Qi Refining and Talisman Drawing

"Lu Lang is out again today?"

The sun was setting in the west, and the rented donkey cart clip-clopped back to Tong Yi Alley. Lu Zheng got out of the cart just as he saw Liu Qingyan leaving her house.

"Yes, I went to White Cloud Temple." Lu Zheng nodded. "Miss Liu is going out? It's already late."

"Father is still busy at the clinic, Mother asked me to call him back for dinner."

"Old Man Liu has bought the clinic?"

"Yes, it's a shop on East Street, not far from home."

"Then I'll go with you, get to know the place, so I know where to go for a headache or fever in the future."

Liu Qingyan's lips curved slightly. "If Lu Lang's martial arts are successful, how could you have such minor ailments?"

"That's hard to say," Lu Zheng said.

The two quickly turned out of the alley and walked another street west. Lu Zheng saw a shop on the south side of the street, where several carpenters were hammering away.

Lu Zheng looked up and saw that the signboard had already been hung up.

Renxin Hall.

"Father, Mother told you to go back for dinner. Let's stop here for today."

Old Man Liu came out and saw that it was indeed getting late, so he followed the advice, sent the hired carpenters home, closed the shop, and went home with Liu Qingyan and Lu Zheng.

"Lu Lang is out again today?"

Lu Zheng could only reply again, "I went to Shaotong Mountain in the east of the city, joined White Cloud Temple, and became a Registered Lay Disciple."

Old Man Liu paused, quite surprised, and said, "Are you planning to become a monk?"

"No way!" Lu Zheng waved his hands repeatedly. "I'm just a disciple in name, just learning skills."

"Oh, oh, I see!"

"Does White Cloud Temple have any real skills?" Liu Qingyan's breathing became lighter.

Lu Zheng nodded. "It does have real skills, or rather, the Abbot of White Cloud Temple actually saved my life."

On the way home, Lu Zheng told the Liu family about the Corpse Ghoul.

This world has demons and ghosts, it's not a secret, so Lu Zheng didn't deliberately hide it. Telling them could also increase the Liu family's vigilance.

"So, what's wearing human skin isn't necessarily human, it could be a ghost!"

Old Man Liu and Liu Qingyan looked at each other.

Old Man Liu said, "I didn't expect Lu Lang to have such an experience."

"I didn't expect Lu Lang to have encountered such a vicious ghost before." Liu Qingyan's face was pale, seemingly quite frightened.

"So you have to be careful usually. By the way, my master passed on to me a 'Five Talisman Method', I'll draw a Peace Talisman for you all, which can also serve as a warning."

Old Man Liu smiled ingratiatingly, "Okay, then we'll wait for you to cultivate True Qi and draw talismans for us."

"I have already cultivated True Qi," Lu Zheng said. "I don't think the 'Five Talisman Method' is difficult, I estimate I'll be able to draw them soon."

Old Man Liu staggered. "You have already cultivated True Qi?"

Lu Zheng nodded.

"Lu Lang, you encountered a Corpse Ghoul before, and now you have successfully refined Qi, will you go to catch ghosts and subdue demons in the future?" Liu Qingyan's face was not good.

Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, pretending to think.

Catching ghosts and subduing demons should be the fastest way to earn Light of Luck.

It's just too dangerous...

Seeing that Lu Zheng didn't answer, Liu Qingyan lowered her head and said nothing.

Old Man Liu licked his lips. "Lu Lang, although you encountered a vicious ghost who wanted to eat your heart, but in fact, just like people are divided into good and bad, demons and ghosts are also divided into good and bad, and cannot be generalized."

"I know that!" Lu Zheng said with a blank face.

"Uh, you know?" Old Man Liu blinked.

Liu Qingyan couldn't help but look up and glance at Lu Zheng.

"Old Man Liu, you don't think I'll just indiscriminately attack any monster or ghost I encounter in the future, do you?" Lu Zheng said, dumbfounded.

Old Man Liu said, "Won't you?"

"Of course not," Lu Zheng laughed. "I'm an adult, after all, and I know that the treachery of the human heart is even worse than that of evil ghosts."

"Besides, I often go to Qing Sheng Teahouse to listen to stories, and there are many tales of monsters with kindness and love between humans and ghosts.

To be honest, the female ghosts in the books are charming, and the fox spirits are affectionate. I'm not an old fossil, and I really want to meet them and see if they're like the storytellers say."

Old Man Liu chuckled, "Lu Lang, you really are a young man who would be wasting his youth if he weren't a bit of a flirt!"

Liu Qingyan's cheeks flushed, and she blurted out, "Female ghosts are no good, the yin and yang are separated, and you and... it will damage your Yang Energy!"

As soon as she said that, Liu Qingyan's pretty face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye. "I, I'm just speaking from a doctor's perspective..."

Lu Zheng quickly waved his hand to explain, "Just meeting them, just curious!"

In a moment of excitement, Lu Zheng felt a little embarrassed for having blurted out those words in front of a beautiful woman.

The group awkwardly chatted as they returned to Tong Yi Alley. Liu Qingyan fled back home, and Old Man Liu greeted Lu Zheng before returning as well.

Lu Zheng went home, had dinner, and immediately began practicing the "White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture".

With the Midnight Stillness Breathing Technique as a foundation, Lu Zheng quickly learned the new Qi refining method. A trace of True Qi in his body was converted into a new attribute True Qi, and its quality improved.

"Improve!"

Seven wisps of the Light of Luck were consumed, and the "White Cloud Commonly Spoken Qi Refining Scripture" was instantly mastered. All the True Qi in his body was converted, and some was even added.

Next was the "Cloud Mist Transportation Art".

Well, this transportation art still requires a lot of True Qi as a foundation. If one's strength is too weak, it can't be used.

So, after another six wisps of the Light of Luck in the Jade Seal were consumed, Lu Zheng not only learned the "Cloud Mist Transportation Art", but the True Qi in his body also grew stronger.

What remained was to accumulate True Qi, and the distance and weight of transportation would increase accordingly.

"Done! Time to sleep!"

The next day, Lu Zheng, full of energy, went out early and bought brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in Cong An Ward.

Drawing talismans!

It was another day of arduous seclusion. Lu Zheng painstakingly spent a full four hours, even sacrificing his nap time, to draw five talismans in a crooked and clumsy manner.

"This is too hard for me!"

Lu Zheng wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Improve!"

"Buzz!"

Five wisps of the Light of Luck were consumed in an instant, and the Five Talisman Method was instantly understood.

Seven plus six plus five, eighteen wisps of the Light of Luck consumed in just two days.

Lu Zheng added another wisp of the Light of Luck to his physique, leaving an even number of wisps in the Jade Seal, which finally made him feel comfortable.

He spread out the yellow paper, ground the Cinnabar, picked up the Wolf Hair Brush, and Lu Zheng's eyes were calm, and his mind was at peace.

After waiting for more than ten seconds, he lightly dipped the brush in Cinnabar, and the True Qi in his body condensed at the tip of the brush. He moved the brush like a dragon and a snake on the yellow paper, completing it in one go.

The talisman was formed, and a red light flashed, then disappeared from sight.

However, Lu Zheng could sense that his True Qi had been locked by the yellow paper, and then, with the talisman as a carrier, it could play a role.

Peace Talisman, complete! Thanks to the Miao Jiang Gu Master friend for the 500 reward.