Chen Ganliu sat upright before the desk and opened his junior senior sister Yu Qinghong's notes on talisman crafting. He had decided not to leave the house for the time being, but first to learn the Green Leaf Sect's talisman arts. As a disciple of the Green Leaf Sect—and a senior member of its third generation—yet unable to perform even its entry-level talisman arts, what kind of disgrace would that be?
In his previous life, Chen Ganliu had spent decades painstakingly studying talisman arts. In this life, he had also comprehended the Heart Talisman Technique, and could already be considered a master of talisman arts. In less than half an hour, he had committed all thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans to memory.
The Green Leaf Sect's thirty-six entry-level spirit talismans differed from the Immortal Encounter Sect's Twelve Talismans of the Profound Gate, each sect's talisman arts having its own strengths. Green Leaf Spirit Talismans were more nimble and varied. A single Green Leaf Spirit Talisman had only ordinary power, but when several spirit talismans were combined, they could produce all sorts of wondrous effects.
For example, combining the Light-Shielding, Spirit Radiance, and Dark Shadow Talismans could form an Invisibility Talisman. Compared with the Invisibility Talisman of the Twelve Talismans of the Profound Gate, it had its own special uses and a wider range of effect. If the Brilliant Color Talisman were added, it could activate illusion arts; compared with the Illusion Talisman of the Twelve Talismans of the Profound Gate, each had its own merits.
Likewise, combining seven talismans, including the Spirit Radiance, Brilliant Color, and Evil Banishing Talismans, could activate the Demon Banishment Spell, which specifically countered evil ghosts and sinister entities. In particular, the Green Leaf Sect also possessed talismans for healing injuries. These were all spells absent from the Twelve Talismans of the Profound Gate.
Aside from the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans for beginners, the notes Yu Qinghong had written also contained various cultivation experiences. The Green Leaf Spirit Talismans were the Green Leaf Sect's entry-level Dao arts, and each Green Leaf Spirit Talisman had a corresponding breathing formula. One could refine qi while drawing the talisman. As long as one was willing to work hard and practice the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans persistently, one could use talismans to refine qi and set foot upon the path of cultivation. This was the Green Leaf Sect's unique shortcut—the sole method of entering the Dao through talisman arts.
After committing the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans to memory, Chen Ganliu mused, "I've opened both nasal apertures. I should cultivate the Scent Sniffing Talisman first."
He used his thoughts in place of a brush and the air in place of yellow paper, drawing the Scent Sniffing Talisman in the void. It was completed in a single pass, but the talisman was still somewhat insubstantial. He drew another one, and when the two Scent Sniffing Talismans overlapped, they immediately became much more solid.
Chen Ganliu was at the Boiling Liquid into Qi stage of the Second Layer of Qi Condensation. Learning the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans for beginners came to him with an effortless, wondrous insight.
He drew the Scent Sniffing Talisman seventeen or eighteen times in succession. The Green Leaf Spirit Talisman trembled faintly before falling into his left nasal aperture, where it gave birth to wisps of true qi.
Chen Ganliu's heart brimmed with delight. It really worked.
His mind had been greatly exhausted, so he stopped drawing talismans and turned instead to refining the Wood Demon Pearl.
During the three-month entrance examination, there was not much of importance to attend to. Learning talisman arts could not possibly involve cheating. If one could draw them, one could; if one could not, one could not. The examiners sent by the Green Leaf Sect were all young disciples of junior standing. As long as they kept these people under control and prevented them from causing trouble, that was enough.
This task was not particularly demanding. Every day, they only needed to patrol the Myriad Talisman Tower together once.
While in the Myriad Talisman Tower, Chen Ganliu felt that it was no different from Dragon Cloud Cave.
Seven or eight days passed in the blink of an eye. Both of his nasal apertures now contained a Scent Sniffing Talisman, which had been nourished until it was solid. Whenever he inhaled and exhaled true qi, his nasal apertures could spout two streams of white qi that reached more than a zhang away.
However, the true qi produced by the Scent Sniffing Talismans was all refined by him with the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art and transformed into Azure Emperor Jia Yi True Qi. After all, the Immortal Encounter Sect's core cultivation art was far superior to the Green Leaf Sect's beginner mental cultivation method.
As for the future...
Chen Ganliu no longer wanted to think about any future.
