Drawing Fire Talismans

With a relatively complete inheritance, learning would be much easier, but truly mastering it required a talent for being a Talisman Master.

Even with such talent, extensive study was necessary.

Zhang Wan had no intention of testing his Talisman Master talent. Unlike Spirit Planter knowledge, this wasn't something that could be crammed through rote memorization.

After browsing the inheritance a few times and confirming the "Talisman Master Inheritance" tag appeared on his status panel, Zhang Wan immediately decided to spend EXP.

Although comprehending the incomplete Fire-Attribute Talisman Master Inheritance required a total of 891 EXP, which made Zhang Wan's teeth ache, he didn't hesitate. He maxed it out.

Instantly, a massive amount of Talisman Master knowledge flooded Zhang Wan's mind, which he absorbed and digested.

He was stunned by the sheer volume of information, and it took him quite some time to process it all.

Rubbing his temples, the swollen sensation from the influx of knowledge rapidly subsided.

"EXP is truly useful. Even the most difficult things can be understood instantly!" Zhang Wan savored the wealth of talisman knowledge in his mind and praised EXP.

But useful as it was, instantly spending 891 EXP, which dropped his available EXP from over 10,700 to just over 9,800, still made Zhang Wan wince.

However, there was no other way. The Talisman Master inheritance was far more complete than the Spirit Planter one, and it also tested comprehension. Spending over 800 EXP to gain it was already a bargain.

Furthermore, unlike Bone Piercing Finger, talismans didn't require the refinement of one's fingers. After comprehension, a few practice drawings would be enough to master them.

"Now I just need talisman ink, talisman paper, and a talisman brush, and I can start drawing talismans." Thinking of the fire-attribute talismans from the inheritance, Zhang Wan felt a surge of excitement.

Once he could draw a large number of talismans, relying on their power, even as a mere Postnatal Second Layer martial artist, he would be able to contend with seasoned Postnatal cultivators!

As for the talisman brush, ink, and paper, Zhang Wan had no intention of buying them from the market.

Being penniless, he couldn't afford the spirit stones required.

He planned to make them himself.

"There are many options for materials to make talisman brushes, ink, and paper. Using spirit plants is one common method."

Zhang Wan had already prepared the seeds of spirit plants needed to create them.

These were Dwarf Jade Bamboo, Dew-Gathering Fruit, and Spider Silk Grass.

All were low-grade Postnatal spirit plants.

After planting them, Zhang Wan moved them into his bedroom, intending to use the Extreme Cultivation method to quickly grow a batch.

Dew-Gathering Fruit and Spider Silk Grass, in particular, were needed in large quantities for talisman ink and paper.

Besides using the Extreme Cultivation method in secret, Zhang Wan also planted some in the spirit land.

The bedroom had limited space, so to obtain large amounts of Dew-Gathering Fruit and Spider Silk Grass, he had to plant them in the spirit land.

However, Zhang Wan didn't want anyone to know he could make talismans. When the Dew-Gathering Fruit and Spider Silk Grass in the spirit land matured, he would need to devise a way to keep some for himself.

After all, in the eyes of outsiders, he couldn't make talismans, so it would be strange for him to keep these spirit items instead of selling them.

Twelve days later, the Dwarf Jade Bamboo, Dew-Gathering Fruit, and Spider Silk Grass that Zhang Wan had accelerated using the Extreme Cultivation method all matured.

"It's pale green all over. This is the sign of Dwarf Jade Bamboo maturing into a low-grade Postnatal spirit plant. Unfortunately, the leaves don't have green pearls, indicating a problem with the Dwarf Jade Bamboo's quality; it's not robust and healthy." Zhang Wan dug up all three Dwarf Jade Bamboo plants he had grown, intending to use them all to make talisman brushes.

It was normal for the Dwarf Jade Bamboo not to be perfectly healthy.

Spirit plants cultivated using the Extreme Cultivation method were always slightly inferior to those grown normally.

Zhang Wan removed the leaves and roots of the Dwarf Jade Bamboo, using them to make the brush hairs. He then melted the main body of the Dwarf Jade Bamboo, boiling it repeatedly until the liquid turned completely emerald green.

After pouring it into a mold and cooling it, the brush handle was successfully made.

Then, he inserted the prepared brush hairs into the handle, and a talisman brush was completed.

"This kind of talisman brush can only be used to draw low-grade and mid-grade Postnatal talismans."

"For more powerful talismans, this brush won't suffice."

To draw higher-grade talismans, one would need a better talisman brush that incorporated special artifact restrictions.

Zhang Wan wouldn't be able to make such a brush until he mastered artifact refining.

In the future, if he wanted to draw high-grade Postnatal talismans but hadn't yet mastered artifact refining, he would need to find a way to acquire a high-quality talisman brush.

From the three stalks of Dwarf Jade Bamboo, Zhang Wan made a total of two talisman brushes.

The Spider Silk Grass and Dew-Gathering Fruit were also made into talisman paper and ink by Zhang Wan.

With the preparations complete, Zhang Wan found a quiet late night and, staying in his bedroom, began to draw fire talismans.

Generally, beginners learning to draw talismans would use inferior talisman paper and ink to save costs.

But Zhang Wan had cheated using EXP, completely bypassing the learning process.

Using inferior talisman paper and ink would only waste his energy.

He laid out the talisman paper, brandished the talisman brush, and after it was saturated with ink, Zhang Wan channeled his mana. Instantly, his brush moved like dragons and snakes, drawing a low-grade Postnatal Fireball Talisman!

He drew five in a row!

The first two talismans had minor flaws in their details, with issues in the connection points of the runes, which reduced their power.

Once he got the hang of it, the last three were no problem at all.

Looking at the three finished low-grade Fireball Talismans, Zhang Wan was full of pride.

Creating a Fireball Talisman so easily, I really am amazing!

After his moment of joy, Zhang Wan carefully placed the five Fireball Talismans into a jade box for storage.

Although the first two had flaws, they were just a bit weaker; they weren't unusable.

Even if he didn't want to use them himself later, he could still sell them and get some resources back.

After drawing five Fireball Talismans, Zhang Wan also felt tired.

Drawing talismans not only consumed mana but also required the mobilization of spiritual sense, needing to grasp every detail during the drawing process.

With Zhang Wan's current cultivation, his mana and spiritual sense were only enough to support him in drawing five talismans.

Any more would exceed his limits.

After resting for a night, the next day, Zhang Wan went to the spirit land to tend to the pseudo-spiritual items and spirit items he had planted, secretly taking some Dew-Gathering Fruit and Spider Silk Grass with him.

The ones he had been secretly cultivating using the extreme cultivation method had all been made into talisman ink and talisman paper, but they wouldn't last more than a few days.

He needed to continue using the extreme cultivation method to plant Dew-Gathering Fruit and Spider Silk Grass.

This was also a method he had devised.

Since he didn't have a good reason to keep these two spirit items if he didn't sell them after they matured, he would try to bring them to his bedroom and secretly use the extreme cultivation method to speed up their growth before they matured.

By the time the ones in the spirit land matured, he could hide some in advance.

This way, it wouldn't attract attention.

Moreover, transplanting spirit plants from the spirit land after they had grown for some time would also reduce the time needed for accelerated growth.

It was quite a good plan.

After drawing the low-grade Fireball Talismans, Zhang Wan successively drew the Fire Escape Talisman, Fire Barrier Talisman, Firebird Talisman, and Fire Robe Talisman.

They were all low-grade Postnatal talismans, each with its own uses, greatly enriching Zhang Wan's arsenal.