Talisman Making Insights

When it came to giving gifts, Zhou Er couldn't make up his mind, so he could only find Lin Shiyu and discuss it with her.

Zhou Er wandered outside. When Lin Shiyu finished work, he went up to her.

"Junior Sister Lin, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Zhou Er said.

"What is it?"

Lin Shiyu asked, looking a little puzzled.

"It's not convenient to talk here."

Zhou Er glanced around. They were on the main road in Wutong District, and someone could pass by at any moment.

Lin Shiyu had no idea what Zhou Er wanted to discuss, and felt a little apprehensive. She said:

"Why don't we talk in my room?"

"Sure!"

Zhou Er nodded and followed Lin Shiyu into her little courtyard.

Unlike Zhou Er's courtyard, which had little more than a few weeds, Lin Shiyu had planted some flowers and medicinal herbs. They grew slowly and barely earned her any Spirit Stones over the course of a year. She kept them mostly for their beauty and to help her learn about the herbs' growing habits.

Lin Shiyu's bedroom was spotless. The room had been cleaned until not a speck of dust remained, and it was filled with little knickknacks. Compared to Zhou Er's bare little room, it felt much more lived in.

"Senior Brother Zhou, would you like some tea? I made it from flowers I grew myself and dried."

Lin Shiyu said.

"Sure!"

Zhou Er nodded.

Lin Shiyu cast a spell and quickly boiled a pot of water. She brought over a small tea table and tea set, then poured Zhou Er a small bowl of tea.

Zhou Er took a sip. The floral fragrance carried a hint of sweetness.

"What did you want to talk about, Senior Brother? Why all the mystery?"

Lin Shiyu asked.

"Junior Sister Lin, you have a dream of becoming an alchemist. I also want to become a Talisman Master."

Zhou Er said slowly.

"That's wonderful!"

Lin Shiyu nodded.

"So, I'm planning to pay a visit to Senior Brother Zhu, the First-tier Talisman Master in our Wutong District. But I don't know what kind of gift to bring, so I wanted to ask you for advice."

Zhou Er said.

"Senior Brother Zhou, you have powerful connections. Even if you went to see Senior Brother Zhu empty-handed, he wouldn't mind!"

Lin Shiyu said.

"Alas, I don't really have any connections."

Zhou Er explained:

"Master Jide sent me to the Outer Sect of the Xiayun Sect because he and my grandfather were old acquaintances. But three generations have passed since then, and we lost touch long ago. After he brought me to the Xiayun Sect, he stopped taking care of me and told me not to bother him."

Zhou Er was willing to tell her all this because he wanted Lin Shiyu to help him think of a solution. They had to be open with each other instead of hiding things.

Given their relationship now, Zhou Er trusted Lin Shiyu not to blab about it.

Even if she did, it wouldn't matter. Zhou Er had made no enemies in the Xiayun Sect, and no one would be bored enough to use it against him.

Besides, though Master Jide had said he wouldn't interfere in Zhou Er's affairs, he might still step in if Zhou Er suffered an injustice.

"I see. Then you really can't rely on that connection. It'd be awful if the True Person took a dislike to you."

Lin Shiyu said, understanding at last. She had wondered why Zhou Er, despite being someone with connections, couldn't even get a decent assignment and had to scrape by.

But she didn't mind. If she had, she would have noticed long ago that Zhou Er wasn't well off.

"Junior Sister Lin, that's not the point. The point is, I need to choose a suitable gift."

Zhou Er said.

"Senior Brother Zhu is an expert at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer. The gift can't be too cheap, but it can't be too valuable either, or he won't accept it. Hmm! Oh, Senior Brother, have you heard of the Purple Spirit Pill?"

Lin Shiyu thought for a moment and came up with a pill that could serve as a gift.

"Purple Spirit Pill? I haven't."

Zhou Er shook his head.

"The Purple Spirit Pill is a pill that's a little more effective than the Spirit Gathering Pill. It can be used by cultivators at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer and above, as well as those in the early stage of Foundation Establishment."

Lin Shiyu explained.

"Even early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators can use it? Then it must be expensive!"

Zhou Er was startled. He hadn't expected a pill to be suitable even for early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Just one Standard Quality pill costs ten Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

Lin Shiyu nodded. The pill was indeed expensive. After all, it was a Second-tier Pill.

In a sense, the Qi Refining Tenth Layer was pseudo-Foundation Establishment, so using some Second-tier pills meant for Foundation Establishment was perfectly normal.

For cultivators above the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, advancing further was incredibly difficult. They could only use powerful medicine.

Otherwise, they could only take a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Foundation Establishment Pills were strictly controlled by the sect. They couldn't be bought through ordinary channels, and their price was exorbitant.

If Zhu Shunyang could get his hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill, he would absolutely teach Zhou Er how to make talismans himself, step by step. But that was obviously impossible.

