The Talisman Intent Was Impure, and So Was the Sword Intent

Qin Wangchuan was taken aback, took the talisman, and carefully sensed it.

"The Li Fire Pattern is crooked?"

"That shouldn't be the case, it was checked before..."

"I see... Fire patterns are intense, so there should be enough space between the patterns."

His face showed no displeasure at being bothered; instead, he wore a look of sudden realization, muttering to himself, "When fires piled together burn, they blaze; when separated, they flourish..."

As he spoke, he immediately picked up a talisman pen and began modifying a new Talisman Paper, instantly transforming it into a radiant Fire Talisman far surpassing the previous one.

Qin Wangchuan handed the new talisman and three High-grade Spirit Stones to the young cultivator, his tone sincere. "I apologize, it's my lack of skill that caused the talisman's problem. I'll return the Spirit Stone, and this new talisman is for you as compensation."

The young cultivator was completely bewildered by his actions. Looking at the new talisman in his hand, brimming with Spiritual Qi and clearly not an ordinary item, and the Spirit Stone he had just recovered, his anger instantly vanished, replaced by a sense of embarrassment.

"Uh... actually, you don't need to get a full refund..."

"Of course," Qin Wangchuan said calmly, as if returning the Spirit Stone and giving away better talismans was a matter of course, and there was no trace of Spirit Stone in his clear eyes.

The young monk thanked him stammeringly and left.

Qin Wangchuan watched the other person's departing figure, then suddenly chuckled softly, picking up a discarded talisman with his fingertips and gently rubbing it in his palm.

"The Talisman Dao... is more interesting than I imagined."

He lowered his eyes to look at the charred lines on the Talisman Paper, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.

--Drawing Draw Talismans is like cultivating the Tao; every stroke embodies the principles of heaven and earth.

One mistake can ruin the whole game.

--But if one understands...

He suddenly picked up his brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and drew Dao Fire pattern on the Yellow Paper with a flourish—this time, the surface of the Talisman Paper shimmered with a lustrous red light, like the glow of the sunset, shining brightly.

This Fire Talisman has transcended its original purpose of lighting firewood; it has become an extremely powerful Killing Talisman.

"I see."

Qin Wangchuan smiled slightly and gently placed the newly made Fire Talisman in the most conspicuous position on the stall, replacing the previous defective one.

Although there are Talisman Dao Expert in the family, it's still more interesting to figure things out on your own.

Without incorporating other people's ideas, one can better evolve one's own path.

--The Talisman Dao may seem small, but it is also Great Dao.

--This calamity of millions may well have begun with this very stroke of the pen.

A little while later, even the auntie who had bought the Dust Removal Talisman returned, holding the discarded Talisman Paper in her hand, saying with a mixture of laughter and tears:

"Young master, your talisman is truly effective! A gust of wind swept all the fallen leaves and dust away from my yard..."

Before Qin Wangchuan could even let a smile spread across his face, the auntie abruptly changed the subject, gesturing with a mixture of amusement and exasperation:

"But the wind just wouldn't stop! It swept up all the fallen leaves, and even overturned the Iron Pot on my stove. The bottom of the pot is still embedded in the roof beam!"

"Is this Dust Removal Talisman or House-Demolishing Talisman?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Wangchuan did not show any embarrassment on his face.

Those eyes, which seemed to hold the power of a galaxy, suddenly lit up, as if they could see a deeper pattern through the remaining traces of Spiritual Power on the Talisman Paper.

"The Spirit Pattern surged forth, pouring out like a torrent, yet there was no 'intention' to restrain or guide them..." he murmured softly, as if sensing something.

The out-of-control whirlwind, with its chaotic and disordered trajectory, resonated in a peculiar way with the vast and boundless Immortal Essence within his body, which was always difficult to control at crucial moments.

It's not a matter of power level, but rather... the intention is not pure.

The meaning of the talisman is not pure, nor is the Sword Intent.

This talisman can summon a strong wind, but it cannot make the wind only sweep away the dust without damaging the stove.

