Layer and Qi Condensation Level 7."
"Keep drawing. I need to hone my skill."
As long as his technique became proficient, once he acquired high-grade materials in the future, he would be able to rapidly draw First-grade High-rank talisman papers.
Moreover, drawing First-grade High-rank talisman papers demanded greater control over spiritual power and spiritual energy. It could better temper his own spiritual energy and spiritual power, making it more beneficial to cultivation.
A few days later, Li Qingyuan's success rate in drawing Flame Ice Soul Severing Talismans grew higher and higher.
However, this time, no matter how hard he tried, his success rate remained below thirty percent—pitifully low.
It was not because his technique was inadequate, but because the materials were truly too poor.
The materials' grades were too low, causing his success rate to plummet severely.
On this day, Li Qingyuan was still drawing talisman papers.
Bzz!
A Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman was successfully drawn. Spiritual energy gathered and poured into it, absorbing and storing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy within itself, awaiting activation.
Yet with a bang, the talisman paper still burst apart.
Li Qingyuan frowned. "It failed again."
"My technique is already capable of drawing a Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman of Genuine Quality."
"However, because the talisman paper materials are of too low a grade and cannot bear the runic spirituality of a First-grade High-rank talisman paper, the talisman papers often self-destruct."
"On the contrary, Flame Ice Soul Severing Talismans of inferior quality, with their runic spirituality slightly weaker, can succeed."
"Again. I refuse to believe it." Unwilling to concede defeat, Li Qingyuan continued drawing.
Finally, after three more failures—
Bzz! Bzz! Bzz!
This time, the Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman successfully sealed its spirituality. It was of Genuine Quality.
"Haha, Genuine Quality! I finally have a Flame Ice Soul Severing Talisman of Genuine Quality." Li Qingyuan said in satisfaction, "Even limited by the insufficient material grades, this talisman paper still possesses the power of Qi Condensation Level 7."
Li Qingyuan wiped the fine sweat from his forehead. "This is quite exhausting."
"Only someone like me, born with a powerful divine soul and astonishing spiritual power, could do it. Coupled with the textbook-like guidance of the Mysterious Feminine Space, otherwise, for a mere Qi Condensation Third Layer cultivator to draw First-grade High-rank talisman papers would be no different from an idiot dreaming."
Li Qingyuan sat cross-legged in meditation, refining Spirit Stones to restore his spiritual energy and spiritual power.
Once his cultivation had recovered, Li Qingyuan rose to his feet and muttered, "By my calculations, Old Dad and the others should be heading out to hunt demon beasts again soon."
"I heard Willow Crane Island has been far from peaceful lately. I need to give Old Dad a few more talisman papers to keep himself safe."