Zhou Er knew that pills were graded by quality: superior, good, standard, and inferior.

Inferior pills contained too much Pill Poison. They were trash fit only for feeding Spirit Beasts, barely better than Waste Pills.

Only Standard Quality pills and those of higher quality had Pill Poison within a reasonable range and could be used by people.

Standard Quality was the passing grade. If even a pill that barely passed cost so much, Zhou Er couldn't imagine how expensive a good-quality Purple Spirit Pill would be.

"Junior Sister Lin, I only have six Low-grade Spirit Stones right now."

Zhou Er sighed. Things were so hard for him.

"That's all right, Senior Brother Zhou. I've saved some up. I can lend them to you. I can also ask Elder He whether she can sell me a Purple Spirit Pill at a lower price."

Lin Shiyu said cheerfully, patting her chest.

"How can I accept that? You're saving up to study alchemy."

Zhou Er wanted to refuse. He didn't feel right taking advantage of a girl.

"What's there to worry about? Aren't we good friends? Besides, it's not like Senior Brother Zhou won't pay me back. I'm looking forward to the day you become a Talisman Master so you can look after a poor girl like me!"

Lin Shiyu said.

"All right. I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

After they settled things, Lin Shiyu went to ask Elder He the next day.

"Elder He, I'd like to buy a Purple Spirit Pill. Would that be possible?"

Lin Shiyu asked timidly. She didn't even dare raise her head in front of the cold-faced female Elder.

"Cost price: six Low-grade Spirit Stones."

Elder He Lin answered briefly.

After paying six Spirit Stones, Lin Shiyu got her Purple Spirit Pill. As soon as she finished work, she excitedly ran to Zhou Er's little courtyard and knocked on the door.

Zhou Er spent each day at home studying spells and cultivation techniques. When he heard the knock, he immediately got up to answer it.

"Senior Brother Zhou, hehe!"

Lin Shiyu held a little box and grinned foolishly. She didn't need to say a word; Zhou Er knew the Purple Spirit Pill was inside.

"Come in, Junior Sister Lin."

Zhou Er welcomed Lin Shiyu into his little room.

Lin Shiyu looked around and saw that Zhou Er's room and courtyard were extremely bare. Aside from a few standard furnishings, they looked just as they had when he'd first moved in.

But that wasn't what mattered right now.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Elder He gave me the internal price. It only cost six Low-grade Spirit Stones."

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"If this book is any good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you can find it next time."

"That's wonderful."

Every Spirit Stone was like a boulder weighing down Zhou Er. Each one he saved took a little of that weight off.

That meant he no longer owed Lin Shiyu anything.

No, that wasn't true. He still owed Lin Shiyu a lot of favors. Without her, he wouldn't have been able to get the Purple Spirit Pill at the internal price.

[Purple Spirit Pill: After taking it, greatly increases the speed of absorbing spiritual energy for a short time. Suitable for cultivators at the Late Qi Refining Stage and above who wish to improve their cultivation.]

[Equipped Attributes: Condensing Essence (White)]

[Condensing Essence (White): Cultivation Speed increased by fifty percent.]

[Solidification Condition: Reach the Late Qi Refining Stage. (Qi Refining Second Layer/Qi Refining Ninth Layer)]

[Equip?]

The moment the Purple Spirit Pill was in his hands, Zhou Er saw its effects. It granted another attribute that could speed up cultivation.

Looking at the attribute, Zhou Er froze.

For a moment, he began to hesitate. Should he give the Purple Spirit Pill away or not?

"Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

Lin Shiyu asked.

"It's nothing."

Zhou Er pulled himself away from the attribute description and shook his head.

Lin Shiyu chatted with Zhou Er about her dull experiences as a Fire Control Attendant. As the sky grew darker, she knew it wouldn't be appropriate to stay in his courtyard, so she said:

"It's getting late. I won't keep you, Senior Brother Zhou. I'll come visit you again when I get the chance."

"All right!"

Zhou Er nodded.

After seeing Lin Shiyu off, Zhou Er opened the little box containing the pill.

A single pill lay inside.

It was the size of a longan, deep purple and lustrous, with a faint glow on its surface. Its fragrance was restrained, barely more than a hint of sweetness.

Zhou Er closed the box, then opened it again, his heart tangled in indecision.

"You can't catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair. What I need right now is to earn Spirit Stones as quickly as possible. Once I have Spirit Stones, won't I be able to get as many Purple Spirit Pills as I want?"

At last, Zhou Er closed the box and resolved to visit Zhu Shunyang first.

Zhu Shunyang lived in the largest house at the heart of Wutong District. Zhou Er had been there before, so it didn't take long to find it.

After giving his name, he had a Servant Disciple go upstairs to notify Zhu Shunyang.

