Night fell.
The time had come.
Wen Jiu laid out the Ranked Talisman Brush and the Yin Ghost Fish Blood Ink, then took out gray talisman paper made from Ranked Demonic Beast Hide.
As his yin art flowed through the brush and slowly landed on the paper, Wen Jiu followed the method recorded in the Yin Talisman Record and swiftly began drawing the Talisman Script. Since this was his first attempt, he prioritized caution and took things slowly.
At the same time, he tried to grasp what the old talisman master had meant by focusing on the intent.
What did focusing on the intent mean?
It was the sensation one felt while drawing the Talisman Script.
Such a sensation could only be understood, not described.
As he focused on the intent, Wen Jiu devoted most of his mental energy to controlling the flow of his yin art.
This was focusing on the method.
And on steadiness.
The Talisman Script had to be drawn and formed in one smooth motion. The slightest delay or pause could lead to failure.
A moment later.
The first script was drawn successfully.
Wen Jiu hurriedly lifted his brush and gasped for breath. He hadn't breathed at all while focusing on keeping his hand steady.
Seeing that he'd taken the first step, a smile spread across Wen Jiu's face.
"Fortunately, I tempered my body with Earth Fiend Yin Energy before, so my hand is steady. And thanks to having lived two lives, my mental energy is more abundant than an ordinary person's. On top of that, my yin art has a corrosive effect..."
After a sigh of gratitude,
Wen Jiu quickly steadied his breathing, took a deep breath, held it, and continued slowly drawing the Talisman Script.
Even the most basic First-Rank Soul Seizing Talisman required at least seventeen scripts of varying sizes and shapes.
It only got harder as he went on.
So he avoided breathing whenever possible.
However,
when he reached the third script, Wen Jiu lost focus for an instant, and a little too much yin art flowed out.
That tiny excess was enough. Even though Wen Jiu quickly corrected it, the third script still failed once he finished drawing it. The yin art didn't flow through it, nor could it connect and resonate with the first two scripts.
"Again!"
Wen Jiu crumpled the failed talisman paper and tossed it behind him. He raised his brush, held his breath, and began drawing a second one.
However,
two hours passed.
Wen Jiu had gone through twenty sheets of talisman paper without successfully completing a single one. His best attempt had reached the sixth script.
Wen Jiu took a deep breath and stopped drawing.
After concentrating intensely for two hours straight, his head was beginning to ache and feel dizzy.
He rested for nearly half an hour.
Until Midnight.
When Midnight arrived, the daily settlement officially began.
The Black Zombie's daily experience gains in the Dead Corpse Land hadn't changed. It still gained 48 points a day and would reach the next realm within seven days.
After ignoring the rest, Wen Jiu turned his attention to the Soul Seizing Talisman's experience gains.
[After nightfall, drew twenty First-Rank Soul Seizing Talismans, but failed every time. Panel experience +1, Soul Seizing Talisman experience +4]
"Five failures for one experience point."
Wen Jiu was very satisfied with this result.
He'd been worried that failures might not grant any experience.
"There are still thirty sheets of talisman paper. Even if I fail every time, I can still gain six experience points." Wen Jiu glanced at the gray talisman paper stacked on the table.
After closing the settlement panel, Wen Jiu continued drawing talismans.
As for his work with the Night Patrol Division, he'd called in sick.
He'd thought it over carefully over the past few days. The Flying Immortal Peak stewards and elders were currently searching the Dead Corpse Land for something.
If the Flying Immortal Peak spy was worried they might find it and decided to cause trouble, wouldn't someone at the Qi Refining Second Layer like him be in danger there?
He'd rather give up his pay.
Wen Jiu was determined to stay far away from trouble.
Over the next few days,
Wen Jiu kept drawing talismans.
He maintained a pace of thirty sheets every night, until his brain could no longer bear the prolonged drain on his mental energy.
His debt to Wang Nian had also risen to forty Low-grade Spirit Stones. Honestly, Wen Jiu was too embarrassed to borrow any more.
But Wang Nian took the initiative to ask if he needed more.
That same day,
Wen Jiu still hadn't recovered from overexerting his mental energy when Liu Xiao appeared at his doorstep.
Wang Nian happened to be bringing Wen Jiu some bone broth to nourish him. "Brother Wen, get up and have some soup. Your sister-in-law simmered these bones for ten hours..."
Liu Xiao glanced at the bowl in Wang Nian's hands, then at his eager expression. Frowning, he hurriedly asked, "Fellow Daoist Wang, don't tell me Wen Jiu's been consumed by Yin Qi?"
"No, he's fine."
Wang Nian freed one hand and knocked on the door.