Just like his sword, it can Heaven-Opening, yet it's difficult to precisely cut off a single leaf from a tree without harming the rest.

"More power is not always better."

"The most complex things return to the simplest; the greatest effort requires the most meticulous control."

An epiphany spread through his heart as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

The ultimate expression of power lies not in the unrestrained outpouring, but in the precise depiction and guidance of every bit of force within the flow of thought.

This principle applies to the Sword Dao of the sword, the Talisman Dao, and even all other arts.

Qin Wangchuan withdrew his gaze, and the aloof Immortal Aura in his eyes seemed to have faded slightly, replaced by a clarity that came with worldly experience.

He looked at the woman and gave her a faint, apologetic smile, "It was my oversight that caused you to be affected."

He returned a Spirit Stone and then picked up his pen again.

This time, he wrote with a calmer mind, no longer simply infusing Spiritual Power, but infusing his brushstrokes with a hint of the newly comprehended concept of "guidance".

As the cinnabar flowed, the runes formed naturally, and the spiritual light became warm and restrained, quietly creating a new rune with a completely different aura.

"This talisman should be suitable for use." Qin Wangchuan handed over the talisman, his tone calm.

Although the woman wasn't entirely satisfied, she didn't continue to cause trouble and instead left with the Spirit Stone and the new talisman.

After she left, Qin Wangchuan's fingertips unconsciously traced lines in the air once more.

This time, however, it brought forth an extremely refined and easily controlled Sword Qi of sword energy, which was gentle yet persistent.

"That's interesting."

He murmured to himself, finally developing a genuine interest in this Mortal World experience.

And so, the morning passed. People came and went in front of Qin Wangchuan's stall. He didn't sell many talismans, but he received a lot of Spirit Stone back and gave away a lot of new talismans.

He seemed completely unconcerned about whether he could earn Spirit Stone, immersing himself solely in comprehending and refining the subtle nuances of the Talisman Dao.

His nonchalant attitude towards Spirit Stone and his incredible speed of improvement amazed some of the older cultivators who were secretly observing him.

I just felt that this young man was unfathomable.

'He's definitely Young Master from some Talisman Dao Aristocratic Clan who's out for training!'

As the sun began to set, only a few talismans remained on the stall.

Although it wasn't much, I still earned six or seven Spirit Stones, enough for today's lodging.

Qin Wangchuan prepared to pack up and go back to digest his gains for the day.

Just then, a boy of about ten years old, dressed in patched coarse cloth clothes, timidly walked up to the stall.

His little face was dirty, but his eyes were big and bright, and he was clutching a Spirit Stone tightly in his hand.

"Little... Little Immortal..." the boy's voice was barely audible, "Do you have any talismans for killing people here?"

Qin Wangchuan lowered his head and looked at the boy.

His gaze swept over the faint bluish-purple bruises visible beneath the boy's faded collar, and over the fear and anticipation hidden in his large eyes.

He didn't answer immediately, but leaned forward slightly, calmly looking at the boy. "What do you need a talisman for to kill someone?"

"Of course it's to kill!" The boy's tone was different from before; his voice was childish but resolute.

"Azure Heaven Holy Land, Myriad Star Pavilion, ever since my father died in the Beast Tide..." His small hands clenched until they turned white, "He came to my house every day, saying... saying he wanted to take my mother as a concubine..."

"I'm going to kill him!"

The Copper Bell on the Cloth Banner rang out automatically without wind, producing a clear, crisp sound.

Qin Wangchuan stared into the boy's eyes, which were filled with hatred, his gaze as deep as a cold pool. Then he picked up a crimson talisman from the table.

"This talisman can kill," he said, handing it over and adding, "But I must tell you..."

"Killing cannot stop killing."

The boy shook his head blankly, his expression stubborn. "Little Immortal, I don't understand all those Great Dao. I only know that my father told me to protect my mother."

"If I kill him, my mother won't have to cry anymore."

"Even if it means paying with my life, I'll accept it!"