After a while, Zhu Shunyang came out of his study and saw Zhou Er.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what brings you here?"

Zhu Shunyang looked puzzled. Zhou Er had been in Wutong District for more than three months, and this was the first time he had come to see him of his own accord.

Though they had met only once, Zhu Shunyang still remembered Zhou Er clearly.

After all, he was a connected disciple sent by a Golden Core True Person, with an even stronger backer than Zhu Shunyang's own. Of course Zhu Shunyang wouldn't forget him or casually bother him. He had only kept a discreet eye on him from a distance.

"I came to pay you a visit, Senior Brother Zhu."

Zhou Er said with a smile.

Zhu Shunyang led Zhou Er upstairs to his study. As soon as he had Zhou Er seated, Zhou Er took out a little box.

"I've come without warning. This small gift is nothing much, but I hope you'll accept it."

Zhou Er handed the box to Zhu Shunyang.

Zhu Shunyang accepted it without looking inside and immediately thanked him:

"Junior Brother Zhou, you shouldn't have brought a gift. You're too kind."

"I couldn't come to see you empty-handed, Senior Brother Zhu."

Zhou Er gave an awkward smile. He had no idea whether Zhu Shunyang would like his gift.

Zhu Shunyang was certainly pleased, though he was also a little uneasy. He didn't know whether Zhou Er had come on his own or whether Master Jide, the person behind him, had sent him.

But someone as powerful as Master Jide, a Golden Core expert, had little reason to seek out a mere Qi Refining disciple like him.

"Junior Brother Zhou, you came to see me for something else, didn't you?"

Zhu Shunyang had a pretty good idea that Zhou Er had come on his own.

"You guessed right, Senior Brother Zhu. I heard you're a First-tier Talisman Master, and I'd like to ask you about your talisman-making experience."

Zhou Er said.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I'm just a small-time First-tier Talisman Master. I'm nothing special, so there's no need to be so formal. If you have any questions, ask away."

Zhu Shunyang said patiently.

"Senior Brother Zhu, I want to learn talisman-making too, but I have no experience and don't know where to start. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction."

Zhou Er said awkwardly. He only knew that making talismans required a Talisman Brush, Talisman Paper, and special ink. He knew nothing else.

From Zhou Er's words, Zhu Shunyang understood that he was a complete beginner.

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Shunyang took a thick book from his Storage Bag and said:

"Junior Brother Zhou, I've written down my insights into talisman-making over the years in here. I hope they'll be of some help. You can borrow it and read through it; just copy it and return it to me."

[Talisman Making Insights: The decades-long notes of a top First-tier Talisman Master.]

[Equipped Attributes: Rune Mastery (First-tier)]

[Rune Mastery (First-tier): Master most First-tier runes.]

[Solidification Condition: Master the production of five types of talismans.]

[Equip?]

When Zhou Er saw that he could equip the Talisman Making Insights, he was overjoyed.

Even if he couldn't equip it, he would have been perfectly satisfied just to get a First-tier Talisman Master's notes. They weren't something he could buy for a few dozen Spirit Stones.

Of course, having an attribute was even better.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhu. I'll copy it as quickly as I can and return it to you."

Zhou Er hurriedly accepted the Talisman Making Insights with care and said.

"I don't know if it'll be of any help to you."

Zhu Shunyang shook his head.

"It will! Definitely!"

Zhou Er nodded.

"Junior Brother Zhou, although I've given you the Talisman Making Insights, there's something I still have to tell you. You may not want to hear it, but I have to advise you."

Zhu Shunyang said:

"You're still young. Cultivation is the most important thing. Once you've raised your cultivation, you can think about other things. We cultivators rely on our cultivation to speak for us."

Seeing that Zhou Er was only at the Qi Refining Second Layer, yet already couldn't wait to learn talisman-making, Zhu Shunyang felt he was abandoning the Great Dao to pursue a lesser path.

The Hundred Arts of Cultivation were meant to support cultivation, not take its place.

"Senior Brother is right. I haven't slacked off in my cultivation. I'll use my spare time to learn talisman-making."

Zhou Er didn't argue, but went along with what Zhu Shunyang had said.

"Just don't get too absorbed in talisman-making."

Zhu Shunyang nodded. He was afraid of hindering Zhou Er's cultivation and causing unnecessary trouble.

He didn't want to offend Zhou Er, nor the True Person behind him.

With the Talisman Making Insights in hand, Zhou Er prepared to take his leave.

Just as he was about to go, Zhu Shunyang thought for a moment, then called after him:

"Wait! Junior Brother Zhou, I have a gift for you, too."

Zhu Shunyang took a Talisman Brush from his Storage Bag and said:

"This Wind Wolf's Wolf Hair Brush is too thick, and I hardly use it anymore. I'll give it to you, Junior Brother Zhou. Take it back and practice with it."

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