Liu Xiao was even more puzzled. "Then why is he—"
A steward bringing food to an Apprentice Disciple.
Was that really normal?
He'd never seen it before, nor had he even heard of it.
Wang Nian said nothing. He only smiled.
Soon, Wen Jiu got up and opened the door. After saluting them both, he thanked Wang Nian and took the bowl of soup from his hands.
"Good, you're fine." Liu Xiao gave Wen Jiu a once-over. He'd been worried that cultivating the Yin Province Corpse Nurturing Art had caused Yin Qi to invade Wen Jiu's body. Now that he saw Wen Jiu was all right, he felt relieved.
Liu Xiao changed the subject. "Steward Mu asked me to tell you that Li Ye has been sent to Lian Wu Mountain."
"Lian Wu Mountain?"
"It's a small mountain fifty li from Flying Immortal Peak. There's a Rogue Cultivator market in the mountains, and Flying Immortal Peak has some businesses there. He'll be in charge of them from now on. As for when he can return... it definitely won't be within three years."
Three years.
That was already the limit.
After all, Li Ye still had a master who was a steward in the Talisman Room.
Liu Xiao continued, "When Li Ye comes back in three years, how you deal with him will be up to you. Remember what Steward Mu told you!"
"Thank you, Brother Liu!"
Wen Jiu hurriedly bowed in gratitude.
"Steward Mu asked me to remind you: if you're cultivating yin arts, don't rush. The Yin Province Corpse Nurturing Art takes a heavy toll on the body."
"Don't ruin your future for a moment's pleasure."
With that,
before Wen Jiu could even nod, Liu Xiao swiftly flew off on his sword, seemingly in a great hurry.
He was headed
straight for the Dead Corpse Land.
As soon as Liu Xiao left, Wang Nian urged Wen Jiu to try the soup. "Quick, give it a taste. Your sister-in-law made it especially for you."
"Thank you, Brother Wang. And thank your sister-in-law for me."
Wen Jiu hurriedly thanked him.
But his thoughts were all on the situation in the Dead Corpse Land.
The day before, Wang Nian had told him that everyone involved in burying corpses had been questioned again, one by one, except for him.
And now Liu Xiao had rushed off in such a hurry.
What was going on?
Suddenly,
Wang Nian's words interrupted Wen Jiu's thoughts. "Brother Wen, do you have enough talisman paper?"
"Yes, plenty."
Wen Jiu hurriedly nodded.
He could only smile wryly.
Wang Nian had bought him a hundred sheets the day before.
A few more days passed in the blink of an eye.
That night,
after the Soul Seizing Talisman experience reached thirty-five and he'd failed 175 times in a row, Wen Jiu finally managed to draw his first First-Rank Soul Seizing Talisman.
It was only the most basic First-Rank Low-grade Soul Seizing Talisman, and it would have trouble killing even someone at the Qi Refining Second Layer. But to Wen Jiu, it was a delightful surprise.
Wang Nian had once said that the most talented First-Rank talisman master at Flying Immortal Peak had taken five years to reach this point.
But Wen Jiu—
in just seven days, he'd walked the path that had taken others five or even ten years.
After that, Wen Jiu drew five more in a row.
Four failed.
One succeeded.
A twenty-percent success rate wasn't very high, but each successful First-Rank Soul Seizing Talisman gave him five experience points at the daily settlement.
His Soul Seizing Talisman experience had now reached 40 points in the Small Success stage. In other words, he only needed to successfully draw thirty-two more to reach Great Success.
Once he reached Great Success, his success rate would surely rise significantly.
The quality of his Soul Seizing Talismans would undoubtedly improve as well.
By then,
he'd have a new trump card.
If someone tried to capture the leader when they fought, he could simply send ten or eight Soul Seizing Talismans their way.
What Li Ye?
What Qi Refining Third Layer?
They'd be dead for sure.
Even stewards wouldn't scare him!
He'd just have to throw a few more.
"But I can't let word get out that I can draw Soul Seizing Talismans. Becoming a Ranked Talisman Master so quickly isn't necessarily a good thing." Showing off was one thing, but too much of it would backfire.
After thinking it over, Wen Jiu decided to keep it hidden for now.
As for talisman paper,
Wen Jiu decided he'd keep borrowing it for the time being.
But he wouldn't borrow so much. He'd mainly borrow Spirit Stones to create the illusion. Once the Black Zombie reached the next realm and the matter in the Dead Corpse Land had passed, he'd show Wang Nian and Mu Canglong what he'd achieved as a First-Rank Yin Talisman Master.
In the meantime, he needed to grind his experience higher.
Show three.
Hide seven.
Before you continue