Two streams of Escape Light swept across the sky above Green Leaf Mountain. Jiang Ningxue and Xie Zhanrou gazed downward intently and each gave a slight nod. Jiang Ningxue said, "That day, we went to receive Master, but we let this brat escape. Who would have thought he would choose such a good place and run to the Green Leaf Sect?"
Xie Zhanrou smiled. "He took Master's Mind-Wandering Zen Blade. Where else does he think he can escape?"
"Although the Green Leaf Sect is inferior to the Immortal Encounter Sect, and Old Ancestor Zhenyang isn't home, it still has several experts in the Spirit Embryo Realm. Heavenly Moon Fairy Qi Qingyao, Golden Flower Maiden Xu Qiongyin, and that Green Leaf Sect Master are all people whose spells are profound and whose cultivation is deep. We sisters lack the ability to force our way up the mountain."
Jiang Ningxue said, "Although Master displayed his might and slew his old enemy, he suffered extremely severe injuries breaking through the Immortal Encounter Sect's core immortal array. He needs several years of secluded cultivation and has already returned to the Three Saints Island overseas."
"He only told us to bring the man back, without setting a time limit. I'm afraid he has already calculated that this matter will have twists and turns."
"We aren't in any hurry anyway. Why not wait a while? That brat will have to leave the Green Leaf Sect eventually. As soon as he does, we'll seize him. Surely the Green Leaf Sect won't make things difficult for the two of us over a junior disciple who has only just entered the sect."
Xie Zhanrou repeatedly agreed. The two women's Escape Light circled high in the sky for a while before heading toward Shuangyun Mountain.
Chen Ganliu had no idea that he had once again caught the eyes of two Demonesses.
He cultivated the Heavenly Demon Vein Shifting Method for a while when he suddenly saw a flying bird pass by. The bird was flying very low. Unable to resist, he flicked open a nasal aperture and sprayed out a stream of white qi. Wrapped by the white qi, the bird sensed a faint fragrance, its mind grew hazy, and it fell from the sky.
Chen Ganliu reached out and caught the bird. With a laugh, he did not make things difficult for the little creature, instead placing it on the table and waiting for it to awaken on its own.
This was a spell naturally possessed by the Scent Sniffing Talisman once it had been successfully cultivated. Like the Two Gods of Snort and Ha in ancient legends, it could spray a stream of fragrance from the nasal apertures. Once the fragrance entered a living creature, its soul would sway and its spirit would stagger, causing it to topple over in moments.
After half an hour, the bird's essence and soul settled, and it flapped its wings and flew away.
Chen Ganliu watched as the bird shot into the sky, his heart filled with envy. I wonder when I'll be able to cultivate to the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation, Essence and Qi Integration, and gain the ability to fly through the air.
"However, even if I cultivate to the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation, Essence and Qi Integration, I'll still be missing a flying art before I can roam freely among the heavenly firmament."
"The Twelve Talismans of the Profound Gate and the Green Leaf Sect's thirty-six entry-level spirit talismans don't contain any flying arts. Fortunately, I still have the White Emperor's Discourse Collection."
When Chen Ganliu's thoughts reached this point, the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade, which had been bound all this time, suddenly flew up and stood upright above his head.
The blade light trembled softly and gave off a faint ring, stirring the brilliant golden radiance in his mind. Within the golden radiance, thirty-six true talismans could be vaguely seen. Yet the radiance still blazed fiercely, its scorching light dazzling, making it impossible to observe them clearly.
Chen Ganliu was just about to close his spiritual sense to avoid being burned by the mass of golden radiance when he suddenly discovered that one of the thirty-six true talismans was especially familiar. As he sensed it faintly, he abruptly remembered the first art of the Immortal Encounter Sect's Thirty-Six True Sword Control Arts, which he had once asked his senior teacher sister about.
Although he had bitterly practiced for three years without accomplishing anything, he had nevertheless put in tremendous effort and was incomparably familiar with this true art.
Chen Ganliu suddenly understood. That's right. The Mind-Wandering Zen Blade was originally a treasure of the Immortal Encounter Sect.
This mass of golden radiance must be the Immortal Encounter Sect's Thirty-Six True Sword Control Arts.
It's just a pity that my cultivation is insufficient, so I have no way to unravel its wondrous principles.
But...
Chen Ganliu's heart secretly burned with anticipation. He mused, Once my Qi Condensation is complete, won't I be able to break through the golden radiance and learn the Immortal Encounter Sect's Sword Control Arts?
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